Water, in its fluid and adaptable nature, is a rich source of metaphors in languages worldwide. Spanish, with its expressions and colorful idioms, is no exception. In this article, we dive into the fascinating world of Spanish idioms with
From conveying situations of extreme difficulty to describing the tantalizing allure of delicious food, these idioms are as varied as they are picturesque. Understanding them not only enriches your Spanish vocabulary but also offers a glimpse into the cultural nuances and everyday expressions that make the Spanish language so unique and expressive.
Spanish Idioms with Agua
English and Spanish set phrases only occasionally directly translate. Most of the time we take their figurative sense into account to translate them. Spanish set phrases won’t always have English equivalents. In this article, we are going to see three popular Spanish idioms with
Cuando el río suena, agua lleva (there’s no smoke without fire)
Dicen que Sara y Bruno están saliendo juntos. No es seguro, pero cuando el río suena, agua lleva.
They said that Sara and Bruno are together. It’s not sure, but there’s no smoke without fire.
En los periódicos dicen que no ha escrito él su último libro, que ha contratado a una persona para esa tarea. No sé si será verdad, pero, cuando el río suena, agua lleva.
The newspapers say that he hasn’t written his last book, but rather hired someone to do it. I don’t know if this is true but, there’s no smoke without fire.
Estar con el agua al cuello (to be in deep water)
Mis vecinos no tienen dinero ni para pagar la luz. Pronto se quedarán sin casa. Están con el agua al cuello y queremos ayudarlos.
My neighbors don’t have enough money to pay the electric bill. Soon they’ll lose their house. They’re in deep water and we want to help them.
Parece que esos hombres falsificaron los documentos porque estaban con el agua al cuello y no podían pagar. Pero ahora se enfrentan a la cárcel.
It seems like those men forged the documents because they were in deep water and they couldn’t pay. However, they are facing prison now.
Hacérsele la boca agua (to make one’s mouth water)
Cada vez que hueles el bocadillo de jamón de aquel bar se te hace la boca agua, ¿a que sí? Mañana te invito a uno por la tarde.
Every time you smell the ham sandwich from that bar, it makes your mouth water, doesn’t it? I’ll treat you to one tomorrow in the afternoon.
El zumo de manzana y cerezas de aquella marca es delicioso. Solo de pensar en él a todo el mundo se le hace la boca agua. ¿Te apetece comprar uno?
The apple and cherry juice from that brand is delicious. Just thinking about it makes everyone’s mouth water. Do you feel like buying one?
Exercises
In our blog, you’ll find many Spanish idioms with different words. Now let’s practice these Spanish idioms with