To Do Sometihng Again in Spanish

Yous can measure your success in learning Spanish or any other language past how well you sympathize and use its idioms.

Idioms are phrases that have a figurative meaning, often very different from the literal translation of the words. Idioms are sometimes foreign, often funny, and tin can be quite disruptive to not-native speakers.

Think about the following phrases in English and imagine how they would sound to someone learning English.

Friends like that are a 10 a penny
I just had to bite the bullet
Don't get bent out of shape over it!

You probably know exactly what the sentences are trying to convey. Simply the meaning is not readily apparent with the words alone.

Spanish, like English, has a whole slew of idiomatic expressions and phrases that can add colour to your speech…if yous tin understand them.

How To Acquire Spanish Idioms

And going back to the list of English language idioms, how did you learn what those phrases mean?

Chances are good you just know them through hearing them over and over in context.

That'south also the trick when information technology comes to idioms in Spanish.

There's no substitute for hearing, reading, and saying idioms hundreds of times in authentic conversation to truly principal their usage in Spanish. Simply before yous tin can try them out yourself, it helps to know what they mean.

That's where this post comes in!

Here are xc Castilian idioms, including the virtually common and some of the most memorable you will come across in the Spanish-speaking world.

Yes, this list will assistance y'all master Spanish idioms. But I promise it volition also exist fun to read. The literal translations of many idioms are just plain funny.

See if you lot tin can guess the pregnant to any of these idioms earlier reading the translation!

By the way, if you want to chief Spanish idioms and sound like a native speaker, so cheque out the Fluent Castilian Academy, a library of material with sound and transcripts to help you become off the intermediate plateau.

7 Spanish Idioms (And What They Really Hateful)

The starting time vii idioms on this listing are also explained at length in the Fluent Castilian Academy YouTube video below. Click to hear the pronunciation and detailed descriptions of each.

#1 Ser Pan Comido

literal translation: bread to exist eaten
what it ways: to be easy or unproblematic
English equivalent: a easy

ejemplo: Este examen es pan comido. (This exam is a piece of block)

#2 Acostarse Con Las Gallinas

literal translation: to go to bed with the chickens
what it means: to go to bed early

ejemplo: Ya eres muy aburrido, ahora solo te acuestas con las gallinas(You are so irksome, you only go to bed early on now)

#three Andarse Por Las Ramas

literal translation: to walk around the branches
what it ways: to avoid the subject
English equivalent: to beat around the bush

ejemplo: Se anda por las ramas. Aún no me ha confirmado goose egg(He'due south beating around the bush. He still hasn't confirmed anything.)

#4 Peor Es Nada

literal translation: worse is cipher
what it means: better than nothing

ejemplo: Esperaba tener más que una semana de vacaciones, pero peor es aught.(I was hoping to get more than a calendar week of holidays, but it's better than nothing.)

#v Tal Para Cual

literal translation: such for which
what it ways: very similar
English equivalent: like 2 peas in a pod

ejemplo: Sandra e Ismael son tal para cual (Sandra and Ismael are like ii peas in a pod)

#half-dozen Quemarse Las Cejas

literal translation: to burn your own eyebrows
what it means: to stay up late working on something
English equivalent: to burn down the midnight oil

ejemplo: No sé por qué te quemaste las cejas, yo te dije que sería fácil(I don't know why you worked so hard. I told you it would exist easy)

#seven Buscarle Tres Pies Al Gato

literal significant: to look for three legs on the cat
what it means: to go looking for trouble

ejemplo: No le busques tres pies al gato. Sabes que tienes que hablar primero con tu novia(Don't become looking for trouble. Yous know you accept to talk to your girlfriend first)

Pretty fun, right?

Idioms make you sound less like y'all're speaking from a textbook and more like a native speaker. They utilise colourful linguistic communication and tin add together variety and personality to your conversations.

Some idioms are more common in some areas or take slightly unlike meanings from identify to place, and so always have your cues from the native speakers you associate with.

Don't be afraid to ask if you need an idiomatic expression explained…simply also don't be surprised if your Spanish-speaking friends have to think for a infinitesimal before they tin can explain what an idiom means.

