30 Most Used Spanish Idioms

In this post: Make your speech more natural and engaging by learning some of the most commonly used idioms in Spanish.

Looking for a fun way to level up your Spanish? Learning some common Spanish idioms is a fantastic way to start speaking more like a native and liven up your conversations.

It’s also a great way to avoid confusion in your daily conversations. If someone has ever said that you’re “like a goat” or that a rooster fell asleep on them, you’re in the right place—we’ll tell you what those funny sounding Spanish idioms mean.

Idioms are an important and fascinating part of learning any language. They really help you to go beyond basic vocabulary learning and dive deeper into the culture and nuances of the language.

At Llamitas Spanish®, we’re passionate about helping families to raise bilingual and biliterate children. All of our lessons are both academic and fun for your child! We provide phonics work and spelling and literacy development in each lesson.

What are Spanish idioms?

An idiom is a phrase or saying with a figurative meaning that often doesn’t make literal sense or is grammatically unusual.

For example, an idiom often used in English is “raining cats and dogs.” Of course, this doesn’t mean cats and dogs are literally falling from the sky! While your preschooler might give you a funny look if you say this, most native English speakers are familiar with this saying and know that it means it’s raining a lot.

All languages have their own unique idioms. This means that if you tried to translate an English idiom into Spanish literally, like “It’s raining cats and dogs,” it would lose its meaning. Spanish speakers have an entirely different phrase for this: “Llueve a cántaros” or “Llueve a mares.”

Related post: Adivinanzas: Easy Spanish Riddles for Kids

5 Reasons You Need to Learn Spanish Idioms

Learning popular Spanish idioms is an integral part of learning the language and culture. Here are five reasons you need to learn Spanish idioms and include them in your Spanish lessons:

1. Understanding native speakers and day-to-day conversation 

How often do you use idioms in your everyday conversations? The answer to that may be more than you realize, as some scholars estimate that there are over 10,000 idioms in the English language alone!

If you’re traveling to any Spanish-speaking countries, knowing some common Spanish expressions and idioms will help you to keep up with the locals. Keep in mind that some idioms can vary depending on the country.

2. Understanding the culture and context of the language

Like language in general, idioms are often connected to the culture of the language you’re studying too. Some sayings may come from Spanish folktales and proverbs, which is why you can have different idioms in different Spanish-speaking countries.

3. Speaking more like a native speaker

Learning common idioms in Spanish will help you to level-up your language and give you the opportunity to add some creative flair to your conversations. It’s a great way to make your use of speech more natural, engaging, and like that of a native speaker!

4. Saying more with less

One of the reasons we use idioms in any language is because they’re often a really efficient use of language! Idioms are rich with meaning, and one of these short phrases will usually conjure up an image and provide details for your listener without you having to spell it all out for them.

5. Avoiding mistranslations and social awkwardness

With figurative language, attempting to directly translate from English to Spanish (or translate from Spanish to English) will only lead to confusion for everyone. Knowing some of these sayings will help you avoid some embarrassing social situations and frustration.

Related post: Funny Animal Jokes in Spanish for Kids

>> Grab the full list of idioms in a FREE download in our Freebie Library.

30 Common Spanish Idioms

We’ve rounded up 30 of the most common idioms in Spanish examples here, along with literal translations, the meaning, and ideas for how to use them in a sentence.

Meter la pata

Llover a cántaros

Tomar el pelo

Ser pan comido

En un dos por tres

Estar como unas castañuelas

Estar más sano que una pera

Disfrutar / Divertirse como enano

Ser un ave nocturna

Ser más fuerte que un roble

Aburrirse como una ostra

Estar hasta las narices

Ir sobre ruedas

Encontrar tu media naranja

Estar como una cabra

De punta en blanco

Tener mala leche

No tener pelos en la lengua

Se te durmió el gallo

Armar un pancho

Echar una pestañita

Por si las moscas

Hacer un paro

Ser un gallina

Estar en todo

Estar hecho un ají

Echar agua al mar

No ver tres en un burro

Dar la vuelta a la tortilla

No hay color

Spanish Homeschool Curriculum

For an authentic Spanish language learning experience, you’ll want to check out our Llamitas Spanish Curriculum for kids. This thematic curriculum is rooted in Hispanic culture, with lessons that enrich your child’s Spanish vocabulary through authentic songs, stories, games and more!

Whether you’re a bilingual family or you want to learn Spanish alongside your child, this full-year program has you covered with scripts, lessons, and engaging activities. Homeschooling a foreign language doesn’t have to be hard when you have the right resources.

Our open & go curriculum has everything you need to teach your child Spanish at home, with no prep work or guesswork required from you!

Lydia Mockensturm

Lydia is a freelance parenting and education writer. She previously taught English as a second language and enjoys sharing her love of language learning with her children.

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