BajaNomad

"Come Santos....." Got any great sayings in Spanish?

Stephanie Jackter - 11-26-2003 at 06:44 PM

I love the Mexican sense of humor (when I understand the subtleties or double entendras of what they say). The other night I was talking with my Pazena house guest, a good Catholic girl, who although brought up very close to the church, has become disillusioned somewhat in her adulthood. We were talking about the need to not only talk the talk but walk the walk of true religious piety when out of the blue she says, we have a saying in Mexico " Come santos, Caca diablos" (Eat the saints and poop the devil), and just about sent me rolling on the floor laughing at such a sardonic and funny saying.

What Mexican sayings do any of you love?

Mike Humfreville

Mike Humfreville - 11-26-2003 at 07:19 PM

Salud, pesetas y amor, y bastante tiempo para gustarlos.

It's Spanish rather than Mexican (based on the "pesetas"), but it is used in Mexico.

Health, wealth and love, and enough time to enjoy them.

Happy Thanksgiving.

jeans - 11-26-2003 at 07:48 PM

En la boca cerrada, no entran moscas.

But nobody here would know anything about that! :lol::lol:

Ken Bondy - 11-26-2003 at 09:55 PM

I've always liked

"No se conoce el bien hasta que ha lo perdido".

I lived in Northeast Brazil for a while, and I remember a very popular saying in Portuguese:

"Voce e meu, e si o boi lambe, eu corta a lingua."

Anybody know that one?

++Ken++

Oso - 11-27-2003 at 11:35 AM

El amor es una cosa esplenderosa
hasta que se entera tu esposa.:biggrin:

Another one from my Pazena friend....

Stephanie Jackter - 11-27-2003 at 11:30 PM

A little sexist. Wasn't gonna post it till I saw your post, Oso......"El hombre es como el perro. Le hablas bonito y lo sobas tantito......."

A little ditty

academicanarchist - 12-8-2003 at 08:16 AM

Pobre Mexico! Tan lejos de Dios y tan cerca a los estados unidos.

Poor Mexico! So far from God, and too close to the United States.

Bajabus - 12-8-2003 at 11:16 AM

da la sopa a la bocca a vez se cava la sopa.

from the soup to your mouth, the soup is sometimes lost.

often used when commenting on govt programs or taxes.

Some refranes and dichos mexicanos

Sofia - 12-29-2003 at 04:17 PM

I?m mexican and I can give you some phrases we use in our day by day language

Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda
(Although the monkey dresses in satin, she stays a monkey)

El muerto y el arrimado al tercer d?a apestan!( The dead and the guest at the third day...stink!)

Amor de lejos...amor de pendejos!
(The love from far away..the love for buttcracks)

No por mucho madrugar amanece mas temprano
(If you rise early it doesn?t mean it will sunrise early)

El buen gallo donde quiera canta
(The good rooster sings anywhere)

Mas sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo
(The devil knows best because he?s old than because he?s evil) The meaning is that age gives you wisdom and experience.

Le llueve sobre mojado
(It?s raining over her/he and its already wet) When things go wrong and keep getting worse

La suerte de la fea la bonita la desea
(The luck of the ugly girl the beautiful girl wishes)

la burra no era arisca, a palos la hicieron
(The donkey wasn?t harsh, the sticks made her that way)

A la tierra que fueres, haz lo que vieres
(To the land you go, do what you see)

En tierra de ciegos, el tuerto es rey
(In the land of the blinds, the one eyed is king)

Matrimonio y mortaja(death) del cielo bajan (Marriage and death fall from heaven)

Nom?s mis chicharrones truenan
(Only my chicharrones(it?s food) crisp) When only your opinion, orders and wishes count, when you want everibody to go your way

Limosnero y con garrote
(Beggar with a stick) When somebody ask a favor but sets conditions)

Despues del ni?o ahogado tapan el pozo
(After the boy drowned they cover the hole) When they fix a problem when it costed a tragedy already

Tanto peca el que mata la vaca, como el que le ata la pata.
(The one who ties the cow leg is a pretty much a sinner as the one who kills her)

El que calla, otorga(The one who keeps silent, concede) This means if you don?t answer means is true or is affirmative.

Ojos que no ven, corazon que no siente (Eyes that don?t see, heart that doesn?t feel)

Qued? como el perro de las dos tortas
(Left like the dog with two tortas(like a sub,food)) When you have two choices,(boyfriends,work) and lose the two of them.
Qued? como novia de pueblo, vestida y alborotada (Left like the town bride: dressed and excited) When someone stand you up.

