spanish idioms and phrases please add if you know any
Hi everyone, I am interested in learning the Spanish idioms and phrases. If you know some, please add to this post.
Here I will begin by posting some
what a small world = que chico es el mundo
make ends meet = llegar a fin de mes
give me a break = dame un respiro
17 Answers
Thank you everyone for all the phrases! These are awesome!
Me cae gordo. Me choca Something or someone that you don't like. Exapmple: Esa mujer me cae gorda. Como me choca esperar tanto para que alugien me atiende. El servicio agui es horrible.
Poner el grito en el cielo. Yell at the top of your lungs epecially when angry. Throw a fit. Example: Cuando la mujer se dio cuenta de que su hija estaba saliendo con el viejo ese se puso el grito en el cielo.
Echar una siesta. Echar un pestañazo. Take a nap.
Echar la casa por la ventana. Go all out in something.
Ahogarse en un vaso de agua. Get really upset over something not very important. Example: Vaya! No te ahogues en un vaso de agua. No es para tanto. Con poquito tiempo y paciencia facil lo resolverémos.
Let me know if you like these. There are also books on Spanish idioms.
Oscar
I wanted to add alternatives to a couple of the idioms already provided.
Sacar las uñas- To show one's true colors -can also be said, "Mostrar el cobre"
A la corta o a la larga- Sooner or later -can also be said, "Tarde o temprano"
This is a slang and idoms book, so friqueo is a part of the slang portion of the dictionary. And I double checked pollar is not a sex act, not even in Spain, maybe you are thinking of something similar. For some of the more slang looking ones I did an internet search, they are used in different Spanish speaking countries. The dictionary is called: "Streetwise Spanish/ Spanish Idioms Dictionary and Thesaurus; The User-Friendly Guide to Spanish Idioms and slang" it is by Mary Mcvey Gill and Brenda Wegmann. It covers Latin America, Spain, Southern cone, dominican republic and puertorrican, and mexican language. It is really helpful. It also tells you which countries use each saying and if the saying is vulgar or not. It is a big helper for those who want to get to know the language with cultural intimacy.
I mean pollo like in chicken, however, I look up the name of the movie and let you know.
One of the movies is called Princesas. I'll get back to this, thank you. Right know my supervisor wants me to do some work; the nerve of the man - Dont you know.
Gus said:
pollar in Spain (at least from the movies, I seen) means a sex act
Never heard that word. Maybe you meant an F, and not a P.
pollar in Spain (at least from the movies, I seen) means a sex act , the term is used by both men and women - Notice , I did not said, Gentel man or gentle women).
Talking about nudity, I wonder if in Spain nudity is taken lightly. I saw an Spaniish movie in which both male and female used the same dressing room. Here in the US of A and Central America nudity is a big deal. In Japan, accoording to its movie, nudity is not a big deal. I saw a movie in which a father was hugging his completely nude adolecent daughter. Tthe young girl tryed to seduce an much older Police Office.
I need to go.
Are yo usure about these ones.
Can you document them. I mean what is the name of the diccionary?
echar el pollo can mean something else in Spain.deja el friqueo sounds too English.
thanks
Juan segura vivio muchos anos- better safe than sorry
Andar a patadas con los piojos- To live from hand to mouth
Buzo- on the ball
Cada muerte de un Obispo- Once in a blue moon
Cargar al arpa- To be a fifth (third) wheel.
Chocala!- Put it here!
En la cola de un venado- Once in a blue moon
No te comas un cable- Don't have a cow. Don't worry.
Comer y callar- Beggars cannot be choosers.
Costar un paston- To cost a fortune
Deja el friqueo!- Stop freaking out!
El dia del pago de los bomberos- When hell freezes over
El Diablo anda suelto
Que dicha!- What luck
A diestra y siniestra- Helter- skelter
Echar una pestana (pestaneada)- To catch some winks (shut-eye, sleep)
Habla de Roma, y el Papa se asoma - Speak of the devil
darse por vencido
to give up
I took it for granted that...
di por sentado que ...
no veo la hora...
I can't wait..
me alegras el di'a
you make my day
soy todo oidos
I am all ears
pros and cons
el pro y el contra
no por u'ltimo menos importante
last but not least
hola! muchas gracias por estos, eres genial! es muy amable de ti, me encantan las frases
LAtINaPunKROcKerAConFundidA said:
Ok, I thought this might help you. I have this amazing sayings and slang dictionary in Spanish, so here are a few from the book.
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Ok, I thought this might help you. I have this amazing sayings and slang dictionary in Spanish, so here are a few from the book.
