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Lists of Idiomatic Expressions
One of the most difficult aspects of a language to master is the usage of idiomatic expressions.Idiomatic expressions are phrases that carry a specific meaning within the language. Normally,there is no logical way of translating them word by word. The only way to learn them is tomemorize them, and to practice their use. Below, you will find a series of Spanish idiomatic expressions grouped by types, according to the verb or the preposition they contain, and theirEnglish counterparts.
Expresiones con DAR (Idioms with DAR)
dar a to face; to look out upon dar la espalda to turn one’s back
dar a conocer to make known dar gritos to shout
dar a luz to give birth dar gusto to please
dar un abrazo to embrace dar la hora to strike the hour
dar asco to disgust dar gato por liebre to gyp; to swindle
dar la bienvenida to welcome dar las gracias to thank
dar brincos to jump dar guerra to cause a lot of trouble
dar los buenos to say good dar largas to prolong an affair(días, tardes) (morning, afternoon)
dar calabazas to jilt; to flunk dar lata to make a nuisance ofoneself
dar la cara to take responsibility dar lugar a to give cause for
dar carta blanca to give someone a free hand dar una mano to lend a hand
dar con to come upon; to find dar lo mismo to make no difference
dar con la puerta to slam the door dar la nota to stand outen las narices in one’s face
dar cuenta de to give a report on dar pena a to aggrieve
dar cuerda a to wind dar que hablar to give grounds for criticism
dar de alta to discharge (a patient) dar que hacer to cause trouble
dar de baja to drop (from a list) dar que pensar to give grounds for suspicion
dar de beber (comer) to give a drink (to feed) dar palos de ciego to swing out wildly
dar de palos to beat; to thrash dar parte to inform
dar en to strike against; to hit dar un paseo to take a walk
(continued)
dar por + past participle to consider dar una vuelta to take a stroll
darse por aludido to take it personally darse a to devote oneself to
dar a hecho to take for granted darse cuenta de to realize
dar por muerto to consider dead darse de baja to withdraw; to drop out
dar por sentado to take for granted darse ínfulas to put on airs
dar razón to give account darse la mano to shake hands
dar la razón to agree with darse por + past participle to consider oneself
dar recuerdos a to give regards to darse por vencido to give up
dar rienda suelta a to give free rein to darse prisa to hurry
dar al traste con to destroy; to spoil dársela a uno to make a fool out of someone
dar voces to shout dárselas de to pose as; to claim to be
dar vueltas a to think something over
Expresiones con ECHAR (Idioms with ECHAR)
echar a + infinitive to start to echar en cara to throw in one’s face
echar a perder to ruin; to spoil echar en el olvido to forget completely
echar abajo to demolish echar flores to flatter
echar al correo to mail echar mano a to lay hands on
echar la bronca a uno to give someone echar raíces to take roota dressing down
echar chispas to be furious; to be angry echar todo a rodar to make a fizzle
echar la culpa to blame echarse atrás to lean backwards; to retract
echar de comer to feed (animals) echarse a dormir to lie down to sleep
echar de menos to miss echárselas de to boast of being
Expresiones con ESTAR (Idioms with ESTAR)
está despejado it’s clear estar al corriente de to be up to date
está nublado it’s cloudy estar apurado to be in a hurry
estar a to be priced at estar calado to be soaked to the skin
estar a dos velas to be broke estar como pez en el agua to be right at home
estar a punto de to be about to estar con el alma en vilo to be in suspense
estar a sus anchas to be comfortable estar conforme con to be in agreement with
estar al caer to be about to happen estar de acuerdo to be in agreement
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estar de buen humor to be in a good mood estar en el limbo to be lost
estar de mal humor to be in a bad mood estar en todo to have a finger in everything
estar de más to be in excess estar en un tris to be about to happen
estar de paso to be passing through estar fuera de sí to be beside oneself emotionally
