Spanish Expressions - Helping You Understand Everyday Spanish

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Learn Spanish Expressions

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Scroll down for a list of common, everyday Spanish expressions.

Why is learning expressions important?

Because being able to understand everyday Spanish is only possible when due focus is given to the expressions that native speakers use in their conversations.

What exactly is an expression?

In the context of this webpage, an expression is a word or a phrase (a sequence of words with a particular meaning). However, not any old word or sequence of words can be an expression.

An expression is a word or a phrase that is used regularly and has a very specific meaning. If Spanish expressions are translated word for word into English, they often end up being incorrect. Therefore, the meaning of Spanish expressions is not always understood by English speakers unless the Spanish expressions have been learned beforehand.

For example

"Help yourself to a drink."

"Help yourself" is an English expression. It does not mean that the person needs help, rather that they should serve themselves.

The equivalent Spanish expressions are "Sírvete" or "Sírvase" (formal).
This does literally mean "serve yourself".

You can see how a Spanish person might be confused if they tried to translate word for word from English. It's the same problem for an English person learning to speak Spanish.

This is why it is important to learn Spanish expressions as part of contextual phrases. Remember to always learn them in context. Not only will they be easier to remember ... you will subconsciously be learning correct Spanish sentence structure too!

If you've read many other Succeed at Spanish webpages you will already know that the secret to learning Spanish quickly and easily is to listen to Spanish audio. All genuine Spanish audio will include Spanish expressions - it's a natural form of speech. However, if you're a near- or complete beginner, perhaps start with the Succeed at Spanish audio Spanish lessons with accompanying translations.

Succeed-at-Spanish.com's FREE basic Spanish lessons incorporate a wealth of Spanish expressions.

Click on the next link to read about the fastest way to learn Spanish by ensuring your Spanish learning is enjoyable and motivating.

You may also be interested in simple Spanish phrases, Spanish idioms, Spanish slang and Spanish proverbs /sayings.

SOME EVERYDAY SPANISH EXPRESSIONS

In black: Spanish expressions

In brown: Literal translation, word-for-word where possible.
Approximate interpretations of words are used where no exact translation exists.

In green: English translation

SPANISH EXPRESSIONS	EXAMPLE IN CONTEXT (expression underlined)

¡A por ellos!	Haced todo lo que podáis para ganar. ¡A por ellos muchachos!
	Do all it that you can to win. To for them guys!
	Do everything you can to win. Go get 'em guys!

A no ser por …	A no ser por los esfuerzos de todos, no habriamos ganado.
	To not to be for the efforts of all, not we would have won.
	If it hadn't been for everyone's efforts, we wouldn't have won.

A no ser que …	Ven a cenar con nosotros mañana. A no ser que ya tengas planes.
	Come to have dinner with us tomorrow. To not to be that already you have plans.
	Come have dinner with us tomorrow. Unless you already have plans.

A propósito …	A propósito ¿cuanto tiempo vas a estar en la ciudad?
	To intention how much time you go to be in the city?
	By the way how long will you be in the city?

… a propósito.	Te vi. Lo hiciste a propósito.
	You I saw. It you did to intention.
	I saw you. You did it on purpose.
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A tiempo	No vamos a llegar a tiempo a la fiesta.
	Not we go to reach to time to the party.
	We're not going to get to the party on time.

¡Anda ya!	¡Anda ya! No seas exagerada.
	Walk now! Not you be exaggerated.
	No way! Don't exaggerate.

¡Anímate! / ¡Ánimo!	¡Anímate chico! Las cosas solo pueden mejorar.
	Cheer yourself boy! The things only can get better.
	Cheer up kid! Things can only get better.

Así es la vida	Así es la vida. A veces ganas y a veces no.
	Like that is the life. Sometimes you win and sometimes not.
	That's life. You win some, you lose some.

Aún no	Aún no estoy lista.
	Still not I am ready.
	I'm not yet ready.
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Caer bien / mal	Te va caer bien el hermano de Luis.
	To you it goes to fall good the brother of Luis.
	You'll like Luis' brother.

¡Cálmate! / ¡Cálmese!	¡Por favor, cálmese señor! Está todo bajo control.
	Please, calm yourself sir! It is all under control.
	Please calm down sir! It is all under control.