Spanish street sayings:
Pica, lica y califica- look before you leap
De lo bueno, poco- all things in moderation
Ni tan peludo ni tan pelado- all things in moderation
Ni tanto ni tan poco- don't exaggerate
Sacar las unas- to show one's true colors
Juan segura vivio muchos anos- better safe than sorry
Ojo pelado/ojo piojo- Keep your eyes peeled
Andar a patadas con los piojos- To live from hand to mouth
En boca cerrada no entran moscas- loose lips sink ships
No me (le) busques- don't get on my bad side. Don't go there.
Buzo- on the ball
El cachicamo llamando el morrocoy conchudo- The pot calling the kettle black.
Cada muerte de un Obispo- Once in a blue moon
Caer parado/a- To land on one's feet
El cangrejo- Hard case, tough nut to crack
Canta, pajarito!- Fess up!
En la cancha se ven los gallos- Actions speak louder than words
Cargar al arpa- To be a fifth (third) wheel.
Chocala!- Put it here!
Estar hasta el cogote (copete/ coronilla)- To be fed up
En la cola de un venado- Once in a blue moon
No te comas un cable- Don't have a cow. Don't worry.
Comer y callar- Beggars cannot be choosers.
Con las manos en la masa- Caught in the act
Consultor con la almohada- to sleep on it. (think things over)
Contra viento y marea- Come hell or high water
A la corta o a la larga- Sooner or later
Costar un ojo de la cara- To cost a fortune
Costar un paston- To cost a fortune
Cuando hay higos, hay amigos; Cuando hay brevas? las huevas- Prosperity makes friends, adverity tries them.
en el mismo plato- Bosom buddies
Cuando la rana eche pelos- when hell freezes over.
Cursi- corny, or too sweet and sentimental
Le da la mano y se agarra hasta el codo/ Le da el pie y le toma la mano- Give him/her an inch and he/she will take a mile.
Dar en el clavo- To hit the nail on the head.
Dar la patada a la lata- To kick the bucket (die).
Darse de cabezazos- To rack one's brain
Decir al pan pan y al vino vino- to tell it like it is.
No decir ni pio- to not say a word.
Deja el friqueo!- Stop freaking out!
Descargar- To let it all out (literally: to download or to jam/ play music)
Desnudar a un santo para vestir a otro- To take from Peter to pay Paul
Destripar a alguien el cuento- To steal someone's thunder
El dia del pago de los bomberos- When hell freezes over
El Diablo anda suelto- Evil is afoot.
Que dicha!- What luck!
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho- Easier said than done
A diestra y siniestra- Helter- skelter
A disfrutar a lo loco- To have the time of one's life
Como dos gotas de agua- Like two peas in a pod
Echale ganas!- Give it all you've got!
Echar una canita al aire- to let one's hair down (to do something unusual)
Echar el cuento- To sweet-talk, to butter-up
Echar lena al fuego- To add fuel to the fire
Echar los perros/ el ruco- To call out the cavalry
Echar un pie- to shake a leg
Echar una pestana (pestaneada)- To catch some winks (shut-eye, sleep)
Echar relajo- to have a blast
Echar la vaca- to chip in
Echarse la pera/ el dia- To cut class, or to play hooky
Echarse un pollo- to scram, to split, to take off
Embebido/a como una esponja- As drunk as a skunk
Emborrachar la perdiz- To beat around the bush
Empezar la casa por el tejado/techo- To pull the cart before the horse
Estar/ Quedarse en blanco- To draw a blank
Encontrar la horma de su zapato- To meet one's match
Caer con 'to pay up, to fork over
Entrar bizco y salir cojo- to have things go from bad to worse
Entrar como Pedro/Juan por su casa- to feel or make oneself at home
Entrarle una cosa por un oido y salirle por el otro- To have something go in one ear and out the other.
Entre nomas! - C'mon in!
Escapar el trueno y dar con el relampago- to go from the frying pan into the fire.
Esa se te zafo! - You blew it!
Escurrir el bulto- to pass the buck
Estirar la pata- to kick the bucket
Esto es el
Muerta la perra,se acaban las pulgas.
When the dog dies, the fleas fly.
Con dos que se quieran bien,uno que coma basta.
when two lovers really love each, if one eats is enough for both.
Taken from a movie called," The Rape" a 1940 some thing Mexican movie.
Is not a great movie but is ok. Maria Felix does a great acting job, one can actually feel her anger. Jorge Negrette is ok as an actor, his singing is great.
Lo que en los libros no está, la vida te enseñará. That which isn't in books, life will teach you. [Life is the best teacher.]
Hi Casper, I just came across this link...
