Funny Spanish Phrases: 26 random expressions you’ll hear from native speakers

When you start learning a new language, it’s always good to know phrases that native speakers use. In this post, we’ve gathered 26 funny Spanish phrases that you can start using right away.

Whether something is “funny” is a little subjective. Some of the phrases we’ve included may sound odd when translated to English, but they still sound funny in both languages!

You’ll see what we mean soon enough. Now let’s dive in!

1. No saber ni papa de algo

Literal translation: Not knowing a potato about something

When you have zero knowledge about something, or you’re unable to remember something, this phrase can come in handy.

In other words, it’s the equivalent of saying you “don’t have a clue about something” in English.

• I can’t answer that question because I don’t have a clue about politics – No puedo contestar esa pregunta porque no sé ni papa de política

2. Tirar / Botar la casa por la ventana

Literal translation: To throw the house out of the window

Let’s say you organize a huge party or celebration, and you’re open to splurging a ridiculous sum of money on it. “Throwing the house out of the window” in Spanish is equivalent to “sparing no expense” in English. Whether you “throw” using “tirar” or “botar” is up to you.

• The neighbors will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary, so they’ve decided to spare no expense for it. – Los vecinos celebrarán su décimo aniversario, así que han decidido botar la casa por la ventana.

3. Ponerse las pilas

Literal translation: To put the batteries in

If a native Spanish speaker tells you “¡ponte las pilas!,” you probably appear absent-minded or not focused enough.

Telling you to “put in the batteries!” is similar to telling somebody “wake up!” or “get a move on!” in English. This is used as a command using the Spanish imperative tense.

• Finish your homework. Come on, put some energy in it, Laura! – Termina tu tarea. Dale, ¡ponte las pilas, Laura!

4. Hablando del Rey de Roma…

Literal translation: Speaking of the King of Rome…

This is the equivalent of the English phrase, “speak of the devil.” This funny Spanish phrase is used when you are talking or gossiping about someone else, and that person shows up out of nowhere at that exact moment.

• Lisa said she would be here at noon… [Lisa shows up out at the exact moment you’re saying this to your friend.] Oh look, speak of the devil, here she comes! – Lisa dijo que llegaría al mediodía [Lisa llega en el momento exacto cuando le estás diciendo eso a tu amigo.] ¡Mira! Hablando del Rey de Roma, ¡allí viene!

5. Ser pan comido

Literal translation: To be eaten bread

We use this fun Spanish phrase to refer to something that’s simple to do or accomplish. It’s just like saying that something “is a piece of cake” in English.

• The Spanish test about subjunctive will be a piece of cake. – El exámen de español sobre el subjuntivo será pan comido.

6. Hacer su agosto

Literal translation: To make your August

You know when someone makes a lot of money in a short time, so much that they could stop working for the rest of the month since they’ve already earned enough? In Spanish we say that they “made their August.” This expression is used to say that somebody made a fortune by doing something very successfully, similar to English expressions like “they made bank” or “they hit the jackpot.”

• The street vendors made a bomb by selling those t-shirts. – Los buhoneros hicieron su agosto vendiendo esas franelas.

7. Tomar el pelo

Literal translation: To take someone else’s hair

If we say someone is “taking your hair” in Spanish, it’s just like in English when you say they’re “pulling your leg.” It’s used when a person is teasing somebody or lying in a playful way.

• Miguel didn’t win the lottery, he was pulling your leg. He’s completely broke. – Miguel no se ganó la lotería, él estaba tomándote el pelo. No tiene ni un centavo.

8. Estar vivito y coleando

Literal translation: To be alive and kicking

This Spanish phrase is just like its equivalent in English, used to say that someone is “alive and well.” It’s often used with estar, but we can also use other verbs to say that someone is “alive and kicking.”

• Manuel was close to death in that crash. Fortunately, he is alive and well. – Manuel estuvo a punto de morir en ese choque. Afortunadamente, se encuentra vivito y coleando.

9. Irse por las ramas

Literal translation: To go through the branches

This colorful and weird phrase is used when talking about a topic, but the main points are intentionally omitted or delayed. Even if the situation is difficult or unpleasant, the listener can probably tell that you’re skirting around the real issues. “Going through the branches” in Spanish is similar to “beating around the bush” in English.

• They never talk about their problems at school, they’re always beating around the bush. – Ellos nunca hablan de sus problemas en la escuela, siempre se van por las ramas.

10. Creerse la última Coca-Cola del desierto

Literal translation: To think of oneself as the last Coca-Cola in the desert

You’ve got to love this one! It’s definitely a favorite funny Spanish phrase.

