More Spanish idioms: colours, numbers, saints and similes
Pick an idiom
Estar sin blanca
estarto-besinwithoutblancawhite
es-TAR seen BLAN-kah
Word for word“to be without white”
Short answer: this second set of idioms is grouped by the images they use: colours (estar sin blanca, “to be broke”), numbers (en un dos por tres, “in a flash”), saints and religion (se me fue el santo al cielo, “my mind went blank”), weather and comparisons with más … que. The verb in each idiom changes as normal; the rest is fixed. For body, food and animal idioms, see part 1.
Colours
Sin blanca, poner verde, ponerse morado
Colour idioms often use ponerse (“to become”) or poner (“to make someone…”). The colour does not always match the English one: Spanish goes verde (green) with criticism, not envy.
estarto-besinwithoutblancawhite
es-TAR seen BLAN-kah= to be brokeNo puedo salir, estoy sin blanca. · I can’t go out, I’m broke.
ponerto-putverdegreena alguiensomeone
poh-NEHR BEHR-deh= to badmouth someoneLa pusieron verde en la reunión. · They tore her to pieces in the meeting.
ponerseto-becomemoradopurple
poh-NEHR-seh moh-RAH-doh= to eat until you burstNos pusimos morados de paella. · We stuffed ourselves with paella.
ponerseto-becomerojored
poh-NEHR-seh RROH-hoh= to blushSe puso rojo cuando lo vi. · He went red when I saw him.
BEHR-loh TOH-doh deh koh-LOR deh RROH-sah= to see everything through rose-tinted glassesEstá enamorado y lo ve todo de color de rosa. · He’s in love and sees everything through rose-tinted glasses.
pasarlasto-pass-themnegrasblack
pah-SAR-lahs NEH-grahs= to have a really hard timeLas pasé negras en el examen. · I had a terrible time in the exam.
Numbers
En un dos por tres, ni a la de tres
Numbers in idioms are rarely literal. Small numbers mean “quick” or “few”; large ones mean “endless”.
2×3
eninunadostwoportimestresthree
en oon dohs por TREHS= in a flashLo arreglo en un dos por tres. · I’ll fix it in no time.
3
ninot-evena laat thede tresof three
nee ah lah deh TREHS= no way, not for anythingNo viene ni a la de tres. · He won’t come for love nor money.
teh-NEHR SYEH-teh BEE-dahs= to survive anythingEste móvil tiene siete vidas. · This phone has nine lives.
100
estarto-beaatciena-hundred
es-TAR ah THYEN= to be flat out, very busy or excitedEsta semana estoy a cien. · I’m flat out this week.
1.000
mila-thousandvecestimes
meel BEH-thes= a thousand times, endlesslyTe lo he dicho mil veces. · I’ve told you a thousand times.
Comparisons
Más largo que un día sin pan
Spanish loves exaggerated comparisons built on más + adjective + que (“more … than”) or como (“like”). The second half is fixed; learn it as a block. Tap a row to hear it.
Saints and religion
Se me fue el santo al cielo
Centuries of Catholic culture left Spanish full of saints, God and the devil, used today with no religious meaning at all.
se meon-mefuewentel santothe saintal cieloto-the sky
seh meh FWEH el SAN-toh al THYEH-loh= my mind went blankIba a decirlo, pero se me fue el santo al cielo. · I was going to say it, but my mind went blank.
armarseto-break-outlathede Diosof God
ar-MAR-seh lah deh DYOS= all hell broke looseCuando llegó la policía, se armó la de Dios. · When the police arrived, all hell broke loose.
a Diosto Godrogandoprayingy conand withel mazothe malletdandohitting
ah DYOS rroh-GAN-doh ee kon el MAH-thoh DAN-doh= God helps those who help themselvesReza, pero estudia: a Dios rogando y con el mazo dando. · Pray, but study too: God helps those who help themselves.
keh-DAR-seh PAH-rah bes-TEER SAN-tohs= to be left on the shelf (unmarried)Mi tía dice que se quedó para vestir santos. · My aunt says she was left on the shelf.
tenerto-havemás caramore faceque espaldathan back
teh-NEHR mahs KAH-rah keh es-PAL-dah= to have a real cheek¡Tienes más cara que espalda! · You’ve got some nerve!
Weather
Llover sobre mojado, a mal tiempo buena cara
Weather idioms describe moods and bad luck. Several are also proverbs (refranes), short sayings with advice.
lloverto-rainsobreonmojadowet
yoh-BEHR SOH-breh moh-HAH-doh= it never rains but it poursPerdí el trabajo y luego el piso: llueve sobre mojado. · I lost my job and then my flat: it never rains but it pours.
a mal tiempo,to bad weatherbuena caragood face
ah mal TYEM-poh, BWEH-nah KAH-rah= keep smiling through hard timesYa sé que es duro, pero a mal tiempo, buena cara. · I know it’s hard, but keep your chin up.
haceit-makesun fríoa coldque pelathat peels
AH-theh oon FREE-oh keh PEH-lah= it’s freezingAbrígate, que hace un frío que pela. · Wrap up, it’s freezing.
estarto-been lasin thenubesclouds
es-TAR en lahs NOO-bes= to be daydreaming (also in part 1)¿Me escuchas o estás en las nubes? · Are you listening or miles away?
despuésafterde la tormentathe stormvienecomesla calmathe calm
des-PWES deh lah tor-MEN-tah BYEH-neh lah KAL-mah= after the storm comes the calmTranquilo, después de la tormenta viene la calma. · Don’t worry, things will settle down.
Verb idioms
Echar, dar, tomar: three verbs, dozens of idioms
A few common verbs lose their literal meaning inside idioms. Echar means “to throw”, dar “to give”, tomar “to take”, but in these phrases they are just glue.
echarliterally “to throw”
darliterally “to give”
tomarliterally “to take”
Check yourself
What would a Spaniard say?
Read the situation and pick the idiom that fits. The answer shows once you choose.
Your friend fixed your laptop in five minutes. It was done…
You spent your whole salary on holiday. Now you are…
You were about to give a name and completely forgot it.