The Spanish language is full of idiomatic expressions, and many of them involve food. One such ingredient is ajo (garlic), which appears in numerous phrases with meanings far beyond cooking. Here are five Spanish idioms with ajo and how they are used in context. Understanding Spanish idioms with ajo can help you sound more natural in conversation.

Spanish Idioms with Ajo

If you want to improve your fluency, learning Spanish idioms with ajo is a great way to understand native speakers better. Whether you’re practicing for daily conversation or expanding your vocabulary, knowing Spanish idioms with ajo will help you sound more natural.

Estar en el ajo (to be in the know)

This phrase means that someone is involved in a situation or has insider knowledge about something.

Solo los que están en el ajo entenderán lo que está pasando en esta reunión.

Only those who are in the know will understand what is happening in this meeting.

Aunque nadie lo sabe, Marta está en el ajo y conoce todos los detalles del proyecto.

Although no one knows, Marta is in the know and is aware of all the details of the project.

Ir al ajo (to get to the point)

This expression is used to urge someone to focus on the main topic without distractions.

Si queremos terminar rápido esta discusión, lo mejor es ir al ajo y no perder tiempo.

If we want to finish this discussion quickly, it’s best to get to the point and not waste time.

Ya hemos hablado de cosas sin importancia, así que vamos al ajo con el problema real.

We’ve talked about unimportant things, so let’s get to the point with the real problem.

Ajo y agua (suck it up, deal with it)

A shortened version of Ajo, agua y resina. This phrase originated as a euphemistic way to avoid saying A jodearse, aguantarse y resignarse. It is used when someone has no choice but to accept an unpleasant or unfavorable situation.

Ajoderse is a rude word meaning to put up with something unpleasant. Aguantarse means to endure or tolerate something without complaining, while resignarse refers to accepting an undesirable situation without resistance. Together, they reinforce the idea of having to put up with something unpleasant without being able to change it.

No te gustó la decisión del jefe, pero no puedes hacer nada, así que ajo y agua.

You didn’t like the boss’s decision, but you can’t do anything about it, so suck it up.

No hay entradas para el concierto y ya no podemos hacer nada, así que ajo y agua.

There are no tickets for the concert, and we can’t do anything about it, so deal with it.

Como el ajo (to be unbearable)

This phrase describes someone who is annoying, unpleasant, or difficult to tolerate.

Esta película tiene escenas tan repetitivas que al final se hace como el ajo.

This movie has such repetitive scenes that in the end, it becomes unbearable.

Tu vecino es simpático, pero cuando empieza a hablar de política es como el ajo.

Your neighbor is nice, but when he starts talking about politics, he is unbearable.

Meterse en todos los ajos (to get involved in everything)

This phrase refers to a person who always wants to participate in any matter, whether relevant to them or not.

Si sigues metiéndote en todos los ajos, algún día te meterás en problemas serios.

If you keep getting involved in everything, one day you’ll get into serious trouble.

Luis no puede evitarlo, siempre se mete en todos los ajos aunque nadie le pida ayuda.

Luis can’t help it, he always gets involved in everything even if no one asks for his help.

Exercises

These Spanish idioms with ajo showcase how this word can be used in various metaphorical ways. Now let’s do some exercises. In our blog, you can also learn more idioms with food (agua, fruta, leche, pan…).

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

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Idioms and Phrases