The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms

by Peter Weibel

  piro (pop.)

  darse el piro to beat it (sl.), to split (sl.), to clear off/out (fam.)

  el piropo compliment

  ser un piropo ambulante (fig., fam.) (woman): to be very pretty, to be a beauty

  pisar to tread

  pisar a alg. (fig., pop.) to bang s.o. (vulg.) calzar[se] a alg.

  pisar algo/a alg. (fig., fam.) to steal s.th./s.o. (fig.), to pinch s.th./s.o. (sl., Br.E.) Me pisaron la idea. They stole/pinched my idea. José le pisó la novia a su amigo. José pinched his friend’s girl. pisar la clientela a alg. to steal/pinch s.o.’s clientele or customers

  el pisotón stamp on the foot

  dar el pisotón (fig.) (reporter/etc.): to bring off a scoop (sl.), to get a beat on (sl., Am.E.)

  la pista track, trail

  la pista falsa (fig.) red herring (fig.) Es una pista falsa. It’s a red herring. He’s/they’re/etc. [just] trying to draw/take the people’s attention away from the actual/real issue.

  el pisto type of Spanish dish

  el pisto (fig., fam.) bad food, swill (fig., pej.), muck (fig., fam.)

  el pisto (fam.; Méjico, América Central, Andes) (money): dough (sl., Am.E.), bread (sl.), sugar (sl.), brass/dosh/lolly (sl., Br.E.), wampum (sl., Am.E.)

  darse pisto (fig., fam.) to swank (fam., Br.E.), to show off, to put on the dog (fam., Am.E.)

  pistola (sentarle algo a alg. como a un santo cristo un par de ~s)

  el pistón piston

  los pistones (pop.) (testicles) las canicas

  pistonudo (fam.) great (fam.) cojonudo (a)

  la pitada whistle

  dar una pitada (fig., fam.) to step out of line (fig.)

  pitar to whistle

  pitar (fig., fam.) to work [well], to go off well Esto no pita. This doesn’t work. Pitó. It went off well.

  pitar (fig.) to let fly (fig.), to let rip (fam.)

  salir pitando (fig., fam.) to beat it (sl.), to clear/push off (fam.), to make off very quickly

  la pítima (fam.) drunkenness

  coger una pítima to get plastered (fam.) cocerse (a)

  el pito whistle

  el pito (fig., pop.) (penis): el calvo

  tocarse el pito (fig., fam.) to twiddle one’s thumbs (fig., fam.), to do sod all (sl., Br.E.), to do damn all (fam.), to do sweet f.a. (fam.), to be bone-idle (fam.)

  no tocar pito en algo (fam.) to have nothing to do with s.th. No toqué pito en eso. I had nothing to do with that.

  [no] importar a alg. un pito (fig., fam.) not to give/care two hoots (fam.) no importar a alg. un ardite

  no valer un pito (fig., fam.) not to be worth a bean (fam.) no valer un ardite

  Cuando pitos flautas, cuando flautas pitos. It’s something different every time. First it’s this, then it’s that.

  Cuando no es por pitos, es por flautas. If it isn’t one thing it’s another.

  hoy le da a alg. por pitos y mañana por flautas s.o. doesn’t know what he wants

  pitorrearse (fam., Esp.)

  pitorrearse de alg. to pull s.o.’s leg (fam.), to tease s.o., to take the mickey out of s.o. (fam., Br.E.), to make fun of s.o.

  la plancha (fig., fam.) gaffe, blunder, boob (fam.), boo-boo (fam.), goof (fam., Am.E.), clinker (sl., Am.E.)

  tirarse una plancha to put one’s foot in it (fam.), to drop a clanger/brick (fam., Br.E.)

  plantar to plant

  plantar la carrera (fig., fam.) to quit college/university, to quit one’s profession, to quit one’s career

  plantar o dejar plantado a alg. (fig., fam.) to ditch s.o. (fam.), to jilt s.o., to stand s.o. up (fam.), to leave s.o. in the lurch (fig.), to leave s.o. high and dry (fig.) Plantó a su novio. She ditched her boyfriend. Como me dejaron plantado, tuve que hacerlo todo yo. Since they left me high and dry or in the lurch, I had to do it all myself.

