Funny, Odd Phrases

Question 1

Comiendo moscas

Tu estas comiendo moscas.

Answer 1

“Eating flies”. Flies are popular in Spanish idioms for some reason. You use this phrase when the person talking to you is quite long-winded. It can be said about anyone who goes on tangents, or someone who can’t stay on point.

You are talking in circles/going on a tangent.

Question 2

Buena onda

Answer 2

Buena onda – “Good wave”. This means good vibes. You can also use it to describe someone who has a positive outlook and attitude.

Question 3

Me pica el bagre.

Answer 3

Me pica el bagre – “The catfish is biting me”. The catfish being your stomach, and the biting being the painful ache of hunger. In other words, “I’m starved!”

Question 4

Hablando del rey de Roma

Answer 4

Hablando del rey de Roma – “Speaking of the king of Rome”. It has the same meaning as “speak of the devil” in English. You say this whenever you were just talking about someone, and then they appear.

Question 5

Mala leche

Answer 5

Mala leche – “Bad milk”. You can say this about someone who has bad intentions.

Question 6

Tirar la casa por la ventana

Answer 6

Tirar la casa por la ventana – “Throw the house out the window”. Or as you would hear Donna from Parks & Rec say, “Treat yo’ self”. It means to splurge, spend a lot of money, or otherwise go all out for a special occasion.

Question 7

Se puso hasta las chanclas

Answer 7

Se puso hasta las chanclas – “Puts on his flip-flops”. It’s like the saying “He/She put on his/her beer goggles.” He or she got hammered, too drunk, trashed.

Question 8

Meter la pata

Answer 8

Meter la pata – “To put a paw it in.” It means “to screw up”, and it’s used like how we say in English, “to put your foot in your mouth”.

Question 9

Ponte las pilas

Answer 9

Ponte las pilas – “Put in your batteries”. It’s like telling someone to “look alive”, “snap out of it”, or “wake up”. You say it to a person who’s daydreaming.