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193 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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¡ojo al parche! |
look out!, stay alert!, don´t drop your guard!, keep your eyes peeled! |
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¡que me quiten lo bailado!
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This Spanish expression is originally from Rio de la Plata and means that, come what may, no one can take away from us the good times we’ve had.
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¿qué le hace una mancha más al tigre?
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What’s one more stripe on a tiger’s back? We use this Spanish expression metaphorically to say that more of a certain thing, when there’s lots of it, is likely to go unnoticed or make no difference. |
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a banderas desplegadas
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with flying colors
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a caballo regañado no le mires el diente
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Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
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a chorros
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in great quantities
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a como de lugar
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at all costs, in any way possible
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a contramano
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in the wrong direction, against the traffic
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a destiempo |
untimely, ill-timed, inopportune
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a dos pasos
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very close, within an ace of |
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a duras penas
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scarcely, with great difficulty
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a fin de cuentas
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at the end of the day, when all is said and done |
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a gatas |
on all fours |
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a granel- in bulk |
A GATAS |
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a la carrera
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This Spanish idiom describes an unthorough, hurried way of doing something. |
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a la larga
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in the long run
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a la merced de
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at the mercy of
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a la vez
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at the same time, simultaneously
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a las espaldas de alguien
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behind somebody´s back
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a lo major
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maybe, possibly
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a mano
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1. even, without pending accounts either way, 2. by hand
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a más tardar
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at the latest
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a menudo
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often, many a time
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a ojo de buen cubero
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by rule of thumb
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a palo seco
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without anything to go with it. This Spanish idiom is most commonly used referring to food or drink taken without anything else.
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a pesar de
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in spite of
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a propósito
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by the way
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a punto de
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at the brink of
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a que…
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I bet that…
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a rajatabla
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inflexibly, rigorously, strictly
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a regañadientes
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unwillingly, complainingly
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a rey muerto, rey puesto
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Out with the old, in with the new
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a rienda suelta
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without any constraint or control, freely
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a solas
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alone, by one´s self
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a tientas
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guiding one´s self by feel, for instance in the darkness
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a toda costa
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at all costs
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a toda máquina
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very fast
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a todas luces
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by all appearances, clearly, evidently
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a todo trapo
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with luxury, in grand style
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a todo vapor
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very fast, as fast as posible
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a troche y moche
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thoughtlessly, inconsiderately, helter-skelter
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a trochemoche
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thoughtlessly, inconsiderately, helter-skelter
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a tumba abierta
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exposing one´s self to extreme danger, at breakneck speed
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a tutiplén
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abundantly, profusely, copiously
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a última hora
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at the last moment
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a ultranza
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in the extreme, radically
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a veces
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sometimes, at times
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a ver
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we´ll see
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a voz en grito
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loudly, at the top of one´s lungs
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abrirse paso a codazos
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to elbow one´s way
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acoger en su regazo
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to take someone under one´s wing
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acostarse con las gallinas
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to retire to bed early
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aguzar el oído
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to prick up one´s ears
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ahuecar el ala
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Some English equivalents of this Spanish idiom are: to make one´s self scarce, to make off, to clear off, to hit the road
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al “ahí se va”
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not thoroughly, with mediocrity
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al aire libre
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outdoors
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al fin y al cabo
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finally, at the end of the day, when all is said and done
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al hambre no hay pan duro
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Beggars can’t be choosers
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al menos
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at least
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al pie de la letra
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to the letter, to a T
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al por mayor
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wholesale
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al revés
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upside down, topsy turvy
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alzarle la mano a alguien
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to threaten or hit someone
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amoscarse
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to get angry
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andar a paso de tortuga |
to walk or do something very slowly, at a snail´s pace
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andar como burro sin mecate
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to be wild, out of control |
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andar de cabeza
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this Spanish idiom describes an overburdened, unorganized state of mind within a turmoil of activity, to run around like a headless chicken
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andar de capa caída
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to be in low spirits, depressed
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andarse por las ramas
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to talk evasively, to beat around the bush
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apretar las clavijas a alguien
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to pressure somebody, to crack the whip
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apretarse el cinturón
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to cut expenses, to live on a shoestring
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aquí hay gato encerrado
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there’s something fishy going on here, I smell a rat. We use this Spanish idiom to express our suspicion that behind the mask of normality something obscure is unfolding.
