• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Speaking Latino

Teach and Learn Real World Spanish

  • Spanish Teachers
    • Spanish Curriculum
    • Free Lesson Plans
    • Free List of Spanish Songs
    • Free Cultural Calendar
    • Free Spanish Sayings Printables
    • Class Guides for Teachers
    • Scaffolded Activities Set
    • Teaching Spanish
    • Professional Development
    • Spanish Worksheets for Kids
  • Spanish Slang
    • Slang Dictionaries
    • Word Comparisons
    • Spanish Slang by Country
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Ecuador
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Peru
      • Puerto Rico
      • Spain
      • Venezuela
  • Blog
  • Log In
  • Join Now
Home » Blog » Spanish » LIKE A FISH OUT OF WATER: English Phrase in Spanish

LIKE A FISH OUT OF WATER: English Phrase in Spanish

Have you ever felt out of place? If you want to express that feeling in Spanish you can use the phrase “fuera de lugar.” But that phrase sound a bit formal and serious. Here are two ways you can translate “like a fish out of water” maintaining the English phrase in Spanish.

Como sapo de otro pozo: Like fish out of water
1. Como sapo de otro pozo
This phrase literally translates to “like a toad from another well.” Here is an example from the book Speaking Argento which this illustration was created for:

Estaba mal vestida y no conocía a nadie, me sentía como sapo de otro pozo.

Como cucaracha en baile de gallinas: Like fish out of water
2. Como cucaracha en baile de gallinas
This is another common idiom in Latin America and literally translates to “like a cockroach in a chicken dance.” You can also use this saying to express that you or someone else is lost and doesn’t know what to do. Here is an example from Twitter:

Alvaro Martin : ” Zach Randolph en el perimetro estaba como cucaracha en baile de gallinas , no sabia que hacer” ….. #SosUnGroso

— Lauti Gutierrez#9 (@Lautigutierrez9) May 28, 2013

Do you know other equivalents in Spanish for the idiom “like a fish out of water”? How about even submitting a drawing for us to publish that represents your phrase?

Check out these other English Spanish articles.

Related

Diana Caballero

I'm Jared's wife and a dedicated contributor to Speaking Latino, the Spanish Teachers Community, and the World Language Teacher Summit.

Search Speaking Latino

Read more

  • 4 Names in Spanish for SANTA CLAUS: Infographic
  • 12 Popular English Songs in Spanish (Part 1)
  • 6 Spanish Language Words for TURKEY: Infographic
  • BOCA ABAJO: How to Translate This Spanish Phrase to English
  • AL REVÉS: How to Translate This Spanish Phrase to English

Navigation

About Us

Contact Us

Blog

Log In

Join the Community

Get Outstanding Student Results with Done-For-You Lessons, Activities & Resources That Can Cut Your Prep Time By 10 Hours A Week!

Get on the Invite List

Contact Jared & Diana

Click here to contact us

Search Speaking Latino

Copyright © 2025 Speaking Latino | Privacy Policy | As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
 

Loading Comments...