Spanish Idioms Flashcards
Al hierro caliente batir de repente
Literal: beat the hot iron at once
Actual: Strike while the iron is hot
Antes que cases mira lo que haces
Literal: Before you marry look what you do
Actual: Look before you leap
Beben agua en el mismo jarrito
Literal: They drink water from the same little jug
Actual: they are as thick as thieves
Cada perico a su estaca, cada changa a su mecate
Literal: Each parrot on its perch, each monkey on its rope
Actual: to each his own
Caras vemos, corazones no sabemos
Literal: Faces we see, hearts we don’t know
Actual: can’t judge a book by its cover
Darle un beso a la botella
Literal: to give the bottle a kiss
Actual: to have a swig
De la subida más alta es la caída más lastimosa
Literal: Of the highest rise, the shortest fall
Actual: the bigger they are the harder they fall
En menos que canta un gallo
Literal: in less time that the rooster crows
Actual: in a shake of a lamb’s tail
Estar como perro en barrio ajeno
Literal: to be like a dog in a neighbour’s yard
Actual: to feel like a fish out of water
Más loco que u a cabra
Literal: crazier than a goat
Actual: mad as a hatter
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando
Literal: a bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying
Actual: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Meter la cuchara
Literal: To put the spoon in
Actual: Put your oar in
Mientras que en mi casa estoy, rey soy
Literal: while in my house, I am king
Actual: a man’s home is his castle
Ser más listo que un coyote
Literal: to be more ready (alert) than a coyote
Actual: sharp as a tack
Tener más lana que un Borrego
Literal: to have more wool than a lamb
Actual: to have money to burn
Vivito y coleando
Literal: alive and wagging tail
Actual: alive and kicking
Al que madruga, Dios lo ayuda
The early bird catches the worm
No hay nada tan atrevido como le ignorancia
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
El campo fértil no descansado, tórnase estéril
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
Al canto del petiguere
At the cocks crow/ at day break
