sp idioms R to Z Flashcards
regalarse
give; let me have (lit.: to give oneself; n.b.: used in Costa Rica; e.g.: ‘regalame’ to mean ‘give me’ something in a store)
reirse la gracia a algien
humor someone (lit.: to laugh with someone)
repartirse el pastel
divide up the pie
rodar por algn
be at someone’s beck and call
rumbo a
in the direction of; toward
sabelotodo
know it all
saber dónde aprieta el zapato
know the score; know the situation (lit.: know where the show pinches)
sabi(h)onda mandona
little miss know-it-all
sabi(h)ondo/a
know it all
sacar a algn de quicio
drive someone crazy; drive someone up a wall
sacar de un apuro
get somebody out of a tight spot
sacar los colores a alguien
make someone blush (lit.: to take out the colors from someone)
sacar pecho
brag; show off (lit.: to stick out chest)
sacarse de encima
come out on top (lit.: to take oneself out at top)
sacarse la mugre
have a nasty accident
sacarse la mugre
work like a dog (n.b.: used in Cono del Sur)
salir adelante
get ahead
salir de las llamas y caer en las brasas
jump out of the frying pan and into the fire
salir de marcha
go out partying
salir de un apuro
get out of a tight spot (lit.: leave a predicament)
salir juntos
date; go out; be seeing (used to describe a couple in a relationship)
Santa Bárbara
Heaven help us (n.b.: Saint Barbara’s help is invoked to protect one from danger esp. in some traditions from fire and storms)
santo cielo
heavens; good heavens (n.b.: popularly used as an expression of suprise often as a euphemism for something stronger)
santo Dios
good God; great God (n.b.: popularly used as an expression of suprise often as a euphemism for something stronger)
se trata de
it’s about; it has to do with; you’re supposed to…
seguido
often (n.b.: Mexican used more often than ‘frequentemente’)
según dice
according to (lit.: following (it) says)
ser agua pasada
be water under the bridge; be done; be over with (lit.: to be water passed by)
ser al mando
be at someone’s command
ser de bronce
be rigid; be inflexible (lit.: be of bronze)
ser de carne y hueso
be only human. 1. Como todo el mundo soy de carne y hueso.
ser de corta edad
be young
ser de dos pelos
be two-faced (used in Cono del Sur)
ser de edad avanzada
be old; be elderly
ser el colmo de los colmos
be the limit; be the worst
ser la monda
be a blast; be really funny
ser más listo que el hambre
be sharp as a tack; be very quick (lit.: be more clever than hunger)
ser otro asunto
be different; be something else
ser pan comido
be a piece of cake (lit.: to take out the colors from someone)
ser toro corrido
be an old hand at (lit.: be a bull [that has] run)
ser un muermo
be a drag; be a bore (used in Spain)
ser un pelo
be very skinny; be very thin
servir lo mismo para un barrido que para un fregado
be a jack of all trades; be handy (lit.: to serve equally as for sweeping or for scrubbing)
sin apuros
without pressure; without embarassment. 1. Quiero vivir sin apuros.