SPEAKING PHRASES BORICUA
A Collection of Wisdom and Sayings from Puerto Rico
by Jared Romey
Published by Jared Romey
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Jared Romey
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The process of my learning Spanish started in the sixth grade and has continued ever since. I’d like to thank Ms. Gray, Charlezetta, Ms. McPherson, my professor at St. Mary’s, Patricia, the staffs at the University of South Carolina and El Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Guadalajara and Bernardo for their perseverance.
Mi proceso de aprender el
español empezó en sexto grado y ha continuado desde ese momento. Me
gustaría agradecer a Srta. Gray, Charlezetta, Srta McPherson, mi
profesor en St. Mary’s, Patricia, las facultades de la Universidad
de South Carolina y del Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios
Superiores de Monterrey en Guadalajara y Bernardo por su
perseverancia.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
English Version
Introduction
Acknowledgements
How
to Use This Guide
Versión en Español
Introducción
Agradecimientos
Cómo
Usar Esta Guía
Wisdom
Boricua / Sabiduría Boricua: Puerto Rican to
English
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
Y
Z
Index
/ Índice: English Sayings with Boricua Equivalents
Bibliography
/ Bibliografía
About
the Author
Sobre
el Autor
Other
Books From Speaking Latino
Credits
While you may see this book as one on language, to me it is also about travel…not travel in the traditional travel-guide sense of who, what, when, where, or how. This book touches on the WHY.
You may wonder how a book about common sayings can be related to the WHY of travel. In preparing this guide I’ve learned about the history of Puerto Rico, the problems facing Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rican culture, the language and I’ve also learned to see my own culture differently.
In my experience, language opens the mind to new points of view, teaches a person about culture (both their own and the “foreign” culture) and just, generally, creates new experiences for the traveler. These sayings have the same effect.
To further explain the WHY I have turned to the help of several people. You will see their words on the inside flaps of the cover. Given that I am a somewhat inexpressive person (I’ve even occasionally been accused of being cold!), I found that they explained in amazing clarity what I could not.
One of my favorites is from Johan Huizinga, a Dutch historian who lived from 1872 to 1945.
“The things which can make life enjoyable remain the same. They are, now as before, reading, music, fine arts, travel, the enjoyment of nature, sports, fashion, social vanity (knightly orders, honorary office, gatherings) and the intoxication of the senses.”
This was written in 1921 and almost a century later is still a wonderfully applicable phrase. I can almost even forgive him for leaving out wine.
One of the things that most surprised me about Puerto Rico is the presence of regional differences in the language. For a country that is 100 by 35 miles I find it entertaining that with a 30 minute car ride you can find words with different meanings or sayings that “city folk” just don’t get. As I write this I realize that the same is probably true for most other places, but it just seems to be more noticeable here.
One day I had a friend come up to me and say “I think your definition of X word is wrong. It should say…”, referring to an entry in my first book, Speaking Boricua! Fortunately two other people were standing nearby and came over. What followed was a humorous debate among the three of them (all Puerto Ricans).
Three people that grew up less than 60 miles from each other had differing opinions on the meaning of a word. For me this was an entertaining experience, highlighting the amorphous nature of language.
As an author perhaps my greatest pleasure is to hear people comment that my book made them laugh. In fact, the comments readers made referring to my first book pushed me to publish this one. I thank those people and look forward to hearing from them again.
I hope this helps you understand
WHY.
Jared
August 2005
San Juan
Every book is a compilation of the efforts of numerous people. In this case, without them this book would never have existed.
I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Right Management: Carlos, Vanessa, Maricruz and Caridad, all of whom spent hours helping me put this together.
Another person dedicated a large amount of her time to helping me understand these sayings and reviewing my work. Thank you, Kitty.
My friends at KOI Publicidad entertained me with their interpretations of Puerto Rican words and sayings, as well as helped contribute to this book.
I would like to thank the publisher, Mr. Andrés Palomares, who took a risk last year and has been pleasantly surprised.
Finally, my sincere thanks to that anonymous
element that had no idea it was part of the process.
Most of the sayings in this book are written based on the grammatically correct way, and not based on how they are pronounced. In some situations the pronounced version may be significantly different from how it is written. If you cannot find the saying in this guide and you think it is because of the pronunciation, I would suggest asking someone about the saying or go online to www.SpeakingLatino.com for more information.
The following letters are located before a saying’s entry and are to help make the guide a bit easier to enjoy (NOTE: The letter may apply to only one definition for sayings with more than one definition). The symbols are:
C Commonly used sayings
B Sayings that may not be acceptable in some circumstances, including expletives, insults, crude or politically incorrect words.
E Sayings that are the same or similar in English and Spanish.