Ni picha, ni cacha, ni deja batear(neither pitch, neither catch , neither let bat)

Mucho ayuda el que no estorba (Helps a lot the one who doesn?t hind)

Cuerpo de tentaci?n y cara de arrepentimiento (Body of temptation and face of regret) Don?t you know people like that?? lol

Dios los cr?a y ellos se juntan (God makes them and they get together) There are people made for each other:couples,friends etc

Dime con quien andas y te dir? quien eres
(Tell me who you hang out with and I?ll tell you who you are)

Los borrachos y los ni?os siempre dicen la verdad (The drunks and the children always tell the truth)

De los parientes y el sol, entre mas lejos mejor (From the relatives and the sun, the farther the better)

Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho (From the saying and the act theres a lot of distance)

Aqui se rompi? una taza y cada quien para su casa (A cup broke here and everyone goes to their house) when something finishes:party,movie,etc

Perro que ladra no muerde (The dog that barks, doesn?t bite) When someone threats but doesn?t act or do what he threats.

De esas pulgas no brincan en mi petate
(Those fleas don?t jump in my mat) When you know a person never is going to like you because he/she is richer, beautiful, smarter or ..you know what I mean! jaja

Santo que no es visto, no es adorado (Saint that is not seen is not worshiped) My grandmother told me this when I was alone in my house a saturday night,jaja

I know many more, if you want me to translate or you want the meaning of some, just tell me.

I hope you?ll like them




[Edited on 1-2-2004 by Sofia]

[Edited on 1-6-2004 by Sofia]

[Edited on 1-6-2004 by Sofia]

[Edited on 1-6-2004 by Sofia]

Anonymous - 12-29-2003 at 04:50 PM

Please translate.

egl

Apologies To Oso

Nikon - 12-29-2003 at 05:58 PM

El amor es una cosa esplenderosa
hasta que se regresa tu esposa

[Edited on 12-30-2003 by Nikon]

Andale, Sophia !

Stephanie Jackter - 12-29-2003 at 08:11 PM

We need translations to your refranes! I know some of them, but others are totally out of my range. It always helps if you can give the literal translation and then what it actually means. Sometimes the two are quite distinct.- Stephanie

I just realized you did the translations, Sophia! Thanks! - Stephanie

Stephanie Jackter - 1-27-2004 at 07:30 PM

Bob H - 2-20-2004 at 08:39 AM

This from a Mexican/American friend of mine... "quentas claras amistades largas"
(it means clear or paid accounts leads to long relationships)
Bob H

Que te pasa calabaza?

BajaVida - 4-23-2004 at 04:27 PM

Nada, nada limonada

Seda

Big Al - 6-15-2004 at 08:05 AM

Seda is actually silk not satin. I think Satin is Satina or something similar.
Quote:
Originally posted by Sofia


Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda
(Although the monkey dresses in satin, she stays a monkey)

hi !!! mexican girl

Smugla - 8-28-2004 at 08:01 PM

necesitas un gringo para incluirlo en tus refranes ??? yo aqui!!!!:D

Great stuff!

JZ - 8-28-2004 at 09:22 PM

Stuff like this makes this board great.

Explain this one for me.

rogerj1 - 8-28-2004 at 11:20 PM

When I was going to college in Mazatlan, there was one student who could speak Spanish better than anyone else. When we invited him to come over to meet the Mexican family we were staying with he shouted out as he came in the door: "Esta fiesta is una desmadre!", and everyone laughed. We asked him what it meant and he translated as: This party is a disaster. He went on to say that for some reason this always cracked Mexicans up. I don't get it.:?:

elizabeth - 8-29-2004 at 11:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mike Humfreville
Salud, pesetas y amor, y bastante tiempo para gustarlos.

It's Spanish rather than Mexican (based on the "pesetas"), but it is used in Mexico.
Here's a Mexican kind of version:
Salud, dinero y amor...el ultimo es mejor!

Health, wealth and love, and enough time to enjoy them.

Happy Thanksgiving.

elizabeth - 8-29-2004 at 11:06 AM

Sorry, I stuck my version inside your quote!

Here's a Mexican kind of version:
Salud, dinero y amor...el ultimo es mejor!

elizabeth - 8-29-2004 at 04:59 PM

Here are a couple more:

Rezarle solo a su santo...tell your troubles only to someone who can do something about them.

And one made for the forum:
Se calento el horno... literally the oven got hot...but means the discussion is getting heated!!!

Oso - 9-24-2004 at 11:58 PM

gastarlas- to spend them, not gustarlos -to please them.

[Edited on 9-26-2004 by Oso]

Hey DR

Oso - 9-25-2004 at 05:20 PM

You could use gozar- to enjoy, and it would work, I guess. But the original expression is "Salud, amor y pesetas, y tiempo para gastarlas"

[Edited on 9-26-2004 by Oso]