English - Spanish proverbs (refranes)
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Below is a list of proverbs (sayings) which have at least rough equivalents in both languages. We've included the literal translation (even if the English doesn't make much sense) as an aid to remember how the proverb is phrased in Spanish. Please use our contact form to send us any good ones that you have and we'll add it to the list here.
| English proverb | Spanish proverb | Literal Spanish Translation |
| You can’t teach an old dog new tricks | Loro viejo no aprende a hablar | (An old parrot can't learn to speak) |
| All that glitters is not gold | No es oro todo lo que reluce | (It is not gold all that shines) |
| Eat, drink and be merry | A beber y a tragar, que el mundo se va a acabar | (Eat and drink for tomorrow the world is going to end) |
| The early bird catches the worm | A quien madruga Dios lo ayuda | (God helps he who gets up early) |
| Brain is better than brawn | Más vale maña que fuerza | (Better skill than force) |
| Out of sight, out of mind | Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente | (Eyes that don't see, heart that doesn't feel) |
| It’s no use crying over spilt milk | A lo hecho pecho | (To what has been done the chest) |
| You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear | Aunque la mona se vista de seda mona se queda | (Although the monkey dresses in silk it's still a monkey) |
| Keep your mouth shut and you won’t put your foot in it | En boca cerrada no entran moscas | (Flies don't get into closed mouths) |
| A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush | Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando | (Better a bird in the hand than one hundred flying) |
| Speaking of the devil…(and the person appears) | Hablando del rey de Roma... | (Speaking of the king of Rome...) |
| Better late than never | Más vale tarde que nunca | (Better lat than never) |
| Better safe than sorry | Más vale prevenir que curar | (Better to prevent than cure) |
| Half a loaf is better than none | Algo es algo, peor es nada | (Something is something, worse is nothing) |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | No hay mal que por bien no venga | (There's no bad that good doesn't come from it) |
| Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today | No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy | (Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today) |
| When the cat’s away the mice will play | Cuando el gato duerme, bailan los ratones) | (When the cat sleeps the mice dance |
| The end justifies the means | El fin justifica los medios | (The end justifies the means) |
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