From an Expert to an Expert: What Is Your Favorite Spanish Idiom?!
Most teachers can agree that mastering idioms in a foreign language is an exciting challenge and true evidence of a great speaker. An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative,non-literal meaning attached to the phrase, according to Wikipedia.
What is your favorite Spanish idiom and why?
My favorite idiom is "estar como una cabra" which literally translates to "to be like a goat" but figuratively means to be crazy. I love this idiom because it reminds me of when I lived in Paraguay for a year, and my neighbor had a goat farm. They never failed to wake me up early in the morning with their constant bleating!
If conquering idioms and perfecting your Spanish to sound like that of a native speaker are your language learning goals, I'd love to be your tutor!
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2 Answers By Expert Tutors
Howard S. answered • 04/09/20
Tutor
4.2
(21)
Seasoned ACT Writing guide replete with all you need to know
Si no es ahora mismo un modismo hispano, pronto será porque en un país--Perú-- y tal vez otros es una manera de robar la plata de un hombre.
La verdad es que modismos están cambiando todos los días. Cien anos de ahora abra muchos modismos nuevos.
Vamos a empezar ahora mismo y cada dia, mostrando nuevos modismo. Que cree?
Howard S.
tutor
No tiene la primera linea, es decir, el modismo es “poner un cuchillo a un bolsillo de una persona."
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04/09/20
Zach A. answered • 04/04/20
Tutor
4.8
(4)
A gringo who can teach Spanish to anyone
Mi expresión idiomática favorita...hmmm...creo que tengo una que a la gente le va a encantar. Yo utilizo esta frase muchísimo con mis amigos de México: "A otro perro con ese hueso!" Literalmente no tiene mucho sentido, ni en inglés ni en español. Sin embargo, se ocupa cuando la otra persona en la conversación ha dicho algo una y otra vez y todo el mundo sabe que es la enésima vez que esa persona lo ha mencionado. ¡Basta! —dices tú— "A otro perro con ese hueso."
I think my favorite Spanish idiom has to be one that I use with my Mexican friends all the time: "A otro perro con ese hueso." Literally it makes little sense in both languages..."To another dog with that bone." However, you can kind of extrapolate its meaning based on context. When you're having a conversation with someone and they keep bringing up the same point, or are annoying you by asking for the same thing, you can say "Enough! To another dog with that bone!"
Other favs include: "Me puso a parir chayotes..." — "Agarra la onda" — "Sepa la bola"
Marybel L.
Hola Zack, las expresiones idiomáticas son tan especiales porque su sentido puede variar dependiendo del país en el que se usa. Por ejemplo, la misma expresion que tu usas en Mexico "a otro perro con ese hueso" la utilizamos en Venezuela pero significa algo distinto y seria: "Anda a contarle esa historia a otra persona, porque yo no te la creo." Casi siempre se usa cuando una persona es conocida por presentar excusas o decir mentiras para salirse con la suya. Sería interesante saber que otro sentido le dan a esta expresion en otros países. Gracias por compartir la tuya Zack.
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04/05/20
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Mark I.
Ohhh man! My favorite????... that's difficult cuz there's so many! I spent about 2 years in Madrid. Off the bat, I like how the Spanish are way more direct and argue more often but it doesn't mean as much. I love learning "que no, que si." "que no puede ser, tio" The Spanish are quite vulgar. "Es la leche" o 'es la canya' o "es la h*stia" those were really fascinating expressions when I heard them. I have this image of...burned in memory, of the first time I heard "me c$go en la leche." I was like "aahhhhhh" what did the leche do to you!??? There are a lot more vulgar, that I won't share here, but for an English speaker they are like, "saaaay whaaat?" Se me va la olla, is another one I really like, which is like being confused and lost, kinda clueless at the moment. I am going prolly remember a whole bunch later, throughout the day. Estar guay = estar chido (MX) = cool Molar is not really used in the Andalucia (Southern Spain) Molar is something I really like cuz it's kinda like "that's so sweet/cool to me." Como me mola eso! Me mola un mogollon (a ton, like monton) esa peli (pelicula). Como molas tio!!! Mola mazo (typical expresion Madrilenya) is like 'super cool', awesome And, the Spanish will use 'huevo' to mean a lot (un monton). "He perdido un huevo de peso chaval (kid, can be slang)" Anyhow, i'm gonna cut it off here....GREAT post!!!!! THX04/03/20