Inklingo

100 Spanish Idioms, Expressions & Sayings You Need to Know

A Spanish idiom is an expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from the individual words — costar un ojo de la cara means “to be very expensive,” not anything about eyes. Below are 100 of them, grouped by theme, with literal translations, real meanings, example sentences, audio and regional notes.

100 idioms + 10 proverbsLast updated

Spanish starts getting really interesting when the words stop meaning exactly what they say.

If someone tells you something cuesta un ojo de la cara, nobody is asking you to pay with an eye. If your friend is en las nubes, they are not floating through the sky. And when someone tells you to ponerte las pilas, you probably do not need batteries.

These are idioms: expressions whose real meaning cannot always be understood by translating every word literally.

Learning them matters because native Spanish speakers use expressions like these constantly — in conversations, movies, books, social media, and everyday stories.

This guide covers 100 useful Spanish idioms, colloquial expressions, and traditional sayings, with their literal translation, what they actually mean, examples in natural Spanish, regional notes where relevant, and English equivalents when one exists.

20 essential Spanish idioms to learn first

If you do not want to learn 100 at once, start with these:

SpanishMeaning
Costar un ojo de la caraTo cost an arm and a leg
Estar en las nubesTo be daydreaming
Echar una manoTo lend a hand
Dar en el clavoTo hit the nail on the head
Meter la pataTo mess up
Tomar el peloTo pull someone's leg
Ponerse las pilasTo get your act together
Hablar por los codosTo talk a lot
Tirar la toallaTo give up
Ser pan comidoTo be very easy
Irse por las ramasTo beat around the bush
Hacer la vista gordaTo turn a blind eye
Buscar una aguja en un pajarTo look for a needle in a haystack
Ahogarse en un vaso de aguaTo make a huge problem out of something small
Estar entre la espada y la paredTo be between a rock and a hard place
Romper el hieloTo break the ice
Echar leña al fuegoTo add fuel to the fire
Estar como una cabraTo be crazy
Más vale tarde que nuncaBetter late than never
De tal palo, tal astillaLike father, like son

Now let’s look at them properly.

Essential everyday Spanish idioms

1. Costar un ojo de la cara

kos-TAR oon OH-kho deh la KAH-rah

Literal
To cost an eye from your face
Meaning
To be extremely expensive
English
To cost an arm and a leg
Ese restaurante cuesta un ojo de la cara.That restaurant costs an arm and a leg.

This is one of the most recognizable Spanish idioms and can be used throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

The figurative meaning of 'costar un ojo de la cara', showing a person shocked by the high price of a car.

2. Estar en las nubes

es-TAR en las NOO-bes

Literal
To be in the clouds
Meaning
To be distracted or daydreaming
Hoy estás en las nubes. ¿Me estás escuchando?You're daydreaming today. Are you listening to me?
The figurative meaning of 'estar en las nubes', showing a student in a classroom staring out the window, daydreaming, while the teacher talks.

3. Echar una mano

eh-CHAR OO-nah MAH-noh

Literal
To throw a hand
Meaning
To help someone
English
To lend a hand
¿Me echas una mano con estas cajas?Can you give me a hand with these boxes?
The actual meaning of 'echar una mano', showing one person helping another carry a heavy box.

4. Dar en el clavo

dar en el KLAH-boh

Literal
To hit the nail
Meaning
To be exactly right
Has dado en el clavo. Ese era precisamente el problema.You've hit the nail on the head. That was exactly the problem.
The figurative meaning of 'dar en el clavo', showing a person having a brilliant idea that solves a problem.

5. Meter la pata

meh-TEHR lah PAH-tah

Literal
To put the leg/paw in
Meaning
To make a mistake or say something embarrassing
Metí la pata y le pregunté por su exnovio.I put my foot in it and asked her about her ex-boyfriend.
The actual meaning of 'meter la pata', showing a person looking embarrassed after saying something awkward in a social situation.

6. Estar como pez en el agua

es-TAR KOH-moh PETH en el AH-gwah

Literal
To be like a fish in water
Meaning
To feel completely comfortable in a situation
María está como pez en el agua cuando habla en público.María is completely in her element when speaking in public.
The actual meaning of the idiom, showing a person looking happy and confident while doing an activity they love.

7. Tomar el pelo

toh-MAR el PEH-loh

Literal
To take someone's hair
Meaning
To tease or trick someone
English
To pull someone's leg
¿Hablas en serio o me estás tomando el pelo?Are you serious or are you pulling my leg?
The actual meaning of 'tomar el pelo', showing two friends laughing as one tells a playful, unbelievable story.

