The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms

by Peter Weibel

  fino (hilar muy ~)

  finolis (fam.)

  meterse a finolis to act/play the elegant/refined man or woman

  la firma signature

  echar una firma (pop.) to relieve o.s.

  flaco (las vacas flacas)

  flamenco Flemish

  ponerse flamenco (fig., fam., Esp.) to get cheeky (fam., Br.E.), to get fresh/sassy (fam., Am.E.), to get impertinent or impudent, to get importunate or pushy (fam.)

  flan (temblar como un ~)

  Flandes (poder pasar por las picas de ~)

  Flandes (poner una pica en ~)

  flaqueza (sacar fuerza s de ~)

  la flauta flute

  sonar la flauta [por casualidad] to be a fluke, to be sheer luck, to be a lucky coincidence or guess Sonó la flauta por casualidad. It was sheer luck. It was a lucky coincidence. ¡Y sonó la flauta por casualidad! It’s nice to be lucky! Si me suena la flauta, … If I get a bit of luck, … ¿Sabías de verdad la contestación o es que sonó la flauta por casualidad? Did you really know the answer or was it a lucky guess?

  flauta (hoy le da a alg. por pitos y mañana por ~s)

  flauta (cuando no es por pitos, es por ~s)

  flauta (cuando pitos ~s, cuando ~s pitos)

  el flechazo arrow shot

  ser un flechazo (fig., fam.) to be love at first sight Con ellos fue un flechazo. With them it was love at first sight.

  la flor flower, blossom, surface

  ir de flor en flor (fig.) to play the field (fam.), to flit from one man/woman to another

  estar en la flor de la vida (fig.) to be in the prime of life

  caer en flor (fig.) to die [too] early

  segar en flor (fig.) to nip s.th. in the bud (fig.), to scotch a rumor (fig.) Había problemas en el vestuario, pero el entrenador segó en flor. There was trouble in the locker room, but the coach nipped it in the bud. Es un rumor malicioso. Tenemos que segar en flor. It’s a vicious rumor. We have to scotch it.

  la flor y nata (fig.) cream (fig.), pick, crème de la crème (fam.), best La flor y nata de la sociedad. The cream/pick of society. Separaron o se llevaron a la flor y nata de los alumnos. They creamed/skimmed off the best or brightest (fig.) pupils.

  echar flores a alg. to pay s.o. [pretty] compliments

  echarse/tirarse flores to blow one’s own horn (Am.E.) or trumpet (fig.)

  pasársela en flores (fig.) s.o.’s life is a bed of roses (fig.), not to have any problems or worries Se la pasaba siempre en flores. His life was always a bed of roses.

  a flor de on a level with, close to a flor de tierra at ground level, close to the ground a flor de agua at water level, close to the surface of the water

  a flor de piel tener la sensibilidad a flor de piel to be very easily hurt (fig.) or offended tener los nervios a flor de piel to be all on edge, s.o.’s nerves are all on edge, to be ready to explode (fig.) tener el mal genio a flor de piel to be quick to lose one’s temper, to tend to flare up very quickly (fig.), to tend to fly into a temper or off the handle (fam.)

  dar en la flor de + infinitivo to fall into the [bad] habit of + gerund Han dado en la flor de llegar tarde. They’ve got into the habit of being late.

  flor (estar como abeja en ~)

  flor (ser la ~ de la canela)

  el floreo compliments, meaningless or insubstantial phrases/talk

  andar en o andarse con floreos (fam.) (a) to turn on the old charm (fam.) (b) to beat about/around the bush (fig.), to make excuses, to prevaricate Le gusta andar en floreos. He likes to turn on the old charm. No se anduvo con floreos. He didn’t beat about the bush.

  flote

  ponerse/salir a flote (fig.) to get out of a jam/fix (fam.), to get on one’s feet again (fig.), to get back on one’s feet (fig.)

  poner/sacar algo/a alg. a flote (fig.) to get or put s.th./s.o. back on its/his feet (fig.), to get s.th./s.o. going [again] (fig.) Tratan de poner la empresa a flote. They’re trying to get the company back on its feet. Sacaron el país/la economía a flote. They got the country back on its feet. They got the economy going again. Puso a ella a flote. He put her back on her feet.

  mantenerse a flote (fig.) to keep/stay afloat (fig.), to keep going (fig.), to keep the wolf from the door (fig.), to keep one’s head above water (fig.) Puede mantenerse a flote. He can stay afloat. La empresa se mantiene a flote. The firm is managing to stay afloat or to keep going.

  la foca seal

  la foca (fam.) fatty (fam.), fatso (fam.), roly-poly (fam.), fat woman

  follar to blow [on] with bellows

  follar [a alg.] (pop., vulg.) to have a screw (vulg.), to have a shag (vulg., Br.E.), to get one’s rocks off (sl., Am.E.), to get a/one’s leg over (sl., Br.E.), to have it off/away [with s.o.] (sl., Br.E.), to screw/fuck [s.o.] (vulg.), to shag [s.o.] (vulg., Br.E.) calzar[se] a alg.

