Idioms

Idioms or Proverbs-Modismos

In English we can find many expressions which we can not guess their meaning by mere translation. They are frequently used in daily English and we really need to learn them as well as new vocabulary in order to increase our knowledge and competency in the English language. These are common and popular expressions used by native English-speakers though there are variations depending on the country, city or area where you are, but they will help you to understand and get a closer approach to the culture and societies of native English speakers because these direct, simple and colloquial expressions sum up an idea, thought or situation easily with some simple words placed together so you can get the gist of what they are actually saying. There is a list of idioms below so you can learn and know the real meaning of these expressions:

En inglés podemos encontrar muchas expresiones las cuales no podemos adivinar su significado con una traducción literal simple. Estas se usan en un inglés diario frecuentemente y necesitamos aprenderlas así como el vocabulario nuevo para aumentar nuestro conocimiento y competencia en la lengua inglesa. Son expresiones comunes y populares usadas por hablantes nativos aunque hay variaciones dependiendo del país, ciudad o región donde te encuentres, pero te ayudarán a comprender y acercarte a la cultura y sociedades de habla inglesa porque son expresiones directas, simples y coloquiales que resumen una idea, pensamiento o situación con unas simples palabras puestas juntas para que recojas la pista principal sobre lo que están diciendo. Aquí abajo hay una lista para que puedas aprender y conocer el significado real de estas expresiones:

-Taste of your own medicine: probar tu propia medicina. It means that something happens to you, or is done to you, that you have done to someone else

-To hear something straight from the horse's mouth: escuchar algo de alguien que lo sabe realmente. To hear something from the authoritative source.

-Whole nine yards: tenerlo o cogerlo todo. Everything. All of it.

-Wouldn't be caught dead: no hacer algo nunca de forma voluntaria jamás. Would never like to do something.

-Your guess is as good as mine: tu conjetura es tan buena como la mía. To have no idea, do not know the answer to a question.

-A hot potato: un tema candente. Speak of an issue (mostly current) which many people are talking about and which is usually disputed.

-A penny for your thoughts: dime lo que piensas. A way of asking what someone is thinking.

-Actions speak louder than words: los hechos hablan más alto que palabras. People's intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say.

-Add insult to injury: agraviar aún más. To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation.

-At the drop of a hat: inmediatamente. To do something without any hesitation; instantly.

-Back to the drawing board: intentarlo de nuevo desde el principio. When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.

-Ball is in your court: tener que tomar una decision. It is up to you to make the next decision or step

-Barking up the wrong tree: ir al sitio erróneo, acusar a la persona equivocada. Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person

-Be glad to see the back of: estar feliz cuando alguien se va. Be happy when a person leaves.

-Beat around the bush: evitar un tema. Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

-Best of both worlds: lo mejor de todas las posibilidades. To enjoy all the advantages.

-Best thing since sliced bread: lo mejor invención o idea. A good innovation or plan.

-Bite off more than you can chew: abarcar más que se puede.To take on a task that is way to big.

-Blessing in disguise: una bendición oculta. Something good that isn't recognized at first.

-Burn the midnight oil: trabajar hasta tarde. To work late into the night, alluding to the time before electric lighting.

-Can't judge a book by its cover: no se puede juzgar algo/ alguien por las apariencias. You cannot judge something primarily on appearance.

-Caught between two stools: tener que elegir entre dos cosas. When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives.

-Costs an arm and a leg: ser muy caro. When something is very expensive.

-Cross that bridge when you come to it: tratar algo cuando sea necesario. Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before.

-Cry over spilt milk: llorar por el algo que se fue o estropeó. When you complain about a loss from the past.

-Curiosity killed the cat: being inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation.

-Cut corners: when something is done badly to save money.

-Cut the mustard [possibly derived from "cut the muster"]: to succeed; to come up to expectations; adequate enough to compete or participate

-To be the Devil's Advocate: to present a counter argument

-Don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched: this idiom is used to express "Don't make plans for something that might not happen".

-Don't give up the day job: you are not very good at something. You could definitely not do it professionally.

-Don't put all your eggs in one basket: do not put all your resources in one possibility.

-Drastic times call for drastic measures: when you are extremely desperate you need to take drastic actions.

-Elvis has left the building: the show has come to an end. It's all over.

-Every cloud has a silver lining: be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

-Far cry from: very different from.

-Feel a bit under the weather: it means feeling slightly ill.

-Give the benefit of the doubt: believe someone's statement, without proof.

-Hear it on the grapevine: this idiom means 'to hear rumors' about something or someone.

-Hit the nail on the head: do or say something exactly right

-Hit the sack / sheets / hay: to go to bed.

-In the heat of the moment: overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

-It takes two to tango:actions or communications need more than one person

-Jump on the bandwagon: join a popular trend or activity.

-Keep something at bay: keep something away.

-Kill two birds with one stone: this idiom means, to accomplish two different things at the same time.

-Last straw: the final problem in a series of problems.

-Let sleeping dogs lie: do not disturb a situation as it is - since it would result in trouble or complications.

-Let the cat out of the bag: to share information that was previously concealed

-Make a long story short: come to the point - leave out details

-Method to my madness: an assertion that, despite one's approach seeming random, there actually is structure to it.

-Miss the boat: this idiom is used to say that someone missed his or her chance

-Not a spark of decency: No manners

-Not playing with a full deck: someone who lacks intelligence.

-Off one's rocker: crazy, demented, out of one's mind, in a confused or befuddled state of mind, senile.

-On the ball: when someone understands the situation well.

-Once in a blue moon: it means that happens very rarely.

-Picture paints a thousand words: a visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

-Piece of cake: a job, task or other activity that is easy or simple.

-Put wool over other people's eyes: this means to deceive someone into thinking well of them.

-See eye to eye: this idiom is used to say that two (or more people) agree on something.

-Sit on the fence: this is used when someone does not want to choose or make a decision.

-Speak of the devil!: this expression is used when the person you have just been talking about arrives.

-Steal someone's thunder: to take the credit for something someone else did.

-Take with a grain of salt: this means not to take what someone says too seriously.