¡Cielo santo!	¡Cielo santo! ¿Qué te has hecho al pelo?
	Heaven saint! What to you have done to the hair?
	Good heavens! What have you done to your hair?

Claro que sí	Claro que sí. Siempre estáis bienvenidos!
	Clear that yes. Always you are welcome!
	Of course. You are always welcome!

¿Cómo es que ...?	¿Cómo es que te quedas tan poco tiempo?
	How it is that you stay so little time?
	How is it that you're staying for such a short time?
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Cualquier parte	Perdí mis llaves. Podrían estar por cualquier parte.
	I lost my keys. They could to be for any part.
	I lost my keys. They could be anywhere.

¡Cuánto tiempo sin vernos!	¡Cuánto tiempo sin vernos! No nos vemos desde hace meses.
	How much time without to see us! Not us we see from it makes months.
	Long time, no see! We haven't seen each other for months.

¡Cuidado!	¡Cuidado! Está muy caliente.
	Care! It's very hot.
	Careful! It's very hot.

Dar las gracias	Hijo, ¿le vas a dar las gracias a la abuela por tu regalo?
	Son, to her you go to give the thanks to the grandmother for your present?
	Son, are you going to say thank you to your grandmother for your present?

Dar una vuelta	¿Quieres dar una vuelta por el barrio después de comer?
	You want to give a turn for the neighborhood after of to eat?
	Do you want to take a walk around the neighborhood after we've eaten?
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Darse prisa	Dile a tu hermana que debe darse prisa si no quiere llegar tarde.
	Tell to your sister that she must to give herself hurry if not she wants to reach late.
	Tell your sister she must hurry if she doesn't want to be late.

¿De verdad?	¿De verdad? ¿Conseguiste el trabajo?
	Of truth? You achieved the job?
	Really? You got the job?

De alguna manera	De alguna manera el gato se ha quedado atascado en el árbol.
	Of some way the cat to it has stayed stuck in the tree.
	Somehow the cat has got stuck in the tree.

De nada	"Muchas gracias." "De nada."
	"Many thanks." "Of nothing."
	"Thank you very much." "You're welcome."

Desde luego	Desde luego que podemos recoger a Juanjo del colegio.
	Since later that we can pick up to Juanjo of the school.
	Of course we can pick Juanjo up from school.

De un modo u otro	De un modo u otro tenemos que llegar al aeropuerto.
	Of one mode or other we have to reach to the airport.
	One way or another we have to get to the airport.
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En absoluto	Iré yo a recoger el correo. No me importa en absoluto.
	I will go to pick up the post. Not to me it matters in absolute.
	I'll pick up the post. I don't mind at all.

En casa	Hoy he dejado mi coche en casa.
	Today I have left my car in house.
	Today I've left my car at home.

Encantado de conocerte / conocerle.	Encantada de conocerte. Probablemente nos veamos otra vez.
	Pleased of to meet you. Probably we see us again.
	Pleased to meet you. We shall probably see each other again.

Enseguida vuelvo	Enseguida vuelvo. Me he dejado el monedero en el coche.
	Straight away I return. I have left the wallet in the car.
	I'll be right back. I've left my wallet in the car.
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Érase una vez …	Érase una vez una princesa que vivía en un castillo …
	It was one time a princess that lived in a castle ...
	Once upon a time there was a princess who lived in a castle ...

Es que …	Es que hoy no tengo ánimos para limpiar la casa.
	It is that today I not have enthusiasm for to clean the house.
	It's just that today I've no motivation to clean the house.

¿Es que …?	Mira cuanto polvo hay. ¿Es que nunca limpias?
	Look how much dust there is. Is it that never you clean?
	Look how much dust there is. Do you never clean? (This expression can turn anything from a statement into a question.)

(No) estar de acuerdo	No estoy de acuerdo con tu manera de enseñar la gramática.
	Not I am of agreement with your way to teach the grammar.
	I don't agree with the way you teach grammar.

(No) estar de broma	No estoy de broma. Limpia tu cuarto ahora mismo o no sales a jugar.
	Not I am of joke. Clean your room now itself or you not go out to play.
	I'm not kidding. Clean your room right now or you won't go out to play.
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Estar en ello	Estoy en ello mamá. En cinco minutos estará todo limpio.
	I am in that mum. In five minutes it will be all clean.
	I'm on it mum. In five minutes everything will be clean.

