The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms

by Peter Weibel

  traérselas (fig., fam.) Este problema se las trae. This is a difficult problem. El asunto se las trae. It’s a tough one. (fig.) It’s a sticky business. (fig., fam.) El trabajo se las traía. It was a difficult or tough (fig.) job. The job was tough going. (fam.) El examen real-mente se las traía. The exam was really tough. (fig.) Hace un calor que se las trae. This heat is too much of a good thing. This is an unbearable heat.

  las tragaderas (fam.) gullet

  tener buenas tragaderas (fig., fam.) (a) to be a big eater (b) to be very gullible, to swallow anything (fig.) (c) to put up with a lot, to be excessively tolerant

  el/la tragaldabas (fam.) glutton, greedy-guts (hum., Br.E.)

  el tragantón, la tragantona (fam.) glut-ton, greedy-guts (hum., Br.E.), guzzler (fam., Br.E.)

  el/la tragaperras (fam.) slot machine, one-armed bandit (fam.)

  tragar to swallow

  no poder tragar a alg. (fig., fam.) s.o. can’t stand s.o., s.o. can’t stomach s.o. (fig.)

  tragarlo (fig., fam.) to lie down under it (fig.), to take it lying down (fig.) Lo tragó. He lay down under it. Ésta no la tragamos. We won’t take this lying down.

  tragárselas (fig., fam.) to put up with any-thing

  tragar[se]las como puños (fig., fam.) to swallow anything (fig.), to buy anything (sl., Am.E.) Las tragará como puños. He’ll swallow anything. Se las tragó como puños. He bought it, the whole ball of wax. (fam, Am.E.)

  tragar[se]las como ruedas de molino (fig., fam.) to swallow anything hook, line and sinker (fig.) Inventaron un cuento para explicar por qué habían faltado al colegio. El profesor se las tragó como ruedas de molino. They made up a story about why they had been absent from school. The teacher swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

  tragar quina/saliva

  tragarse la tierra a alg.

  el trago sip, swig (fam.)

  atizarse un trago (pop.) to hoist one (sl., Am.E.), to have a swig (fam.), to have a drink

  pasar un trago amargo (fig.) to have a hard/rough time, to go through a bad/rough patch (Br.E.)

  ser un trago amargo (fig.) to be a bitter pill [to swallow] (fig.), to be an awful or a bad experience, to be a cruel/terrible blow (fig.) Fue un trago amargo para él cuando su hija murió de una sobredosis de heroína. It was a bitter pill for him to swallow when his daughter ODed on heroin.

  quedarle a alg. todavía el trago más amargo (fig.) the worst [of it] is yet/still to come Me/nos quedaba todavía el trago más amargo. The worst of it was still to come.

  el tragón, la tragona (fam.) glutton, greedy-guts (hum., Br.E.), guzzler (fam., Br.E.)

  el traje suit, dress

  cortar un traje a alg. (fig., fam.) to gossip about s.o.

  cortar trajes (fig., fam.) to gossip

  traje (en ~ de Adán/Eva)

  la tramontana north wind

  perder la tramontana (fig., fam.) to lose one’s head

  la trampa trap

  hacer trampa[s] (fig., fam.) to cheat, to swindle, to be on the fiddle (fam., Br.E.) Hicieron trampa con los votos. They fiddled the voting. (fam., Br.E.) They juggled with the votes. (fig.)

  las trampas (fig., fam.) debt estar comido de trampas to be up to one’s ears/eyeballs in debt (fam.), to be in Queer Street (fam., Br.E.)

  trampa (hecha la ley, hecha la ~)

  el trance critical juncture

  a todo trance (fig.) at all costs (fig.), at any cost (fig.), whatever happens Hay que evitarlo a todo trance. It must be avoided at all costs.

  el tranco big step, stride

  en dos trancos (fig.) in two shakes [of a lamb’s tail] (fam., Am.E.), in two or in a couple of ticks (fam., Br.E.), before you can say Jack Robinson (fam.) Estoy allí en dos trancos. I’ll be there in two shakes/ticks or before you can say Jack Robinson.

  el tranquillo (fig.) knack

  coger el tranquillo a algo to get the knack of s.th., to get the hang of s.th. (fam.)

  la trapaza swindle, fiddle (fam., Br.E.)

  el bachiller Trapazas (fig., fam.) crook, swindler, racketeer, schemer, shyster (sl., Am.E.)

  trapito (los trapos/~s de cristianar)

  el trapo rag

  los trapos/trapitos de cristianar (fig., fam.) one’s Sunday best (fam.), one’s glad rags (fam., Br.E.) Se puso los trapitos de cristianar. He put on his Sunday best.

  poner a alg. como un trapo (fig.) (a) (debate): to flatten s.o. (fam.), to tear s.o. to pieces or to shreds or to bits (fig., fam.) (b) (to scold): to give s.o. a [good] dressing-down (fam.), to haul s.o. over the coals (fig.)

  lavar los trapos sucios ante el mundo entero (fig.) to wash one’s dirty linen in public (fig.)

  lavar los trapos sucios en casa (fig.) not to wash one’s dirty linen in public (fig.)