  follarse (pop.) to fart silently (vulg.), to let one off silently (fam.)

  el follón noiseless firework (rocket)

  el follón (pop.) silent fart (vulg.)

  el fondo bottom, depth

  emplearse a fondo to do one’s utmost, to do one’s level best, to do everything in one’s power, to leave no stone unturned (fig.), to do a very thorough job

  el foro back of the stage

  desaparecer por el foro (fam.) to sneak/slip away [unnoticed]

  el forofo (fam.) fan (fam.), enthusiast, buff (fam.)

  ser forofo de algo/alg. to be a real fan of s.th./s.o., to be crazy or mad (Br.E.) or wild about s.th./s.o. (fam.) Es forofo de fútbol. He’s a football or soccer (Am.E.) fan.

  forrado lined

  estar forrado (fig., fam.) to be loaded (fam.), to be well heeled (fam.), to be rolling in it (fam.)

  fortuna (sonreírle a alg. la ~)

  foto (tirar una ~)

  fracaso ( abocar a: estar abocado al ~)

  fraile (haber sido cocinero antes que ~)

  fraile (la docena del ~)

  francés French

  despedirse a la francesa (fam.) to take French leave (Br.E.), to sneak away

  Francia (vivir como Dios en ~)

  frazada (no estirar los pies más de lo que da la ~)

  el fregado scrubbing, washing-up

  meterse en un fregado (fig., fam.) to get involved in a nasty (fig.) affair/business

  dar un fregado a alg. (fig., fam.) to give s.o. a dressing-down (fam.), to give s.o. a wigging (fam., Br.E.)

  fregado (servir lo mismo para un barrido que para un ~)

  freír to fry

  freír a alg. (fig., pop.) to blow s.o. away (sl.), to waste s.o. (sl.) cargarse a alg. (a)

  freír a alg. a tiros/balazos (fig.) to riddle s.o. with bullets (fig.) Frieron al traidor a tiros. They riddled the traitor with bullets.

  freír a alg. a preguntas (fam.) to bombard s.o. with questions (fig.)

  Al freír será el reír. (prov.) He who laughs last laughs longest/loudest. (prov.) The proof of the pudding is in the eating. (prov.)

  freír buñuelos (mandar a alg. a ~)

  freír buñuelos (¡Vete a ~!)

  freír espárragos (mandar a alg. a ~)

  freír espárragos (¡Vete a ~!)

  el frenillo frenulum

  no tener frenillo en la lengua (fig., fam.) not to mince one’s words (fig.), to speak one’s mind Habla en plata. No tiene frenillo en la lengua. He speaks bluntly. He doesn’t mince his words.

  el freno bit, bridle, break

  morder/tascar el freno (fig.) to suppress/stifle one’s anger, to restrain o.s., to hold back (fig.)

  correr sin freno (fig.) to live/lead a dissolute life

  ¡Echa el freno, Ma[g]daleno! (fam., Esp.) Put a sock in it! (sl., Br.E.) Cool it! (fam.) Keep your hair on! (fam., Br.E.) Keep your shirt on! (fam.) Hold your horses! (fam.)

  la frente forehead, front

  adornar la frente a alg. (fam.) to cuckold s.o.

  acometer algo de frente (fig.) to take the bull by the horns (fig.), to grapple boldly with s.th. (fig.) Nos vimos enfrentados a un grave problema. Lo acome
timos de frente y lo solucionamos. We were faced with a serious problem. We took the bull by the horns and solved it.

  con el sudor de su/etc. frente (fig., fam.) by the sweat of his/etc. brow Me ganaba los garbanzos con el sudor de mi frente. I earned my bread and butter (fam.) by the sweat of my brow.

  frente ( escribir:tener algo escrito en la ~)

  la fresca cool part of the day, fresh/cool air

  soltar/decir cuatro frescas a alg. (fig.) to give s.o. a piece of one’s mind (fam.), to come down on s.o. like a ton of bricks (fam.)

  fresco fresh, cool

  ¡Estamos frescos! (fig., fam.) That’s all we need[ed]! Now we’re in a right/fine mess! (fig.) Now we’ve blown it! (fam.)

  dejar fresco a alg. (fig.) to take s.o. for a ride (fam.), to disappoint s.o.

  quedarse fresco (fig., fam.) to be disappointed, to be taken for a ride (fam.), to be taken in (fam.)

  decir algo tan fresco to say s.th. as cool as you please, to say s.th. quite boldly/brazenly Me lo dijo tan fresco. She said it to me as cool as you please or quite brazenly.

