spanish idioms for an essay

51 Spanish Phrases for Essays to Impress with Words

January 7, 2021

Joanna Lupa

Communicating in a foreign language is hard enough, even in everyday situations, when no sophisticated or academic vocabulary is needed.

Being able to write an actual essay in Spanish requires you not only to have a solid grammar base but also be knowledgeable about specific phrases and words typically used in school and university writing.

For those of you who study in one of the Spanish speaking countries or are toying with the idea of signing up for an exchange program, I have prepared a summary of useful Spanish phrases for essays. They are divided into the following categories:

Connectors (sequence, contrast, cause and effect, additional information, and conclusion)
Expressions to give your opinion, agree and disagree with a thesis
fancy academic expressions

Spanish Connectors to Use in Essays

Written language tends to be more formal than the spoken one. Ideas get explained in complex sentences showing how they relate to each other. A fantastic tool to achieve that is connectors.

What are some useful Spanish connectors for essays? Let’s have a look at the ten examples below:

🇪🇸 primero – 🇬🇧 first
🇪🇸 segundo – 🇬🇧 second
🇪🇸 el siguiente argumento – 🇬🇧 the next argument
🇪🇸 finalmente – 🇬🇧 finally, last but not least
🇪🇸 sin embargo – 🇬🇧 however, nevertheless, nonetheless
🇪🇸 por lo tanto – 🇬🇧 therefore, thus
🇪🇸 además – 🇬🇧 besides
🇪🇸 por un lado….por el otro lado – 🇬🇧 on the one hand….on the other hand
🇪🇸 a menos que – 🇬🇧 unless
🇪🇸 a pesar de (algo) – 🇬🇧 despite / in spite of (something)
🇪🇸 aunque / a pesar de que – 🇬🇧 although / even though
🇪🇸 debido a – 🇬🇧 due to
🇪🇸 puesto que / dado que – 🇬🇧 given that
🇪🇸 ya que – 🇬🇧 since
🇪🇸 mientras que – 🇬🇧 whereas
🇪🇸 en conclusión – 🇬🇧 in conclusion
🇪🇸 para concluir – 🇬🇧 to conclude

Do you think you would know how to use these connectors in an essay? Let’s suppose you are writing about ecology:

🇪🇸 Los paises han estado cambiando sus politicas. Sin embargo, aún queda mucho por hacer. 🇬🇧 Countries have been changing their policies. However, there is still a lot to do.

🇪🇸 Una de las amenazas climáticas es el efecto invernadero. Además está la contaminación del agua que presenta un serio riesgo para la salud. 🇬🇧 One of the climate threats is the greenhouse effect. Besides, there is water pollution that presents a severe health hazard.

🇪🇸 A pesar de los acuerdos internacionales, varios países no han mejorado sus normas ambientales. 🇬🇧 Despite international agreements, many countries haven’t yet improved their environmental standards.

🇪🇸 Debido a la restricción en el uso de bolsas de plástico desechables, Chile ha podido reducir su huella de carbono. 🇬🇧 Due to the restrictions in the use of disposable plastic bags, Chile has been able to reduce its carbon print.

Spanish Phrases to Express Your Opinion in Essays

Essay topics commonly require you to write what you think about something. Or whether you agree or disagree with an idea, a project, or someone’s views.

The words below will allow you to express your opinion effortlessly and go beyond the typical “creo que ” – “ I think ”:

🇪🇸 (yo) opino que – 🇬🇧 in my opinion
🇪🇸 me parece que – 🇬🇧 it seems to me
🇪🇸 desde mi punto de vista – 🇬🇧 from my point of view
🇪🇸 (no) estoy convencido que – 🇬🇧 I am (not) convinced that
🇪🇸 no me cabe la menor duda – 🇬🇧 I have no doubt
🇪🇸 estoy seguro que – 🇬🇧 I’m sure
🇪🇸 dudo que – 🇬🇧 I doubt
🇪🇸 sospecho que – 🇬🇧 I suspect
🇪🇸 asumo que – 🇬🇧 I assume
🇪🇸 estoy (totalmente, parcialmente) de acuerdo – 🇬🇧 I (totally, partially) agree
🇪🇸 no estoy de acuerdo en absoluto – 🇬🇧 I absolutely disagree
🇪🇸 opino diferente – 🇬🇧 I have a different opinion
🇪🇸 me niego a aceptar – 🇬🇧 I refuse to accept
🇪🇸 estoy en contra / a favor de – 🇬🇧 I am against / in favor of
🇪🇸 no podría estar más de acuerdo – 🇬🇧 I couldn’t agree more
🇪🇸 encuentro absolutamente cierto / falso – 🇬🇧 I find it absolutely correct / false

Phrases like these can really give shape to your essay and increase its formality level. This time, let’s verify it with views on education:

🇪🇸 Opino que estudiando remotamente los jóvenes están perdiendo las habilidades sociales. 🇬🇧 In my opinion, remote schooling makes youngsters lose their social skills.

🇪🇸 Dudo que esta decisión traiga verdaderos cambios para el sistema educacional en mi país. 🇬🇧 I doubt this change will bring any real changes to the educational system in my country.

🇪🇸 Estoy totalmente de acuerdo con que todos deberían tener acceso a educación de calidad. 🇬🇧 I totally agree that everyone should have access to good quality education.

🇪🇸 Estoy en contra de escuelas solo para niñas o solo para niños. 🇬🇧 I am against girls-only or boys-only schools.

Pay attention to certain language differences between English and Spanish versions. The most common mistake that my students make is to say “ I am agree ” ❌ (direct translation from “ Estoy de acuerdo ”) instead of “ I agree ”✔️.

Fancy Academic Verbs and Expressions for Essays in Spanish

Would you like to impress your professor with sophisticated academic vocabulary or get extra points on your DELE? Grab a pen and take notes:

🇪🇸 afirmar – 🇬🇧 to state
🇪🇸 refutar – 🇬🇧 to refute, to reject
🇪🇸 argumentar – 🇬🇧 to argue that
🇪🇸 poner en duda – 🇬🇧 to cast doubt
🇪🇸 poner en evidencia – 🇬🇧 to shed light
🇪🇸 demostrar – 🇬🇧 to demonstrate
🇪🇸 concentrarse en – 🇬🇧 to focus on
🇪🇸 sostener – 🇬🇧 to sustain
🇪🇸 reflejar – 🇬🇧 to reflect
🇪🇸 considerando (que) – 🇬🇧 considering (that)
🇪🇸 siendo realista – 🇬🇧 realistically speaking
🇪🇸 de cierto modo – 🇬🇧 in a way
🇪🇸 en lo que se refiere a – 🇬🇧 with regards to
🇪🇸 en vista de – 🇬🇧 in view of
🇪🇸 de acuerdo a – 🇬🇧 according to
🇪🇸 no obstante – 🇬🇧 nevertheless

So many great words to work with! And some of them sound really similar to English, right? This is exactly why Spanish is such a good option when you want to learn a second language.

Let’s see how to make all these verbs and phrases work:

🇪🇸 Los resultados de los nuevos estudios ponen en duda la relación entre el consumo de huevos y altos niveles de colesterol. 🇬🇧 The recent study findings cast doubt on the relation between egg consumption and high cholesterol levels.

🇪🇸 Los autores del estudio argumentan que los azucares y los carbohidratos juegan un rol importante en este asunto. 🇬🇧 The authors of the study argue that sugars and carbs play an important role in this topic.

🇪🇸 En lo que se refiere al consumo de carne, este influye directamente los niveles de colesterol malo, sobre todo si es carne con mucha grasa. 🇬🇧 Regarding meat consumption, it directly influences the levels of “bad” cholesterol, especially in the case of greasy meat.

Spanish Resources

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Spanish Writer Freelance

65 spanish phrases to use in an essay.

If Spanish is not your first language, memorizing specific phrases can help you improve your essay-writing skills and make you sound more like a native speaker. Thus below, you will find a list of useful phrases categorized by groups to help you appear more proficient and take your essays to the next level!

Introductory Phrases

Based on my vast experience as a freelance writer , I can say that starting an essay is undoubtedly the most challenging part of essay writing. Nonetheless, many phrases have proven to help organize my thoughts and form cohesive and intriguing introductions, such as:

• “Para empezar” – To begin with

• “Al principio” – At the beginning…

• “En primer lugar” – To start…

• “Empecemos por considerar” – Let’s begin by considering/acknowledging

• “A manera de introducción” – We can start by saying…

• “Como punto de partida “ – As a starting point

• “Hoy en día” – Nowadays… Notice that these introductory phrases are not exactly the same than those you would use in a conversation. For that, I suggest reading my article about Sentence Starters in Spanish .

You can also use phrase to introduce a new topic in the text such as:

En lo que se refiere a – Regarding to
Respecto a – Regarding to
En cuanto a – Regarding to
Cuando se trata de – When it comes to
Si pasamos a hablar de – If we go ahead to talk about

Concluding Phrases

It is also crucial that you know how to finish your essay. A good conclusion will allow you to tie all your ideas together and emphasize the key takeaways. Below, a few ways in which you can begin a concluding argument:

• “En conclusion” – In conclusion

• “En resumen/resumiendo…” – In summary

• “Como se puede ver…” – As you can see

• “Para concluir” – To conclude

• “Para finalizar” – To finish

• “Finalmente, podemos decir que…” – We can then say that…

• “ En consecuencia, podemos decir que…” – As a result, one can say that…

• “Por fin” – Finally

Transitional Phrases

Transitions phrases are crucial if you wish your essay to flow smoothly. Thus, I recommend you pay special attention to the following sentences:

• “Además” – Besides

• “Adicionalmente” – In addition…

• “Dado que…” – Given that…

• “Por lo tanto” – Therefore

• “Entonces” – Thus/So

• “Debido a…” – Hence

• “Mientras tanto” – Meanwhile

• “Por lo que” – This is why

• “Desde entonces” – Since then

Argumentative Phrases

When writing essays, it is very common for us to need to include argumentative phrases to get our message across. Hence, if you are looking for new ways to introduce an argument, below a few ideas:

• “Por otro lado…” – On the other hand…

• “En primera instancia…” – First of all

• “A diferencia de…” – As oppossed to

• “De igual forma” – More so

• “Igualmente” – The same goes for…

• “En otras palabras” – In other words

• “A pesar de que…” – Although

• “Aunque” – Even though

• “En contraste” – By contrast

• “De hecho…” – In fact…

• “Sin embargo” – Nevertheless

• “No obstante” – However

Opinion Phrases

There are many formal (and less formal ways) to express your opinions and beliefs in Spanish. Here, a few examples:

• “Considero que…” – I considerthat…

• “Mi opinión es” – It is my opinion

• “Pienso que…” – I think that…

• “Opino que” – In my opinion…

• “Afortunadamente” – Fortunately

• “ Lamentablemente” – Unfortunately

• “Me parece que…” – It seems to me that…

• “En mi opinión” – I believe that…

• “En mi experiencia” – Based on my experience

• “Como yo lo veo…” – As I see it…

• “Es mi parecer” – My pointview

General Phrases

Finally, I wanted to include a group of useful common phrases that can enrich your essay’s vocabulary:

• “En realidad” – In reality

• “Actualmente” – Today/Nowadays

• “De acuerdo a…” – According to…

• “Por ejemplo” – For example

• “Cabe recalcar que…” – It is important to note that…

• “Vale la pena resaltar que…” – It is important to highlight that…

• “No podemos ignorar que…” – We can’t ignore that…

• “Normalmente” – Usually/Normally

• “Por lo general” – In general

• “Es normal que…” – It is normal to…

• “Otro hecho importante es…” – Another relevant factor is…

• “Podría decirse que…” – One could say that…

• “Para ilustrar” – To illustrate

There you have it! A list of 60 useful phrases you can memorize to make your essays sound more professional and become more appealing to readers. However, if you are struggling and need further assistance with your essay, here you can see an Spanish essay example that can help you to structure and edit your work.

I am a freelance copywriter from Spain

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The BIG List of Spanish Idioms and Expressions

The big list of spanish idioms (100+).

We’ve tweeted and posted a lot of Spanish idioms, but now they’re all here! We’ll keep updating them for you in our BIG list of Spanish idioms and expressions. We’ve included a literal translation when appropriate and additional links will bring you to posts that give examples of these expressions in use.

Get a FREE PDF with 25 of our favorite Spanish Idioms + practice exercises

I am looking for the English translation for “ lo poquito encanta y lo mucho enfada”.

I’d say “less is more” or “too much of a good thing”

Como dirían: No tenemos arreglo

The very little enchanted (happy or pleased here) and the very angry. I Guess It depends on the context but looks just like somebody is angry, not happy

Sorry, I read It wrong. It litteraly means “the little enchantes (pleases, likes very much) and the much angers” It just means a little is better than too much

90 Authentic Spanish Idioms That Will Get You Mistaken For A Native Speaker

You can measure your success in learning Spanish or any other language by how well you understand 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 strange, often funny, and can be quite confusing to non-native speakers.

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

Friends like that are a ten 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. But 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 you can understand them.

By the way, if you want to learn Spanish fast (including Spanish idioms!) and have fun while doing it, my top recommendation is Spanish Uncovered which teaches you through StoryLearning®.

With Spanish Uncovered you’ll use my unique StoryLearning® method to learn Spanish naturally through story… not rules. It’s as fun as it is effective.

If you’re ready to get started, click here for a 7-day FREE trial .

How To Learn Spanish Idioms

And going back to the list of English 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's also the trick when it comes to idioms in Spanish.

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

That's where this post comes in!

Here are 90 Spanish idioms, including the most common and some of the most memorable you will come across in the Spanish-speaking world.

Yes, this list will help you master Spanish idioms. But I hope it will also be fun to read. The literal translations of many idioms are just plain funny.

See if you can guess the meaning to any of these idioms before reading the translation!

7 Spanish Idioms (And What They Really Mean)

The first 7 idioms on this list are also explained at length in the Fluent Spanish Academy YouTube video below. Click to hear the pronunciation and detailed descriptions of each.

#1 Ser Pan Comido

literal translation: bread to be eaten
what it means: to be easy or simple
English equivalent: a piece of cake

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

#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 boring, you only go to bed early now)

#3 Andarse Por Las Ramas

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

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

#4 Peor Es Nada

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

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

#5 Tal Para Cual

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

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

#6 Quemarse Las Cejas

literal translation: to burn your own eyebrows
what it means: to stay up late working on something
English equivalent: to burn 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 be easy)

#7 Buscarle Tres Pies Al Gato

literal meaning: 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 go looking for trouble. You know you have to talk to your girlfriend first)

Pretty fun, right?

Idioms make you sound less like you're speaking from a textbook and more like a native speaker. They use colourful language and can add variety and personality to your conversations.

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

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

Ready for more idioms? Then keep reading…

83 More Spanish Idioms To Liven Up Your Speech

Now that you have a feel for what idioms are like in Spanish, here are 83 more colourful idioms you can use to impress your friends.

You can learn these Spanish idioms (and more) in the video below. Otherwise keep scrolling to read all about them.

#1 Con Las Manos En La Masa

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

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

literal translation: what is one more stripe to a tiger?
what it means: a little more won't make a difference

#3 Al Mal Tiempo, Buena Cara

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

#4 Tener Memoria De Pez

literal translation: to have the memory of a fish
what it means: an inability to remember things

#5 Empezar La Casa Por El Tejado

literal translation: to start the house with the roof
what it means: do things out of order
English equivalent: to place the cart before the horse

#6 Meter La Pata

literal translation: to put the foot in, as into a trap
what it means: to make a mistake or mess up

#7 Estar Hasta Las Narices

literal translation: to be in all the way 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 like 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 means: to do something pointless

#10 Tirar La Casa Por La Ventana

literal translation: to throw the house out the window
what it means: to spare no expense and worry about the bill tomorrow

#11 Dar La Vuelta A La Tortilla

literal translation: to turn 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 coin, on the other hand

#12 Tener Más Lana Que Un Borrego

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

#13 Quedarse De Piedra

literal translation: to stay like a stone
what it means: to be shocked, especially into silence

#14 Hablando Del Rey Del Roma

literal translation: speaking of the king of Rome
what it means: when you're talking about someone and they just show up
English equivalent: speak of the devil

#15 Sin Pelos En La Lengua

literal translation: without hair 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 difference

#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 find your orange half
what it means: a soul mate/ to find your soul mate

#19 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 have neither feet nor head
what it means: not making any sense

#21 Camarón Que Se Duerme Se Lo Lleva La Corrientes

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

#22 Estar Hecho Un Ají

literal translation: to be made into a chile
what it means: to be or get very angry

#23 Estaban Como Tres En Un Zapato

literal translation: they were like three in a shoe
what it means: to be squished in or packed in tight
English equivalent: packed like sardines

#24 A Fin De Cuentas

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

#25 A La Vuelta De La Esquina

translation: very near
example: Un 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 year it’s always just around the corner)

#26 Ahogarse En Un Vaso De Agua

translation: to exaggerate a problem or give up too easily
example: Ahora nos ahogamos en un 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 you.)

