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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 la espalda
dar a conocer
to make known
dar gritos
to shout
dar a luz
to give birth
dar gusto
to please
dar un abrazo
to embrace
dar la hora
dar asco
to disgust
to gyp; to swindle
dar la bienvenida
to welcome
to thank
dar brincos
to jump
dar guerra
to say good
(morning, afternoon)
dar largas
to prolong an affair
dar calabazas
to jilt; to flunk
dar lata
to make a nuisance of
oneself
dar la cara
to take responsibility
dar lugar a
to lend a hand
dar con
dar lo mismo
to make no difference
dar la nota
to stand out
dar cuenta de
to give a report on
dar pena a
to aggrieve
dar cuerda a
to wind
to give grounds
for criticism
dar de alta
to discharge (a patient)
to cause trouble
dar de baja
to give grounds
for suspicion
dar de palos
to beat; to thrash
dar parte
to inform
dar en
dar un paseo
to take a walk
(continued)
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to take a stroll
to take it personally
darse a
to devote oneself to
dar a hecho
darse cuenta de
to realize
to consider dead
darse de baja
darse nfulas
to put on airs
dar razn
to give account
darse la mano
to shake hands
dar la razn
to agree with
to consider oneself
dar recuerdos a
to give regards to
to give up
darse prisa
to hurry
to destroy; to spoil
drsela a uno
dar voces
to shout
drselas de
dar vueltas a
to start to
echar en cara
echar a perder
to ruin; to spoil
echar en el olvido
to forget completely
echar abajo
to demolish
echar flores
to flatter
echar al correo
to mail
echar mano a
to lay hands on
to give someone
a dressing down
echar races
to take root
echar chispas
to be furious; to be angry
to make a fizzle
echar la culpa
to blame
echarse atrs
echar de comer
to feed (animals)
echarse a dormir
echar de menos
to miss
echrselas de
to boast of being
its clear
estar al corriente de
to be up to date
est nublado
its cloudy
estar apurado
to be in a hurry
estar a
to be priced at
estar calado
to be broke
estar a punto de
to be about to
to be in suspense
to be comfortable
to be in agreement with
estar al caer
to be about to happen
estar de acuerdo
to be in agreement
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to be in a good mood
estar en el limbo
to be lost
to be in a bad mood
estar en todo
estar de ms
to be in excess
estar en un tris
to be about to happen
estar de paso
to be passing through
estar fuera de s
to be beside oneself
emotionally
estar de sobra
to be in excess
to be worn out
estar de vuelta
to be back
to be furious
estar en Babia
to daydream
to be soaked
to be sleeping
to be completely crazy
estar en condiciones
to be in good shape
to be about to
estar en forma
to be in good shape
estar pez
to ignore (something)
estar en la luna
to be flat broke
to daydream
to be supposed to;
to have to
haber lodo
to be muddy
haber neblina
to be foggy
haber sol
to be sunny
hay luna
there is moonlight
haber polvo
to be dusty
ago
hacer calor
to be warm
hacer caso de
hace poco
hacer cola
to line up
hacer su agosto
to make a killing
hacer dao
to harm; to damage
hacer alarde
to boast
hacer de
hacer alusin
to allude
hacer de cuenta
hacer aicos
to break to pieces
hacer de nuevo
to do over
to be good weather
hacer burla de
to make fun of
hacer falta
to be in need of
(continued)
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hacer el favor
to do a favor
hacer seas
to signal
hacer frente
to face; to take
the responsability
hacer viento
to be windy
hacer fresco
to be cool (weather)
hacer un viaje
to take a trip
hacer fro
to be cold (weather)
to pay a visit
hacer fuerza
to exert force
hacerse
to become
hacer juego
to match
hacerse con
hacer el papel de
hacerse ilusiones
to fool oneself
to be bad weather
hacerse de rogar
to like to be coaxed
hacer mofa
to mock; to scoff at
hacerse tarde
to become late
hacer morisquetas
to play pranks
hacerse dao
to hurt oneself
to make peace
hacerse de la
vista gorda
hacer pedazos
hacerse el muerto
to play dead
hacer un pedido
to place an order
hacerse el sueco
to ask a question
hacerse el tonto
to play dumb
hacer saber
to inform
to inform
poner al da
poner al sol
to praise highly
poner aparte
to set aside
poner nuevo
to humiliate; to reprimand
poner reparos
to make objectionss
ponerle el cascabel
al gato
poner las cosas en claro to clear things up; to explain ponerse + adjective
to become (involuntarily)
poner de manifiesto
to make public
ponerse a + infinitive