If someone “thinks they’re the last cold Coke in the desert,” they’re clearly over-the-top arrogant. In English, you might say that they “have their head stuck up their ass.” It’s a suitable phrase to describe somebody who is full of their own self-importance. It uses the reflexive form of the verb creer, which means “to believe” or “to think,” so “creerse” means “to think of oneself.”

• She is so bossy and cocky, she thinks she’s the shit. – Ella es tan mandona y arrogante, se cree la ultima Coca-Cola del desierto.

11. Feliz como una lombriz

Literal translation: Happy as a worm

While it sounds a bit odd, it’s easy to remember because it’s fun to say! The main reason this phrase exists is that “una lombriz,” which is “a worm,” rhymes with “feliz,” which is the Spanish adjective meaning “happy.”

Describing someone as being “feliz como una lombriz” expresses that they have real happiness about something. Similar English expressions include being “over the moon,” “happy as a clam,” or “on cloud nine.”

• My sister was as happy as a clam when she bought her new flat. – Mi hermana estaba feliz como una lombriz cuando compró su nuevo apartamento.

12. Aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda

Literal translation: Although the monkey is dressed in silk, it remains a monkey

Here’s another of our favorite funny Spanish phrases! Native speakers use this one to refer to someone who’s trying to make something or someone look appealing or attractive, but it’s clearly not working.

No matter how much you try “to dress a monkey in silk, it’s still a monkey!” This expression is along the same lines as being “all show and no go” or using “too much icing, not enough cake,” suggesting that the person is trying too hard on style without real attention to substance.

• They wore those hideous purple dresses and too much makeup. I suppose they don’t know that they’re all show and no go. – Ellas vestían unos espantosos vestidos morados y demasiado maquillaje. Supongo que no saben que aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda.

13. Meter la pata

Literal translation: To put in the paw

This is a random Spanish expression. If you admit to someone that you “got your paws in” something, it’s basically a way to say “I messed up” or “I fucked up.”

• I’m really sorry for spoiling the ending of the movie, I messed up! – Lo siento muchísimo por contarte el final de la película, ¡metí la pata!

14. No tener pelos en la lengua

Literal translation: Having no hairs on the tongue

Can you guess the meaning of this funny Spanish expression?

Describing someone as “not having hairs on their tongue” is a way of saying that they’re very honest and direct, almost to a fault. This funny Spanish phrase is used to talk about people who are straightforward and do not try to hide their feelings, similar to saying that somebody “doesn’t mince their words” in English.

• Lucia seems so friendly and kind, plus she’s very direct when talking about her feelings. – Lucía parece tan amigable y atenta, además no tiene pelos en la lengua para expresar sus sentimientos.

15. Ser uña y mugre

Literal translation: To be nail and grime

Even with the translation, you probably don’t have a clue what this one means, right?

Word for word, this phrase means “to be a nail and dirt,” giving an image of dirty fingernails. It’s used to describe two people who are always together. Like describing people as being “joined at the hip” in English, friends who appear as “nail and grime” seem to go everywhere together and talk all the time.

• Gabriel and Manuel haven’t seen each other in ages, but they used to be joined at the hip at school. – Gabriel y Manuel no se han visto en muchísimo tiempo, pero en el colegio solían ser uña y mugre.

16. Echarse al agua

Literal translation: To throw themselves into the water

This funny Spanish expression describes a couple that’s getting married, similar to “tying the knot” in English.

• Cindy and Leonardo are tying the knot next Friday. They are thrilled! – Cindy y Leonardo se echarán al agua el viernes que viene. ¡Están contentísimos!

17. ¡Que pedo!

Literal translation: What fart!

¡Ay, Dios! Believe it or not, this expression isn’t as filthy as it sounds, and shouldn’t be taken literally at all. It’s actually a common Mexican expression meaning “what’s up?,” but depending on the tone, can also mean “what’s the matter?” or “what’s your problem?” In our post on Mexican slang, we show that in addition to “a fart,” “un pedo” can also mean “buzzed” or “drunk,” or also just generally “a problem.”

• What’s up, buddy! Do you fancy going to the party tonight? – ¡Que pedo, guey! ¿Te apuntas al reventón de esta noche?

18. Burro hablando de orejas

Literal translation: A donkey talking about ears

This fun Spanish expression is used when someone criticizes another person for a fault that they have themselves. It’s similar to “the pot calling the kettle black” in English.

• Don’t tell me what to do! Look at you, the pot calling the kettle black, since you used to be like me when you were young. – ¡No me digas que hacer! Qué gracioso, el burro hablando de orejas, y tú solías ser como yo cuando eras joven.

19. Crear fama y echarse a dormir

Literal translation: To create fame and lay oneself down to sleep

Hmmm, you have no idea about this one, right? Fair enough.