#30 Apretarse El Cinturón

translation: To tighten one’s purse 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 purse 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 / help.)

#32 Así Como Así

translation: too easily/ carelessly/ just like that
example: Como comprenderá, no puedo dar el dinero a alguien así como así . (As you can understand, 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 one’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’s whole story)

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

#35 Como Agua De Mayo

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

#36 Como Pez En El Agua

translation: Like a fish in water / to be comfortable in a situation
example: Se sentía como pez en el agua , nunca imaginó que le podría gustar tanto estar allí. (He felt like a fish in water, 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 hide
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 book, and she was very grateful for the way 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 stop 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.)

#40 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 it wasn’t going to be easy.)

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

#42 Dar El Brazo A Torcer

translation: To not give in / To put up 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 right
example: Has dado en el blanco . (You got it right)

#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
example: Sin embargo, la historia dio una vuelta de tuerca . (However, the story changed abruptly.)

#46 Dar La Vuelta (A Algo)

translation: To think about something a lot
example: Pensó, entonces en tomar una decisión después de darle vueltas durante varias semanas. (She thought, therefore, to make a decision after having thought about it carefully during the next few weeks.)

#47 Darse Con Un Canto En Los Dientes

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

#48 Echar Leña Al Fuego

translation: To add wood to the fire / To make a situation worse
example: No se preocupe, no estoy aquí para juzgarlo ni para echar más leña al fuego . (Do not worry, I am not here to judge you, nor to make the situation 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. (But she did need to tighten her purse straps, since money does not grow on trees.)

#50 Estar De Coña

translation: To be 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
example: Es muy bonito pero acabas los días hecho unos zorros. (It’s very nice but you end 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 be) 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.)
translation: To flip out/ To freak out
example: 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
example: ya sé que hablo por los codos , todo el mundo me lo dice. (I already know I speak a lot, everybody tells me so.)

#58 Hacer Algo Al Pie De La Letra

translation: To do 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 want to follow a plan to the letter, she wanted to improvise.)

#59 Hacer Buenas Migas (Con Alguien)

translation: to get 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 order to get 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, little friend. You are not going to escape.)

#62 Hacerse Un Lío

translation: to be confused about something
example: 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 since I am coming to Menorca, but I am getting confused about buses and flights.)

#63 Hasta Las Tantas

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

#64 Hincar Los Codos

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

#65 Ir Al Grano

translation: to go straight to the point
example: Pero no quiero demorarme mucho en contar esta historia, déjeme ir al grano . (But 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 send someone packing; tell them to get lost
example: ¡La universidad se puede ir a freír espárragos ! (The university can go get lost!)

#67 Largo Y Tendido

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

#68 Lavarse Las Manos Con Algo

translation: to wash one’s hands of something / to avoid responsibility
example: La universidad todavía se seguía lavando las manos con el caso de Manuel. (The university was still washing its hands of Manuel’s case.)

#69 Liarse La Manta A La Cabeza

translation: to do something with no fear of repercussions
example: Es hora de liarse la manta a la cabeza . (It’s time to do something without fear.)

#70 Más Claro Que El Agua

translation: Crystal clear/very clear
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 clear: it was an unknown song 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 two birds with one stone.)

#72 Matar El Gusanillo

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

#73 Menos Mal

translation: thank God
example: Menos mal que estás aquí, Julia. (Thank god you are here, Julia!)

#74 Meterse En Camisa De Once Varas

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

#75 No Dar Un Palo Al Agua

translation: to be lazy
example: Después de tanto trabajo, ¡va a parecer que no doy un palo al agua ! (After all this work it’s going to look as if I have been lazy!)

#76 No Hay Color

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

#77 No Hay Mal Que Por Bien No Venga

translation: a bad situation can be a chance to do something good
example: No era la primera vez que visitaría la ciudad, pero no hay mal que por bien no venga. (It wasn’t the first time she had visited the city, but she made the best of a bad situation)

#78 No Pegar Ojo

translation: Not being able to sleep a wink
example: 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 within a year)

#80 Sacar (A Alguien) Las Castañas Del Fuego

translation: To get (someone) out of trouble
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 trick up one’s sleeve
example: Ella tenía un as en la manga (She had a trick up her sleeve)

#82 Tirar La Toalla

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

#83 Traer Algo Entre Manos

translation: To have a plan / to be up to something
example: 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 but you need to fix it.)

Spanish Idioms: The Fun Has Only 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 Spanish idioms are quite similar to those in English, but 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 will only get you so far in learning a new language.

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

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

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23 Important (And Useful) Spanish Expressions and Idioms

Have you ever watched a show in Spanish and heard words that you were not familiar with? Or been surrounded by native Spanish speakers and picked up phrases that you never caught before?

Spanish is a diverse language . It uses a wide variety of expressions, idioms, and slangs to communicate ideas, feelings, and opinions. Some have similar use in English, and some have rough equivalents in English but use different vocabulary and grammar, and therefore don’t many don’t make any sense when translated into English!

These kinds of idioms and colloquialisms form a big part of the Hispanic culture and are continuously used. There are a large number of Spanish expressions. They also vary according to different Spanish-speaking countries. A slang word from one Spanish speaking country can mean something completely different in another country. However, many can be used internationally.

This article will provide a super useful guide to learning useful Spanish expressions and idioms that will help understand and communicate in the language in a flawless way.

Spanish Slang

There are hundreds of Spanish slang words that vary according to different countries. However, the following will show the most common and useful Spanish slangs.

1. Al toque/al tiro

Al toque is a slang used in Peru, while al tiro is used in Chile. Both have similar meanings. Let’s start with the direct translation of each of them.

Al is a contraction of the two words a and el. It can mean “to the” or “at the.” Toque is a noun that means “touch.” Literally, the phrase means “to the touch.”

Tiro means ”shot” or “throw.” Literally, this means “to the shot.” For native Spanish speakers, both slangs mean to do something immediately or quickly. It is usually emphasized after requesting a task, action, or even a favor. It can also be used when telling an action that we do or did right away. Here are some examples to see their usage:

¡Ve a la tienda, compra pan y leche, al toque! – Go to the store, buy bread and milk right away!
Ayer me desperté y fui a correr al toque. – Yesterday I woke up and went for a run immediately.
Miguel, ven a mi casa al toque por favor. – Miguel, come to my house right away, please!
Juntémonos al tiro! – Let’s get together immediately!

Tío and tía mean uncle and aunt, respectively. Yes, they are commonly used with their literal translations when referring to family members. However, they become slang when referring to friends.

Their close translation into English would be “dude.” Generally used between friends when they are hanging out and exchanging conversations. Here are some examples:

Oye tío cuéntame sobre tu viaje a Brasil. – Hey, dude, tell me about your trip to Brazil.
Estos tíos están muy cansados. – These dudes are very tired.

3. Me cae gordo

Many Spanish slang phrases don’t make much sense when translated into English. Me cae gordo is one of them.

Let’s see its direct translation, “it falls me fat.” The reflexive verb “cause” means to fall; when an object or a person falls to the ground. However, the verb caerse is also used to express if we like someone or not. Gordo means fat. But when used as slang in this phrase, it is not related to physical weight.

Consequently, when someone says él me cae gordo it means “I don’t like him.” It also slightly conjugates differently when referring to the third person singular of the present tense ella me cae gorda which means “I don’t like her.” We can also use the plural conjugation ellos me caen gordos which means “I don’t like them.

Here some examples:

Rodrigo es fastidioso. Me cae gordo. – Rodrigo is annoying. I don’t like him.
Yo no quiero ir a la casa de Jimena porque me cae gorda. – I don’t want to go to Jimena’s house because I don’t like her.

4. Me importa un pepino/pimiento

Me importa derives from the verb importarse, which means “to care”. Me importa is conjugated in the first person singular of the present tense “I care.”

Un pepino is a cucumber, and un pimiento is a bell pepper. We add to “me importa,” a noun (in this case a vegetable), to convey the idea of something of negligible value. Pepino and pimiento are few examples of these nouns.

Consequently, the expression becomes negative. Me importa un pepino/pimiento means “then I don’t care at all”, or, “I couldn’t care less”. It also presents slight changes depending on the subject. For example,* te importa un pepino, which is, “you don’t care at all,” or, *le importa un pepino, which is, “he or she does not care at all.”

Let’s see some examples using this expression.

Me importa un pepino saber sobre tu vida! – I could care less about your life!
¡Lo que tengas que decir de mí, me importa un pimiento! What you have to say about me, I don’t care at all!
A Maritza le importa un pepino aprender a cocinar.* – Maritza could care less about learning how to cook.

Spanish Idioms

Spanish phrases utilize idioms based on the uses and customs of specific countries and geographical areas. If we compare Spanish vs. English, the literal translation of Spanish idioms into English will normally look a little strange and absurd. Therefore, it is crucial to understand their context.

1. Por si las moscas

This idiom expression is literally translated to “for if the flies.” But it means “just in case.” There are two possible explanations for the origin of this phrase.

One is that it comes from the habit of covering the food in case the “flies” land on it. The other one is that the word mosca (fly) might be used in a figurative way. Mosca (fly) or moscón (blowfly) have always been used to name an impertinent or nosy person.

Consequently, Por si las moscas refers to taking precautions in case something or someone unwanted arrives (just like the flies).Here are some examples:

No está lloviendo afuera, pero yo traigo mi chaqueta por si las moscas. – It is no raining outside, but I am bringing my jacket just in case.
Ayer compramos los boletos de avión y usamos el seguro de viajes por si las moscas. – Yesterday we bought the airplane tickets and used travel insurance just in case.

2. Dar gato por liebre

The direct translation of this idiom is “to give a cat for a hare.” It implies to give another animal instead of the one the other person expected.

This idiom came from a long time ago when butchers used to sell meats of cats saying it was hare, as they are similar. Consequently, this idiom means to trick someone giving something with less value than the thing paid for.

The English equivalent for this expression would be “to take someone for a ride.” The verb dar (to give) will adjust when speaking in the present, preterite , or future. Let’s look at some examples:

¿Vas a comprar un carro usado? Asegúrate que no te den gato por liebre. – Are you going to buy a used car? Make sure that they don’t take you for a ride.
En la tienda a Karina le dieron gato por liebre. – In the store, they took Karina for a ride.
Algunos de esos vendedores dan gato por liebre. – Some of those salesmen take people for a ride.

3. Estar como una cabra

The direct translation of this idiom expression is “to be like a goat.” It is used in the sense of “to be as mad as a hatter.” It indicates that a person is acting strange, or mainly to express that a person is crazy.

Why is craziness associated with goats? Most likely, this expression originated from peasants who observed the behavior of the goats daily. Unlike other animals, baby goats would always excessively run when weaned. Their mothers would also run desperately after their babies to try to protect them. Therefore, when someone is acting crazy or inadequate, people say that él/ella está como una cabra.

These are a couple of examples:

Quiero que dejes de estar como una cabra por lo menos diez minutos. – I want you to stop being crazy for at least ten minutes.
El equipo de Marcos perdió el último partido de baloncesto. Él estaba como una cabra camino a casa. – Marco’s team lost the last basketball game. He was acting crazy on the way home.

4. Ser pan comido

This expression literally means: “to be eaten (like) bread.” Bread is included in many Spanish expressions because it has always been an essential food in the Hispanic culture. It is based on knowing that eating bread is easy to do. Therefore, this idiom means that something is very easy to do. In English, it corresponds “to be a piece of cake.”

Let’s check the following examples:

El examen de historia fue pan comido. – The history exam was a piece of cake.
Susana dijo que el proyecto era difícil, pero yo pienso que era pan comido. – Susana said that the project was difficult, but I think it was a piece of cake.

5. No tener pelos en la lengua

Literally translates to “not having hair in the tongue.” There is no specific event that tells the origin of this idiom, but there is an explanation.

If a person had hair in the tongue, it would mean they have complications to correctly speak and pronounce words. This condition will cause this person to hardly talk at all.

Now, the phrase, no tener pelos en la lengua is the opposite. Not having hair in the tongue means to speak freely. A loose translation would be someone who is very blunt and direct. A person who says what he thinks without caring what others might think. In English, the expression used is “not to mince one’s word” which has a similar meaning. Let’s review the following examples:

Camarero, este pastel de fresa está horrible, el peor pastel que he comido en mi vida. Lo siento si soy muy sincero, pero yo no tengo pelos en la lengua. – Waiter, this strawberry cake is horrible, it is the worst cake that I have ever eaten. I am sorry if I am very honest, but I am very blunt and direct.
Por Juliana está bien. Pero ella no tiene pelos en la lengua y hablará sobre su situación sin problemas. – It is fine with Juliana. She is a blunt person, and she intends to speak very frankly about her situation.

Funny Spanish Phrases

A good amount of Spanish idiomatic expressions are simply hilarious. The Spanish artfully language uses sarcasm when communicating with thoughts through idioms. Here are a few of the most popular.

1. Hierba mala nunca muere

This literally translates to “bad herb never dies.” Better understood as “weeds never die”. It originated from the fact that weeds reproduce quickly and grow fast, despite the efforts of getting rid of them. Sometimes they even kill other plants to survive. Consequently, this saying is used for two things:First, to express that a bad person will never change. It suggests that these people always had this evil behavior and will continue with the same in the future. Consequently, we shouldn’t keep our hopes up for any change.

Second, it is also used when someone is in the hospital. It is said in a jokingly way to the patient as a way to cheer him up. Saying hierba mala nunca muere suggests that this person will get better fast and be alive forever because he is a hierba mala (bad weed).

The English equivalent would be, “the devil looks after his own.”Let’s look at the following examples for more clarification:

Los criminales dijeron que no lo volverían a hacer. Pero no les creo porque hierba mala nunca muere.* – The criminals said they wouldn’t do it again. But I don’t believe them because the devil looks after his own.
Roberto tendrá la cirugía mañana. Yo sé que todo saldrá bien porque hierba mala nunca muere. – Roberto will get the surgery tomorrow. I know everything will go well because the devil looks after his own.

2. Dormir a pierna suelta

This idiom directly translates to “sleep with a loose leg.” This phrase is a funny expression that has a story behind it.In the past, prisoners had shackles around their ankles so that they couldn’t escape. If a prisoner behaved well, the reward was the possibility to sleep one night without chains. So, if someone would “sleep with a loose leg” would mean to sleep deeply. The equivalent in English would be “sleep like a log.”This expression is always used when someone sleeps well and feels very energetic in the morning.

Let’s see the following examples:

Sin ninguna preocupación los muchachos dormían a pierna suelta. – Without any worries the guys slept like a log.
Francisca durmió a pierna suelta y hoy se siente muy descansada. – Francisca slept like a log and today she feels very refreshed.
Para Juan Carlos es imposible dormir a pierna suelta porque padece de migrañas. – For Juan Carlos sleeping like a log is impossible because he suffers migraines.

3. Tirar la casa por la ventana

Tirar is a verb that means “to throw.’ La casa means “the house,” and la ventana means “the window.” Literally, this idiom means “to throw the house through the window.”

Its origin comes from the year 1763 in Spain when King Carlos III established the National Lottery. If someone wins the grand prize, he would have enough money to throw all the old furniture out of the window and buy completely new replacements to show off their wealth.

Therefore, this expression is used to describe a large amount of money spent to throw a party. It also implies that a massive amount of money is unnecessarily spent on a celebration. The English equivalent would be: “to spare no expense.”

Let’s check a couple of examples:

Karina se graduó de la universidad el mes pasado. Su familia organizó una fiesta de graduación y tiró la casa por la ventana. – Karina graduated from school last month. Her family organized a graduation party and spared no expense.
Marcos votó la casa por la ventana cuando celebró su cumpleaños el año pasado. – Marcos spared no expense when he celebrated his birthday last year.

Spanish Expressions of Love and Friendship

Spanish expressions of love and friendship can vary according to regions and countries. Here a few of the essentials.

1. El/ella me flechó

Flechó is the preterite form of the verb flechar, which is to wound with an arrow. Me *flechó is translated to “he/she wounded me with an arrow.” This expression is figuratively taken when someone inspires love in another person, suddenly and intensely. It is related to being in love right away.

The English equivalent would be “to sweep someone off their feet.”

Let’s use these examples:

Él me trajo flores, me llevó a cenar y me leyó un poema. Él me flechó. – He brought me flowers, took me out for dinner, and dedicated me a poem. He swept off my feet.
Melissa me flechó porque fue muy generosa, amigable y atractiva. – Melissa swept off my feet because she was generous, friendly, and attractive.