estar de sobra to be in excess estar hecho polvo to be worn out
estar de vuelta to be back estar hecho una fiera to be furious
estar en Babia to daydream estar hecho una sopa to be soaked
estar en brazos de Morfeo to be sleeping estar loco de remate to be completely crazy
estar en condiciones to be in good shape estar para + infinitive to be about to
estar en forma to be in good shape estar pez to ignore (something)
estar en la luna to have one’s head estar sin blanca to be flat brokein the clouds
estar en las nubes to daydream
Expresiones con HABER (Idioms with HABER)
haber de + infinitive to be supposed to; haber lodo to be muddyto have to
haber gato encerrado there is something fishy haber neblina to be foggy
haber sol to be sunny hay luna there is moonlight
haber polvo to be dusty hay que + infinitive it is necessary; one must
Expresiones con HACER (Idioms with HACER)
hace + time expression + ago hacer calor to be warmque + preterite
hace mucho tiempo long time ago hacer caso de to pay attention to; to notice
hace poco a little while ago hacer cola to line up
hacer su agosto to make a killing hacer daño to harm; to damage
hacer alarde to boast hacer de to work as; to act as
hacer alusión to allude hacer de cuenta to pretend; to act as though
hacer añicos to break to pieces hacer de nuevo to do over
hacer buen tiempo to be good weather hacer de las suyas to be up to one’s old tricks
hacer buenas migas to hit it off with someone hacer de tripas corazón to pluck up courage
hacer burla de to make fun of hacer falta to be in need of
(continued)
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List of Idiomatic Expressions
hacer el favor to do a favor hacer señas to signal
hacer frente to face; to take hacer viento to be windythe responsability
hacer fresco to be cool (weather) hacer un viaje to take a trip
hacer frío to be cold (weather) hacer una visita to pay a visit
hacer fuerza to exert force hacerse to become
hacer juego to match hacerse con to provide oneself with
hacer el papel de to play the role of hacerse ilusiones to fool oneself
hacer mal tiempo to be bad weather hacerse de rogar to like to be coaxed
hacer mofa to mock; to scoff at hacerse tarde to become late
hacer morisquetas to play pranks hacerse daño to hurt oneself
hacer las paces to make peace hacerse de la to turn a blind eyevista gorda
hacer pedazos to break to pieces; to tear hacerse el muerto to play dead
hacer un pedido to place an order hacerse el sueco to pretend not to understand
hacer una pregunta to ask a question hacerse el tonto to play dumb
hacer saber to inform hacérsele agua la boca to make someone’s mouth water
Expresiones con PONER (Idioms with PONER)
poner al corriente to inform poner las cartas to lay one’s cards sobre la mesa on the table
poner al día to bring someone up to date poner pies en polvorosa to take to one’s heels
poner al sol to expose to the sun poner por las nubes to praise highly
poner aparte to set aside poner los puntos to dot the i’s and sobre las íes cross the t’s
poner nuevo to humiliate; to reprimand poner reparos to make objectionss
poner como un trapo to wipe the floor ponerle el cascabel to stick one’s neck outwith someone al gato
poner las cosas en claro to clear things up; to explain ponerse + adjective to become (involuntarily)
poner de manifiesto to make public ponerse a + infinitive to begin to
poner en apuros to put in a jam ponerse bien to get well
poner en claro to make clear ponerse colorado to blush
poner en duda to question ponerse de acuerdo to come to an agreement
poner en marcha to start; to get going ponerse de pie to stand up
poner el grito en el cielo to complain bitterly ponerse en ridículo to make look ridiculous
poner mala cara to give a dirty look ponérsele la carne de gallina to get goose pimples
poner la mesa to set the table
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Expresiones con TENER (Idioms with TENER)
tener a bien to find it convenient tener mundo to be sophisticated
tener ángel to be charming tener los nervios to have one’s nerve on de punta the edge
tener años to be old tener ojo de buen cubero to have accurate eye
