13/6/15

Twenty-Two English Proverbs with their Spanish Equivalents


There was a time, not so long ago, when most proverbs were considered old-fashioned, and were seldom used, but there seems to have been a revival of late, and people like to use them more than before so, in my post today, I leave you  an exercise which will allow you to review twenty-two English proverbs and their nearest Spanish equivalents:

EXERCISE. Complete the following English proverbs and find the nearest Spanish equivalents:

1.- Things happen...

1.- Cuando menos se espera...


2.- He that lives by the sword ...

2.- Quien a hierro mata...


3.- Brain is better ...

3.- Más vale maña ...


4.- A nod is as ...

4.- A buen entendedor...


5.- Hunger is .../ Beggars ...

5.- A buen hambre...


6.-Constant dropping...

6.- La gotera...



7.-Grasp all...

7.- La avaricia ...


8.- Nothing ventured....

8.- Quien no se arriesga ...


9.- Once bitten...

9.- Gato escaldado...


10.-A fool and his money...

10.-Al tonto...

11.- None so deaf as...
11.- No hay peor sordo...


12.- You cannot make a silk purse...

12.- Aunque la mona se vista de seda...


13.- You can see a mote in another`s eye...

13.- Ver la paja en el ojo ajeno...


14.- The pitcher/pot goes so often to the water/well...

14.- Tanto va el cántaro a la fuente...


15.- He who pays the piper...

15.- El que paga...


16.- Desperate ills...

16.- A grandes males...


17.- The master's eye...

17.- El ojo del amo...


18.- We never miss the water...

18.- No nos acordamos de Santa Bárbara ...


19.- There's good fishing ...


19.- A río  revuelto...


20.- You`ve got to be cruel...

20.- Quien bien te quiere...


21.- Many a little...

21.- Poco a poco...


22.- None (who´s) worse shod...

22.- En casa del herrero ...



KEY.-

1.- when you least expect them
1.- salta la liebre


2.- shall die by the sword
2.- a hierro muere

3.- than brawn
3. que fuerza

4.- good as a wink (to a blind horse)
4,- con media palabra basta

5.- the best sauce/can't be choosers
5.- no hay pan duro

6.- wears (away) the stone
6. cava la piedra

7.- lose all
7.- rompe el saco

8.- nothing gained
8- no cruza la mar

9.- twice shy
9.- del agua fría huye

10.- are soon parted
10.- poco su dinero le dura

11.- those who will not hear
11.- que el que no quiere oír

12.- out of a sow's ear
12.- mona se queda

13.- but cannot see a beam in your own
13.- pero no la viga en el propio

14.- that it's broken at last
14.- que termina por romperse

15.- calls the tune
15.- manda

16.- need desperate remedies
16,- grandes remedios

17.- makes the horse fat
17.- engorda el caballo

18.- till the well /water runs dry
18.- hasta que el pozo se seca/cuando truena

19.- in troubled waters
19.- ganancia de pescadores

20.- to be kind
20. te hará llorar

21.- makes a mickle
21.- hila la vieja el copo

22.- than the shoemaker's wife.
22.- cuchillo/cuchara de palo
































































































1 comentarios :

  1. Some of those proverbs are already in my book, and the rest will probably be included in the second edition (which readers of the first edition will get for free).

    By the way, the book seems to be having a good reception among Amazon customers.

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