spanish idioms, expressions and proverbs for the dele

8/9/2019 Spanish Idioms, Expressions and Proverbs for the DELE

1/19

1

WORKBOOK #5

Spanish Idioms,Expressions &

Proverbs

eDELE s.a.

Buscar las patas al gato

eDELE.org

Excellentia Didctica:Espaol comoLengua ExtranjeraOnline Preparation for DELE Exams

(Spanish as Foreign Language)


2/19

2

Spanish Expressions and idioms

Ah, ya veo No desde

Oh, I see Not since

En vez de (Estar) de acuerdoInstead of To agree

Cada cunto? Por cunto tiempo?

How many times? How often? For how long?

Est de malas? Una que otra vez

Are you in a bad mood? Once in a while

Falta poco Algunas veces / De vez en cuando / Una que otra vez

Almost there Sometimes

Puede hacerme un favor? Por primera vez

Can you do me a favour? For the first time

Hasta dnde? Por eso / Por lo tanto / Por consiguiente

How far? Consequently / Accordingly / Therefore

La gota que derramo el vaso Entonces

The last straw Thus / accordingly

Lo antes posible / lo ms pronto posible Acerca de / Sobre

a.s.a.p. concerning / about

Dnde estn los dems? Ningn

Where are the others / rest of the group? None / Not a single

Aprese! Nada

Hurry up! None / nothing (referring to objects)

As se hace! Nadie

Well done! None / no one (referring to humans)

Me cuesta + inf. Se acab / nada ms, gracias

It is difficult for me Im done / nothing more, thank you

Al pie de la letra Por qu no?

Literally Why not?

Me gusta ella Usted aqu!

I like her appearance Here you are! / Ah! Its you! (Dr. Livingstone moment)


3/19

3

Me cae bien ella De ningn modo

I like her personality No ways!

Cuando quiera Qu tiene usted?

Whenever you want Whats the matter?/ Whats wrong with you?

Lo que quiera Qu tal? Cmo le va? Como ests? Qu pasa?

Whatever you want How are you? How are things going? Whats up?

Como sea Est seguro? Es verdad?

Anyway / somehow / whatever Is that true / right? Are you sure?

De vras? En serio?!

Truly?! Are you serious? / No?! (expression of incredulity)

Y qu? De ahora en adelante

So what!? Henceforth

Cueste lo que cueste An / Todava

At any cost still (indicating continuation its still happening)

De repente Siempre

Suddenly always

El da menos pensado Tal vez / Quiz(s)

Unexpectedly Perhaps / maybe / who knows?

Es lo de menos Nunca

Makes no difference Never

Tampoco Tambin (mi gusta azucar, tambin miel)

And neitherdo I like As well as (I like sugar, and I like honey too)

En vez de / en lugar de Demasiado

In stead of Too much

Desde entonces Bastante bin, gracias

Since then Very well, thanks

Hoy en ocho / quince Por todas partes

One / two weeks from now Everywhere


4/19

4

De sobra le toca a usted / te toca a ti

Left-overs / superfluous It s your turn

Dejar dicho no importa

Leave word with its not important (no matter / dont worry / forget it)

Echarse para atrs una que otra vez

Withdraw (a statement) a few times

El gusto es mo / El placer es para mi resfriarse

The correct reply to mucho gusto catch a cold

Estamos a mano pinselo

We got even think about it

Est a gusto / cmodo? Ella est de compras

Is it OK? Convenient? To your liking? Shes out shopping

De vez en cuando no se preocupe

From time-to-time dont worry

Ni siquiera hgame saber

Not even let me know

A menudo / varias veces que tenga buen da / que te vaya bien

Often / regularly have a nice day / go well

Vecindario tener sueo

Neighbourhood to feel sleepy

A cado rato aliengena

Every time alien (strange / extra-terrestrial)

Todava Todava no

Up till now Not yet

Ya Ya! (emphasized)

Already (as in theyre already here) right now!

Ya mero Ya no

Very soon no longer


5/19

5

Ahora Ahorita

Now Right now

Mientras raras veces / raramente

While seldom / rarely

Cmo as? Muchas veces

What do you mean? Many times

A lo mejor hallar

Maybe to find

Y qu? Es como esto

So? it is what it is

Conocido cul(es)?

An acquiantance (not a friend) which one(s)? referring to objects

Amigo quin(es)

Friend which one(s)? referring to humans

Amigo ntimo

Close friend (not physical)

Amante preparese!

Lover prepare yourself / get ready

A ninguna parte cmprelo

Not going anywhere buy it

Ya quisiera! Cunto tiempo se queda usted?