  plantar a alg. en la calle

  plantar un pino

  el plantón seedling

  dar un plantón a alg. (fig., fam.) to stand s.o. up (on a date) (fam.) La convidé a cenar y me dio un plantón. I invited her to dinner but she stood me up or she didn’t show up.

  estar cansado del plantón (fig., fam.) to be tired of the endless/long wait

  la plata silver

  hablar en plata (fig.) to speak bluntly (fig.), to speak frankly hablando en plata[, …] to put it bluntly[, …]

  como una plata (fig., fam.) spick-and-span (fam.), squeaky clean (fam.), as bright/clean as a new pin (fig.), like a new pin (fig.), spotless

  plata (como una tacita de ~)

  plata (hincharse de ~)

  plata (la Tacita de Plata)

  plata (tener manitas de ~)

  platillo (a bombo y ~)

  el plato plate, dish

  Del plato a la boca se pierde la sopa. (prov.) There’s many a slip ’twixt cup and lip. (prov.)

  no ser plato de su gusto (fig.) not to be s.o.’s cup of tea (fam., Br.E.), not to like it/s.th. No es plato de mi gusto. It’s not exactly my cup of tea.

  ser plato de segunda mesa (fig.) to be a second-rater, to be second-best, to play second fiddle (fig.)

  comer en un mismo o en el mismo o del mismo plato (fig., fam.) to be inseparable, to get on like a house on fire (fam.), to be great pals/buddies (fam.), to be hand in glove Comen en un mismo plato. They’re inseparable.

  no/nunca haber roto un plato [en su vida] (fig., fam.) Parece que ella nunca ha roto un plato. She looks as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. (fam.) Tiene cara de no haber roto un plato en su vida. He looks as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. (fam.)

  Por fuera no rompe un plato, pero tiene la música por dentro. (fam.) Still waters run deep. (prov.)

  [tener que] pagar los platos rotos (fig., fam.) to [have to] carry the can (fam., Br.E.), to [have to] take the rap (sl., Am.E.)

  nada entre dos platos (fig., fam.) nothing much, a little/minor thing, a trifle ¿Qué pasó? Nada entre dos platos. What happened? Nothing much.

  plato (muchas manos en un ~ hacen mucho garabato)

  plato (sacar los pies del ~)

  la plazoleta small square

  comprar algo a plazoletas (fam., hum.) to buy s.th. on the never-never (fam., hum., Br.E.), to pay for s.th. in instal[l]ments

  el plomo lead, fuse

  nadar como un plomo (fam.) to swim like a brick (fam.)

  ser algo/alg. un plomo (fig., fam.) s.th./s.o.: to be deadly boring (fam.), to be a bore, to be a drag (sl.); s.th.: to be as exciting as watching [the] paint dry (hum.); s.o.: to be a pain in the neck (fam.) Este libro es un plomo. This book is deadly boring. This book is about as exciting as watching the paint dry. Ese tío es un plomo. That guy is a pain in the neck. ¡Qué plomo! What a drag!

  fundírsele a alg. los plomos (fig., Esp.) to blow a fuse (fig., sl., hum.), to blow/pop one’s cork (sl.), to blow one’s top (sl.), to go through or hit the roof (fig., fam.)

  plomo (andar con pies de ~)

  la pluma feather

  Más fuerte es la pluma que la espada. (prov.) The pen is mightier than the sword. (prov.)

  echar buena pluma (fig., fam.) to shape up nicely echar buen pelo

  el pluma (pop., Esp.) (gay): queer/fairy/faggot (sl., pej.), pansy (fam., pej.), queen (sl.), poof[ter] (sl., pej., Br.E.), fag (sl., pej., Am.E.), arse bandit (vulg., Br.E.)

