Idioms E-G Flashcards
(127 cards)
1
Q
echar agua al vino
A
water down
2
Q
echar ajos y cebollas
A
swear; curse; rant and rave (lit.: throw garlic and onions)
3
Q
echar de menos
A
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.
4
Q
echar el pelo
A
waste time (used in Cono del Sur)
5
Q
echar el toro a algn
A
scold somebody severely (lit.: throw the bull to somebody)
6
Q
echar mano a
A
lay hands on; get one’s hands on
7
Q
echar mano de
A
make use of; resort to
8
Q
echar por el atajo
A
take the easy way out (lit.: throw for the shortcut)
9
Q
echar un mano
A
help; assist (lit.: to throw less)
10
Q
echar un ojo a
A
have one’s eye on; covet (lit.: to throw an eye at)
11
Q
echar un vistazo
A
look around; glance; take a look (lit.: to throw less)
12
Q
echar una bronca
A
hit hard; come down on
13
Q
echar una furia
A
throw a fit
14
Q
echar una mano a algn
A
let someone a hand; give someone a hand; help someone (lit.: throw a hand to someone)
15
Q
echarle los perros a algn
A
come down hard on someone (lit.: throw dogs at someone)
16
Q
echarlo todo a rodar
A
mess it all up; make a mess of everything
17
Q
echarse un novio/-a
A
get a boy/girlfriend (used in Spain)
18
Q
el cuatro es nota, el resto es lugo
A
four is passing, anything else is a luxury (used in Argentina)
19
Q
el pensamiento no tiene/conoce barreras
A
you can think whatever you like (lit.: thought does not have/know barriers)
20
Q
el que se pica, ajos come
A
if the shoe fits, wear it
21
Q
el último grito
A
the latest thing (lit.: the latest cry)
22
Q
en absoluto
A
at all; (not) at all (usually used with a negative verb). 1. No, en absoluto.
23
Q
en adelante
A
from now on
24
Q
en bolas
A
naked; nude; in the buff (Spain usage; lit: in balls)
25
en bolas
in a group; together (Mexican usage; lit.: in balls)
26
en cambio
on the other hand
27
en carne viva
in the flesh (lit.: in living meat)
28
en carne viva
raw; full; complete
29
en carne y hueso
in the flesh
30
en caso de
in case of; in case
31
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.
32
en cuerpo y alma
body and soul
33
en definitiva
in short; in brief
34
en el acto
in the act; red-handed
35
en el medio de la nada
in the middle of nowhere (lit.: in the middle of (the) nothing)
36
en fin
in short; in brief
37
en lo más mínimo
in the least bit
38
en lugar de
insted of, in place of (lit.: in place of)
39
en manos de
in the hands of
40
en pie de
on the verge of (lit.: at (the) foot of)
41
en pos de
in pursuit of; after
42
en realidad
actually; really; in reality
43
en resumen
in sum; in brief; briefly
44
en seguida
right away; at once; immediately
45
en serio
really, truly, seriously (lit.: in serious)
46
en todo caso
in any case; in any event; anyway
47
en tu/su lugar
in your/his/her place (lit.: in your/his/her place)
48
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.
49
en un decir amén
in a flash; in a jiffy; in next to no time (lit.: in the saying of amen)
50
en vez de
instead of (lit.: in time of)
51
entrar a hurtadillas
sneak in
52
entrar a saco
burst in; storm in (lit.: to enter at sack)
53
entrar bien
go down well
54
entrar de maravilla
go down well
55
entre algodones
be pampered; be coddled (lit.: between cotton)
56
entre bromas y veras
half-joking(ly); half-serious(ly) (lit.: between jokes and truths)
57
entre manos
on hand; at hand; immediately available
58
es la salsa de la vida
it's the spice of life
59
estallar en vivas
burst into applause (lit.: to burst into lives)
60
estar a cargo
be in charge
61
estar a dieta
be on a diet (lit.: to be at diet)
62
estar a disgusto
be unhappy; be displeased
63
estar a la miseria
be in a bad way; be in a bad state
64
estar a salvo
be safe; be secure (lit.: to be at saved)
65
estar a tope
be very busy
66
estar abocado al frasco
be doomed to failure
67
estar al loro
be on the alert; know the score (lit.: be at the parrot)
68
estar al palo
have an erection; be hard
69
estar al tanto
be abreast; be up to date (lit.: to be at the such)
70
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.”)