Each entry follows this format:
1- Symbol Letter (if necessary): C, B or E
2- Saying in Spanish: In Bold
3- Literal Translation into English: (L:)
4- Definition in English: (D:)
5- Similar sayings in Spanish (if any exist): (S:)
6- Equivalent or similar saying (if one exists) in English (E:)
Example
C Cuando el
río, suena agua lleva.
L: When the river sounds, it carried
water
D: There must be some truth to the rumor. Used in
response...
S: Cuando el río suena, es porque algo trae.
E:
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
Mientras quizás ves que este libro se trata de idiomas, para mí se trata también de viajar… no de viajar en el sentido tradicional de las guías de viajes que hablan de quién, qué, cuándo, dónde y cómo. Este libro se trata del PORQUÉ.
Seguramente te estás preguntando como un libro de refranes puede estar relacionado con el porqué viajar. Preparando esta guía he aprendido de la historia de Puerto Rico, los problemas que enfrentan los puertorriqueños, la cultura puertorriqueña, el idioma y también aprendí a ver mi propia cultura de una forma diferente.
En mi experiencia, el idioma abre la mente a nuevos puntos de vista, enseña a uno de cultura (la propia y la cultura “extranjera”) y generalmente crea nuevas experiencias para un viajero. Estos refranes tienen el mismo efecto.
Para explicar en más detalle el PORQUÉ he incluido los comentarios de varias personas. Verás sus palabras en las solapas de la portada y contraportada. Dado a que yo no soy una persona muy expresiva (hasta me han acusado de ser frío!), encontré que ellos explicaron con una claridad extraordinaria lo que yo no podía expresar.
Uno de mis favoritos es del Sr. Johan Huizinga, un historiador Holandés quien vivió del 1872 al 1945.
“Las cosas que pueden hacer la vida agradable se quedan iguales. Ellas son, ahora como antes, la lectura, música, bellas artes, viajar, el placer de la naturaleza, deporte, moda, vanidades sociales (órdenes caballerescas, oficinas honorarias, encuentros) y la intoxicación de los sentidos.”
Esto fue escrito en 1921 y casi un siglo después sigue siendo una frase completamente aplicable. Casi le puedo perdonar el error de no incluir vino.
Una de las cosas que más me sorprendió en Puerto Rico es la presencia de diferencias regionales en el idioma. Para un país de 100 por 35 millas encuentro divertido que con un viaje de 30 minutos en carro (auto) uno se puede encontrar palabras con sentidos diferentes o refranes que la gente de la ciudad no entiende. Mientras escribo esto me doy cuenta que seguramente lo mismo es cierto para otros lugares, pero parece más notable aquí.
Un día una amiga se acercó y me dijo “Creo que tu definición de X palabra está equivocada. Debe decir…” refiriéndose a una palabra en mi primer libro Speaking Boricua! Afortunadamente, dos otras personas estaban cerca y se involucraron en la conversación. Un debate gracioso siguió entre las tres (todas puertorriqueñas).
Tres personas que se criaron a menos de 60 millas de las otras tenían opiniones diferentes en referencia al sentido de una palabra. Para mí, esto fue una experiencia divertida que destacó el estado amorfo de los idiomas.
Como autor quizás mi mayor placer es escuchar comentarios de que mi libro hizo reír a la gente. De hecho, los comentarios de lectores del primer libro, me empujaron a publicar este. Les doy gracias a ellos y espero escuchar sus comentarios nuevamente.
Espero que esto te ayude a
contestar el PORQUÉ.
Jared
Agosto 2005
San Juan
Cada libro es una compilación de los esfuerzos de un sinnúmero de personas. En este caso, sin ellos este libro no existiría.
Me gustaría expresar mi gratitud a la gente de Right Management: Carlos Vanessa, Maricruz y Caridad, quienes pasaron horas ayudándome a armar este libro.
Otra persona dedicó una cantidad de tiempo enorme explicándome estos refranes y revisando mi trabajo. Gracias, Kitty.
Mis amigos de KOI Publicidad me divirtieron con sus interpretaciones de palabras y refranes puertorriqueños, así como a su contribución al libro.
Quiero agradecer al editor, el Sr. Andrés Palomares, quien tomó un riesgo el año pasado y fue felizmente sorprendido.
Finalmente, doy mi agradecimiento
sincero al elemento anónimo que no tiene idea que fue parte de este
proceso.
La mayoría de los refranes en este libro están escritos según la forma gramaticalmente correcta, y no como se pronuncian. En algunas situaciones la versión pronunciada puede ser significativamente diferente de la forma escrita. Si no encuentras un refrán en esta guía y piensas que tiene que ver con la pronunciación sugiero preguntar a alguien o consultar la página web www. SepeakingLatino.com para mayor información.
