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Spanish proverbs and sayings with their English equivalents
A
- A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando
Translation: Praying to God but hitting with the mallet
Interpretation: Pray to God but also do your part (work for it). This is the right interpretation of this proverb, or at least the only one officially accepted by the Real Academia de la Lengua (Spanish normative language regulation institution).
- A donde fueres, haz lo que vieres/Allá donde fueres, haz lo que vieres
Translation: 'To where you go, do the things you see'
Interpretation: Adapt yourself to the local customs.
Equivalent English proverb: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
- Caballo regalado no se le mira el diente/colmillo/dentado.
Translation: Do not check the teeth of a horse given as a present
Interpretation: Do not search for faults in a gift
Equivalent English proverb: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."
-
Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr
Translation: 'Water you are not going to drink, let it run'
Interpretation: Do not hoard what you can't or won't use.
- A la tercera va la vencida
Translation: 'Third try is the successful one.'
Interpretation: You may fail in doing something, but you will have success on the third try.
Equivalent English proverb: "Third time's a charm"
- Al mal tiempo, buena cara
Translation: Put a nice face to the bad times.
Interpretation: Be positive even in bad situations.
- Al que le van a dar, le guardan y si llega tarde, le calientan
Translation: He who is to receive, some is saved for him, and if he is late, it will be warmed up again.
Interpretation:
Sometimes, people tend to get stuck with ideas and principles and make way for them through rain and storm.
- A rey muerto, rey puesto
Translation: 'To a dead king, a king crowned.'
Equivalent English saying: "The King is dead. Long live the King."
B
- Barriga llena, corazón contento.
Barriga llena, no hay pena.
Translation: "Full stomach, happy heart."
Interpretation:
When one has eaten enough/much, one is happy.
C
- Caballo grande, ande o no ande
Translation: 'Big horse, whether or not it can trot'
Interpretation: A good thing, even if it can't do something basic
- Calladita se ve mas bonita.
Translation: You look prettier when you're quiet.
Interpretations:
If you can't say anything nice (or intelligent), don't say anything at all
- Caras vemos, corazones no sabemos.
Alt: Se ven las caras pero nunca el corazón
Translation: Faces we (can) see, hearts we don't/can't know.
Interpretation:
We know what someone looks like but not what he thinks or feels.
- Casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo.
Alt: En casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo.
Translation: In a blacksmith's house all knives are wooden
Interpretation:
Someone doesn't work for him/herself.
- Cree que es la última coca-cola en el desierto.
Translation: He/she thinks he/she is the last Coke in the desert.
- Cuando el río suena, agua lleva.
Translation: When the river makes noise, (is because) it's carrying water.
Interpretations:
Every rumour has probably a true part.
English: Where there's smoke, there's fire.
D
- Dame pan y llámame tonto.
Translation: 'Give me bread and call me stupid.'
Interpretation: There's no problem if you call me stupid so long as you remember to give me bread to eat.
English: Sticks and stones ... or Call me what you like, just don't call me late for dinner.
- Del árbol caído todos hacen leña.
Translation: 'Everyone makes lumber from a fallen tree.'
Interpretation:
Anyone can make a profit from someone's disgrace.
- De tal palo, tal astilla.
Translation: 'A chip off the old block.'
Translation: 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.'
Interpretations:
This is mostly used to say that kids are just like their parents, good or bad.
- Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres.
Translation: Tell me who you hang around with and I'll tell you who you are.
Interpretation: Your choice of friends or associates is sign of your character.
- Donde caben dos, caben tres.
Translation: Where there is room for two there is room for three.
- Donde las dan, las toman.
Translation: 'Where they give things, they can take them too'.
Interpretation: Sentence used as a threat when some one wants to pay somebody back.
- Donde menos se piensa, salta la liebre.
Translation: Hares always jump where they are least expected.
E
- El cojo le echa la culpa al empedrado.
Translation: The crippled blames the cobblestones.
Interpretation: A person will blame his misfortune on circumstances or other people rather than accept that he is to blame.
- El hábito no hace al monje.
Translation: Cowl does not make the friar.
Idiomatic translation: Don't judge the book by its cover. Or clothes don't make the man
- El que calla, otorga.
Translation: He who keeps quiet, grants/consents.
Interpretation: Those who keep quiet after getting accused, usually admit guilt with their silence. Also used to imply that people that are asked something and remain quiet are silently accepting.
F
- Fue por lana y salió trasquilado.
Translation: (He/She) went looking for wool and came back shorn.
Interpretation:
If you go for something it might end up biting you
you woo someone but end up heartbroken.
G
- Gato escaldado del agua fría huye.
Translation: A scalded cat flees from cold water.
Interpretation: Once bitten, twice shy.
- Los gatos siempre caen de pie.
Translation: Cats always fall in their paws.
- Gato por liebre. (dar gato por liebre)
Translation: (give) cat for rabbit/hare.
Interpretation: Cheat someone, water down, bait and switch, one-card Monty.
H
- Hablando del rey de Roma...y éste que se asoma.
Translation: "As we were speaking of the King of Rome, look who dropped by!"
Equivalent English expression: "Speak of the Devil (and he's sure to appear)."
- Hasta el justo se equivoca.
Alt: Al mejor panadero se le quema el pan.
Alt: Hasta al mejor mono se le cae el zapote. (Costa Rica)
Translation: Even the wisest makes mistakes.
- Hijo de tigre sale pintado.
Literal Translation: "The tiger's son comes out painted."