I wish! You wish! How long are you staying?

Por desgracia / Desafortunadamente as / de esta manera

Unfortunately (do it) like this / in this way

Por ejemplo qu pena! / qu lstima

For example what a pity

Jams encantada de conocerle

Never nice meeting you

Expresar / comunicar en el medio

Express / convey a thought in the middle


6/19

6

Me simpatiza mucho ya lo tengo

I like you very much Ive got it (I understand)

Me alegro de conocerlo(a) / encantado darse la mano

I am glad to meet you to shake hands

Asas listo! / yoestoy listo(a)

So-so done! (its ready) / Im ready

Hgame el favor de sentarse pngalo all

Please sit down put it there

Me he divertido mucho ms o menos

I have enjoyed myself very much more or less

D mis saludos a usted est equivocado

Give my regards to you are wrong

Venga a vernos nmero equivocado

Come to see us wrong number (telephone)

Estoy aqui por negocios / de vacaciones creo que no

Im here on business / holiday I believe not

Tengo prisa no me diga eso!

I am in a hurry dont tell me that!

Me alegro doble a la izquierda / derechaI am glad turn left / right

Lo siento muy seguido

I am sorry very often

Creo que s qu mal tiempo

I think / believe so what bad weather

Qu es eso? Sin duda

What is that? undoubtedly

Puede ser es obvioPerhaps / maybe its obvious

Dispnseme no vale le pena

Please excuse me its not worth the trouble

No hay de que completo

Its a pleasure / youre welcome (its) sold out


7/19

7

No tiene nada que ver con sea paciente

Has nothing to do with be patient

Por cierto es increble

By the way its incredible

Estar advertido es divertido

Be aware of its funny

Tal vez lo/la ve seguido?

Perhaps do you see him/her regularly?

Pronto sintase en su casa

Soon make yourself at home

Este/estathis(gender sensitive) no es?

Ese / esathat(gender sensitive) not so?

Ambos acerca de / sobre

Both concerning / about (an issue)

Qu mal! Por eso

Too bad! therefore

Anque rase / haba una vez

Even for / although there once was / once upon a time (starting a tale)

Por si acaso no lo puedo creerJust in case I cant believeit

Sin embargo uno u otro (manera)

However one way or another

A pesar de de repente

Despite suddenly

Pero es la misma cosa

But its the same thing

Por otro lado no conozco nada

On the other hand I dont know anything

Segn no conozco a nadie

According to I dont know anybody

La mayoria no hay nadie aqu

Mostly /the majority theres nobody here


8/19

8

Casi / por poco no slo eso

Almost not only that

Por lo menos estoy contenta

At least Im happy / satisfied / contented

Por supuesto / claro! Venga conmigo

Of course come with me

De acuerdo, esta bien son parecidos (objects, people)

OK / I agree / its fine they look the same

De acuerdo a conforme a l / ella

according to according to him / her

En vez de no lo haga!

In stead of dont do it!

Por casualidad crame

By chance believe me

Por lo visto en todo caso

Apparently in every instance

Por gusto en cuanto

In vain as soon as

Hagame caso a menos queObey me / do as I say unless

Tener ganas de con tal que

Would like to (informal) on condition that

Deseo para que

Would like to (formal) in order that

Tener vergenza de a fin de que

Be embarrassed with the aim to

Llevarse a cabo en sin que

Will take place at without

Qu quiere decir? En caso que

What do you mean? In the event that

Dar abrazo ojal

To embrace if God /destiny wills (said hopefully)


9/19

9

dar con normalmente

Discover (encontrar) normally / usually

Dar cuerda Dar de comer

Wind up a watch / give rope feed

Dar (pedir) haln Dar un paseo / dar una vuelta

Hitch-hike going for a walk

Dar vuelta Yo me doy cuenta

Turn around I have realised

Darse prisa Echar de menos

Hurry up (oneself) To miss someone / something

Te extrao te amo

I miss you I love you

Quin? who?

Qu? what?

Por qu? why?

Cundo? when?

Dnde? where?

Cmo? how?

Cunto? how much?

Cunto tiempo? how long?

Qu desea usted? Venga acWhat do you want? Come here

Pase usted Espere un momento

Come in / go ahead wait a moment

Oiga! Cuidado!

Listen! Watch out! (be careful)

Qu debo hacer? Qu hora es?

What am I to do? What time is it?