Se encuentran los siguientes letras antes del refrán y están para ayudar en el uso de la guía. (NOTA: Las letras pueden aplicar solamente a una de las definiciones en aquellos casos que haya más de una definición). Las letras son:
C Refranes comunes
B Refranes que pueden ser inaceptables en ciertas circunstancias, incluyendo malas palabras, refranes insultantes, o palabras que pueden ofender a algunas personas o grupos de personas.
E Refranes que son iguales o parecidos en inglés y español.
Cada refrán sigue este formato:
1- Letra símblo (si necesario): C, B o E
2- Refrán en español: En negrilla
3- Traducción literal al inglés: (L:)
4- Definición en inglés: (D:)
5- Refranes similares en español (si existe alguno): (S:)
6- Refrán equivalente o parecido (si existe alguno) en inglés: (E:)
Ejemplo
C
Cuando el río, suena agua lleva.
L: When the
river sounds, it carried water
D: There must be some truth to the
rumor. Used in response...
S: Cuando el río suena, es porque algo
trae.
E: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
WISDOM BORICUA: PUERTO RICAN TO ENGLISH
Sabiduría Boricua: De Puertorriqueño a Inglés
E A caballo regalado no se le mira el colmillo
L: A horse given as a gift, do not look at its eye teeth
D: Don’t look for the faults in a gift, just be happy that you received something and accept it for what it is
S: None
E: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
A cada guaraguao le llega su pitirre
L: For each hawk his pitirre arrives
D: The pitirre is a small bird that attacks specifically the guaraguao, a large hawk. The implication of the phrase is that just because someone is physically large does not mean that he/she will automatically dominate over someone much smaller
E: Brains over brawn
A cada lechón le llega su San Martín
L: To each suckling pig, his Saint Martin arrives
D: The belief that, although a person that deserves punishment has not received it, eventually he will be punished.
S: A cada puerco le llega su sábado
E: He’ll get his, He’ll get what’s coming to him, He’ll get what he deserves, His time will come
C A cada puerco le llega su sábado
L: To each pig, his Saturday arrives
D: Sooner or later whoever does something wrong will be caught
S: A cada santo le llega su día, a cada lechón le llega su San Martín
E: He’ll get his, He’ll get what’s coming to him, He’ll get what he deserves, His time will come
C A cada santo le llega su día [hora]
L: To each saint, his day [hour] arrives
D: Anyone’s good deeds will be recognized eventually, if at no other time, than when the person faces their Creator
E: His time will come
A cada santo su vela
L: To each saint his candle
D: Recognizes the positive acts of people that deserve recognition
E: His time will come
A cualquiera se le muere un tío
L: To anyone an uncle dies
D: Refers to commonplace occurrences that happen to everyone
E: It can happen to the best of us
A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando
L: To God begging and with the mallet going at it
D: To keep at something. It is fine to ask for God’s help, but one must keep working so that the project moves forward
A ése no lo salvan ni las once mil vírgenes
L: That one cannot be saved even by the eleven thousand virgins
D: To be beyond saving, either in a medical sense or in the sense that someone is so bad, there is no way to pull him out of it.
H A falta de pan, galleta
L: At the lack of bread, crackers.
D: When one thing is not available, one must make do with something else
E: Make do with what you’ve got
A grandes males, grandes remedios
L: For grand bads, grand remedies
D: When you are confronted with large problems, just make sure that you have everything organized and in place to fix it. If it’s a big problem, don’t come with some small idea to patch over the situation. Make sure your solution will eliminate the problem
A la corta o a la larga con el tiempo todo se alcanza
L: In the short or in the long, with time everything is reachable
D: Sooner or later problems or difficulties can be overcome or resolved
A la larga todo se sabe
L: In the long run, everything is known
D: Sooner or later everything is revealed
E: Everything eventually comes to light
A la tierra que fueres haz lo que vieres
L: In whichever land you are, do what you see.
D: When you are visiting an unknown place, just copy what the locals are doing, and you will fit in fine
S: Si a Roma fueras, haz lo que vieras, ¿Dónde va Vicente? Donde va la gente
E: When in Rome, do as the Romans
C A las millas de Chaflán
L: To the miles of Chaflán
D: Extremely fast
A lo hecho pecho
L: What is done, chest
D: If you made a mistake you must confront it and resolve the situation
E: Own up to one’s mistakes
C A mal tiempo, buena cara
L: At a bad time, good face
D: When things do not come out as planned you must remain calm to face the situation
A mala hora no ladra el perro
L: At a bad time the dog does not bark
D: In spite of all the preparations and precautions taken something unexpected always happens, the one thing you never planned for is the one thing that happens
A mi plin y a la madama dulce de coco
L: I couldn’t care less and for the madame coconut candy
D: Who cares, I don’t care
E: I couldn’t give a hoot, I couldn’t give a rat’s ass, I don’t give a shit
C A otro perro con ese hueso
L: Another dog with that bone
D: Used when someone food when everyone knows he really wants it for booze
S: No me vengas con ese cuento
E: I’ve heard that story before
A palabras necias, oídos sordos
L: For foolish words, deaf ears
D: If you are going to say stupid or foolish things, I am not interested in listening
E: To go in one ear and out the other
C A quien Dios no le da hijos el diablo le da sobrinos
L: To whom God does not give children, the devil gives nieces and nephews
D: For the people that do not have kids, they still often share the same problems and pleasures that parents do, through their nieces, nephews or other children that are close to them
¿A quién le amarga un dulce?
