15 Common Spanish Idioms
15. Tomar el pelo“Tomar el pelo” literally means “to take the hair,” and is used when someone is tricking or making fun of someone else, but in a good-natured way. So if a friend tells you he won $10 million, you might say: “Me estás tomando el pelo.” (You’re pulling my leg.)
14. Ser pan comidoThe literal translation of “ser pan comido” is “to be bread eaten,” and it means that something is very easy to do. It is the English equivalent of saying something is a piece of cake. For example: “El trabajo es pan comido.” (The job is a piece of cake.)
13. Estar como una cabra“Estar como una cabra” is a commonly used Spanish idiom for when somebody is doing something bizarre or a little out of the ordinary. The literal translation is “to be like a goat,” and the English equivalent is saying someone is a little nuts or crazy. So if a friend suddenly gets up and dances crazily, you might say: “Esta noche estás como una cabra.” (Tonight you are a little crazy.)
12. No tener pelos en la lenguaThe literal translation of “no tener pelos en la lengua” is “not to have hairs on your tongue.” This Spanish idiom means that someone is a straight shooter and will always speak their mind. For example: “Mi amigo no tiene pelos en la lengua.” (My friend tells it how it is.)
11. Tirar la casa por la ventana“Tirar la casa por la ventana” is literally translated as “to throw the house through the window,” and it means that no expense has been spared or that money is no object. For example: “Tiré la casa por la ventana cuando compré mi nuevo coche.” (I spared no expense when I bought my new car.)
10. Quedarse de piedra“Quedarse de piedra” is literally to “stay like a stone,” and it means to be amazed. In other words, you are so stunned by something that you stay like a stone. For example: “Me quedé de piedra cuando me dijo la historia.” (I was stunned when he told me the story.) Another idiom to express surprise and astonishment is “quedarse con la boca abierta,” literally “to stay with the mouth open.”
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9. Lo dijo de labios para fuera“Lo dijo de labios para fuera” is literally translated as “he said it from the lips outwards,” and it means that a person didn’t mean what they said. For example: “Lo dijo de labios para fuera cuando dijo que era culpable.” (He didn’t mean it when he said he was guilty.)
8. Estar hecho un ají“Estar hecho un ají” is literally translated as “to be made a chili,” and it means to be hopping mad (very angry) about something. For example: “No le gustó el resultado. Está hecho un ají.” (He didn’t like the outcome. He’s hopping mad.)
7. Empezar la casa por el tejado“Empezar la casa por el tejado” is literally “to start the house by the roof,” and it means to put the cart before the horse, or to have things in the wrong order. For example: “Si empezáramos la construcción sin los fondos, estaríamos empezando la casa por el tejado.” (If we started construction without the funds, we’d be putting the cart before the horse.)
6. Estar más sano que una pera“Estar más sano que una pera” is literally translated as “to be healthier than a pear.” The English equivalent is to be as fit as a fiddle, and it means that someone feels great and is very healthy. For example: “Mi abuela tiene 85 años, pero está más sana que una pera.” (My grandmother is 85, but she’s as fit as a fiddle.)
5. Ser uña y carneThe literal translation of “ser uña y carne” is “to be fingernail and flesh,” and it means to be bosom buddies. For example: “Juan y Pedro son uña y carne.” John and Peter are bosom buddies.)
4. Tener un humor de perros“Tenemos un humor de perros” is literally translated as “to have a mood of dogs,” and it means to be in a bad mood. For example: “Ellos tienen un humor de perros porque no aprobaron los exámenes en la universidad.” (They’re in a bad mood because they didn’t pass their exams at the university.)
3. Se me hace agua la boca“Se me hace agua la boca” is a common Spanish idiom translated as “it makes my mouth water,” meaning that an item of food or a meal is so delicious it makes the saliva flow in a person’s mouth. For example: “Se me hace agua la boca solo pensar en la paella.” (It makes my mouth water just thinking about paella.)
2. Tiene más lana que un borrego“Tiene más lana que un borrego” translates as “he has more wool than a lamb,” and it means that a person is loaded with cash. “Lana” is slang for “cash.” For example: “Él pagó la cuenta en el restaurante porque tiene más lana que un borrego”. (He paid the bill in the restaurant because he’s loaded with cash.)
1. Echar agua al mar“Echar agua al mar” is literally translated as “to throw water into the sea,” a Spanish idiom used in some Spanish-speaking regions to mean that something is pointless. For example: “Tratar de convencerla es como echar agua al mar. Ella nunca va a cambiar.” (Trying to convince her is pointless. She’s never going to change.)