to begin to
poner en apuros
to put in a jam
ponerse bien
to get well
poner en claro
to make clear
ponerse colorado
to blush
poner en duda
to question
ponerse de acuerdo
to come to an agreement
poner en marcha
ponerse de pie
to stand up
ponerse en ridculo
poner la mesa
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to find it convenient
tener mundo
to be sophisticated
tener ngel
to be charming
tener aos
to be old
to be lucky
to be hard-hearted
tener palabra
tener calor
to be hot
tener la palabra
tener cuidado
to be careful
tener pensado
to intend to
tener la culpa
to be to blame for
to be very persuasive
tener un disgusto
to consider
tener dolor
to have a pain
tener presente
to bear in mind
tener en cuenta
tener prisa
to be in a hurry
tener en mente
to have in mind
to have to do something
tener en la punta
de la lengua
to have to do with
to understand that
tener razn
to be right
tener xito
to be successful
tener sed
to be thirsty
tener fro
to be cold
tener sueo
to be sleepy
tener ganas de
to feel like
tener suerte
to be lucky
tener gracia
to be funny
tener vergenza
to be ashamed
tener hambre
to be hungry
no tener arreglo
to be exhausted
tener inconveniente
to mind; to object to
no tener nombre
to be unspeakable
to be nobodys fool
tener los
to have difficulties
tener lugar
to take place
no tener razn
to be wrong
to be made for
no tener remedio
to look bad
no tener donde
caerse muerto
to be penniless
to be short-tempered
to be anxious;
to be worried
tener miedo de
to be afraid of
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to take as a joke
tomar la palabra
tomar a pecho
to take to heart
tomar partido
to side with
to take literally
tomar el pelo
to take charge of
tomar aliento
tomar en serio
to take seriously
tomarse la molestia
tomar la delantera
to get ahead of
to take it easy
to have just
burlarse de
to make fun of
to end up
to split hairs
acercarse a
to approach
no caber en s
to be beside oneself; to
be presumptuous
acordarse de
to remember
alegrarse de
to be glad of
alejarse de
to go away from
cambiar de
to change
cambiar de idea
carecer de
to lack
casarse con
to marry
codearse con
to hobnob with
apoderarse de
to take possession of
consentir en
to consent to
apoyarse en
to lean on
consistir en
to consist of
to sleep on it
aprovecharse de
to take advantage of
contar con
to rely on
armarse un escndalo
to cause a row
convenir en
to agree on
arrepentirse de
to repent
costar trabajo
to be difficult
asistir a
to attend
cuidar a
asomarse a
to appear at (a window)
cuidar de
asombrarse de
to be astonished
cuidarse de
to be careful about
atreverse a + infinitive
to dare to
cumplir con
to fullfill
bajar de
to get off
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no decir ni po
on the house
no decir ni esta
boca es ma
ir sobre ruedas
to run smoothly
dejar caer
to drop
ir tirando
to get by
dejar de + infinitive
ir viento en popa
to run smoothly
dejar dicho
to leave word
pensar en
to think of
dejar plantado
to stand someone up
perder cuidado
to not worry
dirigirse a
perder de vista
to lose sight of
diponerse a + infinitive
to get ready to
perder el juicio
dorar la pldora
to sugarcoat something
quedar boquiabierto
quedar en
to agree on
dormir la mona
quedarle algo
quedarle bien
to fit; to be becoming
quedarse con
to keep
enamorarse de
to be dumbfounded
encogerse de hombros
to be flat broke
enterarse de
faltarle un tornillo
quejarse de
to complain about
fiarse de
to trust
querer decir
to mean
fijarse en
quitarse de encima
to get rid of
gozar de
to enjoy
rerse de
reparar en
no importar un comino
romperse la cabeza
insistir en
to insist on
saber + infinitive
to know how to do
something
ir a la mitad
to go 50-50
saber de memoria
to know by heart
ir al grano
sacar a bailar
ir de compras
to go shopping
sacar de quicio
to drive crazy
ir de juerga
to go on a spree
sacar en claro
to make clear
(continued)
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to take a picture
traerle al retortero
to trouble one by
overwork
sacar el jugo
to be up to something
sacar ventaja de
to profit by
tratar de + infinitive
to try to
salir a
tratarse de
to be a question of
salir adelante
to be successful
tropezar con
to come upon
salir al encuentro
to go to meet
valer la pena
to be worthwhile
salir al paso
salir bien
to do well
venir a menos
to decay
salir de
to dispose of
venir al suelo
salir ganando
venir de perilla
venir de perlas
to be just right