L: Who is soured by a candy?
D: Smart aleck answer to any type of dumb question when the answer is obvious.
E: Does a bear shit in the woods?, Does the pope wear a hat?
C A rey muerto, rey puesto
L: King dead, king placed
D: Phrase meaning that someone, after passing away or leaving, is quickly replaced. For example a widow that quickly finds another partner to maintain him/her. Also implies that the person is taking advantage of the situation.
C A río revuelto, ganancia de pescadores
L: Churned up river, benefit of fishermen
D: During times of uncertainty, there are still opportunities to be had
A su tiempo maduran las uvas
L: In their own time mature the grapes
D: Good things take time to develop, be patient
E: Good things come to those who wait
A ver si es verdad que el gas pela
L: Let’s see if it is true that gas peels D: Let’s find out if what you say is really true. Apparently at some point, people found out that gasoline can remove your skin after prolonged contact Admisión de delito, relevo de prueba
L: Admission of guilt, release of proof
D: Once you admit to something, there is no further need to prove it. Also, if for example, you are caught in the same room where a vase just broke, it is obvious that you are the person that broke it
E: Guilt by association
Agua pasada no mueve molino
L: Past water moves no windmill
D: Forget about the past and focus on the present
E: Water under the bridge
Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr
L: Water that you have not drunk, let it run
D: Do not get involved in situations that do not affect you
E: Don’t stick your nose where it does not belong
Ahí sí hay mucha tela de donde cortar
L: Here there is a lot of cloth from where to cut
D: A topic of much interest, a subject with a wide range of possibilities to discuss
Ahogarse en un vaso de agua
L: To drown oneself in a glass of water
D: To over-worry about simple things
E: To make a mountain out of a molehill
Ahorcarse con su propia soga
L: Hang oneself with one’s own rope
D: To suffer the consequences of a problem that was created by oneself
E: You’ve made your bed, now lie in it
Al mal paso, darle prisa
L: At a bad step, hurry it up
D: When facing a difficult situation, try all the alternatives or solutions as
quickly as possible
C Al mejor cazador se le va la liebre
L: From the best hunter, the hare gets away
D: Even the experts or best people make mistakes sometimes
E: Everyone makes mistakes, It happens to the best of them
C Al pan, pan y al vino, vino
L: For bread, bread and for wine, wine
D: Tells someone to speak directly without engaging in flowery conversation
E: Cut to the chase, Get to the point, Call a spade a spade, Don’t talk in circles
C Al perro flaco, todas las pulgas le caen
L: To the thin dog, all the fleas fall
D: The same people always have all the problems in life, someone with one problem often has lots of other problems piled on
E: When it rains, it pours
Al que a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija
L: He who draws close to a good tree, good shade will cover
D: Working with good or positive people can rub off
Al que Dios se lo da, que San Pedro se lo bendiga
L: For whom God gives it, San Pedro should bless it
D: Used by a less fortunate person (referring to looks or money) about someone that is better off, and means that the more fortunate person is lucky and should enjoy what they have
Al que le caiga el sello [sayo] que se lo ponga
L: To whom the seal [smock] falls, put it on
D: Used when someone wants to identify a negative action without identifying the person committing it. For example, mentioning that whoever stole the chocolate bar from your desk should return it
E: If the shoe fits, wear it
Al que madruga, Dios lo ayuda
L: He who rises early, God will help.
D: Advice that he who arises early will be rewarded
E: The early bird catches the worm
C Al que no le gusta el caldo, le dan tres tazas
L: He who does not like the broth is given 3 cups
D: If you do not like something you can be sure you will get a lot of it
Al son que le toquen, bailan
L: For whatever beat one gets, dance
D: A person responds in a similar manner to how he/ she is treated
C Alábate pollo que mañana te guisan
L: Praise yourself chicken for tomorrow they stew you
D: This phrase is often used for a self-centered or stuck-up person. The meaning is that the person will get what he deserves
E: To get what’s coming to you
Allá ellos que son blancos y se entienden
L: There they are whites and they understand each other
D: A sarcastic phrase saying “I don’t belong, but I don’t care” often used by people who are poor and are looking at rich people
Allá Marta con sus pollos
L: There Marta [Martha] with her chickens
D: Who cares what she is doing?
