Lists of Idiomatic Expressions

One of the most difficult aspects of a language to master is the usage of idiomatic expressions. Idiomatic expressions are phrases that carry a specific meaning within the language. Normally, there is no logical way of translating them word by word. The only way to learn them is to memorize them, and to practice their use. Below, you will find a series of Spanish idiomatic expressions grouped by types, according to the verb or the preposition they contain, and their English counterparts.
Expresiones con DAR (Idioms with DAR)
dar a dar a conocer dar a luz dar un abrazo dar asco dar la bienvenida dar brincos dar los buenos (das, tardes) dar calabazas dar la cara dar carta blanca dar con dar con la puerta en las narices dar cuenta de dar cuerda a dar de alta dar de baja dar de beber (comer) dar de palos dar en to face; to look out upon to make known to give birth to embrace to disgust to welcome to jump to say good (morning, afternoon) to jilt; to flunk to take responsibility to give someone a free hand to come upon; to find to slam the door in ones face to give a report on to wind to discharge (a patient) to drop (from a list) to give a drink (to feed) to beat; to thrash to strike against; to hit dar la espalda dar gritos dar gusto dar la hora dar gato por liebre dar las gracias dar guerra dar largas dar lata dar lugar a dar una mano dar lo mismo dar la nota dar pena a dar que hablar dar que hacer dar que pensar dar palos de ciego dar parte dar un paseo to turn ones back to shout to please to strike the hour to gyp; to swindle to thank to cause a lot of trouble to prolong an affair to make a nuisance of oneself to give cause for to lend a hand to make no difference to stand out to aggrieve to give grounds for criticism to cause trouble to give grounds for suspicion to swing out wildly to inform to take a walk (continued)

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dar por + past participle to consider darse por aludido dar a hecho dar por muerto dar por sentado dar razn dar la razn dar recuerdos a dar rienda suelta a dar al traste con dar voces dar vueltas a to take it personally to take for granted to consider dead to take for granted to give account to agree with to give regards to to give free rein to to destroy; to spoil to shout to think something over

dar una vuelta darse a darse cuenta de darse de baja darse nfulas darse la mano darse por + past participle darse por vencido darse prisa drsela a uno drselas de

to take a stroll to devote oneself to to realize to withdraw; to drop out to put on airs to shake hands to consider oneself to give up to hurry to make a fool out of someone to pose as; to claim to be

Expresiones con ECHAR (Idioms with ECHAR)

echar a + infinitive echar a perder echar abajo echar al correo echar la bronca a uno echar chispas echar la culpa echar de comer echar de menos to start to to ruin; to spoil to demolish to mail to give someone a dressing down to be furious; to be angry to blame to feed (animals) to miss echar en cara echar en el olvido echar flores echar mano a echar races echar todo a rodar echarse atrs echarse a dormir echrselas de to throw in ones face to forget completely to flatter to lay hands on to take root to make a fizzle to lean backwards; to retract to lie down to sleep to boast of being

Expresiones con ESTAR (Idioms with ESTAR)

est despejado est nublado estar a estar a dos velas estar a punto de estar a sus anchas estar al caer its clear its cloudy to be priced at to be broke to be about to to be comfortable to be about to happen estar al corriente de estar apurado estar calado to be up to date to be in a hurry to be soaked to the skin

estar como pez en el agua to be right at home estar con el alma en vilo estar conforme con estar de acuerdo to be in suspense to be in agreement with to be in agreement

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List of Idiomatic Expressions

estar de buen humor estar de mal humor estar de ms estar de paso estar de sobra estar de vuelta estar en Babia estar en brazos de Morfeo estar en condiciones estar en forma estar en la luna estar en las nubes

to be in a good mood to be in a bad mood to be in excess to be passing through to be in excess to be back to daydream to be sleeping to be in good shape to be in good shape to have ones head in the clouds to daydream

estar en el limbo estar en todo estar en un tris estar fuera de s estar hecho polvo estar hecho una fiera estar hecho una sopa estar loco de remate estar para + infinitive estar pez estar sin blanca

to be lost to have a finger in everything to be about to happen to be beside oneself emotionally to be worn out to be furious to be soaked to be completely crazy to be about to to ignore (something) to be flat broke

Expresiones con HABER (Idioms with HABER)

haber de + infinitive haber gato encerrado haber sol haber polvo to be supposed to; to have to there is something fishy to be sunny to be dusty haber lodo haber neblina hay luna hay que + infinitive to be muddy to be foggy there is moonlight it is necessary; one must