Prepare for more idioms? Then continue reading…

83 More Spanish Idioms To Liven Upwardly Your Speech

Now that you have a feel for what idioms are similar in Spanish, here are 83 more than colourful idioms you can utilise to impress your friends:

#one Con Las Manos En La Masa

literal translation: with hands in the dough
what it ways: to be defenseless in the act of misbehaving
English equivalent: to be caught red-handed

#two ¿Qué Le Hace Una Mancha Más Al Tigre?

literal translation: what is one more stripe to a tiger?
what information technology means: a trivial more than won't make a difference

#3 Al Mal Tiempo, Buena Cara

literal translation: to bad weather, a good confront
what it means: confront disappointment and make the best of it
English language equivalent: when life gives yous lemons, brand lemonade

#four Tener Memoria De Pez

literal translation: to take the retentiveness of a fish
what it ways: an inability to remember things

#5 Empezar La Casa Por El Tejado

literal translation: to get-go the house with the roof
what it means: do things out of gild
English equivalent: to place the cart earlier the equus caballus

#6 Meter La Pata

literal translation: to put the pes in, every bit into a trap
what it means: to make a error or mess upward

#7 Estar Hasta Las Narices

literal translation: to exist in all the style up to the noses
what it means: to be fed up with something
English equivalent: neck-deep, in over your head

#8 Estar Como Una Cabra

literal translation: to be similar a goat
what it means: to act crazy

#9 Como Llevar Arena A La Playa

literal translation: like taking sand to the beach
what it ways: to practice something pointless

#ten Tirar La Casa Por La Ventana

literal translation: to throw the firm out the window
what it means: to spare no expense and worry well-nigh the bill tomorrow

#11 Dar La Vuelta A La Tortilla

literal translation: to plough the tortilla around
what it means: to look at something from another side or to turn the tables
English equivalent: the other side of the money, on the other manus

#12 Tener Más Lana Que Un Borrego

literal translation: to have more than wool than a lamb
what it means: to have lots of coin

#13 Quedarse De Piedra

literal translation: to stay similar a rock
what it means: to be shocked, especially into silence

#fourteen Hablando Del Rey Del Roma

literal translation: speaking of the rex of Rome
what information technology means: when you're talking about someone and they only show up
English equivalent: speak of the devil

#fifteen Sin Pelos En La Lengua

literal translation: without pilus on your tongue
what it means: to speak in a straightforward manner

#16 Echar Agua Al Mar

literal translation: to throw water into the sea
what it means: to do something pointless or that makes no departure

#17 Si Mi Abuela Tuviera Ruedas Sería Una Bicicleta

literal translation: if my grandmother had wheels she would be a bicycle
what it means: this expression is used as a response when someone is wishing something had happened differently or wishing for something that just won't happen

#18 Una Media Naranja / Encontrar Tu Media Naranja

literal translation: a half an orange / to notice your orangish one-half
what it ways: a soul mate/ to find your soul mate

#nineteen Bueno Y Barato No Caben En Un Zapato

literal translation: good and cheap won't fit in the same shoe
what it means: you get what you pay for

#20 No Tener Pies Ni Cabeza

literal translation: to take neither feet nor head
what information technology means: not making any sense

#21 Camarón Que Se Duerme Se Lo Lleva La Corrientes

literal translation: sleeping shrimp get carried by the electric current
what information technology means: if you don't do annihilation, you have no control over what happens
English equivalent: you snooze, you lot lose

#22 Estar Hecho Un Ají

literal translation: to be fabricated into a chile
what information technology means: to be or go very aroused

#23 Estaban Como Tres En Un Zapato

literal translation: they were like three in a shoe
what information technology means: to exist squished in or packed in tight
English equivalent: packed similar sardines

#24 A Fin De Cuentas

translation: in the end
instance: A fin de cuentas , era una casa con mucho valor. (In the end, it was a business firm of great value.)

#25 A La Vuelta De La Esquina

translation: very near
case: United nations año parece mucho tiempo, pero al final el fin del año siempre está a la vuelta de la esquina. (A year seems like a long time, but the end of the yr it'southward always just effectually the corner)

#26 Ahogarse En United nations Vaso De Agua

translation: to exaggerate a problem or requite upward too easily
example: Ahora nos ahogamos en united nations vaso de agua cuando no tenemos Wi—fi (Nowadays, we feel lost when there is no Wi-fi)

#27 Al Tuntún

translation: randomly
example: Comieron en un restaurante al tuntún .(They ate at a random restaurant.)