E: I couldn’t care less
Amigo, de cien uno y de mil ninguno
L: Friend of a hundred, one and of a thousand none
D: Really close, trustworthy friends are extremely hard to come by
Amigo en la adversidad es un amigo de verdad
L: A friend in adversity is a true friend
D: A real friend is one that stands by you, even in bad times
E: A friend in need is a friend indeed
Amigo es un peso en el bolsillo
L: Friend is a dollar in the pocket
E: Friends can sometimes bring problems. Said when a friendship is not sincere.
Amigo mío que nos perdemos, tú para más y yo para menos
E: My friend that we lose each other, you for more and I for less
D: Let’s break things off, since in everything but name, our relationship is already over (generally refers to partners or friends)
Amor con amor se paga
L: Love with love is paid
D: You can achieve more by being nice to people than being rude
E: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar
Amor de lejos, amor de pendejos
L: Love from afar, love of idiots
D: Long distance relationships are a bad idea. You shouldn’t trust your partner from afar
Antes de que te cases mira lo que haces
L: Before you marry look at what you are doing
D: Make sure you are aware of what you’re doing before making an important decision like getting married
C Aparecer hasta en la sopa
L: Appear even in the soup
D: To be everywhere, all over the place
Aprende a nadar y guardar la ropa
L: Learn to swim and guard the clothing
D: Always be sure to keep something to yourself. It is best to be reserved in one’s personal affairs
Aquí paz y en el cielo gloria
L: Here peace and in Heaven glory
D: To put an end to an argument or feud and to begin a new stage in the relationship, to start anew
E: Wipe the slate clean, Start afresh
CB Arroz, que carne hay
L: Rice, what meat there is
D: Comment made when you see a hot chick in reference to her body
C Aterriza que no hay tocón
L: Land for there is no stump
D: This is a goofy phrase used when someone stumbles, but there was nothing in their way or on the ground to cause their stumble. They just stumbled for no reason
Ay Dios, mándame más si más me merezco
L: Oh God, send me more if more I deserve
D: Phrase that expresses resignation to the negative things that are happening in a person’s life
Ayúdate que Dios te ayudará
L: Help yourself that God help you
D: A person that works to overcome his own problems will be helped along by God. This implies that a person that sits around and waits for solutions to be handed to them by others, will not be in God’s good graces
S: Dios dice ayúdate que yo te ayudaré
E:
God helps those who help themselves
Barco grande, ande o no ande
L: Large ship, working or not
D: Means that someone is attracted by the size or quantity of something but ignores the quality of the item or its ability to function
Barco que no anda no llega a puerto
L: Ship that does not work does not arrive to port
D: You will never achieve your objective if you don’t take steps towards it
E: A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step
Barriga llena, corazón contento
L: Tummy full, heart content
D: By having fulfilled a need, a person enters a period of happiness
Bien predica, quien bien vive
L: Preaches well, who lives well
D: A person that lives a healthy life preaches simply by his acts. In other words if the person is a good example to others, there is no need to go out and talk about it, others will see how he lives
E: Practice what you preach
Borrón y cuenta nueva
L: Erased and new account
D: To forget about everything bad in the past, and to get a fresh start
E: Start from scratch, Let bygones be bygones, Wipe the slate clean
C Buscar las cinco patas al gato
L: Look for the five paws of the cat
D: 1. Attempt to solve an insolvable situation, 2. To waste time looking for something that does not exist
E Cada cual a lo suyo
L: Each one to his own
D: Everybody is different. Each person has unique preferences, tastes and needs
E: To each his own, Different strokes for different folks
Cada cual cuenta de la feria como le va en ella
L: Each one tells of the fair how it goes for him
D: Each person’s opinion of something depends on how well or poorly they did. For example, one merchant might think that the economy is really bad because his sales are low, but the other, who sells a lot, thinks that the economy is growing strongly
Cada cual sabe de la pata que cojea
L: Each one knows of the leg with which he limps
D: This phrase means that each person knows his own weaknesses and faults
S: Cada cual sabe donde le aprieta el zapato
Cada cual sabe donde le aprieta el zapato
L: Each one knows where the shoe squeezes them
D: Each person knows where his own faults are or knows where his limits are
S: Cada cual sabe de la pata que cojea
Cada cual se reparte con la cuchara grande
L: Each one gives out with the big spoon
D: A person takes a more than proportionate share for themselves when given the chance. A person is in it for himself
E: To look out for Number One
Cada cual tiene lo que busca
L: Each one has what he looks for
D: The idea that someone who wants to achieve a specific goal or objective generally does because they focus all of their efforts on that goal.
