Spanish to English Idioms
START
Index A-Z
2. Subirse al carro
2. El que se fue a Sevilla, perdió su silla
1. Ahogar las penas
1. No hay mal que por bien no venga
2. Arrimar el hombro
3. Es la gota que colma el vaso
2. No pegar ojo
2. A ballpark figure
4. Estar forrado
3. A bone of contention
1. Unas veces se gana, otras se pierde
4. A bone to pick
5. Estar loco con contento
1. Cada loco con su tema
1. Las apariencias engañan
6. Estirar la pata
2. Cada una tiene lo que se merece
2. Levantarse con el pie izquierdo
1. Poner el mal tiempo, buena cara
7. Esto es cosa de dos
3. Costar un ojo de la cara
- Dead as a dodo
- Dead as a doornail
- Different kettle of fish
- Digging one's heels
- Dog-eared
- Dog-eat-dog
- Dogsbody
- Dog's dinner
1. Quien no arriesga, no gana
1. Dar en el clavo
1. Meter la pata
2. De tal palo, tal astilla
2. Meterse en camisas de once varas
1. Hacer borrón y cuenta nueva
1. Ya estamos otra vez
1. Echar una mano a alguien
2. Hoy por ti, mañana por mí
1. Ser la media naranja
Ahogar las penas
To drown one's sorrows
: to forget about one's sorrows/fears by getting drunk. He went to the bar to drown his sorrows.
Arrimar el hombro
To give / lend a hand
: to help with something. Do you fancy giving me a hand with the dinner tonight?
Cada loco con su tema
Each to their own
: used to say that we all have different ideas about how to do things, what we like etc My boyfriend eats rice with everything, even breakfast. Each to their own I guess.
Cada una tiene lo que se merece
People get what they deserve
: to be deserving of the bad things that happen to one, usually because of one's past misdeeds. Don't worry, that bully will get what she deserves—just give it time.
Costar un ojo de la cara
To cost an arm and a leg
: for something to be extremely expensive. These cakes are delicious, but they cost an arm and a leg.
Dar en el clavo
Hit the nail on the head
: to get something exactly right. It’s particularly used when someone says something that is correct or to sum up a situation perfectly. I think Michael hit the nail on the head when he said that what's lacking in this company is a feeling of confidence.
De tal palo/tal astilla
Like father like sonThe apple doesn't fall too far from the tree
: a child who is similar to their parents, whether through behaviour or physical appearance. When things go wrong, Rob is easily frustrated. Unfortunately, this is true for his child as well. Like father, like son, I suppose. Her daughter soon showed her own musical talent, proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Echar una mano a alguien
To give / lend a hand
: to help with something. Do you fancy giving me a hand with the dinner tonight?
El que se fue a Sevilla, perdió su silla
You snooze, you lose
: if you do not pay attention and do something quickly, someone else will do it instead of you. You have to take advantage of those deals while you can. It's a case of "you snooze you lose" in the current market.
Es la gota que colma el vaso
It's the straw that breaks the camel's back (old-fashioned)It's the last straw
: the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset, angry, etc. It had been a difficult week, so when the car broke down, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. She has been unhappy with him for a long time but when he broke her laptop, it was the last straw.
Estar forrado
To be loaded
: to be rich. They're going on holiday for the fourth time again this year? They must be absolutely loaded!
Estar loco con contento
To be over the moon
: to be extremely happy, delighted or pleased. My wife and I were over the moon when we found out we were going to be grandparents.
Estirar la pata
To kick the bucket (old-fashioned)
: to die. The old lady had lead a solitary life, but when she kicked the bucket, the whole neighbourhood came to her funeral.
Esto es cosa de dos
It takes two to tango
: a situation or argument that involves two people who are both therefore responsible for it. It's not right to blame only the other woman for his adulterous affair – it takes two to tango.
Hacer borrón y cuenta nueva
To wipe the slate clean
: to forget all the things that have happened or been done and start doing something again. She wishes she could wipe the slate clean and start over with her colleagues.
Hoy por ti, mañana por mí
You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours
: used to tell someone that if they help you, you will help them. You know what I'm asking for is not so bad, if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
Las apariencias engañan
Looks/ appearances can be deceiving
: used to say that something can be very different from how it seems or appears to be. Edward seems like a very nice boy, but appearances can be deceiving.