8. Ponerse las pilas

poh-NER-seh las PEE-las

Literal
To put in the batteries
Meaning
To become more energetic, focused, or productive
Tenemos el examen el viernes. Hay que ponerse las pilas.We have the exam on Friday. We need to get our act together.
The figurative meaning of 'ponerse las pilas', showing a person suddenly full of energy and working efficiently at a desk.

9. No tener pelos en la lengua

noh teh-NEHR PEH-lohs ehn lah LEHN-gwah

Literal
To have no hairs on your tongue
Meaning
To speak very directly without holding back
Mi abuela no tiene pelos en la lengua.My grandmother always says exactly what she thinks.
The actual meaning of 'no tener pelos en la lengua', showing a person speaking directly and honestly to another person who looks surprised.

10. Hablar por los codos

ah-BLAR por los KOH-dohs

Literal
To talk through your elbows
Meaning
To talk a lot
Carlos habla por los codos. No para nunca.Carlos talks nonstop. He never stops.
The actual meaning of 'hablar por los codos', showing a very talkative person dominating a conversation with a tired-looking friend.

Spanish idioms about difficulty, mistakes, and problems

11. Quedarse de piedra

Literal
To turn to stone
Meaning
To be stunned or shocked
Cuando me dijo que se iba a casar, me quedé de piedra.When she told me she was getting married, I was stunned.

12. Tirar la toalla

Literal
To throw in the towel
Meaning
To give up
El español es difícil, pero no voy a tirar la toalla.Spanish is difficult, but I'm not going to give up.

13. Ser pan comido

sehr pahn koh-MEE-doh

Literal
To be eaten bread
Meaning
To be extremely easy
English
To be a piece of cake
Después de practicar tanto, el examen fue pan comido.After practicing so much, the exam was a piece of cake.
The figurative meaning of 'ser pan comido', showing a student smiling confidently after finishing an easy test.

14. Estar hasta las narices

es-TAR AS-tah las nah-REE-thes

Literal
To be up to your nostrils
Meaning
To be completely fed up
Estoy hasta las narices de este ruido.I'm completely fed up with this noise.
The figurative meaning of 'estar hasta las narices', showing a frustrated person at a desk piled high with paperwork.

15. Irse por las ramas

EER-seh por las RRAH-mas

Literal
To go off through the branches
Meaning
To avoid the main subject or go off on tangents
No te vayas por las ramas. Dime qué pasó.Don't beat around the bush. Tell me what happened.
The actual meaning of 'irse por las ramas', showing someone telling a story and getting distracted by unrelated details.

16. Hacer la vista gorda

ah-SEHR la BEES-tah GOR-dah

Literal
To make the fat eyesight
Meaning
To deliberately ignore something wrong
English
To turn a blind eye
El profesor hizo la vista gorda y no dijo nada.The teacher turned a blind eye and said nothing.
The actual meaning of 'hacer la vista gorda', showing a teacher intentionally ignoring a student passing a note.

17. Estar hecho polvo

Literal
To be made into dust
Meaning
To be exhausted or emotionally devastated
Después de trabajar doce horas estoy hecho polvo.After working twelve hours, I'm exhausted.

18. Dormir a pierna suelta

dor-MEER ah PYER-nah SWEL-tah

Literal
To sleep with a loose leg
Meaning
To sleep deeply and peacefully
Anoche dormí a pierna suelta.I slept like a log last night.
The actual meaning of 'dormir a pierna suelta', showing a person sleeping very soundly and peacefully in a comfortable bed.

19. Buscar una aguja en un pajar

boos-KAR OO-nah ah-GOO-hah en oon pa-HAR

Literal
To look for a needle in a haystack
Meaning
To search for something almost impossible to find
Encontrar ese documento será como buscar una aguja en un pajar.Finding that document will be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The figurative meaning of 'buscar una aguja en un pajar', showing a person overwhelmed by trying to find a friend in a huge crowd.

20. Ahogarse en un vaso de agua

ah-oh-GAR-seh ehn oon BAH-soh deh AH-gwah

Literal
To drown in a glass of water
Meaning
To become overwhelmed by a very small problem
Siempre te ahogas en un vaso de agua. Tiene solución.You always turn tiny problems into disasters. It can be fixed.
The actual meaning of the idiom, showing a person overreacting to a simple task.

Spanish idioms involving the body

Body parts appear constantly in Spanish figurative expressions.

21. Tener un corazón de oro

Literal
To have a heart of gold
Meaning
To be extremely kind
Ana tiene un corazón de oro. Siempre ayuda a todo el mundo.Ana has a heart of gold. She always helps everyone.