C Cada gallina a su gallinero
L: Each chicken to its chicken coop
D: Each person has his own way of living, and for as strange as it may seem, everyone else should respect it
S: Cada oveja con su pareja, Cada loco con su tema
E: To each his own
Cada loco con su tema
L: Each crazy person with his theme
D: A person’s actions or thoughts may not seem reasonable to you but you must respect their independence
S: Cada gallina a su gallinero, Cada oveja con su pareja
E: To each his own, Different strokes for different folks
Cada oveja con su pareja
L: Each sheep with its pair
D: Each person has his own way living, and for as strange as it may seem, everyone else should respect it
S: Cada gallina a su gallinero, Cada loco con su tema
C Caerse como una guanábana
L: To fall down like a sour sop fruit
D: To fall down, to stumble
E: To wipe out
C Calma piojo que el peine llega
L: Calm down louse for the comb arrives
D: A soft reprimand that a person needs to be patient, and that by doing so the resolution of the situation will arrive
E: Good things come to those who wait
Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente
L: Shrimp who sleeps is taken away by the current
D: If one does not pay attention, then control of the situation could be lost. For example, control of one’s destiny will be driven by outside factors. It is better to remain involved and control one’s own outcomes.
C Cambiar chinas por botellas
L: Change oranges for bottles
D: To have something good and exchange it for something worth less, come out on the losing end of an exchange
Camino malo se anda ligero
L: Bad path is walked quickly
D: Advice to confront a difficult situation, rather than postponing the inevitable
E: Get it over with quickly
Caridad contra caridad no es caridad
L: Charity against charity is not charity
D: When a person gives charity, but only because he/she expects something in return, then it is really not charity
C Chúpate esa en lo que te mondan la otra
L: Suck this while they peel another
D: If you thought the first time was bad, get used to it, because you’re about to get it again
E: Bend over, here it comes again (BOHICA)
Coger el sartén por el mango
L: To grab the frying pan by the handle
D: A reminder that it is better to be in control of a situation rather than have it control you
E: Take the horse by the reigns
C Coger el toro por los cuernos
L: To grab the bull by the horns
D: To face a problem head on instead of ignoring it or letting it run out of control
E: To grab the bull by the horns
Comer delante de los pobres
L: Eat in front of the poor
D: This phrase means that a person is using or doing something that another person sees but cannot do. For example, two people are kissing each other and another person sees them but is without his/her partner and can’t kiss anyone so he uses this phrase
Como quiera que te pongas siempre tienes que llorar
L: However you put it, you always have to cry
D: The person can never be pleased
E: Bitch, bitch, bitch
Como un ciempiés meado
L: Like a pissed on centipede
D: Really pissed off about something
E: Hopping mad, Mad as a hatter
Como vaca que va para risco
L: Like cow that goes over a cliff
D: Imagine how the cow must feel when it realizes it is going over a cliff!
E: Scared out of his mind
Compay, compay, pero la gallina vale dos reales
L: Friend, friend, but the hen is worth 2 royals
D: Even though we are best friends, you still need to pay me for what you want
E: Business is business
E Con amigos así no hacen falta enemigos
L: With friends like that enemies are not needed
D: Implies that the relationship with one’s friends is untrustworthy
E: With friends like that who needs enemies?
Con la misma vara que midas serás medido
L: With the same rod you measure you will be measured
D: If a person holds people to high standards, he/she must be willing to live up to those same standards. This is especially true if the person is vocal about his opinion of others, creating a hostile atmosphere. Everyone else will begin to look for his/her faults and point them out at the earliest opportunity
B Con ojos de vaca cagona
L: With eyes of a shitting cow
D: Really, really scared. If you’ve never seen it, you can imagine how big the eyes of a cow get when it is straining to shit
E: Scared shitless
Con paciencia se llega lejos
L: With patience one arrives far
D: You can achieve much more by being patient than is possible by rushing around in a hurry. The underlying idea is that it is better to do things well the first time, rather than rush through and have to fix mistakes later
Creerse la última Coca Cola del desierto
L: To believe oneself the last Coca Cola in the desert
D: To believe that you are better than everyone else
E: The bee’s knees, To think he’s the bomb, The best thing since sliced bread, God’s gift to women
Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos
L: Raise ravens, and they will take your eyes out
D: Even though you treated someone well and with care, that person turned on you, treating you poorly
E: Bites the hand that feeds him
Cría fama y acuéstate a dormir
L: Raise fame and lie down to sleep
D: After a person works diligently for success and achieves it, the person can rest
Cuando Dios no quiere, santos no pueden
L: When God does not want, saints cannot
D: If God does not want something to happen, there is no amount of effort that can overcome this
C Cuando el río suena es porque algo trae
L: When the river sounds it is because it brings something
D: There must be some truth to the rumor. Used in response to someone that questions the truth of a rumor. Affirms that more often than not rumors are based, at least partially, in truth.
