Humorous Spanish Phrases: Because Learning Spanish Is Fun
Are you ready to move your Spanish to the next level?
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, and if you’re a high school student or an adult learner, these amusing Spanish words will tickle your mind and encourage you to speak with more colloquial understanding.
Plus, some fun Spanish idioms to add to your conversational skills as a bonus.
Let’s begin:
Amusing Spanish Phrases
Tirar La Casa Por La Ventana
If you’ve come across the English expression “To spare no expense,” this is the Spanish counterpart.
Let’s begin with a straightforward interpretation. “Tirar” is a verb that implies “to throw.”
La casa means “the house,” and la ventana means “the window.” Frankly, this means: To throw the house through the window.
Criticism in Spanish is wholly typical, and this is no different. So when someone is consuming so much money without even contemplating about it, go on a binge-spending, splurge like crazy, and all that, that individual is tirando la casa por la ventana.
Estar En La Edad Del Pavo
This phrase is just one of the tons of amusing things to say in Spanish, and being an idiom implies being a teenager. Turkeys are awkward creatures, just like the challenging yet, awkward stage that every teenager had to go through.
Let’s try to give this expression a breakdown in order to get to a straightforward translation. The word “Estar” is a verb that means “to be.” While “La edad” means “the age.” Pavo, on the other hand means “turkey.”
Therefore, in essence, this line, when translated in English, means: To be in the age of the turkey.
Ponte Las Pilas
Essentially, we know that people don’t need batteries. In fact, you should never take it or put it in your body in the first place!
The word “Ponte” is derived from the verb “poner”, which means “to put.” It is a form of a command conjugation.
The words “Las lase” are “the batteries.” So in English, “Ponte las pilas” means: Put in your batteries.
But in the idiom context, ponte las pilas means “wake up” or “look alive.” Another way to express this idom is: “Ponte pilas.”
Ser Pan Comido
It is commonly constructed as “es pan comido” because it implies something that is easy, and when translated in English, it would mean “it is eaten bread.”
In reality, what it means is that everything was simple. In English, it can be expressed in a way as everything was a piece of cake.
“Ser” is a form of a verb that means “to be.” Therefore, whether or not you decided to use “ser” or “estar” in your sentence does not matter because it will totally depend on how you’re using it.
Since “Pan” means “bread” and “comido” means “eaten.” This phrase directly translates: To be bread eaten.
Tomar El Pelo
It’s the equivalent of saying, “To pull one’s leg” in English. It means that someone’s making fun of it.
“Tomar” is also a verb that means “to take.” Whereas “El pelo” means “the hair” in English.
Can you speculate what that expression actually means: To take hold of your hair.
It can also mean that someone is a fool, so the future doesn’t concern him or her.
Sin Pelos En La Lengua
The word “sin” means “without” in Spanish. You might note from above that pelo means “hair;” here, “pelos” become its plural form.
It really means someone who doesn’t divide their words, someone who doesn’t fret when saying the truth, even though the fact sounds very serious. It explains as “Someone who doesn’t hold their tongue.”
La lengua signifies “tongue.” Essentially, this word means: Without the hair on your tongue.
Tener Mala Leche
This term is used by native Spanish speakers when they wish to refer to bad luck, and “tener mala leche” is “to have bad luck.”
Have you ever had any sour milk or even tasted one? It surely does not encourage a good feeling, mood, nor taste.
“Tener” is a verb that means “to have,” “mala” is an adjective that means “bad,” and “Leche” means “milk.”
Basically, this is what the expression means in English: To have bad milk.
Dame Pan Y Dime Tonto
This representation we have here next is composed of two phrases in the letter “y,” which means “and in Spanish. Let’s take a look at each half of this idiom separately.
The first half, “dame pan,” uses the word “dar,” which means to give.” “Me” means the word “to me.”
“Dime” comes from the verb “decir,” which means “to say.” It means to tell me” or to tell me” because of “me.”
“Tonto” means stupid,” “dumb,” or “idiot.” Literally, the second part of this idiom means: “Tell me that I’m stupid.” So all this means, “Give me some bread and call me stupid.”
“Pan,” if you remember, means “bread.” So the first half of this idiom means “Give me bread.”
What this phrase refers to is someone willing to do whatever it takes to succeed or someone who’s thinking, “I don’t care about other people’s opinions as long as I get what I want.”
This line is used in situations where someone doesn’t mind putting up with something annoying (to be called a stupid guy) if he’s going to get something in return (the bread).
Me Pica El Bagre
So this literally means, “The catfish is pecking me.“
“Picar” is a verb that means “to stingto itch.” It also means “to peck at,” like how birds peck at something.
“El bagre” means “Catfish.”
