“Buscarle a uno las pulgas” literally means “to look for fleas on someone”. The idiomatic translation is “to taunt someone” or “to pick a fight with someone”. I suppose that this is what ensues when one starts to “nit pick”.
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31Jul
Categories: Insects, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
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30Jul
Categories: Military, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
In both English and Spanish there are multiple idioms describing dying, usually with a humorous spin (pushing up daisies, kicking the bucket, criar malvas). Here’s one with a nobler ring to it: “quedar sobre el campo de batalla”. The translation is “to stay on the field of battle”.
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29Jul
Categories: Nautical, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
We use the phrase “to be with it” to convey that a person is up to date with current trends or “hip”. In Spanish, one similar phrase is “estar en la onda”, which means “to be on the wave”.
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28Jul
Categories: SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
Here’s an idiom that can be construed as a variation of its equivalent in English: “dar pasaporte a uno”. The literal translation is “to give passport to someone”. The English counterpart is “to send someone packing”.
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27Jul
Categories: Anatomy, Religion, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
“Ser mano de santo” means “to be hand of saint” or “saint’s hand”. The idiomatic translation is “miraculous cure”.
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24Jul
Categories: Religion, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
Two persons who are very close to each other may be described as “soulmates”. The equivalent term in Spanish is “almas gemelas”, which means “twin souls”.
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23Jul
Categories: SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
A shopper or person who is difficult to deal with may receive the appellation of “prickly customer”. The Spanish equivalent, “cardo” is similar. It means “thistle”.
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22Jul
Categories: SPEAK Like A Spaniard..., Tools Comments: 0
When someone is slow to learn we might say that we have “to drum something into someone’s head”. In Spanish a different implement is used, as in “meterle a alguien una cosa con cuchara”. The literal translation is “to put a thing into someone with a spoon”.
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21Jul
Categories: Money/Coins, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
“Es moneda corriente” literally means “it’s common coin”. The colloquial translation is “it’s an every day occurrence”.
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20Jul
Categories: Animals, Fruit, SPEAK Like A Spaniard... Comments: 0
“Pesado” is a word heard frequently in Spain. It literally means “heavy”, but is used colloquially to describe someone who is a “drag” or a “nag” or “tedious”. Here are two idioms employing “pesado”: “mas pesado que una vaca en brazos” and “mas pesado que un collar de melones”. The first translates to “heavier than a cow in arms”, the second “heavier than a necklace of melons”.