  quedarse/estar tan fresco to remain/be totally unperturbed quedarse/estar tan campante Se quedó tan fresco ante su hostilidad. He was totally unperturbed by her hostility. Ella estaba muerta de miedo pero él estaba tan fresco. She was scared to death but he was as cool as a cucumber or he was totally unperturbed.

  fresco (ser más ~ que una lechuga)

  el fríjol bean

  ganarse los fríjoles (fam.) to earn/make a living, to earn one’s daily bread (fam.), to earn one’s bread and butter (fam.), to earn one’s crust (fam.)

  frío cold

  quedarse frío (fig.) (a) to be completely shocked or taken aback (fig.), to have a very unpleasant or nasty (fig.) surprise (b) to get cold feet (fig.) (c) to kick the bucket (fam.) cascar[la] Cuando lo oí me quedé frío. I was completely taken aback when I heard it.

  frío ( cojón: hacer un ~ de cojones)

  frío ( pelar: hacer un ~ que pela)

  frío (hacer un ~ de perros)

  la friolera (fam.) trifle, mere nothing Nos cobró la friolera de 5,000 francos. (iron.) He only charged us 5,000 francs. (iron.)

  frito fried

  estar frito de algo/alg. (fig., fam.) to be fed up to the back teeth with s.th./s.o. (fam.), to be cheesed off with s.th./s.o. (fam., Br.E.) estar hasta [más allá de] la coronilla de algo

  tener/traer frito a alg. (fam.) to drive s.o. spare (fam., Br.E.), to get on s.o.’s nerves or wick (Br.E.) (fam.) Ese tío me tiene/trae frito. That guy drives me spare.

  dejar frito a alg. (fig.) to waste s.o. (sl.) freír a alg.

  quedarse frito (fig.) to kick the bucket (fam.) cascar[la]

  el fu hiss (cat)

  no ser ni fu ni fa (fam.) (a) to be neither one thing nor the other, to be neither fish nor fowl (fig.) (b) to be fair to middling (fam.), to be so-so (fam.) Uno de los tres hermanos es listo, otro tonto y el otro [no es] ni fu ni fa. One of the three brothers is bright, one’s stupid and the third’s neither one thing nor the other. El espectáculo no fue ni fu ni fa. The show was so-so.

  el fuego fire

  Donde fuego se hace, humo sale. (prov.) Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. (prov.) There’s no smoke without fire. (prov.)

  huir del fuego y caer en las brasas to jump out of the frying pan into the fire Atracó un banco para pagar sus deudas. Huyó del fuego y cayó en las brasas. He held up a bank to pay [off] his debts. He jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.

  estar entre dos fuegos (fig.) to be [caught] between the devil and the deep blue sea (fam.), to be [caught] between a rock and a hard place (fam.), to be on the horns of a dilemma, to be in a difficult situation

  jugar con el fuego (fig.) to play with fire (fig.) Corrió un gran riesgo. Parece que le gusta jugar con el fuego. He took a big risk. He seems to like playing with fire.

  echar leña al fuego (fig.), apagar el fuego con aceite (fig.) to add fuel to the fire/flames (fig.) Estaba hecho un basilisco. Su hermano echó leña al fuego cuando empezó a reírse de él. He was seething with rage. His brother added fuel to the fire when he started to laugh at him.

  matar a alg. a fuego lento (fig.) to make life hell for s.o. (fam.)

  echar fuego por los ojos (fam.) s.o.’s eyes blaze or are ablaze with anger/indignation

  a fuego y hierro/sangre with fire and sword, with great violence

  poner algo a fuego y sangre to lay s.th. (a place/etc.) waste Los invasores pusieron la cuidad a fuego y sangre. The invaders laid the town waste.

  fuego ( cebar: se ceba el ~)

  fuego (sacar las castañas del ~ a alg.)

  la fuente spring

  beber en buena fuente o en fuente fidedigna (fig.) to have s.th. from a good/reliable source (fig.) La información no es falsa. Bebimos en fuente fidedigna. The information is not false. We have it from a reliable source.

  fuente (tanto va el cántaro a la ~, que al fin se rompe)

  fuente (tomar la corriente desde la ~)

  fuerte (la ley del más ~)

  la fuerza strength, vigor, power

  írsele a alg. la fuerza por la boca to be all talk [and no action] (fam.), to be all mouth [and no trousers] (fam., Br.E.) Siempre se le va la fuerza por la boca. He’s always all talk and no action.

  sacar fuerzas de flaqueza (a) to make a virtue of necessity (b) to take heart, to pluck up (fig.) or screw up or summon up [one’s] courage, to bring o.s. to do s.th., to screw o.s. up to do s.th. Saqué fuerzas de flaqueza y se lo dije. I plucked up my courage and told [it to] her.

  el ful (pop.) (marijuana): hash/pot (fam.), grass/shit/weed (sl.), tea (sl., Am.E.)

