Definitions tagged dicho in the street dictionary.
A popular ironic expression used to downplay success or jokingly complain about one's efforts as if they were a great sacrifice, even when things are going well. (The phrase was the catchphrase of actor Carlos Calvo in the 1990s Argentine sitcom Amigos son los amigos.)
- So you ended up hooking up with all the girls. - Well... es una lucha!
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A popular saying used when someone you were just talking about suddenly arrives. While the standard Spanish version is simply "speaking of Rome," this rhyming variation (the donkey shows up) is a playful addition common in Argentina (it originated in the province of Córdoba).
- And how is your brother? - Good, he was just about to arri... - Oh, look who is coming! Hablando de Roma, el burro se asoma.
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An expression used to indicate that a situation or object fits a person's needs or desires perfectly, or comes at the exact right moment.
- I have an extra planner, do you want it? - Awesome. It's como anillo al dedo. I was just about to buy one.
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One should face life's troubles with optimism. Don't take it literally if a hurricane is actually hitting your house: in that case, turn your back to the storm and run as fast as you can.
We've been having a rough time lately, but A mal tiempo, buena cara.
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A disappointment or letdown born from expectations that were not fulfilled. Specifically, the feeling people get when they vote for Rajoy, the Spanish president, hoping he will fix the economy or keep his promises (Mariano Rajoy was the Prime Minister of Spain from 2011 to 2018).
If you hadn't gotten your hopes up so much, you wouldn't have had such a Chasco.
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To leave a place or gathering without saying goodbye to anyone. (The expression comes from 18th-century French social etiquette where announcing your departure was seen as impolite).
He didn't like that you despidieras a la francesa the other day.
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Used to say that life is unfair because some people are born lucky while others are born into misfortune. It is a play on words: one person is born under a star, while the other is born smashed or crashed, a double meaning often used in dark humor involving babies being dropped at birth.
What can I say, unos nacen con estrella y otros nacen estrellados.
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A disappointment, a letdown, or a trick played on someone. It refers to the unpleasant surprise of being deceived or finding out something is not as good as expected (The Spanish definition references Mariano Rajoy, a former Prime Minister, likely as a jab at political broken promises).
You should not believe him, he is going to give you a chasco.
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To become complacent, lazy, or stop putting in effort because you have already achieved a success. It comes from the ancient Roman tradition of crowning victors with laurel leaves, after which some would stop working and simply live off their past glory.
Don't dormirse en los laureles or they will fire you.
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The complete absence of someone or something during an important event or occasion. It is used when something is so obviously missing that its absence is the most noticeable thing about the situation.
Let's take advantage of the celebration while discipline brilla por su ausencia!
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To trick or deceive someone, like luring a mouse with a piece of cheese. (The phrase implies making a trap or a bad deal look tempting to fool a victim).
You are not going to dársela con queso to me.
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To leave someone in the lurch or abandon them in a dangerous or difficult situation (originally referring to the stockade or fence in medieval tournaments where a knight could be left stranded).
I thought we could trust him, but he nos dejo en la estacada!
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You should not act like you are above certain situations or assume that what happens to others could never happen to you. In desperate times, people will do things they once found repulsive just to get by.
I think it is unlikely to happen, but que nadie diga de esta agua no beberé.
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To shout something from the rooftops or broadcast a secret. It literally means giving a small coin to a town crier to announce news. The term is often used to describe disclosure that elites and politicians view unfavorably, as they prefer to keep the public in the dark (a pregonero was a town crier and a cuarto was a small copper coin).
Given what happened, we should have dado un cuarto al pregonero.
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A common expression used to indicate that a piece of information is not surprising or disappointing at all. It is usually used sarcastically to mean No kidding or Big surprise when a predictable, often negative, outcome occurs (The term is a contraction of para chasco, where chasco means a letdown).
So they didn't keep their campaign promises? Pachasco!
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A double entendre used to invite someone to perform oral sex. It relies on the verb chupar (to suck), which is used both for drinking mate and for sex. Since there is no yerba to make the tea, the person is suggesting something else to suck on (Yerba mate is a traditional herbal infusion in Argentina consumed through a metal straw).
- Should we have some mate? - Yerba no hay... - ...
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A proverb used to express the Law of Retaliation, meaning that a person should be punished by suffering the exact same harm they inflicted on another.
He cannot go unpunished. The same thing has to happen to him. Ojo por ojo, diente por diente.
