Literal translation: In the blacksmith’s house, a wooden knife.Įnglish equivalent: “The shoemaker’s son always goes barefoot.” “Barcelona, Spain” by Toa Heftiba© 10. En casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo. Put your neck on the line, take a leap in the dark, sail close to the wind, or run the risk of doing something. Literal translation: The person who does not risk cannot win.Įnglish equivalent: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” If it’s empty, it made a loud noise for literally nothing. Think about the moment you break in a nutshell. We bet Shakespeare would find this funny.īut it’s not entirely absurd though. Literal translation: Lots of noise and few nuts.Įnglish equivalent: “Much ado about nothing.” No matter if it’s a positive or a negative bias. Literal translation: The habit doesn’t make the monk.Įnglish equivalent: “Clothes do not make the man.” / “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”ĭon’t ever judge a person solely by appearances because this is not a reliable indication of the true character of that person. Who wouldn’t prefer cakes over bread though? 7. Literal translation: If there’s no bread, cakes will do.Įnglish equivalent: “Beggars can’t be choosers.” Literal translation: Such is the stick, such is the chip.Įnglish equivalent: “Like father, like son.” / “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” 6. Meaning that the rumors are almost always partly true. Literal translation: When the river makes noise, it’s carrying water.Įnglish equivalent: “There’s no smoke without fire.”ĭid you know this one? It means that if there are unpleasant rumors about someone or something, there is probably a good reason for it. This one is pretty straightforward as the literal translation is the same as the English equivalent. Más vale tarde que nunca.Įnglish equivalent: “Better late than never.” Literal translation: There’s no bad from which something good doesn’t come.Įnglish equivalent: “Every cloud has a silver lining.”Ībsolutely the best Spanish saying you can use to encourage someone to be hopeful even when things are not great. In addition, “birds of a feather flock together” has a similar meaning and can be used as an alternative. Literal translation: Tell me who you hang out with, and I’ll tell you who you are.Įnglish equivalent: Although in English we often use the literal translation too, we are more familiar with the ‘official’ version of this saying: “tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are”. Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres. This way, you’ll easily understand how sayings work in Spanish and know right away what is the proper context to use each of them. Speaking of English sayings, let’s begin with a list of the most popular Spanish sayings that have a clear English correspondent or equivalent. If you use too many sayings in your discourse, you could come off as… peculiar. As the English saying goes: one can have too much of a good thing. And like the margarita, the Spanish language is better with a pinch of salt on the rim of the glass. Spanish sayings are like salt and pepper to your discourse. So let’s dive in and see what Spanish sayings and expressions you can use to sound as if you were Spanish-born. This is why learning the most popular sayings is definitely a win-win situation. Hence, Spanish sayings will not just make you sound like a native, but will also provide insight into Spanish history and culture. Oxford Languages defines “saying” as a short, pithy, and commonly known expression that offers wisdom or a piece of advice. After all, this is your main goal when learning Spanish. This way, you’ll add substance and humor to your discourse and sound more believable, authentic, and surely – more like a Spanish native. Go with practical and popular notions such as Spanish sayings, expressions, or idioms that the natives use all the time. But first, you should focus on expanding your vocabulary in order to build your confidence while learning Spanish. Sure, it does help you sound more like a native. Spanish accent is not everything – no matter whether it’s European or Latin American.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |