Common Spanish Proverbs gives you a practical set of Spanish words and expressions in one place, so you can study useful vocabulary without digging through scattered sources.
Each row is designed for quick review with meaning, example usage, and any available pronunciation help. When you want an offline copy, use the free Download PDF button below the table.
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How To Read Spanish Proverbs
Spanish proverbs are rarely useful if you only memorize a direct translation. What really helps is understanding the literal image, the figurative meaning, and the kind of situation where a native speaker would actually say it.
That is why this list keeps the proverb, the literal meaning, and a learner-friendly explanation together. The example sentences show the proverb in context so it feels like a real expression instead of a puzzle.
Spanish Proverbs Quiz
Think you can pair a Spanish proverb with its meaning without peeking? Give the quick quiz below a go – no grades, just a friendly nudge toward the ones that need a second look.
Common Spanish Proverbs List
| Proverb | Literal Meaning | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El que mucho abarca poco aprieta. | Jack of all trades, master of none. | Do not take on too much. | Quiere estudiar medicina, trabajar a tiempo completo y montar un negocio a la vez; el profesor le dijo que el que mucho abarca poco aprieta. | He wants to study medicine, work full-time, and start a business at the same time; the teacher told him that if you try to do too much, you end up doing none of it well. |
| El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta | Whoever covers too much, squeezes little | If you try to do too many things, you do none well. | Quería estudiar, trabajar y montar un negocio al mismo tiempo, pero no le daba la vida. El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta. | He wanted to study, work, and start a business at the same time, but there weren't enough hours in the day. If you try to do too many things, you do none well. |
| el que ríe último, ríe mejor | The one who laughs last, laughs best | The final result matters most. | Se burlaron de él al principio, pero aprobó el examen con la mejor nota; el que ríe último, ríe mejor. | They made fun of him at first, but he passed the exam with the best grade; the one who laughs last laughs best. |
| En boca cerrada no entran moscas | Flies do not enter a closed mouth | It is better to stay quiet sometimes. | No sabía la respuesta, así que no dije nada. En boca cerrada no entran moscas. | I didn't know the answer, so I said nothing. It's better to stay quiet sometimes. |
| En boca cerrada no entran moscas. | Silence is golden. | Sometimes it is better not to speak. | Iba a quejarse delante del jefe, pero su amiga le susurró: «En boca cerrada no entran moscas». | She was about to complain in front of the boss, but her friend whispered, "Silence is golden." |
| más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo | The devil knows more because he is old than because he is the devil. | Old people often have more experience. | Mi abuela siempre me da buenos consejos; más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo. | My grandmother always gives me good advice; old age brings wisdom. |
| Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo. | With age comes wisdom. | Experience teaches more than cleverness. | No subestimes a tu abuelo; más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo, y él ya ha visto de todo. | Don't underestimate your grandfather; with age comes wisdom, and he's already seen everything. |
| más se perdió en la guerra | More was lost in the war | This problem is not so bad. | Se me rompió un vaso, pero más se perdió en la guerra. | A glass broke, but this problem is not so bad. |
| Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando. | A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. | Better keep what you have. | Quería vender su coche para apostar en la bolsa, pero su hermana le dijo: «Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando». | He wanted to sell his car to invest in the stock market, but his sister told him, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." |
| más vale prevenir que lamentar | It is better to prevent than to regret | Be careful now to avoid problems later. | Llévate un paraguas, por si acaso; más vale prevenir que lamentar. | Take an umbrella just in case; better safe than sorry. |
| Más vale tarde que nunca | Better late than never | It is better to do something late than not do it. | Llegó a la reunión cuando ya estaba terminando, pero al menos vino. Más vale tarde que nunca. | He arrived at the meeting when it was already ending, but at least he came. Better late than never. |
| Más vale tarde que nunca. | Better late than never. | Late action beats none. | Llegó al cumpleaños con una semana de retraso, pero más vale tarde que nunca. | He arrived at the birthday party a week late, but better late than never. |
| No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy | Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today | Do things now, not later. | Voy a terminar la tarea ahora mismo; no dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy. | I'm going to finish the homework right now; don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. |
| no hay dos sin tres | There are not two without three | If something happens twice, it may happen a third time. | —Ya nos cancelaron el concierto dos veces. —Sí, no hay dos sin tres; mejor no nos hagamos muchas ilusiones. | "They've canceled the concert twice already." "Yes, if it happens twice, it may happen a third time; we shouldn't get our hopes up." |
| No hay mal que por bien no venga | There is no bad thing from which good does not come | A bad situation can lead to something good. | Perdí el tren, pero en la estación me encontré con una amiga que no veía hace años. No hay mal que por bien no venga. | I missed the train, but at the station I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in years. A bad situation can lead to something good. |
| No hay mal que por bien no venga. | Every cloud has a silver lining. | Good can come from bad. | Perdió el trabajo, pero gracias a eso encontró uno mejor cerca de casa. No hay mal que por bien no venga. | He lost his job, but thanks to that he found a better one near home. Every cloud has a silver lining. |
| no hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver | There is no worse blind person than the one who does not want to see | Some people ignore the truth on purpose. | Le enseñaron las pruebas, pero él siguió negándolo: no hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver. | They showed him the evidence, but he kept denying it: there is no worse blind person than the one who does not want to see. |
| no hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír | There is no worse deaf person than one who does not want to hear. | Some people ignore the truth on purpose. | Le expliqué el problema tres veces, pero no quiso escucharme; no hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír. | I explained the problem three times, but he didn’t want to listen to me; some people ignore the truth on purpose. |
| no por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano | Even if you wake up very early, dawn does not come earlier. | You cannot force things to happen faster. | No sirve de nada desvelarse: no por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano. | It’s no use staying up late: even if you wake up very early, dawn does not come earlier. |
| No todo lo que brilla es oro | Not everything that shines is gold | Things that look good are not always good. | La oferta parecía perfecta, pero al leer la letra pequeña vi que tenía muchas condiciones. No todo lo que brilla es oro. | The offer seemed perfect, but when I read the fine print, I saw it had many conditions. Things that look good are not always good. |
| Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente | Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel | If you do not know about something, it hurts less. | No vi el mensaje hasta la mañana siguiente, así que no me preocupé. Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente. | I didn't see the message until the next morning, so I didn't worry. If you don't know about something, it hurts less. |
| Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente. | Out of sight, out of mind. | Absence reduces worry. | No quiero saber nada de la discusión de mis vecinos; ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente. | I don't want to know anything about my neighbors' argument; out of sight, out of mind. |
| Perro ladrador, poco mordedor | Barking dog, little biter | People who talk big are often not dangerous. | —No te preocupes por él; habla mucho, pero nunca hace nada. Es un perro ladrador, poco mordedor. | “Don’t worry about him; he talks a lot, but he never does anything. He’s all bark and no bite.” |
| Perro ladrador, poco mordedor. | His bark is worse than his bite. | Threat is worse than action. | Dice que va a demandarnos, pero no te preocupes: perro ladrador, poco mordedor. | He says he's going to sue us, but don't worry: his bark is worse than his bite. |
| quien mucho duerme, poco aprende | Who sleeps a lot learns little. | Lazy people miss opportunities to learn. | Si no estudias para el examen, recuerda que quien mucho duerme, poco aprende. | If you don't study for the exam, remember that those who sleep too much learn little. |