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An expression used to show frustration or boredom when someone keeps repeating the same action or bringing up the same topic. (Literally translates to 'the donkey to the wheat again', referring to a stubborn animal that keeps returning to the same spot.)
- They came by again to ask about the paperwork. - Ugh... Otra vez la burra al trigo!
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Highlights the supreme power of money. It is used to suggest that wealth is the ultimate authority that can buy status, influence, and success, even for those who lack talent or merit. The expression is often used sarcastically to mock how society worships wealth as if it were a deity (the phrase is the title and refrain of a famous 17th century satirical poem by Francisco de Quevedo).
He is useless, but his parents paid for his degree; poderoso caballero es don dinero.
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A proverb used to rebuke someone who finds relief in the fact that others are suffering from the same misfortune. It highlights that shared misery does not actually solve the problem or lessen the pain. (In Spain, a political variation is mal de muchos, voto de PePeros, which mocks supporters of the conservative Partido Popular, or PP, by implying their collective voting habits lead to shared hardship.)
It does not comfort me that you fell ill too; mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos
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An idiom used to encourage taking responsibility for one's actions or to face the consequences head on. It implies that since a situation cannot be changed, one must meet the results with courage or stoicism rather than regret (literally: to what is done, the chest).
Now I see that I was wrong, but a lo hecho, pecho.
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A proverb that means to do good deeds for others without expecting a reward or caring about who the recipient is. While it traditionally promotes selfless kindness, it can be used cynically to describe how people help criminals or corrupt figures while pretending to be blindly charitable.
I know I am not going to get anything for helping them, but you know, haz bien sin mirar a quién.
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Someone who lives a reckless or crooked life will generally not get anything good out of it. It is used as a warning that bad choices lead to a bad end, sometimes jokingly applied to literally stumbling around drunk and getting caught at a police checkpoint.
He told me to rethink my life, because quien mal anda, mal acaba.
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What goes around comes around: eventually, everyone has to answer for their actions. In a cynical street sense, it suggests that the actual culprit often gets away, while the person who pays is whoever was too slow or stupid to keep running after the act was committed.
Keep it up, but just remember: el que la hace la paga.
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When you enjoy what you are doing, the sacrifices or hardships involved are easier to endure. It implies that if a burden is chosen voluntarily for pleasure or passion, it does not feel like suffering.
It is a difficult and demanding business, but sarna con gusto no pica
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A phrase used when taking a risk that is being dismissed as minor. It suggests that if the action does not kill you, it will only make you stronger or bring rewards. It is often used humorously to acknowledge that while a risk could lead to great success, it could also result in serious injury or disaster: the only way to know the outcome is to just do it and hope for the best. (Commonly used when eating food of questionable hygiene or doing something slightly reckless).
Come on, do not be afraid, lo que no mata engorda!
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Something that seems harmless can become dangerous if pushed to the limit. This proverb refers to an old story about a group of rebel fishermen who fought a feudal lord's army using only their wooden fishing rods.
You should not have messed with him so much, because las cañas se vuelven lanzas.
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Used to encourage optimism by suggesting that something positive can come from any bad situation. It is frequently used as a cliché or empty comfort for those in truly hopeless circumstances, as people often prefer using this proverb over telling someone the harsh truth about their prospects.
Right now it seems like you have no reason to smile, but remember, no hay mal que por bien no venga
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A phrase used when someone receives a benefit, opportunity, or gift that they do not deserve or are unable to appreciate. It points out the irony of luck or fate favoring those who seem the least worthy or capable of using what they have been given.
I have no idea how they gave it to him, honestly, Dios da pan al que no tiene dientes.
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A sarcastic expression used to tell someone to shut up, implying that what they say is garbage or will lead to trouble. It is a reminder that keeping your mouth shut prevents problems.
Do not say anything to him: en boca cerrada no entran moscas.
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A cynical observation about greed and selfishness. It describes a double standard where someone keeps their own belongings for themselves while expecting to share or take what belongs to others. It is often used to mock the hypocrisy of institutions that preach charity while accumulating wealth.
You are always just thinking about yourself, lo mío mío, y lo tuyo de ambos, aren't you?
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It literally means what it says: many consider Tuesday a day of bad luck for superstitious reasons. Before judging, think about whether you look for your destiny in giant balls of fire and gas or if you pray to a piece of wood. If you do neither, go ahead and laugh. (In Spanish-speaking cultures, Tuesday is traditionally considered an unlucky day, similar to Friday the 13th in the US).
