Common Everyday Spanish Idioms
Master 97 authentic Spanish expressions about commonly used with meanings, examples, and pronunciation guidance
Understanding Spanish Commonly Used Idioms
These are the most commonly used Spanish idioms across all Spanish-speaking regions. These high-frequency expressions—from "estar hasta las narices" (to be fed up) to "ir al grano" (to get to the point)—are the backbone of natural Spanish conversation. Mastering these idioms is essential for connecting authentically with native speakers anywhere in the Spanish-speaking world.
When to Use These Expressions
These idioms appear constantly in daily situations: greetings, complaints, celebrations, small talk, and casual observations. They're the building blocks of natural Spanish conversation and help you express yourself the way native speakers actually talk, not how textbooks say they should talk.
Learning Tips for Commonly Used Idioms
- Focus on these first—they're what you'll hear and use most
- Practice high-frequency expressions until they're automatic
- Learn idioms in conversational chunks, not in isolation
- Watch Spanish media to see these idioms in natural context
Most Common Commonly Used Idioms
Start with these high-frequency expressions used daily by native speakers
A quien madruga Dios le ayuda
★★★★★Literal: "God helps the one who gets up early."
Meaning: Starting your day or a task early gives you an advantage and leads to success and good fortune.
Ahogarse en un vaso de agua
★★★★★Literal: "To drown in a glass of water"
Meaning: To get overwhelmed by a small, insignificant problem; to treat a minor issue as a major crisis.
Comerse el coco
★★★★★Literal: "To eat one's coconut"
Meaning: To overthink, worry excessively, or rack one's brain about something.
Complete List of Commonly Used Idioms
A caballo regalado no le mires el diente
"To a gifted horse, don't look at its tooth."
Don't be ungrateful or find fault with something you have received as a gift or a favor.
A cada cerdo le llega su San Martín
"To every pig comes its Saint Martin."
Everyone eventually gets what they deserve or faces the consequences of their actions; a day of reckoning will come.
A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando
"To God praying and with the mallet hitting."
You should pray for a good outcome, but you also need to take practical action and work hard to achieve your goals.
A ojo de buen cubero
"By the eye of a good cooper."
To estimate or calculate something roughly, without precise measurements, but with a degree of skill or experience.
A quien madruga Dios le ayuda
"God helps the one who gets up early."
Starting your day or a task early gives you an advantage and leads to success and good fortune.
Ahogarse en un vaso de agua
"To drown in a glass of water"
To get overwhelmed by a small, insignificant problem; to treat a minor issue as a major crisis.
Andar con pies de plomo
"To walk with feet of lead"
To act with great caution, to be very careful, or to proceed slowly and deliberately in a delicate situation.
Bajar la guardia
"To lower the guard"
To let one's guard down; to become less careful, vigilant, or defensive.
Caer en saco roto
"To fall into a broken sack."
To be ignored, disregarded, or to come to nothing. It's used for advice, suggestions, or efforts that are completely wasted.
Comerse el coco
"To eat one's coconut"
To overthink, worry excessively, or rack one's brain about something.
Comerse un marrón
"To eat a brown thing"
To be stuck with an unpleasant task, problem, or situation that nobody else wants.
Como el perro de las dos tortas
"Like the dog of the two cakes"
To be caught between two choices and lose both due to indecision or greed.
Como Pedro por su casa
"Like Pedro through his house"
To act with complete confidence and ease in an unfamiliar place, as if you own it. It can also mean to do something very easily.
Costar un ojo de la cara
"To cost an eye of the face"
To be very expensive.
Creerse el ombligo del mundo
"To believe oneself to be the belly button of the world"
To be self-centered and arrogant, acting as if you are the most important person in existence.
Cría fama y ponte a dormir
"Raise fame and go to sleep."
Once you've established a reputation (good or bad), it will stick with you, and people's perception of you is set. You don't need to do anything else to maintain it.
Dar calabazas
"To give pumpkins"
To reject a romantic advance; to turn someone down. It can also mean to fail someone in an exam.
Dar el gatazo
"To give the big cat-smack"
To deceive someone by making a low-quality or fake item look authentic and valuable.
Dar en el clavo
"To hit on the nail"
To be exactly right, to guess correctly, or to make a perfect point.
Dar gato por liebre
"To give cat for hare"
To deceive someone by giving them something of lower quality than what was promised or expected.
Dar la lata
"To give the can"
To annoy, bother, or pester someone; to be a pain in the neck.
Dar la vuelta a la tortilla
"To flip the tortilla"
To turn a situation around completely; to turn the tables.
De la Ceca a la Meca
"From the Ceca to the Meca"
To go from one place to another in a restless or hectic way; to go all over the place.
De tal palo tal astilla
"From such a stick, such a splinter."
A child has the same qualities, behaviors, or faults as their parents.
