Hoguera: carne, cerveza, vino, patata, pescado
Spanish idioms with carne (meat)
Idiom | Explanation | Example |
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A carne de lobo, diente de perro. | acting decisively in the face of a difficult situation; when the going gets tough, the tough get going |
El auditorio entero se quedó sin luz y el director de la orquesta, bajo la mirada de más de 2000 personas, iluminó sus partituras con la linterna del móvil para continuar con el concierto. A carne de lobo, diente de perro.The whole concert hall went dark and the conductor, with over 2000 people watching, lit up his sheet music using the torch on his phone in order to continue the concert. When the going gets tough, the tough get going! |
Quien come la carne, que roa el hueso. | you have to take the rough with the smooth, you can’t have your cake and eat it literally: if you eat the meat, you have to chew the bones |
Quisiste mudarte al centro de la ciudad, ahora no te quejes del ruido de los coches. Quien come la carne, que roa el hueso.You wanted to move to the city centre so you can’t start complaining about the noise of the cars. You can’t have your cake and eat it. |
Spanish idioms with cerveza and vino (beer and wine)
Idiom | Explicación | Ejemplo |
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Vino y cerveza, dolor de cabeza. Cerveza y vino, puntillo divino. |
the order of things is important Wine before beer and you’ll feel queer; beer before wine and you’ll feel fine. |
Si has empezado tomando vino, mejor que ahora no cambies a cerveza: vino y cerveza, dolor de cabeza.If you’ve already started with wine, you probably shouldn’t switch to beer; wine before beer and you’ll feel queer. |
El agua, como buey y el vino, como rey. |
everything in moderation literally: drink water like an ox and wine like a king |
A mi padre le gusta mucho la carne pero nada las verduras. El médico le ha dicho que tiene que regular su dieta: el agua, como buey y el vino, como rey.My dad really likes meat but not vegetables. The doctor told him that he has to balance his diet; everything in moderation. |
De tal cepa, tal vino. |
you get out what you put in; you reap what you sow literally: from such a vine, such a wine |
A Lucas le ha subido mucho el colesterol desde que come comida rápida todos los días en el trabajo. De tal cepa, tal vino.Lucas’ cholesterol has gone up a lot since he started eating fast food at work every day. You reap what you sow. |
Spanish idioms with patata (potato)
Idiom | Explanation | Example |
---|---|---|
Donde no hay mata, no hay patata. | you can’t expect results if you don’t make any effort no pain, no gain; you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear |
A Mateo le da envidia que Sabrina toque mejor que él el cajón, pero lo cierto es que él no practica nada con el instrumento. Donde no hay mata, no hay patata.Mateo is jealous that Sabrina plays the cajón better than him, but the truth is that he doesn’t practise at all. No pain, no gain. |
Spanish idioms with pescado (fish)
Idiom | Explanation | Example |
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Por la boca muere el pez. | loose lips sink ships literally: the fish dies by its mouth |
Mi hermano siempre habla mal de los vecinos y a través de nuestras paredes se escucha todo. Por la boca muere el pez.My brother is always bad-mouthing the neighbours and you can hear everything through our walls. Loose lips sink ships. |
A río revuelto, ganancia de pescadores. | it’s good fishing in troubled waters; people will take advantage of turbulent situations |
Esta casa estuvo abandonada muchos años y finalmente un banco se ha apropió y la puso a la venta. A río revuelto, ganancia de pescadores.This house was abandoned for years and a bank has finally taken possession and put it up for sale. It’s good fishing in troubled waters. |
El pez grande se come al chico. | someone abuses their power literally: the big fish eats the smaller one |
Los trabajadores abandonaron la huelga después de que la empresa amenazara con despedirlos. Un claro ejemplo de que el pez grande se come al chico.The workers abandoned the strike after the company threatened to fire them. A clear example of the big fish eating the smaller one. |