Expresiones con HACER (Idioms with HACER)

hace + time expression + que + preterite hace mucho tiempo hace poco hacer su agosto hacer alarde hacer alusin hacer aicos hacer buen tiempo hacer buenas migas hacer burla de ago long time ago a little while ago to make a killing to boast to allude to break to pieces to be good weather to hit it off with someone to make fun of hacer calor hacer caso de hacer cola hacer dao hacer de hacer de cuenta hacer de nuevo hacer de las suyas to be warm to pay attention to; to notice to line up to harm; to damage to work as; to act as to pretend; to act as though to do over to be up to ones old tricks

hacer de tripas corazn to pluck up courage hacer falta to be in need of (continued)

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hacer el favor hacer frente hacer fresco hacer fro hacer fuerza hacer juego hacer el papel de hacer mal tiempo hacer mofa hacer morisquetas hacer las paces hacer pedazos hacer un pedido hacer una pregunta hacer saber

to do a favor to face; to take the responsability to be cool (weather) to be cold (weather) to exert force to match to play the role of to be bad weather to mock; to scoff at to play pranks to make peace to break to pieces; to tear to place an order to ask a question to inform

hacer seas hacer viento hacer un viaje hacer una visita hacerse hacerse con hacerse ilusiones hacerse de rogar hacerse tarde hacerse dao hacerse de la vista gorda hacerse el muerto hacerse el sueco hacerse el tonto

to signal to be windy to take a trip to pay a visit to become to provide oneself with to fool oneself to like to be coaxed to become late to hurt oneself to turn a blind eye to play dead to pretend not to understand to play dumb

hacrsele agua la boca to make someones mouth water

Expresiones con PONER (Idioms with PONER)

poner al corriente poner al da poner al sol poner aparte poner nuevo poner como un trapo to inform poner las cartas sobre la mesa to lay ones cards on the table to take to ones heels to praise highly to dot the is and cross the ts to make objectionss to stick ones neck out to become (involuntarily) to begin to to get well to blush to come to an agreement to stand up to make look ridiculous

to bring someone up to date poner pies en polvorosa to expose to the sun to set aside to humiliate; to reprimand to wipe the floor with someone poner por las nubes poner los puntos sobre las es poner reparos ponerle el cascabel al gato

poner las cosas en claro to clear things up; to explain ponerse + adjective poner de manifiesto poner en apuros poner en claro poner en duda poner en marcha to make public to put in a jam to make clear to question to start; to get going ponerse a + infinitive ponerse bien ponerse colorado ponerse de acuerdo ponerse de pie ponerse en ridculo

poner el grito en el cielo to complain bitterly poner mala cara poner la mesa to give a dirty look to set the table

ponrsele la carne de gallina to get goose pimples

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List of Idiomatic Expressions

Expresiones con TENER (Idioms with TENER)

tener a bien tener ngel tener aos tener buena estrella tene corazn de piedra tener calor tener cuidado tener la culpa tener un disgusto tener dolor tener en cuenta tener en mente tener en la punta de la lengua tener entendido que tener xito tener fro tener ganas de tener gracia tener hambre tener los huesos molidos tener inconveniente tener lstima (a alguien) tener la lengua larga tener los tener lugar tener madera para tener mala cara tener malas pulgas tener miedo de to find it convenient to be charming to be old to be lucky to be hard-hearted to be hot to be careful to be to blame for to have a falling out to have a pain to take into account to have in mind to have on the tip of ones tongue to understand that to be successful to be cold to feel like to be funny to be hungry to be exhausted to mind; to object to to feel sorry for someone to have a big mouth to have difficulties to take place to be made for to look bad to be short-tempered to be afraid of tener mundo tener los nervios de punta tener ojo de buen cubero tener pjaros en la cabeza tener palabra tener la palabra tener pensado tener un pico de oro tener por + past participle tener presente tener prisa tener que + infinitive tener que ver con tener razn tener sed tener sueo tener suerte tener vergenza no tener arreglo no tener la menor idea no tener nombre no tener un pelo de tonto to be sophisticated to have ones nerve on the edge to have accurate eye to have bats in the belfry to keep ones word to have the floor to intend to to be very persuasive to consider to bear in mind to be in a hurry to have to do something to have to do with to be right to be thirsty to be sleepy to be lucky to be ashamed not able to be helped to not have the slightest idea to be unspeakable to be nobodys fool

no tener pelos en la lengua to be very outspoken no tener pies ni cabeza no tener razn no tener remedio no tener donde caerse muerto no tenerlas todas consigo to not make any sense to be wrong not able to be helped to be penniless to be anxious; to be worried

