A couple of idioms with the word “fuego”, which means “fire”. “A fuego y sangre” means “to fire and blood”. The colloquial translation is “mercilessly”. “Poner las manos en el fuego por …” translates to “to put the hands in the fire for …”. The idiomatic equivalent in English is “to stake one’s life on …”.
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30Dec
Categories: SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
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24Dec
Categories: SPEAK Like A Spaniard..., Weather Comments: 0
“Esto no me da ni frío ni calor” literally translates to “this doesn’t give me cold nor heat”. The idiomatic translation is “it’s all the same to me”.
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23Dec
Categories: DINE Like A Spaniard..., Marbella Comments: 0
As you might anticipate, this restaurant is on the beach. My local contact says the place is a little expensive, but spectacular. Bring cash. Has a nice cocktail bar. Located at Urbanización El Ancón. Carretera Cádiz KM 177. Tel. 639 553 088
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23Dec
Categories: Anatomy, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
Here are some idioms using “espaldas”, which means “back”. Interesting that the meanings are so different. “Medirle a uno las espaldas” literally translates to “to measure someone’s back”. The colloquial translation is “to give someone a beating”. “Tener buenas (anchas) espaldas” means “to have a good (wide) back”. Idiomatically it translates to “to be easygoing”. “Echarse algo a las espaldas” literally means “to throw something to the back”. The idiomatic meaning is “to forget about something”.
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22Dec
Categories: SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
When a person is particularly mendacious we say “he lies his head off” or “he lies like a rug”. In a previous post we have seen that in Spanish a person might lie “con toda su barba”. Another version is “mentir como un bellaco”, which means “to lie like a villain (rogue”.
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19Dec
Categories: Money/Coins, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
Here’s a pre-euro saying using the old coins “peseta” and “duro”. A “duro” is a five peseta piece. “No hay duros a cuatro pesetas” means “there are no four peseta duros”. Although I have never heard it said, one equivalent would be “there’s no such thing as a four cent nickel”. My candidate for an equivalent in English is “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”.
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18Dec
Categories: Anatomy, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
When we’re trying desperately to remember something we “rack our brains”. Here are three ways to describe this in Spanish:
“estrujarse los sesos” - to squeeze the brains
“devanarse los sesos” - to wind the brains
“calentarse los sesos” - to heat the brains
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17Dec
Categories: DINE Like A Spaniard..., Madrid Comments: 0
This tapas destination is located in the heart of Madrid. It is particularly known for its tripe (callos) and squid in its ink (calamares en su tinta). Check the place out; it’s an official artistic monument. Calle Alcalá, 99. Metro Retiro
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17Dec
Categories: SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
“”Alegre como unas castañuelas” means “happy as some castanets”. The polite equivalent in English is “as happy as a lark”.
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16Dec
Categories: Animals, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
When we find something really we can be “bored to tears”. In Spanish one would be as bored as an oyster, as in “aburrirse como una ostra”.