10 Spanish Idioms with Similar Meanings in English

Learning a new language can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to idiomatic expressions. Idioms are phrases whose meanings cannot be deduced from their literal definitions, making them challenging for non-native speakers to understand. Spanish and English are two languages that share many similarities, including idioms with similar meanings. In this article, we’ll explore ten Spanish idioms with English equivalents to help you expand your linguistic repertoire and improve your communication skills.

1. “Estar en la luna” – “To be in the clouds”

“Estar en la luna” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to be in the moon.” It means to be absent-minded or daydreaming, similar to the English expression “to be in the clouds.”

• No me escuchaste, ¿verdad? Estás en la luna. (You didn’t hear me, did you? You’re in the clouds.)
• Disculpa, estaba en la luna, ¿qué decías? (Sorry, I was daydreaming, what were you saying?)
• Estoy en la luna, pensando en mis vacaciones en la playa. (I’m in the clouds, thinking about my beach vacation.)

2. “Ponerse las pilas” – “To get one’s act together”

“Ponerse las pilas” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to put on the batteries.” It means to get one’s act together or to start working seriously, similar to the English expression “to get one’s act together.”

• Deja de perder el tiempo y ponte las pilas si quieres aprobar el examen. (Stop wasting time and get your act together if you want to pass the exam.)
• Necesito ponerme las pilas con mi trabajo si quiero recibir un ascenso. (I need to get my act together with my work if I want to get a promotion.)
• Mañana empiezo el gimnasio y me voy a poner las pilas para ponerme en forma. (Tomorrow I start the gym and I’m going to get my act together to get in shape.)

3. “Echar agua al mar” – “To be a drop in the bucket”

“Echar agua al mar” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to throw water into the sea.” It means to do something pointless or to be insignificant, similar to the English expression “to be a drop in the bucket.”

• Si solo recogemos basura una vez al mes, es como echar agua al mar. (If we only pick up trash once a month, it’s like a drop in the bucket.)
• Escribir a nuestro congresista no va a cambiar nada, es como echar agua al mar. (Writing to our congressman won’t change anything, it’s like a drop in the bucket.)
• Me gustaría donar dinero a esta organización, pero solo tengo $5. Sería como echar agua al mar. (I would like to donate money to this organization, but I only have $5. It would be like a drop in the bucket.)

4. “Ser pan comido” – “To be a piece of cake”

“Ser pan comido” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to be eaten bread.” It means something is effortless or straightforward, similar to the English expression “to be a piece of cake.”

• No te preocupes, este examen es pan comido. (Don’t worry, this exam is a piece of cake.)
• Para mí, cocinar esta cena es pan comido. (For me, cooking this dinner is a piece of cake.)
• Armar este rompecabezas fue pan comido, lo terminé en 15 minutos. (Assembling this puzzle was a piece of cake, I finished it in 15 minutes.)

5. “Costar un ojo de la cara” – “To cost an arm and a leg”

“Costar un ojo de la cara” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to cost an eye from the face.” It means something is expensive or costs a lot, similar to the English expression “to cost an arm and a leg.”

• Comprar una casa en este vecindario cuesta un ojo de la cara. (Buying a house in this neighborhood costs an arm and a leg.)
• No puedo creer que este bolso cueste $1,500. ¡Es un ojo de la cara! (I can’t believe this purse costs $1,500. It’s an arm and a leg!)
• Viajar en temporada alta puede costar un ojo de la cara. (Traveling in peak season can cost an arm and a leg.)

6. “No tener pelos en la lengua” – “To not mince one’s words”

“No tener pelos en la lengua” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to not have hairs on one’s tongue.” It means to speak one’s mind frankly, similar to the English expression “to not mince one’s words.”

• A Juan no le gustó la película y no tuvo pelos en la lengua para decírselo al director. (John didn’t like the movie and didn’t mince his words when telling the director.)
• Mi abuela no tiene pelos en la lengua y siempre dice lo que piensa. (My grandmother doesn’t mince her words and always says what she thinks.)
• Si quieres que mejore mi trabajo, tienes que decirme lo que hago mal sin tener pelos en la lengua. (If you want me to improve my work, you have to tell me what I’m doing wrong without mincing your words.)

7. “Echar leña al fuego” – “To add fuel to the fire”

“Echar leña al fuego” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to throw wood into the fire.” It means to make a situation worse or to provoke someone, similar to the English expression “to add fuel to the fire.”

• No le hables de su exnovia, solo le estás echando leña al fuego. (Don’t talk to him about his ex-girlfriend, you’re just adding fuel to the fire.)
• Si discutimos con él, solo va a echar más leña al fuego y la situación empeorará. (If we argue with him, he’ll just add more fuel to the fire and the situation will get worse.)
• No deberías comentar el rumor, solo vas a echar más leña al fuego. (You shouldn’t comment on the rumor, you’ll just add more fuel to the fire.)

8. “Salir el tiro por la culata” – “To backfire”

“Salir el tiro por la culata” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to shoot out the butt.” It means when something goes wrong or doesn’t go as planned, similar to the English expression “to backfire.”

• Pensé que mi plan sería un éxito, pero salió el tiro por la culata. (I thought my plan would be a success, but it backfired.)
• Si no piensas bien lo que dices, puede salir el tiro por la culata y meterte en problemas. (If you don’t think carefully about what you say, it can backfire and get you into trouble.)
• Juan intentó hacer una broma, pero salió el tiro por la culata y nadie se rió. (John tried to make a joke, but it backfired and nobody laughed.)

9. “Meter la pata” – “To put one’s foot in it”

“Meter la pata” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to put one’s paw.” It means to make a mistake or to say something inappropriate, similar to the English expression “to put one’s foot in it.”

• Perdí la oportunidad de conseguir el trabajo porque metí la pata en la entrevista. (I missed the opportunity to get the job because I put my foot in it during the interview.)
• No deberías meter la pata hablando de religión en una cena familiar. (You shouldn’t put your foot in it by talking about religion at a family dinner.)
• Si no quieres meter la pata, deberías pensar antes de hablar. (If you don’t want to put your foot in it, you should think before you speak.)

10. “Hacer la vista gorda” – “To turn a blind eye”

“Hacer la vista gorda” is a Spanish idiom that translates to “to make the fat view.” It means to ignore or overlook something, similar to the English expression “to turn a blind eye.”

• El jefe hace la vista gorda cuando los empleados llegan tarde. (The boss turns a blind eye when employees arrive late.)
• No podemos hacer la vista gorda ante la corrupción en el gobierno. (We can’t turn a blind eye to corruption in the government.)
• Si haces la vista gorda ante los problemas en tu relación, solo empeorarán. (If you turn a blind eye to problems in your relationship, they’ll only get worse.)

Learning idioms can greatly enhance your language skills and help you communicate more effectively with native speakers. By understanding idiomatic expressions and their equivalents in different languages, you can also gain insight into different cultures and ways of thinking.

In conclusion, mastering a new language can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Idioms are an essential component of any language, and understanding them can greatly improve your ability to communicate effectively. By exploring ten Spanish idioms with English equivalents, we hope to have helped you broaden your linguistic horizons and improve your language skills.

FAQs