I would change the date. En martes ni te cases ni te embarques
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Under the right circumstances, it is difficult not to act wrongly. This proverb is frequently used sarcastically to mock high-ranking figures in politics, the church, banking, and business who face the daily burden of being tempted to line their pockets at the expense of those who trust them. One can only feel pity for their poor, tortured souls.
He was always a good person; however, la ocasión hace al ladrón.
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Be cautious when dealing with certain people even if their intentions seem good at first. This proverb is typically used by cynical people to suggest that a friend you have reconciled with is actually a hidden enemy just waiting for a chance to strike.
You might be able to trust her, but remember, amigo reconciliado, enemigo agazapado.
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A friendly, informal way to tell a group of people to disperse and go back to their own tasks or business (chango means monkey and mecate is a rope).
Okay, now that this is cleared up, cada chango a su mecate!
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A proverb celebrating cleverness or skill over brute force, often used with a sense of superiority by those who rely on their wits precisely because they lack the physical strength to win a fight.
Don't be a brute and let me handle it, because más vale maña que fuerza.
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This proverb suggests that one should not pay attention to those who speak without foundation or reason. Be careful about which words you choose to ignore: if you apply the joke 'to elven words, orc ears' (a reference to the character Saruman from Lord of the Rings), you might end up just as defeated as he was.
I am not going to try talking to her again: a palabras necias oídos sordos.
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It suggests that you should adapt to the customs and rules of the place you are visiting, similar to the expression, When in Rome, do as the Romans do. This bit of wisdom is often cited by people who stay in their own land and have no intention of traveling, and who would likely be the first to forget the advice if they actually went somewhere else.
Even if it seems strange to you, try to adjust; you know, allá donde fueres haz lo que vieres.
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The idea that anyone is easily replaced, whether in a relationship or at work. It expresses the sentiment that as soon as one person leaves, another takes their place. (In Spain, it refers to the immediate succession of monarchs and is sometimes used cynically by those favoring a republic to imply that the system remains the same regardless of the individual in power).
Don't take so many liberties at work, because a rey muerto, rey puesto.
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A saying used to suggest that a little variety helps to break up a boring or monotonous routine. It implies that a change of pace is necessary to keep things interesting.
Come out with us on Saturday; entre col y col, lechuga.
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A proverb with multiple interpretations. For the wise, it encourages learning, discovery, and intellectual development. For the foolish, it is used to justify consumerism and overeating.
I love reading and learning new things, because el saber no ocupa lugar
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A proverb used to praise someone for being thankful, marking it as a sign of good breeding and upbringing. Depending on the context, it can also be used to insult an ungrateful person by suggesting they have a poor background or questionable lineage.
Of course I want to help you after what you did for me; es de bien nacido ser agradecido
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A common saying with two meanings. Explicitly, it points out that major achievements are not easy and require patience and effort. Implicitly, it is used to suggest a deep-seated, natural tendency to submit to imperialist history that people have carried for centuries (this refers to the long-lasting cultural and legal legacy of the Roman Empire in Spain).
Don't get discouraged, Roma no se construyó en un día.
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The standards you use to judge others are the same ones that will be used against you. Sometimes people replace the word measured with thrashed to imply a more severe consequence for being judgmental. (This is a common biblical proverb used in everyday conversation to warn against hypocrisy).
You should not be so uncompromising, because con la vara que midas serás medido.
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A common saying used to advise following the orders of one's superiors. It suggests that subordinates have no authority or decision-making power when the person in charge is present. Literally, it means where there is a captain, a sailor does not lead.
Do what they tell you if you want to keep your job, because donde hay patrón no manda marinero.
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If you want something, persevere and work hard. If you are pursuing a woman, do not overdo it or a judge will rule that your persistence is harassment.
"El que la sigue la consigue; do not stop trying!"
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When you are in need, any opportunity is desirable. It refers to the idea that beggars cannot be choosers, and is often used to describe how those in power keep people desperate enough to accept crumbs in exchange for their obedience.
I usually would have said no, but a buen hambre, no hay mal pan.
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No matter how much one pretends, they are who and what they are. This proverb reportedly comes from the same thinker who coined the phrase to sleep off a hangover (dormir la mona), who seemed quite disappointed upon making this discovery public. (Literal meaning: Even if the monkey dresses in silk, she remains a monkey).
Stop pretending to be someone you are not; aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda.
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