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Dichos y Refranes
Sayings and Proverbs

Dichos and refranes can be important cultural references, and can spice up your conversation. We have a collection of about 200 of the most common and widely known, which we'll be putting on line about ten at a time every week or ten days. We hope you enjoy and benefit with them.

Part 1

We're starting out with one that is connected to perhaps the cardinal event in Latin American history--the conquest of Mexico.

Cabra coja no tiene siesta

This is a picture of Hernán Cortés, the great conquistador of Mexico, as a young man. It is from a Spanish 10,000 peseta note. We are inserting it here to lead off our selection of dichos and refranes with one with historical significance. Shortly after arriving in Mexico City (then Tenochtitlan), Cortés learned that his nominal superior, the Governor of Cuba, believing that Cortés had exceeded his mandate and jealous of the riches and fame which might accrue therefrom, had sent another commander to relieve him. He left in haste with most of his few troops, leaving his second in command , the young and impetuous Pedro Alvarado, in command in Tenochtitlan. When Alvarado asked why Cortés was in such a hurry, he answered with the dicho "Cabra coja no tiene siesta" (a crippled goat can't rest). Alvarado made such a mess of things that after Cortés's return the Spaniards had to attempt a nighttime escape, during which most of their men, horses and treasure were lost. This is the famous noche triste. For an eminently readable account of the conquest of Mexico, one of history's most fascinating episodes, read Hugh Thomas's "Conquest".

A buen sueño, no hay mala cama.	For one who’s really sleepy, there’s no such thing as a bad bed.
A buen hambre, no hay pan duro.	For real hunger, no bread is hard.
A caballo regalado, no se le ve el colmillo.	Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
A chillidos de puerco, oídos de matancero.	To the squeals of a pig, turn the ears of a butcher.
A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando.	Praying to God, and hitting with the hammer.
A gato viejo, ratón tierno.	For an old cat, a tender mouse
A juventud ociosa, viejez laboriosa.	From an idle youth, a laborious old age.
A la sombra de los buenos, viven los malos.	In the shadow of the good live the bad.
A lo que no tiene remedio, oídos sordos.	To that which can’t be helped, turn a deaf ear.
A mal tiempo, buena cara.	In bad times, put on a good face.

Part 2x

A quien Dios no le da hijos, el diablo le da sobrinos.	To he whom God doesn’t give children, the Devil gives nephews (and nieces).
A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.	God helps he who gets up early. (God helps those who help themselves)
¿A quién le dan pan que llore?	Who is given bread because he cries?
A grandes males, grandes remedios.	For big problems, big remedies.
Abril lluvioso hace a mayo hermoso.	Rainy April makes May beautiful. (April showers bring May flowers.)
Acabándose el dinero, se termina la amistad.	When the money runs out, so does the friendship.
Adonde va la gente, adonde va Vicente.	Wherever people go, Vicente goes. (Said of someone who slavishly follows fashion)
Al buen entendedor, pocas palabras.	For someone who understands, a few words will do.
Al hombre que camina, no se le paran las moscas.	A man who walks isn't stopped by flies. (Moss doesn’t grow on a rolling stone.)
Al vago y al pobre, todo les cuesta doble.	Everything costs double for the vagabond and the poor.

x
Part 3

Al hombre que camina, no se le paran las moscas. Moss doesn’t grow on a rolling stone.

Al vago y al pobre, todo les cuesta doble. Everything costs double for the vagabond and the poor.

Alcanza quien no cansa. He who doesn’t get tired, reaches his goal.

Amigo en la adversidad, amigo de verdad. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Amigos y libros, pocos y buenos. Friends and books; a few good ones.

Amor con amor se paga. Love is paid for with love.

Amor con celos causa desvelos. Love with jealousy causes sleeplessness.

Animales ingratos: las mujeres y los gatos. Ungrateful animals: women and cats.

Antes que te cases, mira lo que haces. Before you get married, look what you’re doing.

Antes son mis dientes que mis parientes. My teeth are more important to me than my relatives.

xPart 4x

Aprende bien a callar, para que sepas hablar bien.	Learn well how to keep quiet, so that you’ll know how to speak well.
Arbol que nace torcido, nunca su rama endereza.	The limbs never grow straight on a tree which was born crooked.
Arrieros somos, y en el camino nos encontraremos.	We’re all muleteers (wanderers), and we’ll meet on the road.
Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda.	Even if the monkey dresses in silk, she stays a monkey.
Bala que zumba no mata.	The bullet that "zings" doesn't kill.
Bien muere quien bien vive.	He who lives well, dies well.
Brilla por su ausencia.	He shines by his absence.
Bueno es el cilantro, pero no tanto.	Cilantro is good, but not too much.
Cada oveja con su pareja.	Birds of a feather flock together. To each his own.
Cada uno en su casa es rey, pero su mujer hace la ley.	Every man is a king in his own house, but his wife makes the law.

xPart 5

Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.	A shrimp that goes to sleep gets taken by the current.
Cara de santo, uñas de gato.	Face of a saint, claws of a cat.
Chango viejo, no aprende trucos nuevos.	You can’t teach an old dog [ape] new tricks.
Come y bebe, que la vida es breve.	.Eat, drink (and be merry) for life is short.
Con amor y aguardiente, nada se siente.	With love and firewater, nothing hurts.
Cortesía de boca, mucho consigue y cuesta nada.	Courtesy in words costs nothing and gains a lot.
Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos.	Raise crows and they’ll peck out your eyes.
Cuando el gallo canta, la gente se levanta.	When the rooster crows, the people get up.
Cuando se enojan las comadres, se dicen las verdades.	When the old women get angry, they speak truths.
De los parientes y del sol. lo más lejos, mejor.	From relatives and the sun, the farther away the better.

xPart 6

De sabio, poeta, y loco, todos tenemos un poco.	Of the wise man, poet, and crazy, we all have a little.
De noche, todos los gatos son pardos.	At night, all cats are gray.
No me quieras dar gato por liebre.	Don’t try to give me a cat for a rabbit.
Del amor al odio sólo hay un paso.	From love to hate, there’s only one step.
De tal palo, tal astilla.	A chip off the old block.
Del árbol caído, todos hacen leña.	Everybody gets firewood from a fallen tree. (Everybody takes advantage when you’re down.)
Del dicho al hecho, hay mucho trecho.	From the word to the deed, there’s a long trip.
Del plato a la boca se cae la sopa.	There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip.
Despacio voy, porque de prisa estoy.	Make haste slowly.
Día martes, ni te cases ni te embarques	On Tuesday, don’t get married or start a trip.

xPart 7

Díme con quien andas, y te diré quien eres.	Tell me who you hang out with, and I’ll tell you who you are.
Dinero sin caridad, es pobreza de verdad.	[To have] money without charity is real poverty.
Dios aprieta, pero no ahorca.	God squeezes, but he doesn’t choke.
Dios los cría y ellos se juntan.	God creates them, and they join themselves.
Donde gobierna capitán, no manda marinero.	Where a captain commands, a sailor doesn’t give orders.
Donde hay amor, no hay temor.	Where there’s love, there’s no fear.
Donde hay gana, no hay maña.	Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
El amor de lejos es pa’ los pendejos.	Long distance love is for fools.
El bicho malo nunca se muere.	The bad bug never dies. (The bad penny always comes back)
El consejo de la mujer es poco, y el que no lo toma es loco.	A woman gives little advice, and he who doesn’t take it is crazy.

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