22. No tener dos dedos de frente

noh teh-NEHR dohs DEH-dohs deh FREN-teh

Literal
To not have two fingers of forehead
Meaning
To lack common sense
Hay que no tener dos dedos de frente para hacer algo así.You'd have to have no common sense to do something like that.
The figurative meaning of the idiom, showing someone doing something that lacks common sense.

23. Tener la mosca detrás de la oreja

Literal
To have the fly behind your ear
Meaning
To suspect that something is wrong
Desde que vi ese mensaje tengo la mosca detrás de la oreja.Ever since I saw that message, I've been suspicious.

24. Estar con el agua al cuello

Literal
To have water up to your neck
Meaning
To be in serious difficulty
Estoy con el agua al cuello con todas estas deudas.I'm in serious trouble with all these debts.

25. Poner el dedo en la llaga

Literal
To put your finger in the wound
Meaning
To identify or bring up a painful problem
Con esa pregunta pusiste el dedo en la llaga.With that question, you touched on the real painful issue.

26. Tener algo en la punta de la lengua

Literal
To have something on the tip of your tongue
Meaning
To almost remember something
Sé cómo se llama. Lo tengo en la punta de la lengua.I know what he's called. It's on the tip of my tongue.

27. Romperse la cabeza

Literal
To break one's head
Meaning
To think very hard about something
Llevo toda la tarde rompiéndome la cabeza con este problema.I've been racking my brain over this problem all afternoon.

28. Tener mano izquierda

Literal
To have a left hand
Meaning
To be tactful and diplomatic
Hace falta mucha mano izquierda para manejar esa situación.You need a lot of tact to handle that situation.

29. No pegar ojo

Literal
To not stick an eye
Meaning
To not sleep at all
Había tanto ruido que no pegué ojo.There was so much noise that I didn't sleep a wink.

30. Lavarse las manos

Literal
To wash one's hands
Meaning
To refuse responsibility for something
El jefe se lavó las manos y nos dejó resolver el problema.The boss washed his hands of it and left us to solve the problem.

Spanish food and drink idioms

Spanish speakers somehow manage to turn food into metaphors for almost everything.

31. Estar como un flan

Literal
To be like a flan
Meaning
To be extremely nervous or shaky
Region
Especially common in Spain
Antes de la entrevista estaba como un flan.Before the interview I was a nervous wreck.

32. Importar un pepino

Literal
To matter a cucumber
Meaning
To not matter at all
Me importa un pepino lo que diga.I couldn't care less what he says.

33. Ser del año de la pera

Literal
To be from the year of the pear
Meaning
To be extremely old or outdated
Region
Common in Spain
Ese ordenador es del año de la pera.That computer is ancient.

34. Dar calabazas

dar kah-lah-BAH-sahs

Literal
To give pumpkins
Meaning
To romantically reject someone
Le pidió salir, pero ella le dio calabazas.He asked her out, but she turned him down.
The actual meaning of 'dar calabazas', showing a person looking sad after being rejected.

35. Ponerse como un tomate

Literal
To become like a tomato
Meaning
To turn very red from embarrassment
Se puso como un tomate cuando todos empezaron a mirarlo.He turned bright red when everyone started looking at him.

36. Estar de mala leche

es-TAR deh MAH-lah LEH-cheh

Literal
To be of bad milk
Meaning
To be in a very bad mood
Region
Informal
Déjalo tranquilo. Hoy está de mala leche.Leave him alone. He's in a terrible mood today.
The actual meaning of 'estar de mala leche', showing a person looking grumpy and unapproachable.

37. Tener mala uva

Literal
To have bad grapes
Meaning
To have a bad temper or nasty disposition
Ese hombre tiene muy mala uva.That man has a really nasty temper.

38. Cortar el bacalao

kor-TAR el bah-kah-LAH-oh

Literal
To cut the cod
Meaning
To be the person in charge
Aquí quien corta el bacalao es Marta.Marta is the one calling the shots here.
The figurative meaning of 'cortar el bacalao', showing a confident person leading a family discussion.

39. No estar el horno para bollos

Literal
The oven isn't ready for buns
Meaning
It is not a good time to create more trouble
No le preguntes ahora. No está el horno para bollos.Don't ask him now. This is really not the time.

40. Poner toda la carne en el asador

poh-NAIR TOH-dah lah CAR-neh ehn el ah-sah-DOR

Literal
To put all the meat on the grill
Meaning
To give something everything you've got
Vamos a poner toda la carne en el asador para ganar.We're going to give it everything we've got to win.
The actual meaning of 'poner toda la carne en el asador', showing an athlete giving their maximum effort to win a race.

