The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms

by Peter Weibel

  alzar/levantar el gallo (fig., fam.) to act the big shot (fam.), to put on airs, to brag

  andar de gallo (fig.) to make a night of it, to be a night owl (fam.)

  bajar el gallo a alg. (fig.) to take s.o. down a peg or two (fig.)

  pelar gallo (fam., Méjico) (a) to make tracks (sl.) (b) to kick the bucket (fam.) cascar[la]

  matarle a alg. el gallo [en la mano] (fam., Méjico/etc.) to shut s.o. up (fam.)

  en menos que canta un gallo in next to no time, in a flash, in a jiffy (fam.), in a trice, in a tick (fam., Br.E.), in the twinkling of an eye (fig.), before you can say Jack Robinson (fam.) Lo hizo en menos que canta un gallo. He did it in a jiffy. Solucionó el problema en menos que canta un gallo. He solved the problem in the twinkling of an eye.

  otro gallo cantaría o otro gallo me/etc. cantara si … it would be quite a different matter if …, things would be very different if … Otro gallo cantaría si hubiesen elegido presidente al otro candidato. Things would be very different if the other candidate had been elected president.

  [Aquí] hay gallo tapado. (fam., América Latina) There’s s.th. fishy [here]. (fam.) There’s s.th. fishy going on [here]. (fam.) I/we [can] smell a rat [here]. (fam.) Aquí hay gallo tapado. There is s.th. fishy going on here. I smell a rat here.

  entre gallos y medianoche (fam.) in the middle of the night, in the or at (Br.E.) dead of night Me telefonearon entre gallos y medianoche. They called/phoned me in the middle of the night or in the dead of night.

  gallo (al canto del ~)

  gallo (haber arroz y ~ muerto)

  gallo (patas/rabos de ~)

  la gana desire, wish

  Me entraban unas ganas locas de llorar. (fam.) I felt a terrible urge to cry.

  Donde hay gana, hay maña. (prov.) Where there’s a will, there’s a way. (prov.)

  el ganado [live]stock

  el ganado (fig., pop.) entire herd (fig., pej.), all those present, all the people, a whole lot/bunch [of them] (fam.)

  la ganancia gain, profit

  andar de ganancia (fig.) to be lucky, to be in luck, to be on a lucky streak, to have a streak/run of [good] luck

  no arrendarle la ganancia a alg. (fig.) s.o. wouldn’t like to be in s.o.’s shoes (fig.), s.o. wouldn’t like to swap places with s.o., not to envy s.o. No te arriendo la ganancia. I wouldn’t like to be in your shoes. I don’t envy you.

  ganar to gain, to earn

  ganar a alg. para algo to win s.o. over to s.th.

  ganar a alg. en algo to excel/beat/outdo s.o. at/in s.th. No hay quien le gane en ajedrez. There’s nobody who can beat him at chess.

  ganar la batalla (fig.) to win the battle (fig.)

  ganarle la batalla a alg. (fig.) to get the better of s.o.

  llevar/tener [todas] las de ganar (a) to hold all the aces or trumps (fig.) (b) to have a streak/run of [good] luck

  ganarse la confianza de alg. to win s.o.’s trust

  ganarse la voluntad de alg. (a) to win s.o.’s favor (b) to win s.o. over

  ganársela (pop.) to get a hiding/thrashing (fam.), to get it (fam.), to cop it (Br.E.) Como se enteren, te la vas a ganar. If they find out, you’re going to get/cop it.

