Besides being one of the five basic elements, water (el agua) is the source of several interesting idioms in Spanish. Let’s check them out!
Agua pasada no mueve molino. – It’s no use crying over spilled milk.
Del agua mansa líbreme Dios, que de la brava me libro yo. - Still waters run deep.
estar más claro que el agua - to be crystal-clear
echar agua en el mar – to carry coals to Newcastle, to take something to a place where there is plenty of it already, (lit.) to throw water in the sea.
coger agua en cesto – to waste one’s time, to labor in vain, (lit.) to pick water in a basket
estar con el agua al cuello – to be up to one’s neck in debt or in problems, (lit.) to have water up to one’s neck
tener a alguien con el agua al cuello – to have someone over a barrel, to put someone in a situation in which they are forced to accept or do what you want
hacérsele a alguien la boca agua – to make someone’s mouth water
venir como agua de mayo – to come at just the right time, to be a godsend
bailar el agua a alguien – to flirt with someone
llevar el agua a su molino – to carry grist to one’s own mill, to turn things to one’s advantage
sacar agua de las piedras/ de un palo seco – to get blood out of a stone, to perform a very difficult task
ser agua pasada - to be water under the bridge, to be a thing of the past
Ha corrido/pasado mucha agua bajo el puente. – a long time has passed
Nunca digas de este agua no beberé. – Never say never
sin decir agua va – out of the blue, without warning.
las aguas vuelven a su cauce – things are settling down, things return to normal
estar entre dos aguas - to sit on the fence, to be undecided
ahogarse en un vaso de agua – to start a tempest in a teapot, to get worked up about nothing
Nos vemos prontito!
5 Comments
This is so wonderful to read. I have so many say’s that mom used and the
translation of those can be tricky or the message might be lost.
Thank you for sharing these. I hope to see some more.
Olga
Olga, thanks for writing.
We try our best to bring new and fresh (and not boring!) information about the Spanish language with our posts.
Idioms and fixed expressions can be lost at translation sometimes and the best thing is to know ehre they come from.
Come back and visit us more often!
‘venir como agua de mayo’ is presumably a South American usage, yes? – symbolising the end of a hot dry summer. Is there any European Spanish equivalvent?
“Venir como agua de mayo” is an expression from Spain, actually. We use it very frequently, and it’s related to our weather. April is a rainy month in Spain, followed by a long dry summer in most parts. Crops that receive rainfall during May will have a better chance to make it through the summer. That’s why rain is most welcome in May.
Thank you, David! Such a quick reply and informative too!