How Real People Talk
Dictionaries are great, but real people use idioms

Idiom: A buen hambre no hay pan duro. Literal: For good hunger there is no hard bread. English: Anything tastes good when you're hungry. Idiom: A donde fueres haz lo que vieres. Literal: Wherever you go, do what you see. English: When in Rome do as the Romans do. Idiom: A otro perro con ese hueso. Literal: To another dog with that bone. English: You're pulling my leg. Idiom: Ahora que hay modo. Literal: Now that there is a way or mood. English: Make hay while the sun shines. Idiom: Al hierro caliente batir de repente. Literal: Beat the hot iron at once. English: Strike while the iron's hot. Idiom: Antes que te cases mira lo que haces. Literal: Before you marry look what you do. English: Look before you leap. Idiom: Beben agua en el mismo jarrito. Literal: They drink water from the same little jug. English: They're as thick as thieves. Idiom: Cada quien tiene su manera de matar pulgas. Literal: Each has his way to kill fleas. English: There's more than one way to skin a cat. Idiom: Cada perico a su estaca, cada changa a su mecate. Literal: Each parrot on its perch, each monkey on its rope. English: To each his own. Idiom: Caras vemos, corazones no sabemos. Literal: Faces we see, hearts we don't know. English: You can't judge a book by its cover. Idiom: Claro como el agua de Xochimilco Literal: Clear as the water of Xochimilco English: Clear as mud. Idiom: Comer frijoles y repetir pollo Literal: To eat beans and belch chicken English: His bark is mightier than his bite. Idiom: Beben agua en el mismo jarrito. Literal: They drink water from the same little jug. English: They're as thick as thieves. Idiom: Como el burro que tocó la flauta Literal: Like the burro that played the flute English: By a stroke of luck Idiom: Como quitarle un pelo a un gato Literal: Like the shedding of the hair of a cat English: Like a drop in the bucket Idiom: Con estos bueyes hay que arar. Literal: With these burros one must plough. English: One must make do with what one has. Idiom: Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente. Literal: The shrimp that falls asleep, the current carries it away. English: You snooze, you lose. Idiom: De tal palo, tal astilla. Literal: From such a log such chips. English: A chip off the old block Idiom: Dar la suave a uno Literal: To give the smooth to someone English: To polish the apple Idiom: Darle un beso a la botella. Literal: To give the bottle a kiss English: To take a swig Idiom: De la subida más alta es la caída más lastimosa. Literal: Of the highest rise, the shortest fall. English: The bigger they are the harder they fall. Idiom: Desnudar un santo para vestir otro Literal: To stip on saint bare to clothe another English: To rob Peter to pay Paul Idiom: Después de atole Literal: After the atole (corn meal drink) English: Hindsight is better that foresight. Idiom: El agua es para los bueyes, el vino para los hombres. Literal: Water is for oxen, wine is for men. English: Let the fish drink water. Idiom: El campo fértil no descansado, tórnase estéril. Literal: The unrested fertile field turns sterile. English: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Idiom: El perico dice lo que sabe, pero no sabe lo que dice. Literal: The parrot says what he knows , but does'nt know what he says. English: To learn something parrot fashion. Idiom: En caliente y de repente Literal: In heat and suddenly English: Strike while the iron's hot. Idiom: En casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo. Literal: In the blacksmith's house, a wooden knife. English: In the blacksmith's house, a wooden knife. Idiom: En casa del herrero, cuchillo de palo. Literal: In the blacksmith's house, a wooden knife. English: The blacksmith's mare and the shoemaker's children are the worst shod. Idiom: En menos que canta un gallo Literal: In less time than the rooster crows English: In the shake of a lamb's tail Idiom: Entrada de caballo y salida de burro Literal: Enter on horseback, exit on a burro English: To go off with a bang and out like a light Idiom: Es como llevar piedras al cerro. Literal: It's like carrying coles to the hill. English: Like carrying coals to Newcastle Idiom: Eso es harina de otro costal. Literal: That's flour from another sack. English: That's a different story. Idiom: Estar como perro en barrio ajeno Literal: To be like a dog in a neighbor's yard English: To feel like a fish out of water Idiom: El hijo de la gato, ratones mata. Literal: The son of a cat kills mice. English: Like father like son. Idiom: Está pensando en las musarañas. Literal: He or she is thinking about the creepy-crawlies. English: He or she is daydreaming. Idiom: Falta lo mero bueno. Literal: The true good is lacking. English: We are not out of the woods yet. Idiom: Gato escaldado del agua fria huye. Literal: The scalded cat flees cold water. English: Once bitten twice shy Idiom: Hacer lo que otro no puede hacer por uno Literal: To do what no other can do for one English: To go powder one's nose Idiom: Haz bien y no mires a quien. Literal: Do right and do not look at others. English: Mind your own business. Idiom: La carne de burro no es transparente. Literal: The flesh of the burro is not transparent. English: I can't see through you. Idiom: Le patina el coco. Literal: His coconut (head) slips. English: He has a screw loose. Idiom: Más loco que una cabra Literal: Crazier than a goat English: As mad as a hatter Idiom: Más vale llegar a tiempo que en convidado Literal: Better to arrive on time than to be invited English: First come, first served Idiom: Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando. Literal: A bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying. English: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Idiom: Meter la cuchara Literal: To put the spoon in English: To stick one's oar in Idiom: Meterse entre las patas de los caballos Literal: To put oneself amidst the horses feet English: To get out of one's depth Idiom: Mientras que en mi casa estoy, rey soy. Literal: While in my house, I am king. English: A man's house is his castle. Idiom: No hay nada tan atrevido como le ignorancia. Literal: There is nothing more bold than ignorance. English: Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Idiom: Otro gallo nos cantará. Literal: Another (different) rooster will sing for us. English: That's a horse of a different color. Idiom: Por un pelito de rana Literal: By a little hair of the frog English: It was a close shave. Idiom: Prietitos del mismo arroz. Literal: The little black one's of the same rice. English: It's all in a day's work. Idiom: Quedarse como el que chiflóen la loma Literal: To remain like the one who whistled on the hill English: To be left holding the bag Idiom: Quedarse con un pie en el estribo Literal: To remain with a foot in the stirup English: To be left standing Idiom: Saberlo de buena fuente Literal: To know it from a good source English: To hear it straight from the horse's mouth Idiom: Sacarse el gordo Literal: To draw the fat one English: To hit the jackpot Idiom: Ser más listo que un coyote Literal: To be more ready (alert) than a coyote English: As sharp as a tack Idiom: Si esta víbora te pica, no hay remedio en la botica. Literal: If this snake bites you, there's no remedy in the pharmacy. English: You're playing with fire. Idiom: Si mi tia tuviera ruedas, sería una bicicleta. Literal: If my aunt had wheels she would be a bicycle. English: If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Idiom: Tener más lana que un borrego Literal: To have more wool than a lamb English: To have money to burn Idiom: Vivito y coleando Literal: Alive and wagging tail English: Alive and kicking Idiom: Yo pregunto si la manteca es unto. Literal: I asked if the butter is grease. English: I didn't beat around the bush. Idiom: Yo te conozco bacalao, aunque vengas disfrazado. Literal: I know you codfish, even though you wear a disguise. English: I know your game. Idiom: Yo tengo una tía que toca la guitarra. Literal: I have an aunt who plays the guitar. English: What does that have to do with the price of eggs in China?