#28 Andar Con Pies De Plomo

translation: to be cautious
example: Tenían que andar con pies de plomo. (They had to be very cautious)

#29 Andarse Con Rodeos

translation: To not be focused on a matter /To be distracted
example: No me voy a andar con rodeos . También tengo una historia que contarte. (I am not going to get distracted. I also have a story to tell y'all.)

#30 Apretarse El Cinturón

translation: To tighten ane'south bag straps
example: Pero sí que necesitaba apretarse un poco el cinturón , porque el dinero no crecía en los árboles. (But she did need to tighten her pocketbook straps, since money does not grow on trees.)

#31 Arrimar El Hombro

translation: Pitch in / to help someone
example: Quería arrimar el hombro. (He/She wanted to pitch in / assistance.)

#32 Así Como Así

translation: too hands/ carelessly/ but similar that
case: Como comprenderá, no puedo dar el dinero a alguien así como así . (As y'all tin empathize, I can't give the money to someone just like that.)

#33 Caer En Saco Roto

translation: To fall on deaf ears
example: Mateo pensaba que el plan de Julia no iba a caer en saco roto . (Mateo thought that Julia's plan wasn't going to fall on deaf ears.)

#34 Comerse El Coco / Comerse La Cabeza

translation: To rack i's brain over something / to overthink
example: Se estaba comiendo mucho la cabeza con todo el asunto de Manuel (She/He was racking his/her own brain over Manuel'southward whole story)

Tendría que comerse el coco para inventar una excusa. (He/She had to rack his/her brain to make up an alibi)

#35 Como Agua De Mayo

translation: Something very needed
case: Además, necesitaba descansar un poco y eso le vendría como agua de mayo . (Moreover, she needed to rest a footling, and this seemed to be something she actually needed.)

#36 Como Pez En El Agua

translation: Like a fish in water / to be comfortable in a situation
case: Se sentía como pez en el agua , nunca imaginó que le podría gustar tanto estar allí.(He felt similar a fish in h2o, he would have never imagined that he could have liked it so much there.)

#37 Como Un Libro Abierto

translation: Like an open book / Very clear; with nothing to hibernate
example: Nicolás y la gente de Asturias eran como un libro abierto y estaba muy agradecida por el trato recibido. (Nicolas and the people of Asturias were like an open volume, and she was very grateful for the fashion in which she was treated.)

#38 Con Pelos Y Señales

translation: With many details / precisely
example: Julia le contó a Nicolás con pelos y señales cuál era la situación de Manuel. (Julia told Nicolas, with many details, what Manuel's situation was.)

#39 Cortar Por Lo Sano

translation: To abruptly end or finish something
example: Cortar por lo sano con este estilo de vida va a ser duro. (To abruptly stop this lifestyle is going to be tough.)

#xl Coser Y Cantar

translation: Very easy
example: Pensaba que su proyecto tenía mucho sentido pero no iba a ser coser y cantar . (He/she thought that his/her project was sensible, but that information technology wasn't going to be like shooting fish in a barrel.)

#41 Currar

translation: To work
example: Hay que currar mucho. (Y'all have to work a lot.)

#42 Dar El Brazo A Torcer

translation: To not requite in / To put upwards a fight
example: Sabía que no ibas a dar el brazo a torcer .(I knew you weren't going to give in.)

#43 Dar En El Blanco

translation: To be right / to get something correct
example: Has dado en el blanco . (You got it correct)

#44 Dar La Chapa

translation: To annoy someone / To be insistent
example: Prometo no darte mucho la chapa. (I promise not to bother you too much.)

#45 Dar Una Vuelta De Tuerca

translation: To abruptly change a situation
instance: Sin embargo, la historia dio una vuelta de tuerca . (However, the story changed abruptly.)

#46 Dar La Vuelta (A Algo)

translation: To recall well-nigh something a lot
example: Pensó, entonces en tomar una decisión después de darle vueltas durante varias semanas. (She thought, therefore, to make a conclusion after having idea nigh it carefully during the side by side few weeks.)