Spanish animal idioms

41. Estar como una cabra

es-TAR KOH-moh OO-nah KAH-brah

Literal
To be like a goat
Meaning
To be crazy or eccentric
Mi tío está como una cabra, pero es divertidísimo.My uncle is crazy, but he's hilarious.
The actual meaning of 'estar como una cabra', showing a person doing something wacky and fun at a party.

42. Matar dos pájaros de un tiro

Literal
To kill two birds with one shot
Meaning
To accomplish two things at once
Voy andando al trabajo y hago ejercicio. Mato dos pájaros de un tiro.I walk to work and get exercise. I kill two birds with one stone.

43. Ser la oveja negra

Literal
To be the black sheep
Meaning
To be the odd or disapproved-of member of a group
Siempre fue la oveja negra de la familia.He was always the black sheep of the family.

44. Cuando el gato no está, los ratones hacen fiesta

KWAN-doh el GAH-toh noh es-TAH, lohs rrah-TOH-nes AH-sen FYES-tah

Literal
When the cat isn't there, the mice party
Meaning
People misbehave when the person in charge is absent
El profesor salió y nadie hizo nada. Cuando el gato no está, los ratones hacen fiesta.The teacher left and nobody did anything. When the cat's away, the mice will play.
The figurative meaning of the idiom, showing office workers goofing off while their boss is away.

45. A caballo regalado no le mires el diente

ah kah-BAH-yoh reh-gah-LAH-doh noh leh MEE-rehs el DYEN-teh

Literal
Don't look at the teeth of a gifted horse
Meaning
Don’t criticize something you received for free
English
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth

English has essentially the same expression.

The figurative meaning, showing someone happily accepting a slightly imperfect, hand-made gift.

46. Estar hecho un toro

Literal
To be made like a bull
Meaning
To be very strong and healthy
Después de seis meses entrenando está hecho un toro.After six months of training, he's incredibly strong.

47. Ser un gallina

Literal
To be a chicken
Meaning
To be a coward
¡No seas gallina! Súbete a la montaña rusa.Don't be a chicken! Get on the roller coaster.

48. Llevarse como el perro y el gato

Literal
To get along like the dog and the cat
Meaning
To constantly argue
Esos dos se llevan como el perro y el gato.Those two fight like cats and dogs.

49. Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando

Literal
A bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying
Meaning
Something certain is better than something potentially better but uncertain
English
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

50. Lágrimas de cocodrilo

Literal
Crocodile tears
Meaning
Fake sadness
No me creo sus lágrimas de cocodrilo.I don't believe his crocodile tears.

Spanish idioms about people and relationships

51. Hacer buenas migas

ah-SEHR BWEH-nahs MEE-gahs

Literal
To make good crumbs
Meaning
To get along very well
Ana y Laura hicieron buenas migas desde el primer día.Ana and Laura hit it off from the first day.
The actual meaning of 'hacer buenas migas', showing two new friends chatting and laughing together comfortably.

52. Romper el hielo

Literal
To break the ice
Meaning
To make people more comfortable when meeting
Contó un chiste para romper el hielo.He told a joke to break the ice.

53. Caer bien

Literal
To fall well
Meaning
To like someone's personality
Tu hermana me cae muy bien.I really like your sister.

The opposite is caer mal — to dislike someone.

54. Dar la lata

dar la LAH-tah

Literal
To give the can
Meaning
To annoy or bother someone
Los niños llevan toda la tarde dando la lata.The kids have been pestering us all afternoon.
The actual meaning of 'dar la lata', showing someone pestering another person who is trying to work.

55. Echar leña al fuego

eh-CHAR LEH-nyah al FWEH-go

Literal
To throw firewood onto the fire
Meaning
To make a conflict worse
No menciones eso ahora. Solo vas a echar leña al fuego.Don't mention that now. You'll only add fuel to the fire.
The figurative meaning of 'echar leña al fuego', showing two people arguing while a third person's comment makes them angrier.

56. Hacer la pelota

ah-SEHR lah peh-LOH-tah

Literal
To make the ball
Meaning
To flatter someone in order to gain favor
Region
Common in Spain
Siempre le hace la pelota al jefe.He's always sucking up to the boss.
The actual meaning of 'hacer la pelota', showing an employee giving insincere, over-the-top compliments to their boss.

57. Poner a alguien verde

Literal
To turn someone green
Meaning
To criticize or gossip harshly about someone
En cuanto se fue, empezaron a ponerlo verde.As soon as he left, they started tearing him apart.

