tirar piedras contra el propio tejado: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  All Spanish-speaking regionsneutral
  • To throw stones at one's own roof; literally, to hurl stones toward the roof of one's house.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Mientras reparaba el tejado, accidentalmente tiró piedras contra el propio tejado y dañó las tejas nuevas.

    While repairing the roof, he accidentally threw stones at his own roof and damaged the new tiles.

  • Los niños jugaban en el patio y tiraron piedras contra el propio tejado sin darse cuenta del peligro.

    The children were playing in the yard and threw stones at the roof themselves without realizing the danger.

  • No tires piedras contra el propio tejado; eso solo va a empeorar la situación de tu casa.

    Don’t throw stones at your own roof; that will only make your house’s situation worse.

  • Durante la tormenta, algunas ramas cayeron y tiraron piedras contra el propio tejado, causando daños visibles.

    During the storm, some branches fell and hurled stones against the roof itself, causing visible damage.

• 2.

  All Spanish-speaking regionscolloquialproverbial
  • To act in a way that harms one's own interests; to be self-defeating or to damage oneself through one's actions.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Al criticar públicamente a su equipo, Pedro estaba tirando piedras contra el propio tejado y dañando su reputación.

    By publicly criticizing his team, Pedro was harming his own interests and damaging his reputation.

  • Si sigues tomando decisiones así, solo estarás tirando piedras contra el propio tejado de la empresa.

    If you keep making decisions like that, you’ll only be acting against the company’s own interests.

  • No entiendo por qué Marta tira piedras contra el propio tejado al hablar mal de sus colegas en la reunión.

    I don’t understand why Marta is shooting herself in the foot by badmouthing her colleagues in the meeting.