2. Mi media naranja

Literally translated to “my half orange.” Since oranges have a spherical shape, each half orange only has one possible match. Consequently, this is a famous Spanish expression of love.

It is used to communicate that a significant other makes a perfect match. Something like a soulmate. Native Spanish speakers use it also to refer to “my husband,” “my wife,” “my fiancée,” etc. This phrase has an informal, affectionate, and humorous tone. The English equivalent would be more straightforward: “My better half.”

Here are some examples:

Mi media naranja y yo celebraremos nuestro primer aniversario de bodas el próximo mes. – My better half and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary next month.
Marina vendrá a la fiesta con su media naranja. – Marina is coming to the party with her better half.

This slang comes from the English word “brother.” It is used among friends to indicate a relationship of friendship. Commonly, this expression is used among young people in different settings. Other countries use different words; for example, in Mexico, they say “carnal”, in Venezuela “pana”, in Colombia “parce”, and in Uruguay “pibe”. Despite the different ways of using and phrasing this expression, they all refer to a close friend who will always be by our side.

In English, the equivalents can be best friends, close friends, or even brothers when not talking about blood family members.

Carlos y yo nos conocemos ya por quince años. Él es mi bróder. – Charles and I know each other already for fifteen years. He is like my brother.
¡Por supuesto que Miguel ira a mi cumpleaños porque él es mi bróder! – Miguel of course will go to my birthday party because he is my close friend.

Spanish Expressions of Excitement

Native Spanish speakers use different Spanish expressions for excitement or anticipation. The following are three of the most practical.

1. Claro/Claro que sí

Claro literally translates to “clear”; que is “that” and sí is “yes.” So, the expression reads: “clear that yes.” It is an expression of excitement equivalent to, “Yes, of course,” in English. Here are some examples of its usage:

A. ¿Quieres ir a comer con nosotros? ¡Claro que sí! – “Would you like to eat out with us?”; B. “Yes, of course!”
A: ¿Pasaste el examen de geografía? – “Did you pass the geography exam?”; B: ¡Claro que sí! – “Of course, I did!”
A: Ella se parece a ti. ¿Es tu hermana? – “She looks like you. Is she your sister?”; B: ¡Claro que sí! – “Yes, of course!”

2. Gracias a Dios/ Bendito sea Dios

This directly translates to “thank God” or “blessed be God” It is used to express excitement about a happy and positive outcome.

The predominant religion of the Hispanic culture is Catholicism. Therefore, native Spanish speakers use God and Saints names to express excitement and gratitude like this idiom. “Gracias a la Virgen Maria” is another phrase related to this one. It means “thanks to the Virgin Mary.”

In English, the equivalent would be “thank God:. Let’s look at the examples:

¡Gracias a Dios que llegaste a casa sano y salvo! – Thank God that you arrived home safe and sound.
Mi hija se graduó de la universidad el verano pasado. Bendito sea Dios! – My daughter graduated from university last summer. Thank God.

3. Qué emoción

It translates to “what excitement.” In English it is, “how exciting”. This expression has the same meaning as in English. Several expressions in Spanish use “Que” instead of “How” to express excitement.

For example, ¡qué bonito! (how cute), ¡qué hermoso! (how beautiful), ¡qué relajante! (how relaxing), among others.Example:

¡Te casaste! ¡Qué emoción! – You got married! How exciting!
¡Qué emoción verte después de muchos años! – How exciting seeing you after so many years!

Spanish Expressions for Traveling

There are various Common Spanish phrases useful for travel that are more straightforward statements using specific verbs and vocabulary. Here are two examples.

1. Puerta de embarque

“Door of boarding” is the direct translation of this expression. This phrase comes from the vocabulary translated into English as a “boarding gate.” Very practical when traveling and looking for information on the boarding gates. For example:

¿Dónde está la puerta de embarque número quince? – Where is the boarding gate number fifteen?

2. Boleto/billete de ida y vuelta

It literally translates to “ticket of going and return.” It refers in English to a “round trip ticket.” Very important to have in handy when buying a ticket or asking for information about it. For example:

Compré un boleto de ida y vuelta a Madrid. – I bought a round trip to Madrid.
¿Cuánto cuesta un boleto de ida y Vuelta a Canadá? – How much does it cost a round trip to Canada?

Spanish Proverbs

Spanish proverbs are full of of symbolism and metaphors. Here are some of them.

1. A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente

Its direct translation is: “To horse gifted do not look at his teeth.” This can also be heard as “You can tell the age of a horse by his teeth.” Basically, this expression references a fact about horses: the older the horse, the more inclined the front teeth and the more worn out the molars. So, the expression itself refers to being grateful for being gifted, despite age or characteristics. This proverb teaches that when we receive a gift, we shouldn’t find defects, negative aspects, or criticism. On the contrary, we should accept the present with a kind gesture and be thankful for it.

The English equivalent is: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.Here an example:

A: Estos pendientes que me regaló Sabrina son muy anticuados. – “These earrings that Sabrina gave me are out of style.”
B. No lo creo. Además, recuerda que a caballo regalado no se le mira el diente. – “I don’t think so. Also remember, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

2. A palabras necias, oídos sordos

This proverb translates as “to foolish words, deaf ears.”

It is a famous Spanish saying, suggesting that we shouldn’t pay attention to rude or foolish comments that people say. In this sense, this proverb works as a warning or suggestion. When people express themselves with foolish words, our best answer is the most honest indifference.

The equivalent in English would be: “turn a deaf ear to foolish words.”

A: Los vecinos dicen que nosotros somos una familia de locos. – “The neighbors say that we are a crazy family.”
B: No les hagas caso. A palabras necias, oídos sordos. – “Don’t listen to them. Turn a deaf ear to foolish words.”

3. Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente

“The shrimp that sleeps is taken by the current,” is its literal translation. This saying uses a comparison. It suggests that we should pay attention and not fall asleep like the shrimp. Otherwise, the current, in this case, many opportunities in life will leave us.

It also suggests fighting against laziness. Life is like the current of the ocean. It is unstable and strong. If we fall asleep or feel lazy to move around, we will be taken by the currents of life.

Lastly, it suggests to stay alert or else circumstances will overwhelm us.

The equivalent in English would be: “If you snooze, you lose.”Here’s an example:

No me siento muy preparada para el nuevo trabajo. Pero estoy dispuesta a aceptar el empleo y a aprender porque camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente. – I don’t feel fully prepared for the new job. But I am willing to accept the offer and to learn because if you snooze, you lose.

Practice Your Idioms and Expressions

Now that you’ve reviewed some of the most useful Spanish expressions and idioms, it is time to practice. One way on to learn Spanish fast is by practicing Spanish vocabulary and phrases each and every day. Write in your journal and try to incorporate an idiom or proverb based on experiences of your daily life.Also, practice during Spanish tutoring and include these idiomatic expressions during conversations and exercises in the Spanish lesson.

Practicing and learning the language online is rewarding, especially if we have these tools to help us sound more like a native Spanish speaker.

Have fun using these idiomatic expressions in this journey of learning Spanish. ¡Qué emoción!

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Spanish Idioms

Do you want to sound more like a native speaker? Start learning modismos ( idioms )! Every language has its own collection of idioms that enrich the language and help add character when speaking and writing.

Idioms can be difficult for learners of foreign languages because they have a figurative meaning that is different from the literal meanings of each individual word.

Keep reading to learn idioms that are easy to remember and relevant in everyday conversations.

Idioms That Use Familiar Vocabulary

Learning these Spanish idioms will be pan comido ( a piece of cake ) because they use basic vocabulary you are probably already familiar with. Let’s take a closer look at some common Spanish idioms that use vocabulary related to food, animals, and body parts.

Let's learn some easy-to-memorize idioms that use food vocabulary in Spanish.

Take a look at some examples!

Here is a list of common idioms that use animal vocabulary in Spanish.

Take a look at these examples!

The following idioms include body parts in Spanish.

Here are some examples!

Wise Words and Giving Advice

Using an idiom is an indirect way to give advice in Spanish.

Check out these examples!

Human Behavior and Personality

Use these idioms to comment on human behavior, tendencies, and personality.

Here are a few examples!

Idioms Used to Describe Your Physical/Emotional State

Use these idioms to spice things up when talking about your physical or emotional state.

Other Idioms

Here is a list of more easy-to-memorize Spanish idioms that will improve your fluency!

Many Spanish idioms are specific to certain regions. Learn how to sound like a local all over the Spanish-speaking world with these articles:

How to Sound like a Local in Argentina
How to Sound like a Local in Chile
How to Sound like a Local in Colombia
How to Sound like a Local in Costa Rica
How to Sound like a Local in Ecuador
How to Sound like a Local in Peru
Mexican Spanish
Spanish in Spain

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Saying It Like a Native: Exploring Spanish Idioms

There is nothing more colorful and expressive than Spanish idioms!

Of course, in English, we have words and phrases that are very characteristic of our culture. But idioms in Spanish are more varied and so much fun.

So, if you want to learn to speak Spanish like a native, keep reading and learn everything about Spanish idioms, their meaning, and the importance of understanding the culture through these expressions.

Let’s start!

Join 559 million people on the planet who speak Spanish! Sign up for your free trial Spanish class today. ➡️

Idioms and Their Significance in Language and Culture

Idioms are an essential part of any culture’s everyday life and language.

You’ll realize that these phrases and expressions don’t always make sense, and their literal meaning may not relate to the topic you’re writing or discussing.

That’s the fun part, actually!

So, what is an idiom, and what is it used for in communication?

In English, for example, we often use the phrase “break a leg” to wish someone good luck.

We don’t want that person to literally break a leg; rather, it’s a way of saying to do their best to get good results.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an idiom is “a group of words in a fixed order with a particular definition that is different from the meanings of each word on its own.”

This applies to the idioms of any country and culture. These expressions offer a unique glimpse into a specific language and culture.

You can even find such unique and particular idioms in different regions of the same country!

Expressions in Spanish and idioms offer us an insight into the language that goes beyond communication theory.

These phrases are the creation of a combination of culture and history that function as a type of code for those who live in a community or country.

Read also: 25 of Our Favorite Spanish Idioms for Kids

Spanish Idioms and Its Contribution to Communities

Symbolic expressions in Spanish or idioms are part of each Latin American social group’s cultural and historical identity.

These phrases are used all the time in communities, among friends, family, and co-workers.

Idioms in Spanish are taught between generations and are also used as historical references, warnings, and even jokes.

Through these expressions, you’ll be able to see the values, spiritual and religious beliefs, social structures, type of politics people prefer, etc.

The culture and lifestyle of Spanish-speaking countries are often influenced by religion. In this case, Catholicism. That is why many idioms mention God, Christ, or The Saints.

We recommend: 19 Weird Spanish Expressions and Unusual Idioms That Native Speakers Say

Idioms From Different Spanish-Speaking Countries

All Spanish-speaking countries share the same language, Spanish; however, each one has different idioms, phrases, and expressions that can even mean different things from one country to another. So, be careful!

We have chosen five clear examples of these Spanish idioms.

1. Estar al loro – Spain

This expression means you must be attentive or aware of what is happening around you. The Spaniards have two versions of the birth of this phrase.

The first version indicates that it was born during the Spanish Civil War. The Italians used to say “ sono loro ,” which means “ son ellos ” (it’s them), every time they saw a plane. They wanted to say to be aware that the enemy was around.

The second version, which many people prefer, is that “ loro ” in Madrid slang refers to the radio set, and from there begins the action of being informed or attentive to what is happening.

Another curious fact is that loro in English means parrot.

An example of how to use this idiom is:

Asegúrate de estar al loro en las plataformas y participar en el concurso.

Make sure you’re watching the platforms to enter the contest.

2. Traje facturas para comer – Argentina

Yes, people in Argentina eat facturas . But they are not the same type of facturas you get when you buy something or pay for a service. Facturas in Argentina does not mean receipts.

In Argentina, the facturas refer to the sweet breads that are never missing during breakfast or when you’re having a snack.

In this country, they call their cakes facturas because pastry chefs used this term as a clever way to draw attention to the value of their work.

A classic facturas would be a coffee with milk and a medialuna or croissant. Other traditional ones are the vigilantes, cañoncitos, suspiros de monja, sacramentos , and bolas de fraile .

These very particular names were chosen by a group of anarchist bakers who, in protest, mocked the police, the army, and the church through the names of their bakery creations.

An example of how to use this word can be:

Al regresar del trabajo compraré unas facturas para el desayuno de mañana.

When I return from work, I’ll buy some facturas for tomorrows breakfast.

See also: 45 Idiomatic Spanish Expressions Using the Word’ Por’

3. Berraco – Colombia

This Colombian word is used in the Paisa and Coffee region, including Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda, and Quindío.

The berraco idiom can be used when describing an angry, exalted person or to highlight the virtues of a person as talented, outstanding, or brave.

Some examples of this can be:

Mario está muy berraco con Luisa porque no le ha devuelto el dinero.

Mario is very angry with Luisa because she has not paid him back.

Karla es muy berraca para grabar videos. Mira cómo quedan de bien sus videos de instagram.

Karla is very talented when recording videos. Look how good her Instagram videos look.

Another way of using the word berraco is when you want to express discontent or admiration regarding a situation or something.

For example:

Qué berraco problema no poder llegar a casa porque hay mucho tráfico.

What a big problem not being able to get home because there is a lot of traffic.

This idiom is also used in other Latin American countries such as Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. However, the meaning may vary, or its use may not be as common as in Colombia.

4. Llave maya – Costa Rica

The Llave maya idiom refers to what we all know as a USB memory or USB key. People, stores, websites, or companies use this term in Costa Rica.

But where does this particular name come from?

The best-known version is that one of the first companies to bring USBs to the country was from Taiwan and the word Maya could be read in the name.

At the same time, the device was shaped like a key, so both terms were unified and the Llave maya was born.

One of the characteristics of Costa Rica is that the brand of a pioneering product in the market is taken as a common name for all products of the same type but of different brands. For example, Gerber for baby food and Chiclets Adams for chewing gum.

In the rest of Latin America and all over the world, the only term used for USBs is, well, USBs, so this is quite a unique idiom Costa Ricans use a lot.

An example of the use of this idiom can be:

Préstame tu llave maya para compartirte los archivos que debes imprimir.

Lend me your llave maya to share the files that you must print.

5. Estar agüitado – Mexico

This Mexican phrase indicates when we feel sad or emotionally sensitive.

According to the Dictionary of Mexicanisms , it’s equivalent to being sad, depressed, with a low spirit, and it’s also used to refer to plants and animals.

Mexicans don’t know where the word originates. However, the historian Ángel María Garibay proposes the word agüitarse , and agüitado are of Nahuatl origin.

He explains that these words come from the Nahuatl word güito or huito from the primitive form huiton used in many places in the central region of Mexico. These words mean stupefied, decayed, deadened, or stupid.

In this type of idiom, we see how the indigenous or ancestral languages directly influence Latin American societies’ modern vocabulary.

Here’s an example of how to use this phrase:

Oye Jorge, estoy agüitado porque mañana operan a mi mamá de la espalda.

Hey Jorge, I’m agüitado because tomorrow my mom is having an operation on her back.

Incorporate Spanish Idioms Into Everyday Conversations

Using these phrases and expressions in your daily conversations with native Spanish speakers can enrich your fluency.

They’ll boost your language skills, and you and those around you’ll have a lot of fun.

You should consider that using an idiom in Spanish is more subtle than when you use common phrases to express your point of view.

The first thing you should do is understand the idioms. Familiarize yourself with the meaning and listen as much as possible to Spanish-speaking people.

Your ears and brain must be exposed as much as possible to these distinctive Spanish expressions and phrases so you can recognize when they are used and even in what tone they are said.

Analyze the context to gain insight into the meaning.

You’ll not find these expressions in textbooks in Spanish, so you should look for other ways to familiarize yourself with the idioms and their meanings.

One of these ways is immersive learning through resources such as movies and TV shows made by Mexican, Dominican, Colombian, Argentine, and Spanish production companies.

Also, you can learn these expressions with the help of books or articles written in Spanish and music composed by Latin Americans or Spaniards.

If you’re constantly watching, reading, or listening, you’ll quickly learn these phrases and be able to use them in no time.

Hurry up and pick up your phone! Yes, really!

Editor’s pick: 45 Ways to Say ‘To Take’ in Spanish (Plus Common Idioms)

Why Should You Understand Idioms in Language Learning?

To correctly use an idiom in Spanish, is essential to know its true meaning and not its literal meaning

Spanish speakers use these phrases daily, so not learning them would make it difficult to understand what they say in some contexts.

Understanding these Spanish phrases will help you catch the meaning of the conversation and enrich and improve your comprehension of how Spanish-speaking people feel when using these phrases in their conversations.

It’s basically like putting yourself in their shoes and feeling first-hand what using these idioms is like.

