Spanish expressions and its English equivalent

 

Let’s start with the ones you have probably heard before.

1-Ser pan comido

Literally: To be bread eaten

Meaning: something is easy to do

English equivalent: to be a piece of cake

Example:

If you are planning to apply for a new job but you are pushing it because you know you will need to complete a form that it will take a while to complete but then when you sit down and get it done it was not that bad you think “ no sé porque no lo he hecho antes, ha sido pan comido”- I do not know why I haven’t done it before, it has been a piece of cake.

 

2- ¡Ojo!

Literally: Eje!

Meaning:  You advice someone to be careful

English equivalent: Watch! /Watch yourself!

Example:

If your friend is dating a new guy you do not really trust but she is super excited about you might want to warn her. “Estoy muy contenta por ti, pero no me fio de él, ¡ojo! Por favor” –I am very happy for you, but I don’t trust him, please watch!

 

Now let’s go to new territory

 

3- Creerse la última coca-cola del desierto

Literally: to think you are the last coke in the desert

Meaning:  to believe you are better than everyone else.

English equivalent: to think you are the bomb/the bee’s knees/the best thing since sliced bread.

Example:

Imagine you get to know your new friend’s boyfriend and you realize why you did not like him…he think he is the bomb, so could tell to yourself, “ahora entiendo porque no me gustaba, “¡se cree la última coca-cola del desierto!”- I know why I did not like him, he thinks he is the bee’s knees!

4- Corto de luces

Literally: Short of lights

Meaning:  to be ditsy

English equivalent: the lights are on but nobody’s home

Example:

It is not a nice way to describe someone, but sometimes if they are very ditsy you need to use them, if you are discussing a trip with your friends and one of them is being very blind about something, like we keeps saying you need to rent a car, even when it is 6 of you going to the trip, you could say

“¿qué te pasa? ¿Estás un poco corto de luces? No podemos alquilar un solo coche, ¡somos seis!”-What is wrong with you? You are not the sharpest tool in the shed, are you? We can’t rent a car, it is six of us!

#note I use the verb estar, as I am not describing my friend, I am just thinking he is acting as a ditsy just this time, if you want to describe someone, probably someone you do not like, you would use the verb “ser”

 

5-Hablando del rey de Roma

Literally: Speaking of the king of Rome

Meaning:  when we are  talking about someone in the moment they appear

English equivalent: Speaking of the devil

Example:

If you are talking about someone, imagine you are telling someone the story of your friends from example 4 and how he wanted to rent a car even when you were six on the trip and in that precise moment your friend turns out you will say “hablando del rey de Roma….estaba contando lo que pasó el otro día”-Speaking of the devil…I was just telling what happened the other day.

 

6-Ir pedo

Literally: To go fart

Meaning:  to be drunk

English equivalent:  to be plastered/smashed

Example:

If you go out with friends and it is quite a wild night probably next time you see you friends you will ask for notes about the night saying something like “¡menuda noche! ¿Recordáis exactamente lo que pasó? Porque yo iba muy pedo…” – Such a night! Do you remember exactly what happened? Because I was so drunk

 

7-Dar la lata

Literally: To do the can

Meaning:  to pester/to annoy

English equivalent:  to be a nuisance or a pain

Example:

Probably when you went to Uni there was a friend that never went to class but during the exams kept asking you about notes, you could say “deja de dar la lata, te dije que no te iba a dejar más apuntes, ¡necesitas ir a clase!”-Stop pestering me, I told you I was not going to let you more notes, you need to go to class!

8-Hacer el agosto

Literally: to make the August

Meaning:  to make a lot of money

English equivalent:  to make a killing

Example:

If you live in a town with no ice cream shop and someone opened one, probably even if it was just the new thing everyone would go and buy some, meaning that the shop will make a lot of money in a short period of time you could comment “¡qué gran idea la tienda de helados! No sé como le irá en el futuro, pero esta semana está hacienda el agosto”-such a great idea the ice cream shop! I do not know how it will go for it in the future but this week it is killing it!

 

9-Montar un Cristo

Literally: To make a Chirst

Meaning:  to complain loudly and bitterly

English equivalent:  to make a scene

Example:

We all have a friend that everytime we go out for lunch/drinks etc likes to make a scene, imagine that he just got his steak and he does not like it because it is overcooked, and instead of telling to the waitress he started yelling about how bad it is that restaurant etc… you could say “si no te gusta por favor habla con la camarera, pero no montes un Cristo”-if you do not like it, please talk to the waitress but do not make a scene.

 

And that is all, I hope they find a smile in your face. Now it is your time, choose one and make it  yours, use it as much as you can, think sentences with it until you master it, and to start with I challenge to leave a comment with that idiom  below, so you can have some accountability.

As well if you know anyone who is learning Spanish and you think they would enjoy this blog please share it!

As usual I would love to hear from you now.

-Have you heard or used any of the idioms above below?

-Do you have a Spanish sentences that makes you smile everytime you use it or hear it?

Let me know!

Remember that if you love Spanish expressions you can buy the Spanish idioms book on amazon for under $3 with more over 100 Spanish expressions, examples and its English equivalent. Have a look here

Have a nice one!

Write you soon