We just don’t want them to eat a whole goat, just like no one wants to see people walking around with catfish eating them. But all of them mean, “I’m really famished.”
The real message to you by someone who says this is that they are seriously starving. In English, you may have heard someone say, “They’re so hungry that they could eat a bear.“
Estar Como Una Cabra
“Una cabra” means “a goat.” So this phrase means: To be like a goat.
There’s “estar” again, which means “to be.” Como means “like.”
Have you ever analyze the behavior of a goat? It actually makes a lot of sense.
Comiendo moscas
“Comiendo moscas” means “eating flies.” Needless to say, your colleague who can’t point out his thoughts well doesn’t literally “eat flies.” A person who is “comiendo moscas” is a person who hits around the bush or speaks meaninglessly.”
You can also hear this term when you travel around Latin America and Spain. Each and every society has people who speak purposely to listen to their own voices.
Buena onda
“Buena onda” means “good wave” or “good vibes” is the easiest way to translate this into English.
Typically, this phrase is used when you are referring to a specific person. He gives me good vibes, me da buena onda. It’s also likely that he’s de bon onda, he’s coming from a place with a positive vibe, or he’s got a good onda, he’s got a good vibe. The latter two are more prevalent in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. You can even say “cool” in Mexico! “By tossing out a que buena onda!”.
Buena onda is heard more frequently in Spain than in Latin America, although it is not surprising to listen to it.
Es el mismo perro con diferente collar
“Es el mismo perro con diferente collar” actually means, “It’s the same dog with another collar.”
This phrase means that people don’t change, or a situation doesn’t change.” You’ll always hear this phrase as the elections take place. There is a newly elected person in the office, but es el mismo perro.
This expression is used a lot in Latin America, which is cynical because things are continually changing there.
Más se perdió en Cuba
In English, this term directly means, “more was lost in Cuba.” This expression means, “there are worse things that can happen.” Often in English, we say things like “it’s not the end of the world” to make the same point.
There’s no big surprise compared to the loss of Cuba than in any other Spanish-speaking country.
HUGE BONUS!
Here are some hilarious idiomatic expressions that will not only improve your Spanish skills, but can totally take your knowledge about the language a notch higher.
The Best “Amusing” Spanish Idioms and Expressions
Sharing entertaining traditional phrases is also the perfect way to develop your Spanish vocab and your talking skills.
Any helpful and popular Spanish phrases that will help you develop your fluency and understand this beautiful language.
A friendly reminder, though, there are some terms and expressions that you can use depending on the circumstances, although some can be avoided to avert any possible misinterpretations.
Vamos a empezar! Lets’ begin!
Not to know even a potato about something
Translation: No saber ni papa de algo
Meaning: To have no idea about something
English Equivalent: Not to have a clue
More face than back
Translation: Mas cara que espalda
Meaning: To behave or speak rudely, show no respect
English Equivalent: Have a lot of cheek
Throw disks at you
Translation: Te tira los tejos
Meaning: To flirt
English Equivalent: To pick up, to hit on someone
Eating flies
Translation: Comiendo moscas
Meaning: To go off-topic
English Equivalent: Go off on a tangent
To enjoy yourself like a dwarf.
Translation: Disfrutar como un enano
Meaning: To have a great time
English Equivalent: Have a whale of a time
Throw the house through the window
Translation: Tirar la casa por la ventana
Meaning: Pay any amount of money to achieve something
English Equivalent: Spare no expense, pull out all the stops.
The catfish is biting me
Translation: Me pica el bagre
Meaning: I’m very hungry
English Equivalent: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!
Good wave!
Translation: Buena onda!
Meaning: Very good
English Equivalent: Good vibes! Cool!
Put in your batteries!
Translation: Ponte las pilas
Meaning: Pay attention
English Equivalent: Wake up, look alive, put some energy into it
Eye!
Translation: Ojo!
Meaning: To be careful
English Equivalent: Watch yourself, I’m watching you
The catfish is biting me
Translation: Me pica el bagre
Meaning: I’m very hungry
English Equivalent: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!
