Do you know what makes you sound close to a native Spanish speaker? Using Idioms in your conversations is the first sign that relates your language skills close to the natives. They seem nuanced at first, but once you learn them and are good at using them, they become your best buddy.
In your quest to learn the language with all its beauty, it is essential to pay heed to the expressions common people use and understand.
Here in this article, you will learn 10 of the most common Spanish idioms and expressions with their English meanings, you will also have an example sentence to go along.
If you want to make your idioms and expressions close to the native’s style, you can download Jolii, which is powered with the power of Netflix and you will learn how these idioms are used in Spanish conversations.
What Is An Idiom?
An idiom is an expression with a figurative meaning attached to it. Idioms cannot be interpreted literally and are expressions that add beauty to any language.
To enhance your Spanish learning experience, adding idioms is a fun and effective way to boost your communication skills. Here, we are presenting you with 10 Spanish idioms to help you expand your Spanish vocabulary.
To find more Spanish words you can check here.
10 Spanish Idioms That You Often Hear in Spain
Here is a list of 10 idioms that will act as a starter to fuel up your Spanish learning.
| Spanish Idioms | English Translation | Example Sentence (Spanish) | Example Sentence (English) |
| Estar en las nubes | To be daydreaming(literal meaning: to be in the clouds) | Siempre estás en las nubes en clase. | You’re always daydreaming in class. |
| Tirar la toalla | To throw in the towel | No tires la toalla, todavía hay tiempo. | Don’t give up, there’s still time. |
| Estar como una cabra | To be a bit crazy(literal meaning: to be like a goat) | Tu hermano está como una cabra. | Your brother is a bit crazy. |
| Ser pan comido | To be a piece of cake(literal meaning: to be eaten bread) | El examen fue pan comido. | The exam was a piece of cake. |
| Dejar plantado/a | To stand someone up(literal meaning: to leave someone planted) | Me dejó plantada en el restaurante. | He stood me up at the restaurant. |
| No tener pelos en la lengua | To speak one’s mind(literal meaning: to not have hairs on the tongue) | Mi abuela no tiene pelos en la lengua. | My grandmother speaks her mind. |
| Estar hecho/a polvo | To be exhausted(literal meaning: to be made into dust) | Después del trabajo, estoy hecho polvo. | After work, I’m exhausted. |
| Más vale tarde que nunca | Better late than never | A: Finalmente aprendiste español.B: Más vale tarde que nunca. | A: You finally learned Spanish.B: Better late than never. |
| Ver todo color de rosa | To see everything positively.(literal meaning: To see everything in pink color) | Ella siempre ve todo color de rosa, incluso en los días difíciles | She always sees everything through rose-colored glasses, even on difficult days. |
| Tener sangre azul | To have blue blood | Se dice que la familia real tiene sangre azul. | It’s said that the royal family has blue blood. |
Why Use Idioms in Everyday Spanish Conversations?
Natives of any place naturally use the idioms in their daily routines. They just use them effortlessly, without any hard work. Since the idioms are unique to any language, Spanish idioms have a special place in the language.
If you find it challenging to use the idioms as a beginner, at least knowing these idioms can help you understand what natives are saying. Idioms are part of the culture, so to get a strong understanding of the culture, it is vital to use idioms and understand them.
Tip for Remembering Spanish Idioms
The most important tip that can help you understand idioms better is to make a contextual reference to them.
Most of the time, we can encounter such expressions in movies or hear them from people walking on the streets. To make a reference to them, it is good to remember the context in which they were spoken.
This is the single most effective tip you can have to let you understand Spanish idioms. To make it a habit, try using them often in your routine so you get the hang of it.
Conclusion: Start Using Spanish Idioms Today!
To learn any idiom, you need to effectively use it. The collection of 10 idioms given here is a great starting point for any beginner-level Spanish language learner. Idioms bring beauty to your spoken language and understanding them can enhance your communication skills.
Get ahead of the idioms game by using the Jolii app, which uses Netflix videos to bring actual usage of these idioms. You can practice them as you like with the Jolii so you get native-like Spanish conversations.
