Spanish Idiom for "No Pain! No Gain!"

Question

To encourage my Spanish-speaking brother-in-law to exert much effort in learning English, I admonish him: "No Pain! No Gain!". I translate this for him as: "No Dolor! No Ganancia!" or "No Trate!, No Gane!" Do you know a more common or apt Spanish idiom that conveys the same meaning?

i hope i answered your question. if not, let me know - Rey_Mysterio, May 10, 2012

Answer 1

"El que quiera celeste, que le cueste" (Creo que es porque el tinte para hacer óleo celeste era muy caro en la edad media, porque lo hacían con lapislázuli)

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I remembered a better one: "Sin dolor no hay gloria" ("there is no glory without pain").

This form ("sin X no hay Y") can be used to translate other "no X, no Y" statements.

No shoes, no service: "sin zapatos no hay servicio"

Is this a Chile saying since th lapislazuli is found there? - katydew, May 8, 2012

No creo, parece que su uso es extendido - comunacho, May 9, 2012

Answer 2

Quien algo quiere, algo le cuesta.

Answer 3

Idioma and idiom are false friends, idioma=language, tongue; idiom=dicho, frase, refrán.

¡Gracias! Tú estás listo. - djgates, May 8, 2012

Answer 4

¡La letra con sangre entra! = Pretty much means that learning costs effort and pain!

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Answer 5

"SI no duele no sirve"

Mostly pain at this stage, I'd say! ;o) - katydew, May 8, 2012

Answer 6

In México we say "Quien quiera azul celeste, que le cueste", even though there is the "No hay atajo, sin trabajo"

[No pain, No gain][1]

No pain, no gain

[1]: http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=no pain no gain

Answer 7

I agree with comunacho and farallon

Hola Rey:) Could you take a look at my question real fast? It's the only one that hasn't been answered yet I believe. - 5454CkMac, May 8, 2012