Dorar la píldora
"To gild the pill"
To make something unpleasant (like bad news or criticism) seem more attractive or acceptable than it really is.
Dormir a pierna suelta
"To sleep with a loose leg"
To sleep very deeply and peacefully, without any worries.
Dormir la mona
"To sleep the female monkey"
To sleep off a period of drunkenness; to sleep while drunk to recover.
Echar aguas
"To throw waters"
To act as a lookout; to keep watch for someone, usually while they are doing something secretive or mischievous.
Echar carrilla
"To throw a little cart / reel"
To tease, poke fun at, or give someone a hard time, usually in a playful but persistent way.
Echar leña al fuego
"To throw firewood on the fire."
To make a bad situation, argument, or problem even worse.
Echar por la borda
"To throw overboard"
To waste, discard, or ruin something valuable, like an opportunity, a relationship, or a lot of hard work.
Echar una mano
"To throw a hand"
To help someone out, to lend a hand.
Es la neta
"It's the net."
It's the truth; It's the real deal; It's awesome.
Está cañón
"It's cannon."
Something is very difficult, intense, impressive, or great. It can also mean a person is very attractive.
Estar al loro
"To be at the parrot"
To be alert, aware, on the lookout, or in the know.
Estar como pez en el agua
"To be like a fish in the water"
To feel very comfortable or at ease in a particular situation; to be in one's element.
Estar como una cabra
"To be like a goat"
To be crazy, eccentric, or act in a wild and unpredictable way.
Estar como una regadera
"To be like a watering can"
To be crazy, eccentric, or out of one's mind in a quirky or silly way.
Estar de mala leche
"To be of bad milk"
To be in a bad mood, irritable, or grumpy.
Estar en Babia
"To be in Babia."
To be daydreaming, absent-minded, or not paying attention to your surroundings.
Estar en las nubes
"To be in the clouds"
To be daydreaming, distracted, absent-minded, or not paying attention to what is happening around you.
Estar en pelotas
"To be in balls"
To be completely naked or stark-naked. It can also mean to be completely clueless or ignorant about a subject.
Estar forrado
"To be lined / To be covered"
To be very rich, loaded with money.
Estar hasta las chanclas
"To be up to the flip-flops."
To be extremely drunk; wasted. It can also mean to be completely fed up with something.
Estar hasta las narices
"To be up to the noses"
To be completely fed up with something or someone; to be sick and tired of a situation.
Estar más sano que un roble
"To be healthier than an oak tree"
To be in excellent health; to be very healthy, robust, and strong.
Estar piripi
"To be piripi"
To be tipsy or slightly drunk in a cheerful way.
Estar sin blanca
"To be without white"
To be broke; to have no money at all.
Flipar en colores
"To flip out in colors"
To be completely amazed, mind-blown, or extremely surprised by something.
Hablar por los codos
"To speak through the elbows"
To talk a lot; to be very chatty or talkative.
Hacer buenas migas
"To make good crumbs"
To get along well with someone; to hit it off.
Hacer el agosto
"To make the August"
To make a lot of money quickly, often by taking advantage of a specific situation; to make a killing.
Hacer la pelota
"To make the ball"
To flatter someone to gain favor; to suck up to someone.
Hacer la vista gorda
"To make the sight fat"
To pretend not to see something; to intentionally ignore a wrongdoing or problem.
Hacer novillos
"To make young bulls"
To skip school or, less commonly, work; to play hooky.
Hacerse el sueco
"To make oneself the Swede."
To play dumb, feign ignorance, or pretend not to understand or hear something to avoid a responsibility.
Hacerse guaje
"To make oneself a gourd."
To play dumb, feign ignorance, or pretend not to understand something, usually to avoid responsibility.
Hazme el paro
"Do me the stop."
An informal way to ask for a favor, help, or support, especially in an urgent situation.
Hombre prevenido vale por dos
"A forewarned man is worth two."
Being prepared or having foresight gives you a significant advantage, effectively doubling your strength or capabilities.
Ir a freír espárragos
"To go fry asparagus"
To tell someone to get lost, go away, or stop bothering you, usually out of annoyance.
Irse por las ramas
"To go by the branches"
To get sidetracked, to go off on a tangent, or to beat around the bush.
La suerte está echada
"The luck is cast/thrown."
The point of no return has been passed; a decision has been made and the outcome is now out of our hands.
Liarla parda
"To tie it brown"
To cause a huge scene, to make a big mess, or to screw up big time.
Llover a cántaros
"To rain by pitchers."
To rain very heavily; to pour down with rain.
Más vale tarde que nunca
"It's worth more late than never."
It's better to do something late than to not do it at all.
Más viejo que Matusalén
"Older than Methuselah"
To be extremely old, ancient, or outdated.
