10 Spanish sayings that make your language sound more natural
You’re learning Spanish. You can already hold a conversation, but something’s still missing — that feeling of really being in the language. Sounding like a native speaker.
There’s one simple but powerful way to take your Spanish to the next level: use sayings.
Once you know how to use common Spanish expressions, your Spanish instantly becomes more colourful and natural.
In this article, you’ll find 10 popular Spanish sayings, with their literal translation in Dutch, the meaning in English, and an example sentence — just like you'd hear in everyday conversation.
Want to remember these sayings more easily? Here’s how
The combination of:
- the Spanish expression,
- a literal English translation,
- the meaning,
- and a real-life example from a conversation
…makes it not just more fun, but much easier to remember and use these phrases.
10 popular Spanish sayings with examples
1. Más vale tarde que nunca
| Literally: | Better late than never | |
| Meaning: | Doing something late is better than not doing it at all. | |
| Example: | ¿Por fin empezaste con las clases de inglés? ¡Sí! Más vale tarde que nunca, ¿no? |
2. A caballo regalado no le mires el diente
| Literally: | Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth | |
| Meaning: | Don’t criticise a gift. | |
| Example: | No me gusta mucho el color del suéter que me regaló mi tía... Bueno, a caballo regalado no le mires el diente. |
3. En boca cerrada no entran moscas
| Literally: | Flies don’t enter a closed mouth | |
| Meaning: | Sometimes it’s better to keep quiet. | |
| Example: | Tenía tantas ganas de decirle lo que pensaba, pero me callé. Hiciste bien. En boca cerrada no entran moscas. |
4. A mal tiempo, buena cara
| Literally: | In bad weather, a good face | |
| Meaning: | Stay positive, even when things go wrong. | |
| Example: | Nos cancelaron el viaje por la lluvia. Qué pena… pero bueno, a mal tiempo, buena cara. |
5. Donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan
| Literally: | Where there was fire, ashes remain | |
| Meaning: | Old flames don’t disappear completely. | |
| Example: | ¿Volviste a hablar con Laura? Sí… ya sabes, donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan. |
6. No hay mal que por bien no venga
| Literally: | No bad thing comes without something good | |
| Meaning: | Bad events can lead to something positive. | |
| Example: | Perdí el trabajo, pero encontré uno mejor al mes siguiente. ¡Ves! No hay mal que por bien no venga. |
7. Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta
| Literally: | He who embraces too much, squeezes little | |
| Meaning: | If you try to do everything at once, you won’t do anything well. | |
| Example: | Intentas estudiar, trabajar y aprender alemán al mismo tiempo. Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta… |
8. Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres
| Literally: | Tell me who you walk with, and I’ll tell you who you are | |
| Meaning: | The people you spend time with say a lot about you. | |
| Example: | No me gusta ese chico con quien sales. Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres… |
9. Perro ladrador, poco mordedor
| Literally: | A barking dog bites little | |
| Meaning: | People who shout the loudest often do the least. | |
| Example: | Tu jefe grita mucho pero nunca toma medidas. Sí… perro ladrador, poco mordedor. |
10. Haz bien y no mires a quién
| Literally: | Do good and don’t look at who | |
| Meaning: | Help others, no matter who they are. | |
| Example: | Ayudaste a Marta después de todo lo que pasó... Sí, haz bien y no mires a quién. |
How sayings improve your Spanish
Sayings make your language more lively, natural and — most importantly — authentic. They help you express yourself better and understand native speakers more deeply.
Because when you understand the expressions people use, you often understand how they think too.
At Regina Coeli, we focus on this a lot. In your Spanish training, you won’t just learn grammar — you’ll also explore everyday language, cultural insights and subtle nuances. That way, you can speak fluently and with confidence.
Want to learn Spanish?
Do you want to learn Spanish in a place where language and culture come together? Where you can make real progress in just a few days — with personal coaching from trainers from Spain and Latin America?
Read more about Spanish training at Regina Coeli