Levantarse con el pie izquierdo
To wake up on the wrong side of the bed
: to start the day feeling tired, unhappy, uncomfortable, or grumpy. Usually this feeling stays all day. My boss woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Today is not the day to ask to leave early.
Meter la pata
To put one's foot in it
: to say something that causes someone to be embarrassed, upset, or hurt especially when the speaker did not expect that reaction. I really put my foot in it when I asked her about her job. I didn't know she had just been fired.
Meterse en camisas de once varas
To make a mountain out of a mole hill (old-fashioned)
: to make a slight difficulty seem like a serious problem. Don't worry, it is just a small injury, you don't have to make a mountain out of a molehill.
No hay mal que por bien no venga
Every cloud has a silver lining
: every difficult or sad situation has a comforting or more hopeful aspect, even though this may not be immediately apparent. Even though he had lost the match, he had gained experience and was now more confident. Every cloud has a silver lining.
No pegar ojo
To not sleep a wink
: being unable to sleep, despite trying very hard. The night before the wedding she was unable to sleep a wink.
Poner el mal tiempo, buena cara
To look on the bright side
: to find good things in a bad situation. Look on the bright side - no one was badly injured.
Quien no arriesga, no gana
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
: used to say that it is worth trying to do something because one might succeed even though success is not certain. A: "I'm thinking of asking my bosses for a raise, but I'm a little bit nervous." B: "You should go for it! Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
Ser la media naranja
To be the better half / soulmates
: a person's wife, husband, or partner or a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner. All my dear friends you are invited to my marriage reception party with your better halves. She thinks he's her soulmate.
Subirse al carro
To jump on the bandwagon
: to join others in doing or supporting something fashionable or likely to be successful. After the incredible success of the new product, the company has jumped on the bandwagon and released a new version of it.
Unas veces se gana, otras se pierde
You win some, you lose some
: said when accepting both the good and the bad things that happen. I didn't get the main part in the play this year, but never mind. You win some, you lose some.
Ya estamos otra vez
Here we go again
: said to indicate that the same events, typically undesirable ones, are recurring. My friends are arguing again and as usual I'm stuck in the middle of it all... Here we go again.
Spanish - English Idioms
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Transcript
Spanish to English Idioms
START
Index A-Z
2. Subirse al carro
2. El que se fue a Sevilla, perdió su silla
1. Ahogar las penas
1. No hay mal que por bien no venga
2. Arrimar el hombro
3. Es la gota que colma el vaso
2. No pegar ojo
2. A ballpark figure
4. Estar forrado
3. A bone of contention
1. Unas veces se gana, otras se pierde
4. A bone to pick
5. Estar loco con contento
1. Cada loco con su tema
1. Las apariencias engañan
6. Estirar la pata
2. Cada una tiene lo que se merece
2. Levantarse con el pie izquierdo
1. Poner el mal tiempo, buena cara
7. Esto es cosa de dos
3. Costar un ojo de la cara
1. Quien no arriesga, no gana
1. Dar en el clavo
1. Meter la pata
2. De tal palo, tal astilla
2. Meterse en camisas de once varas
1. Hacer borrón y cuenta nueva
1. Ya estamos otra vez
1. Echar una mano a alguien
2. Hoy por ti, mañana por mí
1. Ser la media naranja
Ahogar las penas
To drown one's sorrows
: to forget about one's sorrows/fears by getting drunk. He went to the bar to drown his sorrows.
Arrimar el hombro
To give / lend a hand
: to help with something. Do you fancy giving me a hand with the dinner tonight?
Cada loco con su tema
Each to their own
: used to say that we all have different ideas about how to do things, what we like etc My boyfriend eats rice with everything, even breakfast. Each to their own I guess.
Cada una tiene lo que se merece
People get what they deserve
: to be deserving of the bad things that happen to one, usually because of one's past misdeeds. Don't worry, that bully will get what she deserves—just give it time.
Costar un ojo de la cara
To cost an arm and a leg
: for something to be extremely expensive. These cakes are delicious, but they cost an arm and a leg.
Dar en el clavo
Hit the nail on the head
: to get something exactly right. It’s particularly used when someone says something that is correct or to sum up a situation perfectly. I think Michael hit the nail on the head when he said that what's lacking in this company is a feeling of confidence.
