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What is the correct way to express this idiomatic expression? -- Stir the pot --

My goal is to say something like "she stirs the pot even more by inviting this person to her house."

I would imagine I could get away with saying something like,

Ella complica la circumstancia más por invitar a esta persona a su casa.

but that doesn't sit well with me as a good translation. In English, "stir the pot" has a distinct meaning and a distinct way of expressing the complications such that I wouldn't even have to mention the situation at all.

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  • BTW, "por invitar" does not seem right to me here, I'd prefer "al invitar" or "invitando"
    – leonbloy
    Commented Apr 6, 2013 at 2:55
  • "revolver la olla" and "revolver el estofado" were quite common in Argentina, but not much used nowadays
    – Dr. belisarius
    Commented Apr 6, 2013 at 18:55
  • Does that not literally mean to stir the pot though?
    – dockeryZ
    Commented Apr 8, 2013 at 16:42

5 Answers 5

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I didn't know that idiom in English, but from what I see, there are some expressions that can fit. They have slightly different meanings:

  • Echar leña al fuego: do or say something to worsen a situation
  • Echar sal en la herida: do or say something that increases somebody's pain (physical or emotional)
  • Sacar los trapos sucios: make public someone else's faults
  • Revolver la mierda: bring back an issue that is settled
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Ok, I have came to the conclusion after searching and searching and asking people I know that

Empeorar la situación

is the closest I am going to get. But for educations sake, feel free to provide more solutions.... If there is any way possible to avoid the word situación, I would greatly appreciate it.

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In México I use this expression: “Ella trata de amarrar navajas al invitarlo(la) a su casa”.

And in a higly friendly informal way I would say: “Ella le echa limón a la herida al invitarlo(la) a su casa”.

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  • By the way, is "stir the pot" a British expression?
    – ArturoTena
    Commented Apr 6, 2013 at 9:37
  • That comment should probably belong on the question, not your answer. But it is a somewhat common phrase in American English. I don't know if it's used in British English or not.
    – Flimzy
    Commented Apr 7, 2013 at 2:00
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Se me ocurre:

Puso las cosas peor invitando a esa persona a su casa.

Ella puso las cosas todavía peor al invitarlo a su casa.

Ella lo complicó todo mas ...

Se acabó de complicar invitándolo a casa.

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There are MANY for that expression for instance:

(Subject) puso a todo mundo en jaque con solo traerla.

Where jaque makes reference to the chess move -check- where the king is on defence mode, prior to checkmate

Solo vino a alborotar el gallinero Just came to agitate the chicken coop!

La cosa se puso color hormiga! (Rojo) …En alusión a la molestia que causó en todos por su presencia.

Nada más vino a torear el avispero!

Those are few and those are expressions understood throughout Iberoamérica.

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