When learning a language, one of the most difficult and compelling things to learn are expressions. In Spanish we use lots of them, and to help you remember some of them, we’ve prepared a list of some very common ones that are related to body parts! This will definitely help you remember them!
Manos/Hands:
1. Echar una mano
To lend a hand
To help someone. Imagine you see your housemate cleaning and you say: “¿Te echo una mano?”.
2. Ser uña y carne
Two peas in a pod
It literally means “To be nail and flesh”, and it is an expression used to say that two people are very close to each other. In English you’d say “they’re like two peas in a pod”.
3. Sacar las garras
To get one’s claws out
We use this expression when someone adopts an aggressive, threatening attitude. For example: “Él parecía muy tímido pero cuando sacó las garras, la gente se asustó” / He seemed very shy, but when he got his claws out, everyone got scared.
Boca/Mouth:
4. Hacerse la boca agua:
Mouth-watering
This is one of our favorites! It is an expression used when something looks really delicious or that you really want to eat something. For example in a restaurant, when you see your dish coming and you say: “¡Se me hace agua la boca!” It means that you just can’t wait to eat it!
5. Ser un bocazas:
To be a big mouth
Be aware of these kinds of people! They talk, talk, talk, and talk some more and are incapable of keeping a secret. “¡Juan es un bocazas! ¡Le ha contado a todo el mundo mi secreto!” / “Juan is a big mouth! He told everyone my secret!”
6. Tener algo en la punta de la lengua:
To have something on the tip of your tongue
You know those moments in which you know what you want to say but you cannot vocalize it? Well, that is what it is “tener algo en la punta de la lengua” or “to have something on the tip of your tongue”.
Cara/Face:
7. Echar en cara:
To throw something in someone’s face
This is when you disagree with what someone did or said and you make sure to remind them repeatedly about it to make them feel guilty. “Me echó en cara todo lo que le había contado” / “He threw everything I had told him in my face.”
8. Echar una cabezada:
To take a nap
Another way of saying “to take a quick nap or siesta”. “Voy a echar una cabezada y luego sigo trabajando.” / “I’m going to take a quick nap and then I’ll keep working.
9. Tener la cabeza en su sitio:
To have your feet on the ground
It means to have your feet on the ground. “Tomó una buena decisión. ¡Definitivamente ese chico tiene la cabeza en su sitio!” / “He made a good decision. That boy definitely has his feet on the ground!”
Do you know any other expressions related to hands, mouth or face that you would like to share with us? Feel free to comment below!!
In On-Español’s courses we have some great vocabulary activities. Don’t give it a second thought and click here to register for a free demo.