tener buena estrella to be lucky tener pájaros en la cabeza to have bats in the belfry
tene corazón de piedra to be hard-hearted tener palabra to keep one’s word
tener calor to be hot tener la palabra to have the floor
tener cuidado to be careful tener pensado to intend to
tener la culpa to be to blame for tener un pico de oro to be very persuasive
tener un disgusto to have a falling out tener por + past participle to consider
tener dolor to have a pain tener presente to bear in mind
tener en cuenta to take into account tener prisa to be in a hurry
tener en mente to have in mind tener que + infinitive to have to do something
tener en la punta to have on the tip tener que ver con to have to do withde la lengua of one’s tongue
tener entendido que to understand that tener razón to be right
tener éxito to be successful tener sed to be thirsty
tener frío to be cold tener sueño to be sleepy
tener ganas de to feel like tener suerte to be lucky
tener gracia to be funny tener vergüenza to be ashamed
tener hambre to be hungry no tener arreglo not able to be helped
tener los huesos molidos to be exhausted no tener la menor idea to not have the slightestidea
tener inconveniente to mind; to object to no tener nombre to be unspeakable
tener lástima (a alguien) to feel sorry for someone no tener un pelo de tonto to be nobody’s fool
tener la lengua larga to have a big mouth no tener pelos en la lengua to be very outspoken
tener líos to have difficulties no tener pies ni cabeza to not make any sense
tener lugar to take place no tener razón to be wrong
tener madera para to be made for no tener remedio not able to be helped
tener mala cara to look bad no tener donde to be pennilesscaerse muerto
tener malas pulgas to be short-tempered no tenerlas todas consigo to be anxious; to be worried
tener miedo de to be afraid of
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List of Idiomatic Expressions
Expresiones con TOMAR (Idioms with TOMAR)
tomar a broma to take as a joke tomar la palabra to take the floor
tomar a pecho to take to heart tomar partido to side with
tomar al pie de la letra to take literally tomar el pelo to pull someone’s leg
tomar algo a bien to take something well tomar por su cuenta to take charge of
tomar algo a mal to take something badly tomar el rábano por las hojas to be off the track
tomar aliento to catch one’s breath tomar las de Villadiego to take to one’s heels
tomar en serio to take seriously tomarse la molestia to take the trouble
tomar la delantera to get ahead of tomárselo con calma to take it easy
Otras Expresiones Verbales (Other Verbal Idioms)
acabar de + infinitive to have just burlarse de to make fun of
acabar por + infinitive to end up buscar tres pies al gato to split hairs
acercarse a to approach no caber en sí to be beside oneself; tobe presumptuous
acordarse de to remember caer del cielo to come out of the blue
alegrarse de to be glad of caerse el alma a los pies to be down in the dumps
alejarse de to go away from cambiar de to change
andar de boca en boca to be generally known cambiar de idea to change one’s mind
andar de mal en peor to get worse and worse carecer de to lack
andar con rodeos to beat about the bush casarse con to marry
andarse por las ramas to beat around the bush codearse con to hobnob with
apoderarse de to take possession of consentir en to consent to
apoyarse en to lean on consistir en to consist of
apresurarse a + infinitive to hurry to consultar con la almohada to sleep on it
aprovecharse de to take advantage of contar con to rely on
armarse un escándalo to cause a row convenir en to agree on
arrepentirse de to repent costar trabajo to be difficult
asistir a to attend cuidar a to take care of (a person)
asomarse a to appear at (a window) cuidar de to take care of (a thing)
asombrarse de to be astonished cuidarse de to be careful about
atreverse a + infinitive to dare to cumplir con to fullfill
bajar de to get off decir cuatro verdades to tell someone a thingor two
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List of Idiomatic Expressions
no decir ni pío to not say a word
no decir ni esta to not say a wordboca es mía
dejar caer to drop
dejar de + infinitive to fail to; to stop
dejar dicho to leave word