  Los trapos sucios se lavan en casa. (fig.) You shouldn’t wash your dirty linen in pub-lic. (fig.)

  sacar los trapos [sucios] a relucir (fig.) to bring out the skeletons in the closet (Am.E.) or in the cupboard (Br.E.) (fig.), to tell [a lot of] home truths Temen que la comisión investigadora saque todos los trapos a relucir. They fear that the investigating committee will bring out all the skeletons in the cupboard or will reveal all their [little] secrets.

  ocultar los trapos sucios (fig.) to sweep it under the carpet (Br.E.) or under the rug (fig.)

  soltar el trapo (fig., fam.) (a) to burst out laughing (b) to burst out crying, to burst into tears

  hablar de trapos (fig., fam.) to talk about clothes/fashion

  gastar una barbaridad en trapos (fig., fam.) to spend an awful lot on clothes

  navegar a todo trapo (fig., fam.) to make an all-out effort, to make a supreme effort

  trasconejar algo (fig., fam.) to mislay/misplace s.th., to lose s.th.

  trasero back, rear, hind

  el trasero (fam.) behind (fam., euph.), back-side (fam.), bottom (fam.), posterior (euph.), butt (fam., Am.E.), bum (fam., Br.E.)

  traspintarse (fig., fam.) to turn out [very] differently or things turn out [very] differently [than one thinks/expects]

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

  trasquilar (ir por lana y volver trasquilado)

  la trastienda back room of a shop

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

  tener mucha trastienda (fig., fam.) to be very crafty, to be as sly as they come (fam.)

  el trasto household utensil

  el trasto (fig., fam.) good-for-nothing

  los trastos (fam.) things, stuff (fam.), goods and chattels (fam., Br.E.) ¿Tienes tus trastos? Have you got [all] your things [together]?

  tirar los trastos (fig., fam.) to chuck the whole thing (fam.), to chuck it all in/up (fam., Br.E.)

  tirarse los trastos a la cabeza (fig., fam.) to have a blazing or a flaming [marital] row (fig., fam.)

  tratar a alg. a coces ( coz)

  tratar a alg. a cuerpo de rey

  tratar a alg. a patadas/zapatazos

  tratar a alg. como a un perro

  trece thirteen

  mantenerse/seguir en sus trece (fig., fam.) to stick to one’s guns (fig.), to hold/stand one’s ground (fig.), to stand firm (fig.), to stick firmly to one’s opinion

  trecho (del dicho al hecho hay mucho ~)

  la tremolina (fig., fam.) row (fam.), rumpus (fam.), ruckus (fam.), commotion Ayer se armó la/una tremolina. It was chaos yesterday. There was one hell of a row yesterday. There was a terrible rumpus yesterday.

  el tren train

  estar como un tren (fig., fam., Esp.) to have a great figure, to be hot stuff (fam.), to look terrific (fam.), to have stunning good looks

  vivir a todo tren (fig.) to live on the fat of the land, to live high on the hog (fam., Am.E.), to live in grand style, to live a luxurious lifestyle, to live like a king (fig.)

  la trena (pop.) jail, prison, clink (sl., Br.E.), can (sl., Am.E.), slammer (s
l.), jug (sl.), nick (sl., Br.E.)

  estar en la trena to be in prison estar a la sombra

  tres three

  como [que] tres y dos son cinco (fig., fam.) as sure as eggs is/are eggs (fam., Br.E.), as sure as sure can be, as sure as the day is long (Am.E.), as sure as night follows day (Br.E.) Fue ella, como que tres y dos son cinco. As sure as eggs is eggs, it was she.

  ni a la de tres (fig., fam.) not possibly, on no account, by no or not by any manner of means, not for the life of one (fam.) No puedo convencerla ni a la de tres. I cannot possibly persuade her. I cannot persuade her for the life of me.

  tres (en un dos por ~)

  tres (no ver ~ en un burro)

  el trigo wheat

  el trigo (fig., fam.) (money): dough (sl., Am.E.), bread (sl.), sugar (sl.), brass/dosh/lolly (sl., Br.E.), wampum (sl., Am.E.)

  no ser algo/alg. trigo limpio (fig., fam.) (a) (s.th.): to be dishonest, to be fishy (fam.), to be dubious, not to be kosher (fig.), not to be aboveboard (b) (s.o.): not to be trustworthy, to be dishonest, to be a shady customer (fam.), to be a fly-by-night (fam.)

