Why Does Tuesday 13 Make Spain Tremble? 🇪🇸
Forget Friday 13! In Spain, it's Tuesday that brings bad luck. Discover why you should "neither marry nor embark" on this day.
Spain: land of flamenco, paella and sun. But also a country of deeply rooted superstitions! 🇪🇸 If you know Friday 13, know that in Spain (and Latin America), it's Tuesday 13 that makes the superstitious tremble.
The Spanish saying is clear: "En martes, ni te cases, ni te embarques" (On Tuesday, don't get married and don't set sail). But it's not the only superstition that shapes the daily life of Spaniards...
Sit back with a sangria: we're going to discover why Spaniards avoid Tuesday, why the broom should never touch feet, and why salt is passed differently. 💃🍷
📅 Tuesday 13: The Cursed Day
While in most Western countries, it's Friday 13 that brings bad luck, in Spain and many Latin American countries, it's Tuesday 13 that is feared. Why this difference?
Tuesday (martes in Spanish) is associated with Mars, the Roman god of war. The number 13 is already considered unlucky in many cultures. The combination of the two creates a particularly unlucky day according to popular beliefs.
📜 The Saying
"En martes, ni te cases, ni te embarques"
Translation: On Tuesday, don't get married and don't set sail. This saying is so ingrained that many Spaniards avoid making important decisions on Tuesday, especially if it falls on the 13th.
Some even avoid starting new projects, signing important contracts, or moving on a Tuesday 13. Spanish airlines and hotels often see a drop in bookings on this day!
💡 Did You Know?
In Greece, Tuesday 13 is also unlucky, but for a different reason: on April 13, 1204, Constantinople fell to the crusaders... on a Tuesday. The superstition spread throughout the Mediterranean.
🧹 The Broom and Feet: Never Get Married!
This is one of Spain's strictest superstitions: if someone sweeps a broom over your feet, you will never get married! This belief is taken very seriously, especially by Spanish grandmothers.
The origin of this superstition is probably related to the fact that the broom symbolizes cleaning and purification. Sweeping a broom over someone's feet could symbolically "sweep away" their luck in love or their marital destiny.
To "cancel" the bad luck, some people immediately jump over the broom or touch wood. Other versions say you simply need to avoid letting someone sweep near your feet while you're sitting.
💡 Did You Know?
This superstition also exists in other Mediterranean countries, but with variations. In Italy, some say that if a young girl sweeps a broom over another's feet, she will never get married. In Greece, it's rather the act of sweeping a broom over a groom's feet that brings bad luck to the couple.
🧂 Salt (Pasar la sal): Never Pass the Salt Shaker
In Spain, you never pass the salt shaker hand to hand. This superstition says that passing salt directly from hand to hand breaks friendship or brings bad luck to the relationship between the two people.
The solution? You must place the salt shaker on the table so the other person can take it themselves. This practice is so common that even Spanish restaurants respect this tradition: waiters always place the salt shaker on the table rather than handing it directly.
The origin of this belief probably dates back to antiquity, when salt was a precious commodity. Wasting it (by spilling it) or passing it incorrectly could be interpreted as a bad omen.
💡 Did You Know?
If you accidentally spill salt, some Spaniards throw a pinch of salt over their left shoulder to ward off bad luck. This practice also exists in other cultures, particularly in Italy and Greece.
👣 Enter with the Right Foot: Always the Right Foot
In Spain, you must always enter a house with your right foot. Entering with your left foot brings bad luck, as the left foot is associated with the devil and evil.
This superstition is particularly important on the first visit to a new house, when moving, or even when entering a football field! Many Spanish footballers make sure to enter the field with their right foot for luck.
The origin of this belief dates back to the Middle Ages, when the left side was associated with evil (sinister comes from the Latin "sinister" meaning left). The right side was considered beneficial and divine.
💡 Did You Know?
This superstition exists in many cultures, but with variations. In Italy, some say you must enter a church with your right foot. In Greece, it's rather the act of leaving with your left foot that brings bad luck. In Spain, it's especially the entrance that matters.
🎯 In Summary
Spanish superstitions are deeply rooted in Iberian and Latin American culture. From Tuesday 13 that makes people tremble, to the broom that should never touch feet, to salt that is passed differently and the right foot that must always enter first... Each gesture has its story, often linked to religion, antiquity, or Mediterranean traditions. 🇪🇸
👉 Tuesday or Friday, luck is provoked. On AmStramGram, we don't judge: we offer tools to play with chance (dice, wheel, coin flip) or to give meaning to the day (horoscope, luck of the day).
No Need to Avoid Tuesday 13 to Try Your Luck!
Test your Luck of the Day or your Horoscope to see if the stars are with you — or roll the Dice to challenge pure chance.
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