Estar justo a tiempo	Estáis justo a tiempo para cenar.
	You are just to time for dinner.
	You are just in time for dinner.

Estar en condiciones de …	¿Crees que el abuelo está en condiciones de escalar una montaña?
	You think that the granddad is in conditions of to climb a mountain?
	Do you think granddad is in a fit state to climb a mountain?

Faltaría más	"Hay una mosca en mi agua. ¿Me trae otro?" "Faltaría más."
	"There's a fly in my water. You bring me another?" "It would miss more."
	"There's a fly in my water. Will you bring me another?" "Of course." (Very polite, obliging way to say 'of course'.)

*Hace … (+ amount of time)*	Hace diez años que no nos vemos. Hace solo una semana que llamaste.
	It makes ten years that not we see us. It makes only one week that you called.
	It's been ten years since we saw each other. It's been just one week since you called.
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Hace poco / mucho …	Hace mucho que no nos vemos pero hace poco que nos hablamos.
	It makes a lot that not we see us but it makes a little that we speak us.
	It's been a long time since we saw each other but it's been not very long since we spoke.

(No) hacer falta.	Me hacen falta unos zapatos nuevos.
	To me they make lack some shoes new.
	I need some new shoes.

¡Hasta luego!	¡Hasta luego! Nos vemos mañana.
	Until later! We see us tomorrow.
	See you! See you tomorrow.

¡Jesús!	¡Jesús! ¡Vaya resfriado!
	Jesus! What a cold!
	Bless you! What a cold!

¡Madre mía! / ¡Ay mi madre!	¡Madre mía cuanta gente que hay!
	Mother mine how many people that there are!
	My goodness look how many people there are!
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¡Más te vale!	¡Más te vale acordarte de hacer los deberes!
	More to you it is worth to remember of to do the homework!
	You'd better remember to do your homework!

Más o menos	Debe de ser más o menos mediodía.
	It must of to be more or less midday.
	It must be more or less midday.

Menos mal	Menos mal que has llegado. Necesito tu ayuda urgentemente.
	Less bad that you have arrived. I need your help urgently.
	Thank goodness you've arrived. I need your help urgently.

Ni siquiera …	Ni siquiera se quedaron para cenar.
	Even at least they stayed for to have dinner.
	They did not even stay for dinner.

Ninguna parte	No encuentro al perro por ninguna parte.
	Not I find to the dog for none part.
	I can't find the dog anywhere.
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No vaya a ser que ...	¿No vaya a ser que necesites gafas?
	Not it's going to be that you need glasses?
	Could it be that you need glasses?

No hay de que.	"Gracias por toda vuestra ayuda." "No hay de que.."
	"Thank you for all your help." "Not there is of that."
	"Thank you for all your help." "Not at all." (Essentially another way of saying 'you are welcome' in Spanish.)

No me extraña.	No me extraña que estés enfermo. Trabajas demasiado.
	Not to me it is strange that you be ill. You work too much.
	It doesn't surprise me that you're ill. You work too much.

No pasa nada	No pasa nada. Fue un accidente.
	Not it passes nothing. It was an accident.
	It's doesn't matter. It was an accident.

No tengo ni (la más remota) idea.	No tengo ni (la más remota) idea donde está Enrique. Salió de casa muy temprano.
	Not I have even (the most remote) idea where is Enrique. He went out of home very early.
	I have no idea where Enrique is. He left the house very early.
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¡No vale!	¡No vale! Hiciste trampa.
	It's not valid! You did cheating.
	It's not fair! You cheated.

Nunca se sabe.	Nunca se sabe cuando se va necesitar un paraguas en Inglaterra.
	Never it is known when it is going to need an umbrella in England.
	You never know when you might need an umbrella in England.

O sea …	O sea, las cosas van bien con toda la familia en casa para navidades.
	Or it be, the things go well with all the family in house for Christmas.
	In other words, things are going well with the whole family at home for Christmas.

¡Ojalá …!	¡Ojalá deje de llover pronto! Tengo que sacar al perro de paseo.
	If only it stops to rain soon! I have to take out the dog of walk.
	I hope it stops raining soon! I have to take the dog for a walk.

