Idioms E-G Flashcards
echar agua al vino
water down
echar ajos y cebollas
swear; curse; rant and rave (lit.: throw garlic and onions)
echar de menos
miss; feel the absence of (lit.: to throw less). 1. Puedes pasar una temporada en un país extranjero sin echar de menos tu comida, tu ropa o tú café favorito.
echar el pelo
waste time (used in Cono del Sur)
echar el toro a algn
scold somebody severely (lit.: throw the bull to somebody)
echar mano a
lay hands on; get one’s hands on
echar mano de
make use of; resort to
echar por el atajo
take the easy way out (lit.: throw for the shortcut)
echar un mano
help; assist (lit.: to throw less)
echar un ojo a
have one’s eye on; covet (lit.: to throw an eye at)
echar un vistazo
look around; glance; take a look (lit.: to throw less)
echar una bronca
hit hard; come down on
echar una furia
throw a fit
echar una mano a algn
let someone a hand; give someone a hand; help someone (lit.: throw a hand to someone)
echarle los perros a algn
come down hard on someone (lit.: throw dogs at someone)
echarlo todo a rodar
mess it all up; make a mess of everything
echarse un novio/-a
get a boy/girlfriend (used in Spain)
el cuatro es nota, el resto es lugo
four is passing, anything else is a luxury (used in Argentina)
el pensamiento no tiene/conoce barreras
you can think whatever you like (lit.: thought does not have/know barriers)
el que se pica, ajos come
if the shoe fits, wear it
el último grito
the latest thing (lit.: the latest cry)
en absoluto
at all; (not) at all (usually used with a negative verb). 1. No, en absoluto.
en adelante
from now on
en bolas
naked; nude; in the buff (Spain usage; lit: in balls)
en bolas
in a group; together (Mexican usage; lit.: in balls)
en cambio
on the other hand
en carne viva
in the flesh (lit.: in living meat)
en carne viva
raw; full; complete
en carne y hueso
in the flesh
en caso de
in case of; in case
en cuanto a
as for; when it comes to (lit.: in how much to). 1. En cuanto a la comida, todo lo que preparan es riquísimo.
en cuerpo y alma
body and soul
en definitiva
in short; in brief
en el acto
in the act; red-handed
en el medio de la nada
in the middle of nowhere (lit.: in the middle of (the) nothing)
en fin
in short; in brief
en lo más mínimo
in the least bit
en lugar de
insted of, in place of (lit.: in place of)
en manos de
in the hands of
en pie de
on the verge of (lit.: at (the) foot of)
en pos de
in pursuit of; after
en realidad
actually; really; in reality
en resumen
in sum; in brief; briefly
en seguida
right away; at once; immediately
en serio
really, truly, seriously (lit.: in serious)
en todo caso
in any case; in any event; anyway
en tu/su lugar
in your/his/her place (lit.: in your/his/her place)
en un abrir y cerrar de ojos
very quickly; in a flash; in the blink of an eye (lit.: in the opening and closing of eyes.
en un decir amén
in a flash; in a jiffy; in next to no time (lit.: in the saying of amen)
en vez de
instead of (lit.: in time of)
entrar a hurtadillas
sneak in
entrar a saco
burst in; storm in (lit.: to enter at sack)
entrar bien
go down well
entrar de maravilla
go down well
entre algodones
be pampered; be coddled (lit.: between cotton)
entre bromas y veras
half-joking(ly); half-serious(ly) (lit.: between jokes and truths)
entre manos
on hand; at hand; immediately available
es la salsa de la vida
it’s the spice of life
estallar en vivas
burst into applause (lit.: to burst into lives)
estar a cargo
be in charge
estar a dieta
be on a diet (lit.: to be at diet)
estar a disgusto
be unhappy; be displeased
estar a la miseria
be in a bad way; be in a bad state
estar a salvo
be safe; be secure (lit.: to be at saved)
estar a tope
be very busy
estar abocado al frasco
be doomed to failure
estar al loro
be on the alert; know the score (lit.: be at the parrot)
estar al palo
have an erection; be hard
estar al tanto
be abreast; be up to date (lit.: to be at the such)
estar como agua para chocolate
be at the boiling point (lit.: like water for chocolate. Indicates a boiling point of anger or passion. Note that this phrase was used as the title for a movie, translated into English as “Like Water for Chocolate.”)
