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Verb conjugation

bailar en un tusero

to be in a pickle; to be in a jam

Usage

A Venezuelan idiom meaning to be in a precarious, unstable, or risky situation — literally "to dance on a pile of corncobs" (a tusa is a discarded corn cob, and a tusero is an unsteady heap of them). Used for tricky, delicate circumstances where one misstep could cause trouble.

Examples
  • Con ese jefe, uno anda bailando en un tusero todo el día. — With that boss, you're walking on eggshells all day.
  • La empresa está bailando en un tusero desde que perdió ese contrato. — The company has been on shaky ground since it lost that contract.
  • Negociar con ellos es como bailar en un tusero. — Negotiating with them is like walking a tightrope.
Common mistake

A regional Venezuelan idiom, not literal dance vocabulary — a learner outside Venezuela is unlikely to encounter it and should reach for the more widely understood estar en la cuerda floja ("to be on a tightrope") elsewhere.

Often confused with bailar.

Simple tenses

Imperative (imperativo)

tú-
nosotros-
vosotros-

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "bailar en un tusero" mean?

"bailar en un tusero" means "to be in a pickle; to be in a jam".

What is the Imperative (imperativo) of "bailar en un tusero"?

The imperative (imperativo) of "bailar en un tusero" is: tú -, nosotros -, vosotros -.

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