  las plumas (fig., fam.) bed Están todavía en las plumas. They’re still in bed.

  adornarse con plumas ajenas (fig.) to adorn o.s. with borrowed plumes (fig.), to take credit for what s.o. else has done

  escribir/anotar [algo] a vuela pluma to write [s.th.] [down] quickly or without much thought, to jot s.th. down Estaba escribiendo a vuela pluma. He was writing quickly. He anotado unas ideas a vuela pluma. I’ve jotted down a few ideas.

  el plumero bunch of feathers

  se le ve el plumero a alg. (fig., fam.) you can see what s.o. is up to (fam.)/is after/is really thinking Se te ve el plumero. One/I/we can see what you’re up to.

  pobre (ser más ~ que una rata [de iglesia])

/>   la pobreza poverty

  Pobreza no es vileza. (prov.) Poverty is not a crime. (prov.) Poverty is no sin. (prov.)

  poco little

  Muchos pocos hacen un mucho. (prov.) Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves or will take care of themselves.

  Quien poco tiene, poco teme. (prov.) He who has nothing has nothing to lose.

  poder can, to be able to

  a más no poder gritar a más no poder to scream/shout at the top of one’s voice or lungs reír[se] a más no poder to roar with laughter comer a más no poder to eat to excess, to eat until one is fit to burst, to eat until one is [as] full/tight as a tick (fam.) correr a más no poder to run like crazy/hell (fam.), to run hell for leather (fam.), to run for all one is worth (fam.), to run as fast as one can trabajar a más no poder to work flat out (fam.), to go at it hammer and tongs (fam.) ganar dinero a más no poder to make pots/piles/stacks of money (fam.) ser terco a más no poder to be utterly/extremely obstinate, to be as obstinate as they come ser desmañado/torpe a más no poder to be very awkward, to be [as] awkward as a cow on a crutch or as a cow on roller skates (hum.) ser feo a más no poder to be as ugly as sin/hell (fam.), to be incredibly ugly ser tonto a más no poder to be as dumb as they come (fam., Am.E.), to be a complete idiot ser algo aburrido a más no poder s.th.: to be deadly boring (fam.), to be as exciting as watching [the] paint dry (hum.) gustarle a alg. leer a más no poder to be passionately fond of reading

  poder (querer es ~)

  podrido rotten, bad

  estar podrido de dinero (fam.) to be stinking/filthy rich (fam.)

  la polca polka

  del año de/en el año de la polca (fam.) donkey’s years ago año de Maricastaña

  el poli (fam.) cop (fam.), copper (fam.), pig (sl.)

  la poli (fam.) cops (fam.), fuzz (sl.), pigs (sl.), filth (sl., Br.E.), heat (sl., Am.E.)

  la polilla moth

  la polilla (jerga del hampa) cops (fam.), fuzz (sl.), pigs (sl.), filth (sl., Br.E.), heat (sl., Am.E.)

  el polizonte (fam.) cop (fam.), copper (fam.), pig (sl.)

  la polla young hen, pullet

  la polla (fig., fam.) young girl, chick (sl.), bird (sl., Br.E.)

  la polla (fig., pop.) (penis) el calvo

  el pollo chicken

  el pollo (fig., fam.) young man/lad, boy

  el pollo (vulg.) (thick sputum): gob (fam.), spittle

  tener calentura de pollo (fig., fam.) to pretend to be ill/sick, to sham ill

  la polvareda dust cloud

  levantar una polvareda (fig., fam.) to kick up or raise a dust (fig.), to cause a stir, to cause a commotion

  el polvo dust, powder

  el polvo (fam.) (cocaine/heroin): stuff (sl.)

  sacudir el polvo a alg. (fig., fam.) to beat s.o. up (fam.) arrimar candela a alg.