By understanding these expressions, you can quickly adapt to the culture of any Spanish-speaking country.

But, above all, learning the idioms and studying them in detail will allow you to use them without any problem, and you’ll be closer to the natives.

If you want to learn as many Spanish idioms as possible, read these 50 Spanish Idioms To Use in Your Everyday Conversations .

Ready to Be an Expert in Spanish Idioms?

These particular expressions of each culture can be very fun to use, and without a doubt, you’ll start to be more fluent and be able to interact with native Spanish speakers without any problem.

Although sometimes learning idioms like the Dominican expression “ ¡Que lo que! ” meaning “What’s up?” can be very easy, you’ll also find more complex ones that will take longer to fit into your vocabulary.

Remember that although they sound unusual to you, they are part of the culture and history of the Spanish language, therefore, it’s vital that you know the meaning of each of them.

On this learning path, you cannot miss the accompaniment and teaching of native, authentic Spanish instruction to absorb Latin American culture’s idioms, slang, and expressions.

At HSA, we have available student-tailored Spanish programs with innovative, human-centered learning strategies to achieve your language goals.

We’ve been teaching Spanish for over 10 years, so click here to check our prices and programs available for all ages.

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25 Best Spanish Idioms That Every Learner Should Use

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25 Best Spanish Idioms That Every Learner Should Use

If you’re at an intermediate level in Spanish, then exploring some common Spanish idioms is highly recommended.

As with Spanish slang expressions and even curse words , idioms are key to understanding informal conversations.

Spanish speakers use them a lot, and they’re occasionally used in some formal dialogues as well, so you’ll hear them frequently in Spanish-speaking countries.

Spanish idioms can be a bit tricky for various reasons.

If you’re feeling a bit lost, don’t tirar la toalla (give up) just yet!

This post will shed some light on the nuanced meanings implied by native speakers when they use those puzzling Spanish idioms.

What are Spanish idioms and how do we know when to use them?

Spanish idioms are expressions that, as opposed to being taken literally, are used to convey a figurative meaning.

The reason they’re so complex is that using Spanish idioms is more subtle than using a common Spanish phrase to express a certain viewpoint or perspective.

If we were to take a Spanish idiom and try to interpret it literally, the meaning would be lost, and the phrase wouldn’t make much sense.

To know when to use a Spanish idiom, it’s important to first familiarise yourself with the idioms that exist and then listen, listen and listen some more.

Exposing your ears and mind to the expressions and idiomatic phrases commonly used by native speakers is essential.

It will give you an indication of the best time to use an idiom and give you a sense of the potential meaning behind it.

Why is it important to understand Spanish idiomatic phrases?

Knowing the meaning behind Spanish idioms is important.

Without studying them, understanding the precise meaning of Spanish speakers becomes practically impossible.

Not only does understanding Spanish idioms help you to understand the more nuanced connotations implied by Spanish speakers, it also enhances and enriches your understanding of how a speaker personally feels about the topic you’re discussing.

It also helps because different idioms are used in different Spanish speaking cultures around the world.

With knowledge of Spanish idioms, you’ll be able to adapt to a range of Spanish cultures and fit right in.

And, of course, by studying your Spanish idioms you’ll be able to use them flawlessly, which will help you gain bonus points when you’re speaking to the natives!

How can we begin to understand Spanish idioms?

To begin understanding Spanish idioms we need to avoid direct translations .

It’s important to understand that if you translate a Spanish idiom directly, you’ll end up being as confused as when you initially heard the phrase.

But it’s when we begin to analyse the context in which certain Spanish idioms are used that we start to gain insight into what they mean.

This means that learning what is meant by a Spanish speaker when they use an idiom is just as important as knowing when they have used it and why.

Here’s my list of the top 25 Spanish idioms that you need to know.

I’ve included examples and the meaning behind the phrases, which should give you some clarity.

Dive in and see which ones you could start using to spice up your Spanish conversations.

Top Spanish idioms that feature food

There are so many Spanish idioms that feature food!

Check out this list, think about which ones you’ve heard recently and see which ones you can use with your friends and family.

Es pan comido

Literal translation: It’s eaten bread.

Definition: It’s simple/easy/straightforward.

Corresponding equivalent in English: This is a piece of cake.

The Spanish idiom es pan comido is used in a similar way to the English phrase ‘it’s a piece of cake’. It means a task is incredibly easy and can be achieved with hardly any difficulty.

Este examen es pan comido para ti. Has estudiado bastante ya.

Dar la vuelta a la tortilla

Literal translation: Turn the omelette the other way.

Definition: To swap places and gain the upper hand/advantage.

Corresponding equivalent in English: Turn the tables around.

When someone has dado la vuelta a la tortilla , it means they have changed a situation, usually from a bad position into a good one.

They have gained the advantage over someone or put themselves in a better position.

¡El Real Madrid ya ha dado la vuelta a la tortilla con cuatro goles! ¡Madre mia!

Ponerse de mala leche/me puso de mala leche

Literal translation: To become bad milk.

Definition: To be in a bad mood.

You’ll hear this Spanish idiom from your partner or family members typically when you’ve irritated them.

It means their mood has changed and, where they might have been feeling positive before, they’re now slightly upset.

Antes, estaba contento, pero con esta noticia me has puesto de mala leche.

Estar más sano que una manzana/estoy más sano que una manzana

Literal translation: To be healthier than an apple.

Definition: To be in good health.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To be as fit as a fiddle.

If you’ve been feeling under the weather and have subsequently recovered from an illness you might say that you are más sano que una manzana .

It means you’re now feeling fine and that you’re in good health.

Que va, no estoy enferma y no tengo el Covid. Estoy mas sana que una manzana.

Es tu media naranja

Literal translation: He/she is your half orange.

Definition: He’s/she’s your significant other.

Corresponding equivalent in English: He’s/she’s your other half.

Have you found your soulmate? You’ll probably need this Spanish idiom to tell all your friends that you’ve found your other half.

In Spanish, we say that he or she is your media naranja .

Era obvio. Desde el momento de la conocí, supe que era mi media naranja.

Ponerse como un tomate/ponerse rojo como un tomate

Literal translation: To become a tomato.

Definition: To blush/to turn red.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To become as red as a beetroot.

This Spanish idiom is used to describe those moments where you’re suddenly overcome with shyness or shame.

The word tomate is used here to describe the deep red you turn when you can’t help but blush.

En este mometo, estaba muy nerviosa. La situación me puso como un tomate.

Ser un bombón

Literal translation: To be a chocolate truffle/bonbon.

Definition: To be attractive.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To be a hottie.

We use the Spanish idiom ser un bombón to describe someone very attractive or good-looking.

In English, we would describe them as a ‘hottie’.

Sin duda, chica. Es un bombón.

Darte las uvas

Literal translation: Give you the grapes.

Definition: Hurry up!

Corresponding equivalent in English: Get a move on!

If you want someone to get their skates on or hurry up, using this Spanish idiom will get them out the door quickly.

The idiom darte las uvas comes from the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve and is used to warn people of the consequences of tardiness.

¡Date prisa! Si no salimos a tiempo, nos van a dar las uvas.

Top Spanish idioms that feature body parts

As in English, various Spanish idioms use body parts as metaphors to convey emotions, reactions or feelings about a certain situation. Take a look at these!

No pegar un ojo/no pegué un ojo

Literal translation: To not stick an eye.

Definition: To have slept badly.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To not get a wink of sleep.

The Spanish idiom no pegar un ojo means that you haven’t slept very well or that you didn’t get a wink of sleep.

If you’ve been up all night because of your neighbour’s party, you can say no pegué un ojo .

Pues yo nunca duermo bien. Anoche no pegué un ojo.

Estar hasta las narices

Literal translation: To be up to your nose/to have it up to your nose.

Definition: To be annoyed with something or someone.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To be fed up/to be sick and tired.

If you’ve been irritated by a situation that happens repeatedly, you can use the Spanish idiom estar hasta las narices to describe how frustrated you are.

It’s similar to saying ‘I’ve had it up to here! in English.

Estoy harta de eso. Estoy hasta las narices de tu actitud.

Hablar sin pelos en la lengua

Literal translation: To speak without hairs on the tongue.

Definition: To speak frankly.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To speak without mincing your words.

Hablar sin pelos en la lengua is a phrase that means you are about to be very direct and frank with what you say next.

It means you’re not about to beat about the bush or mince your words.

Bueno, voy a hablar sin pelos en la lengua. No has trabajado suficiente para conseguir el puesto.

Lavarse las manos

Literal translation: To wash your hands.

Definition: To forego responsibility for something/to wash your hands of something.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To pass the buck/ to cop-out.

You can use the Spanish idiom lavarse las manos when you intend to give up responsibility for something.

If you’ve done all you can for someone and you aren’t capable of more, you can say me lavo las manos de este .

A pesar de que la gente está muriendo, los politicos se han lavado sus manos de la situación.

Echar una mano

Literal translation: To introduce your hands in a place.

Definition: To help someone/to help out.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To lend a hand/give someone a hand.

This idiom is used in a similar way to the English phrase ‘give someone a hand’.

It means you’re going to help them out in some way to make a task easier.

Te echo una mano en un ratito. De momento estoy ocupado.

Meter la pata

Literal translation: To put the foot/leg on it.

Definition: To mess up/to screw up.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To put your foot in it.

I’ve all had those moments where we have said the wrong thing or made the wrong decision.

The idiom you’ll need to describe that moment in Spanish is meter la pata .

Sí, chica, has metido la pata. Tienes que pedir perdón. Todo saldrá bien.

Top Spanish idioms that feature colours

The range of Spanish idioms that feature colours also convey emotions, with many of them emphasising a person’s feelings or state of mind.

Explore this selection of Spanish idioms that use colours.

Tener sangre azul

Literal translation: To have blue blood.

Definition: To have been born into a rich family.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To have a silver spoon in your mouth.

This idiom is used to describe someone who has been born into a rich family and has had the luxury of living a privileged life.

Este hombre tiene sangre azul. No tiene que trabajar — nunca.

Ponerse rojo

Literal translation: To put yourself red.

Definition: To be embarrassed/to feel awkward or self-conscious.

If you are about to give a speech and you’ve suddenly become very nervous, this is the Spanish idiom you’ll need.

Ponerse rojo means you have turned as red as a beetroot because you are feeling self-conscious or embarrassed.

No te pongas rojo. No fue tu culpa.

Quedarse en blanco

Literal translation: To stay blank.

Definition: To fail to have an adequate response.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To draw a blank/to go blank.

This idiom is used to describe those moments where you suddenly have no appropriate words to describe how you feel, or are stuck for a response to a situation.

The equivalent term in English would be ‘to go blank’.

Antes de explicarte el motivo de despedirte me quede en blanco.

Verlo todo de color rosa

Literal translation: To see everything in pink.

Definition: To always remain optimistic no matter what.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To view life through rose-coloured glasses/to see the glass as half full.

We use the idiom verlo todo de color rosa to describe a person who is too optimistic or sees the best in everything despite the potential flaws.

Hombre, no es necesario verla todo de color rosa. Ella es humana.

Ponerse morado

Literal translation: To become/turn purple.

Definition: To eat or drink too much.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To be stuffed.

If you have eaten too much food — like the time you stuffed yourself full with the Christmas dinner you ate last year — you can use the idiom me he puesto morado to describe how full you are.

¡Ya has comido suficiente! Te vas a poner morado.

Estar verde

Literal translation: To be green.

Definition: To be inexperienced/to lack experience or to be a novice.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To be a greenhorn.

Used with the verb estar , the idiom estar verde refers to a person who is either naïve, is a novice, or lacks experience in something.

Es muy joven. También, no tiene mucha experiencia. Entonces está verde.

Verlo todo negro

Literal translation: To see everything in black.

Definition: To be a pessimistic person/to lose hope.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To see the glass as half empty.

This Spanish idiom has the opposite meaning of verlo todo de color rosa .

It refers to pessimistic people who generally see life in a glass-half-empty sort of way and lack optimism in many situations.

Esta chica está tan dispuesta a verlo todo negro. Es porque murió su madre hace dos años.

Top Spanish idioms that feature animals

Some of the Spanish idioms that feature animals are quite funny, while some of them have other connotations and mean different things. Have you heard of these?

Ser una gallina/¿eres una gallina?

Literal translation: To be a hen.

Definition: To be cowardly/to be a coward.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To be chicken.

We use the Spanish idiom ser una gallina to describe someone who, in a similar way a hen, is frightened by something or is a bit of a coward.

As an English equivalent, we might describe them as a chicken.

¡Que no seas una gallina! Es pan comido. El surf es un deporte muy divertido.

Tener memoria de pez

Literal translation: To have a fish’s memory.

Definition: To be very forgetful/have a terrible memory.

This phrase is similar to the English idiom ‘to have the memory of a fish’. It means a person is very forgetful or always forgets to do things — no matter how many times you have reminded them!

Te lo dije la semana pasada. Vaya, tienes memoria de pez, mujer.

Estar como una cabra

Literal translation: Being like a goat.

Definition: To be mad.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To be as mad as a hatter.

Someone who is a little bit quirky, hyperactive or does peculiar things can be described as como una cabra . Used with the verb estar it means they’re behaving in a crazy, uncharacteristic way in that precise moment.

Estás como una cabra, ¿sabes? Cálmate y estudia.

Ser la oveja negra de la familia/es la oveja negra de la familia

Literal translation: He’s the black sheep of the family.

Definition: To be different from the rest of the family.

Corresponding equivalent in English: To be the black sheep of the family.

A person who is different from the rest, who doesn’t belong with the group or doesn’t fit in can be described as la oveja negra de la familia .

It has a similar meaning to the English idiom ‘the black sheep of the family’.

Qué pena. Estaba siempre muy feliz, pero recientemente se ha aislado mas. Creo que es la oveja negra de la familia.

Get to grips with Spanish idioms!

Even though you might just be starting with Spanish idioms, there are plenty of tricks that can help you understand when someone is using one.

Step one is seeing which Spanish courses and apps are available.

I’ve also mentioned that listening is important, and this includes listening to and watching Spanish films, programmes on television, YouTube channels to learn Spanish , and even podcasts .

But it’s also important to read Spanish books .

Reading can help you back up your knowledge of Spanish idioms and expand your range of Spanish expressions.

It can open your mind to idioms that you might not have known existed and, unlike speaking, is a more relaxed way of building your vocabulary.

By reading and then doing a little research, you’ll soon find yourself understanding the meaning of various Spanish idioms and knowing exactly what Spanish native speakers are saying. Then, when you’re ready, you can start using them in conversations.

Remember to keep revising the idioms you’re least comfortable with to retain your knowledge and use them as often as you can.

Es pan comido. 😊

Did I miss any good Spanish idioms?

Comment below.

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Spanish Idioms

Improve your spanish with idioms.

Spanish idioms (las frases hechas) are expressions and figures of speech that cannot be interpreted literally; they have a cultural meaning.

While the origins of these phrases are usually unknown, they are used frequently by native speakers.

Learning idioms is a great way to make your Spanish sound more authentic, so take a look at Lingolia’s quick and easy examples then test your knowledge in the exercises – soon you’ll be using these sayings like a native speaker!

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36 Easy & Popular Spanish Idioms You Need to Know

Spanish idioms are phrases that help you convey your ideas more concisely and effectively. So, if you’re learning Spanish , idioms are necessary to improve your communication skills (comprehension and speaking).

To point you in the right direction, in this article, I’ve compiled 36 popular idioms in Spanish. You’ll also find a short description and examples, so you know how to use these phrases.

27 Standard Spanish Idioms

5 mexican spanish idioms, 4 castilian spanish idioms.

Wrapping Up & Download Spanish Idioms PDF

As you’ll see, I’ve listed each phrase with verbs in their infinitive form. So, you’ll see the examples use different Spanish pronouns and verb conjugations based on the context in which each expression is being applied.

Let’s start, shall we?

Tip: There are hundreds of Spanish idioms. But, as I explain in my “Hacks to Learn Spanish” resource (included in the Spanish Learning Kit) , you should focus on learning vocabulary you’ll actually use. Things like movies, songs, and TV shows in Spanish are great tools if you’re looking to learn more idioms.

graphic showing standard spanish idioms in spanish

1. Costar un ojo de la cara

Costar un ojo de la cara means that something is very expensive. This can be a financial cost, but it can also refer to the effort and sacrifice someone made to obtain something. This Spanish idiom is the direct translation of ‘ to cost an arm and a leg’ .

La universidad cuesta un ojo de la cara . College costs an arm and a leg .

Es un buen teléfono, pero me costó un ojo de la cara. It’s a good phone, but it cost me an arm and a leg .

Tip: Costar un riñón is a more informal variation of ‘costar un ojo de la cara’. It usually refers to a financial cost.

