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Spanish Sayings with Translation: Meaning and English Equivalents
18.09.2026
10 minutes to read
Once you start understanding Spanish a little beyond “hola” and “gracias,” you quickly notice one thing: people do not always speak literally. Everyday conversations are full of phrases that make little sense if you simply translate every word. That is where Spanish sayings, proverbs, and fixed expressions come in.
Table of contents
- What are refranes y dichos — Spanish proverbs and sayings
- Sayings about love, friendship, and family
- Sayings about work, laziness, and persistence
- Sayings about money and saving
- Sayings about wisdom, patience, and life experience
- Table: Popular Spanish sayings with literal translations and English equivalents
- Differences between sayings in Spain and Latin America
- How and when to use sayings naturally
What are refranes y dichos — Spanish proverbs and sayings
In Spanish, you will often come across two words: refrán and dicho. There is a small difference between them.
A refrán is usually a complete proverb that contains some kind of life lesson or advice. A dicho is a broader term. It can be a saying, a fixed expression, or simply a phrase people repeat in certain situations.
For example:
Más vale tarde que nunca.
There is hardly anything to explain here: “Better late than never.” The meaning is exactly the same in English.
But some expressions are much more interesting.
A otro perro con ese hueso.
If you translate it literally, it means something like “Take that bone to another dog.” Strange, right? In reality, it means something closer to “Tell that to someone else, I don’t believe you.”
That is exactly why Spanish sayings are worth learning. They help you see the language not just as a set of grammar rules, but as a way of thinking.
A refrán is usually a complete proverb that contains some kind of life lesson or advice. A dicho is a broader term. It can be a saying, a fixed expression, or simply a phrase people repeat in certain situations.
For example:
Más vale tarde que nunca.
There is hardly anything to explain here: “Better late than never.” The meaning is exactly the same in English.
But some expressions are much more interesting.
A otro perro con ese hueso.
If you translate it literally, it means something like “Take that bone to another dog.” Strange, right? In reality, it means something closer to “Tell that to someone else, I don’t believe you.”
That is exactly why Spanish sayings are worth learning. They help you see the language not just as a set of grammar rules, but as a way of thinking.
Sayings about love, friendship, and family
Love and relationships, of course, have inspired plenty of traditional wisdom.
One beautiful phrase is Amor con amor se paga. Literally, it means “Love is repaid with love.” The idea is simple: kindness and affection naturally invite the same in return.
Another well-known expression is:
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.
“Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel.”
The closest English idea would be “What you don’t know can’t hurt you,” although the Spanish version is more emotional and focuses on the idea that sometimes it is easier not to know something.
There is also a funny saying:
Cada oveja con su pareja.
Literally: “Every sheep with its partner.” It is used when talking about people who suit each other because they share similar personalities, habits, or views.
And Quien tiene un amigo, tiene un tesoro means “Whoever has a friend has a treasure.” That one hardly needs any explanation.
One beautiful phrase is Amor con amor se paga. Literally, it means “Love is repaid with love.” The idea is simple: kindness and affection naturally invite the same in return.
Another well-known expression is:
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.
“Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel.”
The closest English idea would be “What you don’t know can’t hurt you,” although the Spanish version is more emotional and focuses on the idea that sometimes it is easier not to know something.
There is also a funny saying:
Cada oveja con su pareja.
Literally: “Every sheep with its partner.” It is used when talking about people who suit each other because they share similar personalities, habits, or views.
And Quien tiene un amigo, tiene un tesoro means “Whoever has a friend has a treasure.” That one hardly needs any explanation.
Sayings about work, laziness, and persistence
Spanish culture is not only about stereotypes of siestas and a relaxed pace of life. There are plenty of sayings about work, discipline, and determination too.
For example:
El que la sigue, la consigue.
A natural translation would be: “If you keep trying, you will succeed.”
A similar English idea is “Persistence pays off.”
Another phrase is:
No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy.
“Do not leave until tomorrow what you can do today.”
That is essentially the same as “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”
And then there is the classic:
A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.
“God helps those who get up early.”
The English equivalent is close to “The early bird catches the worm.”
For example:
El que la sigue, la consigue.
A natural translation would be: “If you keep trying, you will succeed.”
A similar English idea is “Persistence pays off.”
Another phrase is:
No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy.
“Do not leave until tomorrow what you can do today.”
That is essentially the same as “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”
And then there is the classic:
A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.
“God helps those who get up early.”
The English equivalent is close to “The early bird catches the worm.”
Sayings about money and saving
There is one Spanish phrase worth remembering if you are the type of person who always goes for the cheapest option:
Lo barato sale caro.
“The cheap option ends up being expensive.”
In English, the idea is similar to “You get what you pay for.” You save money at first, but poor quality may cost you more later.
Another famous one is:
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.
Literally: “One bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying.”
The English equivalent is almost identical: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
There is also a calmer saying about saving and accumulating:
Grano a grano se llena el granero.
“Grain by grain, the barn fills up.”
The idea is simple: big results are built from small steps.
Lo barato sale caro.
“The cheap option ends up being expensive.”
In English, the idea is similar to “You get what you pay for.” You save money at first, but poor quality may cost you more later.
Another famous one is:
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.
Literally: “One bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying.”
