Knowing some basic Spanish expressions before traveling to Spain is a good idea. Knowing some slang is even better.
Modified from a post from 2007.
Practise these phrases before your next trip to Spain.
Mas vales tarde que nunca = Better late than never
Me muero de hambre = I am starving
No es moco de pavo = Pretty impressive
No tiene ni pies ni cabeza = It doesn’t make sense
El mundo es un pañuelo = It’s a small world
Más vale una vez rojo que 20 amarillo = It’s better to sort things out now than let them keep annoying you over and over.
Tener el corazón en un puño = To be super worried about something
Hacer de tripas corazón = To make an effort to do something you don’t like/to be brave
Tener enchufe = To have a useful contact that helps you get ahead of the rest
No me entero de la misa la mitad = I don’t understand a thing!
Es un buen partido = He’s a good catch
Me ha dado plantón = He/she hasn’t turned up
Dar en la diana = To get something right
¡La moto va de escándalo! = This bike goes like a dream!
La tarta está de muerte = This cake is incredible
¡Estoy que peto! = I’m totally full up!
Lo hago en un pispás = I’ll do that in a flash
¡Eres un pesado! = You are a total pain!
Me mola mogollón = That is soooo cool
Ese chico es un zumbado = That guy is crazy
Nos hemos zampado todo = We’ve eaten the lot!
Ya era hora! = It was about time
Donde hay confianza da asco = Familiarity breeds contempt
En boca cerrada no entran moscas = Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut
¡Te voy a dar! = I’m going to kick you
¡No me des más la lata! = Leave me in peace!
Más majo que la mar salada = You’re a really nice person
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Social Media Guy
2 years ago
Me encantan tus slangs. I’m from Puerto Rico, so I can relate to a lot of these and some are just out of control funny. Spanish people have some crazy sayings…My favorites:
No es moco de pavo (what the hell does that mean?!)
Mas vale una vez rojo que 20 amarillo (i’m gonna start using this one)
No tiene ni pies ni cabeza (my grandmother loves this one)
Erica Johansson
2 years ago
Gracias, pero los encontré on facebook!
I agree with you, some are really funny. I might do another list with more Spanish slang.
jonsquared
2 years ago
Mil gracias! I’ve now got an arsenal of phrases to randomly spout off at people in the middle of downtown Portland. It matters not that I’m not Latino. They’d simply think I’m a lunatic.
Erica Johansson
2 years ago
Good idea
LOL
jen laceda
11 months ago
Just in time for Barcelona in May!
jen laceda’s last blog post..Featured Smith Hotel: Hermitage Bay + Luxury Giveaway
Erica Johansson
11 months ago
@jen laceda, Have fun in Barcelona!
maria
11 months ago
great post! just two things:
- Más majo que la mar salada doesn’t mean Incredibly nice, it means you are really nice person.
- and ¡Te voy a dar! is not You’re going to get it!, it’s I’m going to kick you.
It could be funny if you use them in the wrong way
Happy holidays!
Erica Johansson
11 months ago
@maria Oops! I still have a lot of progressing to do when it comes to Spanish
Thanks for correcting. Will change it at once.
Happy holidays to you too!
Wil from Spot Cool Travel
11 months ago
As a general rule, I always know at least one random/slang phrase in the local language where ever I go. No matter how random it seems, there’s always some use for it. And people really appreciate when you make an effort to speak in their language.
Wil from Spot Cool Travel’s last blog post..5 Amazing Towns on Perilous Cliff Sides
Sancho Pansa
10 months ago
ElPlop.Com – is a great site to look up Spanish slang, jargon, and idioms. Readers can add their own definitions and rank other’s. I wish more people put English definitions there for the Spanish slang words
Erica Johansson
10 months ago
@Sancho Pansa, Thanks for the suggestion!
Alejandro Corpeño
10 months ago
You can try tuBabel.com also… it’s the same concept. It has been around for a little more than a year now and has more than 27,000 terms.
Alejandro Corpeño’s last blog post..tuBabel – (modo Angelito):
Erica Johansson
10 months ago
@Alejandro, Thanks for the tip!