  Lo ganado por lo gastado. (prov.) Easy come, easy go. (prov.)

  ganar algo a pulso

  ganar terreno

  ganar una miseria

  ganarse los fríjoles/los garbanzos/el pan/el puchero/la vida

  la gandaya (fam.)

  ir por o correr la gandaya to laze around, to bum around (fam.), to loaf around

  el gansarón young goose

  el gansarón (fig., fam.) (person): beanpole (fig., fam., hum.)

  ganso (hablar con boca de ~)

  garabato (muchas manos en un plato hacen mucho ~)

  el garañón stud jackass

  el garañón (fig., pop.) [randy] goat (fig., fam.), lecher

  el garbanzo chickpea

  ser el garbanzo negro [de la familia] to be the black sheep [of the family] (fig.) Su hijo es el garbanzo negro de la familia. Siempre se mete en problemas con la policía. Her son is the black sheep of the family. He always runs into trouble with the police.

  contar los garbanzos (fig.) to be very stingy/miserly

  ganarse los garbanzos (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.)

  garbanzo (en toda/cualquier tierra de ~s)

  la garganta throat, gullet

  tener una garganta de oro (fig.) to have a voice of gold (fig.), to have an excellent singing voice

  tener un nudo en la garganta (fig.), hacérsele a alg. un nudo en la garganta (fig.) to have/get/feel a lump in one’s throat (fig.), to choke up (fam.), to choke [with] (fig.), to be choked [with] (fig.) Teníamos un nudo en la garganta [de la emoción]. We choked with emotion. We choked up. Tenía un nudo en la garganta [de temor]. I was choked with fear. Se le hizo un nudo en la garganta. He got/felt a lump in his throat. He choked up.

  la gárgara gargle, gargling

  mandar a alg. a hacer gárgaras (fig., fam.) to tell s.o. where to get off (fam., Br.E.) mandar a alg. a freír espárragos

  el garguero; el gargüero (pop.) throat, gullet

  mojarse el garguero to wet one’s whistle (hum.), to hoist one (sl., Am.E.), to belt one down (fam., Am.E.), to have a drink

  el garlito fish trap

  caer en el garlito (fig.) to fall/walk into the trap (fig.)

  coger a alg. en el garlito (fig.) to catch s.o. (at it or doing s.th.), to catch s.o. red-handed, to catch s.o. in the act Anoche nos entraron ladrones. Afortunadamente pasó la policía y los cogió en el garlito. Our house was broken into last night. Fortunately the police drove by and caught the burglars in the act.

  la garra claw

  gente de la garra (fam.) good-for-nothings who live from/by or who make their living from/by stealing/robbing

  tener garra (fig., fam.) to have zip (fam.), to have bite (fig.) La obra no tiene garra. The play lacks bite or has no bite to it. Esta música tiene garra. This music has zip. El partido no tenía garra. There was no fighting spirit in the game/match. (Br.E.) No tiene garra. It’s boring.

  echar la garra a algo (fig., fam.) to grab s.th., to seize s.th.

  echar la garra a alg. (fig., fam.) to seize s.o., to arrest s.o. La policía echó la garra a los ladrones. The police arrested the thieves.

  caer en las garras de alg. (fig., fam.) to fall into s.o.’s clutches (fig.)

  sacar a alg. de las garras de alg. (fig., fam.) to free s.o. from s.o.’s clutches (fig.) La sacó de las garras de su suegra. He freed her from the clutches of her mother-in-law.

  garrafal (adj., fig., fam.) huge, enormous, colossal (fam.), gigantic, monumental Incurrieron en una falta garrafal. They made a huge mistake.

  gastar to spend

  gastarlas (fam.) ya saber cómo las gasta alg. to know exactly what kind of [a] person s.o. is or how s.o. carries on (fam.) or how nasty (fig.) s.o. can be/get Ya sé cómo las gasta él. I know exactly what kind of a person he is. Todos sabemos cómo las gastan. We all know how they carry on. We all know how nasty they can get. Así las gasto yo. That’s the way I am.

  el gasto expense, expenditure

  Es lo que hace el gasto. (fig., fam.) That’s the point. That’s the important thing.

  gata (de día beata, de noche ~)

  el gato cat, tomcat

  llevar[se] el gato al agua (fam.) to take the cake (fig.), to pull off s.th. difficult A ver quién se lleva el gato al agua. Let’s see who takes the cake.