The English equivalent is almost identical: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
There is also a calmer saying about saving and accumulating:
Grano a grano se llena el granero.
“Grain by grain, the barn fills up.”
The idea is simple: big results are built from small steps.
Sayings about wisdom, patience, and life experience
Some Spanish sayings sound so familiar that they could easily exist in English too.
For example:
No hay mal que por bien no venga.
“There is no bad situation that cannot bring something good.”
A close English equivalent is “Every cloud has a silver lining.”
Or:
Después de la tormenta viene la calma.
“After the storm comes calm.”
It is often used to remind someone that a difficult period will not last forever.
And En boca cerrada no entran moscas is much more vivid: “Flies do not enter a closed mouth.”
The meaning is simple: sometimes it is better to stay quiet, especially if there is a risk of saying too much.
For example:
No hay mal que por bien no venga.
“There is no bad situation that cannot bring something good.”
A close English equivalent is “Every cloud has a silver lining.”
Or:
Después de la tormenta viene la calma.
“After the storm comes calm.”
It is often used to remind someone that a difficult period will not last forever.
And En boca cerrada no entran moscas is much more vivid: “Flies do not enter a closed mouth.”
The meaning is simple: sometimes it is better to stay quiet, especially if there is a risk of saying too much.
Funny and unusual Spanish sayings
Some expressions are memorable precisely because the image behind them is so strong.
Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
Literally: “The devil knows more because he is old than because he is the devil.”
The saying is not really about the devil. It means that life experience can be more valuable than talent or cleverness.
Another phrase is:
A falta de pan, buenas son tortas.
“If there is no bread, cakes will do.”
In other words, if the ideal option is unavailable, it may be better to make use of what you have.
And Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos literally means “Raise crows and they will peck out your eyes.” It is used when talking about ingratitude.
Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
Literally: “The devil knows more because he is old than because he is the devil.”
The saying is not really about the devil. It means that life experience can be more valuable than talent or cleverness.
Another phrase is:
A falta de pan, buenas son tortas.
“If there is no bread, cakes will do.”
In other words, if the ideal option is unavailable, it may be better to make use of what you have.
And Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos literally means “Raise crows and they will peck out your eyes.” It is used when talking about ingratitude.
Sayings connected with animals
Animals appear very often in Spanish proverbs.
Perro ladrador, poco mordedor.
“A barking dog bites little.”
The English equivalent is “Barking dogs seldom bite.”
Gato escaldado, del agua fría huye.
“A scalded cat runs even from cold water.”
The closest English equivalent would be “Once bitten, twice shy.”
And this one is almost identical in both languages:
A caballo regalado no le mires el diente.
“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Perro ladrador, poco mordedor.
“A barking dog bites little.”
The English equivalent is “Barking dogs seldom bite.”
Gato escaldado, del agua fría huye.
“A scalded cat runs even from cold water.”
The closest English equivalent would be “Once bitten, twice shy.”
And this one is almost identical in both languages:
A caballo regalado no le mires el diente.
“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Table: Popular Spanish sayings with literal translations and English equivalents
Differences between sayings in Spain and Latin America
Spanish is spoken across a huge geographical area, so it would be strange to expect people in Madrid, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires to use exactly the same expressions.
Many traditional refranes are understood almost everywhere. At the same time, individual countries have their own local dichos, especially in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and other parts of Latin America.
Sometimes only one word changes. In other cases, the whole image is different. A saying may sound completely ordinary in one country and old-fashioned or unfamiliar in another.
So if you are learning Spanish for travel, relocation, or communication with people from a particular region, it is useful to pay attention to local expressions as well.
Many traditional refranes are understood almost everywhere. At the same time, individual countries have their own local dichos, especially in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and other parts of Latin America.
Sometimes only one word changes. In other cases, the whole image is different. A saying may sound completely ordinary in one country and old-fashioned or unfamiliar in another.
So if you are learning Spanish for travel, relocation, or communication with people from a particular region, it is useful to pay attention to local expressions as well.
How and when to use sayings naturally
The main rule is simple: do not try to force a proverb into every second sentence.
When a native speaker says Más vale tarde que nunca, it usually sounds natural and effortless. But someone who uses ten textbook proverbs in five minutes will probably sound rather unnatural.
It is much easier to learn expressions together with situations.
You finally did something after putting it off for a long time? — Más vale tarde que nunca.
You bought something cheap and it immediately broke? — Lo barato sale caro.
Something unpleasant happened but unexpectedly led to a good result? — No hay mal que por bien no venga.
This is how Spanish sayings become much easier to remember. More importantly, you stop simply knowing the translation and start understanding when a real person would actually use the phrase.
When a native speaker says Más vale tarde que nunca, it usually sounds natural and effortless. But someone who uses ten textbook proverbs in five minutes will probably sound rather unnatural.
It is much easier to learn expressions together with situations.
You finally did something after putting it off for a long time? — Más vale tarde que nunca.
You bought something cheap and it immediately broke? — Lo barato sale caro.
Something unpleasant happened but unexpectedly led to a good result? — No hay mal que por bien no venga.
This is how Spanish sayings become much easier to remember. More importantly, you stop simply knowing the translation and start understanding when a real person would actually use the phrase.
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