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armado hasta los dientes
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armed to the teeth
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armar un jaleo
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to make a fuss
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armarse la gorda
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to make a big, fat fuss
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arriesgarse el pellejo
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to risk one´s self, to risk one´s neck
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arrimar el ascua a su sardine
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to put one´s own benefit first, to provide grist to one´s mill
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arrimarse al sol que más calienta
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to seek out those from whom one can profit, to know which side one´s bread is buttered on
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arrojar a alguien a los lobos
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to deliver someone into danger, to throw someone to the wolves
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astuto como un zorro
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very smart, as sly as a fox
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ave nocturna
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night person, night owl
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bailar al son que tocan
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to dance to whatever music happens to be playing, to follow the current, to agree with anything
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bajársele los humos a alguien
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to be taken down a peg. This Spanish idiom is used when someone´s excessively high opinion of himself is punctured.
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barrer para adentro
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to act advantageously, to promote one´s interests without consideration of others, to attribute other people´s merit to oneself
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bicho raro
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an odd (human) specimen
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blasfemar/ jurar/ renegar/ hablar como un carretero
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swear like a trooper
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borracho como una cuba
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drunk as a skunk
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borrón y cuenta nueva
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to forget the past and start anew, to let bygones be bygones
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brillar por su ausencia
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to be conspicuous by one´s absence
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bueno como un angel
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extremelly good, saintly, referring to a person´s character and moral qualities
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buscar una aguja en un pajar
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to look for a needle in a haystack
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buscarle a alguien las cosquillas
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to provoke somebody
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buscarle tres pies al gato
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to look for trouble, to complicate things unnecessarily
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buscarle tres pies al gato sabiendo que tiene cuatro
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to look for trouble, to complicate things unnecessarily
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cabeza de chorlito
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scatterbrain
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cada hijo de vecino
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just about everyone, all and sundry
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cada muerte de Obispo
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very rarely, once in a blue moon
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caer bien/ mal
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to be likeable/ not to be likeable
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caer como moscas
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to die/ drop like flies
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calado hasta los huesos
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soaked through
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calarse las gafas
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to put on one´s glasses
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cerrar algo a cal y canto
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to seal shut
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cerrar el pico
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to shut one´s trap, to remain silent
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chapado a la antigua
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old-fashioned
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chillar como un condenado
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to scream very strongly out of pain or fear (to scream as if one were sentenced to death), to sob like a baby
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cocerse/ cocinarse en su propia salsa
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to stew in one´s own juices
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comer como un pajarito
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to pick at one´s food, to eat sparingly
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como los perros en misa
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superfluous, unnecessary
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como perro en barrio ajeno
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out of place
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como pez en el agua
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to be in one’s element, at home
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Como quien oye llover- It’s like water off a duck’s back |
IT'S LIKE WATER OFF A DUCK'S BACK |
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como si fuera poco
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as if it that weren´t enough
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con el sudor de su frente
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by the sweat of his brow
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con pelos y señales
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in all detail
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consultar algo con la almohada
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to sleep on something
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contra viento y marea
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come wind or high water; through thick and thin; against all odds; come rain, hail or snow
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cortar de raíz
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eradicate
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costar un ojo de la cara
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to be outrageously expensive, to cost an eye and a foot, to cost an arm and a leg
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creerse el ombligo del mundo
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to think the world revolves around one´s self
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cuando las ranas críen pelos
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This Spanish expression is used to say that something will never, ever happen. “When pigs learn to fly”
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cuanto antes
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as soon as possible, as soon as may be
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cuatro gatos
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When one uses this Spanish expression and refers to “cuatro gatos” being present one is saying that hardly anybody or a proportionately small group of people are on hand.
