Spanish Idioms Related to Food
Every language has their own expressions and idioms unique to the culture. Many are the same across languages, some change a few words, and some completely change the expression.
Enjoy this list of 10 popular Spanish idioms with food. Use them to practice your Spanish and gain some insight into the Spanish culture.
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Spanish Vocab – Food
1 – chorizo
2 – pan
3 – pera
4 – carne
5– uva
6– leche
7 – fideo
8 – sopa
9 – pimiento
10 – ostras
Spanish Idioms with Food
| # | Spanish | English (Literal) | English (Translation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ser un chorizo |
To be a chorizo (sausage) | To be a thief |
| 2 | Ser pan comido |
To be eaten bread | Easy as pie |
| 3 | Ser el añol de la pera |
To be the year of the pear | To be out of fashion |
| 4 | Ser carne de cañón | To be meat from the cannon | Fish bate; To be thrown under the bus |
| 5 | Estar de mala uva |
To be bad grapes | To be grumpy, in a bad mood |
| 6 | Tener mala leche |
To have bad milk | To have a bad temper |
| 7 | Estar como un fideo |
To be like a noodle | Thin as a rail |
| 8 | Estar como una sopa |
To be like a soup | To be soaked to the bone |
| 9 | Importar un pimiento |
To matter a pepper | Doesn’t matter / To give a crap |
| 10 | ¡Ostras! |
Oysters! | Holy moley! |
For example:
SER UN CHORIZO
Los políticos son unos chorizos
Politicians are thieves
SER PAN COMIDA
Este ejercicio es pan comido, puedo hacerlo en cinco minutos
This exercise is easy as pie, I can do it in five minutes
SER DEL AÑO DE LA PERA
Ese vestido es del año de la pera. Mi madre lo llevaba cuando era joven
This dress is so out of fashion, my mother wore it when she was young
SER CARNE DE CAÑÓN
Los más inteligentes siempre son carne de cañón. Es fácil echarles la culpa
The most intelligent people are always thrown under the bus. It is easy to throw the blame on them
ESTAR DE MALA UVA
Hoy es mejor no hablar con el jefe, está de mala uva
Today it is better not to talk to the boss, he’s in a bad mood
TENER MALA LECHE
Mi esposa tiene muy mala leche. Ella siempre está gritando
My wife has a bad temper. She is always shouting
ESTAR COMO UN FIDEO
Raquel está como un fideo. Ha estado un mes a dieta
Raquel is like a noodle. She has been on a diet a month
ESTAR COMO UNA SOPA
Ayer llovía muchísimo y llegué a casa como una sopa
Yesterday it rained a lot and I arrived home soaked to the bone
IMPORTA UN PIMIENTO
Me importa un pimiento si vienes o no
It doesn’t matter to me if you come or not
¡OSTRAS!
¡Ostras! ¡Cuánta gente hay aqui!
Holy moly! How many people there are here!
A note about ‘mala leche’ y ‘mala uva’
These two expressions are synonymous and can often be used interchangeably.
But note the difference between whether they are used with ‘estar‘ or ‘tener‘.
ESTAR: When used with ‘estar‘ we speak of a temporary state, as in being in a bad mood.
TENER: When used with ‘tener‘ we speak more to the character of someone, like having a bad temper.
Tener mala leche / Tener mala uva = (tener mal carácter) = to have a bad temper
Estar de mala leche / Estar de mala uva = (estar de mal humor) = to be in a bad mood
Your turn!
Use the idioms in a comment below and we’ll correct any mistakes for you. Or, can you think of other English equivalents for these idioms? Share in the comments.
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Estar como un queso: (literal translation: to be like a cheese) Real tranlation: to be hot (very attractive)
No está el horno para bollos (literal translation: the oven is not for buns) Real translation: it’s not the right moment, bad timing.
Si no quieres estar de mala uva trates de comer a tiempo.