Es temprano Ya es tarde

Its early its late

Anoche No encuentro mi cartera / bolsa

Last night Ive lost my wallet / purse

Perd mi tren / bus Olvid mi dinero

Ive missed my train / bus I forgot my money


10/19

10

No tengo nada que declarar Todo esto es para mi uso personal

I have nothing to declare (at customs) All of this is for my personal use (at Customs)

Mucho cuidado con esto Dnde doy vuelta?

Handle these very carefully Where do I turn?

A qu distancia esta?- Hasta dnde est? Por aqu / Por all

How far is it? This way / that way

Dnde est? Puedo llegar a pie?

Where is it? Can I walk there?

Llmame un taxi mi carne: cruda/roja, trmino medio, bien cocida

Call me a taxi I like my meat : rare medium well done

Estn incluidos la propina y el servicio? Qudese con el cambio

Are the tip and service charge included? Keep the change

De hecho Adivine qu?- Ni sabe qu?

Actually Guess what? Dont you know

Por el cual De lo contrario

For which On the contrary

Es una lstima El trmino

Its a pity Completion

Acabado(a) acabar con(something) just finished to finish with

Acabar en Andarse

To end in To leave (walk away)

Anda con dios Andar con cien ojos

Go with god Go cautiously

Andar a gatas Andar a caballo

To crawl / on all fours To ride a horse

Cmo andan los negocios? Anda despacio que tengo prisa

Hows business? Make haste slowly

Hay vengo ya voy!

Ill be back Im coming!

Ya vine Ya me voy

Im back Im going (leaving)


11/19

11

Ya me tengo que ir Qu manda / qu pas?

Ive to go what do you want?

Ahorita vengo. Ya vengo Ya termin

Ill be back in a moment Im done / Ive finished it

Ya se ve! Echar un vistazo

Of course! Certainly! To take a look at

Verse las caras a mi ver

To deal with an issue face to face in my opinion

A ver! No tener nada que ver con

Lets see! It has nothing to do with

Quin vive!? Vivir a oscuras

Who goes there?! To live in ignorance

La vida es as! Vivir para ver

Thats life! Live and learn

Salga lo que salga altono pase

Come what may stop no entry

Qu te trae por aqu? Trae! / Traiga!

What brings you here? Give it here! Give it to me!

Traer cola traer buena / mala suerteTo bring trouble to bring good / bad luck

En lo porvenir viene a ser lo mismo

In the future it amounts to the same thing

Dar la bienvenida venir a la cabeza / mente

To welcome to come to mind

Volver en s volverse triste / loco

To regain consciousness to become sad / crazy

Devolver devolver un artculo

To go back, return to return an article

Las andanzas Buena / mala andanza

The events good / bad fortune

A todo andar comer con gana

At full speed to eat heartily


12/19

12

Comer a todo correr comerse la risa

To wolf down the food / quickly to stifle (eat) oneslaughter

Comer de todo comer como un pajarito

To eat everything (without reservations) to eat like a little bird

Comprar al contado comprar al fiado, a crdito, con rebaja

Buy cash buy on tick, credit, with discount

Conducir de prisa dar un paseo en carro

Drive fast go for a drive in a motorcar

Conocidamente , obviamente un desconocido

Obviously a stranger (an unknown)

Un conocedor poner en conocimiento de

An expert to inform someone about something

Muy conocido el conocimiento / desconomcimiento

Very well-known knowledge / ignorance

Reconocido la crtica constructiva

Grateful constructive criticism

Estar en el cuento contar con

To be in the know / informed depend upon / rely on / to count on

La cuenta tomar en cuenta

The bill (at restaurant) to take into account

Dar por descontado dar en el blanco

To take for granted to hit the target

Decirle al odo dormir a pierna suelta / como una piedra

Whisper in someones ear to sleep soundly / like a log

Pasar la noche en vela dormir la mona

To have a sleepless night to sleep off a hangover

Dormiln(a) tener la pierna/ mano dormida

A lazy person / a sleepyhead to have ones leg / hand asleep


13/19

13

La entrada de datos entrado (a) en aos

Entering of data advanced in years

Escribir a mquina escribir a mano

To typewrite write by hand

Estar a sus anchas estar al da

To be comfortable to be up-to-date

Estar de boga estar de buenas

To be in fashion to be lucky

Estar de ms estar de pie

To be superfluous to be standing

Estar de vuelta no estar para bromas

To have returned not to be in the mood for jokes

Dar gusto tener gusto en

To please to be glad to

Gustoso(a) la habladura

Tasty gossip / rumours

Hablar entre dientes hacer el papel de

Mumble to play the role of

Ir con tiento llamar la atencin sobre

To go quietly, softly call attention to

Llevar a cabo llevarse bien con alguien

To carry through, to accomplish to get along well with someone

Mirar por encima del hombro mirarse las uas

To look down ones nose at to twiddle ones thumbs (be idle)

