This idiomatic phrase literally translates as 'When you are unlucky, even your wife cheats on you'. It is used to express the idea that when a person is going through a bad streak or a series of misfortunes, even the most unexpected negative things can happen. Examples Spanish: Perdí mi empleo, mi coche se averió […]

This phrase is not actually a slang, but a common saying or proverb in Spanish. It literally translates to 'When one door closes, a hundred open.' It is used to convey optimism, suggesting that when one opportunity or phase ends, many more possibilities become available. Examples Spanish: Perdí mi trabajo, pero no me preocupo mucho. […]

A Spanish slang phrase that literally translates as 'When you're going, I'm coming back.' It is used to express that someone is always one step ahead or more experienced than the person they're talking to. Examples Spanish: No trates de engañarme con tus trucos, cuando tú vas, yo vuelvo. English: Don't try to fool me […]

A phrase used to describe the situation when people start to leave or abandon something or someone when difficulties arise. It refers to the idea that rats are the first to abandon a sinking ship. Examples Spanish: Tan pronto como la empresa empezó a tener problemas financieros, los empleados empezaron a renunciar. Es cierto que […]

This phrase is used to describe someone who is always in trouble or doing something wrong. It literally translates to 'when they are not in jail, they are being searched for' Examples Spanish: 'Juan es muy problemático, cuando no está preso lo andan buscando.' English: 'Juan is very troublesome, when he's not in jail, he's […]

This phrase is used rhetorically to express disbelief, surprise, or irony when something unusual or unexpected happens regularly. Literally translates to 'When is it not Easter in December?' but in slang context it means 'When is this not happening?' Examples Spanish: ¿Cuándo no es Pascua en diciembre? Siempre te encuentro en esta biblioteca. English: When […]

This is a popular saying, not a slang term, that translates to 'When poverty enters through the door, love leaves through the window'. It is used to illustrate the concept that financial stress and hardship can cause strain in relationships, often leading to the loss of love. Examples Spanish: Desde que perdió su trabajo, han […]

This Spanish slang phrase literally translates to 'when there is hunger, there is no hard bread'. It is a metaphorical saying that means when you are in desperate need of something, you're not in a position to be picky. Examples Spanish: No es el mejor trabajo, pero ya sabes, cuando hay hambre, no hay pan […]

This proverbial phrase is used to express that when there are rumors or indications about something, there might be some truth behind it. The literal translation in English is 'When the river sounds, it carries water'. Examples Spanish: No quiero creer los rumores sobre Juan, pero ya sabes, cuando el río suena, agua lleva. English: […]

This phrase is used to express that rumors or gossip usually have some truth to them. It is comparable to the English saying 'Where there's smoke, there's fire.' Examples Spanish: No sé si ellos realmente están saliendo, pero 'cuando el río suena es porque algo trae'. English: I don't know if they are really dating, […]

This Spanish slang term literally translates to 'When God doesn't want, saints can't'. It is used to express the idea that if something is not meant to be, all the effort in the world cannot make it happen. It asserts a belief in destiny or fate. Examples Spanish: Intenté conseguir ese trabajo con todas mis […]

This Spanish idiom is used to convey the idea that once you have a reputation, it's hard to change it. This can be positive or negative. It is often used in a situation where someone's past actions continue to affect their current reputation. Examples Spanish: 'Juan siempre llega tarde a las reuniones, cría fama y […]

This phrase literally translates to 'Raise crows and they'll peck out your eyes'. It is used to express that if you do wrong deeds or raise ungrateful people, they may harm you in the future. Examples Spanish: Le di todo a mi hijo y ahora no quiere ayudarme. Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos. […]

This phrase is used to describe someone who believes they are better or more important than everyone else. It can roughly be translated as 'to believe oneself to be the last Coca Cola in the desert.' Examples Spanish: Ella se cree la última Coca Cola del desierto solo porque ganó la lotería. English: She thinks […]

This phrase literally translates to 'With patience, one goes far'. It signifies that patience can lead to great achievements or success in life. Examples Spanish: No te desesperes por aprender el idioma, recuerda que 'con paciencia se llega lejos'. English: Don't despair in learning the language, remember that 'with patience, one goes far'.