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dar a luz
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to give birth
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dar algo por bueno
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to approve of something, to accept
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dar de sí
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said of clothes and shoes, to give; said of people, to give of oneself, to be accommodating
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dar en el clavo
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to hit the nail on the head, to get something right
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dar gato por liebre
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to cheat, to decieve by giving something of similar appearance but inferior quality
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dar la lata/dar lata
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to bother, to be a pain in the neck
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dar la tabarra
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to pester, to bug
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dar luz verde
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to give the go ahead
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dar por sentado
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to take something as a given
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dar una de cal y una de arena
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to alternate different or opposite things for the purpose of being accommodating
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darle a algo el visto bueno
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to give one´s approval
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darle a alguien mala espina algo
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to have one´s suspicions aroused by something
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darle sopas con honda (alguien o algo a otra persona o cosa)
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to be overwhelmingly superior to something or somebody |
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darse por vencido
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to give up
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darse prisa
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to hurry
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de buenas a primeras
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unexpectedly, suddenly, without notice
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de golpe
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all at once
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de higos a brevas
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very rarely, once in a blue moon
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de nuevo
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again
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de par en par
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wide open |
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de pelo en pecho
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manly, valiant
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de perlas
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marvelously, excellently
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de plano
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entirely, absolutely
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de pronto
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suddenly
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de tal palo tal astilla
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A chip off the old block
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de una vez por todas
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once and for all
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dejar en paz a alguien
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to leave somebody alone
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dejar plantado a alguien
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to fail to show up for an appointment leaving the person waiting, to stand somebody up
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descubrir la pólvora/ América / el agua caliente/ el Mediterráneo/ el hilo negro
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This Spanish expression is used by way of ironical comment when someone “discovers” something which is plain common sense to realize, later than everybody else, something evident, to proclaim as news something which is already common knowledge
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desde luego
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of course
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deshacerse en atenciones
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to go overboard in one´s displays of attention, amability or hospitality towards somebody, to bend over backward for somebody
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devanarse los sesos
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to rack one´s brains
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Dios los cría y ellos se juntan
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Birds of a feather flock together
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dormir a pierna suelta
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to sleep like a log
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dormir como un lirón
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to sleep a lot
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echar leña al fuego
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to add fuel to the fire, to aggravate an already difficult situation
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echar un cuarto a espadas
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to contribute one´s own opinion in a discussion
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echar/tirar la casa por la ventana
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to spend without measure or restraint, to kill the fattened calf |
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echar/tirar la casa por la ventana
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to spend without measure or restraint, to kill the fattened calf
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el mundo es un pañuelo
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It’s a small world
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el que la sigue la consigue
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If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again
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empezar la casa por el tejado
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to do things in the wrong order, English equivalent of this Spanish idiom: to put the cart before the horse
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empinar el codo
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to consume intoxicating drinks by way of habit, to bend the elbow
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en boca cerrada no entran moscas
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A Spanish expression which means that you are better off keeping quiet and minding your own business
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en cueros
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naked, in the buff
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en el séptimo cielo
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exultant, English equivalents of this Spanish idiom: in seventh heaven, on cloud nine
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en fila india
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in single file, in Indian file
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en las barbas de alguien
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right under someone´s nose, in someone´s face
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en menos que canta un gallo
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in an instant, English equivalents of this Spanish idiom: quick as a wink, in two shakes of a lamb´s tail
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en un abrir y cerrar de ojos
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in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye
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endeudado hasta los ojos
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up to one´s ears in debt |
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English equivalents of this Spanish expression: to pay somebody with like coin, to pay back in kind. Also, but exclusively in the negative sense: to give as good as one gets, to give somebody a taste of his own medicine, to pay tit for tat
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English equivalents of this Spanish idiom: to give one´s two cents worth, to stick one’s oar in
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entre chanzas y versa |
half earnest, half in jest
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entre la espada y la pared
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trapped in a delicate situation, between the Devil and the deep blue sea
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es como hablar a la pared
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It’s like talking to a brick wall |
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esperar la semana que no traiga viernes
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to procrastinate forever, to wait till the cows come home
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estar (loco) como una cabra
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English equivalents of this Spanish idiom: to be as mad as a hatter, to be as nutty as a fruit-cake
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estar con un pie en el aire
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to be uncommitted, to sit on the fence |
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estar de buenas
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to be in a good mood
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estar de mala leche
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to be in very bad humor
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estar en ascuas
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to be in a state of agitated suspense, to be on tenterhooks, to be on pins and needles, to be like a cat on hot bricks
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estar en boca de todos
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to be on everyone´s lips, to be the talk of the town
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estar en la flor de la edad
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to be in the prime of life
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estar en la luna
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to have one´s head in the clouds
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estar en las nubes
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same as above
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estar entre Pinto y Valdemoro
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to be half of one mind and half of another…and also… to be slightly drunk, to be half seas over |
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estar frito
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to be in dire straits, to be toast
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estar hasta la coronilla
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to be fed up …or… to be up to one´s neck in something
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estar más loco que una cabra
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To be as mad as a hatter. |
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estar más perdido que Carracuca
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to be hopelessly lost
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