  ser para el o pal gato (fig., fam.) to be for the birds (fam.), not to know why one bothered No valía la pena. Fue para el gato. It wasn’t worthwhile. I don’t know why I bothered. ¿Qué sacaste tú de eso? Fue pal gato. What was in it for you? It was for the birds.

  jugar al gato y al ratón con alg. (fig.) to play cat and mouse with s.o. (fig.), to play a cat-and-mouse game with s.o.

  dar a alg. gato por liebre (fam.) to con s.o. (sl.)
, to swindle s.o., to take s.o. in (fam.), to sell s.o. a bill of goods (fam., Am.E.), to sell s.o. a goldbrick (fam., Am.E.), to pull the wool over s.o.’s eyes (fam.)

  lavarse a lo gato (fam.) to make do with a lick and a promise (fam.), to give o.s. a cat-lick (fam.)

  correr como gato por ascuas (fam.) to run [away] like crazy/mad (Br.E.) (to escape from danger) (fam.)

  [Aquí] hay gato encerrado. (fam.) There’s s.th. fishy [here]. (fam.) There’s s.th. fishy going on [here]. (fam.) I/we [can] smell a rat [here]. (fam.) Aquí hay gato encerrado. There’s s.th. fishy going on here. I smell a rat here.

  No hay/había ni un gato. (fam.) There isn’t/wasn’t a living or blessed soul here/there. There isn’t/wasn’t a sod here/there. (sl., Br.E.)

  cuatro gatos (fig., fam.) Ayer asistieron/vinieron cuatro gatos. Only a few people participated/came yesterday. [Allí] hay cuatro gatos. There’s only a handful of people [there]. En aquel pueblo no quedan más que cuatro gatos. There’s hardly a soul left in that village.

  Hasta los gatos quieren zapatos. Even the most ordinary people aim high or are ambitious.

  De noche todos los gatos son pardos. (prov.) At night all cats are gray/grey. (prov.) No one will notice [in the dark].

  El gato escaldado del agua fría huye. (prov.) Once bitten twice shy. (prov.)

  Cuando el gato duerme, bailan los ratones. (prov.) When the cat’s away, the mice will play. (prov.)

  Cuando el gato va a sus devociones, bailan los ratones. (prov.) When the cat’s away, the mice will play. (prov.)

  gato (buscar cinco/tres pies al ~)

  gato (poner el cascabel al ~)

  gato (tener siete vidas [como los ~s])

  el gaznate throat, gullet

  mojar/refrescar el gaznate (pop.) to wet one’s whistle (hum.), to hoist one (sl., Am.E.), to belt one down (fam., Am.E.), to have a drink

  la gazuza (fam.) ravenous hunger

  generoso (pecar de ~)

  el genio disposition, nature, genius

  no poder con el genio (fam.) to [tend to] fly off the handle (fam.)

  tener el genio vivo to be quick-tempered, to be hot-tempered, to be short-tempered

  tener mal/mucho genio to have a bad/violent temper, to have a or be on a very short fuse (fam.)

  llevar el genio a alg. (fam.) to give s.o. his head (fam.), to humor s.o., to give in to s.o., not to dare to contradict s.o. Nos seguía la corriente para que nos callásemos o para que no protestásemos. He was humoring us to try to keep us quiet.

  Genio y figura hasta la sepultura. (prov.) A leopard never changes or cannot change its spots. (prov.)

  genio (tener el mal ~ a flor de piel)

  la gente people

  gente de pelo/pelusa (fam.) well-to-do people, well-heeled people (fam.)

  gente gorda (fam.) upper-class people, upper crust (fam.), bigwigs (fam.), big cheeses (sl.), big shots (fam.), fat cats (fam.), big wheels (fam.)

  conocer a su gente (fig.) to know who one is dealing with

  hacer gente (fig., fam.) to attract or draw (fig.) a crowd El orador hizo gente. The speaker attracted/drew a crowd.

