#spanish sayings
estar en la luna - to have one’s head in the clouds
echar leña al fuego - to add fuel to the fire
echar balones fuera - to dodge the issue
ir de mal en peor - to go from bad to worse
agarrar a alguien con las manos en la masa - to catch someone red handed
ojos que no ven corazón que no siente - out of sight, out of mind
ir al grano - to get to the point
tener más lana que un borrego - to have money to burn
ir a su bola - to do one’s own thing
de uvas a peras - once in a blue moon
el dinero no cae del cielo - money doesn’t grow on trees
costar un ojo de la cara - to cost an arm and a leg
ser agua pasada - to be water under the bridge
a lo hecho, pecho - what’s done is done
hacer la vista gorda - to turn a blind eye
más loco que una cabra - as mad as a hatter
ser pan comido - to be a piece of cake
poner su grano de arena - to do one’s bit
cuando el río suena, agua lleva - where there’s smoke, there’s fire
a grandes males, grandes remedios - desperate times call for desperate measures
These are sayings or expressions that are used in Argentina, and some of them may be used in other Latin American countries with slight changes here and there.
Zapata, si no la gana la empata=Zapata, if it doesn’t win it’ll even the score. Zapata in this sentence doesn’t mean anything is there because it rhymes, this sentence is used when someone who can’t win an argument tries at all cost to at least don’t come out so badly out of it.
“Bueno está bien el león no será el animal más rápido, pero si está en la lista”
“Zapata, si no la gana la empata”
“Ok, fine the lion is not the fastest animal, but is in the list”
“Zapata, if it doesn’t win it’ll even the score”
Del dicho al hecho hay un largo trecho =there is a long way from the saying to the facts. Is basically used to point out that there is a difference between what someone is saying to their actions.
Chocolate por la noticia =Chocolate for the news. Is an ironic sentence used when someone tells you news that you already knew, or they tell you something obvious. Don’t use it all the time though, because it will make you seem too snarky.
“¿Escuchaste que perdimos el último partido?”
“Chocolate por la noticia, fue hace dos días.”
“Have you heard that we lost our last game?”
“Chocolate for the news, it was two days ago.”
Los hermanos sean unidos=Siblings be united.
…
Los hermanos sean unidos
Siblings be united
Esa es la ley primera
That’s the first law
Porque si entre ellos se pelean
Because if they fight between themselves
Se los comen los de afuera.
The outsiders will eat them.
…
Los hermanos sean unidos
Siblings be united
Porque esa es la ley primera
Because that’s the first law
Tengan unión verdadera
Have a truthful union
En cualquier tiempo que sea
At any given time
Porque si entre ellos pelean
Because if they fight between themselves
Los devoran los de afuera
The outsiders will devour them
I have copied the three versions from the shortest to the actual quote from “El Martin Fierro”, mostly the first two are the ones that are used but I decided to add the third one too because is the original and maybe a really well read person will quote that one.
This quote is used when siblings fight as you can see in the translation, as an obvious way to tell them to stay together because that way they are stronger when faced with adversity, a lot of people but especially grandmas (or at least mine) love to use this one when their kids or grandkids fight even if is a minor discussion. Also, it can be used in a jokingly manner, for example sometimes when my sister tries to pick a fight with me I peacefully tell her the first quote and she rolls her eyes.
Mind you, I’m not a professional translator so I did my best with this narrative poem.
