Spanish Saying: Más vale ser cabeza de ratón que cola de león. Literal Translation: It’s better to be a rat’s head than a lion’s tail. English Equivalent: It’s better to lead in a modest endeavor than to be a follower at higher levels; it’s better to be a big fish in a small pond

Spanish Saying: A casa de tu tía, mas no cada día Literal Translation: To your aunt’s house, but not every day English Equivalent: Don’t wear out your welcome; visit family but don’t impose

Spanish Saying: Lo que en los libros no está, la vida te enseñará. Literal Translation: What isn’t in books, life will teach you. English Equivalent: Some things you learn in the school of hard knocks.

Spanish Idiom: A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. Literal Translation: God helps the one who gets up early. English Equivalent: God helps those who help themselves.

Spanish Idiom: A mal tiempo, buena cara. Literal Translation: To bad times, good face. English Equivalent: Keep your chin up; stay positive in the face of bad times.  

Spanish Idiom: A lo hecho, pecho. Literal Translation: To the done, chest. English Equivalent:  What’s done is done; Face what’s done.

Today’s Modismo is a lunfardo word, papirusa, meaning beautiful woman. Because many beautiful young Polish immigrants were smokers, locals began using the Polish word for cigarette, “papiros”, to describe them. Over time papiros became papirusa!

Porteño Idiom: Amigovio, -a English Equivalent: Semi-serious boyfriend/girlfriend English speakers are often frustrated by the fact that Spanish doesn’t seem to have a good translation for boyfriend/girlfriend. You can use novio/novia, but this has a pretty strong connotation and describes a relationship that is very serious. Fortunately, Porteno, the Spanish dialect spoken in Buenos Aires, […]

Spanish Idiom: Las palabras se las lleva el viento Literal Translation: The wind carries words. English Equivalent: Words are nothing; Actions speak louder than words

Spanish Idiom: Donde hay humo, hay calor. Literal Translation: Where there is smoke, there is heat. English Equivalent: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.