25 Spanish Expressions: Are You Getting Your Act Together or Still Daydreaming?

Have you ever heard a Spaniard say «¡Ponte las pilas!» (Get your act together!) or ask you if you’re «en la luna» (on the moon)? If you’ve been studying Spanish for a while, you’ve probably noticed that native speakers use expressions that sometimes make absolutely no sense if you try to translate them word for word.

Don’t worry! This is completely normal. These expressions are called idioms, and they are an essential part of everyday Spanish. They are used in informal conversations, at work, among friends and even in family situations. Learning them will help you understand native speakers better, expand your vocabulary and communicate in a much more natural way.

25 Spanish idioms you should know

Would you like to speak Spanish like a native? Here are 25 expressions that are commonly used in everyday life. Take note!

1. Ponerse las pilas (to put the batteries in)

It means to make a greater effort, react or start doing something with more energy and responsibility.

Example: «Tengo un examen la semana que viene y todavía no he estudiado. ¡Tengo que ponerme las pilas!».

2. Estar en la luna (to be on the moon)

It is used to describe someone who is distracted and not paying attention to what is happening around them.

Example: «¿Me estás escuchando? ¡Parece que hoy estás en la luna!».

3. Echar una mano (to throw a hand)

It means to help someone or give them a hand.

Example: «¿Puedes echarme una mano con los deberes de español?».

4. Meter la pata (to put your foot in it)

It means to make a mistake, especially when you say or do something inappropriate.

Example: «Ayer metí la pata y llamé a mi profesor por otro nombre».

5. Tomar el pelo (to take someone’s hair)

It is used when someone jokes with another person or tries to fool them in a playful way.

Example: «¡No me lo puedo creer! ¿De verdad has ganado la lotería o me estás tomando el pelo?».

6. Estar hecho un lío (to be made into a mess)

It means to be confused or not fully understand a situation.

Example: «Con tantos verbos irregulares, estoy hecho un lío».

7. Hacer la vista gorda (to make the fat eye)

It means to pretend not to have seen something wrong or deliberately turn a blind eye to it.

Example: «El profesor hizo la vista gorda cuando llegué cinco minutos tarde a clase».

8. Ser pan comido (to be eaten bread)

It is used to say that something is very easy or a piece of cake.

Example: «El examen de ayer fue pan comido. ¡Todas las preguntas eran muy sencillas!».

9. Ir al grano (to go to the grain)

It means to get straight to the point and talk directly about what matters, without giving too many explanations.

Example: «Tenemos poco tiempo, así que vamos al grano».

10. Dar en el clavo (to hit the nail)

It means to get something exactly right or find the correct answer or solution.

Example: «¡Has dado en el clavo! Esa es precisamente la palabra que estaba buscando».

11. Estar en las nubes (to be in the clouds)

It is used to describe someone who is distracted, thinking about something else or daydreaming.

Example: «Desde que está enamorado, siempre está en las nubes».

12. Dar gato por liebre (to give a cat instead of a hare)

It means to trick someone by offering them something of lower quality or something different from what they expected.

Example: «Compré un móvil de segunda mano y me dieron gato por liebre».

13. Echar una bronca (to throw a scolding)

It means to tell someone off or reprimand them for something they have done wrong.

Example: «Mi madre me echó una bronca porque llegué tarde a casa».

14. Ir de punta en blanco (to go from tip to white)

It is used when someone is dressed very elegantly or particularly smartly.

Example: «Para la boda, todos los invitados iban de punta en blanco».

15. Estar en el ojo del huracán (to be in the eye of the hurricane)

It means to be at the centre of a complicated, controversial or conflictive situation.

Example: «Después de sus declaraciones, el director está en el ojo del huracán».

16. Ser un pez gordo (to be a fat fish)

It is used to describe someone who has a great deal of power, influence or importance within an organisation.

Example: «El hombre que acaba de entrar es un pez gordo de esa empresa».

17. Ser la oveja negra (to be the black sheep)

It refers to someone who is different from the rest of their family or group, generally because of their behaviour or personal decisions.

Example: «En mi familia todos son médicos, pero yo quiero ser músico. ¡Soy la oveja negra!».

18. Salirse con la suya (to get away with one’s own thing)

It means to get what you want, even when other people disagree or oppose you.

Example: «Mi hermano siempre consigue salirse con la suya».

19. Hablar por los codos (to talk through your elbows)

It is used to describe someone who talks a lot and hardly ever gives other people a chance to speak.

Example: «Mi compañero de piso habla por los codos. ¡No para ni un minuto!».

20. Echar un vistazo (to throw a glance)

It means to take a quick look at something or examine it superficially.

Example: «¿Puedes echar un vistazo a mi redacción antes de entregarla?».

21. Tirar la toalla (to throw in the towel)

It means to give up or abandon something because it is too difficult. Its origin is related to the world of boxing.

Example: «Aprender español puede ser complicado al principio, pero no tires la toalla. ¡Con práctica lo conseguirás!».

22. Estar en el quinto pino (to be at the fifth pine tree)

It is used to say that a place is very far away or in the middle of nowhere.

Example: «El nuevo supermercado está en el quinto pino. Necesitamos coger el autobús para llegar».

23. Ser un cero a la izquierda (to be a zero on the left)

It means to feel unimportant or have no influence in a particular situation.

Example: «En las reuniones de esa empresa no me dejan participar. Me siento como un cero a la izquierda».

24. Ser un bocazas (to be a big-mouthed person)

It describes someone who talks too much and doesn’t know how to keep secrets or control what they say.

Example: «No le cuentes nada importante a Luis, es un bocazas y se lo dice a todo el mundo».

25. Cargar con el muerto (to carry the dead person)

It means to take responsibility for a problem or mistake, especially when you are not the person primarily responsible.

Example: «Mis compañeros no terminaron el proyecto y al final tuve que cargar con el muerto».

How can you learn and use Spanish idioms?

Knowing the meaning of these expressions is only the first step. To use them correctly, it is also important to learn the situations in which they are used.

Here are some tips to help you incorporate commonly used Spanish expressions into your vocabulary:

• Learn through examples: Memorising an expression is much easier when you associate it with a real-life situation.
• Listen to native speakers: Pay attention to conversations, films, TV series and videos in Spanish.
• Practise with your classmates: Try to use one or two new expressions every day.
• Don’t translate literally: Remember that idioms have a figurative meaning that does not always match the meaning of the individual words.
• Learn the context: Some expressions are informal and may not be appropriate in professional or formal situations.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced learner: you can learn these expressions little by little and adapt them to your Spanish level.

Learn Spanish and discover Spanish culture

Idioms are much more than simple combinations of words: they represent an important part of the cultural identity and communication style of native speakers. If you’re learning Spanish, getting to know these expressions will help you understand everyday conversations better, express yourself more naturally and feel more confident when speaking with Spaniards.

And now that you know these 25 expressions, you have no excuse! Get your act together (ponte las pilas), practise your Spanish and, above all, don’t keep your head in the clouds (no te quedes en la luna).

We’re sure you’ll soon be using them just like a native Spanish speaker!