Meter baza
"To put in a trick (in cards)"
To chime in, join a conversation, or offer one's opinion, sometimes when it's not requested.
Meter la pata
"To put the paw/leg in"
To make a mistake, say something inappropriate, or screw up. To put your foot in your mouth.
Meterse en camisa de once varas
"To get into a shirt of eleven 'varas' (rods)"
To get involved in a complicated, difficult situation, often unnecessarily; to bite off more than you can chew.
Montar un pollo
"To set up a chicken"
To make a scene, cause a commotion, or kick up a fuss, usually in an angry or dramatic way.
No dar pie con bola
"To not give foot with ball"
To not get anything right; to be clumsy or screw up repeatedly.
No pintar nada
"To not paint anything"
To have no business being somewhere; to be irrelevant, out of place, or have nothing to contribute.
No tener ni pies ni cabeza
"To have neither feet nor head"
To make no sense; to be completely illogical or nonsensical.
No tener pelos en la lengua
"To not have hairs on the tongue"
To be blunt, direct, and outspoken; to say what you think without filtering it.
Pasar la noche en blanco
"To pass the night in white."
To stay up all night without sleeping; to have a sleepless night.
Pasarse tres pueblos
"To pass three towns/villages."
To go way too far, to cross the line, to exaggerate, or to go over the top.
Planchar la oreja
"To iron the ear"
To go to sleep; to hit the sack.
Poner los cuernos
"To put the horns on"
To be unfaithful to one's romantic partner; to cheat on someone.
Poner pies en polvorosa
"To put feet in dusty/powdery ground"
To flee quickly, to beat a hasty retreat, to skedaddle.
Ponerse como una fiera
"To become like a wild beast"
To get extremely angry; to fly into a rage or become furious.
Ponerse las botas
"To put on the boots"
To indulge, feast, or profit greatly from a situation; to have a field day.
Ponerse las pilas
"To put the batteries in oneself."
To get energized, get your act together, or start working with more focus and effort.
Ponerse morado
"To turn purple"
To eat a lot of something; to stuff oneself with food; to pig out.
Por si las moscas
"For if the flies"
To do something 'just in case' or 'to be on the safe side'.
Quedarse en blanco
"To remain in white"
For your mind to go completely blank; to forget something you know.
Quedarse frito
"To stay/get fried"
To fall fast asleep; to conk out or crash.
Quien mucho abarca poco aprieta
"Whoever embraces a lot, squeezes little."
Trying to do too many things at once will result in none of them being done well. It's a warning about the lack of focus.
Ser buena gente
"To be good people"
To be a good, kind, and decent person; to be good-hearted.
Ser más chulo que un ocho
"To be cooler/more cocky than an eight"
To be very cocky, arrogant, or stylish in a showy way. It can be used with admiration for someone's confidence or with criticism for their arrogance.
Ser pan comido
"To be eaten bread"
To be very easy to do; a piece of cake.
Ser un trozo de pan
"To be a piece of bread"
To be a very kind, generous, and good-hearted person.
Tener la sartén por el mango
"To have the frying pan by the handle"
To be in control of a situation; to have the upper hand.
Tener mala leche
"To have bad milk"
To be in a bad mood, to be ill-tempered, or to do something with bad intentions.
Tener mucho morro
"To have a lot of snout"
To be shameless, cheeky, or to have a lot of nerve. It describes someone who acts in their own self-interest without embarrassment, often at the expense of others.
Tener salero
"To have a salt shaker"
To be charming, witty, graceful, or have a special spark.
Tirar la casa por la ventana
"To throw the house out the window"
To spend a lot of money lavishly, especially on a celebration or a large purchase; to spare no expense.
Tomar el pelo
"To take the hair"
To tease someone, pull their leg, or trick them in a playful way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spanish Commonly Used Idioms
What are the most useful everyday Spanish idioms?
Essential everyday Spanish idioms include "estar hasta las narices" (to be fed up), "ir al grano" (to get to the point), "ser pan comido" (to be easy), "dar la lata" (to be annoying), "echar una mano" (to help out), "quedarse de piedra" (to be shocked), and "meter la pata" (to make a mistake). These appear constantly in daily conversation.
How many idioms should I learn to sound natural in Spanish?
Start with 20-30 high-frequency idioms and master them completely. Once these feel natural, gradually add more. Fluency isn't about knowing thousands of idioms—it's about using common ones naturally and understanding them in context. Quality over quantity leads to better retention and more natural usage.
When should I start learning Spanish idioms?
You can begin learning simple Spanish idioms at an intermediate level (B1-B2). Once you have basic grammar and vocabulary, idioms will help you sound more natural and understand natives better. Start with common expressions in everyday situations, then expand to specialized categories as your proficiency grows.
Have more questions about learning Spanish idioms? Browse our complete idiom guide or explore our learning resources.
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