English - Spanish
To be exactly right.
"Hit the nail on the head" / "Dar en el clavo"
A superstitious expression used to avoid bad luck after making a hopeful statement.
UK: "Touch wood" / US: "Knock on wood"
Tocar madera -
To give up or surrender.
"Throw in the towel" / "Tirar la toalla"
To make the situation worse.
"To add fuel to the fire" / "Echar leña al fuego"
Two things that are completely different and cannot be compared.
UK: "Like chalk and cheese" / US: "Like apples and oranges"
como agua y aceite
Something that will never happen.
"When pigs fly" -- Cuando las vacas vuelen - El30 de febrero
To suddenly become very angry.
UK: "Fly off the handle" / US: "Blow a fuse"
se le volo un fusible
To do something exceptionally well (baseball).
Hit it out of the park - Te la volaste
Something very expensive.
"To cost an arm and a leg" / "Costar un ojo de la cara"
To feel ill or unwell.
"Under the weather"
To reveal a secret
"To spill the beans" / "Soltar la sopa"
Not something one enjoys or is interested in.
UK: "Not my cup of tea" / US: "Not my thing"
No es lo mio
- Pa gustos los colores -
To make a mistake or fail (various sports).
"Drop the ball" - meter la pata
Don't risk everything on one plan
"Don’t put all your eggs in one basket" / "No pongas todos los huevos en la misma canasta"
To reveal a secret or disclose something that was supposed to be hidden
"Let the cat out of the bag"
To confront a problem directly.
"To take the bull by the horns" / "Tomar el toro por los cuernos"
To decide to stop working on something, usually for the rest of the day or permanently.
UK: "Call it a day" / US: "Call it quits"
- Considerar-
Dejarlo por hoy
To prepare for all possible outcomes (baseball).
To Cover all bases - Cubrir nuestras bases
To have a hidden secret.
"To have a skeleton in the closet" / "Tener un muerto en el armario"
To make a wrong assumption or pursue a misguided course of action.
"Barking up the wrong tree"
To accomplish two things at once.
"To kill two birds with one stone" / "Matar dos pájaros de un tiro"
To continue discussing or trying to improve something that is no longer relevant or can’t be changed.
UK: "Flogging a dead horse" / US: "Beating a dead horse"
- echarle agua al mar -
To stay focused on a goal (various sports).
Keep your eye on the ball -
To face a difficult situation with courage or to endure something painful or unpleasant.
"Bite the bullet"
to ignore something intentionally.
English: "To turn a blind eye"
Spanish: "Hacerse de la vista gorda"