  hacer polvo a alg. (fig., fam.) (a) to take it out of s.o., to wear s.o. out (fig.), to shatter s.o. (fam.) (b) (in a debate; opponent): to flatten s.o. (fam.), to slam s.o. (fam.), to crush s.o. (fig.), to tear s.o. to pieces/shreds (fig., fam.), to wipe the floor with s.o. (fig.) Uno de los candidatos a la presidencia hizo polvo a los otros. One of the presidential candidates flattened the others.

  estar hecho polvo (fig., fam.) to be totally worn out (fig.) estar hecho cisco

  morder el polvo (fig., fam.) (to die): to bite the dust (fig., fam.)

  hacer morder [el] polvo a alg. (fig., fam.) to crush s.o. (fig.), to humiliate s.o.

  echar un polvo (fig., pop.) to have a screw (vulg.), to get a/one’s leg over (sl., Br.E.) echar un casquete

  polvo (el nido de ~)

  la pólvora gunpowder

  no haber inventado la pólvora (fig., fam.) not to be exactly an Einstein, s.o. won’t set the world or the Thames (Br.E.) on fire (fam.)

  gastar la pólvora en salvas (fig.) to waste one’s [time and] energy

  pólvora (propagarse como un reguero de ~)

  pólvora (tirar con ~ del rey)

  polvorosa (poner pies en ~)

  el pompis (fam.) bottom (fam.), backside (fam.), behind (fam., euph.), posterior (euph.), butt (fam., Am.E.), bum (fam., Br.E.)

  poncho (vivir/estar donde el diablo perdió el ~)

  pontifical pontifical

  estar/ponerse de pontifical (fig., fam.) to be in one’s glad rags (fam., Br.E.), to put on one’s glad rags (fam., Br.E.)

  la popa stern

  la popa (fig., fam.) behind (fam., euph.), backside (fam.), bottom (fam.), posterior (euph.), butt (fam., Am.E.), bum (fam., Br.E.)

  por si acaso just in case

  Más vale un “por si acaso” que un “¿quién pensara?” (prov.) Better [to be] safe than sorry. (prov.)

  la porra club, cudgel, truncheon

  la porra (fig., pop.) (penis) el calvo

  un agente de la porra (fig., fam.) policeman

  mandar a alg. a la porra (fig., fam.) to send s.o. packing (fig.) Yo que tú la mandaría a la porra. If I were you, I’d send her packing.

  ¡Vete a la porra! (fig., fam.) Go to hell! (fam.) Go to blazes! (sl.) You know what you can do! (fam.)

  porrazo (de golpe y ~)

  la porreta leek

  en porreta[s] (fig., fam.) starkers (fam., hum., Br.E.), stark naked (fam.), in the raw (fam.) Cuando era joven iba a nadar en porretas. When he was young, he [often] went swimming in the raw.

  el porro (fam., Esp.) joint (sl.), spliff (sl., Br.E.), marijuana cigarette

  porvenir (labrarse un ~)

  porvenir (sonreírle a alg. el ~)

  el poso sediment, deposit

  hasta los posos (fig.) [down] to the last drop. Apuró el cáliz hasta los posos. He drank/drained the cup down to the last drop.

  el poste post, pillar

  serio como un poste (fig., fam.) deadly serious, dead serious (fam.)

  dar poste a alg. (fig., fam.) to keep s.o. waiting [for] an excessively or unduly long time, to keep s.o. hanging about

  oler el poste (fig., fam.) to sense/scent danger, to smell a rat (fig.)

  el postín (fam.) (a)showing-off, swank (fam., Br.E.), pompousness, pompous behavior (b) luxury, poshness (fam.), elegance darse postín to swank (fam., Br.E.), to show off, to think one is important Ayer cenamos en un restaurante de postín. We had dinner in a posh (fam.) or a plush (sl.) or a smart or an elegant restaurant yesterday. una modista de postín an expensive dressmaker

  el postre dessert

  llegar a los postres (fig.) to come too late, to come after everything is over

  potable drinkable

  potable (fig., fam.) reasonable, bearable, passable (fig.) precios potables reasonable prices un trabajo potable a bearable job una persona potable a bearable/passable person

  el pote earthenware pot

  darse pote (fig., fam.) to swank (fam., Br.E.), to show off, to think one is important

  a pote (fig., fam.) galore (fam.), in plenty, pots of (fam.), heaps of (fam.) ganar dinero a pote to make pots of money beber a pote to drink an awful lot, to be a heavy drinker