De odas desor

By hearsay to ignore (be deaf to)

Pagar al contado pagar contra entrega

Pay cash pay upon delivery


14/19

14

Pagar un ojo de la cara pagar los platos ratos

Pay an arm and a leg (an eye) pay for damages caused

Pagar las culpas estar perdido / perderse

Pay for ones sins to be lost / to get lost

Perder el juicio perdidamente enamorada

To go mad passionately in love

No se puede / s, se puede no puede ser

It cant be done / yes, it can be done it cannot be / its impossible

No poder ms apoderarse de

To be exhausted to take over / take possession

Poner fin a / coto a poner la mesa

To put a stop to to lay the table

Poner el dedo en la llaga poner en claro

To hit the nail on the head explain clearly

Poner en marcha poner en ridculo

To put in motion to ridicule

Poner los puntos sobre las es reponer

To dot the is and cross the ts to put back, replace

Ponerse cmodo reponerse

Make oneself comfortable / at home to calm down / to recover from sickness

Ponerse a dieta la puesta del sol

To go on a diet sunset

Quedarse muerto(a) quedar bien / mal

To be speechless, dumbfounded to turn out well / badly

Soltar la risa un(a) sabidillo(a)/sabelotodo

To burst out laughing a know-it-all

Saber algo como el avemara que yo sepa

Know it like the back of my hand as far as I know


15/19

15

Debe de ser / debe ser ser de ver

It is probably / it ought to be to be worth seeing

Sea lo que sea es de lamentar

Whatever it may be its too bad

Es una lstima para ser

Its a pity in spite of being

Ser de rigor ser todos odos

To be indispensable to be all ears

Si no fuera por si yo fuera usted

If it were not for if I were you

Es de mi agrado tener algo en la punta de la lengua

I like it (to my liking) to have it on the tip of the tongue

Tener lugar tener que ver con

To take place to have to do with

Ni siquiera

even


16/19

16

IDIOMS & PROVERBS:

Andar pisando huevos cortar el bacalao

Treading on thin ice to rule the roost (home)

Te conozco bacalao aunque vengas disfrazado (recognize cod even when in disguise)

I know what your game is; you cant fool me

Caerse de su burro rer con risa de conejo

Admit ones mistake to force a laugh

Hay cuatro gatos / solo 2 o 3 pelones aqui llevarse el gato al agua

Theres hardly a soul here to pull off a feat

Acostarse con las gallinas largar a otro el muchuelo (owl)

To go to bed early to pass the buck

Estar como boca de lobo haberle visto las orejas del lobo

Its pitch dark in here had a narrow escape

Encomendar las ovejas al lobo sacudir la mosca

To entrust the sheep to the wolf to cough up the money

No or ni el vuelo de una mosca a otro perro con ese hueso!

So quiet you could hear a pin drop dont try that story on me! come off it!

Darle perro a uno pagar el pato

To stand up a date pay for someone elses mistake

Cuando las ranas cren pelo / el gisquil sea tener el corazn hecho pedazosColocho: When pigs fly to be broke-hearted

Llenar la cabeza de pajaritos tomarle el pelo a uno (pull hair)

To fill someones head with empty talk to pull someones leg

Buscarle pelos al huevo / tres pies al gato llamar al pan pan y al vino vino

To nitpick, to find fault to call a spade a spade

Mandarle a alguien a frer esprragos no partir perras con nadie

To tell someone to go jump in the lake to look out for number one only (own interests)

Echar lea al fuego ir al grano

To pour fuel on the fire to go straight to the point

La ltima gota que hace rebosar la copa ponerse las botas

The last straw to make a killing

Estar de veinticinco alfileres (pins) salir de Guatemala y meterse en Guatepeor

Dressed to kill from the frying pan into the fire


17/19

17

Vaciar al costal (empty the bag) caer chuzos de punta(falling sharp-pointed spears)

To get it off ones chest raining cats and dogs (also: llover a cntarosbuckets)

Estar entre la espada y la pared descubrir el polvorn (gunpowder)

Between a rock and a hard place to uncover the secret

Empezar / echar la casa por el tejado tener telaraas en los ojos

To put the cart before the horse unable to see (assess) whats in front of your eyes

Saber latn echar agua al mar

To be nobodys fool to be pointless

Estar en las nubes el mundo es un pauelo

To be daydreaming the world is a small place

Quien no se arriesga no pasa la mar como pez en el agua

Nothing ventured, nothing gained like a fish in the water (in ones element)