  gente (ande yo caliente y ríase la ~)

  gente (ser la comidilla de la ~)

  gente de alto copete/de la garra

  el gesto gesture, expression on one’s face

  afirmar con el gesto to nod one’s agreement, to nod in agreement, to agree with a nod

  hacer gestos to make or pull (Br.E.) faces

  gil, gilí (adj., fam., Esp.) dumb (fam., Am.E.), daft (fam., Br.E.), stupid, silly

  el/la gilipollas (pop., Esp.) prat (sl., pej.), git (sl., pej., Br.E.), wanker (vulg., Br.E.), jerk (sl., pej., Am.E.), dickhead (vulg.), twat (vulg.), twerp (sl.), dummy (fam.)

  gilipollear (pop., Esp.) to do s.th. stupid, to be stupid

  el globo globe, sphere, balloon

  el globo (fam.) (condom): rubber (fam., Am.E.), johnny (fam., Br.E.), French letter (fam., Br.E.)

  los globos (fam.) (breasts): knockers (sl.), tits (fam.), boobs (fam.), hooters (sl., Am.E.)

  lanzar un globo de ensayo (fig.) to fly a kite (fig.)

  tener un globo [impresionante] (fam.) (drunk or on drugs): to be high [as a kite/as the sky] (fam.), to be [really] out of one’s head (sl.), to be [totally] stoned (sl.) Tiene un globo. He’s high/stoned. Anoche tuviste un globo impresionante. You were high as a kite or as the sky last night.

  la gloria glory

  un pedazo de gloria (fig., fam.) [little] darling Su hija es un pedazo de gloria. His daughter is a little darling.

  estar en su[s] gloria[s] (fig.) to be in seventh heaven, to be on cloud nine (fam.), to be in one’s element, to be as snug as a bug in a rug (fam.) Está en su gloria. Ganó un million de dólares. She’s in seventh heaven. She won a million dollars. Le gusta muchísimo escribir. Está en sus glorias cuando está trabajando en una novela. He loves to write. He’s in his element when he’s working on a novel. Los niños salieron corriendo a retozar en la piscina. Allí están en sus glorias. The children dashed off for a romp in the swimming pool. There they are in their element[s].

  saber a gloria to taste delicious/glorious, to taste divine (fig., fam.) or heavenly (fam.), to taste absolutely wonderful Sabe a gloria. Sabe a más. It tastes delicious. I hope there’s more where that came from.

  oler a gloria to smell divine (fig., fam.) or heavenly (fam.), to smell glorious, to smell absolutely wonderful

  mi madre/etc., que en gloria esté o que Dios tenga en la gloria my mother/etc., God rest her/etc. soul

  gloria (sin pena ni ~)

  el gobernante ruler

  la gobernante (fam.) madam[e]

  el gobierno government

  el gobierno de faldas (fam.) petticoat government

  la golondrina swallow

  Una golondrina no hace verano. (prov.) One swallow does not make a summer. (prov.)

  el golpe blow

  no dar golpe (fam.) not to do a hand’s turn (fam.), not to lift a finger (fam.), to sit on one’s hands (fig., fam., Am.E.)

  dar un buen golpe a la comida (fam.) to dig in (fam.), to feed/stuff one’s face (fam.)

  dar el último golpe a algo (fig.) to add/put the finishing touch[es] to s.th. Dio el último golpe a su obra. He put the finishing touches to his work.

  dar un golpe de timón (fig.) to alter course [radically], to make a [radical] change of direction (fig.), to do a flip-flop (fig., fam., Am.E.)

  de golpe y porrazo (fam.) all of a sudden, suddenly, on the spot, without thinking, just like that De golpe y porrazo tomaron una decisión. They made a decision just like that.

  golpe (ir/venir a ~ de alpargata/calcetín)

  golpe (repartir ~s como un descosido)

  la goma gum, rubber

  la goma (fig., fam.) (condom): rubber (fam., Am.E.), johnny (fam., Br.E.), French letter (fam., Br.E.)