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Expresiones con TOMAR (Idioms with TOMAR)

tomar a broma tomar a pecho tomar al pie de la letra tomar algo a bien tomar algo a mal tomar aliento tomar en serio tomar la delantera to take as a joke to take to heart to take literally to take something well to take something badly to catch ones breath to take seriously to get ahead of tomar la palabra tomar partido tomar el pelo tomar por su cuenta to take the floor to side with to pull someones leg to take charge of

tomar el rbano por las hojas to be off the track tomar las de Villadiego tomarse la molestia tomrselo con calma to take to ones heels to take the trouble to take it easy

Otras Expresiones Verbales (Other Verbal Idioms)

acabar de + infinitive acabar por + infinitive acercarse a acordarse de alegrarse de alejarse de to have just to end up to approach to remember to be glad of to go away from burlarse de buscar tres pies al gato no caber en s caer del cielo caerse el alma a los pies cambiar de cambiar de idea carecer de casarse con codearse con consentir en consistir en consultar con la almohada contar con convenir en costar trabajo cuidar a cuidar de cuidarse de cumplir con decir cuatro verdades to make fun of to split hairs to be beside oneself; to be presumptuous to come out of the blue to be down in the dumps to change to change ones mind to lack to marry to hobnob with to consent to to consist of to sleep on it to rely on to agree on to be difficult to take care of (a person) to take care of (a thing) to be careful about to fullfill to tell someone a thing or two

andar de boca en boca to be generally known andar de mal en peor andar con rodeos andarse por las ramas apoderarse de apoyarse en to get worse and worse to beat about the bush to beat around the bush to take possession of to lean on

apresurarse a + infinitive to hurry to aprovecharse de armarse un escndalo arrepentirse de asistir a asomarse a asombrarse de atreverse a + infinitive bajar de to take advantage of to cause a row to repent to attend to appear at (a window) to be astonished to dare to to get off

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List of Idiomatic Expressions

no decir ni po no decir ni esta boca es ma dejar caer dejar de + infinitive dejar dicho dejar plantado dirigirse a diponerse a + infinitive dorar la pldora dormir a pierna suelta dormir como un lirn dormir la mona dormirse en los laureles

to not say a word to not say a word to drop to fail to; to stop to leave word to stand someone up to address; to make ones way to to get ready to to sugarcoat something to sleep like a log to sleep like a dormouse to sleep off a hangover to rest on ones laurels

ir por cuenta de la casa ir sobre ruedas ir tirando ir viento en popa pensar en perder cuidado perder de vista perder el juicio perder los estribos quedar boquiabierto quedar en quedarle algo quedarle bien quedarse con quedarse de una pieza quedarse sin blanca quemarse las pestaas quejarse de querer decir quitarse de encima rerse de reparar en romperse la cabeza saber + infinitive saber de memoria sacar a bailar sacar de quicio sacar en claro

on the house to run smoothly to get by to run smoothly to think of to not worry to lose sight of to go out of ones mind to lose ones poise to be left agape in shock or bewilderment to agree on to have (something) left to fit; to be becoming to keep to be dumbfounded to be flat broke to burn the midnight oil to complain about to mean to get rid of to laugh at; to make fun of to look at; to notice to rack ones brain to know how to do something to know by heart to lead out for a dance to drive crazy to make clear (continued)

empearse en + infinitive to insist on; to persist in enamorarse de encogerse de hombros enterarse de faltarle un tornillo fiarse de fijarse en gozar de to fall in love with to shrug ones shoulders to become aware of; to find out about to have a screw loose to trust to stare at; to notice to enjoy

hablar hasta por los codos to talk incessantly no importar un comino insistir en ir a la mitad ir al grano ir de compras ir de juerga to not give a damn about to insist on to go 50-50 to get straight to the point to go shopping to go on a spree

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sacar una fotografa sacar el jugo sacar ventaja de salir a salir adelante salir al encuentro salir al paso salir bien salir de salir ganando alirse con la suya saltar a la vista servir de servir para soar con subir a tardar en + infinitive temblar de tirar de tocar madera tocarle a uno traer a colacin

to take a picture to work (one) hard to profit by to resemble; to take after to be successful to go to meet to run into; to confront to do well to dispose of to come out a winner to have ones own way to be obvious to serve as to be useful for to dream of to get on (something) to delay to tremble with to pull knock on wood to be ones turn to bring up to discussion

traerle al retortero traerse entre manos tratar de + infinitive tratarse de tropezar con valer la pena valer lo que pesa venir a menos venir al suelo venir de perilla venir de perlas ver las estrellas ver los cielos abiertos verlo todo negro volver a + infinitive volver a las andadas volver atrs volver en s volver loco

to trouble one by overwork to be up to something to try to to be a question of to come upon to be worthwhile to be worth its weight in gold to decay to fall to the ground to come in the nick of time to be just right to feel acute pain to see a great opportunity to be pessimistic to . . . again to go back to ones old ways to go back to regain conciousness to drive crazy

volverle el alma al cuerpo to recover from a shock volverse loco to lose ones mind

