When studying a foreign language, sometimes people don’t learn phrases and expressions for speaking colloquially, as people really speak on the street. Become familiar with Spanish sayings and idioms and speak Spanish like a native speaker.
Colloquial language —which includes idioms, sayings and slang phrases— is distinct from formal speech or formal writing. It is the variety of language that speakers typically use when they are relaxed and not especially self-conscious.
Spanish Sayings
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a saying as an “old and well-known phrase that expresses an idea that most people believe is true.” The Macmillan Dictionary also defines it as “a well-known statement about what often happens in life.” For example, “No news is good news” is a saying meaning that if we are waiting for news about someone, it's probably good if we hear nothing because “bad news” would arrive quickly.
Here are some examples of Spanish sayings:
¡Es pan comido! - It's a piece of cake!
Borrón y cuenta nueva - Kiss and make up
De tal palo, tal astilla - Like father, like son
Dejemos las cosas en claro - Let's get things clear
¡Qué pequeño es el mundo! - (It's a) Small world!
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando - A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
A palabras necias, oídos sordos - A foolish words, deaf ears
En las malas se conoce a los amigos - A friend in need is a friend indeed
Las palabras se las lleva el viento - Actions speak louder than words/voice
Las penas con pan son menos - All griefs with bread are less
No todo lo que brilla es oro - All that glitters is not gold
Tan claro como el agua - It's as clear as day
Más vale tarde que nunca - Better late than never
Más vale prevenir que lamentar - Better safe than sorry
Más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer - Better the devil you know than the devil you don't
Caiga quien caiga - Come hell or high water
No hay mal que por bien no venga - Every cloud has a silver lining
Cada quién habla como le va en la feria - Everyone sees things from his / her own point of view
Cría fama y échate a dormir - Give a dog a bad name (and hang it)
Haz el bien sin mirar a quién - Do what is right, come what may
El que quiera azul celeste, que le cueste - He that would have the fruit must climb the tree
El que ríe último ríe mejor - He who laughs last, laughs longest
Lo barato sale caro - If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly
En boca cerrada no entran moscas - If you keep your mouth shut, you won't put your foot in it
El que se fue a la Villa perdió su silla - If you leave your place, you lose it
Piensa mal y acertarás - If you think the worst, you won't be far wrong
Es cuestión de vida o muerte - It's a matter of life and death
Está para chuparse los dedos - It's finger licking good
Más vale solo que mal acompañado - It's better to be on your own than with people you don't like
Que sea lo que Dios quiera - It's in the lap of the Gods
Ladrón que roba a ladrón tiene cien años de perdón - It's no crime to steal from a thief
Más se perdió en la guerra - It's not the end of the world
Al que madruga Dios lo ayuda - It's the early bird that catches the worm
Cuentas claras, amistades largas - Let's get things clear
La distancia es el olvido - Long absent, soon forgotten
Ahogarse en un vaso de agua - Make a mountain out of a molehill
No sólo de pan vive el hombre - Man cannot live by bread alone
Dinero llama a dinero - Money goes where money is
No dejes para mañana lo que puedes hacer hoy - Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today
No hay mal que dure cien años - Nothing goes on for ever
Hombre prevenido vale por dos - One good fore wit is worth two after wits
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente - Out of sight, out of mind
Roma no se construyó en un día - Rome wasn't built in a day
Muerto el perro se acaba la rabia - The best way to solve a problem is to attack the cause/root of it
Sale peor el remedio que la enfermedad - The cure is worse than the cause
Sale más caro el caldo que las albóndigas - The cure is worse than the cause
Hierba mala nunca muere - The devil looks after himself / his own
El que a hierro mata, a hierro muere - They that live by the sword shall die by the sword
El tiempo lo cura todo - Time heals all wounds
Estar entre la espada y la pared - To be between the devil and the deep/between a rock and a hard place
Mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos - Two in distress makes sorrow less
El sol brilla para todos - We are all equal in the eyes of the Lord
De (sabio) poeta y loco, todos tenemos un poco - We're all a little crazy in one way or another
Hacer de tripas corazón - What can't be cured must be endured
Donde manda capitán no gobierna marinero - What the boss says goes
Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres - You can judge a man by the company he keeps
Aunque la mona se vista de seda mona se queda - You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
Nadie sabe lo que tiene hasta que lo ve perdido - You never know what you've got till it's gone
Cuesta un ojo de la cara - It costs an arm and a leg
En casa del herrero azadón de palo - The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot
Spanish Idioms
On the other hand, an idiom is an expression or a group of words whose meaning is different from the meaning of the individual words. For example, “to have your feet on the ground” is an idiom meaning to be very practical and see things as they really are, as well as the expression “give up,” meaning to abandon someone or something as being lost; to quit looking for someone or something that is lost. It is also a form of a language that is spoken in a particular area and that uses some of its own words, grammar, and pronunciations.