A humorous and informal Spanish phrase used to describe someone who is looking at something or someone with great admiration, surprise, or astonishment. Literally translates to 'with eyes of a shitting cow'. Examples Spanish: Cuando vio el nuevo coche de su amigo, lo miró con ojos de vaca cagona. English: When he saw his friend's […]

This phrase is a proverb that translates to 'With the same stick that you measure, you will be measured.' It means that the way you treat others is the way you will be treated. Examples Spanish: Juan siempre es grosero con todos, pero sabe que 'con la misma vara que midas serás medido', y algún […]

This phrase is used to refer to a situation where a friend's actions have been disappointing or hurtful, similar to the English saying 'With friends like these, who needs enemies?' Examples Spanish: Juan siempre me deja plantado cuando quedamos para salir. Con amigos así no hacen falta enemigos. English: Juan always stands me up when […]

This is a popular Cuban phrase often used to express surprise, irony, or disbelief. The literal translation is 'Buddy, buddy, but the chicken is worth two reales.' It is used to point out that something is more complicated or difficult than initially thought. Examples Spanish: 'Pensé que arreglar el coche sería fácil', 'Compay, compay, pero […]

This phrase is used to describe someone who is heading towards a difficult or dangerous situation, unaware of the potential consequences. It literally translates to 'like a cow going towards a cliff'. Examples Spanish: Juan sigue gastando su dinero sin pensar, es como vaca que va para risco. English: Juan keeps spending his money without […]

A Spanish idiomatic expression used to describe someone who is really upset or angry. Examples Spanish: Después de perder su trabajo, Juan estaba como un cienpie meado. English: After losing his job, Juan was as angry as a peed centipede.

No matter what you do, you always end up crying. It's used to refer to someone who always finds a reason to be upset or someone who is frequently emotional. Examples Spanish: Ana, como quiera que te pongas siempre tienes que llorar. No importa si es una película feliz o triste. English: Ana, no matter […]

To take the bull by the horns, meaning to face a problem or a difficult situation directly and bravely. Examples Spanish: No puedes evitar este problema para siempre, tienes que coger el toro por los cuernos y enfrentarlo. English: You can't avoid this problem forever, you have to take the bull by the horns and […]

To take the initiative or take control of a situation. Similar to the English idiom 'take the bull by the horns'. Examples Spanish: No podemos dejar que la situación se nos vaya de las manos, tenemos que coger el sartén por el mango. English: We can't let the situation get out of hand, we have […]

A challenging phrase to translate directly, it is a colloquial way to express 'deal with that while I prepare something else for you'. It's often used in a competitive or argumentative context to indicate that the speaker is one step ahead, or has more arguments or actions to come. Examples Spanish: Te gané el primer […]

This phrase is not exactly slang, but a popular saying in Spanish. It translates to 'Charity against charity is not charity.' It means that if you do something good for someone expecting something in return, it's not real charity or kindness. Examples Spanish: Juan siempre ayuda a los demás esperando recibir algo a cambio. Pero […]

This phrase is not exactly slang, but a proverb. It translates to 'A bad path is walked quickly', meaning people often rush into bad decisions or harmful situations. Examples Spanish: Siempre te apuras en tomar decisiones sin pensar en las consecuencias, recuerda que 'camino malo se anda ligero'. English: You always rush into making decisions […]

A phrase used to indicate that those who do not act or seize opportunities will be left behind or face negative consequences. It is similar to the English saying 'you snooze, you lose'. Examples Spanish: No te quedes esperando que las cosas sucedan, recuerda que camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente. English: […]

A phrase used to tell someone to be patient because their turn or time will come. Literally translates to 'Calm down, louse, the comb is coming'. Examples Spanish: 'Calma piojo que el peine llega', me dijo mi madre cuando le pregunté cuándo podría aprender a conducir. English: 'Calm down, louse, the comb is coming', my […]

A Spanish slang phrase commonly used in some Latin American countries to describe someone who is extremely tired or exhausted. Examples Spanish: Después de trabajar todo el día, me caí como una guanábana. English: After working all day, I fell like a guanabana (I was extremely tired).