The 35 Most Used Spanish Expressions You Should Know

Learning a new language is not just about knowing the grammar and basic vocabulary but also about familiarizing yourself with the expressions and idioms that native speakers use. In this article, we present some of the most common Spanish expressions that you can find in books like “The 5-Minute Spanish Journal.” These phrases will help you feel more comfortable and natural when speaking Spanish in everyday conversations.

What are Idiomatic Expressions?

Idiomatic expressions are phrases whose meanings cannot be easily deduced from the words they are made up of. They are an essential part of everyday language and reflect the culture and customs of native speakers. Knowing these expressions will allow you to better understand spoken Spanish and help you communicate more effectively.

Common Spanish Expressions

1. Echar una mano
   • Meaning: To help someone.
     Use in a sentence: “¿Me puedes echar una mano con este trabajo?” (“Can you give me a hand with this work?”)
2. Estar en las nubes
   • Meaning: To be distracted or not paying attention.
     Use in a sentence: “María, ¡deja de estar en las nubes y concéntrate en la clase!” (“Maria, stop daydreaming and focus on the class!”)
3. Tirar la toalla
   • Meaning: To give up.
     Use in a sentence: “Después de varios intentos fallidos, decidió tirar la toalla.” (“After several failed attempts, he decided to throw in the towel.”)
4. Ser pan comido
   • Meaning: To be very easy to do.
     Use in a sentence: “No te preocupes por el examen, va a ser pan comido.” (“Don’t worry about the exam, it’s going to be a piece of cake.”)
5. Estar hecho polvo
   • Meaning: To be very tired or exhausted.
     Use in a sentence: “Después de correr el maratón, estaba hecho polvo.” (“After running the marathon, he was exhausted.”)
6. A otro perro con ese hueso
   • Meaning: Not to believe something someone says.
     Use in a sentence: “¿De verdad piensas que me voy a creer eso? ¡A otro perro con ese hueso!” (“Do you really think I’m going to believe that? Tell it to someone who cares!”)
7. Tomar el pelo
   • Meaning: To tease or deceive someone.
     Use in a sentence: “¿En serio ganaste la lotería o me estás tomando el pelo?” (“Did you really win the lottery or are you pulling my leg?”)
8. Ponerse las pilas
   • Meaning: To start working or acting with more energy.
     Use in a sentence: “Si quieres aprobar el examen, tienes que ponerte las pilas y estudiar más.” (“If you want to pass the exam, you need to get your act together and study more.”)
9. Hacer la vista gorda
   • Meaning: To intentionally ignore something.
     Use in a sentence: “El jefe hizo la vista gorda cuando llegué tarde al trabajo.” (“The boss turned a blind eye when I arrived late to work.”)
10. Meter la pata
    • Meaning: To make a mistake or mess up.
      Use in a sentence: “Lamento haber metido la pata en la reunión de hoy.” (“I’m sorry for screwing up in the meeting today.”)
11. Dar en el clavo
    • Meaning: To be right on the mark.
      Use in a sentence: “Tu comentario realmente dio en el clavo.” (“Your comment really hit the nail on the head.”)
12. Estar como una cabra
    • Meaning: To be a bit crazy.
      Use in a sentence: “Mi tío está como una cabra, siempre hace cosas locas.” (“My uncle is a bit crazy, he always does crazy things.”)
13. No tener pelos en la lengua
    • Meaning: To speak one’s mind.
      Use in a sentence: “Ella no tiene pelos en la lengua, siempre dice lo que piensa.” (“She doesn’t mince words, she always speaks her mind.”)
14. Estar entre la espada y la pared
    • Meaning: To be in a difficult situation.
      Use in a sentence: “Estoy entre la espada y la pared con esta decisión.” (“I’m between a rock and a hard place with this decision.”)
15. Dar gato por liebre
    • Meaning: To deceive or cheat someone.
      Use in a sentence: “Me dieron gato por liebre con ese coche usado.” (“They sold me a lemon with that used car.”)
16. Costar un ojo de la cara
    • Meaning: To be very expensive.
      Use in a sentence: “Este reloj cuesta un ojo de la cara.” (“This watch costs an arm and a leg.”)
17. Quedarse de piedra
    • Meaning: To be stunned or shocked.
      Use in a sentence: “Me quedé de piedra cuando escuché la noticia.” (“I was stunned when I heard the news.”)
18. Tener la sartén por el mango
    • Meaning: To be in control of a situation.
      Use in a sentence: “Ella tiene la sartén por el mango en su empresa.” (“She holds all the cards in her company.”)
19. A lo hecho, pecho
    • Meaning: To face the consequences of one’s actions.
      Use in a sentence: “A lo hecho, pecho; ahora tenemos que resolverlo.” (“What’s done is done; now we have to fix it.”)
20. Más vale tarde que nunca
    • Meaning: Better late than never.
      Use in a sentence: “Llegaste tarde, pero más vale tarde que nunca.” (“You arrived late, but better late than never.”)
21. Ojo por ojo, diente por diente
    • Meaning: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
      Use in a sentence: “En algunas culturas, se aplica la ley de ojo por ojo, diente por diente.” (“In some cultures, they apply the law of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”)
22. Buscarle tres pies al gato
    • Meaning: To complicate things unnecessarily.
      Use in a sentence: “No le busques tres pies al gato, es una solución simple.” (“Don’t make things complicated, it’s a simple solution.”)
23. Ir al grano
    • Meaning: To get to the point.
      Use in a sentence: “Vamos a ir al grano, ¿cuál es el problema?” (“Let’s get to the point, what’s the problem?”)
24. Hacerse el sueco
    • Meaning: To pretend not to understand.
      Use in a sentence: “Se hizo el sueco cuando le pregunté sobre el dinero.” (“He pretended not to understand when I asked him about the money.”)
25. Tener la mosca detrás de la oreja
    • Meaning: To be suspicious.
      Use in a sentence: “Tengo la mosca detrás de la oreja con este negocio.” (“I’m suspicious about this deal.”)
26. No pegar ojo
    • Meaning: Not to sleep at all.
      Use in a sentence: “No pegué ojo en toda la noche por el ruido.” (“I didn’t sleep a wink all night because of the noise.”)
27. Tener mala leche
    • Meaning: To be bad-tempered.
      Use in a sentence: “Ese jefe tiene mala leche, mejor no lo provoques.” (“That boss has a bad temper, better not provoke him.”)
28. Ponerse como un tomate
    • Meaning: To blush intensely.
      Use in a sentence: “Se puso como un tomate cuando le preguntaron sobre su novia.” (“He turned as red as a tomato when they asked him about his girlfriend.”)
29. Tener un corazón de oro
    • Meaning: To have a heart of gold.
      Use in a sentence: “Mi abuela tiene un corazón de oro, siempre está ayudando a los demás.” (“My grandmother has a heart of gold, she is always helping others.”)
30. Poner el grito en el cielo
    • Meaning: To raise a fuss.
      Use in a sentence: “Los vecinos pusieron el grito en el cielo por el ruido de la fiesta.” (“The neighbors raised a fuss about the noise from the party.”)
31. Ser un manitas
    • Meaning: To be handy or good with one’s hands.
      Use in a sentence: “Juan es un manitas, arregló la mesa en un momento.” (“Juan is handy, he fixed the table in no time.”)
32. Hacer borrón y cuenta nueva
    • Meaning: To make a fresh start.
      Use in a sentence: “Después de la pelea, decidieron hacer borrón y cuenta nueva.” (“After the fight, they decided to make a fresh start.”)
33. De tal palo, tal astilla
    • Meaning: Like father, like son.
      Use in a sentence: “Mira cómo trabaja, de tal palo, tal astilla.” (“Look how he works, like father, like son.”)
34. Ser un cero a la izquierda
    • Meaning: To be insignificant or useless.
      Use in a sentence: “Me siento como un cero a la izquierda en este equipo.” (“I feel like a nonentity in this team.”)
35. Más claro que el agua
    • Meaning: Crystal clear.
      Use in a sentence: “Tu explicación fue más clara que el agua.” (“Your explanation was crystal clear.”)