#47 Darse Con Un Canto En Los Dientes

translation: To have better results than initially idea
instance: En ese mes allí, se dio con un canto en los dientes , porque solo pretendía escribir. (In that month, she realized she was doing ameliorate than she thought since she was only pretending to write.)

#48 Echar Leña Al Fuego

translation: To add wood to the burn / To brand a situation worse
instance: No se preocupe, no estoy aquí para juzgarlo ni para echar más leña al fuego . (Exercise not worry, I am not here to judge you, nor to make the state of affairs worse.)

#49 El Dinero No Crece En Los Árboles

translation: Money doesn't grow on trees
example: Pero sí que necesitaba apretarse un poco el cinturón, porque el dinero no crecía en los árboles. (Only she did need to tighten her purse straps, since coin does not abound on trees.)

#50 Estar De Coña

translation: To exist joking (colloquial)
example: ¡Pensaba que estabas de coña! (I thought you were joking!)

#51 Estar En La Cuerda Floja

translation: To be walking a tightrope
example: A Manuel no le quedaba mucho tiempo y su trabajo estaba en la cuerda floja. (Manuel didn't have much time left and he was walking a tightrope at work.)

#52 Estar Hecho/a Unos Zorros

translation: to look bad / to be visibly tired or weary
instance: Es muy bonito pero acabas los días hecho unos zorros. (It'south very nice but you stop up weary by the end of the day.)

#53 Estar Metido/a En El Ajo

translation: to be involved / part of an event
example: Han estado metidas en el ajo de muchos acontecimientos famosos. (They are involved in many famous events.)

#54 Estar Sin Blanca

translation: (to exist) without money
example: Estuvo sin blanca para pagar la carrera universitaria mucho tiempo (I didn't have money to pay for my university tuition for a long time)

#55 Estar/sentirse Empanado/a

translation: to be stunned or sleepy
example: Se sentía empanada. (She felt sleepy.)

#56 Flipar

translation: To flip out/ To freak out
case: Te voy a enseñar el fondo del mar. ¡Vas a flipar ! (I am going to show you the bottom of the sea. You are going to freak out!)

#57 Hablar Por Los Codos

translation: to talk a lot
case: ya sé que hablo por los codos , todo el mundo me lo die. (I already know I speak a lot, everybody tells me so.)

#58 Hacer Algo Al Pie De La Letra

translation: To practise something very precisely / To the letter/ To the T
example: Ella no quería seguir un plan al pie de la letra , quería improvisar.(She didn't desire to follow a plan to the alphabetic character, she wanted to improvise.)

#59 Hacer Buenas Migas (Con Alguien)

translation: to go along with someone
example: Hice buenas migas con un profesor.(I got along with one professor.)

#60 Hacer La Pelota

translation: to flatter someone in society to go something
example: ¡Deja de hacerme la pelota ! (Stop flattering me!)

#61 Hacerse El/La Sueco/a

translation: to pretend not knowing something
example: No te hagas la sueca , amiguita. No te vas a escapar.(Don't pretend not to know, picayune friend. You are non going to escape.)

#62 Hacerse Un Lío

translation: to exist confused about something
case: Quiero ir a visitarte porque mi próximo destino es Menorca, pero me estoy haciendo un lío con los autobuses y los vuelos. (I would like to come visit you lot since I am coming to Menorca, but I am getting confused virtually buses and flights.)

#63 Hasta Las Tantas

translation: until a very late hour
example: Hablaron hasta las tantas y al terminal Mateo contó su propia historia. (They talked until very belatedly and finally Mateo told his ain story.)

#64 Hincar Los Codos

translation: to study a lot
case: Mi plan fue hincar los codos hasta llegar a ser abogado.(My plan was to report a lot until I get a lawyer.)

#65 Ir Al Grano

translation: to go straight to the point
case: Pero no quiero demorarme mucho en contar esta historia, déjeme ir al grano . (Just I don't want to take too long to tell this story, let me get straight to the point.)

#66 Irse A Freír Espárragos

translation: to transport someone packing; tell them to get lost
instance: ¡La universidad se puede ir a freír espárragos ! (The university tin can get go lost!)

#67 Largo Y Tendido

translation: for a long time
instance: Tendría que escribir largo y tendido hasta completar el libro. (She has to write for a long time to complete the volume.)

