Learning Spanish idioms is one of the most fun ways to sound like a native 🗣️. Idioms are expressions whose meaning cannot be deduced literally from the words themselves. In this blog, you’ll discover common idiomatic expressions, their meanings, funny phrases, and even love-related idioms 💘. Idioms also help you understand cultural references and make your Spanish more expressive and natural 🌟.
Spanish has thousands of idiomatic expressions that make conversations lively and colorful. Some of these idioms can sound funny or surprising if translated literally! Let’s explore some useful ones:
🥛 Dar una leche – Literally 'to give a milk', but it means to hit someone. This idiom is often used in casual or informal speech.
Example: Si sigues así, te voy a dar una leche. → If you keep doing that, I’m going to hit you. 😅
🍳 Estar frito – Literally 'to be fried', but it means to be in trouble or desperate. Perfect for exams, work problems, or tricky situations.
Example: Estoy frito con este examen. → I’m in trouble with this exam. 😬
👁️💰Costar un ojo de la cara – Literally 'to cost an eye from the face', means something is very expensive. Often used for shopping, travel, or luxury items.
Example: Ese coche cuesta un ojo de la cara. → That car costs an arm and a leg.
🦶🐱Buscarle tres pies al gato – Literally 'to look for three feet on the cat', means to complicate something unnecessarily. Use it when someone makes a simple problem harder than it is.
Example: No busques tres pies al gato, es fácil. → Don’t overcomplicate it, it’s easy.
💡 Tip: Idioms often have cultural references. Learning them helps you understand jokes, movies, and conversations with native speakers.
Love and relationships inspire some of the most creative idioms in Spanish 💌. These expressions are perfect for conversations, messages, or even literature:
😍 Estar colado por alguien – Literally 'to be soaked for someone', means to have a crush.
Example: Estoy colado por Ana. → I have a crush on Ana.
💘 Tener un flechazo – Literally 'to have a little arrow', means to fall in love at first sight. Romantic and cinematic!
Example: Fue un flechazo cuando la vi. → It was love at first sight when I saw her.
🐍 Hacer la cobra – Literally 'to do the cobra', means to dodge someone’s kiss or romantic advance.
Example: Intentó besarla y ella le hizo la cobra. → He tried to kiss her and she dodged it.
🎃 Dar calabazas – Literally 'to give pumpkins', means to reject someone romantically.
Example: Me dio calabazas en la cita. → He/She rejected me on the date.
💡 Tip: Love idioms often reflect emotions vividly. Using them can make your Spanish sound warmer and more expressive.
At A level Spanish, using idioms can make your writing and speaking more sophisticated 🌟. They show a deeper understanding of the language and culture. Some examples suitable for learners:
🪨 Quedarse de piedra – Literally 'to stay like a stone', means to be shocked or surprised.
Example: Me quedé de piedra cuando me contó la noticia. → I was shocked when he told me the news.
✍️Poner los puntos sobre las íes – Literally 'to put the dots on the i’s', means to clarify or make something perfectly clear.
Example: Es hora de poner los puntos sobre las íes en este asunto. → It’s time to clarify this matter.
😴 No pegar ojo – Literally 'not to stick an eye', means to not sleep at all. Common for exams, stress, or parties.
Example: Anoche no pegué ojo. → I didn’t sleep a wink last night.
💡 Tip: Using idioms in exams or essays can impress teachers and boost your grade if used correctly.
Spanish is full of idioms that make conversations funny and expressive 😆. Some examples:
🏠💨 Tirar la casa por la ventana – Literally 'throw the house out of the window', means to spend a lot of money.
Example: En su boda tiraron la casa por la ventana. → They spent a fortune on their wedding.
🐾 Meter la pata – Literally 'to put the paw in', means to make a mistake or blunder.
Example: Metí la pata en la reunión. → I messed up in the meeting.
⚔️🧱Estar entre la espada y la pared – Literally 'between the sword and the wall', means to be in a difficult situation.
Example: Estoy entre la espada y la pared con este problema. → I’m in a tight spot with this problem.
🪰👂Ir con la mosca detrás de la oreja – Literally 'to go with the fly behind the ear', means to be suspicious or doubtful about something.
Example: Voy con la mosca detrás de la oreja con ese trato. → I’m suspicious about that deal.
💡 Tip: Funny idioms make your Spanish more natural and enjoyable. Use them to add humor to your conversations.
Here’s a quick recap of the idioms we’ve learned, with meanings in English:
🥛 Dar una leche → to hit someone
🍳 Estar frito → to be in trouble / desperate
👁️💰Costar un ojo de la cara → to be very expensive
🐱 Buscarle tres pies al gato → to complicate unnecessarily
😍 Estar colado por alguien → to have a crush
💘 Tener un flechazo → love at first sight
🐍 Hacer la cobra → to dodge someone’s romantic advance
🎃 Dar calabazas → to reject someone romantically
🪨 Quedarse de piedra → to be shocked
✍️ Poner los puntos sobre las íes → to clarify
😴 No pegar ojo → to not sleep at all
🏠💨 Tirar la casa por la ventana → to spend a lot
🐾 Meter la pata → to make a mistake
⚔️🧱 Estar entre la espada y la pared → to be in a difficult situation
🪰👂 Ir con la mosca detrás de la oreja → to be suspicious / doubtful
Learning Spanish idioms is not only fun but also essential to speak like a native 🗣️💬. From funny phrases to love expressions like dar calabazas, idioms add emotion, humor, and color to your Spanish 🌟. Practice using them in writing, conversations, and storytelling to improve your fluency and confidence.
💡 Tip: Keep a list of idioms and try to use one every day. Check out Spanish media, movies, and songs to see them in context 🎬🎵.
Instructions: Choose the correct option. Good luck! 😊🍀
Which idiom do you find the funniest? 😂 Have you ever used any Spanish idioms in real life? 🗣️ Which idiom about love would you like to try using in a conversation? ❤️