Spanish proverbs
Check out these Spanish proverbs and see how many you can guess from the literal translation.
| Spanish saying/proverb | Literal translation | Equivalent proverb in English/other meanings |
| Corto de luces | To be short of lights | Not the sharpest knife in the drawer |
| Tiene más lana que un borrego | He has more wool than a sheep | To have a lot of money |
| En boca cerrada no entran moscas
| Into a closed mouth flies will not enter | Think before you speak |
| En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques | On a Tuesday, don’t get married nor get on board | Tuesday is an unlucky day in Spanish culture – Tuesday 13th holds the same connotations as Friday 13th in the English speaking world |
| El hijo de la gato, ratones mata
| The son of a cat kills mice | Like father like son |
| No todo el monte es orégano | The whole hillside is not covered in oregano | All is not as it seems |
| Tomar el pelo | To take hold of the hair | To pull someone’s leg |
| Las mentiras tienen las patas cortas
| Lies have short legs | The truth will out |
| Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando
| A bird in the hand is worth more than 100 flying | A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush |
| Yo tengo una tía que toca la guitarra
| I have an aunt who plays the guitar | What’s that got to do with the price of fish? |
| Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda | If you dress a monkey in silk it will still be a monkey | You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear |
| No hay mal que por bien no venga
| There is no bad of which good does not come | Every cloud has a silver lining |
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