Translation: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
I
- Imposible solo existe en el mundo de los incapaces.
Translation: Impossible only exists in the world of the incapables.
Interpretation: Anything is possible if you put your mind toward it.
L
- Lagarto que traga no vomita.
Translation: The lizard that swallows doesn't vomit. (NB- lagarto is also archaic for dragon.)
Interpretation: A tough stomach can take anything.
- Le salio el tiro por la culata.
Interpretation: His plans backfired.
The literal translation of this proverb is that "His bullet-shot came out through the buttocks of the rifle".
- Llover a cántaros.
Translation: Raining pitchers-full.
English Equivalent: It's raining cats and dogs.
- Lo que no mata, engorda.
Alt: Mugre (mierda) que no mata, engorda.
Translation: What does not kill, fattens.
M
- Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo"
Alt:Perro viejo late echado
Translation: The devil knows more from being old than from being the devil.
Interpretations:
Don't underestimate experience.
Titles do not always describe a person's abilities and knowledge.
- Más vale llegar a tiempo que en convidado.
Alt: Más vale llegar a tiempo que ser invitado.
Translation: It is better to arrive at the right moment than to be invited.
Interpretations:
It is better to arrive in time (prepared) than to depend on others (being invited/hosted).
Be responsible; be self-sufficient.
Also used when someone not really welcome just shows up (Alt version more common.)
- Más vale tarde que nunca.
Translation: Better late than never.
N
- No es oro todo lo que reluce
Translation: 'Not everything that glimmers is gold'
- No hables de la soga en casa del ahorcado.
Translation: Don't speak of the noose in the hanged man's house.
Interpretations:
Don't talk about others problems in their own home.
Beware the beam in your own eye; take care of your own back yard.
Beware of speaking about touchy subjects at inappropriate times/in inappropriate places.
- No hay mal que por bien no venga.
Translation: There is no misfortune that doesn't come because of good.
Interpretations:
Don't take for granted that with good luck won't come misfortune.
The road to Hell is paved by good intentions.
- No hay cuña que más apriete que la del mismo palo.
Translation: The best wedge comes from its own stick.
O
- Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente
Translation: Eyes that don't see heart that doesn't feel.
Interpretation: If you don't see something happen, you never feel sorry for it.
Interpretation: Often used for a cheated person
P
-
Perro ladrador, poco mordedor.
Alt: Perro que ladra no muerde.
Translation:
A barking dog doesn't bite.
His bark is worse than his bite.
Interpretation:
If someone says to be very violent, it means that he is not so bad.
- Perro viejo, ladra echado
Translation: An old dog barks while lying
Interpretation: An old dog knows that he has authority even if he is lying, so he doesn't need to waste energy in getting up.
Q
- Quien a buen árbol se arrima buena sombra le cobija.
Translation: Whoever leans close to a good tree is blanketed by good shade.
Interpretation: Seek out the good in life.
- Quien anda con lobos a aullar aprende.
Translation: He who hangs out with wolves will learn how to howl.
Interpretation: Bad influences transform you.
Interpretation: The same as Nietzsche's "Those who look into the abyss must be careful lest they find the abyss looking into them".
- Quien bien te quiere, te hará llorar.
Translation: He / She who loves you a lot can make you cry.
- Quien la hace, la paga.
Translation: 'He/She who does it, pays it'.
English version: What goes around comes around.
R
- Río que suena, piedras trae.
Translation: A river that rumbles brings boulders.
Interpretation:
Any rumor has some truth.
Any lie has some truth.
- Río revuelto, ganancia de pescadores
Translation: 'A rough river is a profit for the fishers'.
S
- Si Mahoma no va a la montaña, la montaña irá a Mahoma
Translation: 'If Muhammad does not go to the mountain, the mountain will go to Muhammad'
Interpretation: There are some things that have to happen.
Translation from an English proverb. The earliest appearance of the phrase is from Chapter 12 of the Essays of Francis Bacon, published in 1625.
T
- Tanta carne y yo comiendo bacalao.
Alt: Tanta carne y yo sin dientes.
Translation: So much meat, and I'm eating cod / and I with no teeth.
Interpretation: So yummy and I can't enjoy it. (in referring to an attractive person who may be out of one's league); water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink.
- Tanto nadar para quedar en la orilla.
Translation: Swimming so much, only to remain on the shore.
Interpretation: Said when one's returns aren't commensurate with one's efforts. Running twice as fast just to stay where you are.
- Tanto te quiero perrito, pero pa' pan muy poquito.
Translation: Much as I like you, puppy, but not enough to give you bread.
Interpretation: You're not that attractive!
I'm not that desperate.
U
- Un clavo saca a otro clavo
Alt: La mancha de una mora, con otra verde se quita.
Translation: one nail drives out another
Translation: That driven nail draws-out the other.
V
- Vámonos que nos vamos a mojar.
Translation: Let's go we're getting wet (Knowing when to take one's leave).
Interpretation: Let's get out of here or we'll get in trouble.
- Ver la paja en el ojo ajeno, y no la viga en el propio.
Translation: Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
- Vivieron felices y comieron perdices (y a mí no me dieron).
Translation: They lived happily and ate partridge (and didn't give me any).
English equivalent: And they lived happily ever after.
Y
- Yo tengo una tía que toca la guitarra.
Translation: I have an aunt who plays the guitar.
English proverb: What does that have to do with the price of rice in China?
Interpretation: That was completely irrelevant.
Z
- Zapatero a tus zapatos.
Translation: Shoemaker to his shoes
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