Idioms C-D Flashcards
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)
dar a algn para el pelo
be the living daylights out of someone; wipe the floor with someone
dar a entender
let someone know
dar a la luz
give birth (lit.: to give to the light)
dar la bienvenida
welcome (lit.: to give the welcome)
dar la lata
be a nuisance; annoy (lit.: to give the tin)
dar lástima
make someone sad (to) (lit.: to give pain/sadness)
dar luz verde
give a green light to; permit; allow; clear
dar muerte a
kill someone
dar nacimiento a
give rise to
dar palo
hate; dislike; be unfortunate
dar permiso
permit; allow; give permission
dar risa
make one laugh; make one smile
dar un paseo a caballo
go horseback riding; ride a horse
dar un patatús a alguien
make someone have a fit (lit.: to give someone a fit)
dar un salto
jump; give a start; start (lit.: to give a jump)
dar un vergajo
screw; fuck; have sex with; shag
dar una de cal y otra de arena
use a carrot-and-stick policy
dar una fiesta
give a party
dar una vuelta
go for a ride
dar vida a
portray; play (i.e.: an actor playing a role)
darle a alguien mala espina
make someone feel uneasy (lit.: to give bad thorns to someone)
darse cuenta de
be aware; realize (lit.: to give oneself account of). 1. ¿Te has dado cuenta de que en el supermercado tenemos hasta nueve tipos diferentes de papel higiénico para elegir?
darse por vencido
give up; give in (lit.: to give oneself as defeated)
darse prisa
hurry; rush; do (something) fast (lit.: to give one urgency)
de abrigo
a handful; someone to watch out for (lit.: coat, overcoat)
de ahí en adelante
from now on; from here onward (lit.: from here in forward)
de ahora en adelante
from now on; henceforth; from this moment forward (lit.: from now in advance)
de armas tomar
formidable; tough; redoubtable (lit.: for taking up arms)
de buena gana
willingly; with ease; with pleasure (lit.: of good desire)
de buenas a primeras
suddenly; without warning
de cal y canto
strong; firm
de costumbre
as usual; normally
de cuando en cuando
from time to time; sometimes; once in a while (lit.: of when in when)
de diario
everyday
de golpe
suddenly; abruptly; at once; all at once (lit.: of a blow or strike)
de hecho
in fact, in reality (lit.: of fact). 1. De hecho, qiuero ir contigo.
de inmediato
right now, immediately (lit.: from immediately)
de medio pelo
second-rate
de miedo
fantastic(ally); wonderful(ly); brilliant(ly) (used in Spain)
de moda
in fashion; in style
de modo que
so; so that
de mucho cuidado
big; terrible; real (used adverbially)
de nada
not at all; you’re welcome; don’t mention it (n.b.: often said in response to “gracías”)
de nuevo
again; once again; anew (lit.: of new)
de oro
great; good; very good; wonderful. 1. Ella tiene una voz de oro.
de par en par
wide open (lit.: from rafter to rafter)
de pelo en pecho
manly; masculine
de perlas
just what someone needs; just right; go/fit perfectly (lit.: of pearls)
de perros
foul; horrible; dirty
de pocas luces
dim; dull; stupid
de pronto
suddenly; at once; all at once (lit.: of soon)
de repente
abruptly, suddenly (lit.: of soon)
de tal palo, tal astilla
like father, like son (lit.: of such a broom, such a splinter)
de todas maneras
in any case; anyway
de todos modos
anyway; at any rate (lit.: to the monkfish)
de un modo u otro
one way or another
de un momento a otro
at any moment
de una vez
now
de veras
really, truly (lit.: of fact, truth)
de vez en cuando
sometimes; now and then (lit.: from once in when)
decir amén a todo
say yes to everything; agree to everything (lit.: to say amen to everything)
decir en broma
kid; joke; tease (lit.: to say (as a) joke)
dejar a alg en las astas del toro
leave someone high and dry; leave someone in the lurch (lit.: to leave someone on the horns of the bull)
dejar de lado
set aside; put aside (lit.: to leave from (the) side)
dejar en paz
leave alone; leave be; let it be (lit.: to leave in peace)
desde hacía rato
for some time
desde luego
of course; certainly (lit.: after then/later)
día a día
day after day. 1. La economía real, la que cada uno de nosotros maneja día a día es otra cosa.
di que sí
go for it (lit.: say yes)
dormir el vino
sleep off a hangover
dormir juntos
sleep together (n.b.: in the sexual sense)
