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Home » Puerto Rican Spanish Slang Expressions » Page 10

De cualquier nube sale un chubasco

Something bad can show up anywhere, can appear from anywhere unexpected

De cualquier maya sale un ratón

Something bad can show up anywhere, can appear from anywhere unexpected

De algo murió mi abuela

Phrase used to avoid revealing all the details of a situation, or to maintain something a mystery.

Dando y dando pajaritos volando

If you give me what you owe me, then I can do the same. For example, bring me your laundry ticket, and I can give you your laundry.

Cuidate tu de las aguas bravas, y de las mansas que me libre Dios

Turbulent people and situations are the easy ones to handle. When a person or situation is calm, reserved or quiet, you may not even know of the problem brewing, and for that reason you must accept that God will help you in those situations.

Cuentas claras conservan amistades

Short reckonings make long friends. Any time something is borrowed between friends, it is best to give it back (or pay it back) as quickly as possible. This will keep you from losing the friendship.

Cúentamelo todo, o no me cuentes nada

Phrase used to push someone to share the gossip or the latest news

Cuenta el milagro pero no el santo

To share or tell about a situation but at the same time to not reveal the source of the information

Cuatro ojos ven más que dos

Two heads are better than one. It is better to have two people looking at a situation that needs to be analyzed or resolved.

Cuando uno está de malas, hasta la mujer se la pega

When it rains, it pours. When things start to go wrong, it all happens at once

Cuando una puerta se cierra, cientas se abren

When one door closes, another one opens. When one opportunity is lost many others appear shortly afterwards, often used to comfort someone that is down because of a recently lost opportunity.

Cuando tú vas, yo vuelvo

I hear you, I get where you’re coming from. Phrase used by one person to communicate that he/she has been in a similar situation as the second person, and understands what that person is going through.

Cuando se está hundiendo el barco salen todas las ratas

When things are falling apart, everyone is jumping ship. Often used in reference to a failing business.

Cuando no está preso lo andan buscando

The person is a bad apple. Shows a lack of faith in someone, labels him/her as a troublemaker.

¿Cuándo no es Pascua en diciembre?

Used in situations when something is inevitable

Cuando la pobreza entra por la puerta, el amor sale por la ventana

Translated as “When poverty comes in at the door, love flies out of the window”. It is an indirect way of saying that a person’s or couple’s relationship is based more on money than on love. Once the money runs out, the relationship will end.

Cuando hay hambre, no hay pan duro

When a person “hungers” to achieve something, the obstacles and difficulties in the way may be overcome.

Cuando el río suena, agua lleva

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. There must be some truth to the rumor. In response to someone that questions the truth of a rumor. Affirms that more often than not rumors are based, at least partially, in truth.

Cuando el río suena es porque algo trae

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. There must be some truth to the rumor. Used in response to someone that questions the truth of a rumor. Affirms that more often than not rumors are based, at least partially, in truth.

Cuando Dios no quiere, santos no pueden

If God does not want something to happen, there is no amount of effort or people that can overcome this.

Cría fama y acuéstate a dormir

Once a person works diligently for success and achieves it, the person can rest afterwards.

Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos

Bites the hand that feeds him. While you treat someone well and with care, that person turns on you, treating you poorly.

Creerse la última Coca cola del desierto

The bee’s knees, To think he’s the bomb, The best thing since sliced bread, God’s gift to women. To believe that you are better than everyone else.

Con paciencia se llega lejos

You can achieve much more by being patient, than is possible by rushing around in a hurry. The underlying idea is that it is better to do things well the first time, rather than rush through and have to fix mistakes later.

Con ojos de vaca cagona

Scared shitless. Really, really scared. If you’ve never seen it, you can imagine how big the eyes of a cow get when it is straining to shit.

Con la misma vara que midas serás medido

If a person holds people to high standards, he/she must be willing to live up to those same standards. This is especially true if the person is vocal about his opinion of others. Everyone else will begin to look for his/her faults and the moment that something is uncovered, the person’s credibility is destroyed.

Con amigos así no hacen falta enemigos

With friends like that who needs enemies?. Implies that the relationship with one’s friends is untrustworthy.

Compay, compay, pero la gallina vale dos reales

Business is business. Even though we are best friends, you still need to pay me for what you want.

Como vaca que va para risco

Scared out of his mind. Imagine how the cow must feel when it realizes it is going over a cliff!

Como un cienpie meado

Hopping mad, Mad as a hatter. Really pissed off about something.

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