Borrowed from: 15 Common Spanish Idioms for Sounding Like a Native
15. Tomar el pelo“Tomar el pelo” literally means “to take the hair,” and is used when someone is tricking or making fun of someone else, but in a good-natured way. So if a friend tells you he won $10 million, you might say: “Me estás tomando el pelo.” (You’re pulling my leg.)
14. Ser pan comidoThe literal translation of “ser pan comido” is “to be bread eaten,” and it means that something is very easy to do. It is the English equivalent of saying something is a piece of cake. For example: “El trabajo es pan comido.” (The job is a piece of cake.)
13. Estar como una cabra“Estar como una cabra” is a commonly used Spanish idiom for when somebody is doing something bizarre or a little out of the ordinary. The literal translation is “to be like a goat,” and the English equivalent is saying someone is a little nuts or crazy. So if a friend suddenly gets up and dances crazily, you might say: “Esta noche estás como una cabra.” (Tonight you are a little crazy.)
12. No tener pelos en la lenguaThe literal translation of “no tener pelos en la lengua” is “not to have hairs on your tongue.” This Spanish idiom means that someone is a straight shooter and will always speak their mind. For example: “Mi amigo no tiene pelos en la lengua.” (My friend tells it how it is.)
11. Tirar la casa por la ventana“Tirar la casa por la ventana” is literally translated as “to throw the house through the window,” and it means that no expense has been spared or that money is no object. For example: “Tiré la casa por la ventana cuando compré mi nuevo coche.” (I spared no expense when I bought my new car.)
10. Quedarse de piedra“Quedarse de piedra” is literally to “stay like a stone,” and it means to be amazed. In other words, you are so stunned by something that you stay like a stone. For example: “Me quedé de piedra cuando me dijo la historia.” (I was stunned when he told me the story.) Another idiom to express surprise and astonishment is “quedarse con la boca abierta,” literally “to stay with the mouth open.”
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9. Lo dijo de labios para fuera“Lo dijo de labios para fuera” is literally translated as “he said it from the lips outwards,” and it means that a person didn’t mean what they said. For example: “Lo dijo de labios para fuera cuando dijo que era culpable.” (He didn’t mean it when he said he was guilty.)
8. Estar hecho un ají“Estar hecho un ají” is literally translated as “to be made a chili,” and it means to be hopping mad (very angry) about something. For example: “No le gustó el resultado. Está hecho un ají.” (He didn’t like the outcome. He’s hopping mad.)
7. Empezar la casa por el tejado“Empezar la casa por el tejado” is literally “to start the house by the roof,” and it means to put the cart before the horse, or to have things in the wrong order. For example: “Si empezáramos la construcción sin los fondos, estaríamos empezando la casa por el tejado.” (If we started construction without the funds, we’d be putting the cart before the horse.)
6. Estar más sano que una pera“Estar más sano que una pera” is literally translated as “to be healthier than a pear.” The English equivalent is to be as fit as a fiddle, and it means that someone feels great and is very healthy. For example: “Mi abuela tiene 85 años, pero está más sana que una pera.” (My grandmother is 85, but she’s as fit as a fiddle.)
5. Ser uña y carneThe literal translation of “ser uña y carne” is “to be fingernail and flesh,” and it means to be bosom buddies. For example: “Juan y Pedro son uña y carne.” John and Peter are bosom buddies.)
4. Tener un humor de perros“Tenemos un humor de perros” is literally translated as “to have a mood of dogs,” and it means to be in a bad mood. For example: “Ellos tienen un humor de perros porque no aprobaron los exámenes en la universidad.” (They’re in a bad mood because they didn’t pass their exams at the university.)
3. Se me hace agua la boca“Se me hace agua la boca” is a common Spanish idiom translated as “it makes my mouth water,” meaning that an item of food or a meal is so delicious it makes the saliva flow in a person’s mouth. For example: “Se me hace agua la boca solo pensar en la paella.” (It makes my mouth water just thinking about paella.)
2. Tiene más lana que un borrego“Tiene más lana que un borrego” translates as “he has more wool than a lamb,” and it means that a person is loaded with cash. “Lana” is slang for “cash.” For example: “Él pagó la cuenta en el restaurante porque tiene más lana que un borrego”. (He paid the bill in the restaurant because he’s loaded with cash.)
1. Echar agua al mar“Echar agua al mar” is literally translated as “to throw water into the sea,” a Spanish idiom used in some Spanish-speaking regions to mean that something is pointless. For example: “Tratar de convencerla es como echar agua al mar. Ella nunca va a cambiar.” (Trying to convince her is pointless. She’s never going to change.)
Borrowed from: 15 Common Spanish Idioms for Sounding Like a Native