2. Dar en el clavo

In Spanish, dar en el clavo expresses that someone gave the right answer or guessed something correctly. It means ‘to hit the nail on the head’ .

Juan dio en el clavo con su respuesta. Juan hit the nail on the head with his answer.

La neta diste en el clavo : sí estoy un poco preocupado. The truth is that you hit the nail on the head : I’m a bit worried.

3. Ser pan comido

The Spanish idiom ser pan comido is used to say that something is very easy to do. It can be translated as ‘to be a piece of cake’ or ‘easy-peasy’.

Andar en bicicleta es pan comido . Riding a bike is a piece of cake.

El examen fue pan comido. The test was easy-peasy.

4. Echarle leña al fuego

Echarle leña al fuego implies that someone is making a situation worse by saying or doing something. So, this Spanish idiom means ‘ to add fuel to the fire’ or ‘ to make things worse’ .

¡No digas nada! ¿Para qué le echas leña al fuego ? Don’t say anything! Why make things worse ?

No le hagas caso, Luis sólo quiere echarle leña al fuego. Don’t listen to him. Luis only wants to add fuel to the fire.

Take Note: This idiom works with Spanish indirect pronouns. You must place these pronouns before a conjugated verb or attach them to a verb in infinitive form.

5. Tirar la casa por la ventana

When talking about parties and celebrations, this idiom conveys that someone spent a lot of money. Tirar la casa por la ventana is close in meaning to ‘spare no expense ’ or ‘to go all out’.

Miranda y Leo tiraron la casa por la ventana en su boda. Miranda and Leo went all out on their wedding.

¡Qué bonitas decoraciones! Se ve que tiraron la casa por la ventana . Such beautiful decorations! You can see that they spared no expense.

6. Llover sobre mojado

When more than one bad thing happens to you simultaneously, you can use the Spanish idiom llover sobre mojado to describe this situation. This expression means ‘it never rains, but it pours’.

7. Irse a freír espárragos

Irse or mandar a alguien a freír espárragos is a phrase Spaniards use to ask an annoying person to leave them alone. These expressions are close in meaning to ‘get stuffed ’ or ‘get lost’ .

Karla, vete a freír espárragos , tía. Karla, get lost, dude.

¿En serio te dijo eso? Mándalo a freír espárragos. Did he actually say that? Tell him to go get stuffed.

8. Hablar hasta por los codos

Hablar hasta los codos is used to describe people who talk too much. It means ‘ to talk your ears off’ .

No inventes, Cindy habla hasta por los codos. Jeez, Cindy talks your ears off.

9. Dar la vuelta a la tortilla

This Spanish phrase is used to say that a situation has changed around or reversed. Dar la vuelta a la tortilla is close in meaning to ‘turn the tables’.

Íbamos perdiendo, pero le dimos vuelta a la tortilla. We were losing, but we turned the tables.

Alice siempre le da vuelta a la tortilla y yo termino pidiendo perdón. Alice always turns the tables, and I end up saying sorry.

10. Pedir peras al olmo

Pedir peras al olmo is a beautiful Spanish idiom that expresses that someone is asking for something impossible or very difficult to do. It’s close in meaning to “reach for the moon” or “make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear”.

Take Note: This idiom is built with an easy Spanish metaphor. Un olmo (an elm tree) cannot produce pears ( peras ) – it’s impossible in nature! It’s the same idea when you ask someone to do something impossible for them.

11. Como anillo al dedo

When we want to say that a thing or situation is suitable or convenient for us, we can use the phrase como anillo al dedo, which means ‘fit like a glove’ or ‘come in handy ’.

Este dinero me viene como anillo al dedo . This money comes in handy.

Los zapatos te quedan como anillo al dedo. The shoes fit you like a glove.

12. No tener pelos en la lengua

No tener pelos en la lengua means that someone speaks to the point and without being subtle. So, it’s close to ‘not mince your words’ or ‘be outspoken ’.

¡Qué groseros son! ¿No tienen pelos en la lengua? You guys are so rude! Don’t you mince your own words?

13. Echarle un ojo

In Spanish, echarle un ojo is used to ask someone to:

Keep an eye on someone or something
Look briefly at something

As a result, this idiom means ‘to take a quick look’, ‘to watch’ or ‘to keep an eye on’.

Marta, ¿le echas un ojo a los niños? Marta, can you keep an eye on the children?

Échale un ojo a esta propuesta. Take a quick look at this proposal.

14. Importar un pepino

To say that you don’t care about something in Spanish , you can use the expression importar un pepino or it’s variations:

Importar un cacahuate
Importar un bledo
Importar un comino/pimiento

A mí me importa un pepino lo que tú pienses. I couldn’t care less about what you think.

15. Tomar el pelo

In Spanish, tomar el pelo is used to express that someone is tricking or mocking another person. It means to ‘play for a fool’ or ‘pull someone’s leg ’.

No trates de tomarme el pelo que te conozco. Don’t try to play me for a fool , I know you.

16. Dar gato por liebre

Dar gato por liebre describes a scam or form of deception where someone receives a low-quality product or service. This idiom is close in meaning to ‘ trick’ , ‘ to be ripped off ’, or ‘ pull the wool over someone’s eyes ’.

Compré este celular y ya se descompuso. Me dieron gato por liebre . I bought this phone, and it already broke. They pulled the wool over my eyes.

17. Ser uña y carne

Ser uña y carne, or ser uña y mugre, implies that two people are inseparable. This phrase is equivalent to the translation of ‘ be joined at the hip’.

Mi hermana y mi prima son como uña y carne . My sister and my cousin are joined at the hip.

18. Tener en la punta de la lengua

When you cannot remember a name or a word, you can use the Spanish idiom tener en la punta de la lengua, which means ‘be on the tip of your tongue’ .

¿Cómo se llama? ¡ Lo tengo en la punta de la lengua ! What is it called? It’s on the tip of my tongue!

Tip: When referring to a person or animal, llamarse is translated as ‘to be named’ (my name is). However, this verb can mean ‘to be called’ when talking about the name of a thing or place.

19. Llevar las de perder

Llevar las de perder implies that someone is in a losing position or has a significant disadvantage in a situation. This expression means ‘to stand to lose’ or ‘be in a bad position ’.

Cecilia lleva las de perder en este proyecto. Cecilia stands to lose in this project.

20. Meter la pata

Meter la pata is used to say that someone did or said something inappropriate. So, this Spanish idiom is close in meaning to ‘ step in it’ , ‘make a mistake ’, or ‘mess up ’.

¡Ay! ¿No sabías? Perdón, ya metí la pata. Oh, you didn’t know? Sorry, I really stepped in it .

21. Írsele la mano

Írsle la mano is a popular phrase in Spanish that we use to express that someone lost control and went too far. This idiom is close in meaning to ‘get out of hand’ or ‘go too far’.

Creo que se me fue la mano con Laura. I think I went too far with Laura.

22. Haber gato encerrado

In Spanish, haber gato encerrado expresses suspicion about a situation. As a result, this phrase is close in meaning to ‘there is something fishy going on’ or ‘ something’s up’.

Esto está raro, aquí hay gato encerrado. This is weird; there’s something fishy going on.

23. Dejar plantado

Dejar plantado is an informal phrase to say that someone didn’t show up to a date or appointment and left someone else waiting. It’s the direct translation of ‘to stand up’.

La novia de mi hermano lo dejó plantado . My brother’s girlfriend stood him up.

Take Note: Plantado is a Spanish past participle adjective . Therefore, it must agree with the gender and number of the person you’re talking about.

24. Ponerse las pilas

Ponerse las pilas compels people to do their best to do an activity. This Spanish expression is close in meaning to ‘pull your socks up’.

Si no te pones las pilas, te van a despedir. If you don’t pull your socks up, you’re going to get fired.

25. Ser tal para cual

To express the similarity between two people, you can use the idiom ser tal para cual, which means ‘ cut from the same cloth ’.

¡Qué bárbaros, estos dos son tal para cual ! Jeez, these two are cut from the same cloth !

26. Ser la cereza del pastel

Like its English counterpart ‘be the cherry on the cake’ , ser la cereza (guinda) del pastel expresses that something good made things even better.

Conseguir un aumento fue la cereza del pastel . Getting a raise was the cherry on the cake .

27. A caballo regalado no se le ve el diente

This Spanish phrase expresses that you cannot look for flaws in something you obtained for free. It means “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” .

28. Echarle mucha crema a sus tacos

Echarle crema a sus tacos is an informal Mexican idiom. It implies that someone exaggerates an action or achievement. This expression is close in meaning to ‘exaggerate’ , ‘talk big’, or ‘blow your own horn’.

Güey, cómo te gusta echarle crema a tus tacos . Dude, you love talking big about yourself.

Regina siempre le echa mucha crema a sus tacos . Regina always blows her own horn.

Take Note : With this idiom, Spanish possessive adjectives are used to express who is exaggerating.

29. Sacarle la sopa

To say that you’ve got the truth out of someone, you can use the Mexican idiom sacarle la sopa. In other, this expression implies that you obtained the whole story about a certain situation. This expression is close to ‘ to make someone spill the beans ’ or ‘ to get the truth ’.

[Indirect object pronoun] + [sacar conjugated] + la sopa

Perdón, mi mamá me sacó la sopa . Sorry, mom made me spill the beans .

No supe qué pasó con Abby, pero al rato le saco la sopa . I didn’t hear what happened with Abby, but I’ll get the truth out of her later.

30. No tocarle ese vals

No me toquen ese vals is a funny idiom Mexicans use to ask someone to not remind them or stop talking about a sensitive topic.

31. Agarrar en curva

Agarrar en curva is a popular idiom that means that something or someone ‘took you by surprise or ‘ caught you off guard ’.

[Direct object pronoun] + [agarrar conjugated] + en curva

No tengo idea, la verdad, me agarraste en curva . I have no idea, to be honest . You caught me off guard .

32. Armar un pancho

Armar un pancho is a funny Mexican idiom that we use to say that someone is being dramatic or making a fuss about something. Some variations of this idiom are:

Hacer un pancho
Armar un lío (Castilian Spanish)
Montar un pollo (Castilian Spanish)

Katia me armó un pancho por su celular. Katia made a big fuss because of her phone.

33. Estar hecho polvo

In Castilian Spanish , estar hecho polvo is a common phrase to say that someone is physically or emotionally exhausted. This expression means ‘ to be exhausted’ or ‘to be worn out’.

Vamos mañana, estoy hecho polvo. Let’s go tomorrow. I’m exhausted.

34. La madre que te parió

La madre que te parió is a common and informal idiom in Castilian Spanish . This phrase is used to express anger or surprise. It’s similar in meaning to ‘what the heck?’ , ‘holy cow’ or ‘damn’.

¡ La madre que te parió ! Pero, ¿qué haces? Holy cow! What are you doing?

35. Me la suda

In Castilian Spanish, me la suda is an informal and coarse way to say that you don’t care about something.

Lo que piensen tus amigos me la suda . I don’t care what your friends think.

36. Montar un pollo

If you’re learning Castilian Spanish and want to say that someone is making a scene or a fuss , you can use the informal idiom montar un pollo .

Ana me ha montado un pollo porque le dije que no podía ayudarla. Ana made a fuss because I told her that I couldn’t help her.

Wrapping Up & PDF Cheat sheets

Learning idioms in Spanish is essential if you’re serious about taking your command of the language to the next level. Now that you know some of the most common expressions, it’s time for you to start applying them in your conversations!

Download a copy of Spanish Idioms to come back to and study at your own pace!

Daniela Sanchez

¡Hola! Soy Daniela Sanchez, I've been studying Spanish professionally as well as teaching it in Mexico and online for over 10 years. I’ve taught Spanish to a wide array of foreigners from many backgrounds. Over the years, I've made it my mission to work hard on refining many challenging to understand grammar topics to make my students' learning experiences easier, faster and more enjoyable. Read More About Me

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Advanced Spanish Phrases for Studying and Working

Learning a language, whether in the classroom or on your own, is a rewarding and fun experience. It allows you to watch movies and understand lyrics in another language, and it can even help you make new friends. When you reach an advanced level, however, a world of opportunities opens.

If you’re dreaming of an academic or professional career in Spain or another Spanish-speaking country, you’re already aware that it can be the pathway to a brilliant future. More than 500 million people around the planet speak the language—just imagine the possibilities!

Need a little help getting there? Here are some advanced Spanish phrases that can put you on track. Also, stick around for some bonus everyday Spanish idioms that will make you sound like a native. Enjoy!

A Man in a Suit and a Woman Shaking Hands in an Office

Here’s to a brilliant career doing business in Spanish!

Useful Phrases for Academic Writing
Power Phrases for Your Cover Letter
Smart Phrases for Business and Meetings
Bonus: Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage
Final Thoughts

1. Useful Phrases for Academic Writing

Academic writing is one of the most formal ways to express yourself. Once you’ve reached an advanced level in Spanish, you’ll be able to produce fluid and coherent texts for the academic sphere. Here are some advanced Spanish phrases for essays that will make your work look great:

A Young Woman Writing in a Notebook in Front of a Laptop

Ace your essay in Spanish!

2. Power Phrases for Your Cover Letter

In Spain, a cover letter goes a long way when applying for a job. Now that so many people have a good education and are well-experienced, showing who you really are in a few paragraphs can turn the tables in your favor. However, try to maintain a formal structure and use sophisticated vocabulary with these advanced Spanish phrases:

A Young Woman Speaking to a Man during a Job Interview

A good cover letter can get you your dream interview.

3. Smart Phrases for Business and Meetings

The business world has its own expressions and slang. Learning how to properly communicate in the workplace can make all the difference when trying to succeed in business. With these advanced Spanish phrases, you’ll learn how to express yourself in a meeting and also how to address others in a professional manner.

A Group of Coworkers in a Business Meeting

Thank your coworkers for coming to your meeting!

4. Bonus: Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage

Spanish idioms are very present in everyday conversations. Do you want to know what your teacher means when (s)he tells you to “put on the batteries”? Or maybe what the young people mean when they say “molar”?

Fear not! We’re here to help you master advanced Spanish phrases, idioms, and slang expressions.

Otro gallo cantaría… (“Things would be very different…”)

5. Final Thoughts

In this guide to advanced Spanish phrases, you learned a variety of expressions that will help you improve your speaking and writing for the academic and business worlds. You even picked up several Spanish idioms!

Studying and working in a Spanish-speaking country is possible for an advanced student such as yourself. However, it’s best to keep on learning and to memorize even more advanced phrases in Spanish. You can continue your studies with the variety of advanced Spanish lessons available on SpanishPod101.com , each one designed with both progress and fun in mind! In fact, we have advanced pathways for different varieties of Spanish:

Level 5 Mexican Spanish
Level 5 European Spanish
Level 5 Peruvian Spanish

And don’t forget to check out the free vocabulary lists and other useful tools on SpanishPod101.com. They will make your path to mastery both fun and convenient. Create your free lifetime account to get started!

¡Que te diviertas! (Have fun!)

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Spanish Idioms: 46 Expressions You’ll Hear From Native Speakers

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A fun part of learning to become a more well-rounded Spanish speaker, is learning the more nuanced Spanish, be it slang vocabulary or expressions, that native speakers use in everyday life.

In this post, you’ll learn 46 of the most common Spanish Idioms that native speakers use, so that you can add some flavor to the conversation the next time you are speaking to a friend, colleague or stranger.

So what exactly do we mean by: Spanish idioms.

An idiom is a phrase or fixed expression , which is used with a figurative meaning, rather than the literal meaning.

For example:

Every cloud has a silver lining
A stitch in time saves nine
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Just like the English language, many of these idiomatic expressions don’t make a whole pile of sense when translated directly – but are used on a frequent basis by native speakers. Idioms are an abstract entity, often with layers of meaning, nuance, and humor which means that typically you won’t understand what they mean when used in Spanish conversation if you haven’t already learned them.

Unsure what to learn next?

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A List of Spanish Idioms That You Should Know

Idioms tend to be used most often in certain countries or regions (e.g Latin America vs Spain), which means that the number of idioms we could cover in this post is huge!

For now, we’ll stick the most popular ones in general.

Our list of Spanish idioms includes many familiar English Idioms, but also some idioms that only exist in the Spanish language.

Let’s begin

Spanish Idioms With Colors

Spanish idioms with animals, spanish idioms with food and drinks, spanish idioms with body parts, other important spanish idioms.

Did we miss any Spanish idioms that should be on this list?

Comment below and let us know!