estar como el burro del aguador; cargado de agua y muerto de sed
not to see what’s right before one’s eyes (lit.: be like the watercarrier’s donkey; laden with water and dying of thirst; n.b.: a Mexican expression)
estar como las propias rosas
feel entirely at ease
estar como tres en un zapato
be packed like sardines; be crammed in (lit.: be like three in one shoe)
estar con el agua al cuello
be up to one’s neck in problems; be over a barrel (lit.: be with water at one’s collar)
estar con el agua al cuello
be up to one’s neck in something (lit.: have water up to one’s neck; n.b.: a Mexican saying)
estar conforme
be satisfied
estar curtido en
be expert at; be skilled at (lit.: be tanned, hardened in)
estar de bromas
be in a jokeing mood (lit.: to be for jokes)
estar de buenas
be in a good mood
estar de juerga
go out on the town; party; go clubbing
estar de la cabeza
be nuts; be insane
estar de oferta
be on sale; be discounted
estar de Rodrígues
be left on one’s own (lit.: be Rodrigues; used in Spain)
estar de siesta
be on break; be on siesta
estar de viaje
be on vacation; be away (on vacation)
estar de vuelta
be back; have returned. 1. Ya estamos de vuelta.
estar del tomate
be nuts; be insane (n.b.: not used much anymore)
estar en ascuas
be on pins and needles; be on tenerhooks (lit.: to be on coals)
estar en Babia
have one’s head in the clouds (lit.: to be in Babia)
estar en camino
be on the way; be coming
estar en el ajo
be involved in; be mixed up in; be in the know (lit.: to be in the garlic)
estar en el orno
be in a tight spot; be very anxious (used in Argentina)
estar en juego
be in play; be up for grabs (lit.: to be in play)
estar en juego
be at stake (lit.: to be in play)
estar en la buena
be in a good mood; be in luck (used in the Andes region)
estar en la luna
be on cloud nine; be out to lunch (lit.: to be on the moon)
estar en la miseria
be broke; be poor (used in Spain)
estar en su salsa
be in one’s element
estar harto de
be fed up with; have had it with (lit.: to be exhausted). 1. Estoy harto de esto.
estar hasta el gorro
be fed up; have had it (used in Spain)
estar hasta el moño
be fed up; have had it (used in Spain)
estar hasta la coronilla
be fed up; have had it
estar hasta las narices
be fed up; have had it (used in Spain)
estar hasta los cojones
be fed up; have had it (vulgar)
estar hecho un palo
be as skinny as a rake; be very thin
estar hecho una flauta
be thin as a rake (lit.: be like a flute)
estar loco por algo
be crazy for something; be nuts about something
estar mal de dinero
be hard up; have money problems
estar mal de la azotea
be off one’s rocker; be nuts; be crazy (lit.: to be bad in the roof)
estar para el arrastre
be done in; be dead on one’s feet; have had it (lit.: to be for dragging)
estar pedo
be sloshed; be drunk; be pissed; be high
estar que arde
be fuming; be hopping mad; be seething (lit.: to be that which burns)
estar seguro (de que)
be sure; be certain (lit.: to be sure)
estar sin animo
be down; be in low spirits
estar sin pasta
be broke; be poor
estar sin plata
be broke; be poor
estar sin un duro
be broke; be poor (used in Spain)
esto es el colmo
that’s the last straw
felices sueños
sweet dreams (lit.: happy dreams)
florecer como rosa en mayo
blossom; flourish; bloom
fuera de control
out of control. 1. Nuestra casa está fuera de control.
fuera de duda
certain; without doubt (lit.: outside of doubt)
fuera de modo
out of style; out of fashion
fulano de tal
somebody or other
fulano, zutano y mengano
Tom, Dick, and Harry; everybody
ganarse de mano
beat someone to something (lit.: to win for oneself of/from a hand)
gastar una broma a algn
play a joke on; have fun at someone’s expense