S: Cuando el río suena, agua lleva, Si el río suena es porque agua trae
E: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
C Cuando el río suena, agua lleva
L: When the river sounds, it carries water
D: There must be some truth to the rumor. Used in response to someone that questions the truth of a rumor. Affirms that more often than not rumors are based, at least partially, in truth.
S: Cuando el río suena, es porque algo trae
E: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
Cuando hay hambre, no hay pan duro
L: When there is hunger, there is no hard bread
D: When a person “hungers” to achieve something the obstacles and difficulties in the way will be overcome
E Cuando la pobreza entra por la puerta, el amor sale por la ventana
L: When poverty enters through the door, love leaves through the window
D: It is an indirect way of saying that a romantic relationship is based more on money than on love. Once the money runs out, the relationship will end
E: When poverty comes in at the door, love flies out of the window
¿Cuándo no es Pascua en diciembre?
L: When is it not Christmas in December?
D: Used in situations when something is inevitable
Cuando no está preso lo andan buscando
L: When he is not in jail, they are looking for him
D: Shows a lack of faith in someone, labels him/her as a troublemaker
E: The person is a bad apple
Cuando se está hundiendo el barco, salen todas las ratas
L: When the ship is sinking, all the rats leave
D: When things are falling apart, everyone jumps ship. Often used in reference to a failing business
Cuando tú vas, yo vuelvo
L: When you go, I’ll return
D: Phrase used by one person to communicate that he/she has been in a similar situation as the second person, and understands what that person is going through.
E: I hear you, I get where you’re coming from
E Cuando una puerta se cierra, cientas se abren
L: When a door is closed, hundreds are opened
D: When one opportunity is lost many others appear shortly afterwards, phrase often used to comfort someone that is down because of a recently lost opportunity
E: When one door closes, another one opens
Cuando uno está de malas, hasta la mujer se la pega!
L: When someone is bad off, even the woman cheats on him!
D: When things start to go wrong, everything begins to go wrong at the same time E: When it rains, it pours
C Cuatro ojos ven más que dos
L: Four eyes see better than two
D: It is better to have two people looking at a situation that needs to be analyzed or resolved
E: Two heads are better than one
Cuenta el milagro pero no diga el santo
L: Tell the miracle but do not say the saint
D: To share or tell about a situation but at the same time to not reveal the source of the information
C Cúentamelo todo, o no me cuentes nada
L: Tell me everything, or do not tell me anything
D: Phrase used to push someone to share the gossip or the latest news
C Cuentas claras conservan amistades
L: Clear accounts conserve friendships
D: Any time something is borrowed between friends, it is best to give it back (or pay it back) as quickly as possible. This will keep you from losing the friendship
E: Short reckonings make long friends
C Cuídate tú de las aguas bravas, y de las mansas que me libre Dios
L: You take care of the white waters, and of the calm ones that God liberate me
D: Turbulent people and situations are the easy ones to handle. When a person or situation is calm, reserved or quiet, you may not even know of a brewing problem, and for that reason you must accept that God will help you in situations you do not foresee
S:
Del agua mansa líbreme Dios que de la brava me libro yo
Dando y dando, pajaritos volando
L: Giving and giving, small birds flying
D: If you give me what you owe me, then I can do the same. For example, bring me your laundry ticket, and I can give you your laundry
De algo murió mi abuela
L: From something died my grandmother
D: Phrase used to avoid revealing all the details of a situation, or to maintain something a mystery
De cualquier maya sale un ratón
L: From any treetop comes a rat
D: Something bad can show up anywhere, can appear from anywhere unexpected
S: De cualquier nube sale un chubasco
C De cualquier nube sale un chubasco
L: From any cloud comes a squall
D: see De cualquier maya sale un ratón
De ese infierno no salen chispas
L: From that hell sparks do not come out
D: Used in situations (ex. arguments or discussions) that may, at a glance, appear heated or dangerous, but that really will amount to nothing
E: Nothing will come of it, A lot of hot air
De la esperanza vive el cautivo
L: From hope lives the captive
D: Hope is what often keeps people thinking of the future, even if it is apparent that they have no future
S: De la esperanza vive el pobre
C B De noche todos los gatos son prietos [negros]
L: At night all cats are black
D: At night time, everyone looks the same. This may be used in a sexual sense, meaning that in the dark who cares what your partner looks like
E: All cats are grey in the dark
De poetas, tontos y locos, todos tenemos un poco
L: Of poets, fools and crazies, we all have a little