71
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)
72
estar como las propias rosas
feel entirely at ease
73
estar como tres en un zapato
be packed like sardines; be crammed in (lit.: be like three in one shoe)
74
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)
75
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)
76
estar conforme
be satisfied
77
estar curtido en
be expert at; be skilled at (lit.: be tanned, hardened in)
78
estar de bromas
be in a jokeing mood (lit.: to be for jokes)
79
estar de buenas
be in a good mood
80
estar de juerga
go out on the town; party; go clubbing
81
estar de la cabeza
be nuts; be insane
82
estar de oferta
be on sale; be discounted
83
estar de Rodrígues
be left on one's own (lit.: be Rodrigues; used in Spain)
84
estar de siesta
be on break; be on siesta
85
estar de viaje
be on vacation; be away (on vacation)
86
estar de vuelta
be back; have returned. 1. Ya estamos de vuelta.
87
estar del tomate
be nuts; be insane (n.b.: not used much anymore)
88
estar en ascuas
be on pins and needles; be on tenerhooks (lit.: to be on coals)
89
estar en Babia
have one’s head in the clouds (lit.: to be in Babia)
90
estar en camino
be on the way; be coming
91
estar en el ajo
be involved in; be mixed up in; be in the know (lit.: to be in the garlic)
92
estar en el orno
be in a tight spot; be very anxious (used in Argentina)
93
estar en juego
be in play; be up for grabs (lit.: to be in play)
94
estar en juego
be at stake (lit.: to be in play)
95
estar en la buena
be in a good mood; be in luck (used in the Andes region)
96
estar en la luna
be on cloud nine; be out to lunch (lit.: to be on the moon)
97
estar en la miseria
be broke; be poor (used in Spain)
98
estar en su salsa
be in one's element
99
estar harto de
be fed up with; have had it with (lit.: to be exhausted). 1. Estoy harto de esto.
100
estar hasta el gorro
be fed up; have had it (used in Spain)
101
estar hasta el moño
be fed up; have had it (used in Spain)
102
estar hasta la coronilla
be fed up; have had it
103
estar hasta las narices
be fed up; have had it (used in Spain)
104
estar hasta los cojones
be fed up; have had it (vulgar)
105
estar hecho un palo
be as skinny as a rake; be very thin
106
estar hecho una flauta
be thin as a rake (lit.: be like a flute)
107
estar loco por algo
be crazy for something; be nuts about something
108
estar mal de dinero
be hard up; have money problems
109
estar mal de la azotea
be off one’s rocker; be nuts; be crazy (lit.: to be bad in the roof)
110
estar para el arrastre
be done in; be dead on one’s feet; have had it (lit.: to be for dragging)
111
estar pedo
be sloshed; be drunk; be pissed; be high
112
estar que arde
be fuming; be hopping mad; be seething (lit.: to be that which burns)
113
estar seguro (de que)
be sure; be certain (lit.: to be sure)
114
estar sin animo
be down; be in low spirits
115
estar sin pasta
be broke; be poor
116
estar sin plata
be broke; be poor
117
estar sin un duro
be broke; be poor (used in Spain)
118
esto es el colmo
that’s the last straw
119
felices sueños
sweet dreams (lit.: happy dreams)
120
florecer como rosa en mayo
blossom; flourish; bloom
121
fuera de control
out of control. 1. Nuestra casa está fuera de control.
122
fuera de duda
certain; without doubt (lit.: outside of doubt)
123
fuera de modo
out of style; out of fashion
124
fulano de tal
somebody or other
125
fulano, zutano y mengano
Tom, Dick, and Harry; everybody
126
ganarse de mano
beat someone to something (lit.: to win for oneself of/from a hand)
127
gastar una broma a algn
play a joke on; have fun at someone's expense
