Food for thought
Ser pan comido
Literal: To be eaten bread
Actual: meaning to be a piece of cake
Estar como una cabra
Literal: To be as crazy as a goat
Accrual: Meaning to be completely crazy
Estoy constipado
means having a cold
not being constipated
Tomar el pelo
Literal: pull someone's hair
Actual: meaning to pull their leg
Buenos días / Buenas noches
Literal Translation: Good days / Good nights
A comer y a tomar que el mundo se va a acabar
Literal meaning: to eat and drink because the world is going to end.
Actual meaning: don’t worry and enjoy life now that you can.
Ser una gallina
Literal meaning: to be a hen
Actual meaning: to be a coward
Llover a cántaro
Literal meaning: to rain to pitchers.
Actual meaning: it rains very hard.
Echarle leña al fuego
Literal meaning: to add wood to the fire.
Actual meaning: to make matters worse.
De nada
Literal Translation: Of nothing
Encontrar tu media naranja
Literal meaning: to find your half orange.
Actual meaning: to find the love of your life.
Te comió la lengua el gato
Literal meaning: the cat ate your tongue
Actual meaning: cat got your tongue
Sepa la bola
Literal meaning: to know the ball.
Actual meaning: having no idea.
Morirse de frío/calor
Literal meaning: to die from cold/heat.
Actual meaning: to be too cold/hot.
Salirse con la suya
Literal meaning: to get away with it.
Actual meaning: to get your way.
Spanish Phrase: Dar la vuelta a la tortilla
Literal Translation: "To flip the tortilla.
What it actually means: "To turn the tables" / To reverse a situation.
Hacerse pato
Literal meaning: to make yourself a duck.
Actual meaning: to pretend that you don’t understand something.
What it sounds like in English: "I am embarrassed."
What it actually means: "I am pregnant."
Arma de doble filo
Literal meaning: double-edged weapon
Actual meaning: something that can be positive but also negative
Spanish: Tengo hambre
Literal English Translation: I have hunger
No importar un rábano (o un pepino)
Literal meaning: to not give a radish or a cucumber.
Actual meaning: not caring at all about something.
La curiosidad mató al gato
Literal meaning: curiosity killed the cat.
Actual meaning: don’t be curious about stuff that doesn’t concern you.
Faltarle un tornillo
Literal meaning: to miss a screw.
Actual meaning: when someone is a bit crazy.
Donde comen dos, comen tres
Literal meaning: where two eat, three eat
Actual meaning: there’s always enough food to share with someone else
Spanish: Buen provecho
Literal meaning: Good benefit / Good profit