Top 10 Spanish Idioms
If you want to sound like a native speaker, you need to know these common expressions. Translating them word-for-word won't help!
1. Tomar el pelo
Meaning: To tease or trick someone.
Literal translation: To take the hair.
English equivalent: To pull someone's leg.
2. Ser pan comido
Meaning: Something that is very easy to do.
Literal translation: To be eaten bread.
English equivalent: A piece of cake.
3. Estar en las nubes
Meaning: To be daydreaming or distracted.
Literal translation: To be in the clouds.
English equivalent: To have your head in the clouds / Daydreaming.
4. Meter la pata
Meaning: To make a mistake or say something inappropriate.
Literal translation: To put the paw in.
English equivalent: To put one's foot in it / To mess up.
5. Costar un ojo de la cara
Meaning: Something that is very expensive.
Literal translation: To cost an eye from the face.
English equivalent: To cost an arm and a leg.
6. Hablar por los codos
Meaning: To talk entirely too much.
Literal translation: To talk through the elbows.
English equivalent: To talk someone's ear off / To be a chatterbox.
7. Tirar la casa por la ventana
Meaning: To spend a lot of money on a celebration without worrying about the cost.
Literal translation: To throw the house through the window.
English equivalent: To spare no expense / To pull out all the stops.
8. Dar en el clavo
Meaning: To be exactly right about something.
Literal translation: To hit on the nail.
English equivalent: To hit the nail on the head.
9. Ahogarse en un vaso de agua
Meaning: To complain or worry a lot about a small problem.
Literal translation: To drown in a glass of water.
English equivalent: To make a mountain out of a molehill.
10. Estar más sano que una manzana
Meaning: To be in excellent physical health.
Literal translation: To be healthier than an apple.
English equivalent: To be as fit as a fiddle.
Idiom vs. Proverb: What's the difference?
Idioms (Modismos)
An idiom is a phrase where the meaning has nothing to do with the literal translation of the words. It is used in conversation to express an idea in a colorful way.
Example: "Tomar el pelo" (to joke with someone).
Proverbs (Refranes)
A proverb is a short, well-known saying that offers advice, a life lesson, or states a general truth.
Example: "Más vale tarde que nunca" (Better late than never).