Expresiones con A (Idioms with A)

a bordo a caballo a cada instante a campo raso a cntaros a casa a causa de on board on horseback at every moment in the open cats and dogs (to rain) home (to go) because of a ciegas a ciencia cierta a crdito a diestra y siniestra a diferencia de a duras penas a escondidas blindly with complete certainty on credit right and left in contrast to; unlike with great difficulty on the sly

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List of Idiomatic Expressions

a eso de + time a excepcin de a favor de a fin de cuentas a fin de que a finales a fines de a fondo a fuerza de a gatas a gusto a la fuerza a la larga a la moda a la vez a la vuelta de a las claras a las mil maravillas a lo largo de a lo lejos a lo mejor a los cuatro vientos a mano a mano derecha a mano izquierda a ms tardar a mediados de a medio tiempo al medioda a menos a merced

at about + time with the exception of in favor of after all in order that in the latter part of late in thoroughly by dint of on all fours at will by force in the long run in style at the same time at the turn of openly wonderfully alongside in the distance may be in all directions handmade on the right-hand side on the left-hand side at the vary latest at about the middle of part time at noon unless at the mercy of

a menudo a oscuras a partir de a pesar de a pie a pierna suelta a pocos pasos a primera vista a principios de a propsito a prueba de a razn de a regaadientes a sabiendas a saltos a solas a tiempo a tientas a todo trance a tontas y a locas a travs de a veces al aire libre al amanecer al anochecer al azar al cabo de al contado al contrario al da al da siguiente

often in the dark from a particular moment on in spite of on foot without a care at a short distance at first sight at the beginning of; early in by the way; on purpose resistant to at the rate of reluctantly knowingly by leaps and bounds alone on time blindly at all costs helter-skelter through; across sometimes in the open air at daybreak at nightfall by chance at the end of cash on the contrary up-to-date; current next day (continued)

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al fin al fin y al cabo al lado de al menos al mismo tiempo al odo

finally in the end; after all next to at least at the same time confidentially

al parecer al pie de la letra al poco rato al principio al revs

apparently word for word shortly at first inside out

Expresiones con DE (Idioms with DE)

de acuerdo con de ahora en adelante de antemano de aqu en adelante de arriba a abajo de buena fe de buena gana de buenas a primeras de cabo a rabo de cuando en cuando de este modo de frente de hecho de golpe de hoy en adelante de improviso de lo contrario de lo lindo de sobra de sol a sol de sbito de todos modos de un momento a otro in accordance with from now on ahead of time from now on from top to bottom in good faith willingly on the spur of the moment from beginning to end from time to time in this way straight ahead in fact suddenly from now on unexpectedly otherwise very much; a great deal too many from sunrise to sunset suddenly anyhow at any moment de mal en peor de mala gana de manera que de memoria de moda de modo de nada de ningn modo de nuevo de otro modo de par en par de pie de prisa de pronto de puntillas de repente de repuesto de rodillas de una vez de vacaciones de veras de vez en cuando from bad to worse unwillingly so that by heart in fashion so that you are welcome by no means again otherwise wide open standing rapidly; in a hurry suddenly on tiptoe suddenly spare; extra kneeling once and for all on vacation really; truly from time to time

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List of Idiomatic Expressions

Expresiones con EN (Idioms with EN)

en adelante en balde en breve en broma en busca de en cambio en casa en caso de en conjunto en contra de en cuanto en cuanto a en efecto en el acto en el fondo en el momento preciso en espera de en estado en esto en fin en frente de en general en la actualidad en libertad in the future in vain in short jokingly in search of on the other hand at home in case of as a whole contrary to as soon as in regard to in fact; actually right away deep down in the nick of the time awaiting pregnant at this point in conclusion in front of by and large at the present time free en lugar de en marcha en medio de en ninguna parte en otras palabras en pleno da en poder de en presencia de en punto en realidad en resumen en seguida en suma en tanto en todas partes en todo caso en torno a instead of under way in the middle of nowhere in other words in broad daylight in the hands of in the presence of on the dot as a matter of fact in summary at once, immediately in short in the meantime everywhere in any event about; in connection with

en un abrir y cerrar de ojos in the twinkling of an eye en un santiamn en vano en vez de en vigor en vista de en voz alta in the twinkling of an eye in vain instead of in force since aloud

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