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.
sin duda
without doubt; doubtlessly. 1. No demasiado sin duda.
sin embargo
nevertheless nonetheless (lit.: to have sense)
sito de ligar
singles’ bar; pickup joint (used in Spain)
sobrio como una cuba
drunk (lit.: sober like a wine cask)
soltar el toro a algn
scold somebody severely (lit.: jump the bull to someone)
soltar la risa
burst out laughing
soltarse el pelo
let one’s hair down
subirse a las barbas de alg.
be fresh with someone; be too familiar or friendly with someone (lit.: to go up the beard of someone)
sueño de oro
one’s heart’s desire; one’s dream (lit: dream of gold; A sueño de oro is one’s innermost deepest desire)
tal vez
probably maybe perhaps
tarde o temprano
sooner or later (lit.: late or early)
tele
tv; telly; television
tener a alg. en ascuas
keep someone in suspense; keep someone on tenderhooks (lit.: to have someone on coals)
tener animo
be enthusiastic; be in the mood for
tener buen tipo
have a good figure; have a good body (used in Spain)
tener buen vino
be able to handle one’s alcohol
tener ciudado
be careful (lit.: to have care)
tener el alma en un hilo
be on pins and needles; have one’s heart in one’s mouth; be on tenderhooks (lit.: to have the soul in/by a string)
tener en cuenta
bear in mind; keep in mind (lit.: to have in account)
tener en mente
keep in mind; have in mind
tener ganas (de)
feel like (lit.: to have urges/desires)
tener gracia
be funny; be amusing (lit.: to have grace)
tener harto
be fed up (lit.: to have exhausted)
tener hasta acá
have had enough (lit.: to have up to here)
tener la culpa
be to blame; be one’s fault (lit.: have the blame)
tener las manos largas
be light-fingered (lit.: have large hands)
tener lugar
take place (lit.: to have place)
tener mal vino
be unable to handle one’s alcohol (lit.: to have bad wine)
tener mala leche
have a mean streak (lit.: to have bad milk)
tener miedo (de)
be afraid; be fearful; be scared (lit.: to have fear)
tener paciencia
be patient
tener prisa
be in a hurry; be in a rush (lit.: to have hurry/haste/rush). 1. Ahora tenemos un poco de prisa.
tener que
have to; must
tener razón
be right (lit.: to have reason)
tener sed
be thirsty
tener sentido
make sense (lit.: to have sense)
tener suerte
be lucky; be fortunate (lit.: to have luck)
tiempo de perros
foul weather; horrible weather (lit.: weather for dogs)
tirar el dinero
throw money out the window
tirar por el atajo
take the easy way out (lit.: throw for the shortcut)
tirarse un pedo
fart (n.b.: colloquial)
tocar diana
sound reveille (n.b.: diana means bull’s-eye)
todo el mundo
everyone; everybody (lit.: all the world). 1. Todo el mundo quiere estar sano.
todo hijo de vecino
every Tom Dick and Harry; everyone (lit.: every neighbor’s child)
todo un poco
a little of each; a little of everything
tomar el pelo a alguien
be kidding; pull someone’s leg (lit.: to pull the hair of someone)
tomar el sol
sunbathe; soak up rays; catch some rays
tomar en cuenta
bear in mind; keep in mind
tomar nota(s)
take notes; make a note of
trabajar el doble
work overtime; work extra
traje de Adán
in one’s birthday suit; naked (lit.: in Adam’s clothes)
tratarse
have to do with; be (lit.: to treat. Used with the preposition “de”)
un ojo de la cara
a fortune; an arm and a leg
un pelo
a little bit; a small amount
una y otra vez
again and again (lit.: one and another time)
valer la pena
be worth; be worthwhile (lit.: to be worth the pain). 1. No vale la pena de ir.
venir a golpe de alpargata
walk; hoof it; go on foot (lit.: go by slapping sandals)
venir como agua de mayo
come at just the right time; be just what you need (lit.: come like water in May)
venir como anillo al dedo
be a godsend; come at just the right time (lit.: come like a ring to the finger)
vivir del paro
live off of unemployment (used in Spain)
vivir en la luna
be on cloud nine; be out to lunch (lit.: to be on the moon)
volverse loco
go insane; go mad
ya es hora
it’s about time
ya que
since; because
yo que se
how would I know? (lit.: I know what?)
zurrar la badana a alg.
beat someone up; give someone a good tanning; tan someone’s hide (lit.: thrash the tanned sheepskin of someone)
