devanarse los sesos: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  SpainLatin AmericaGeneralcolloquialneutral
  • To rack one's brains; to think intensely and at length in order to solve a problem or understand something difficult.
  • To struggle mentally, often to the point of frustration, when trying to find an answer or make a decision.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Me tuve que devanar los sesos para encontrar una solución al problema del cliente.

    I had to rack my brains to find a solution to the client's problem.

  • ¿Por qué te devanas los sesos tanto por algo que no tiene solución fácil?

    Why do you rack your brains so much over something that has no easy solution?

  • Nos devanamos los sesos toda la noche intentando entender el nuevo sistema informático.

    We racked our brains all night trying to understand the new computer system.

• 2.

  SpainLatin AmericaGeneralcolloquialironic
  • To worry or agonize unnecessarily over something trivial or unavoidable.

  Examples

  Beta

  • No te devanes los sesos por esa discusión, no vale la pena preocuparse tanto.

    Don't agonize over that argument; it's not worth worrying so much.

  • Se devana los sesos cada vez que piensa en los pequeños errores que cometió.

    He worries excessively every time he thinks about the small mistakes he made.

  • A veces nos devanamos los sesos por cosas que no podemos controlar.

    Sometimes we stress ourselves out over things we can't control.