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Spanish Idioms
Spanish idioms are essential to understanding and communicating with native speakers. Because Spanish is spoken in so many different countries, extra care is required when learning idioms. Make sure to pay attention to who is saying what under what circumstances before you attempt to use anything but the most common expression. Browse below to take a look at just how many different ways you can express yourself in Spanish.
A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V Y Z
cada hijo de vecino
every Tom, Dick, and Harry; everyone
cada muerte de obispo
once in a blue moon; very rarely (lit.: each time a bishop dies)
caer en la cuenta
realize
caer mal
dislike; not like.
1. Me cae mal este tipo.
caerle bien a alguien
look good; feel good; seem pleasant (lit.: to fall well to someone)
caérsele a alg la baba con/por algo
drool over someone or something; dote on someone; be crazy about someone or something (lit.: to left fall slobber over someone or something)
caérsele los anillos a algn
be beneath one; be beneath one’s dignity (lit.: to have one’s rings fall off)
cambiar de idea
change one’s mind (lit.: to change idea)
cambiar de tema
change a/the subject
camino de
along the way, on the way (lit.: road/path of)
canta a pelo
sing unaccompanied
carne de gallina
gooseflesh
cerrar algo a cal y canto
shut something tight, firmly, securely
chiflar el moño a algn
be nuts; be crazy
cielos
heavens; oh my gosh (lit.: heavens; n.b.: used when surprised, often in place of something vulgar)
cien por cien
100%; with certainty; precisely (lit.: one-hundred by one-hundred)
claro que sí
of course; yes; indeed
cocerse en un propia salsa
stew in one's (own) juice
coger el toro por los cuernos
grab the bull by the horns (n.b.: coger is used only in Spain)
comer a deshora
eat at odd times
como agua para chocolate
furious; enraged (lit.: like water for chocolate)
como de costumbre
as usual (lit.: as of custom)
como Dios manda
the way it's supposed to be
como perro en barrio ajeno
out of place; in the wrong neighborhood (lit.: like a dog in a distant neighborhood; i.e.: people who try to enter other parts of society may be attacked or ostracized)
como quitarle un pelo al gato
a victimless crime (lit.: like removing a hair from a cat; i.e.: the quantity in question is so small that it has no significant effect and goes unnoticed)
como si no fuera poco
as if it were not enough
como siempre
as usual; as always
como un oro
like new (lit.: like a gold [coin])
como un perro
like a dog; like scum; in the gutter (lit.: like a dog)
como una balsa de aceite
smoothly; swimmingly; peacefully (lit.: like a pool of oil)
como una rosa
fresh as a daisy; soft as silk (lit.: like a rose)
con anticipación
in advance; ahead of time
con apuros
with difficulty
con pelos y señales
in minute detail; precisely
con permiso
with (your) permission
con seguridad
surely; certainly; absolutely
con toda la barba
real; the real deal; honest to goodness; true (lit.: with all the beard)
con todo respeto
with all due respect.
1. Con todo respeto, no me parece tan importante.
consultarlo con la almohada
sleep on it (lit.: consult about something with the pillow)
contar con
count on
correr la bola
spread the word; put out the word
cortar el bacalao
call the shots (lit.: to cut the codfish; n.b.: Spain usage)
cortar las alas a alg.
clip someone’s wings; nip something in the bud (lit.: cut the wings of someone or something)
cortar un pelo en el aire
be smart
corto de luces
dim; dull; stupid
cuando pueda
when you can; when you have a moment
cuanto antes
as soon as possible (lit.: as much before)
cuatro gatos
a handful of people; half a dozen people; a small group of people (lit.: four cats)