Want to speak Spanish like a native? Learning idioms is the key to unlocking a whole new level of fluency! Idioms add color and personality to your language, making you sound more natural and engaging.
This guide is packed with common Spanish idioms from across the Spanish-speaking world. We’ve included example sentences and English translations to help you understand their meaning and how to use them in everyday conversation.
Common Spanish Idioms
Estar como pez en el agua (To be like a fish in water)
- Meaning: To feel completely comfortable; to be in one’s element.
- Example: En su nuevo trabajo, Juan está como pez en el agua. (In his new job, Juan feels completely comfortable.)
Costar un ojo de la cara (To cost an eye from the face)
- Meaning: To be very expensive; to cost an arm and a leg.
- Example: Ese coche nuevo le costó un ojo de la cara. (That new car cost him an arm and a leg.)
Meter la pata (To put the leg in)
- Meaning: To make a mistake or blunder; to put your foot in it.
- Example: Metí la pata cuando le conté a María sobre la fiesta sorpresa. (I put my foot in it when I told María about the surprise party.)
Tomar el pelo (To take the hair)
- Meaning: To kid or joke with someone; to pull someone’s leg.
- Example: No te creo, ¿me estás tomando el pelo? (I don’t believe you, are you pulling my leg?)
Dar en el clavo (To hit the nail)
- Meaning: To get it right; to hit the nail on the head.
- Example: Tu análisis de la situación dio en el clavo. (Your analysis of the situation hit the nail on the head.)
Regional Spanish Idioms
Spanish idioms can vary greatly from country to country. Here are some examples from different regions:
Spain
Estar de mala leche (To be of bad milk)
- Meaning: To be in a bad mood.
- Example: No le hables ahora, está de mala leche. (Don’t talk to him now, he’s in a bad mood.)
Ser pan comido (To be eaten bread)
- Meaning: To be a piece of cake (easy).
- Example: El examen fue pan comido para ella. (The exam was a piece of cake for her.)
Estar como una cabra (To be like a goat)
- Meaning: To be crazy.
- Example: Después de trabajar 20 horas seguidas, estaba como una cabra. (After working for 20 hours straight, he was going crazy.)
Mexico
Estar en el ojo del huracán (To be in the eye of the hurricane)
- Meaning: To be in a difficult situation.
- Example: Desde que lo acusaron de corrupción, el político está en el ojo del huracán. (Since he was accused of corruption, the politician has been in the eye of the storm.)
Echar los perros a alguien (To throw the dogs at someone)
- Meaning: To flirt aggressively.
- Example: En la fiesta, Juan no paraba de echarle los perros a María. (At the party, Juan wouldn’t stop hitting on María aggressively.)
Andar del tingo al tango (To walk from the tingo to the tango)
- Meaning: To go from one place to another without purpose.
- Example: Todo el día anduve del tingo al tango buscando un regalo para mi madre. (All day I went from pillar to post looking for a gift for my mother.)
Argentina
Ser un trucho (To be a fake)
- Meaning: To be fake or counterfeit.
- Example: Cuidado con esa tienda, venden productos truchos. (Be careful with that store, they sell counterfeit products.)
Estar al horno (To be at the oven)
- Meaning: To be in big trouble.
- Example: Si no entrego el informe mañana, estoy al horno. (If I don’t submit the report tomorrow, I’m in deep trouble.)
Ser un bajón (To be a downturn/low point)
- Meaning: To be a downer.
- Example: La fiesta iba bien hasta que llegó Juan. Es un bajón. (The party was going well until Juan arrived. He’s such a downer.)
Colombia
Echar los perros (To throw the dogs)
- Meaning: To flirt.
- Example: Vi a tu hermano echándole los perros a mi amiga en la fiesta. (I saw your brother flirting with my friend at the party.)
Hacer vaca (To make a cow)
- Meaning: To collect money for a shared purpose.
- Example: Hagamos una vaca para comprar el regalo de cumpleaños de Ana. (Let’s pool our money to buy Ana’s birthday gift.)
Estar mamado (To be sucked)
- Meaning: To be tired or fed up.