Spanish Idioms: Exercises

Change the word in bold from the sentence with a correct Spanish Idiom

Rafael compró un auto nuevo la semana pasada, y le costó muchísimo dinero
Claudia sueña con conocer a su pareja perfecta en el crucero al que irá en diciembre.
Luis se consigue a su ex-jefa en la farmacia, en la panadería, en el cine. Ella está en todos los lugares donde él va.
El hermano de mi mejor amiga nunca le ha gustado estudiar, trabajar o hacer algo productivo. Es el bueno para nada de su familia .
Mi esposa no pudo dormir anoche , debido a su importante entrevista de trabajo de hoy.
Daniela olvidó el cumpleaños de su hermana como siempre. Ella tiene muy mala memoria .
La esposa de Francisco se enojó muchísimo cuando se enteró de la verdad.
La familia de mi vecino se comporta de forma muy extraña. Parece que están locos .
Él proviene de una familia muy adinerada y educada. Es un joven perteneciente a la realeza .
Estoy leyendo un libro muy interesante sobre la mitología griega, pero es muy muy viejo.
La chica nueva del trabajo es muy guapa . Le preguntaré su nombre.
La estudiante acertó la respuesta rápidamente.
Las integrantes de mi familia son personas que hablan de forma directa, y siempre dicen lo que piensan .
José llegó con mucha dificultad a su trabajo, a causa del tráfico de la mañana.
Mi abuelo solía ser una persona muy sagaz. . Siempre con una respuesta a los problemas.

Change the word in bold from the sentence with the correct Spanish Idiom

Rafael compró un auto nuevo la semana pasada, y le costó un ojo de la cara.
Claudia sueña con conocer a su media naranja / príncipe azul , en el crucero al que irá en diciembre.
Luis se consigue a sus ex-jefa en la farmacia, en la panadería, en el cine. Ella está hasta en la sopa .
El hermano de mi mejor amiga nunca le ha gustado estudiar, trabajar o hacer algo productivo. Es la oveja negra de su familia .
Mi esposa no pegó un ojo anoche , debido a su importante entrevista de trabajo de hoy.
Daniela olvidó el cumpleaños de su hermana como siempre. Ella tiene memoria de un pez.
La esposa de Francisco perdió los estribos cuando se enteró de la verdad.
La familia de mi vecino se comporta de forma muy extraña. Parece que le falta un tornillo / está como una cabra .
Él proviene de una familia muy adinerada y educada. Es un joven de sangre azul .
Estoy leyendo un libro muy interesante sobre la mitología griega, pero es del año de la pera .
La chica nueva del trabajo es un bombón . Le preguntaré su nombre.
La estudiante dio en el clavo rápidamente.
Los integrantes de mi familia son personas que hablan sin pelos en la lengua .
José llegó a duras penas a su trabajo, a causa del tráfico de la mañana.
Mi abuelo solía ser más astuto que un zorro . Siempre con una respuesta a los problemas.

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Spanish idioms

A collection of idiomatic expressions in Spanish with recordings, English equivalents and translations.

Spanish idioms from Mexico

Download all the audio files (Zip format, 612K)

Idioms provided by Ludovic Martin of 365jourspourapprendre , with additions by Abel Aabel and Javier Barrientos, and recordings by Francisco Valencia of Lyceum Español

More Spanish idioms http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Spanish/Idioms http://www.languagerealm.com/spanish/spanishidioms.php https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjyicMN2uKFjXrxyV-TzMw

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Study Guide

20 Common Spanish Idioms to Help You Sound Like a Native Speaker

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June 21, 2019

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You can learn all the Spanish words that you want, but unless you understand common Spanish idioms, you’d still be at a complete loss when talking to Spanish speakers.

I mean, how would you know that a Spaniard is flirting with you when they refer to it as throwing disks at you (te tira los tejos) ? And how are you to understand that a funny guy is also a horny person ( es un cachondo )?

Learning about Spanish idioms will not only make you truly understand real Spanish as it is actually spoken by native speakers….it will also make you sound a little more natural.

Sounds like a great deal, huh? So today, we’ll take a look at 20 common Spanish idioms and discover what they mean.

1 . Dar en el clavo

Literal meaning: Hit on the nail

What it really means: To be assertive

Aggressive, assertive, unyielding….hard-hitting. This one’s pretty easy to understand.

Example: ¡Nuestro gobierno nunca parece dar en el clavo con sus decisiones! Our government never seems to hit on the nail with their decisions!

2. Dormirse en los laureles

Literal meaning: Fall asleep in the laurels

What it really means: To cease to make an effort after achieving success

This is quite similar to the English version “to rest on your laurels”.

Example: Nuestro equipo simplemente se ha dormido en los laureles. Our team has simply fallen asleep on the laurels.

3. Entre la espada y la pared

Literal meaning: Between the sword and the wall

What it really means: Having to choose between two equally bad things

Does this remind you of “a rock and a hard place”? It’s basically the same thing.

Example: Mi amigo me ha puesto entre la espada y la pared, ¡quiere que elija entre gatos o perros! My friend put me between the sword and the wall, he wants me to pick a favourite between cats or dogs!

4. Con la soga al cuello

Literal meaning: With the rope to the neck

What it really means: To be in a situation of a lot of pressure

A noose around your neck. That sure feels like a whole lot of pressure, doesn’t it?

Example: Cuando mi novia quiere salir de compras conmigo me siento como con la soga al cuello. Whenever my girlfriend wants to go out shopping I feel as if I have a rope tied to the neck.

5. Le falta un tornillo

Literal meaning: Missing a screw

What it really means: To be crazy

To put it nicely, someone with a screw loose is an eccentric person. Or a nutjob and a wacko, if one can be so blunt about it.

Example: Está comprobado que las personas que odian el chocolate sufren de una rara enfermedad: ¡les falta un tornillo. / It has been scientifically proven that those who hate chocolate suffer from a rare disease: they're missing a screw!

6. Dos pajaros de un tiro

Literal meaning: Two birds with one shot

What it really means: To get two things done at once

Similar to its English counterpart, when you hit two birds with one shot (or with one stone), you are accomplishing two things at once! (hey, good for you)

Example: Al quedarme dormido maté dos pájaros de un solo tiro: ahorre energía y mis empleados tienen tiempo extra para terminar sus obligaciones. By falling asleep I killed two birds with one stone: I saved some energy and my employees have extra time to finish their obligations.

7. La gallina de los huevos de oro

Literal meaning: The hen that lays the golden eggs

What it really means: A source of wealth

Example: ¡Algún día encontrare mi gallina de los huevos de oro! Someday I will find my chicken with the golden eggs!

8. Meter la pata

Literal meaning: Put the foot in

What it really means: To screw up/ to mess up/ make a blunder

Example: Cuando me preguntan si poseo alguna habilidad especial yo siempre hago alarde de mi talento para meter la pata. Whenever I'm asked if I have any special skill I always brag about my talent to screw up

9. Pasarse de la raya

Literal meaning: To cross the line

What it really means: To do something that can't be tolerated

I’m pretty sure you already know what crossing the line means, right? Same as with English, this one means that you have reached a point where you can no longer be tolerated.

Example: Nunca me paso de la raya, pero siempre busco estar encima de ella. I never cross the line, but I always try to stay on top of it.

10. Pedir peras al olmo

Literal meaning: Asking for pears from the elm

What it really means: Expect something that is impossible

This one is somewhat similar to the English counterpart “getting blood from a stone” or “trying to squeeze blood from a stone”. Either way, what you’re asking for is impossible.

Example: Pedirle a nuestro gobierno transparencia total es como pedirle peras al olmo. Asking our government for total transparency is like asking pears from an elm tree.

Spanish Idioms Quiz: How Many of This Do You Know?

Popular Spanish Proverbs

11. Poner el dedo en la llaga

Literal meaning: To put your finger on it

What it really means: To be straightforward about the source of a bad situation

Example: No le preguntes sobre su ruptura con su novio, eso sí es poner el dedo en la llaga. Don't ask her about her breakup with her boyfriend, now that's really putting the finger on the wound.

12. Salirse con la suya

Literal meaning: Get away with it

What it really means: To succeed at getting something through obnoxious methods

Example: Nuestra mascota siempre logra salirse con la suya. Our pet always manages to get away with it.

13. Ser pan comido

Literal meaning: to be eating bread

What it really means: to be easy

Example: Para mí, todas esas actividades son pan comido. To me all of those activities are eaten bread.

14. Ser un cero a la izquierda

Literal meaning: To be a zero to the left

What it really means: To not have any influence

Example: Tus comentarios negativos son un cero a la izquierda para nosotros. Your negative comments are just a zero to the left to us.

15. Tener agallas

Literal meaning: to have guts

What it really means: To be brave

Example: Tener las agallas para decir que no a una pizza gratis es una acción respetable... ¡y muy tonta! Having the guts to say no to a free pizza is a respectable action... and a very foolish one too!

16. A duras penas

Literal meaning: At tough hardship

What it really means: To barely achieve something

Example: Pude terminar todo mi trabajo pendiente a duras penas. I was barely able to finish all of my pending work.

17. Costar un ojo de la cara

Literal meaning: To cost an eye of the face

What it really means: Something very expensive

In English, it would cost you an arm and a leg. The Spanish version, however, is an eye. Either way, it means that something would cost you a fortune.

Example: Salir con mi familia casi siempre me cuesta un ojo de la cara. Going out with my family almost always cost me an eye off my face.

18. Perder los estribos

Literal meaning: To lose the stirrup

What it really means: To get angry

When you “lose the stirrup”, you’ve basically lost your temper. It is also similar to the English idiom “to fly off the handle”.

Siempre pierdo los estribos cuando hablan mal de Derrick Rose. I always lose it when people talk badly about Derrick Rose.

19. Echar leña al fuego

Literal meaning: To throw wood to the fire

What it really means: To raise the intensity of something

When something is already burning and you add more wood to it, you are making things escalate further. This is quite similar to the English version “to add fuel to the fire”.

Example: Echar leña al fuego cuando otros discuten es malo, ¡debemos asegurarnos de echar suficiente gasolina primero! Throwing wood into the fire when others argue is bad, we should always make sure to put enough gasoline first!

20. De buena fe

Literal meaning: Of good faith

What it really means: To do something with good intentions

This one is self-explanatory. Doing something in good faith means you have clear intentions and aren’t up to something shady.

Example: Todo lo que hago por mis amigos es de buena fe . Everything I do for my friends is in good faith

Spanish idioms are fun and easy enough to learn. They also make conversations so much more colorful. Which idiomatic expression is your favorite so far? Share it with us in the comments!

Writing practice

Try using one of the Spanish idioms above in a sample sentence. Share it with us in the comments!

About the author

Janey is a fan of different languages and studied Spanish, German, Mandarin, and Japanese in college. She has now added French into the mix, though English will always be her first love. She loves reading anything (including product labels).

Would love to get more Spanish idioms

Excellent in every way.

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35 Common Spanish Idiomatic Expressions: Understand and Practice On Your Own

Want to be fluent in Spanish like locals? Explore Spanish idiomatic expressions and understand the common Spanish idioms used in day to day language.

These expressions, brimming with figurative meaning , reveal the rich cultural narrative. As we explore popular Spanish idioms, we’re not just memorizing phrases, but absorbing the essence of Spanish culture, from Latin America to Spain .

This journey through the most common Spanish idioms will enhance your Spanish vocabulary and language skills. It will also give you insights into the way native Spanish speakers communicate.

Whether it’s understanding the literal translation of “ darle la vuelta a la tortilla ” or the playful intent behind “ tomar el pelo “, each idiom offers a unique window into everyday life.

For learners and Spanish teachers alike, these idioms are not just phrases but gateways to speaking Spanish more authentically and connecting with others in a meaningful way.

Join me on this exciting path of learning Spanish idioms, enriching your linguistic journey with every step.

What are Spanish idioms?

Idioms are idiomatic expressions used in informal conversations . The actual meaning of these idioms is not always so clear when hearing them for the first time. That is because they cannot just be reduced to the words that make them up.

The context, and the complete sentence, must also be taken into account.

The origin of many spanish idioms does not have a specific date, as these expressions have been passed down from generation to generation over the years.

That is why they have a special place in the Spanish language and vary according to cultural identity in each territory. Not all Spanish-speaking countries use the same idioms .

You Must Learn Spanish Idioms to Speak like a Native

The main reason to integrate idioms into your language learning process is that they are constantly used in informal language. You will be exposed to these expressions in your day-to-day life whilst being in the country and talking to the locals.

Idioms simplify speech in the Spanish language , helping to creatively summarize an idea.

The variety of idioms that exist are endless, you don’t need to learn them all, but you should familiarize yourself with the most used ones .

So let’s not beat around the bush! Here is a list of the 5 chosen by Spanish Express for you

Understand the Literal Meaning and Usage of Some Common Spanish Idioms

1. más vale tarde que nunca.

This first Spanish idiom we bring to you today is known in the English language as “ better late than never “, so you are probably already familiar with its meaning.

“ Más vale tarde que nunca ” is used in the Spanish language to express that it is preferable to do something after the planned time, rather than never doing it.

It can be applied to situations in which you arrive late to a meeting with your friends where they are waiting for you, or when finishing a project that took a long time to complete.

2. No hay mal que dure cien años

This Spanish idiom may be one of the most famous in all Spanish-speaking countries. There is even a song dedicated to this well-known phrase!

Perhaps it is the message of hope behind its meaning that makes it so well known. “ No hay mal que dure cien años ” is referring to the fact that there is no difficult situation from which one cannot get out. There is always a chance for a new beginning after experiencing a bad moment.

Its closest English translation would be “ even the longest night comes to an end ” and is implemented to encourage people in times of adversity.

3. Mas vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando

I’m sure that reading this phrase has created some confusion, but no worries! Even for Spanish native speakers, it’s sometimes hard to find the real meaning behind these common idioms.

Let’s help you a little with the translation: “ a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush “. It’s clearer now, isn’t it?

“ Mas vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando ” means that it is much better to stick to secure plans rather than choosing those that are uncertain.

It is a great phrase to advise a close friend or family member who comes to you for advice.

4. Donde fueres, haz lo que vieres

Although it’s nothing like its translation, “ when in Rome, do as the Romans “, the context and meaning and symbolic expressions are essentially the same.

“ Donde fueres, haz lo que vieres ” tells us that whatever place, country, or city we are in, we should follow their rules and respect their culture.

If you have moved to a new country, this will be the time to put this idiom into practice. You can also use it to advise your friends.

Respecting the habits, laws, and customs of a new country opens your mind to new experiences and helps you in your adaptation process.

5. Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente

Here we will leave the English equivalent for the end. You can only really enjoy this Spanish idiom if you know Spanish very well because its translation makes it lose all its charm.

“ Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente ” refers to the outcomes that laziness can have in our lives. Postponing the things we should do and not doing them at the right time brings consequences to our studies, work, relationships, among other situations.

So always keep in mind that if you snooze, you lose .

6. El mundo es un pañuelo

Literally translating to “ the world is a handkerchief, ” this idiom conveys the idea that the world is much smaller than we think.

It’s often used when you unexpectedly run into someone you know in an unlikely place. It’s similar to the English saying, “ it’s a small world .”

Imagine bumping into an old school friend in a different country – that’s a perfect moment to use “ El mundo es un pañuelo .”

7. Estar en las nubes

This idiom translates to “ to be in the clouds ,” and is used when someone is daydreaming or not paying attention to what’s happening around them.

It’s akin to the English phrase “ to have your head in the clouds .”

For instance, if someone is lost in thought during a meeting and misses important information, you could say: “Está en las nubes.”

8. Tirar la casa por la ventana

This phrase means “to spare no expense” or “ to go all out .”

It’s used when someone spends a lot of money on a celebration or event. The English equivalent might be “ to pull out all the stops .”

For example, if someone throws a lavish party with no expense spared, they are “Tirando la casa por la ventana.”

9. No todo lo que brilla es oro

The literal translation is “ not everything that glitters is gold ,” which is actually the same as the English saying.

This idiom is used to express that not everything that looks good on the outside is valuable or true.

It’s a reminder to look deeper than the surface. You might use it when someone is excited about a seemingly great opportunity that may have hidden drawbacks.

10. Dar en el clavo

Translating to “to hit the nail on the head”, this idiom is used when someone gets something exactly right or finds the perfect solution to a problem. It’s used in the same way as the English phrase with the same meaning. For example, if someone makes a suggestion that perfectly solves a problem, they have “Dado en el clavo.”

11. Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda

This Spanish idiom translates to “ although the monkey dresses in silk, it’s still a monkey .”

It implies that external appearances cannot change one’s true nature. It’s similar to the English saying, “ You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear .”

This is typically used to suggest that trying to appear or act differently from one’s true nature is futile.

12. Echar leña al fuego

Literally meaning “ to add fuel to the fire ,” this idiom is used when someone makes a bad situation worse, usually by saying or doing something unnecessary or provocative.

It’s equivalent to the English phrase with the same meaning.

For instance, if during an argument, someone brings up a sensitive topic, they are “Echando leña al fuego.”

13. Estar entre la espada y la pared

This translates to “ to be between the sword and the wall ,” and is used when someone is in a difficult situation facing two undesirable options.