  trinar to trill, to warble

  estar alg. que trina (fig., fam.) to be hop-ping mad (fam.) estar hecho un basilisco Tu amigo está que trina. Your friend’s hopping mad.

  la tripa intestine

  echar tripa (fig., fam.) to start to get a paunch (fam.), to put on weight

  sacar la tripa de mal año (fam.) to eat one’s fill, to eat well

  hacer una tripa a alg. (fig., pop.) to get/make s.o. pregnant, to get s.o. in the family way (fam.), to knock s.o. up (sl.)

  echar las tripas (fig., fam.) to spew one’s guts out (sl.), to throw up violently

  revolver las tripas a alg. (fig., fam.) to turn s.o.’s stomach (fig.), to make s.o.’s stomach turn (fig.), to make s.o. sick to his stomach (fig.), to make s.o. [want to] puke (fam.) Esto me revuelve las tripas. This makes me sick to my stomach.

  sacar las tripas a alg. (fig., fam.) to fleece s.o. of everything (fig.), to milk s.o. dry (fig.)

  hacer de tripas corazón (fig.) (a) to pluck up (fig.) or screw up [one’s] courage (b) to make a virtue of necessity (c) to grasp the nettle (fig.), to grin and bear it (fam.)

  tener malas tripas (fig.) to be cruel

  la tripita diminutive of tripa

  salir con [una] tripita (fig., fam.) to get pregnant

  el triunfo triumph, trump

  echar un triunfo (fig.) to play one’s trump card (fig.)

  tener todos los triunfos [en la mano] (fig.) to hold all the trumps (fig.)

  triunfo (las mieles del ~)

  la trompa trunk (elephant)

  la trompa (fig., fam.) (a) big nose, big conk (sl., Br.E.), big hooter (fam., hum.) (b) drunkenness

  estar trompa to be plastered (fam.), to be sloshed (fam.), to be tight (fam.), to be smashed (sl.)

  coger[se] una trompa to get plastered (fam.), to get tight (fam.)

  el trompo spinning top

  ponerse como un trompo (fig., fam.) to stuff o.s. (fam.), to eat to bursting point

  roncar como un trompo (fig.) to snore heavily, to saw wood (fig., hum.)

  el troncho stalk

  el troncho (pop.) (penis) el calvo

  el tronco trunk (tree)

  dormir como un tronco (fam.) to sleep like a log (fam.)

  dormirse o quedarse dormido como un tronco (fam.) to go out like a light (fig., fam.)

  el trotacalles (fam., pej.) loafer, bum (fam., pej., Am.E.)

  la trotacalles (fam.) (a) loafer, bum (fam., pej., Am.E.) (b) streetwalker, prostitute

  la trotaconventos (fig., fam.) procuress, go-between

  el trote trot

  para todo trote (fig., fam.) for everyday use Zapatos para todo trote. Shoes for everyday use.

  andar a trote corto (fig.) (walking): to mince

  ya no estar para esos trotes (fig.) to be too old for that [sort of thing], not to be up to that [sort of thing] any more Ya no estamos para esos trotes. We’re not up to that sort of thing any more.

  la trucha trout

  pescar una trucha (fig., fam.) to get soaked to the skin

  No se pescan truchas a bragas enjutas. (prov.) No pains, no gains. (prov.)

  el trueno thunder

  salir del trueno y dar con el relámpago to jump out of the frying pan into the fire

  la tuerca (mechanics): nut

  tener una tuerca floja (fig.) to have a screw loose (fam.), to have rocks in one’s head (sl., Am.E.), not to be all there (fam.) Tiene una tuerca floja. He’s not all there.

  apretar las tuercas a alg. (fig.) to put the screws on s.o. (fig.), to put the pressure on s.o. (fig.), to apply pressure on s.o. (fig.)

  tuerto (en tierra de ciegos el ~ es rey)

  el tuétano marrow

  estar mojado hasta los tuétanos (fig., fam.) to be soaked to the skin, to be wet through, to be soaking/dripping wet, to be drenched, not to have a dry stitch on one (fam.)

  estar enamorado hasta los tuétanos (fig., fam.) to be head over heels in love Está enamorado hasta los tuétanos de ella. He’s head over heels in love with her.

  ser español/etc. hasta los tuétanos (fig., fam.) to be a Spaniard/etc. to the core (fig.) or through and through

  el tufo stink

  tener muchos tufos (fig., fam.) to be very conceited, to be [as] conceited as a barber’s cat (fam.), to think no end of o.s. (fam.)

  la tumba grave

  tener un pie en la tumba (fig.) to have one foot in the grave (fig.) Mi abuelo tiene 92 años. Está con un pie en la tumba. My grandfather is 92 years old. He has one foot in the grave.

  cavar su propia tumba (fig.) to dig one’s own grave (fig.)

