1. Echar de menos
To miss someone or something.
Echo de menos a mi familia. — I miss my family.
Must-Know Spanish B1 Idioms & Proverbs for DELE
Spanish idioms and proverbs help you understand native speakers, improve reading comprehension and sound more natural in daily conversation. They are also useful for DELE-style reading, listening and speaking tasks.
Do not translate idioms word-for-word. Learn the expression, its real meaning and one natural example sentence. That is the fastest way to remember them.
Idiom vs. Proverb: What is the difference?
Idioms (Modismos)
An idiom is a fixed expression whose real meaning is different from the literal meaning of the words. Idioms are very common in conversation.
Proverbs (Refranes)
A proverb is a short traditional saying that gives advice, teaches a lesson or expresses a general truth about life.
20 Must-Know Spanish B1 Idioms
These idioms are practical, short and useful for B1-level Spanish learners. You can use them in conversations, short writings and DELE-style speaking practice.
2. Tener ganas de
To feel like doing something.
Tengo ganas de salir un rato. — I feel like going out for a while.
3. Tener en cuenta
To take into account.
Hay que tener en cuenta el precio. — We have to take the price into account.
4. Ponerse las pilas
To get moving / to make an effort.
Ponte las pilas, el examen es mañana. — Get moving; the exam is tomorrow.
5. Quedarse en blanco
To blank out / forget everything suddenly.
Me quedé en blanco durante la entrevista. — I blanked out during the interview.
6. Estar hecho polvo
To be exhausted.
Estoy hecho polvo después del viaje. — I am exhausted after the trip.
7. Dar la lata
To bother or annoy someone.
No me des la lata, estoy ocupado. — Do not bother me; I am busy.
8. Pasar página
To move on.
Es hora de pasar página. — It is time to move on.
9. Echar una mano
To help / lend a hand.
¿Puedes echarme una mano? — Can you give me a hand?
10. Estar hasta las narices
To be fed up.
Estoy hasta las narices de esperar. — I am fed up with waiting.
11. Hacer caso
To listen to / pay attention to someone.
Hazme caso, no vayas solo. — Listen to me; do not go alone.
12. Caer bien
To like someone / to find someone nice.
Tu amigo me cae muy bien. — I really like your friend.
13. Llevarse bien
To get along well.
Nos llevamos muy bien. — We get along very well.
14. Ponerse de acuerdo
To reach an agreement.
No podemos ponernos de acuerdo. — We cannot reach an agreement.
15. Salir adelante
To overcome difficulties / get through.
Sé que vas a salir adelante. — I know you will get through this.
16. Sacar de quicio
To drive someone crazy.
Ese ruido me saca de quicio. — That noise drives me crazy.
17. No tener ni idea
To have no idea.
No tengo ni idea de qué hacer. — I have no idea what to do.
18. Hablar claro
To speak clearly / honestly.
Voy a hablar claro contigo. — I am going to be honest with you.
19. Valer la pena
To be worth it.
El esfuerzo vale la pena. — The effort is worth it.
20. Estar de acuerdo
To agree.
Estoy de acuerdo contigo. — I agree with you.
20 Spanish Proverbs Often Useful for DELE-Style Exams
Proverbs, or refranes, often appear in reading passages, listening activities and cultural explanations. Learn the meaning rather than translating each word literally.
1. A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.
Early effort brings good results.
English idea: The early bird catches the worm.
2. No hay mal que por bien no venga.
Something good can come from a bad situation.
English idea: Every cloud has a silver lining.
3. Más vale prevenir que curar.
It is better to prevent a problem than fix it later.
English idea: Better safe than sorry.
4. En boca cerrada no entran moscas.
Sometimes it is wiser to stay silent.
English idea: Silence is golden.
5. Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres.
Your friends say a lot about you.
English idea: You are known by the company you keep.
6. El mundo es un pañuelo.
The world is smaller than we think.
English idea: It is a small world.
7. No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy.
Do not postpone what you can do now.
English idea: Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
8. Perro que ladra no muerde.
People who threaten often do not act.
English idea: A barking dog never bites.
9. A caballo regalado no le mires el diente.
Do not criticize a gift.
English idea: Do not look a gift horse in the mouth.
10. El hábito no hace al monje.
Appearances do not define a person.
English idea: Clothes do not make the person.
11. De tal palo, tal astilla.
Children often resemble their parents.
English idea: Like father, like son.
12. Donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan.
Old feelings or memories can remain.
English idea: Old flames leave traces.
13. El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.
Trying to do too much can lead to poor results.
English idea: Do not bite off more than you can chew.
14. Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.
What you do not see may not hurt you emotionally.
English idea: Out of sight, out of mind.
15. Cuando el río suena, agua lleva.
Rumors often have some truth behind them.
English idea: Where there is smoke, there is fire.
16. No todo lo que brilla es oro.
Something attractive may not be valuable or true.
English idea: Not all that glitters is gold.
17. Zapatero, a tus zapatos.
Focus on what you know or what is your responsibility.
English idea: Stick to what you know.
18. A mal tiempo, buena cara.
Stay positive in difficult situations.
English idea: Put on a brave face.
19. Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.
A sure thing is better than a risky possibility.
English idea: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
20. Quien mucho habla, mucho yerra.
People who talk too much are more likely to make mistakes.
English idea: The more you talk, the more you may slip up.
How to study idioms for B1 and DELE-style exams
Do not memorize a long dictionary list. Start with short expressions you can use in real answers: opinions, advice, problems, feelings and daily situations.
1. Learn the meaning
Focus on the real meaning, not the literal translation.
2. Learn one example
Keep one natural sentence with each idiom.
3. Use it in speaking
Add 3–5 idioms to your own DELE-style answers.