58. Dejar plantado a alguien

Literal
To leave someone planted
Meaning
To stand someone up
Quedamos a las ocho y me dejó plantada.We arranged to meet at eight and he stood me up.

59. Dar la cara

Literal
To give/show the face
Meaning
To face responsibility instead of hiding
Cometiste el error. Ahora tienes que dar la cara.You made the mistake. Now you need to face the consequences.

60. Dar la espalda

Literal
To give someone your back
Meaning
To abandon or reject someone
Sus amigos le dieron la espalda cuando más los necesitaba.His friends turned their backs on him when he needed them most.

Spanish money and work idioms

61. Estar sin blanca

es-TAR seen BLAN-kah

Literal
To be without a blanca
Meaning
To be broke
No puedo salir este fin de semana. Estoy sin blanca.I can't go out this weekend. I'm broke.
The actual meaning of 'estar sin blanca', showing a person with empty pockets, indicating they have no money.

62. Tirar la casa por la ventana

tee-RAR la KAH-sah por la ben-TAH-nah

Literal
To throw the house out the window
Meaning
To spend lavishly, usually for a celebration
Para su boda tiraron la casa por la ventana.They spared no expense for their wedding.
The actual meaning of 'tirar la casa por la ventana', showing a lavish party with lots of guests and decorations.

63. Hacer el agosto

ah-SEHR el ah-GOHS-toh

Literal
To make the August
Meaning
To make a lot of money from a favorable opportunity
Los hoteles hacen el agosto durante el festival.The hotels make a killing during the festival.
The figurative meaning of 'hacer el agosto', showing a beachside shop owner happily counting a fan of money with a long line of tourists.

64. Apretarse el cinturón

Literal
To tighten one's belt
Meaning
To spend less money
Este mes tendremos que apretarnos el cinturón.We'll have to tighten our belts this month.

65. Ganarse el pan

Literal
To earn one's bread
Meaning
To earn a living
Se gana el pan trabajando de mecánico.He earns his living working as a mechanic.

66. No dar palo al agua

Literal
To not hit the water with a stick
Meaning
To do absolutely no work
Lleva toda la mañana sin dar palo al agua.He hasn't done a thing all morning.

67. Ponerse manos a la obra

Literal
To put one's hands to the work
Meaning
To start working
Ya tenemos un plan. Pongámonos manos a la obra.We have a plan. Let's get to work.

68. Arrimar el hombro

Literal
To bring one's shoulder closer
Meaning
To help with a shared effort
Si todos arrimamos el hombro, terminaremos antes.If everyone pitches in, we'll finish sooner.

69. Sacar algo adelante

Literal
To bring something forward
Meaning
To successfully get through or complete something difficult
Sacó adelante el negocio durante una época muy difícil.She kept the business going through a very difficult period.

70. Trabajar como un burro

Literal
To work like a donkey
Meaning
To work extremely hard
He trabajado como un burro toda la semana.I've worked incredibly hard all week.

Spanish idioms for difficult situations

71. Salir del paso

Literal
To get out of the passage
Meaning
To solve a problem temporarily or somehow get through a situation
Esta solución nos servirá para salir del paso.This solution will get us by for now.

72. Andar con pies de plomo

an-DAR kon pee-ESS day PLOH-moh

Literal
To walk with lead feet
Meaning
To proceed extremely carefully
En una negociación así hay que andar con pies de plomo.You need to tread very carefully in a negotiation like this.
The actual meaning of 'andar con pies de plomo', showing a person carefully navigating a path made of fragile eggshells.

73. Tocar fondo

Literal
To touch the bottom
Meaning
To reach one's lowest point
Tuvo que tocar fondo antes de cambiar su vida.He had to hit rock bottom before changing his life.

74. Echar por la borda

eh-CHAR por la BOR-dah

Literal
To throw overboard
Meaning
To ruin or waste something valuable
No voy a echar por la borda años de trabajo.I'm not going to throw away years of work.
The figurative meaning of 'echar por la borda', showing a person giving up on a project they worked hard on.

75. Dar la vuelta a la tortilla

dar la BWEL-tah ah la tor-TEE-yah

Literal
To flip the omelet
Meaning
To completely reverse a situation
English
To turn the tables
Parecía que iban a perder, pero dieron la vuelta a la tortilla.It looked like they would lose, but they turned the situation around.
The figurative meaning of 'dar la vuelta a la tortilla', showing a losing soccer team celebrating a surprise winning goal.

