Traditional proverbs of Spain in es and English — each with its meaning and source.
A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.
“He who rises early, God helps.”
Diligence and getting an early start bring reward and good fortune.
Source: Traditional Spain proverb, public-domain oral tradition
En boca cerrada no entran moscas.
“Flies do not enter a closed mouth.”
Keeping quiet keeps you out of trouble; silence avoids mistakes.
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.
“A bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying.”
A certain small gain is better than a large uncertain one.
No hay mal que por bien no venga.
“There is no evil that does not come for a good reason.”
Even misfortunes can lead to something good; every cloud has a silver lining.
Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos.
“Raise crows and they will peck out your eyes.”
Those you nurture and favor may one day turn against you with ingratitude.
Perro ladrador, poco mordedor.
“A barking dog seldom bites.”
People who make the loudest threats are often the least likely to act on them.
A caballo regalado no le mires el diente.
“Do not look at the teeth of a gift horse.”
Accept a gift graciously without criticizing its quality or value.
Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres.
“Tell me who you walk with, and I will tell you who you are.”
You are judged and shaped by the company you keep.
Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta.
“He who grasps too much holds little tightly.”
Taking on too many things at once means none of them is done well.
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.
“Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel.”
What you are unaware of cannot hurt or grieve you; out of sight, out of mind.
No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano.
“However early you rise, dawn will not come any sooner.”
Some things follow their own natural pace no matter how much you rush.
Más vale prevenir que curar.
“It is better to prevent than to cure.”
Taking precautions beforehand is wiser than fixing damage afterward.
En casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo.
“In the blacksmith's house, a wooden knife.”
Experts often neglect to apply their own skills to their own household.
No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír.
“There is no one deafer than the one who does not want to hear.”
Willful ignorance is more stubborn than any real limitation.
Al mal tiempo, buena cara.
“In bad weather, put on a good face.”
Face hardship with a positive attitude rather than complaint.
Más vale tarde que nunca.
“Better late than never.”
Completing something after a delay is still preferable to never doing it.
El que a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija.
“He who leans against a good tree is sheltered by good shade.”
Keeping close to good, capable people brings you protection and benefit.
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho.
“From saying to doing there is a long stretch.”
It is far easier to promise something than to actually carry it out.
No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy.
“Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.”
Act promptly rather than postponing tasks that can be finished now.
Más vale solo que mal acompañado.
“Better alone than in bad company.”
Solitude is preferable to being surrounded by harmful or dishonest people.
Zapatero, a tus zapatos.
“Shoemaker, stick to your shoes.”
Focus on the trade or matter you actually know, not on things outside your expertise.
Quien mal anda, mal acaba.
“He who walks a bad path ends badly.”
A life built on wrongdoing eventually leads to a bad outcome.
A palabras necias, oídos sordos.
“To foolish words, deaf ears.”
The wisest response to foolish insults or gossip is to simply ignore them.
Cada oveja con su pareja.
“Each sheep with its own pair.”
People naturally pair off with others who are similar to themselves.
No todo lo que brilla es oro.
“Not all that shines is gold.”
Appearances can be deceptive; something attractive is not always genuinely valuable.
A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan.
“To a good listener, few words are enough.”
A perceptive person understands a message without needing lengthy explanation.
Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
“The shrimp that falls asleep is swept away by the current.”
Losing focus or vigilance leaves you vulnerable to being overtaken by events.
El que a hierro mata, a hierro muere.
“He who kills by the blade dies by the blade.”
Those who live by violence or harm often meet the same fate themselves.
Más vale maña que fuerza.
“Skill is worth more than strength.”
Cleverness and technique often accomplish more than brute force.
No hay mal que cien años dure.
“There is no bad thing that lasts a hundred years.”
Even the hardest of times eventually comes to an end.
Quien tiene boca se equivoca.
“He who has a mouth makes mistakes.”
Everyone who speaks will misspeak sometimes; errors are simply human.
A lo hecho, pecho.
“What is done, face with your chest.”
Once something has happened, accept it bravely and deal with the consequences.
Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr.
“Water you are not going to drink, let it flow.”
Do not interfere in matters that do not concern or benefit you.
Quien espera, desespera.
“He who waits, despairs.”
Long waiting tends to wear down patience and hope.
Genio y figura hasta la sepultura.
“Character and appearance stay the same until the grave.”
A person's fundamental nature and manner rarely change over a lifetime.
Hombre precavido vale por dos.
“A forewarned man is worth two.”
Someone who prepares in advance has a real advantage over others.
La ropa sucia se lava en casa.
“Dirty laundry is washed at home.”
Private or family problems should be resolved privately, not aired in public.
Nadie diga: de esta agua no beberé.
“Let no one say, "I will never drink this water."”
Never assume you are above a certain hardship or choice; circumstances can change.
No hay atajo sin trabajo.
“There is no shortcut without effort.”
Every real shortcut still demands some genuine effort to reach it.
Piensa mal y acertarás.
“Think the worst and you will often be right.”
A cynical, cautious assumption about people's motives is frequently proven correct.
Quien bien te quiere te hará llorar.
“He who truly loves you will make you cry.”
Genuine love sometimes means honest correction, even when it is painful to hear.
Quien no llora, no mama.
“He who does not cry, does not nurse.”
Those who do not speak up for what they need often go without it.
Cuando el río suena, agua lleva.
“When the river makes noise, it is carrying water.”
Persistent rumors or signs usually point to some underlying truth.
El hábito no hace al monje.
“The habit does not make the monk.”
Outward appearance alone does not determine a person's true nature or role.
La avaricia rompe el saco.
“Greed breaks the sack.”
Trying to grab too much out of greed usually ends in losing it all.
Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
“The devil knows more from being old than from being the devil.”
Long experience teaches more wisdom than natural cunning alone.
No hay rosa sin espinas.
“There is no rose without thorns.”
Anything beautiful or worthwhile usually comes with some difficulty attached.
Cría fama y échate a dormir.
“Build a reputation and go to sleep.”
Once a reputation, good or bad, takes hold, it tends to persist on its own.
Antes que te cases, mira lo que haces.
“Before you marry, look carefully at what you are doing.”
Major life decisions deserve careful thought before committing to them.
De tal palo, tal astilla.
“From such a stick, such a splinter.”
Children tend to resemble their parents in character and behavior.
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