It’s similar to the English saying “ between a rock and a hard place .”

If you have to choose between two bad alternatives, you are “Entre la espada y la pared.”

14. Meter la pata

The literal translation is “ to put the foot in ,” which means to make a blunder or say something inappropriate.

It’s akin to the English phrase “ to put your foot in your mouth .”

For example, if someone accidentally says something that offends or embarrasses others, they have “Metido la pata.”

15. Ser pan comido

This phrase literally means “ to be eaten bread ,” which is used to describe something that is very easy or simple to do.

It’s similar to the English idiom “ a piece of cake .”

For instance, if a task is very easy to accomplish, you might say it’s “Pan comido.”

16. Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo

This idiom translates to “ the devil knows more for being old than for being the devil .”

It suggests that wisdom comes with age and experience rather than innate cunning or intelligence. It’s akin to saying that older people are wiser due to their life experiences.

Use this when you want to acknowledge the value of experience over youth.

17. Buscarle tres pies al gato

Literally meaning “ to look for three feet on a cat ,” this phrase is used when someone is complicating a situation or problem unnecessarily, similar to the English idiom “ making a mountain out of a molehill. ”

It’s often said about someone who is creating problems where there are none.

18. Ser uña y carne

Translating to “ to be nail and flesh ,” this idiom describes two people who are very close or inseparable, similar to the English phrase “ thick as thieves .”

It’s used to describe a strong bond between friends or companions. When two people are always seen together, they are “uña y carne.”

19. Estar como una cabra

This means “to be like a goat” and is used to describe someone who is acting crazy or eccentric. The English equivalent might be “ to be nuts ” or “ off one’s rocker .”

If someone is behaving in a strange or unusual way, you might say they are “como una cabra.”

20. Hablar por los codos

Literally, this translates to “ to talk through the elbows ,” but it’s used to describe someone who talks a lot or is very chatty.

The English equivalent would be “ to talk someone’s ear off .” This is often used when someone goes on and on without stopping.

21. Cortar el bacalao

This idiom literally translates to “ to cut the codfish ,” but it’s used to describe someone who is in charge or calls the shots. Similar to the English phrase “ to call the shots .”

It’s often used in situations where someone is clearly the decision-maker. For example, if a boss is making all the important decisions in a company, they are the one “Cortando el bacalao.”

22. Llover sobre mojado

Literally meaning “ to rain on wet ,” this phrase is used when a bad situation is made worse by additional problems, akin to the English saying “ when it rains, it pours .”

For instance, if someone has a series of unfortunate events happening one after the other, you could say it’s “Lloviendo sobre mojado.”

23. Sacar los trapos sucios

Translating to “ to take out the dirty rags ,” this idiom is used when someone reveals secrets or private matters in public. It’s similar to the English expression “ to air dirty laundry. ”

If a person is discussing private issues in a public setting, especially to embarrass someone, they are “Sacando los trapos sucios.”

24. Ser el ojo derecho

This means “ to be the right eye ,” and is used to describe a person who is very dear or important to someone, similar to being the “ apple of one’s eye ” in English.

It’s used to express affection or importance. For instance, if a child is very precious to their parents, the child is “el ojo derecho” of them.

25. Tener un humor de perros

Literally, this translates to “ to have the mood of dogs, ” but it’s used to describe someone who is in a very bad mood. Comparable to the English phrase “ to be in a foul mood .”

If someone is particularly irritable or grouchy, you might say they have “un humor de perros.”

26. Pelos en la lengua

When a native Spanish speaker says someone has “Pelos en la lengua,” they’re describing a person who’s unafraid to speak their mind.

This phrase, translating to “ hairs on the tongue ,” denotes frankness and the tendency not to mince words, a quality often admired in conversations.

27. Echar agua al mar

The idiom “Echar agua al mar,” literally meaning “ to throw water into the sea ,” is used to describe an action that is utterly pointless.

It’s akin to doing something redundant, a concept familiar to speakers in many languages, including English.

28. Darle la vuelta a la tortilla

In the realm of Spanish idioms, “La tortilla” often refers to change or reversal, as seen in “darle la vuelta a la tortilla” ( to turn the tortilla over ).

This phrase embodies the adaptability and dynamic nature of cultural identity in the Spanish-speaking world.

29. Ser pan comido

An idiom that makes learning Spanish delightful, “Ser pan comido,” literally means “ to be eaten bread ,” akin to “ a piece of cake ” in English.

It’s commonly used to describe something very easy or straightforward, enhancing the charm of everyday conversations.

30. Estar como una cabra

“Estar como una cabra” literally means “ to be like a goat ” and is humorously used to describe someone acting in a crazy or eccentric manner.

This idiom reflects the playful side of language and is equivalent to saying someone is “ nuts ” in English.

31. Tener pelos en la lengua

Part of the broader phrase “tener pelos en la lengua,” this idiom is about speaking one’s mind boldly and without hesitation.

It’s a celebration of directness and honesty in communication, valued traits in many Spanish-speaking communities.

32. No ver tres en un burro

Idioms such as “No ver tres en un burro,” which means “not seeing three on a donkey,” are used when a person sees absolutely nothing. En English: to be as blind as a bat.

Would you like to know its origin? In the early 20th century, a campaign in rural Andalusia aimed to identify vision issues among the illiterate population, posing challenges for ophthalmologists using conventional charts to measure diopters.

To overcome this obstacle, they turned to familiar images, drawings, and photographs that people could readily interpret. One such image featured three individuals riding a donkey. Quite interesting, isn’t it?

33. La gallina de los huevos de oro

An idiom deeply embedded in Spanish culture, “La gallina de los huevos de oro,” or “ the hen that lays golden eggs ,” speaks to themes of opportunity and the perils of greed.

It parallels the English idiom and offers a window into the symbolic expressions prevalent in Spanish.

34. Gato por liebre

The idiom “Gato por liebre” translating to “cat for hare ,” is used to describe deception or a bait-and-switch tactic.

It’s a phrase commonly heard in Spanish-speaking regions, warning of situations where things are not as they seem.

35. Tiene más lana

In Spanish, when someone says “tiene más lana,” they are referring to a person who is quite wealthy or affluent.

This idiom, literally translating to “ has more wool ,” equates wool with wealth, highlighting a creative linguistic twist.

It’s a common way to comment on someone’s financial status and is akin to saying someone “is loaded” in English.

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Essential Blogs to Learn About the Spanish Language and Hispanic Culture

Explore How Spanish Literature and Films Are Important to Learn Spanish

31 Most Common Spanish Verbs to Learn Spanish Fast

Learning How to Speak Spanish? 5 Tips for Learning Spanish

New Year’s Eve in Spain and Latin America: how is it celebrated?

Learn Spanish Film & Literature with our Workshops: Requiem for a Spanish Peasant (Réquiem por un campesino español)

The power of cinema – By Tiff

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How to Write in Spanish: The Step-by-step Guide to Perfecting Your Writing Skills

Do you want to improve your Spanish writing skills and get even closer to fluency?

If you want to make Cervantes blush with your mastery of Spanish writing, you have come to the right place.

This step-by-step guide will show you how to write in Spanish, including information on spelling, grammar and more, as well as give you the tools to write practically anything!

Key Spanish Writing Rules

Spanish spelling, capitalization rules in spanish, spanish punctuation, spanish sentence structure, spanish abbreviations, other differences between english and spanish writing rules, how to write letters in spanish, how to write an email in spanish, how to write an essay in spanish, texting in spanish, spanish creative writing, journaling in spanish, other types of spanish writing, how to type in spanish, main differences between english and spanish keyboards, and one more thing….

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

If you want to be the next Cervantes, you should get acquainted with the main Spanish writing rules and the major differences between writing in English and writing in Spanish. Here are a few of them.

Spelling in Spanish is much more intuitive than it is in English.

This may sound almost too good to be true, but written words in Spanish are actually designed to reflect what they sound like! There are far fewer cases of silent letters, double letters or different spellings for the same sounds. Also, vowels each have their own specific sounds that don’t change, no matter what other letters surround it.

However, there are a couple of spelling “situations” that can give you a bit of a headache if you do not pay attention:

The letter h has no sound. Regardless of its position in a word, it will always be soundless (zanahoria — carrot, hoguera — bonfire , hueso — bone). This letter changes the sound of the letter c when they go together (chaleco— vest , coche — car , noche — night), and even though it has no sound, it can change the meaning of a word (ola— wave, hola — hello).
There are some letter pairs that can be confusing. It would be impossible for you to learn every word containing these pairs, so the best you can do is check a dictionary in case of doubt. The letters that normally cause problems to learners of Spanish are b/v, r/rr, g/j, ll/y and the “triplets” c/k/q and c/s/z .
Spanish uses accent marks . Accent marks may be small, but they are very important. If a word has an accent mark in Spanish, do not ignore it, because accent marks can easily change the pronunciation and meaning of words (tráfico — traffic , trafico — I smuggle , traficó — he smuggled).

If you want to improve your Spanish spelling skills, you can try some Spanish spelling games . They will make the learning process much more enjoyable, and the topic more accessible to you.

Another option is the online language learning program FluentU —its quizzes are useful for practicing your spelling with questions where you need to type your answers.

Additionally, you may want to install a Spanish spell checker . This way you can be sure the majority of spelling errors you make while writing in Spanish will be detected and corrected.

Learning Spanish capitalization is actually pretty straightforward. You just have to remember the words that are not capitalized in Spanish.

For instance, Spanish does not capitalize, among others:

Days of the week
Nationalities
Religions and their adjectives
Social and political movements
The pronoun yo (I) unless it is the first word in a sentence
Book titles (except for the first word)
Movie titles (except for the first word)
Personal titles (except when they are the first word in a sentence)

Punctuation is another area where English and Spanish share a lot of features.

However, there are some Spanish punctuation rules that may be surprising for learners of Spanish.

These are the main ones (some of them have already been mentioned):

Spanish has an opening question mark and an opening exclamation mark (¿,¡).
Spanish does not capitalize the first word after a colon.
Spanish uses the colon in the opening of letters. While English uses a comma (Dear Mrs. Petunia,), Spanish uses a colon (Estimada señora Petunia:).
In Spanish, there is no Oxford comma at all. The last two items of a list will always be joined with a conjunction like y (and) or o (or) .
Spanish and English write out numbers differently. In Spanish, you use a period to separate groups of thousands (e.g. 1450 or 1,450 would be 1.450 in Spanish). Spanish uses the comma as the decimal separator (so 1.5 would be 1,5 in Spanish).
Spanish normally leaves commas, periods and other punctuation marks outside the quotation marks. (English: “I love you.” vs. Spanish “Te quiero”.).
Dialogue formatting is very different in Spanish. The biggest difference is possibly the fact that Spanish uses a dash to open a dialogue (instead of quotation marks) and to enclose the dialogue tag (instead of commas). For example:

English: “I love him,” she said, “I always have. “

Spanish: –Lo amo –dijo ella–. Siempre lo he amado.

Sentence structure refers to the internal organization of a language, i.e. the order we have to put elements in a sentence so that it is grammatically correct.

Many learners of Spanish think that since both Spanish and English follow the general pattern S + V + O (Subject + Verb + Object), both languages build sentences in the exact same way.

This is true sometimes, as in the following two examples:

Marta está bebiendo café. (S + V + O) Marta is drinking coffee. (S + V + O)

Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and learners of Spanish should take into account a couple of Spanish sentence structure rules if they want to come up with correct sentences, even if they are trying to produce basic Spanish sentences :

In Spanish, you can omit the subject. If you know who you are talking or writing about, you do not need to mention that person (Tengo hambre — I am hungry). This is possible because verbs in Spanish have a different ending for each grammatical person.
Adjectives come after the noun in Spanish. There are a few exceptions with a change in meaning, but overall, adjectives always come after the noun (la camisa blanca — the white shirt).
Nouns and adjectives have to agree in Spanish. When you write a sentence in Spanish, you have to take a look at the nouns. Every determiner, quantifier, adjective and adverb that refers to a noun must have the same gender and number (el perro negro — the black dog, all words masculine and singular in Spanish; las tazas rojas — the red cups, all words feminine and plural in Spanish).
Negation is very simple in Spanish. The majority of sentences become negative in Spanish by adding no in front of the main verb. No other changes are normally needed. You can also make negations in Spanish by using negative adverbs like nunca (never) and nadie (no one).

Abbreviations can be used in both formal and informal contexts, and even though they tend to work similarly across languages, there are a couple of things you should know about Spanish abbreviations and how to use them when writing in Spanish:

Even though personal titles are not capitalized when written in full, their abbreviations are capitalized. For example:

señor — Sr. / Mister

señora — Sra. / Mrs .

doctor — Dr. / Doctor

There are some abbreviations that appear very frequently in Spanish correspondence. For instance:

usted — Vd. / formal you

se ruega contestación — S.R.C. / RSVP

Ordinal numbers are gendered. They are adjectives, so they take on the gender of the noun they are referring to. Because of this, their abbreviations are also marked for gender (1º/1ª, 2º/2ª…).
Spanish abbreviations can have a plural form. Normally, abbreviations add -s to form their plural (página — pág. / page, páginas — págs. / pages). If the abbreviation has only one letter, they normally double it (página — p. / page , páginas — pp. / pages).
Some acronyms do not accept the plural ending -s . They will still take the plural determiner if necessary (los CD — the CDs). Oddly enough, you have to pronounce the final -s when reading/pronouncing them (los ce-dés — the cee dees).
There are some international abbreviations and acronyms that have their own version in Spanish. Examples of this are:

la UE — la Unión Europea / the EU (European Union)

la ONU — la Organización de Naciones Unidas / the UN (United Nations)

Spanish people use a lot of abbreviations when texting. (Have a look at the section on Texting in Spanish for more info.)

Although less important, there are some differences between English and Spanish you should take into account when writing in Spanish:

We write dates differently. In Spanish, the order of writing the date is always day/month/year. So, while an American might read the date 02/07/2018 as February the 7th 2018, for a Spanish-speaking person it would be July the 2nd 2018.
We use different measurement systems. This is something to bear in mind not only while writing, but when using Spanish in general. Not everybody knows what inches, feet, pounds or miles are (especially in Spain). Spanish-speaking countries use the metric system, so we have centimeters, meters, kilograms, kilometers, etc.

The first thing you need to do before starting to write a letter is to decide whether it has to be formal or informal.

This will have an impact not only on the body of the letter, but also (and especially) on the way you start and finish writing it.

There are a couple of well-established rules you should bear in mind when writing a letter in Spanish :

Querido/a (Dear) is only used in informal letters, while Estimado/a (Dear) is the preferred form in formal ones.
You normally use just the first name of the person you are writing to if the letter is informal (Querido Julián), but Señor (Mr.), Señora (Mrs.) or Señorita (Miss) and a surname if the letter is formal (Estimado Sr. González).
Use tú (informal you) in the body of informal letters, but usted/ustedes (formal you singular/plural) in formal ones.
When closing a letter, you can send Besos y abrazos (Hugs and kisses) in casual letters, but never in formal ones. Use Saludos (Regards) in semi-formal letters, and Cordialmente/Atentamente (Yours sincerely) in formal ones.

Knowing how to write an email in Spanish is a skill you are going to need sooner or later, because email communication, especially in a professional environment, is something most of us have to do on a daily basis.

The majority of the rules we had for writing letters also apply here.

You should make sure to use the right opening and closing in your email, and that the overall tone and the vocabulary used are appropriate to the situation.

When writing an email, especially a formal one, you will normally have to include four sections: greeting, reason for writing, body of the email and closing.

Here is a very brief example of an informal email John wrote to his friend Joanne:

¡Hola, Joanne! (Hi, Joanne!)

Reason for writing

Te escribo para preguntar si irás mañana al cumpleaños de Sonia. (I’m writing to ask if you’ll be going to Sonia’s birthday tomorrow.)

Me encantaría verte. ¡Hace tanto tiempo que no te veo! Madre mía, creo que la última vez que nos encontramos fue para Navidad. ¿Te acuerdas? (I would love to see you. I haven’t seen you in ages! Good Lord, I think the last time we ran into each other was on Christmas. Do you remember?)

Un abrazo, (Hugs,)

Starting to write essays in Spanish is possibly one of the most challenging tasks for beginner learners.

Going from simple sentences to several paragraphs requires a lot of practice, but there are tons of fixed expressions that can be used in order to make this process easier.

Depending on the type of essay you need to write, you will have to cover one or more of the following points:

Giving your opinion

This is very common in essays, especially the ones included in official Spanish exams. Make sure you use expressions that help you introduce your personal opinions, such as en mi opinión (in my opinion), me parece que (it seems to me that) or creo que (I believe that).

Agreeing and disagreeing

Another very common type of essay is the one where you are given a sentence or quotation and you have to agree or disagree with it. Useful expressions here can be estoy de acuerdo (I agree), no estoy de acuerdo (I disagree) and es falso que (it is false that).

