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 pancomido(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.
Food
Let's learn some easy-to-memorize idioms that use food vocabulary in Spanish.
Idiom in Spanish
Literal Translation
Meaning
A buen hambre, no hay panduro.
To good hunger there is no hard bread.
Beggars can’t be choosers.
estar como unasopaor estar hecho unasopa
to be like a soup
to be soaked to the bone
estar como unfideo
to be like a noodle
to be thin as a rail
estar como unqueso
to be like a cheese
to be hot (sexually attractive)
no importar unpepino
to not give a cucumber
to not care at all
ponerse como untomate
to turn into a tomato
to blush
ser del año de lapera
to be from the year of the pear
to be ancient/to be out of fashion
ser pancomido
to be eaten bread
to be a piece of cake
Take a look at some examples!
examples
¿Te molesta que tu amiga salga con tu hermano? - No me importa un pepino.
Does it bother you that your friend is going out with your brother? - I couldn’t care less.
¡Tu móviles del año de la pera!
Your cellphone is ancient!
Animals
Here is a list of common idioms that use animal vocabulary in Spanish.
Idiom in Spanish
Literal Translation
Meaning
acostarse con lasgallinas
to sleep with the chickens
to go to sleep early
A perro flaco, todo sonpulgas.
To a skinny dog, everything is fleas.
When it rains it pours.
dar gato porliebre
to give a cat instead of a hare
to rip off/to take for a ride
estar en la edad delpavo
to be in the turkey’s age
to be at that difficult/awkward age
La curiosidad mató algato.
Curiosity killed the cat.
Don’t try to find out about something that doesn’t concern you.
¿Se te ha comido la lengua elgato?or ¿Te han comido la lengua losratones?
Has the cat eaten your tongue? or Have mice eaten your tongue?
Cat got your tongue? (Used to ask someone why he or she is not saying anything.)
Take a look at these examples!
examples
El vendedor de coches intentódarme gato por liebre.
The car salesman tried to rip me off.
Dudo que estén despiertos aún.Se acuestan con las gallinas.
I doubt they’re still up. They go to sleep early.
Body Parts
The following idioms include body parts in Spanish.
Idiom in Spanish
Literal Translation
Meaning
costar un ojo de lacara
to cost an eye from the face
to cost an arm and a leg
estar hasta lasnarices
to be up to the noses
to be fed up
hablar hasta por loscodos
to talk even through your elbows
to be a chatterbox/to talk up a storm
no pegarojo
to not paste an eye
to not sleep a wink
no tener ni pies nicabeza
to not have either feet or head
to make no sense
no tener pelos en lalengua
to not have hairs on the tongue
to be outspoken
quemarse laspestañas
to singe one’s eyelashes
to burn the midnight oil
ser uña ycarne
to be nail and flesh
to be joined at the hip
tomar elpelo
to grab by the hair
to pull someone’s leg
Here are some examples!
examples
Mi amigo me dijo que conoció a Kim Kardashian, pero creo que me estabatomando el pelo.
My friend told me he met Kim Kardashian, but I think he was pulling my leg.
Estoy hasta las naricesde tus quejas.
I’m fed up with your complaints.
Wise Words and Giving Advice
Using an idiom is an indirect way to give advice in Spanish.
Idiom in Spanish
Literal Translation
Meaning
no ahogarse en un vaso deagua
to not drown yourself in a glass of water
to not sweat the small stuff
Al mal tiempo, buenacara.
To bad weather, good face.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
buscarle tres pies algato
to look for three feet on the cat
to make something more complicated than necessary
Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva lacorriente.
A shrimp that falls asleep is taken away by the current.
Pay attention or the opportunities will pass you by.
consultar con laalmohada
to consult the pillow
to sleep on it
En casa del herrero, cuchillo depalo.
In the house of the blacksmith, knife of wood.
When you’re an expert in something, you don’t apply it to your own life.
Cuando se cierra una puerta, se abre unaventana.
