Every language has its own clever sayings – and when it comes to clever, it doesn’t get much better than Spanish idioms. Since Spanish is one of the world’s most popular and widely used languages, idiomatic Spanish phrases are constantly used in Europe, Latin America, and beyond.
Idioms are expressions that express a thought, idea, or circumstance in a roundabout way – they’re more figurative than literal. Idioms in Spanish have been around as long as the language, and they’re constantly evolving.What are some idiomatic expressions in Spanish to know? Why should anyone trying to learn the language (both Castilian and Latin American) pick up idioms in Spanish? Let’s explore this often misunderstood aspect of the Spanish language, which, oddly enough, helps you understand the language better!
Why Should You Learn Idioms in Spanish?
Conventional learning methods to acquire any language are essential. But there’s another technique to truly learn a foreign tongue – acquiring idioms. Common Spanish idioms have the uncommon benefit of helping any new language learner pick up Spanish faster.
Here are just some benefits of learning idiomatic Spanish phrases:
Bigger, bolder vocabulary: Spanish idioms, given their figurative structure, will sometimes associate words and ideas not normally paired together. They’re the perfect tool for building your Spanish vocabulary!
Better cultural & historical context. Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes. Some idiomatic expressions in Spanish began as references to a particular event, or as a unique way to convey something native to Spanish speakers. The more idioms in Spanish you know, the better you’ll understand the language.
Fun, free-flowing conversations: Spanish idioms are the ideal conversation starter with a native speaker. Most Spanish speakers appreciate someone who’s taken the time to pick up idiomatic Spanish phrases. Like Spanish slang, idioms just have a way of bringing people together.
Supplementary learning tool. Want to accelerate your learning pace? Try adding a few idioms in Spanish to your regular learning schedule. They’re a great way to improve pronunciation and “close the loop” on other concepts you’re acquiring along your learning journey.
How to Use Spanish Idioms in a Conversation
Imagine that you have been invited to a lunch work meeting in Madrid. You know that a colleague has started a new business, so you ask him how it’s going. He answers:
Estoy con un humor de perros. Como creía que esto iba a ser la gallina de los huevos de oro, tiré la casa por la ventana en este negocio por querer matar dos pájaros de un tiro. Pero metí la pata hasta el fondo, me dormí en los laureles, y ahora estoy con la soga al cuello.
Did you hear that? Literally, your colleague said:
“My mood is that of dogs. As I thought that this would be the golden egg hen, I threw the house through the window in this business because I wanted to kill two birds in one shot. However, I inserted my leg until the bottom, rested on my laurels, and now my neck has a rope on it.”
What he really means is:
“I am in a very bad mood. Since I thought this business was going to be really successful, I spent a lot of money investing in it in order to have a strong business and investment at the same time. But I completely screwed up, did not pay much attention, and now I am in trouble.”
In Spanish, idioms are used very often. There are universal idioms, general idioms, and regional ones. Let’s start by differentiating between two types of expressions within Spanish Idioms.
The 2 Types of Spanish Idioms
Modismos
Common expressions whose literal meaning is different from the figurative.
For example: Tener más cara que espalda.
Literally: “To have more face than back.”
Meaning: “to be cheeky”
Refranes
Sayings or proverbs.
For example: Quien a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija.
Translation: “Whoever leans close to a good tree is blanketed by good shade.”
In Don Quixote you can read about 500 sayings, mostly said by Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s squire.
This article, though, will be devoted to idioms that can be useful in a basic conversation. Let’s start with the ones in the conversation above.
15 Common Spanish Idioms To Use in Conversations
Get started with this collection of Spanish idioms. They’re widely used in Spain and Latin America. Not every continental Spanish idiom is instantly understood in other Spanish-speaking countries, so a few might cause puzzled looks…but that’s just an excuse to continue learning and conversing!
Note: When writing these idioms in Spanish, it’s always a good idea to keep in mind the accent mark rules for the language.
1. Estar con un humor de perros
Literally: “to be with a mood of dogs”
Meaning: to be in a bad mood
2. La gallina de los huevos de oro
Literally: “the goose that laid the golden eggs”
Meaning: Something that is a very good source of money or business. In English, a similar idiom is for something to be “the golden goose.”
3. Tirar la casa por la ventana
Literally: “to throw the house through the window”
Meaning: to spend a lot of money, or invest much time
The origin of this expression goes all the way back to the 17th century when the lottery games were first organized by the state. The people that won the first games renovated their houses, throwing their old furniture through the window.
4. Matar dos pájaros de un tiro.
Literally: “to kill two birds with one shot”
Meaning: to do two things at a time
This is a reference to an old hunting technique. You might have heard the English idiom, “to kill two birds with one stone.”
5. Meter la pata.
Literally: “To put an animal’s leg/foot in it.”
Meaning: To mess up, make a mistake, or say the wrong thing.
The origin of this idiom is also from hunting, as when an animal gets its leg caught in a trap. There is a similar idiom used in English: “to step in it.”
6. Dormirse en los laureles.
Literally: “to rest on one’s laurels”
Meaning: This one also has an equivalent in English. As you may know, crowns made of laurel wreaths were given to distinguished citizens in ancient Greece and Rome. If the honored person did not continue to strive, then he “rested on his laurels.”
7. Estar con la soga al cuello
Literally: “to be with the rope to the neck”
Meaning: to be in trouble, to be very stressed
Continuing with the hanged man theme, there are more common expressions that involve this topic…
8. No nombres la soga en la casa del ahorcado.
Literally: “Do not name the rope in the house of the hanged man.”
Meaning: Don’t mention a sensitive or controversial subject.
9. Dios aprieta, pero no ahorca.
Literally: “God squeezes, but does not hang.”
Meaning: Life can be difficult, but not deadly.
10. Estar hecho polvo
Literally: “to be done dust”
Meaning: to be very tired or worried
11. Ser pan comido
Literally: “to be eaten bread”
Meaning: to be very easy
12. Echar una mano
Literally: “to throw a hand”
Meaning: to help
13. Salir un ojo de la cara
Literally: “To get an eye of the face”
Meaning: to be very expensive or costly
14. Borrón y cuenta nueva
Literally: “a big erase and a new account”
Meaning: to start from the beginning
15. Decir algo con la boca pequeña
Literally: “to say something with a tiny mouth”
Meaning: to say something unintentionally
Enhancing Your Spanish with Idiomatic Expressions
Feel free to try these Spanish idioms with your everyday speech as you’re learning the language. Aside from the ultimate ice breaker with native speakers, these sayings will help you comprehend Spanish on a whole new level.
If you’re traveling to Spain or Latin America, it helps to have a few in your back pocket, ready to say at a moment’s notice. You never know when a situation will call for one, and the locals always appreciate a new Spanish speaker who’s going “all in” to acquire their beloved language!
And once you’re speaking the language conversationally – the ultimate goal with Pimsleur’s Spanish courses and lessons – you’ll quickly pick up new sayings and add them to your vocabulary.