Common Spanish Sayings gives you a practical set of Spanish words and expressions in one place, so you can study useful vocabulary without digging through scattered sources.
¡Vamos! If you love phrases that sound wise, witty, or just a little dramatic, you’re in the right place—scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable common Spanish sayings vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable common Spanish sayings flashcards.
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| Word | Literal Meaning | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al mal tiempo, buena cara | To bad weather, a good face | Stay positive when things are difficult. | Está lloviendo y perdimos el partido, pero al mal tiempo, buena cara. | It’s raining and we lost the game, but keep a positive attitude. |
| Al mal tiempo, buena cara. | Keep your chin up. | Face hardship with courage. | Perdimos el tren, pero al mal tiempo, buena cara. | We missed the train, but we’re staying positive. |
| Barriga llena, corazón contento. | A full belly makes a happy heart. | Basic needs bring contentment. | Después de comer bien y descansar, todos estaban contentos: barriga llena, corazón contento. | After eating well and resting, everyone was happy: when basic needs are met, people feel happy. |
| Cada loco con su tema. | To each their own. | Everyone has their obsession. | A él le encantan los trenes antiguos; cada loco con su tema. | He loves old trains; everyone has their own weird interests. |
| Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente. | You snooze, you lose. | Stay alert or miss opportunities. | No dejes pasar esa oferta; camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente. | Don’t let that deal pass you by; you snooze, you lose. |
| Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos | Raise crows and they will peck out your eyes | Bad people may hurt the person who helped them. | Le ayudó mucho y luego lo traicionó; cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos. | He helped him a lot, and then he betrayed him. Some people hurt those who helped them. |
| Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos. | You reap what you sow. | Bad deeds return to hurt you. | Si tratas mal a todos, cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos. | If you treat everyone badly, bad deeds will come back to hurt you. |
| Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho. | Easier said than done. | Words are not actions. | Prometió ayudarme, pero del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho. | He promised to help me, but words are not actions. |
| Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres | Tell me who you walk with and I will tell you who you are | Your friends show what kind of person you are. | —¿Por qué no sales con ellos? —Porque, dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres. | Your friends are very serious. Your friends show who you are. |
| Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres. | Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are. | Company reveals character. | Si sales siempre con gente irresponsable, dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres. | If you always hang out with irresponsible people, tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are. |
| El hábito hace al monje. | Clothes make the man. | Habits shape identity. | Se levanta temprano, estudia mucho y siempre ayuda; el hábito hace al monje. | He gets up early, studies a lot, and always helps; habits shape who you are. |
| El que la sigue, la consigue | Who keeps going gets it | If you keep trying, you can succeed. | Sigue estudiando: el que la sigue, la consigue. | Keep studying. If you keep trying, you can succeed. |
| El que mucho abarca poco aprieta. | Jack of all trades, master of none. | Do not take on too much. | No aceptes tres proyectos a la vez; el que mucho abarca poco aprieta. | Don’t take on three projects at once; if you try to do too much, you won’t do any of it well. |
| El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta | The one who covers too much, squeezes little | If you try to do too many things, you won’t do any of them well. | No aceptes tantos proyectos; el que mucho abarca, poco aprieta. | Don’t take on so many projects; if you try to do too much, you won’t do any of it well. |
| El tiempo lo cura todo. | Time heals all wounds. | Pain fades with time. | Ahora duele mucho, pero el tiempo lo cura todo. | It hurts a lot now, but time heals all wounds. |
| En boca cerrada no entran moscas | Flies do not enter a closed mouth | It is better to stay quiet. | No opines sobre eso; en boca cerrada no entran moscas. | Do not say anything in the meeting. Better to stay quiet. |
| En boca cerrada no entran moscas. | Silence is golden. | Sometimes it is better not to speak. | No le cuentes el chisme; en boca cerrada no entran moscas. | Don’t tell him the gossip; silence is golden. |
| Genio y figura hasta la sepultura. | Old habits die hard. | Character stays with you. | Sigue llegando tarde; genio y figura hasta la sepultura. | He keeps arriving late; people usually stay the same. |
| Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo. | With age comes wisdom. | Experience teaches more than cleverness. | Mi abuelo siempre da buenos consejos; más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo. | My grandfather always gives good advice; experience teaches more than cleverness. |
| Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando. | A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. | Better keep what you have. | No cambies tu trabajo fijo por una promesa; más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando. | Don't change your steady job for a promise; a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. |
| Más vale prevenir que lamentar. | Better safe than sorry. | Prevention beats regret. | Lleva paraguas; más vale prevenir que lamentar. | Take an umbrella; it’s better to be safe than sorry. |
| Más vale tarde que nunca | Better late than never | It is better to do it late than not do it. | Llegaste tarde, pero más vale tarde que nunca. | You arrived late, but better late than never. |
| Más vale tarde que nunca. | Better late than never. | Late action beats none. | Llegó tarde, pero más vale tarde que nunca. | He arrived late, but better late than never. |
| No dar pie con bola | Not to give a foot with a ball | To do everything wrong. | Hoy no doy pie con bola; todo me sale mal. | I cannot do anything right today. Everything is going wrong. |
| No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy. | Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. | Act promptly. | Haz la tarea ya: no dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy. | Do the homework now: don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. |
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