Favorite Spanish Proverbs With English Translations

The Spanish language is rich with refranes, sayings or proverbs that often become a shorthand way of conveying a thought or expressing a judgment. Here you will find a collection of a sayings, one for each day of the month. Of the literally hundreds of sayings that are a part of the language, this list includes some of the most common as well as a few others that were chosen simply because they are interesting. Refranes espaà ±oles  / Spanish Sayings Mà ¡s vale pà ¡jaro en mano que cien volando.  A bird in the hand is worth more than 100 flying. (A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.) Ojos que no ven, corazà ³n que no  siente.  Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel. No por mucho madrugar amanece mà ¡s temprano.  Not through much awaking early does the dawn come earlier. El amor es ciego.  Love is blind. Perro que no camina, no  encuentra  hueso.  The dog that doesnt walk doesnt find a bone. (You cant succeed if you dont try.) Dime con quià ©n  andas  y te dirà © quià ©n eres.  Tell me with whom you walk and I will tell you who you are. (A man is known by the company he keeps.) El diablo sabe mà ¡s por viejo que por diablo.  The devil knows more due to being old than by being the devil. A la luz de la tea, no hay mujer fea.  By the light of the torch there is no ugly woman. Haz el bien, y no mires a quià ©n.  Do the good, and dont look at whom. (Do what is right, not what will gain approval.) El que nacià ³ para tamal, del cielo le caen las hojas.  The leaves fall from the sky for him who was born for the tamal (a traditional Mexican food made from corn leaves). No hay mal que por bien no venga.  There is no bad from which good doesnt come. Quien no tiene, perder no puede.  He who doesnt have is unable to lose. (You cant lose what you dont have.) No todo lo que brilla es oro.  Not all that shines is gold. (Not everything that glitters is gold.) Perro que ladra no muerde.  The dog that barks doesnt bite. A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente.  Dont look at the tooth of a horse that was given. (Dont look a gift horse in the mouth.) A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando.  To God praying and with the mallet using. (God helps those who help themselves.) Eso es harina de otro costal.  That is wheat from a different bag. (Its a bird of a different feather.) De tal palo, tal astilla.  From such a stick, such a splinter. (A chip off the old block.) Para el hombre no hay mal pan. (O, para el hambre no hay mal pan.)  There is no bad bread for man. (Or, there is no bad bread for hunger.) Las desgracias nunca vienen solas.  Misfortunes never come alone. (Bad things happen in threes.) De buen vino, buen vinagre.  From good wine, good vinegar. El que la sigue, la consigue.  He who follows it attains it. (You get what you work for.) Saliste de Guatemala y te metiste en Guatepeor.  You left Guate-bad and went to Guate-worse. A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.  God helps the one who arises early. (God helps those who help themselves. The early bird catches the worm. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.) Camarà ³n que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.  The shrimp that falls asleep gets carried away by the current. Del dicho al hecho, hay mucho trecho.  From the saying to the act, there is much distance. (Saying something and doing it are two different things.) Si quieres el perro, acepta las pulgas.  If you want the dog, accept the fleas. (If you cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Love me, love my faults.) De noche todos los gatos son negros.  At night all cats are black. Lo que en los libros no està ¡, la vida te enseà ±arà ¡.  That which isnt in books, life will teach you. (Life is the best teacher.) La ignorancia es atrevida.  Ignorance is courageous. Cada uno lleva su cruz.  Everyone carries his cross. (We each have our own cross to bear.)