When a door closes, a window opens.
Where one door closes, another one opens.
Las palabras se las lleva elviento.
Words are taken by the wind.
Actions speak louder than words.
Más vale pájaro en mano que cientovolando.
One bird in the hand is more valuable than one hundred flying birds.
Focus on what you have instead of what you don’t have.
meterse en camisa de oncevaras
to get into a 30-foot-long shirt
to be out of your depth
Un clavo saca a otroclavo.
One nail pulls out another nail.
A new person will make you forget the old one.
Zapatero, a tuszapatos.
Shoemaker to your shoes.
Focus on doing what you’re good at.
Check out these examples!
examples
Mi novia me dejó por su ex. - Al mal tiempo, buena cara.
My girlfriend left me for her ex. - When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
No te ahogues en un vaso de agua.El estrés es malo para la salud.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Stress is bad for your health.
Human Behavior and Personality
Use these idioms to comment on human behavior, tendencies, and personality.
Idiom in Spanish
Literal Translation
Meaning
despedirse a lafrancesa
to say goodbye the French style
to leave without saying goodbye
De tal palo, talastilla.
As such the stick, such the splinter.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Dios los cría y ellos sejuntan.
God raises them and they come together.
Birds of a feather flock together.
dormirse en loslaureles
to fall asleep in the laurels
to rest on your laurels
echar agua almar
to throw water to the sea
to do something pointless
echarle leña alfuego
to add wood to the fire
to make matters worse
faltarle untornillo
to be missing a screw
to have a screw loose
irse por lasramas
to go along the branches
to beat around the bush
subirse alcarro
to get in the car
to jump on the bandwagon
ver todo color derosa
to see everything in pink color
to see through rose-colored glasses
Here are a few examples!
examples
El hijo de Roberto tuvo una aventura. - De tal palo, tal astilla.
Roberto’s son had an affair. - The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Los políticos tienden airse por las ramascuando tienen que abordar temas polémicos.
Politicians tend to beat around the bush when they have to deal with controversial topics.
Idioms Used to Describe Your Physical/Emotional State
Use these idioms to spice things up when talking about your physical or emotional state.
Idiom in Spanish
Literal Translation
Meaning
estar como unascastañuelas
to be like a pair of castanets
to be happy as a clam
estar de malaleche
to be of bad milk
to be in a bad mood
estarfrito
to be fried
to be done for
estar hechopolvo
to have been turned into dust
to be exhausted
estar hecho unají
to have become a chile
to be very angry
estar loco decontento
to be crazy with happiness
to be over the moon
estar de malauva
to be bad grapes
to be in a bad mood
quedarse depiedra
to stay like a stone
to be shocked
Check out these examples!
examples
Me quedé de piedracuando anunciaron su compromiso.
I was shocked when they announced their engagement.
¿Quieres ir al gimnasio? - No.Estoy hecho polvo.
Do you want to go to the gym? - No. I’m exhausted.
Other Idioms
Here is a list of more easy-to-memorize Spanish idioms that will improve your fluency!
Idiom in Spanish
Literal Translation
Meaning
Cada loco con sutema.
Each crazy with his theme.
To each their own.
dar en elclavo
to hit on the nail
to hit the nail on the head
llover acántaros
to rain in pitchers
to rain cats and dogs
meter lapata
to put the paw
to mess up
matar dos pájaros de untiro
to kill two birds with one shot
to kill two birds with one stone
perder losestribos
to lose the stirrup
to fly off the handle
tirar la casa por laventana
to throw the house out the window
to spare no expense
Check out these examples!
examples
El papá de la cumpleañeratiró la casa por la ventanacon esta fiesta.
The birthday girl’s dad spared no expense on this party.
No es el tipo de carro que yo me compraría, perocada loco con su tema.
That's not the kind of car I would ever buy, but to each their own.
Many Spanish idioms are specific to certain regions. Learn how to sound like a local all over the Spanish-speaking world with these articles:
