Ojo, boca, oreja, pelo

Spanish idioms with ojo (eye)

Idiom Explanation Example
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente. What you don’t know won’t hurt you. (literally: eyes that don‘t see, heart that doesn’t feel)

– Se ha roto la taza favorita de mi hermana.
– Pues no se lo digas. Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.–My sister’s favourite cup has broken.
–Don‘t tell her. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.
a ojo de buen cubero roughly Mi madre ha repartido la paella a ojo de buen cubero.My mother divided up the paella roughly.

Spanish idioms with boca (mouth)

Idiom Explanation Example
(salir) a pedir de boca something goes according to plan La fiesta de cumpleaños salió a pedir de boca.The birthday party went according to plan.
hacerse la boca agua to make your mouth water ¡Qué bien huele ese guiso! Se me está haciendo la boca agua.That stew smells great! It’s making my mouth water.
por la boca muere el pez loose lips sink ships (literally: the fish dies by mouth) Deberías ser más prudente al hablar y no contar tantas intimidades de la gente. Ya sabes que por la boca muere el pez.You should be more careful when you talk and don’t reveal so many private details from other people. You know that loose lips sink ships.

Spanish idioms with oreja (ear)

Idiom Explanation Example
comer la oreja a alguien to talk someone’s ear off/to bend someone’s ear Siempre estás hablando de tu novia. Deja ya de comerme la oreja.You’re always talking about your girlfriend. Stop talking my ear off.

Spanish idioms with pelo (hair)

Idiom Explanation Example
por los pelos barely, by the skin of your teeth He aprobado el examen por los pelos.I passed the exam by the skin of my teeth.
show special characters
display incorrect answers

Exercises C1

Choose the correct body part to complete the sentences:
boca, ojo, oreja, pelos

  1. No tengo una balanza para ver cuanto pesa. A   de buen cubero diría que son 100 gramos.a ojo de buen cuberoI don’t have any scales to see how much it weighs. I’d say it’s roughly 100 grams.
  2. Déjame tranquila. No paras de comerme la  .comer la oreja a alguienLeave me alone. Stop talking my ear off.
  3. Espero que el evento salga a pedir de  .salir a pedir de bocaI hope that the event goes according to plan.
  4. He llegado a tiempo por los  .por los pelosI arrived on time by the skin of my teeth.

Choose the phrase that best fits to the sentence.

  1. Casi pierdo el autobús. Lo he cogido…I almost missed the bus. I made it…
    … by the skin of my teeth.
  2. El examen me ha salido estupendamente.The exam went great.
    All according to plan.
  3. Corta la tortilla en nueve trozos. No te preocupes si no son todos iguales. Házlo…Cut the tortilla into nine slices. Don’t worry if they’re not equal. Do it …
    …roughly.
  4. Siempre hablas demasiado. Presta atención porque…You always talk too much. Be careful because…
    … loose lips sink ships.
  5. Si la verdad no me va a gustar, prefiero que no me lo cuentes.If I’m not going to like the truth, I’d rather you didn’t tell me.
    What I don’t know won’t hurt me.
  6. Mi madre no para de decirme que tengo que visitarla más.My mother never stops telling me that I should visit her more often.
    She talks my ear off.
  7. Mi abuela es una cocinera estupenda. Con sus platos…My grandmother is a great cook. Her dishes…
    … make your mouth water.

Go back