dejar plantado to stand someone up
dirigirse a to address; to make one’sway to
diponerse a + infinitive to get ready to
dorar la píldora to sugarcoat something
dormir a pierna suelta to sleep like a log
dormir como un lirón to sleep like a dormouse
dormir la mona to sleep off a hangover
dormirse en los laureles to rest on one’s laurels
empeñarse en + infinitive to insist on; to persist in
enamorarse de to fall in love with
encogerse de hombros to shrug one’s shoulders
enterarse de to become aware of;to find out about
faltarle un tornillo to have a screw loose
fiarse de to trust
fijarse en to stare at; to notice
gozar de to enjoy
hablar hasta por los codos to talk incessantly
no importar un comino to not give a damn about
insistir en to insist on
ir a la mitad to go 50-50
ir al grano to get straight to the point
ir de compras to go shopping
ir de juerga to go on a spree
ir por cuenta de la casa on the house
ir sobre ruedas to run smoothly
ir tirando to get by
ir viento en popa to run smoothly
pensar en to think of
perder cuidado to not worry
perder de vista to lose sight of
perder el juicio to go out of one’s mind
perder los estribos to lose one’s poise
quedar boquiabierto to be left agape in shockor bewilderment
quedar en to agree on
quedarle algo to have (something) left
quedarle bien to fit; to be becoming
quedarse con to keep
quedarse de una pieza to be dumbfounded
quedarse sin blanca to be flat broke
quemarse las pestañas to burn the midnight oil
quejarse de to complain about
querer decir to mean
quitarse de encima to get rid of
reírse de to laugh at; to make fun of
reparar en to look at; to notice
romperse la cabeza to rack one’s brain
saber + infinitive to know how to do something
saber de memoria to know by heart
sacar a bailar to lead out for a dance
sacar de quicio to drive crazy
sacar en claro to make clear
(continued)
Expresiones con A (Idioms with A)
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sacar una fotografía to take a picture
sacar el jugo to work (one) hard
sacar ventaja de to profit by
salir a to resemble; to take after
salir adelante to be successful
salir al encuentro to go to meet
salir al paso to run into; to confront
salir bien to do well
salir de to dispose of
salir ganando to come out a winner
alirse con la suya to have one’s own way
saltar a la vista to be obvious
servir de to serve as
servir para to be useful for
soñar con to dream of
subir a to get on (something)
tardar en + infinitive to delay
temblar de to tremble with
tirar de to pull
tocar madera knock on wood
tocarle a uno to be one’s turn
traer a colación to bring up to discussion
traerle al retortero to trouble one by overwork
traerse entre manos to be up to something
tratar de + infinitive to try to
tratarse de to be a question of
tropezar con to come upon
valer la pena to be worthwhile
valer lo que pesa to be worth its weight ingold
venir a menos to decay
venir al suelo to fall to the ground
venir de perilla to come in the nick of time
venir de perlas to be just right
ver las estrellas to feel acute pain
ver los cielos abiertos to see a great opportunity
verlo todo negro to be pessimistic
volver a + infinitive to . . . again
volver a las andadas to go back to one’s old ways
volver atrás to go back
volver en sí to regain conciousness
volver loco to drive crazy
volverle el alma al cuerpo to recover from a shock
volverse loco to lose one’s mind
a bordo on board
a caballo on horseback
a cada instante at every moment
a campo raso in the open
a cántaros cats and dogs (to rain)
a casa home (to go)
a causa de because of
a ciegas blindly
a ciencia cierta with complete certainty
a crédito on credit
a diestra y siniestra right and left
a diferencia de in contrast to; unlike
a duras penas with great difficulty
a escondidas on the sly
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List of Idiomatic Expressions
a eso de + time at about + time
a excepción de with the exception of
a favor de in favor of
a fin de cuentas after all
a fin de que in order that
a finales in the latter part of
a fines de late in
a fondo thoroughly
a fuerza de by dint of
a gatas on all fours
a gusto at will
a la fuerza by force
a la larga in the long run
a la moda in style