76. Estar entre la espada y la pared

Literal
To be between the sword and the wall
Meaning
To be trapped between two difficult choices
English
To be between a rock and a hard place
Estoy entre la espada y la pared.I'm between a rock and a hard place.

77. Coger el toro por los cuernos

Literal
To grab the bull by the horns
Meaning
To confront a difficult situation directly
Tenemos que coger el toro por los cuernos y resolver esto.We need to face this problem head-on.

You may also hear tomar el toro por los cuernos.

78. Estar contra las cuerdas

Literal
To be against the ropes
Meaning
To be under severe pressure with few options left
La empresa está contra las cuerdas.The company is on the ropes.

79. Salir el tiro por la culata

Literal
For the shot to come out through the gunstock
Meaning
For a plan to backfire
Intentó engañarlos, pero el tiro le salió por la culata.He tried to trick them, but the plan backfired.

80. Caer en saco roto

kah-EHR en SAH-koh ROH-toh

Literal
To fall into a torn sack
Meaning
For advice or information to be ignored
Todos mis consejos cayeron en saco roto.All my advice fell on deaf ears.
The figurative meaning of 'caer en saco roto', where a person gives advice to someone who is clearly not listening.

Spanish idioms about thoughts and emotions

81. Comerse el coco

koh-MEHR-seh el KOH-koh

Literal
To eat one's coconut
Meaning
To overthink or worry excessively
Region
Common in Spain
No te comas el coco. Todo va a salir bien.Don't overthink it. Everything will be fine.
The actual meaning of 'comerse el coco', showing a person looking stressed and deep in thought.

82. Quedarse en blanco

keh-DAR-seh en BLAN-koh

Literal
To be left blank
Meaning
To suddenly forget what you wanted to say or remember
En medio del examen me quedé en blanco.My mind went completely blank in the middle of the exam.
The actual meaning of 'quedarse en blanco', showing a student looking stressed during an exam with an empty thought bubble.

83. Perder los estribos

Literal
To lose the stirrups
Meaning
To lose control of your temper
Perdió los estribos y empezó a gritar.He lost his temper and started shouting.

84. Estar que echa humo

Literal
To be giving off smoke
Meaning
To be furious
No hables con él ahora. Está que echa humo.Don't talk to him now. He's furious.

85. Tener mariposas en el estómago

Literal
To have butterflies in your stomach
Meaning
To feel nervous excitement
Antes de verla siempre tengo mariposas en el estómago.I always get butterflies before seeing her.

86. Ponerse de los nervios

Literal
To become of the nerves
Meaning
To become extremely nervous or irritated
Ese ruido me pone de los nervios.That noise drives me crazy.

87. Verlo todo negro

Literal
To see everything black
Meaning
To be extremely pessimistic
Después de perder el trabajo lo veía todo negro.After losing his job, everything seemed hopeless.

88. Estar verde

Literal
To be green
Meaning
To be inexperienced or not ready yet
Todavía está un poco verde para ese puesto.He's still a little inexperienced for that position.

89. No caber en sí de alegría

Literal
To not fit inside oneself from happiness
Meaning
To be extremely happy
Cuando recibió la noticia no cabía en sí de alegría.When she got the news, she was beside herself with joy.

90. Quedarse con la boca abierta

Literal
To be left with one's mouth open
Meaning
To be amazed
El final de la película me dejó con la boca abierta.The ending of the movie left me speechless.

Colorful expressions from Spain and Latin America

Some idioms immediately reveal where a speaker comes from.

91. Flipar en colores

flee-PAR en koh-LOH-ress

Literal
To freak out in colors
Meaning
To be completely amazed
Region
Spain
Cuando veas la casa vas a flipar en colores.When you see the house, you're going to be blown away.
The actual meaning of 'flipar en colores', showing a person looking at something with an expression of pure amazement.

92. Estar al loro

es-TAR al LOH-roh

Literal
To be at the parrot
Meaning
To pay attention or stay informed
Region
Spain
Estate al loro por si cambia el horario.Keep an eye out in case the schedule changes.
The actual meaning of 'estar al loro', showing an alert person in a crowd noticing something important.

93. Ser la leche

Literal
To be the milk
Meaning
To be amazing, extraordinary, or sometimes outrageous
Region
Spain
Ese concierto fue la leche.That concert was incredible.

94. Caer el veinte

kah-ER el BAYN-tay

Literal
For the twenty to fall
Meaning
To finally understand or realize something
Region
Mexico
De repente me cayó el veinte y entendí lo que quería decir.Suddenly it clicked and I understood what he meant.
The actual meaning of 'caer el veinte', showing a person having a sudden moment of understanding with a lightbulb over their head.

