Sayings, including common Spanish sayings and proverbs along with their English translations and examples.
This document explores a collection of common sayings in Spanish, covering various themes like wisdom, life, love, and more. Each section provides the original Spanish saying, its English equivalent, and example sentences to help you understand how they’re used in context.
Wisdom
These Spanish sayings offer life lessons and insights that have been passed down through generations, often teaching about common sense, patience, and the value of experience.
| Spanish Saying | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Más vale prevenir que curar. | Better safe than sorry. | Más vale prevenir que curar cuando se trata de salud. | It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to health. |
| No hay mal que por bien no venga. | Every cloud has a silver lining. | Perdí mi trabajo, pero no hay mal que por bien no venga. | I lost my job, but every cloud has a silver lining. |
| El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta. | Don’t bite off more than you can chew. | No intentes hacer todo a la vez, el que mucho abarca, poco aprieta. | Don’t try to do everything at once, don’t bite off more than you can chew. |
| A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. | The early bird catches the worm. | A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda, así que levántate temprano. | The early bird catches the worm, so get up early. |
| Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente. | Out of sight, out of mind. | No le digas nada, ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente. | Don’t tell him anything; out of sight, out of mind. |
A quien ___, Dios le ayuda.
How do you say 'The early bird catches the worm' in Spanish?
madruga
The saying is 'A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda,' meaning 'The early bird catches the worm.' 'Madruga' means 'wakes up early.'
Life
These sayings reflect common experiences and philosophies about living, emphasizing acceptance, resilience, and the natural flow of life.
| Spanish Saying | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| La vida es un viaje, no un destino. | Life is a journey, not a destination. | Recuerda que la vida es un viaje, no un destino. | Remember that life is a journey, not a destination. |
| Al mal tiempo, buena cara. | Keep a good face in bad times. | Aunque llueva, al mal tiempo, buena cara. | Even if it rains, keep a good face in bad times. |
| Cada cosa a su tiempo. | Everything in its own time. | No te preocupes, cada cosa a su tiempo. | Don’t worry, everything in its own time. |
| Lo que no mata, fortalece. | What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. | Después de la enfermedad, recuerda: lo que no mata, fortalece. | After the illness, remember: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. |
| Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo. | Wisdom comes with age. | Escucha a tu abuelo, más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo. | Listen to your grandfather; wisdom comes with age. |
Which Spanish saying means 'What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger'?
Lo que no mata, fortalece.
‘Lo que no mata, fortalece’ translates to 'What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.'
Love and Friendship
These sayings capture the emotions and values surrounding relationships, highlighting the importance of trust, honesty, and genuine connection.
| Spanish Saying | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| El amor todo lo puede. | Love conquers all. | No te rindas, el amor todo lo puede. | Don’t give up; love conquers all. |
| Amigo en la adversidad, amigo de verdad. | A friend in adversity is a true friend. | Siempre está a mi lado, amigo en la adversidad, amigo de verdad. | He’s always by my side; a friend in adversity is a true friend. |
| Más vale solo que mal acompañado. | Better alone than in bad company. | Prefiero estar solo, más vale solo que mal acompañado. | I prefer to be alone; better alone than in bad company. |
| El que busca encuentra. | Seek and you shall find. | Si buscas un buen amigo, el que busca encuentra. | If you seek a good friend, seek and you shall find. |
| En boca cerrada no entran moscas. | Silence is golden. | No digas nada, en boca cerrada no entran moscas. | Don’t say anything; silence is golden. |
Work and Effort
These sayings emphasize the value of hard work, perseverance, and the rewards that come from dedication and patience.
| Spanish Saying | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| El que algo quiere, algo le cuesta. | Nothing worth having comes easy. | Si quieres éxito, recuerda: el que algo quiere, algo le cuesta. | If you want success, remember: nothing worth having comes easy. |
| No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy. | Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. | Termina la tarea, no dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy. | Finish the task; don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. |
| A quien trabaja, Dios lo ayuda. | God helps those who work. | No te rindas, a quien trabaja, Dios lo ayuda. | Don’t give up; God helps those who work. |
| El trabajo todo lo puede. | Hard work can do anything. | Confía en ti mismo, el trabajo todo lo puede. | Trust yourself; hard work can do anything. |
| Quien siembra, recoge. | You reap what you sow. | Sé constante, quien siembra, recoge. | Be consistent; you reap what you sow. |
Humor and Irony
Spanish also has a rich tradition of humor and irony in its sayings, often using wit to comment on human nature and everyday situations.
| Spanish Saying | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Más vale tarde que nunca. | Better late than never. | Llegué media hora tarde, pero más vale tarde que nunca. | I arrived half an hour late, but better late than never. |
| Barriga llena, corazón contento. | A full belly makes a happy heart. | Después de comer, siempre digo: barriga llena, corazón contento. | After eating, I always say: a full belly makes a happy heart. |
| Cuando el río suena, agua lleva. | Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. | Se hablan de ellos en la oficina; cuando el río suena, agua lleva. | They talk about them at the office; where there’s smoke, there’s fire. |
| Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos. | Raise ravens and they’ll peck out your eyes. | Le ayudé mucho, pero cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos. | I helped him a lot, but raise ravens and they’ll peck out your eyes. |
| No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver. | None so blind as those who won’t see. | Le advertí mil veces, pero no hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver. | I warned him a thousand times, but none so blind as those who won’t see. |
Nature and the World
Many Spanish sayings draw on nature to convey their messages, using imagery from the natural world to illustrate human behavior and wisdom.
| Spanish Saying | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Después de la tormenta, llega la calma. | After the storm comes the calm. | Hemos pasado momentos difíciles, pero después de la tormenta, llega la calma. | We’ve gone through tough times, but after the storm comes the calm. |
| No hay rosa sin espinas. | There’s no rose without thorns. | En el amor, no hay rosa sin espinas. | In love, there’s no rose without thorns. |
| Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente. | You snooze, you lose. | ¡Apúrate! Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente. | Hurry up! You snooze, you lose. |
| Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr. | Don’t waste time on what doesn’t concern you. | Olvídalo, agua que no has de beber, déjala correr. | Forget it; don’t waste time on what doesn’t concern you. |
| Al que nace para tamal, del cielo le caen las hojas. | What’s meant to be will be. | No te preocupes por el futuro, al que nace para tamal, del cielo le caen las hojas. | Don’t worry about the future; what’s meant to be will be. |
These Spanish sayings offer a window into the culture’s values, humor, and wisdom. Using them in conversation can add color and depth to your language skills.
Flashcards (1 of 30)
- English Equivalent: Better safe than sorry.
- English Example: It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to health.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