Agua pasada no mueve molino parecerse como dos gotas de agua

Thats water under the bridge like two peas in a pod

Hacer su santa voluntad ms feo que el pecado

Do as one pleases (irrespective of) ugly as sin

Venir con msicas cantar de plano

Tell tall tales to spill the beans

Fumarse / capiarse una clase no poder ver a alguien ni en pinturaSkip a class not to be able to stand the sight of someone

Decirle a alguien cuatro verdades destornillarse de risa

To give someone a piece of your mind to get unscrewed with laughter (split ones sides)

Tener un tornillo flojo faltarle a un tornillo

To have a screw loose (crazy) to be nuts (have a screw missing)

Perder los estribos(stirrups) quemarse las pestaas

Lose ones temper to burn the midnight oil

Las paredes oyen en boca cerrada no entran moscas

The walls have ears a closed mouth catches no flies

Oficio quita vicio Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda

Work is a counter to lifes vices a monkey clothed in silk is still a monkey


18/19

18

A lo hecho, pecho ms vale ser cabeza de ratn que cola de len

Face up to whats done better to be the mouses head than the lions tail

de tal palo, tal astilla ms sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo

like father, like son The devil knows more by experience than by being devil

nio que no llora no mama nunca es tarde para aprender

the squeaky wheel gets the oil its never too late to learn

los nios y los locos dicen las verdades el que no oye consejo no llega a viejo

out of the mouths of babes he who doesnt listen to advice will not make old bones

hombre prevenido vale por dos el que re ultimo re mejor

forewarned is forearmed he who laughs last laughs best

de noche todos los gatos son pardos mucho hablar y poco decir juntos suelen ir

in the dark all cats are gray empty vessels make the most noise

aprendiz de todo y maestro de nada vale ms una verdad amarga que muchas mentiras dulces

jack of all trades, master of none honesty is best policy (bitter truth is better than sweet lies)

antes que te cases, miro lo que haces con los aos vienen los desengaos

look before you leap familiarity breeds contempt

no hay que ahogarse en un vaso de agua dime con quin andas y te dir quin eres

dont make a mountain from a molehill a man is known by the company he keeps

perro ladrador, poco mordedor amigo en la adversidad, es amigo de verdad

barking dogs dont bite a friend in need is a friend indeed

ms vale tarde que nunca todo tiene solucin, menos la muerte

better late than never for every problem theres a solution, except death

una golondrina no hace el verano la experiencia es la madre de la ciencia

one swallow does not a summer make experience is the mother of science

del dicho al hecho hay largo trecho ms vale maa que fuerza

between saying and doing is a big difference better brain than brawn

con dinero baila el perro soar no cuesta nada

money talks (also: con la plata baila el mono) dreaming costs nothing

bien est lo que bien acaba poco a poco, se anda lejos

alls well that ends well little by little can get you far

el que mucho duerme poco aprende cada da se aprende algo nuevo

he who sleeps a lot learns little you learn something new every day


19/19

19

comer para vivir y no vivir para comer la amistad no se compra

eat to live, dont live to eat friendship cannot be bought

el rbol se conoce por su fruta cuntaselo a tu abuela!

a tree is known by its fruit tell that to your grandmother!

Gato que duerme no caza ratnes al decir las verdades se pierden las amistadesIf you snooze, you lose telling the truth may cost you friendships

El mal escribano le echa la culpa a la pluma no hay rosa sin espinas

The bad craftsman blames his tools every rose has its thorns

Donde hay humo, hay fuego para saber hablar, hay que saber escuchar

Where theres smoke theres fire to know how to talk requires knowing how to listen

El ejercicio hace al maestro no dejes para maana lo que puedes hacer hoy

Practice makes perfect dont leave for tomorrow what can be done today

Aquel hombre lleva una vida de perros cuando el gato va a sus devociones, bailan los ratones

He leads a dogs life when the cats away, the mice will play; also:

Cuando el gato no est, los ratones hacen fiesta

El que la hace, la paga paga lo que debes y sabrs lo que tienes

You have to pay the consequences pay what you owe and youll know what you posses

Antes de hablar es bueno pensar lo que hoy se pierde, se gana maana

Think before you speak what you lose today you win tomorrow

El tiempo perdido no se recobra El que todo lo quiere, todo lo pierde

Time wasted/lost is never recovered whoever wants everything, loses everything

Querer es poder saber es poderWhere theres a will, theres a way knowledge is power

Ver es creer hasta que no lo veas, no lo creas

Seeing is believing dont believe it until youve seen it

spanish idioms, expressions and proverbs for the dele

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