95. Echar carrilla

eh-CHAR kah-RREE-yah

Meaning
To tease or give someone a hard time
Region
Mexico
Mis amigos siempre me echan carrilla por mi acento.My friends always tease me about my accent.
The actual meaning of 'echar carrilla', showing a group of friends laughing while playfully teasing one of their members.

96. Estar cañón

Meaning
To be difficult, intense, impressive, or extreme depending on context
Region
Mexico
El examen estuvo cañón.The exam was really tough.

97. Hazme el paro

AHS-meh el PAH-roh

Meaning
Do me a favor / Help me out
Region
Mexico
Hazme el paro y préstame tu cargador.Do me a favor and lend me your charger.
The actual meaning of 'hazme el paro', showing one friend helping another who is in a tricky situation.

98. Hacerse bolas

ah-SER-seh BOH-lahs

Literal
To make oneself into balls
Meaning
To become confused
Region
Especially Mexico
Me hice bolas con todas las instrucciones.I got completely confused by all the instructions.
The actual meaning of 'hacerse bolas', showing a student looking overwhelmed by a complex explanation.

99. Andar como bola sin manija

an-DAR KOH-moh BOH-lah seen mah-NEE-hah

Literal
To go around like a ball without a handle
Meaning
To be aimless, confused, or running around without direction
Region
Argentina and parts of the Southern Cone
Hoy ando como bola sin manija con todo lo que tengo que hacer.I'm running around completely lost today with everything I have to do.
The actual meaning of 'andar como bola sin manija', showing a flustered person in a busy environment, not knowing where to go.

100. De tal palo, tal astilla

deh tal PAH-loh tal ahs-TEE-yah

Literal
From such a stick, such a splinter
Meaning
Children often resemble their parents in personality or behavior
English
Like father, like son / The apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Su hija es tan competitiva como él. De tal palo, tal astilla.His daughter is just as competitive as he is. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
The figurative meaning of the idiom, showing a father and son who share a clear, similar hobby or trait, like both playing the guitar.

Bonus: 10 Spanish sayings worth knowing

Idioms and proverbs overlap, but proverbs usually express a general lesson or piece of folk wisdom.

A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda

Literal
God helps whoever wakes up early.
Meaning
Starting early gives you an advantage.

Más vale tarde que nunca

Meaning
Better late than never. This one translates almost perfectly into English.

Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho

Literal
From saying to doing there is a long distance.
Meaning
Saying you'll do something is much easier than actually doing it.

En boca cerrada no entran moscas

Literal
Flies don't enter a closed mouth.
Meaning
Sometimes keeping quiet keeps you out of trouble.

El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta

Literal
Whoever embraces too much squeezes little.
Meaning
If you try to do too many things at once, you probably won't do any of them well.

Cuando el río suena, agua lleva

Literal
When the river makes noise, it carries water.
Meaning
Persistent rumors often have some truth behind them.

Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr

Literal
Water you aren't going to drink, let it flow.
Meaning
If something does not concern you, leave it alone.

Las apariencias engañan

Meaning
Appearances are deceiving. Do not judge something solely by what it looks like.

Más vale maña que fuerza

Literal
Skill is worth more than strength.
Meaning
Cleverness and technique can accomplish more than brute force.

El hábito no hace al monje

Literal
The habit does not make the monk.
Meaning
Appearance does not determine someone's true character.

Idioms from Spain vs. Latin America

One of the difficult things about learning Spanish idioms is that Spanish is not one uniform language. An expression can be completely normal in Madrid and sound unusual in Mexico City. Something every Mexican recognizes may confuse a speaker from Argentina.

ExpressionEspecially associated with
Estar al loroSpain
Flipar en coloresSpain
Ser la lecheSpain
Comerse el cocoSpain
Caer el veinteMexico
Echar carrillaMexico
Hazme el paroMexico
Estar cañónMexico
Andar como bola sin manijaArgentina / Southern Cone

That does not mean speakers elsewhere will never understand them. Movies, television, migration, and the internet constantly move expressions across borders. But as a learner, it is useful to distinguish between expressions you should actively use everywhere, and expressions you mainly need to recognize when you hear speakers from a particular region.

Should Spanish learners actually memorize idioms?

Yes — but not as isolated vocabulary cards.

Imagine memorizing echar leña al fuego = add fuel to the fire. You may remember it for a day.

Now imagine reading a story where two characters are already arguing. A third character arrives, mentions something embarrassing, and the narrator says:

Su comentario solo echó más leña al fuego.