  Potosí Potosí (famous silver mining town in Bolivia)

  valer algo/alg. un Potosí (fig.) (a) s.th.: to be invaluable, to be worth a fortune (b) s.o.: to be worth one’s weight in gold (fig.) Mi secretaria vale un Potosí. My secretary is worth her weight in gold.

  la potra filly

  tener potra (fig., fam.) to be lucky, to be in luck, to be jammy (fam., Br.E.)

  el potro colt, rack (torture)

  tener a alg. en el potro (fig.) to keep s.o. in suspense, to keep s.o. on tenterhooks (fig.), to keep s.o. on pins and needles (fig., Am.E.) ¡Dímelo ahora! ¡No me tengas en el potro más tiempo! Tell me now. Don’t keep me on tenterhooks any longer!

  poner a alg. en el potro (fig.) to torment s.o. (fig.), to harass s.o.

  el poyetón (fam.)

  sentarse en el poyetón to be left on the shelf (fig.), not to get a man

  el pozo well

  ser un pozo sin fondo (fig., fam.) to be [like] a bottomless pit (fig., fam.) Es un pozo
sin fondo. It’s a bottomless pit. It’s never ending.

  ser un pozo de ciencia (fig.) to be immensely learned

  caer en el pozo airón (fig.) to fall/sink into oblivion for good, to disappear for good

  pozo (ser más bruto que la pila de un ~)

  pozo ([todo] mi/etc. o el gozo en el/un ~)

  predicar to preach

  predicar en el desierto (fig.) to preach in the wilderness (fig.), to be a voice crying in the wilderness (fig.), to talk at deaf ears (fig.), to talk to the winds (fig.) Nadie estaba escuchando. Predicaste en el desierto. Nobody was listening. You were a voice crying in the wilderness. You were talking at deaf ears.

  predicar con el ejemplo to set a good example, to practice what one preaches, to put one’s money where one’s mouth is (fam.)

  predicar ( subirse: subírsele algo a alg. a~)

  pregonar algo a los cuatro vientos

  pregonero (dar un cuarto al ~)

  la pregunta question

  andar/estar a la cuarta pregunta (fig., fam.) to be flat broke (fam.), to be stone-broke (fam., Am.E.), to be down to one’s last penny (Br.E.) or nickel (Am.E.) (fam.)

  dejar a alg. a la cuarta pregunta (fig., fam.) to fleece s.o. (fig.), to milk s.o. (fig.)

  A preguntas necias oídos sordos. Ask a silly question, get a silly answer.

  Cuál la pregunta, tal la respuesta. You get what you give.

  pregunta (asar/freír a alg. a ~s)

  la prenda pledge

  la prenda (fig., fam.) treasure (fig.), love, darling, sweetheart Sí, prenda. Yes, darling.

  soltar prenda (fig., fam.) to commit o.s. rashly

  no soltar prenda (fig., fam.) to avoid committing o.s., to be very uncommunicative, to be buttoned up (fig., fam.), not to say a word, to give nothing away, to play/keep one’s cards close to one’s chest (fig.) Aunque lo interrogaron horas y horas, no soltó prenda. Although they grilled him for hours and hours, he gave nothing away.

  no dolerle prendas a alg. (fig.) to meet one’s obligations [on time]

  la prensa press

  la prensa amarilla o del corazón (fig.) gutter/yellow press, trashy weeklies

  tener buena/mala prensa (fig.) to have a good/bad press (fig.)

  preso por mil, preso por mil quinientos

  prestar to lend

  prestar atención a alg./algo (fig.) to give/lend an ear to s.o./s.th. (fig.), to pay attention to s.th.