Here are some examples of Spanish idioms:
Montón - A lot of, a bunch
Chocante - Annoying, unpleasant
Chelas - Beers
Cuentón - Big bill, check
Piropo - Compliment
Padre - Cool
Gentío - Crowd
Colarse - Cut in line
Mugre - Dirt
Tener ganas de… - Feel like...
Arreglarse - Fix oneself up, to make oneself look attractive
Cuate - Friend, buddy, pal
Caramba - Geez
Llevarse bien - Get along
Deshacerse de alguien - Get rid of someone
Ponerse las pilas - Get/put one's skates on
Me saca de quicio - Gets on my nerves
Reunirse - Get-together
¡Vengan esos cinco! - Give me five!
¡Choca esos cinco! - High five!
Ganga - Good deal
Buena onda - Good egg, good person
Banda - Group of friends, gang
Tipo - Guy, dude
Cruda - Hangover
Para tu carro - Hold your horses!
A que... - I'll bet...
En un abrir y cerrar de ojos - In the twinkle of an eye
Llueve a cántaros - It's raining cats and dogs
Bote - Jail, prison
Menso - Jerk, fool
Por si las moscas - Just in case
Por si acaso - Just in case
Echar un ojo a... - Keep an eye on...
Borrón y cuenta nueva - Let bygones be bygones
Chamaco - Little child, little kid
Suertudo - Lucky person
Lío - Mess, jam
Lana - Money
Plata - Money
Música para los oídos - Music to one's ears
No es para tanto - No big deal
Vale - Okay
Carcacha - Old wreck, jalopy
Latoso - Pain in the neck, annoying person
Viejos - Parents, folks
Pachanga - Party
Pez gordo - Person of great importance, "bigwig"
Estar enojado/cabreado - Pissed off
Vergüenza debería darte - Shame on you!
Escuincle - Small child, little kid
Hablando del rey de Roma... - Speak of the devil...
Dejar plantado - Stand someone up
Dar gato por liebre - Take somebody for a ride
El fin justifica los medios - The end justifies the means
Ratero - Thief
Ver el mundo color de rosa - Through rose-colored glasses
El tiempo es oro - Time is money
Chocar - To annoy, to get annoyed, to hate something/someone
Vestir de gala - To be all dressed up
Estar agotado - To be exhausted, pooped
Ponerse como loco - To be furious, angry
Tener suerte - To be lucky
Estar en ascuas, tener en ascuas - To be on pins and needles
Estar corto de dinero - To be short of money
Estar borracho/tomado - To be wasted/drunk
Sentirse mal/enfermo - To be/feel under the weather
Poner los cuernos - To cheat on
Chupar - To drink
Poncharse la llanta - To get a flat tire
Echar una mano - To give someone a hand
Largarse - To go away/beat it
Chismear - To gossip
Vacilar - To joke around
Mantener a raya - To keep at bay
Verse con alguien - To meet someone
Echar de menos - To miss someone/something
Pagar al contado - To pay cash
Poner toda la carne en el asador - To pull out all the stops
Tomar el pelo - To pull someone's leg
Encontrarse con alguien - To run into someone
Comerse el mundo - To set the world on fire
Presumir - To show off
Tragarse el orgullo - To swallow one's pride
Hacer trampa - To swindle, trick or cheat someone
Ser el colmo - That takes the cake!
Platicar - To talk, to have a little chat
Hacerse de la vista gorda - To turn a blind eye
Chambear - To work
Raro - Weird, strange
¿Qué onda? - What's up?
Dar gato por liebre - Take somebody for a ride
Slang
Finally, slang refers to words or expressions that are very informal and are not considered suitable for more formal situations. This kind of speech and writing is characterized by the use of vulgar and socially taboo vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, and is used only by a particular group of people.
There are hundreds of Spanish sayings, idioms and slang phrases. In our blog we publish common sayings and idioms used in the Spanish language, with an approximate English translation, because in many cases, popular sayings cannot be translated literally. We'll also take a look at a few examples of Spanish sayings and idioms used in different contexts.
Do you know other Spanish sayings and idioms?
Feel free to share them below.