Basically, this phrase is a way of saying that once someone gains a certain reputation, it sticks with them and takes a long time to shake off or change. It can be used in both a positive or a negative sense. Another version rather than “crear fama” is “criar fama,” with the former meaning “to create fame” and the latter “to raise fame.”

• Patricia was a good student, well educated, a good person, and a role model for all her classmates. She earned herself a good reputation and was able to sleep with ease. – Patricia era una buena estudiante, bien educada, buena persona y un ejemplo para todos sus compañeros de clase. Ella creó fama y se echó a dormir.

20. Sacar los trapos al sol

Literal translation: To take the rags out in the sun

When your best friend reveals unpleasant or private things in front of other people, he or she “está sacando tus trapos al sol.” Thus, this Spanish expression of “taking your rags out into the sun” is similar to “airing your dirty laundry in public” in English.

• Anna couldn’t take his insults anymore, so she started airing out his dirty laundry in front of his whole family. – Anna no podía aguantar más sus insultos, así que empezó a sacarle los trapos al sol delante de toda su familia.

21. Mejor malo conocido que bueno por conocer

Literal translation: Better the bad you know than the good you’re about to meet

The translation of this funny Spanish expression is a bit clunky. It’s similar to saying “better the devil you know” in English.

This phrase is perfect when you think it’s wiser to deal with something familiar even though you don’t really like it, than to deal with something you don’t know yet, since that could turn out to be worse.

• Mariana and Robert sold their house since they didn’t like the new neighborhood. They decided to move back to the old one. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t! – Mariana y Robert vendieron su casa porque no les gustaba el vecindario nuevo. Decidieron regresar a su antigua casa porque es mejor malo conocido que bueno por conocer.

22. Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente

Literal translation: The shrimp who falls asleep is washed away by the current

This is a funny Spanish phrase with a similar meaning to “you snooze, you lose” in English. In other words, if you don’t pay enough attention and act quickly, you’ll miss your chance and someone else will get there before you.

• She was distracted and missed the chance to meet her favorite singer. As the old saying goes: you snooze, you lose! – Ella estaba distraída y perdió la oportunidad de conocer a su cantante favorita. Como dice el viejo refrán: camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente.

23. Tener mala leche

Literal translation: To have bad milk

In most Spanish speaking countries, the phrase “having bad milk” means “having bad luck.”

We should mention that Chileans also have another meaning for “bad milk,” since they use it to describe a person who is “bad-tempered” or “moody.” That version of the expression is “ser mala leche,” which is “to be bad-tempered,” using ser rather than tener.

Since the common Spanish expression of “tener mala leche” is used to express “having bad luck,” we’ll show this use in our example below.

• After the divorce, Andrés lost his job and all his money. What bad luck the poor guy has! – Después del divorcio, Andrés perdió su trabajo y todo su dinero. ¡Que mala leche tiene el pobre hombre!

24. Estar loco como una cabra

Literal meaning: To be as crazy as a goat

Even if you’re not convinced that goats are crazy, this expression is easy to understand. It’s a simple yet funny Spanish phrase used to describe a person as crazy, stupid, or out of their mind.

• He’s thinking about climbing Mount Everest, but he has no experience. He’s nuts! – Él está pensando en subir El Monte Everest pero no tiene ninguna experiencia, está loco como una cabra.

25. Tirar / Echar los perros a alguien

Literal meaning: To throw the dogs at somebody

“Throwing to dogs at someone” expresses the action of being over-the-top flirtatious, or making a romantic interest in someone very obvious.

• Manuel had flirted with her for ages, but she never liked him. – Manuel le había echado los perros desde hace tiempo, pero a ella nunca le gustó.

26. Dar (la) lata

Literal meaning: To give (the) can

If someone or something is “giving you can” in Spanish, then you’re getting fed up. This random Spanish expression can be used whether they’re boring you, they’re annoying you, or they’re making you angry.

• Jessica’s sister always drones on, saying the same thing over and over again. –  La hermana de Jessica siempre le da lata, diciendo lo mismo una y otra vez.

Conclusion: Funny Spanish phrases

What did you think of these common funny Spanish phrases? Are you “feliz como un lombriz” by now, or “te dimos una lata” with all these random Spanish sentences? We hope you cracked a smile with at least a few of them, and that you’re now inspired with a few more funny things to say in Spanish!

If you want to keep laughing, we’ll leave you with links to a few of our other posts where you’ll find plenty more funny Spanish sayings, jokes, and hilarious translations!

Funny Dad Jokes in Spanish: Learning with Laughter!

Spanish Hyperboles: The biggest exaggerations of all time!

Funny Spanish Jokes: 16 scenarios to make you jajaja!

Movie Titles in Spanish: 10 Funny Translations of Famous Movies

Riddles in Spanish: Solve them if you can!