¿Cuales son su modismos favoritos? Which are you favorite idioms?

Question

Mis favoritos modismos son: Lo que el agua trae el agua lleva. (Easy come, easy go.); Cómo diablos... (How on earth...); como le gustan a uno (after one's own heart)así, Es un chico como a mí me gustan) y Lo hecho, hecho está (A lo hecho, pecho). (What is done is done.)

Estos son unos ejemplos de modismos. Dígame sus favoritos modismos.

Answer 1

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. A watched pot never boils. Actions speak louder than words. All that glitters is not gold. It's not rocket science. Jack of all trades, master of none.

I love idioms, I could go on and on.

Here is a good reference site if you need help deciphering an English idiom you have heard.

link texthttp://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/

Anyone know an equivalent site for idioms in Spanish?

• Can't get enough of them for my students. I love having the students draw them out. They are so literal with them which adds to the learning. :) - Jason7R Sep 19, 2009
• Why not try Spanishdict? - ray76 May 16, 2012

Answer 2

The early bird may catch the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese !

What is the Spanish equivalent, anyone?

• I don't know, but that one about the cheese is hellafunny wisdom! - ChamacoMalo Sep 19, 2009
• I would like to know that one too! Muy bien. - pmikan-pam May 4, 2012
• Lol. I like that one. Can I have permission to use it? - swtw1219 1 day ago

Answer 3

Aprendiz de todo, oficial de nada : jack of all trades, master of none

Una vez al año, no hacer daño (I don't know the English equivalent)

A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda - It's the early bird that catches the worm

• Once in a while does no harm, I think. - annierats Apr 28, 2012

Answer 4

My favourite....

"Andar como un cangrejo". (I think that's right). "To walk like a crab.". The idea is moving backwards or sideways and not really getting anywhere, or, as I would say "One step forward, two steps back.", or even "Going out backwards.".

Annie

Answer 5

My favorite is "He killed two birds with one stone." I say this all the time in English.

Mató dos pájaros de un tiro

Answer 6

"de vez en cuando" (from time to time)

I know it isn't very exciting, but it was the first one I learned.

Answer 7

Jason,

There are two really great, long, lists of "dichos y refranes" in Spanish at the sites below (scroll after you get to the sites, especially the second one). There are so many that it's almost overwhelming, so I'm not even going to try to pick a favorite.

Dichos y refranes

Dichos y refranes II

• JohnJuan :P jejeje - Valerie Sep 19, 2009
• Valerie, holy crud!! Too funny. Thanks. :) - Jason7R Sep 19, 2009
• aqui estoy...que hay? - ChamacoMalo Sep 19, 2009
• This is great Val! thnx! - arnold3 Sep 19, 2009
• De nada :) - Valerie Sep 19, 2009

Answer 8

There's people that have like 10 billion gold stars, but don't know any ismos?

• Maybe we should get a medal for having 5 or more. - Seitheach Sep 19, 2009

Answer 9

"No digas nunca de este agua no beberé."

My favorite one in Japanese has a similar meaning but is much terser: "issun saki, yami" which would be (fairly literally) "one inch ahead, darkness* in English.

• Okay, you'll have to explain the one in Japanese. - --Mariana-- Sep 19, 2009
• Right? - ChamacoMalo Sep 19, 2009
• Yeah,please do explain. - arnold3 Sep 20, 2009

Answer 10

Pierre said:

The early bird may catch the worm.....What is the Spanish equivalent, anyone?

A quien madruga, Dios ayuda (the early bird catches the worm)

I also like:

Lo que siembres, cosecharás (you reap what you sow)

Answer 11

Okay, ONE of my favorites (I admit I stole it off that other site) is: Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda. Kind of like "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."

Answer 12

It's a brave man who first tried haggis.

• Amen! - Valerie Sep 20, 2009
• or onions - comunacho May 4, 2012

Answer 13

Querer es poder.

• ayudame con el significado de la expresión. Yo no se "querer es poder" en inglés. Gracias y gracias para contestando. - Jason7R Sep 19, 2009
• To want is to be able (or to do)? Just a thought. :) - Jason7R Nov 16, 2009
• Where there's a will there's a way. - Eddy Apr 30, 2012

Answer 14

Mejor solo que mal acompanado, y mi otro es; El diablo sabe mas por viejo que por diablo.

Answer 15

A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando. Praying to god and using a hammer. Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente. Shrimp that sleep get carried away by the current. y, una mas...Despacio voy, porque de prisa estoy. I go slow because I am in a hurry. I'm surprised alot more people didn't answer you. There's people that have like 10 billion gold stars, but don't know any ismos?

• The funniest one, in humble opinion so far, is Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente. Too freakin' funny! I have students like this. :) - Jason7R Sep 19, 2009
• thankee! - ChamacoMalo Sep 19, 2009
• ¡No te preocupes! Mucho gusto :) - Jason7R Sep 19, 2009