  la goma (fam., América Central) (after drinking): hangover (fam.) Ayer estuve de goma. I had a hangover yesterday.

  gordiano (cortar el nudo ~)

  gordo thick, fat

  caerle gordo a alg. (fam.) not to like s.o., s.o. can’t bear/stand s.o., to get on s.o.’s wick (Br.E.) or on s.o.’s nerves (fam.) Ese tío me cae gordo. I can’t stand that guy. I can’t bear that fellow. That guy gets on my wick.

  hacer la vista gorda [a algo] (fig.) to turn a blind eye [to s.th.] (fig.), to close/shut one’s eyes [to s.th.] (fig.), to pretend not to see/notice [s.th.], to wink at s.th. (fig.), to look the other way (fig.), to turn one’s head the other way (fig.) Hizo la vista gorda. He pretended not to have seen [it]. He looked the other way. Hicieron la vista gorda a/ante ese asunto. They turned a blind eye to that affair. They winked at that affair.

  hacer de lo gordo (vulg.) to take or have (Br.E.) a crap/shit (vulg.), to shit (vulg.)

  armar la gorda (fam.) to cause a huge scandal, to kick up a tremendous fuss (fam.), to kick up an almighty row (fam.), to raise Cain (fam.), to cause/make a terrible scene (fam.) Armaron la gorda. They caused a huge scandal. Se
armó la gorda. There was an almighty row. Aquí se va a armar la gorda. Now the fat is in the fire. Cuando se enteren, se va a armar la gorda. When they find out there’s going to be a terrible scene.

  gordo ( ver: no haberlas visto nunca más gordas)

  gordo (gente gorda)

  gordo (las vacas gordas)

  gordo (ser un pájaro ~)

  gordo (sudar la gota gorda)

  gordo (tener la lengua gorda)

  gordo (un pez ~)

  el gorgojo grub, weevil

  el gorgojo (fig., fam.) dwarf, midget, runt (fig.)

  la gorra cap

  andar/vivir de gorra (fig.) to cadge, to scrounge (fam.), to sponge (fam.), to sponge a living (fam.), to live at s.o. else’s expense

  gorra (vivir/estar donde Cristo perdió la ~)

  el gorrazo (fam.)

  dar el gorrazo a alg. to scrounge/sponge on s.o. (fam.)

  el gorrión sparrow

  comer como un gorrión (fam.) to eat like a bird (fig.), to pick at one’s food

  el gorro [round] cap

  estar hasta el gorro de algo (fam.) to have had it up to here with s.th. (fam.) estar hasta [más allá de] la coronilla de algo

  la gota drop

  ser una gota de agua en el mar (fig.) to be [just] a drop in the ocean (fig.) Esta suma es una gota de agua en el mar. This sum is a drop in the ocean.

  la gota que desborda/colma el vaso (fig.) the straw that/which breaks the camel’s back (fig.) Hizo novillos otra vez. Fue la gota que desbordó el vaso. He played truant again. That was the straw which broke the camel’s back.

  hasta la última gota (fig.) to the full/last Lo saboreamos hasta la última gota. We savored it to the full.

  no quedarle a alg. gota de sangre en las venas (fig.) to freeze [with fear/horror] (fig.), to be petrified or paralyzed with fear/horror (fig.)

  parecerse como dos gotas de agua to be as like as two peas [in a pod]

  sudar la gota gorda (fig.) (a) (anxiety/strain): to sweat blood. (b) to sweat buckets (fig.), to sweat like a pig/bull (fig.)

  Gota a gota se llena la bota. (prov.) Constant dripping wears away a stone. (prov.) Little strokes fell great/big oaks. (prov.)

  la gotera leak (in the roof)

  ser una gotera (fig.) to be one thing after another, just not to come to an end Es una gotera. It’s one thing after another. It just doesn’t come to an end.