Idioms play a bigger part than we probably realize in the way we speak and relate to other people. So what is an idiom? Well, according to Webster’s dictionary, an idiom is ‘an expression that can’t be understood from the meanings of its separate words but that has a separate meaning of its own.’

It’s through idioms that cultures give metaphors to, or define the life around it. It’s the roots of idioms that reflect the general mindset of the society in that region. They make little or no sense at all when they’re broken down word-for-word, or taken out of context.

Idioms: A Challenge for Translators

And of course it’s idioms that are one of the most challenging part of a translator’s job. Obviously, it’s the job of the translator to ensure that the meaning of an expression in the translated language will have the same feeling for the reader in the source language. You would know exactly what we meant if we said to you: ‘It’s a blessing in disguise’ but it’s when you take expressions like this outside your country, that the person you’re speaking to probably won’t have a clue what you’re talking about.

Some Examples of English Idioms

Below we’ve listed just a few common English idioms, complete with their equivalents in Spanish. Notice that some still have some of the same ideas while there’s a huge difference in other phrases.

English: ‘Knock on wood’ has the Spanish equivalent of Toque madera. The literal translation in English is: touch wood.

English: ‘It’s a blessing in disguise’ has the Spanish equivalent of No hay mal que por bien no venga. The literal translation in English is: it’s good that it didn’t come - or -  no evil deed comes without any benefit.

English: ‘A hard pill to swallow’ has the Spanish equivalent of Un trago muy amargo. The literal translation in English is: a very bitter sip.

English: ‘The straw that broke the camel’s back’ has the Spanish equivalent of La gota que desborda el vaso. The literal translation in English is: the drop that makes the cup overflow.

English: ‘All over the map’ has the Spanish equivalent of Sin rumbo y sin sentido. The literal translation in English is: Aimlessly and without direction.

English: ‘To let the cat out of the bag’ translates in Spanish to Levantar la liebre. The literal translation in English is: Lift the hare.

English: ‘Two heads are better than one’ has the Spanish equivalent of Cuatro ojos ven más que dos. The literal translation in English is: Four eyes see more than two.

English: ‘When it rains, it pours’ has the Spanish equivalent of llueve sobre mojado. The literal translation in English is: It rains over what’s already soaking wet.

English: ‘It’s a piece of cake’ has the Spanish equivalent of Es pan comido. The literal translation in English is: It’s an eaten piece of bread.

English: ‘To bite off more than you can chew’ has the Spanish equivalent of Meterse en camisa de once varas. The literal translation in English is: To wear a shirt of 11 varas (each vara is approximately 1/3 of an inch).

English: ‘To turn a blind eye’ is has the Spanish equivalent of Hacer la vista gorda. The literal translation in English is: to make the view fat.