If you want to sound like a native when you speak Spanish, you need more than vocabulary. Words alone won’t cut it. Idioms help you sound natural, fluent, and comfortable—and they show that you understand how native speakers actually think and talk, not just how Spanish looks in textbooks.
Below are ten Spanish idioms that native speakers use all the time. Each one comes with a clear explanation and example, so you can start using them right away.
1. Estar en las nubes
Literal: To be in the clouds
Meaning: To be distracted or daydreaming
Use this to describe someone who isn’t paying attention.
Ejemplo:
Lo siento, estaba en las nubes y no escuché la pregunta.
2. Meter la pata
Literal: To put your foot in it
Meaning: To make a mistake or say something awkward
This works for any kind of slip-up, big or small.
Ejemplo:
Metí la pata cuando mencioné su ex.
3. No tener pelos en la lengua
Literal: To have no hair on your tongue
Meaning: To speak very directly, sometimes too directly
Use this for someone who always says exactly what they think.
Ejemplo:
Mi abuela no tiene pelos en la lengua.
4. Costar un ojo de la cara
Literal: To cost an eye from your face
Meaning: To be very expensive
Perfect for anything that feels outrageously pricey.
Ejemplo:
Ese coche cuesta un ojo de la cara.
5. Estar entre la espada y la pared
Literal: To be between the sword and the wall
Meaning: To be stuck between two bad options
It sounds formal, but it’s still very common in everyday Spanish.
Ejemplo:
Estoy entre la espada y la pared con este trabajo.
6. Tirar la casa por la ventana
Literal: To throw the house out the window
Meaning: To spend a lot of money, usually for a celebration
Great for weddings, parties, or once-in-a-lifetime trips.
Ejemplo:
Para su boda, tiraron la casa por la ventana.
7. Dar en el clavo
Literal: To hit the nail
Meaning: To be exactly right
Short, useful, and extremely natural.
Ejemplo:
Diste en el clavo con ese comentario.
8. Buscarle tres pies al gato
Literal: To look for three feet on a cat
Meaning: To overcomplicate things or look for problems
Often used to tell someone they’re overthinking.
Ejemplo:
No le busques tres pies al gato.
9. Estar hasta las narices
Literal: To be up to the nose
Meaning: To be fed up
Casual, expressive, and commonly used in everyday speech.
Ejemplo:
Estoy hasta las narices de este tráfico.
10. Pan comido
Literal: Eaten bread
Meaning: Very easy
If something was effortless, this is the perfect phrase.
Ejemplo:
El examen fue pan comido.
How to Actually Use These Spanish Idioms
Don’t try to memorize all ten at once. Instead, pick two or three and start listening for them in shows, podcasts, or real conversations. Once you hear them used naturally, they’ll start to feel natural when you use them too.
Sounding smart in Spanish isn’t about showing off. It’s about sounding comfortable. And idioms are one of the easiest ways to get there.