Backing your claims

If you say that something is false or that you know for a fact something is true, you should back your claims with some evidence. Try to introduce words and expressions such as según (according to), demostrar (to demonstrate) and la fuente (the source).

A conclusion normally summarizes the main topics of the essay and answers any questions and hypotheses that were posed in the introduction. When writing your conclusion, use expressions like en conclusión (in conclusion), por esta razón (for this reason) and en resumen (in summary).

Texting in any language has its own separate set of rules.

For instance, depending on the recipient of the message, two texts can look completely different even if they include the exact same information:

Xq tki. (Because I have to go.) This is very informal, sent to a friend.

Porque tengo que irme. (Because I have to go.) This is sent in a much more formal situation, normally to someone with whom we do not have a very close relationship.

As you can see from the first example, there are a lot of abbreviations and slang words you can use while texting in Spanish , much like you would do in English.

It would be impossible to mention all of them here, but if you learn their most common traits, you will be able to text in Spanish like a pro:

Letters are omitted. The most common feature you will see is the omission of vowels and consonants.

For example: xa — para (for), gnl — genial (great)

The letters q and c normally become k.

For example: One of the most common examples is the expression tkm — te quiero mucho (I love you so much)

There are some established abbreviations you will need to learn by heart. Sometimes you will only be given one letter, so knowing what it means in the world of Spanish texting will come in handy .

For example: b — bien (good), q — que/qué (that/what)

Numbers and symbols can also be used. Just as in English, if a number comes close to the pronunciation of a part of a word, some letters will be replaced by numbers .

salu2 — saludos (regards), 100pre — siempre (always)

Watch out for acronyms. Spanish normally uses their own versions of well-known acronyms. These acronyms are often similar to the international ones or can be understood from the context, but sometimes they will be completely different.

For example: NATO — OTAN , World Health Organization / WHO – Organización Mundial de la Salud / OMS

Creative writing is basically any kind of writing that is not professional, academic or journalistic.

Since this definition is so broad, there are also many types of writing that can fall into this category, the most common ones being poetry, novels, scripts, short stories, fairy tales and screenplays, among others.

Creative writing can be an amazing way to improve your Spanish language skills.

It forces you to think, be creative, ask questions and find answers for them. Your brain will be working hard while you write creatively, and the fact that you will be using vocabulary and grammar rules you have previously studied will make you remember them easier.

The ideal scenario for a learner of Spanish who wants to give creative writing a go would be having a native Spanish speaker that can read what the learner is writing and give detailed feedback (spelling and grammar errors and overall writing skills that could be improved).

Unfortunately, this is quite difficult to find, so the second-best option is to find resources that will help the learner get some Spanish writing practice (such as writing apps, creative writing websites, textbooks that teach writing, writing prompts, etc.).

Regardless of the way you choose to practice your creative writing skills, remember rule number one of every good writer: You have to read much more than you write!

Since there are no established rules, journaling can be a good way of practicing writing in Spanish without stress. No one except you will have access to your journal (unless you want to), so it does not matter if you make spelling mistakes or write grammatically incorrect sentences as long as you are doing it in Spanish.

If you feel that writing a journal in Spanish can be challenging, try to break your thoughts down into smaller thoughts.

There are many topics you can write about that will allow you to practice your Spanish writing skills in an undemanding way:

Your bucket list.
Your dreams.
Things you are thankful for.
Reasons for learning Spanish.
Things that motivate you.
Things that make you sad.
Your goals for this week/month/year.
Your fears.
Your favorite places/people and why.

The list goes on and on. Write about the topics you want, whenever you want and however you want. Just remember to do it on a daily basis to be able to enjoy all the benefits journaling in Spanish can bring to you, both mentally and linguistically speaking.

There are many more types of Spanish writing, and each of them has its own intrinsic characteristics and rules.

Mentioning all of them would be impossible here, so here you have a selection of a few of them:

Recipes have a very easy structure: a list of ingredients and steps to cook the dish. You can start practicing writing recipes in Spanish by using the infinitive when you give the instructions (Pelar las patatas — To peel the potatoes), and move on to the imperative mood when you study the Spanish imperativo (Pela las patatas — Peel the potatoes).

Greeting cards

Even though we normally buy ready-made cards, adding a few words of our own could be a very nice finishing touch. If you are giving a birthday card, remember to include some wishes like ¡Feliz cumpleaños! (Happy birthday!) or ¡Te deseo mucha felicidad! (I wish you lots of happiness!).

If you want to give a Valentine’s Day card, try to make it even more personal by creating a romantic card in Spanish yourself. Do not forget to express your feelings with phrases like:

Mi amor (My love)
Mi cariño (My sweetheart)
Te amo (I love you)

Notes can be written to say thank you, to ask for a favor or to remind someone to do something. They tend to be very short and to the point, including only information that is absolutely necessary. For this reason, many notes only include one or two words:

¡Gracias! (Thanks!)
Para ti. (For you.)
¿Me echas una mano? (Will you help me?)
Te quiero. (I love you.)
Que aproveche. (Enjoy your meal.)
Compra leche. (Buy some milk.)

Spanish and English keyboards are different.

Because of that, typing in Spanish can be a challenge for the first few times.

There are several ways in which you can type in Spanish on your device:

You can install a keyboard on your device.
You can use Alt codes (Windows) and Opt codes (Macs).
You can use online tools such as TypeIt.

If you take a look at a Spanish keyboard, you will notice some letters, characters and symbols have changed, moved or disappeared.

Let’s have a look at these changes.

Once you have your device ready to type in Spanish, you will notice some things are… different.

There are enough differences between a Spanish and an English keyboard to write a whole book, so I will only mention the three most important ones:

Accent marks

Spanish vowels can have an accent mark ( á, é, í, ó, ú ). In order to type it, you first have to type the accent key on your keyboard (‘) and then the vowel you want to add the accent mark to.

Another letter with a mark is the Spanish letter ñ . In this case, you only have to press the (:) key, because Spanish keyboards have their own ñ key. The last mark you will need in Spanish is the diéresis (¨). In order to type it, press Shift + the (‘) key. Then type u or i.

Question and exclamation marks

One of the first interesting facts we learn about the Spanish language is that it has opening question marks and exclamation marks.

In order to type the opening question mark, press Shift and (=). The closing question mark can be typed by pressing Shift and (-). As for the exclamation marks, the opening one is very easy: just press the (=) key. The closing one can be typed by pressing Shift + 1, like on your normal keyboard.

Another change you will notice when typing in Spanish is the series of symbols you get by pressing Shift + numbers 2 to 0. Your keyboard probably has the sequence @#$%^&*() , while the Spanish keyboard will give you “·$%&/()= .

There are other differences between both keyboards, like the position of hyphens, dashes, apostrophes, colons, semi-colons, stops and commas, among others.

In the beginning, all these differences can be a little bit overwhelming, and you will probably type the wrong symbol or letter because your brain will want to do it automatically in your normal keyboard layout.

As with everything, practicing Spanish typing will be the key (no pun intended) to get you used to the new layout. There are even Spanish typing games where you can practice all you want until you feel fully comfortable using the Spanish keyboard.

I know this is a lot of information to digest, but the good news is that you now have everything you need to know about how to write in Spanish!

Thanks to writing, you will improve not only your vocabulary and grammar, but also your reading, speaking and listening skills.

So take a pencil and a piece of paper (or run that word processor you normally use) and start writing in Spanish right away!

If you've made it this far that means you probably enjoy learning Spanish with engaging material and will then love FluentU .

Other sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the Spanish language and culture over time. You’ll learn Spanish as it’s actually spoken by real people.

FluentU has a wide variety of videos, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive transcripts. You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don’t know, you can add it to a vocab list.

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Review a complete interactive transcript under the Dialogue tab, and find words and phrases listed under Vocab .

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU’s robust learning engine. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning with the same video.

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36 Easy & Popular Spanish Idioms You Need to Know
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51 Spanish Phrases for Essays to Impress with Words
estoy seguro que - I'm sure. dudo que - I doubt. sospecho que - I suspect. asumo que - I assume. estoy (totalmente, parcialmente) de acuerdo - I (totally, partially) agree. no estoy de acuerdo en absoluto - I absolutely disagree. opino diferente - I have a different opinion. me niego a aceptar - I refuse to accept.
52 Spanish Essay Phrases for Your AP Exam and Beyond
Contents. Handy Essay Phrases for Writing a Strong Spanish AP Composition. Starting your essay. Agreeing and disagreeing. Stating an opinion. Supporting an opinion. Contrasting (or comparing) Transitional phrases. Changing topics.
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The following list of Spanish idioms includes the literal meaning of Spanish idioms in English, an explanation of the actual meaning of the idioms, and an example of each one so you can learn how to use them. ... I'm sorry, but your essay doesn't make any sense. 19. Faltarle un tornillo. Literal meaning: to miss a screw. Actual meaning ...
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25. en realidad. in reality; really. 26. hay que tomar en cuenta. you have to take into account. 27. lo importante es. the important thing is.
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Finally, I wanted to include a group of useful common phrases that can enrich your essay's vocabulary: • "De acuerdo a…". - According to…. • "Cabe recalcar que…". - It is important to note that…. • "Vale la pena resaltar que…". - It is important to highlight that…. • "No podemos ignorar que ...
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Do the bridge. Take a long holiday weekend. Dar alguien con la puerta en las narices. To give someone with the door in the noses. To slam the door in someone's face. Mala hierba nunca muere. Bad grass never dies. The bad ones never die. We've tweeted and posted a lot of Spanish idioms.
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Spanish idioms about love. 1. Buscar al príncipe azul. Literal translation: To look for the blue prince. Actual meaning : This Spanish idiom has some connection to royalty having blue blood, and it means looking for Prince Charming or a knight in shining armor. The English equivalent: To look for Mr.
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90 Authentic Spanish Idioms That Will Get You Mistaken For A Native Speaker. You can measure your success in learning Spanish or any other language by how well you understand 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 strange, often ...
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Spanish Expressions of Excitement. Native Spanish speakers use different Spanish expressions for excitement or anticipation. The following are three of the most practical. 1. Claro/Claro que sí. Claro literally translates to "clear"; que is "that" and sí is "yes.". So, the expression reads: "clear that yes.".
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In this article, we've prepared a list of words that will help you write that Spanish essay without even breaking a sweat. Spanish. English. por lo tanto. therefore. sin embargo. however. rendimiento. performance.
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Here is a list of common idioms that use animal vocabulary in Spanish. Idiom in Spanish. Literal Translation. Meaning. acostarse con las gallinas. to sleep with the chickens. to go to sleep early. A perro flaco, todo son pulgas. To a skinny dog, everything is fleas.
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So, be careful! We have chosen five clear examples of these Spanish idioms. 1. - Spain. This expression means you must be attentive or aware of what is happening around you. The Spaniards have two versions of the birth of this phrase. The first version indicates that it was born during the Spanish Civil War.
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The Spanish idiom no pegar un ojo means that you haven't slept very well or that you didn't get a wink of sleep. If you've been up all night because of your neighbour's party, you can say no pegué un ojo. Pues yo nunca duermo bien. Anoche no pegué un ojo.
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Improve your Spanish with idioms. Spanish idioms (las frases hechas) are expressions and figures of speech that cannot be interpreted literally; they have a cultural meaning.. While the origins of these phrases are usually unknown, they are used frequently by native speakers. Learning idioms is a great way to make your Spanish sound more authentic, so take a look at Lingolia's quick and easy ...
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The truth is that you hit the nail on the head: I'm a bit worried. 3. Ser pan comido. The Spanish idiom ser pan comido is used to say that something is very easy to do. It can be translated as 'to be a piece of cake' or 'easy-peasy'. Andar en bicicleta es pan comido. Riding a bike is a piece of cake.
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We're here to help you master advanced Spanish phrases, idioms, and slang expressions. Ponerse las pilas. "To get your act together". Literally: "To put on the batteries". Si quiere aprobar el curso, tiene que ponerse las pilas. "If he wants to pass his classes, he has to get his act together.".
Spanish Idioms: The 46 Best Sayings That You Need To Learn
To have blue blood. To belong to a royal or very rich family. To be born with a silver spoon in your mouth. 6. Encontrar tu media naranja. To find your half orange. To find the perfect or ideal partner. To find you other/better half. 7.
Spanish idioms
Spanish idioms. A collection of idiomatic expressions in Spanish with recordings, English equivalents and translations. Idioms English versions; Abrir la caja de los truenos: to open a can of worms / Pandora's box ("to open the box of thunder") Taparse los ojos: to turn a blind eye
20 Common Spanish Idioms To Help You Sound Like a Native Speaker
10. Pedir peras al olmo. Literal meaning: Asking for pears from the elm. What it really means: Expect something that is impossible. This one is somewhat similar to the English counterpart "getting blood from a stone" or "trying to squeeze blood from a stone". Either way, what you're asking for is impossible.
What are some good Spanish idioms to include in my research essay?
Although it depends what your research essay is on (i.e. you can't use the same idioms if you are writing an essay on a novel character and on a historical event), there are a few good ones that can be used to show off your knowledge of Spanish in the majority of essays: 1. Ver las orejas al lobo - To see the danger signs (Really good also for ...
Understand and Practice: 35 Common Spanish Idiomatic Expressions
31. Tener pelos en la lengua. Part of the broader phrase "tener pelos en la lengua," this idiom is about speaking one's mind boldly and without hesitation. It's a celebration of directness and honesty in communication, valued traits in many Spanish-speaking communities. 32.
26 Popular Spanish Idioms for Sounding Like a Native
3. Estar como una cabra. Meaning: To be a little crazy. " 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:
How to Write in Spanish: The Step-by-step Guide to Perfecting Your
Spanish and English write out numbers differently. In Spanish, you use a period to separate groups of thousands (e.g. 1450 or 1,450 would be 1.450 in Spanish). Spanish uses the comma as the decimal separator (so 1.5 would be 1,5 in Spanish). Spanish normally leaves commas, periods and other punctuation marks outside the quotation marks.

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Introductory Phrases

You can also use phrase to introduce a new topic in the text such as:

Concluding Phrases

Transitional Phrases

Argumentative Phrases

Opinion Phrases

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90 Authentic Spanish Idioms That Will Get You Mistaken For A Native Speaker

How To Learn Spanish Idioms

7 Spanish Idioms (And What They Really Mean)

#1 Ser Pan Comido

#2 Acostarse Con Las Gallinas

#3 Andarse Por Las Ramas

#4 Peor Es Nada

#5 Tal Para Cual

#6 Quemarse Las Cejas

#7 Buscarle Tres Pies Al Gato

83 More Spanish Idioms To Liven Up Your Speech

#1 Con Las Manos En La Masa

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

#3 Al Mal Tiempo, Buena Cara

#4 Tener Memoria De Pez

#5 Empezar La Casa Por El Tejado

#6 Meter La Pata

#7 Estar Hasta Las Narices

#8 Estar Como Una Cabra

#9 Como Llevar Arena A La Playa

#10 Tirar La Casa Por La Ventana

#11 Dar La Vuelta A La Tortilla

#12 Tener Más Lana Que Un Borrego

#13 Quedarse De Piedra

#14 Hablando Del Rey Del Roma

#15 Sin Pelos En La Lengua

#16 Echar Agua Al Mar

#17 Si Mi Abuela Tuviera Ruedas Sería Una Bicicleta

#18 Una Media Naranja / Encontrar Tu Media Naranja

#19 Bueno Y Barato No Caben En Un Zapato

#20 No Tener Pies Ni Cabeza

#21 Camarón Que Se Duerme Se Lo Lleva La Corrientes

#22 Estar Hecho Un Ají

#23 Estaban Como Tres En Un Zapato

#24 A Fin De Cuentas

#25 A La Vuelta De La Esquina

#26 Ahogarse En Un Vaso De Agua

#27 Al Tuntún

#28 Andar Con Pies De Plomo

#29 Andarse Con Rodeos

#30 Apretarse El Cinturón

#31 Arrimar El Hombro

#32 Así Como Así

#33 Caer En Saco Roto

#34 Comerse El Coco / Comerse La Cabeza

#35 Como Agua De Mayo

#36 Como Pez En El Agua

#37 Como Un Libro Abierto

#38 Con Pelos Y Señales

#39 Cortar Por Lo Sano

#40 Coser Y Cantar

#42 Dar El Brazo A Torcer

#43 Dar En El Blanco

#44 Dar La Chapa

#45 Dar Una Vuelta De Tuerca

#46 Dar La Vuelta (A Algo)

#47 Darse Con Un Canto En Los Dientes

#48 Echar Leña Al Fuego

#49 El Dinero No Crece En Los Árboles

#50 Estar De Coña

#51 Estar En La Cuerda Floja