Now the expression has a situation attached to it. You know who said it. You know why they said it. You know what happened afterward. That context makes expressions much easier to remember.

The same is true of meter la pata when a character accidentally reveals a secret; estar como un flan before an important date; tirar la toalla when someone considers giving up; or dar la vuelta a la tortilla when someone unexpectedly changes a bad situation.

That is one of the reasons reading is so useful when learning a language.

A short story using Spanish idioms

Here is what several of these expressions look like when they appear naturally.

Carlos tenía una entrevista de trabajo muy importante.

La noche anterior no pegó ojo. Por la mañana estaba hecho polvo y, cuando llegó a la oficina, estaba como un flan.

—Tranquilo —le dijo su amiga Marta—. No te comas el coco.

Carlos intentó relajarse.

Durante la entrevista, el jefe hizo una pregunta difícil. Al principio, Carlos se quedó en blanco, pero después consiguió responder.

—Has dado en el clavo —dijo el jefe.

Carlos salió de la oficina sin saber qué pensar.

Dos días después recibió una llamada.

Había conseguido el trabajo.

No cabía en sí de alegría.

Notice how much easier the idioms are to understand when something is actually happening around them.

How to learn Spanish idioms effectively

Trying to memorize 100 idioms in one sitting is probably not the best use of your afternoon. Instead:

Learn high-frequency expressions first

Start with expressions such as dar en el clavo, meter la pata, echar una mano, tirar la toalla, estar en las nubes, and ser pan comido. You will encounter them repeatedly.

Learn them as complete chunks

Don’t memorize clavo = nail and then try to reconstruct dar en el clavo later. Treat dar en el clavo as one unit meaning “to get something exactly right.”

Pay attention to region

If you primarily consume Mexican Spanish, expressions like caer el veinte are more useful than highly Spain-specific slang. If you live in Madrid, the opposite may be true.

Notice idioms while reading

Whenever you encounter a phrase whose literal translation seems bizarre, stop and ask whether it might be idiomatic. Spanish stories are full of them.

Use them selectively

Knowing an idiom does not mean you need to force it into every conversation. The goal is to recognize natural Spanish first. Active use tends to follow naturally after repeated exposure.

Frequently asked questions about Spanish idioms

What is an idiom in Spanish?

An idiom is a fixed or semi-fixed expression whose intended meaning is different from, or more specific than, the literal meanings of its individual words. For example, estar en las nubes literally means “to be in the clouds,” but usually means someone is distracted or daydreaming.

What are the most common Spanish idioms?

Some useful expressions to learn early include: estar en las nubes (to be daydreaming), meter la pata (to mess up), dar en el clavo (to be exactly right), echar una mano (to help), tomar el pelo (to tease someone), tirar la toalla (to give up), ser pan comido (to be easy), hablar por los codos (to talk excessively), ponerse las pilas (to get your act together), and estar como pez en el agua (to be in your element).

Are Spanish idioms the same in Spain and Latin America?

Some are widely understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world, while others are regional. Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, the Caribbean, and other regions all have their own colloquial expressions.

What's the difference between an idiom and a proverb?

An idiom normally functions as part of a sentence: Metí la pata (I messed up). A proverb normally expresses a complete piece of advice or observation: Más vale tarde que nunca (Better late than never). The boundary is not always perfectly clear, and learners will often see both described broadly as Spanish expressions or sayings.

Should beginners learn Spanish idioms?

Beginners do not need hundreds of idioms, but learning a few common ones is useful. Expressions like echar una mano, meter la pata, estar en las nubes, and ser pan comido appear frequently enough that recognizing them can make real Spanish much easier to understand.

Why are Spanish idioms difficult to understand?

Because translating them word by word often produces nonsense. If you translate no está el horno para bollos literally, you get “The oven isn’t ready for buns.” The intended meaning — “this isn’t a good time to cause more trouble” — can only be understood by knowing the expression as a whole.

What's the best way to remember Spanish idioms?

Encounter them repeatedly in meaningful contexts. Stories, conversations, podcasts, television, and books allow you to associate the idiom with an actual situation rather than an isolated English translation.

From Spanish idioms to real Spanish

Idioms are one of the points where a language stops feeling like something you are translating and starts feeling like something you actually understand.

At first, estar en las nubes looks strange.

Eventually, you stop picturing clouds. You simply understand what the speaker means.

The same happens with meter la pata, dar en el clavo, tomar el pelo, tirar la toalla, and hundreds of other expressions.

And the best way to reach that point is to encounter Spanish inside situations where those expressions actually make sense.

Read Spanish stories at your level →