- Example: Después de trabajar 12 horas, estoy mamado. (After working for 12 hours, I’m exhausted.)
Chile
Ponerse las pilas (To put on the batteries)
- Meaning: To get motivated or energized.
- Example: Si quieres aprobar el examen, tienes que ponerte las pilas y estudiar más. (If you want to pass the exam, you need to get your act together and study more.)
Ser penca (To be a penca – a type of cactus)
- Meaning: To be of poor quality.
- Example: La película fue penca, no valió la pena verla. (The movie was lousy, it wasn’t worth watching.)
Estar pato (To be a duck)
- Meaning: To be broke.
- Example: No puedo salir esta noche, estoy pato hasta que me paguen. (I can’t go out tonight, I’m broke until I get paid.)
Venezuela
Estar pelando bola (To be peeling a ball)
- Meaning: To be broke.
- Example: No puedo prestarte dinero, estoy pelando bola este mes. (I can’t lend you money, I’m broke this month.)
Echar los teipes (To throw the tapes)
- Meaning: To leave or depart quickly.
- Example: Cuando vio a su ex, echó los teipes del bar. (When he saw his ex, he quickly left the bar.)
Estar en la luna de Valencia (To be on the moon of Valencia)
- Meaning: To be distracted.
- Example: ¡Despierta! Estás en la luna de Valencia y necesito tu atención. (Wake up! You’re daydreaming and I need your attention.)
Cuba
Estar en la papa (To be in the potato)
- Meaning: To be clueless.
- Example: No le preguntes a él, está en la papa sobre ese tema. (Don’t ask him, he’s clueless about that topic.)
Meter la cuchara (To put in the spoon)
- Meaning: To butt into a conversation.
- Example: Estábamos hablando tranquilamente hasta que Juan metió la cuchara. (We were talking quietly until Juan butted in.)
Estar en la fuácata (To be in the “fuácata” – no direct translation)
- Meaning: To be broke.
- Example: No puedo ir al cine, estoy en la fuácata hasta que cobre. (I can’t go to the movies, I’m broke until I get paid.)
Puerto Rico
Estar como chiva loca (To be like a crazy goat)
- Meaning: To be very excited or hyper.
- Example: Los niños están como chiva loca con los regalos de Navidad. (The children are overexcited about the Christmas gifts.)
Ser del último coco (To be from the last coconut)
- Meaning: To be outdated.
- Example: Ese teléfono es del último coco, ya nadie lo usa. (That phone is totally outdated, nobody uses it anymore.)
Estar al garete (To be adrift)
- Meaning: To be adrift or without direction.
- Example: Desde que perdió su trabajo, ha estado al garete. (Since he lost his job, he’s been drifting without direction.)
Peru
Estar misio (To be poor/without money)
- Meaning: To be broke.
- Example: No puedo salir a cenar, estoy misio hasta el próximo mes. (I can’t go out for dinner, I’m broke until next month.)
Jalar las patas (To pull the legs)
- Meaning: To bring bad luck.
- Example: No menciones eso antes del partido, vas a jalar las patas. (Don’t mention that before the game, you’ll jinx it.)
Ser una huachafería (To be a “huachafería” – no direct translation)
- Meaning: To be tacky or in bad taste.
- Example: Esa decoración es una huachafería total. (That decoration is completely tacky.)
Dominican Republic
Dar golpe (To give a hit/blow)
- Meaning: To work hard.
- Example: Ha estado dando golpe toda la semana para terminar el proyecto. (He’s been working hard all week to finish the project.)
Estar en pampa (To be in the “pampa” – plains/open countryside)
- Meaning: To be broke.
- Example: No puedo prestarte dinero, estoy en pampa hasta que me paguen. (I can’t lend you money, I’m broke until I get paid.)
Ser un tíguere (To be a tiger)
- Meaning: To be street-smart.
- Example: No te preocupes por él, es un tíguere y sabe cuidarse solo. (Don’t worry about him, he’s street-smart and can take care of himself.)
Ready to take your Spanish to the next level? Start incorporating these idioms into your conversations and watch your fluency soar!