De tal palo/tal astilla
Like father like sonThe apple doesn't fall too far from the tree
: a child who is similar to their parents, whether through behaviour or physical appearance. When things go wrong, Rob is easily frustrated. Unfortunately, this is true for his child as well. Like father, like son, I suppose. Her daughter soon showed her own musical talent, proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Echar una mano a alguien
To give / lend a hand
: to help with something. Do you fancy giving me a hand with the dinner tonight?
El que se fue a Sevilla, perdió su silla
You snooze, you lose
: if you do not pay attention and do something quickly, someone else will do it instead of you. You have to take advantage of those deals while you can. It's a case of "you snooze you lose" in the current market.
Es la gota que colma el vaso
It's the straw that breaks the camel's back (old-fashioned)It's the last straw
: the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset, angry, etc. It had been a difficult week, so when the car broke down, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. She has been unhappy with him for a long time but when he broke her laptop, it was the last straw.
Estar forrado
To be loaded
: to be rich. They're going on holiday for the fourth time again this year? They must be absolutely loaded!
Estar loco con contento
To be over the moon
: to be extremely happy, delighted or pleased. My wife and I were over the moon when we found out we were going to be grandparents.
Estirar la pata
To kick the bucket (old-fashioned)
: to die. The old lady had lead a solitary life, but when she kicked the bucket, the whole neighbourhood came to her funeral.
Esto es cosa de dos
It takes two to tango
: a situation or argument that involves two people who are both therefore responsible for it. It's not right to blame only the other woman for his adulterous affair – it takes two to tango.
Hacer borrón y cuenta nueva
To wipe the slate clean
: to forget all the things that have happened or been done and start doing something again. She wishes she could wipe the slate clean and start over with her colleagues.
Hoy por ti, mañana por mí
You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours
: used to tell someone that if they help you, you will help them. You know what I'm asking for is not so bad, if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
Las apariencias engañan
Looks/ appearances can be deceiving
: used to say that something can be very different from how it seems or appears to be. Edward seems like a very nice boy, but appearances can be deceiving.
Levantarse con el pie izquierdo
To wake up on the wrong side of the bed
: to start the day feeling tired, unhappy, uncomfortable, or grumpy. Usually this feeling stays all day. My boss woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Today is not the day to ask to leave early.
Meter la pata
To put one's foot in it
: to say something that causes someone to be embarrassed, upset, or hurt especially when the speaker did not expect that reaction. I really put my foot in it when I asked her about her job. I didn't know she had just been fired.
Meterse en camisas de once varas
To make a mountain out of a mole hill (old-fashioned)
: to make a slight difficulty seem like a serious problem. Don't worry, it is just a small injury, you don't have to make a mountain out of a molehill.
No hay mal que por bien no venga
Every cloud has a silver lining
: every difficult or sad situation has a comforting or more hopeful aspect, even though this may not be immediately apparent. Even though he had lost the match, he had gained experience and was now more confident. Every cloud has a silver lining.
No pegar ojo
To not sleep a wink
: being unable to sleep, despite trying very hard. The night before the wedding she was unable to sleep a wink.
Poner el mal tiempo, buena cara
To look on the bright side
: to find good things in a bad situation. Look on the bright side - no one was badly injured.
Quien no arriesga, no gana
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
: used to say that it is worth trying to do something because one might succeed even though success is not certain. A: "I'm thinking of asking my bosses for a raise, but I'm a little bit nervous." B: "You should go for it! Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
Ser la media naranja
To be the better half / soulmates
: a person's wife, husband, or partner or a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner. All my dear friends you are invited to my marriage reception party with your better halves. She thinks he's her soulmate.
Subirse al carro
To jump on the bandwagon
: to join others in doing or supporting something fashionable or likely to be successful. After the incredible success of the new product, the company has jumped on the bandwagon and released a new version of it.
Unas veces se gana, otras se pierde
You win some, you lose some
: said when accepting both the good and the bad things that happen. I didn't get the main part in the play this year, but never mind. You win some, you lose some.
Ya estamos otra vez
Here we go again
: said to indicate that the same events, typically undesirable ones, are recurring. My friends are arguing again and as usual I'm stuck in the middle of it all... Here we go again.