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Benefits of Learning Idiomatic Expressions

Learning and using idiomatic expressions have several benefits for Spanish learners:

• Improves listening comprehension: It will help you better understand native speakers.
• Enriches your vocabulary: Adds variety and richness to your way of expressing yourself.
• Facilitates communication: Allows you to express ideas more precisely and naturally.
• Brings you closer to the culture: Expressions reflect unique cultural aspects and help you better understand the Spanish-speaking society.

How to Practice Idiomatic Expressions

1. Read short stories in Spanish: Books like “The 5-Minute Spanish Journal” are excellent resources for learning and practicing idiomatic expressions. These short stories are specifically designed for Spanish learners and contain everyday and useful language.
2. Watch movies and series in Spanish: Watching content in Spanish will expose you to how idiomatic expressions are used in real contexts. Pay attention to the dialogues and try to identify the phrases you have learned.
3. Converse with native speakers: Practicing with native speakers is one of the best ways to improve your fluency and familiarize yourself with idiomatic expressions. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; it’s part of the learning process.
4. Use language learning apps: Apps like Duolingo, Babbel, or Memrise can also be useful for learning new expressions and practicing their use.

Conclusion

Learning the most common idiomatic expressions in Spanish is essential for any student who wants to communicate more naturally and effectively. We hope this list is helpful and inspires you to keep improving your language skills. Don’t forget to explore books like “The 5-Minute Spanish Journal” to find more examples and practice in real contexts.

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