¡Ojo!	¡Ojo con la alfombra! Tenéis los zapatos sucios.
	Eye with the carpet! You have the shoes dirty.
	Watch out for the carpet! You have dirty shoes.
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Para entonces	Para entonces estaremos todos listos para ir al concierto.
	For then we will be all ready for to go to the concert.
	By then we shall all be ready to go to the concert.

Para variar	Vamos a cenar en un restaurante para variar.
	We are going to have dinner in a restaurant for varying.
	Let's have dinner in a restaurant for a change.

(No) poder quedarse.	Siento no poder quedarme. Tengo que recoger a los niños.
	Sorry not I can stay. I have to pick up to the children.
	Sorry I can't stay. I have to pick up the children.

Por (el) amor de Dios	Por amor de Dios, deja en paz al gato. ¿No ves que ahora no quiere jugar?
	For love of God, leave in peace to the cat. Not you see that now it not wants to play?
	For the love of God, leave the cat in peace. Can't you see it doesn't want to play right now?

Por ahora	Dejemos los deberes por ahora. Los haremos luego.
	Let's leave the homework for now. Them we will do later.
	Let's leave our homework for time-being. We'll do them later.
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Por alguna parte	Las llaves tienen que estar por alguna parte. Las tenía ayer.
	The keys have that to be for some part. Them I had yesterday.
	The keys have to be somewhere. I had them yesterday.

Por allí	El ratón se metió por allí debajo del sofá.
	The mouse put itself for there under the sofa.
	The mouse went through there under the sofa.

Por aquí	Venid por aquí. Os enseñaré donde vi al ratón.
	Come for here. I to you will show where I saw to the mouse.
	Come through here. I will show you where I saw the mouse.

Por casualidad	Por casualidad ¿fuiste tú quien llamó a mi móbil ayer.
	For chance were you who called to my mobile yesterday.
	By any chance was it you who called my mobile yesterday?

Por cierto	Por cierto, olvidé decirte que vienen mis padres a visitarnos.
	By certain, I forgot to tell you that come my parent to visit us.
	By the way, I forgot to tell you that my parents are coming to visit.
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Por consecuencia	Por consecuencia no tenemos comida suficiente. Iré al supermercado.
	For consequence not we have food enough. I will go to the supermarket.
	As a consequence we don't have enough food. I will go to the supermarket.

Por culpa de	Por culpa de estos zapatos nuevos, tengo los pies llenos de ampollas.
	For fault of these shoes new, I have the feet full of blisters.
	Due to these new shoes, my feet are covered in blisters. (Negative expression implying blame.)

Por desgracia	Por desgracia ya tenemos planes para el domingo.
	For disgrace already we have plans for the Sunday.
	Unfortunately we already have plans for Sunday.

Por fin	Por fin habéis llegado. Empezabamos a preocuparnos.
	For end you have arrived. We were starting to worry ourselves.
	At last you've arrived. We were starting to get worried.

Por la mañana / tarde / noche / madrugada	Yo voy al trabajo por la mañana y vuelvo por la tarde. Mi marido va al trabajo por la noche y vuelve por la madrugada.
	I go to the work for the morning and I return for the afternoon. My husband goes to the work for the night and return for the early morning.
	I go to work in the morning and I return in the afternoon. My husband goes to work at night and returns early in the morning.
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Por lo menos	Por lo menos podemos pasar el fin de semana juntos.
	For it least we can pass the weekend together.
	At least we can spend the weekend together.

Por lo que dicen	Por lo que dicen no va a dejar de llover hasta el fin de semana.
	For it that they say not it will leave of to rain until the weekend.
	They say it won't stop raining until the weekend.

Por lo tanto	Por lo tanto vamos a tener que celebrar el cumpleaños de Javier dentro de casa.
	For it so much we are going to have that to celebrate the birthday of Javier inside of house.
	In other words we are going to have to celebrate Javier's birthday inside the house.

Por lo visto	Por lo visto han cambiado de idea y vienen a celebrar con nosotros.
	For it seen they have changed the idea and they come to celebrate with us.
	It would seem they've changed their minds and they're coming to celebrate with us.

Por ningún lado	¿Has visto a los chicos? No les veo por ningún lado.
	You have seen to the boys? Not I see them for any side.
	Have you seen the boys? I don't see them anywhere.
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