#68 Lavarse Las Manos Con Algo

translation: to wash i's hands of something / to avert responsibility
example: La universidad todavía se seguía lavando las manos con el caso de Manuel. (The academy was yet washing its hands of Manuel's case.)

#69 Liarse La Manta A La Cabeza

translation: to exercise something with no fear of repercussions
example: Es hora de liarse la manta a la cabeza . (Information technology's time to practice something without fright.)

#seventy Más Claro Que El Agua

translation: Crystal articulate/very articulate
example: Pero luego, se dio cuenta y lo tuvo más claro que el agua : se trataba de una canción desconocida de un compositor español muy famoso. (Afterwards, it became crystal articulate: it was an unknown vocal by a famous Spanish composer.)

#71 Matar Dos Pájaros De Un Tiro

translation: To kill two birds with one stone
example: Así mataría dos pájaros de un tiro (This way, I could kill ii birds with one rock.)

#72 Matar El Gusanillo

translation: to consume something quick to avoid being hungry
example: Para matar el gusanillo , desayunó algo rápido en united nations bar del aeropuerto y pidió un taxi. (To calm her hunger, she ate breakfast rapidly at the airport and chosen a taxi.)

#73 Menos Mal

translation: thank God
case: Menos mal que estás aquí, Julia. (Give thanks god y'all are here, Julia!)

#74 Meterse En Camisa De Once Varas

translation: to get into trouble
case: No quería meterse en camisas de in one case varas. Su prioridad en ese momento era la ruta, ayudar a Manuel. (She didn't desire to get into problem. Her priority in that moment was her plan to help Manuel.)

#75 No Dar Un Palo Al Agua

translation: to exist lazy
example: Después de tanto trabajo, ¡va a parecer que no doy un palo al agua ! (Later all this work it's going to look every bit if I have been lazy!)

#76 No Hay Color

translation: there's no comparison
case: Vivir en la naturaleza es mejor que vivir en la ciudad. ¡No hay color! (Living among nature is better than living in the urban center. There's no comparison!)

#77 No Hay Mal Que Por Bien No Venga

translation: a bad situation can be a gamble to practice something good
instance: No era la primera vez que visitaría la ciudad, pero no hay mal que por bien no venga. (It wasn't the first fourth dimension she had visited the urban center, but she made the best of a bad situation)

#78 No Pegar Ojo

translation: Non being able to sleep a wink
instance: Julia no pegó ojo en toda la noche, pensando en su decisión(Julia could not sleep a wink all night thinking of her decision.)

#79 Pasar Por El Aro

translation: To fall in line / To get over it
example: Tendría que pasar por el aro y aceptar su despido dentro de un año(She/ he had to fall in line and accept her dismissal inside a twelvemonth)

#80 Sacar (A Alguien) Las Castañas Del Fuego

translation: To get (someone) out of problem
example: Voy a sacarle las castañas del fuego (I am going to get her out of trouble)

#81 Tener Un As En La Manga

translation: To have a play a trick on up ane's sleeve
case: Ella tenía united nations equally en la manga (She had a flim-flam up her sleeve)

#82 Tirar La Toalla

translation: Throw in the towel
instance: Nunca tiró la toalla (He never threw in the towel)

#83 Traer Algo Entre Manos

translation: To have a programme / to be up to something
case: Confío en ti, Julia. Sé que te traes algo entre manos . No sé qué es, pero necesitas arreglarlo. (I trust you, Julia – I know you are up to something. I don't know what it is just you need to set it.)

Spanish Idioms: The Fun Has Merely Just Begun

This list is not exhaustive. Each country and region in the Spanish-speaking world has more idioms than I can list here.

In fact, many Castilian idioms are quite similar to those in English, only I've chosen to focus on those you might not be able to guess the meaning of straightaway.

Idioms are yet another reason why relying on straight translation volition but get you so far in learning a new language.

Hopefully this list has inspired you to try your mitt at some more colourful expressions. Idioms are supposed to be fun, later all!

Like I said at the start though, at that place'due south no substitute for getting exposure to or using idioms when yous speak. So that'southward another corking excuse, if ever you need one, to dive into Spanish-speaking literature or movies in Spanish.

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Source: https://storylearning.com/learn/spanish/spanish-tips/spanish-idioms