a la vez at the same time
a la vuelta de at the turn of
a las claras openly
a las mil maravillas wonderfully
a lo largo de alongside
a lo lejos in the distance
a lo mejor may be
a los cuatro vientos in all directions
a mano handmade
a mano derecha on the right-hand side
a mano izquierda on the left-hand side
a más tardar at the vary latest
a mediados de at about the middle of
a medio tiempo part time
al mediodía at noon
a menos unless
a merced at the mercy of
a menudo often
a oscuras in the dark
a partir de from a particular moment on
a pesar de in spite of
a pie on foot
a pierna suelta without a care
a pocos pasos at a short distance
a primera vista at first sight
a principios de at the beginning of; early in
a propósito by the way; on purpose
a prueba de resistant to
a razón de at the rate of
a regañadientes reluctantly
a sabiendas knowingly
a saltos by leaps and bounds
a solas alone
a tiempo on time
a tientas blindly
a todo trance at all costs
a tontas y a locas helter-skelter
a través de through; across
a veces sometimes
al aire libre in the open air
al amanecer at daybreak
al anochecer at nightfall
al azar by chance
al cabo de at the end of
al contado cash
al contrario on the contrary
al día up-to-date; current
al día siguiente next day
(continued)
Expresiones con DE (Idioms with DE)
de acuerdo con in accordance with de mal en peor from bad to worse
de ahora en adelante from now on de mala gana unwillingly
de antemano ahead of time de manera que so that
de aquí en adelante from now on de memoria by heart
de arriba a abajo from top to bottom de moda in fashion
de buena fe in good faith de modo so that
de buena gana willingly de nada you are welcome
de buenas a primeras on the spur of the moment de ningún modo by no means
de cabo a rabo from beginning to end de nuevo again
de cuando en cuando from time to time de otro modo otherwise
de este modo in this way de par en par wide open
de frente straight ahead de pie standing
de hecho in fact de prisa rapidly; in a hurry
de golpe suddenly de pronto suddenly
de hoy en adelante from now on de puntillas on tiptoe
de improviso unexpectedly de repente suddenly
de lo contrario otherwise de repuesto spare; extra
de lo lindo very much; a great deal de rodillas kneeling
de sobra too many de una vez once and for all
de sol a sol from sunrise to sunset de vacaciones on vacation
de súbito suddenly de veras really; truly
de todos modos anyhow de vez en cuando from time to time
de un momento a otro at any moment
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al fin finally
al fin y al cabo in the end; after all
al lado de next to
al menos at least
al mismo tiempo at the same time
al oído confidentially
al parecer apparently
al pie de la letra word for word
al poco rato shortly
al principio at first
al revés inside out
Expresiones con EN (Idioms with EN)
en adelante in the future en lugar de instead of
en balde in vain en marcha under way
en breve in short en medio de in the middle of
en broma jokingly en ninguna parte nowhere
en busca de in search of en otras palabras in other words
en cambio on the other hand en pleno día in broad daylight
en casa at home en poder de in the hands of
en caso de in case of en presencia de in the presence of
en conjunto as a whole en punto on the dot
en contra de contrary to en realidad as a matter of fact
en cuanto as soon as en resumen in summary
en cuanto a in regard to en seguida at once, immediately
en efecto in fact; actually en suma in short
en el acto right away en tanto in the meantime
en el fondo deep down en todas partes everywhere
en el momento preciso in the nick of the time en todo caso in any event
en espera de awaiting en torno a about; in connection with
en estado pregnant en un abrir y cerrar de ojos in the twinkling of an eye
en esto at this point en un santiamén in the twinkling of an eye
en fin in conclusion en vano in vain
en frente de in front of en vez de instead of
en general by and large en vigor in force
en la actualidad at the present time en vista de since
en libertad free en voz alta aloud
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List of Idiomatic Expressions
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