  estar mudo como una tumba o ser [como] una tumba (fig.) to be [as] silent as the grave, to keep absolutely quiet, to shut up like a clam (fam.), to keep one’s mouth shut (fam.)

  correr/lanzarse a tumba abierta (fam.) to go at full lick (fam.), to go like the clappers (fam., Br.E.), to go/drive flat out (fam.)

  tumbar to knock down, to knock to the ground

  tumbar a alg. (fig., fam.) to waste s.o. (sl., Am.E.) cargarse a alg. (a)

  tumbar a una mujer (fig., fam.) to lay a woman (sl.), to knock a woman off (sl., Br.E.) calzar[se] a alg.

  beber hasta tumbar a alg. (fig.) to drink s.o. under the table

  la tunda shearing

  pegar una tunda a alg. (fig., fam.) to give s.o. a [good] hiding/thrashing (fam.)

  túnel (hay luz al final del ~)

  el tupé toupee

  el tupé (fig., fam.) cheek (fam.), nerve (sl.) Tuvo el tupé de volver a asomar la jeta por aquí. He had the nerve to show his face around here again.

  turco (cabeza de ~)

  la tutía zinc oxide preparation

  [Contra eso] no hay tutía. (fig., fam.) There’s no cure for that [yet].

  U

  Úbeda (irse por los cerros de ~)

  último last

  ir vestido a la última (fam.) to be dressed in the latest fashion/style Siempre va vestida a la última. She’s always dressed in the latest style.

  tomar la última (fam.) to have one for the road (fam.) Vamos a tomar la última. ¡Barman! Let’s have one for the road. Bartender!

  estar en las últimas (fam.) (a) to be at death’s door, to be breathing one’s last (b) to be on one’s last legs (fam.), to be on one’s beam-ends (fam., Br.E.), to be broke (fam.)

  estar en las diez de últimas (fam.) to be on one’s last legs (fam.), to be on one’s beam-ends (fam., Br.E.)

  hacer las diez de últimas (fam.) not to reach one’s goal (fig.), to queer one’s own pitch (fam., Br.E.), to damage one’s own cause

  último (reír: quien ríe ~, ríe mejor)

  último (dar el ~ golpe a algo)

  último (dar el ~/[los ~s] toque[s] a algo)

  último (en última instancia)

  último (hasta la última gota)

  último (jugar la última carta)

  una one

  Una no es ninguna. (pro
v.) Once doesn’t count. (prov.)

  Una y no más, Santo Tomás. (fam., Esp.) Never again.

  untar el carro/la mano/la palma a alg.

  el unto (animal) fat

  el unto de Méjico o de rana (fig., fam.) backhander (fam.), bribe [money]

  la uña nail (fingernail/toenail)

  vivir de la uña (pop.) to live from/by stealing, to make one’s living from/by stealing

  ser uña y carne (fig.) to be inseparable, to be as thick as thieves (fam.), to be hand in glove

  tener algo en la uña (fam.) to have a good grip on s.th. (fig.), to have complete command of s.th. (fig.), to have got the hang of s.th. (fam.), to know s.th. very well

  empezar a afilarse las uñas (fig.) to start work, to set to work, to roll up one’s sleeves (fig.)

  dejarse las uñas en algo (fig., fam.) to work one’s fingers to the bone at s.th. (fig.), to work very hard at s.th., to break one’s back doing s.th. (fig.)

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

  enseñar/mostrar las uñas (fig.) to show one’s claws/teeth (fig.)

  estar de uñas con alg. (fam.) to be at daggers drawn with s.o. (fig., Br.E.)

  uña (ser largo de ~s)

  el/la uñetas (fam.) thief, light-fingered person (fam.)

  el urdemalas (fam.) schemer

  la urraca magpie

  ser una urraca (fig., fam.) to hoard [up] anything, to be a hoarder, to be a squirrel (fig., fam.), to be a pack rat (fig., fam., Am.E.), to be a magpie (fig., fam., Br.E.)

  hablar más que una urraca (fig., fam.) to be a real chatterbox (fam.)

  ser más ladrón que una urraca (fig., fam.) to steal anything one can get one’s hands on, to steal anything that isn’t nailed down (fig.) Es más ladrona que una urraca. She’ll steal anything she can get her hands on.

  la uva grape

  estar hecho una uva (fig., fam.) to be [completely] sloshed (fam.) estar hecho un cesto

  estar de buena/mala uva (fig., fam.) to be in a good or in a bad/foul mood

  tener mala uva (fig., fam.) to be nasty (fig.) tener mala leche

  entrar a por uvas (fig.) to take the plunge (fig.) Estoy a punto de entrar a por uvas. I’m on the point of taking the plunge. I’m about to take the plunge.

  de uvas a peras (fam.) very rarely, once in a blue moon (fam.) Nos hacen una visita de uvas a peras. They pay us a visit once in a blue moon.