saltar a la vista
to be obvious
servir de
to serve as
servir para
to be useful for
to be pessimistic
soar con
to dream of
volver a + infinitive
to . . . again
subir a
to get on (something)
tardar en + infinitive
to delay
volver atrs
to go back
temblar de
to tremble with
volver en s
to regain conciousness
tirar de
to pull
volver loco
to drive crazy
tocar madera
knock on wood
tocarle a uno
to be ones turn
volverse loco
traer a colacin
to bring up to discussion
on board
a ciegas
blindly
a caballo
on horseback
a ciencia cierta
a cada instante
at every moment
a crdito
on credit
a campo raso
in the open
a diestra y siniestra
a cntaros
a diferencia de
a casa
a duras penas
a causa de
because of
a escondidas
on the sly
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a eso de + time
at about + time
a menudo
often
a excepcin de
a oscuras
in the dark
a favor de
in favor of
a partir de
a fin de cuentas
after all
a pesar de
in spite of
a fin de que
in order that
a pie
on foot
a finales
a pierna suelta
without a care
a fines de
late in
a pocos pasos
at a short distance
a fondo
thoroughly
a primera vista
at first sight
a fuerza de
by dint of
a principios de
a gatas
on all fours
a propsito
a gusto
at will
a prueba de
resistant to
a la fuerza
by force
a razn de
at the rate of
a la larga
a regaadientes
reluctantly
a la moda
in style
a sabiendas
knowingly
a la vez
a saltos
a la vuelta de
at the turn of
a solas
alone
a las claras
openly
a tiempo
on time
wonderfully
a tientas
blindly
a lo largo de
alongside
a todo trance
at all costs
a lo lejos
in the distance
a tontas y a locas
helter-skelter
a lo mejor
may be
a travs de
through; across
in all directions
a veces
sometimes
a mano
handmade
al aire libre
a mano derecha
al amanecer
at daybreak
a mano izquierda
al anochecer
at nightfall
a ms tardar
al azar
by chance
a mediados de
al cabo de
at the end of
a medio tiempo
part time
al contado
cash
al medioda
at noon
al contrario
on the contrary
a menos
unless
al da
up-to-date; current
a merced
at the mercy of
al da siguiente
next day
(continued)
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al fin
finally
al parecer
apparently
al fin y al cabo
al pie de la letra
al lado de
next to
al poco rato
shortly
al menos
at least
al principio
at first
al mismo tiempo
al revs
inside out
al odo
confidentially
in accordance with
de mal en peor
de ahora en adelante
from now on
de mala gana
unwillingly
de antemano
ahead of time
de manera que
so that
de aqu en adelante
from now on
de memoria
by heart
de arriba a abajo
de moda
in fashion
de buena fe
in good faith
de modo
so that
de buena gana
willingly
de nada
de buenas a primeras
de ningn modo
by no means
de cabo a rabo
de nuevo
again
de cuando en cuando
de otro modo
otherwise
de este modo
in this way
de par en par
wide open
de frente
straight ahead
de pie
standing
de hecho
in fact
de prisa
rapidly; in a hurry
de golpe
suddenly
de pronto
suddenly
de hoy en adelante
from now on
de puntillas
on tiptoe
de improviso
unexpectedly
de repente
suddenly
de lo contrario
otherwise
de repuesto
spare; extra
de lo lindo
de rodillas
kneeling
de sobra
too many
de una vez
de sol a sol
de vacaciones
on vacation
de sbito
suddenly
de veras
really; truly
de todos modos
anyhow
de vez en cuando
de un momento a otro
at any moment
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in the future
en lugar de
instead of
en balde
in vain
en marcha
under way
en breve
in short
en medio de
in the middle of
en broma
jokingly
en ninguna parte
nowhere
en busca de
in search of
en otras palabras
in other words
en cambio
en pleno da
in broad daylight
en casa
at home
en poder de
in the hands of
en caso de
in case of
en presencia de
in the presence of
en conjunto
as a whole
en punto
on the dot
en contra de
contrary to
en realidad
as a matter of fact
en cuanto
as soon as
en resumen
in summary
en cuanto a
in regard to
en seguida
at once, immediately
en efecto
in fact; actually
en suma
in short
en el acto
right away
en tanto
in the meantime
en el fondo
deep down
en todas partes
everywhere
en el momento preciso
en todo caso
in any event
en espera de
awaiting
en torno a
en estado
pregnant
en esto
at this point
en un santiamn
en fin
in conclusion
en vano
in vain
en frente de
in front of
en vez de
instead of
en general
by and large
en vigor
in force
en la actualidad
en vista de
since
en libertad
free
en voz alta
aloud
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