Spanish proverbs Quotes and Quotation

In the , the native, popular proverbs received the name of refranes. Many of them are humorous. The first anthology of them, with the title of "Proverbs that old women tell around the fire" (in Spanish, Proverbios que dicen las viejas tras el fuego) was made by the writer Marqués de Santillana in the 15th century. Sancho Panza, one of characters of the Don Quijote, spouts proverbs for any occasion.

Italic text

Table of contents

1 A
2 C
3 D
4 E
5 F
6 G
7 L
8 M
9 N
10 P
11 Q
12 S
13 T
14 V
15 Y
16 Z

16.1 External Links

A

A buen hambre no hay pan duro. / A buen hambre no hay mal pan.
- Translation: There is no hard bread if you are hungry.
A caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes. / A caballo regalado no se le mira el colmillo. / A caballo regalado no se le ve el diente.
- Translation: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
- Interpretation: If something is given to you, don't be picky.
A donde fueres haz lo que vieres. / Allá donde fueres haz lo que vieres. / Si a Roma fueres haz lo que vieres./ A la tierra que fueres haz lo que vieres
- Transliteration: Wherever you go, do what you see.
- Translation: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
A falta de hombres buenos, a mi padre hicieron alcalde.
- Translation: For lack of good men, they made my father mayor.
A falta de pan, buenas son las tortas.
- Translation: If there's no bread, cake is good.
A enemigo que huye, puente de plata.
- Translation: For a fleeing enemy, a silver bridge.
- Interpretation: To get rid of someone you don't like, sometimes you have to help him/her.
A lo hecho, pecho.
- Translation: To what is done, the chest.
- Interpretation: Be strong with what you already have done.
Al perro flaco, todos son pulgas.
- Translation: To the skinny dog, all are fleas.
- Interpretation: The weak is always afraid of others.
Al perro flaco se le suben las pulgas. / Al perro enfermo se le suben las pulgas.
- Translation: The fleas jump on to the sick dog
- Interpretation: The weak, are the ones that get attacked.

A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. / Al que madruga, Dios le ayuda. / El que madruga, coge agua clara.

Translation: God helps those who get up early.
Interpretation: God helps those who help themselves.

C

Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
- Translation: River shrimp that falls asleep is swept away by the current
Caras vemos, corazones no sabemos.
- Translation: Faces we see, hearts we don't know.
Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos
- Transliteration: Raise a raven, and it will peck out your eyes.
Cuando el indio va de culo, no hay barranco que lo ataje.
- Translation: When the indian slides on his butt, there's no way to stop him.
Cuando te toca, te toca.
- Translation: When it's your time, it's your time.
- Interpretation: Shit happens and good things too.

D

Del árbol caído todos hacen leña.
- Translation: Everyone gets wood from a fallen tree.
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho.
- Translation: There's a great distance between the word to the deed.
- English proverb: Easier said than done.

E

El mal escribano le echa la culpa a la pluma.
- Translation: The poor writer blames the pen.
- English proverb : It's a poor workman who complains about his tools.
El que con niños se acuesta, meado se despierta.
El que con niños se acuesta, mojado amanece.
- Translation: Those who go to bed with babies get up damp.
El que no llora no mama.
- Translation: He who doesn't cry, doesn't suckle.
- English proverb : It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.
El queso está viejo y mohoso.
- Translation: The cheese is old and moldy
En boca cerrada no entran moscas.
- Translation: A closed mouth gathers no flies.
En casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo.
- Translation: In the smith's house, wooden knife
El que con lobos anda, a aullar aprende.
- Translation: He who walks with wolves, learns to howl.
El que a buen arbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija.
Translation: He who takes shelter under a big tree, a good shade will cover him.
El que más tiene, más quiere.
Translation: He who has much, desires more.
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.
Translation: He who grabs a lot, holds little.
El que nada debe, nada teme.
Translation: He who owes nothing, fears nothing.
El que no nada se ahoga.
Translation: He who does not swim, drowns.
El que parpadea pierde.
Translation: He who blinks, loses.

F
El mentiroso cae mas pronto que el cojo.
The liar falls sooner that the one-legged man.

G

Gato escaldado del agua fría huye.
Translation: The cat that has been scalded flees from cold water.

L

Lagarto que traga, no vomita.
Translation: The lizard that swallows doesn't vomit.

Llover a cántaros.
Translation: "Raining pitchers", roughly: "raining cats and dogs"

M

Más vale llegar a tiempo que en convidado.
Más vale llegar a tiempo que ser invitado.
Translation: It's better to arrive at the right moment than to be invited.

Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.
Translation: A bird in the hand is better than a hundred flying birds. -
English proverb : A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Dutch proverb: "Better one bird in the hand than ten in the air"

N

Ni raja ni presta el hacha.
Translation: He does not cut, nor does he lend the axe.

No hables de la soga en casa del ahorcado.
Translation: Don't talk about rope in a hanged man's home.

No hay mal que por bien no venga.
Translation: There's no bad that something good doesn't come from it.
English proverb : Every cloud has a silver lining.

No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano.
Translation: Dawn doesn't hurry if you get up earlier.

P

Perro ladrador, poco mordedor. / Perro que ladra no muerde.
Translation: A barking dog doesn't bite.
English proverb : His bark is worse than his bite.

Q

Quien a buen árbol se arrima buena sombra lo cobija.
Translation: If you lean to a good tree you will be protected by a good shadow.

Quien fue a Sevilla perdió su silla
El que fue a Melipilla perdió su silla
El que fue a Melilla perdió su silla; el que fue a Melillón perdió su sillón
El que fue a Matilla perdió su silla
El que fue a Quellón perdió su sillón
El que va a la villa perdió la silla
El que se va a Barranquilla pierde su silla
El que va para Quito pierde su barquito
Translation: Who went to [insert city of choice here], lost his seat. This is not actually a proverb.

S

Ser como el perro del hortelano, que ni come las berzas, ni deja comer al amo.
Translation: To be like the gardener's dog, who doesn't eat the cabbages, nor lets the master eat them.

Si quieres el perro, acepta las pulgas.
Translation: If you want the dog, accept the fleas.

Si tu mujer quiere tirarte de un tejado, procura que sea uno bajo.
Translation: If your wife wants to throw you off the roof, try to find a low one.

Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
Translation: "The devil is wiser because he is old,not because he is the devil."

T

Tanta carne y yo comiendo bacalao./Tanta carne y yo sin dientes
Translation: " So much flesh (meat), and I am eating codfish."

Tanto te quiero perrito, pero pan poquito.
Translation: How much I love you puppy, but as to [give you] bread, very little

V

Vámonos que nos vamos a mojar.
Translation: Let's go we're getting wet (Knowing when to take one's leave)

Vivieron felices y comieron perdices (y a mí no me dieron).
Translation: They lived happily and ate partridge (and didn't give me any).
English equivalent: And they lived happily ever after.

Y

Yo solo se que no se nada
Translation: I only know that I know nothing

Z

No por levantarte mas pronto amanece mas temprano/No por mucho madrugar se amanece más temprano
Translation: Getting up earlier does not mean the sun will get out earlier.
See also: List of proverbs.

External Links

Proverbia.net

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