Spanish idioms are fixed expressions that carry meanings beyond the literal interpretation of the individual words. They are often rooted in history, culture, and daily life, and are used to convey feelings, opinions, or situations more vividly. Learning idioms helps you sound more natural and understand native speakers better.

Common Spanish Idioms

Common Spanish idioms appear frequently in conversation and writing. They often use simple imagery to express more complex ideas or emotions.

Spanish Idiom	English Equivalent	Meaning in English	Example in Spanish	Example in English
Estar en las nubes	To have your head in the clouds	To be daydreaming or not paying attention	Siempre estás en las nubes durante la clase.	You’re always daydreaming during class.
A otro perro con ese hueso	Tell that to someone else	To reject something as unbelievable or unwanted	¿No quieres ayudar? A otro perro con ese hueso.	You don’t want to help? Tell that to someone else.
Más vale tarde que nunca	Better late than never	It’s better to do something late than not at all	Llegaste a la fiesta a las 10, más vale tarde que nunca.	You arrived at the party at 10, better late than never.
Tirar la toalla	To throw in the towel	To give up or quit	No voy a tirar la toalla en este proyecto.	I’m not going to give up on this project.
Costar un ojo de la cara	To cost an arm and a leg	To be very expensive	Ese coche cuesta un ojo de la cara.	That car costs an arm and a leg.
Meter la pata	To put one’s foot in one’s mouth	To make a mistake or say something wrong	Metí la pata en la reunión con mi jefe.	I put my foot in my mouth at the meeting with my boss.
Estar como una cabra	To be crazy as a loon	To be a little crazy or eccentric	Mi vecino está como una cabra.	My neighbor is crazy as a loon.
Hacer la vista gorda	To turn a blind eye	To ignore something on purpose	El profesor hizo la vista gorda con mi tardanza.	The teacher turned a blind eye to my being late.
No hay mal que por bien no venga	Every cloud has a silver lining	Bad things can lead to good outcomes	Perdí mi trabajo, pero no hay mal que por bien no venga.	I lost my job, but every cloud has a silver lining.
Echar leña al fuego	To add fuel to the fire	To make a situation worse	No digas eso, vas a echar leña al fuego.	Don’t say that, you’re going to add fuel to the fire.

I ________ la pata en la reunión con mi jefe.

dejé

metí

pusé

tomé

metí

The idiom "meter la pata" means "to put one’s foot in one’s mouth," or to make a mistake.

Conclusion

Spanish idioms enrich your language skills by adding color and cultural depth. They show how native speakers express ideas creatively and are essential for advanced fluency. Using idioms appropriately can make your Spanish sound more natural and engaging.

Flashcards (1 of 10)

English Equivalent: To have your head in the clouds
Meaning in English: To be daydreaming or not paying attention
Example in English: You’re always daydreaming during class.

Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025