To be bread eaten
Translation: Ser pan comido
Meaning: Be easy to do
English Equivalent: A piece of cake
Short of lights
Translation: Corto de luces
Meaning: To be stupid or ditsy
English Equivalent: The lights are on but nobody’s home, not the brightest bulb in the shed, not the the sharpest tool in the shed
You think you’re the last coke in the desert
Translation: Creerse la última coca-cola en el desierto
Meaning: To believe that you are better than everyone else
English Equivalent: The bee’s knees, to think that you’re the bomb, the best thing since sliced bread
To be like a goat
Translation: Estar como una cabra
Meaning: To be crazy
English Equivalent: Be off your rocker, be a fruitcake, be off your head
Short of lights
Translation: Corto de luces
Meaning: To be stupid or ditsy
English Equivalent: The lights are on but nobody’s home, not the brightest bulb in the shed, not the the sharpest tool in the shed
He goes fart
Translation: Va pedo
Meaning: To be drunk
English Equivalent: He’s plastered, smashed
Give the can
Translation: Dar la lata
Meaning: To pester
English Equivalent: Be a nuisance, be a pain
Speaking of the king of Rome
Translation: Hablando del rey de Roma
Meaning: To be talking about someone as they appear
English Equivalent: Speak of the devil, to have itchy ears
Make his August
Translation: Hace su agosto
Meaning: To make a lot of money
English Equivalent: To make a killing
To take hold of the hair
Translation: Tomar el pelo
Meaning: Cheerfully unconcerned about the future
English Equivalent: To pull one’s leg, make fun of
To be healthier than a pear
Translation: Estar más sano que una pera
Meaning: To be and feel healthy
English Equivalent: To be as fit as a fiddle
To be made a chili
Translation: Estar hecho un ají
Meaning: To be very angry
English Equivalent: To be hopping mad
Spanish Idioms Involving Food And Drinks
No importar un pepino / un rábano / un pimiento
Translation: Not to matter a cucumber / radish / pepper
Meaning: To be irrelevant
English Equivalent:To not give a monkey about it
Ponerse de mala leche
Translation:To get in bad milk
Meaning:To get in a bad mood
English Equivalent: To get bent out of shape
Temblar como un flan
- Translation: To be shaky like a pudding
- Meaning: To be very nervous
- English Equivalent: To be a cat on hot bricks
Ser pan comido
- Translation: To be eaten bread
- Meaning: To be very easy
- English Equivalent: To be a piece of cake
Dar calabazas a alguien
- Translation: To give pumpkins to someone
- Meaning: To reject someone
- English Equivalent: To give somebody the brush off
Ser un bombón
- Translation: To be a bonbon
- Meaning: To be very good looking
- English Equivalent: To be eye candy
Ser del año de la pera
- Translation: To be from the year of the pear
- Meaning: To be very old
- English Equivalent: To be from another era
Ponerse como un tomate
- Translation: To turn into a tomato
- Meaning: To blush
- English Equivalent: To turn as red as a beetroot
Dar la vuelta a la tortilla
- Translation: To turn the omelet around
- Meaning: To turn the situation around
- English Equivalent: To turn the tables
Ser un melón
- Translation: To be a melon
- Meaning: To be not very intelligent
- English Equivalent: To be a blockhead
Catching flies
- Translation: Papando moscas
- Meaning: To daydream
- English Equivalent: Twiddle one’s thumbs
Be like a stone
- Translation: Quedarse de piedra
- Meaning: To be shocked
- English Equivalent: To be flabbergasted, gob-smacked
Spanish idioms involving animals
Tener memoria de pez
- Translation: To have the memory of a fish
- Meaning: To have a bad memor
- English Equivalent: To have a memory like a sieve
Tener vista de lince
- Translation: To have the eyesight of a lynx
- Meaning: Having an excellent vision
- English Equivalent: Have an eagle eye
Verle las orejas al lobo
- Translation: To see the ears of the wolf
- Meaning: To notice danger
- English Equivalent: To see the writing on the wall
Ser un gallina
- Translation: To be a hen
- Meaning: To be a coward
- English Equivalent: To be a chicken
Ser un rata
Translation: To be a rat
Meaning: To be stingy
English Equivalent: To be a tightwad
Estar en la edad del pavo
- Translation: To be in the turkey’s age
- Meaning: To be a teenager, to be in puberty
- English Equivalent: To go through teenage angst
Dar gato por liebre
- Translation: To give cat for hare
- Meaning: To trick / rip off someone
- English Equivalent: To take for a ride
Ser la oveja negra
- Translation: To be the black sheep
- Meaning: To be good for nothing, to be the unsuccessful one
- English Equivalent: To go off the rails
No ver tres en un burro
- Translation: Not being able to see three on a donkey
- Meaning: Having a really bad vision
- English Equivalent: To be blind as a bat
Estar como una cabra
- Translation: To be like a goat
- Meaning: To be crazy
- English Equivalent: To be mad as a hornet, to be crazy as a bat
CONCLUSION:
It’s hard to trace exactly where all these funny Spanish phrases come from.
But these phrases developed over time, just like idioms in other languages, which may account for why their direct translations differ so much from their actual meanings.
When studying a new language, it is necessary not only to learn a formal register but also to be able to understand the informal expression. It is the vocabulary we hear on the streets, in group interactions, TV programs, etc. The easiest way to learn Spanish is through a native speaker, since they have a strong understanding of their language and how to use it in everyday life.
There’s no reason not to have fun while learning Spanish.
