Slang & idioms › Idioms
Spanish idioms and proverbs
28 everyday Spanish idioms with the literal translation, what they really mean and an example, plus 12 proverbs your Spanish-speaking friends' grandparents still use.
Literally: «to cost an eye of the face»
Means: to cost an arm and a leg
El alquiler en el centro cuesta un ojo de la cara.
Rent downtown costs an arm and a leg.
Literally: «to be eaten bread»
Means: to be a piece of cake
El examen fue pan comido.
The exam was a piece of cake.
Literally: «to be in the clouds»
Means: to be daydreaming
Perdón, no te escuché, estaba en las nubes.
Sorry, I didn't hear you, I was daydreaming.
Literally: «to take the hair»
Means: to pull someone's leg
¿Te ganaste un coche? ¡Me estás tomando el pelo!
You won a car? You're pulling my leg!
Literally: «to put the paw in»
Means: to put your foot in it, to blunder
Metí la pata: le conté la sorpresa a mi hermana.
I blew it: I told my sister about the surprise.
Literally: «to have no hairs on the tongue»
Means: to speak your mind, not mince words
Mi abuela no tiene pelos en la lengua.
My grandmother doesn't mince words.
Literally: «to be like a fish in water»
Means: to be in your element
En la cocina, Ana está como pez en el agua.
In the kitchen, Ana is in her element.
Literally: «to hit the nail»
Means: to hit the nail on the head
Con ese regalo diste en el clavo.
You nailed it with that present.
Literally: «to put your batteries in»
Means: to get your act together, get moving
Si quieres aprobar, ponte las pilas.
If you want to pass, get your act together.
Literally: «to be nail and flesh»
Means: to be inseparable
Lucía y Marta son uña y carne.
Lucía and Marta are inseparable.
Literally: «to be left like stone»
Means: to be stunned
Cuando me dijo el precio, me quedé de piedra.
When he told me the price, I was stunned.
Literally: «to throw the towel»
Means: to throw in the towel
No tires la toalla, ya casi terminas.
Don't give up, you're almost done.
Literally: «to go to the grain»
Means: to get to the point
Tengo prisa, ve al grano.
I'm in a hurry, get to the point.
Literally: «to look for three feet on the cat»
Means: to overcomplicate things, look for trouble
No le busques tres pies al gato: la respuesta es sencilla.
Don't overcomplicate it: the answer is simple.
Literally: «to consult it with the pillow»
Means: to sleep on it
No sé si aceptar el trabajo. Lo consulto con la almohada.
I don't know if I'll take the job. I'll sleep on it.
Literally: «to talk through the elbows»
Means: to talk nonstop
Mi primo habla por los codos.
My cousin never stops talking.
Literally: «to sleep like a log»
Means: to sleep like a log
Después del viaje dormí como un tronco.
After the trip I slept like a log.
Literally: «not to stick an eye»
Means: not to sleep a wink
Con el ruido de la calle no pegué ojo.
With the noise from the street I didn't sleep a wink.
Literally: «to throw a hand»
Means: to give a hand
¿Me echas una mano con la mudanza?
Can you give me a hand with the move?
Literally: «to rain by jugs»
Means: to rain cats and dogs
Lleva dos días lloviendo a cántaros.
It's been pouring for two days.
Literally: «to hold the frying pan by the handle»
Means: to be in control
En esta empresa, la jefa tiene la sartén por el mango.
In this company, the boss calls the shots.
Literally: «to give cat instead of hare»
Means: to rip someone off, sell a fake
Ese reloj no es original: te dieron gato por liebre.
That watch isn't real: they ripped you off.
Literally: «to throw the house out the window»
Means: to spare no expense
Para la boda echaron la casa por la ventana.
They spared no expense on the wedding.
Literally: «to take off the hinge»
Means: to drive someone up the wall
El ruido del vecino me saca de quicio.
The neighbor's noise drives me up the wall.
Literally: «to be up to the nose»
Means: to be fed up
Estoy hasta las narices de este tráfico.
I'm fed up with this traffic.
Literally: «to have bad milk»
Means: to be mean, bad-tempered
Ese profesor tiene mala leche.
That teacher is really mean.
Literally: «he falls fat on me»
Means: I can't stand him
El novio de mi prima me cae gordo.
I can't stand my cousin's boyfriend.
Literally: «the drop that spilled the glass»
Means: the last straw
Llegar tarde otra vez fue la gota que derramó el vaso.
Being late again was the last straw.
Proverbs (refranes)
| Refrán | Word for word | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Al que madruga, Dios lo ayuda. | God helps those who get up early. | The early bird catches the worm. |
| Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando. | A bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying. | A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. |
| Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres. | Tell me who you walk with and I'll tell you who you are. | You are the company you keep. |
| No hay mal que por bien no venga. | There's no bad that doesn't come for some good. | Every cloud has a silver lining. |
| En boca cerrada no entran moscas. | Flies don't get into a closed mouth. | Silence is golden. |
| Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente. | The shrimp that falls asleep is carried away by the current. | You snooze, you lose. |
| Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente. | Eyes that don't see, heart that doesn't feel. | Out of sight, out of mind. |
| Perro que ladra no muerde. | A dog that barks doesn't bite. | His bark is worse than his bite. |
| Al mal tiempo, buena cara. | To bad weather, a good face. | Keep your chin up. |
| A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente. | You don't look at the tooth of a gift horse. | Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. |
| Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho. | From saying to doing there's a long way. | Easier said than done. |
| Más vale tarde que nunca. | Better late than never. | Better late than never. |