D: Human beings are a mixture of different things. At some point a person can be artistic and brilliant while at another time the same person can be foolish or do something crazy
E De tal padre, tal hijo
L: From such father, such son
D: Children often mimic the behavior of their father
E: Like father, like son, The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
C E De tal palo, tal astilla
L: From such stick, such chip
D: Children often mimic the behavior of their father
E: Like father, like son, A chip off the old block
Defenderse más que un gato boca arriba
L: Defend oneself more than a cat mouth upward
D: To viciously defend oneself. Apparently cats, really come out fighting when they’re on their back
E: Fight tooth and nail
Dejarse caer para que lo carguen
L: To let oneself fall, so that others may carry you
D: To play dumb or pretend to be injured so everyone else does the work
C Del agua mansa líbreme Dios, que de la brava me libero yo
L: Of the calm water liberate me God, for I will liberate myself from the white water
D: see Cuídate tú de las aguas bravas, y de las mansas que me libre Dios
Del árbol caído todos hacen leña
D: From a fallen tree everyone makes firewood
L: When a person suffers a humiliating situation, he/ she often becomes the target of other negative situations
E: When it rains it pours
C Del dicho al hecho hay un gran trecho
L: From the saying to the fact there’s a great distance
D: Implies that a person may be promising something that he/she cannot complete. It is a long way from what he/she says to what he/she can deliver
C Desde que se inventaron las excusas, nadie quiere ser culpable
L: Since excuses were invented, nobody wants to be guilty
D: It seems that there is always an excuse, to avoid being blamed or taking responsibility for something.
E: Pass the buck
Desgraciado en el juego, afortunado en el amor
L: Unlucky in gambling, fortunate in love
D: This is an old wives tale. Also, a phrase used when a really ugly guy is with a gorgeous woman
Después de la tormenta, siempre llega la calma
L: After the storm, the calm always arrives
D: The calm after the storm
E: After a storm comes a calm
C Desvestir un santo para vestir a otro
L: Undress a saint to dress another
D: It does not make sense to fill a person’s needs by taking what the first person lacks away from a second person, depriving the second person of what the first now has.
E: Rob Peter to pay Paul
Dicen las malas lenguas, y la mía que no es muy buena también lo repite
L: Say the bad tongues and mine which is not very good also repeats it
D: This phrase attempts to downplay a person’s own tendency to gossip. The phrase is often shortened to dicen las malas lenguas...
E: According to the latest gossip
C Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres
L: Tell me with whom you walk, and I’ll tell you who you are
D: A person’s friends are often a good indicator of how that person is
E: A man is known by the company he keeps
Dime de qué haces gala y te diré de lo que adoleces
L: Tell me from what you make a gala and I’ll tell you from what you suffer
D: This phrase applies to anyone that brags a lot. Its meaning is that by looking at what grand comments someone makes about themselves, you can tell where their faults are
C Dios aprieta pero no ahoga
L: God squeezes but doesn’t strangle
D: The idea that, although God may allow someone to suffer, he will not permit it to reach a level of desperation
E: The Lord works in mysterious ways
Dios castiga sin vara y sin fuete
L: God punishes without rod and without spank
D: God judges everyone equally
Dios da y quita
L: God gives and takes
D: Explains something bad or negative that has happened in a person’s life, for example the death of a loved one.
E: God giveth and god taketh away
Dios dice ayúdate que yo te ayudaré
L: God says help yourself for I will help you
D: A person that works to overcome his own problems will be helped along by God. This implies that a person that sits around and waits for solutions to be handed to them by others, will not be in God’s good graces
S: Ayúdate que Dios te ayudará
E: God helps those that help themselves
Dios los cría y el Diablo los junta
L: God raises them and the Devil gathers them
D: This phrase is used when you see two people together and you don’t like either one, they are made for each other or deserve each other
E: Made for each other
Dios no le da alas al animal ponzoñoso
L: God does not give wings to the stinging animal
D: God does not help bad people
Dios no se queda con nada de nadie
L: God does not remain with anything of anyone
D: God punishes because it is what they deserved. He does not take things away from people for no reason
Dios quiera que tu guarapo siempre tenga hielo
L: God wants that your guarapo always has ice
D: Wishes luck to someone; guarapo is a drink made from the syrup of different fruits or sugarcane, mixed with ice
E: Good luck!, God speed!
Dios sabe lo que hace
L: God knows what he does
D: Although we as humans do not always understand what God is doing, he has his reasons, and for that we should accept what has happened
E: God works in mysterious ways
Donde comen dos, comen tres