  la fulana (fam.) prostitute, whore, tart (sl.), hooker (sl., Am.E.), floozie (fam.), slut (fam.), slag (fam., pej., Br.E.)

  fumar to smoke

  fumarse algo (fam.) (a) not to go/come to s.th., to stay away or be absent from s.th., not to show up at s.th. (fam.), to skip s.th. (fam.), to skive off s.th. (fam., Br.E.), to play truant, to play hooky (fam., Am.E.) (b) (money/etc.): to dissipate, to blow (sl.), to squander Se fumó la clase. He skived off class/school. He didn’t go to class/school. He played truant/hooky. Se fumó sus ahorros. He squandered/blew all [of] his savings.

  fumar (no ~ más que papel)

  fumar como un carretero/una chimenea

  la función show, spectacle

  habrá función (fig., fam.) there will be trouble, there will be a row (fam.) ¡Vamos! Si no, habrá función en casa. Come on, let’s go!, otherwise there will be trouble at home or othierwise we’ll get a [good] scolding at home.

  funerala (tener un ojo a la ~)

  fusilar to shoot, to execute by firing squad

  fusilar algo (fig., fam.) to plagiarize s.th., to lift s.th. (fig.), to crib s.th. (fig.), to pirate s.th., to copy s.th. illegally El profesor le echó la gran bronca a él porque fusiló la redacción. He was hauled over the coals by the professor because he cribbed the essay.

  G

  el gabinete cabinet

  plantear la cuestión de gabinete (fig.) to propose a vote of confidence

  Gaceta (mentir más que la ~)

  gafas de culo de botella/vaso

  gaita (tamboril por ~)

  el gaitero bagpiper

  En casa del gaitero todos son danzantes. (prov.) The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. (prov.) Like father like son. (prov.) Like mother like daughter. (prov.)

  la gala full/best dress

  llevarse la gala to carry off the palm (fig.), to take the cake (fig.), to triumph, to win

  ser la gala de (fig.) to be the best of, to be the pride [and joy] of La prestigiosa universidad es la gala de la ciudad. The prestigious university is the pride of the city.

  vestir sus primeras galas de mujer (fig.) (society): to make one’s début/debut

  galápago (tener más conchas que un ~)

  galera (azotes y ~s)

  el galgo greyhound

  De casta le viene al galgo ser rabilargo. (prov.) Like father like son. (prov.) L
ike mother like daughter. (prov.) A chip off the old block. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. (prov.)

  ¡Échale un galgo! (fig., fam.) You can kiss it/that goodby[e]! (fam.) You can write that off! (fig.) You won’t see that/him/her again! Aún no me ha devuelto el dinero. ¡Échale un galgo! He hasn’t paid me back the money yet. You can kiss it goodbye!

  ¡Vete a espulgar un galgo! (fam.) Go to hell! (fam.) Go to blazes! (sl.)

  galgo (hacer la rosca [de ~])

  la gallina hen

  el/la gallina (fam.) chicken (fam.), coward, sissy (fam.), s.o. who couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag (fam.) Es un gallina. He’s a chicken. He couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag. (fam.)

  matar la gallina de los huevos de oro (fig.) to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs (fig.), to saw off one’s own branch (fig.)

  acostarse con las gallinas to go to bed early

  levantarse con las gallinas to get up at the crack of dawn, to rise with the lark

  cantar la gallina (pop.) to climb down (fig., fam.), to come down a peg or two (fam.)

  estar/sentirse como gallina en corral ajeno to be/feel like a fish out of water, to feel very uneasy, to feel very/wholly out of place, to feel like a square peg in a round hole Aquí estoy como gallina en corral ajeno. I’m like a fish out of water here. En la universidad nos sentíamos como gallina en corral ajeno. At the university we felt like a square peg in a round hole.

  ¡Hasta que/cuando meen las gallinas! (pop.) Pigs might fly! (iron.) Till hell freezes over! (fam.) If I never see you again it will be too soon! (hum.)

  cuando meen las gallinas (fig., fam.) when pigs learn to fly (iron.), in a month of Sundays (fam.), in a coon’s age (sl., Am.E.), never Pagarán cuando meen las gallinas. They’ll pay when pigs learn to fly. They’ll never pay. A este paso terminarán el trabajo cuando meen las gallinas. At this rate they’ll never finish the job or they won’t finish the job in a month of Sundays.

  gallina (ponerle o ponérsele a alg. [la] carne de ~)

  gallina (ponerse como una ~ clueca)

  el gallito (fig., iron.) cock of the roost/walk (often pej.), tough guy (iron.)

  el gallo rooster, cock

  dar un gallo para recibir un caballo (fig.) to set/throw a sprat to catch a mackerel or a whale (fig., Br.E.)

  ser engreído como gallo de cortijo to be as proud as a peacock