In English, we have expressions that use colour like “green with envy”, “rose-coloured glasses” and “talk until you are blue in the face”. Although some idioms have similar meanings in both English and Spanish, there are those that will be completely new to you. Read on to learn some new ways to colour your Spanish vocabulary.
Príncipe azul
Prince Charming/ knight in shining armour (lit. Blue prince)
Todavía está esperando encontrar a su príncipe azul.
She’s still waiting to find her Prince Charming.
Tener sangre azul
To have noble/royal blood (lit. To have blue blood)
La hija de William y Kate tiene sangre azul.
The daughter of William and Kate has royal blood.
Pasar la noche en blanco
To have a sleepless night/not sleep a wink (lit. To spend a night in white)
Anoche los vecinos tuvieron una fiesta y pasé la noche en blanco por el ruido.
Last night the neighbours had a party and I didn’t sleep a wink because of the noise.
Comerse el marrón
To take the blame/to own up (lit. to eat the brown)
Ayer tuve que comerme el marrón por todas tus irresponsabilidades.
Yesterday I had to take the blame for all your irresponsibilities.
Ponerse morado
To pig out/stuff one’s face (lit. to become purple)
Nos pusimos morados de pinchos en el Pais Basco.
We pigged out on pinchos in the Basque Country.
Ponerse negro
to get angry (lit. to become black)
Mi novia se puso negro porque llegué tarde a nuestra cita.
My girlfriend got very angry when I arrived late for our date.
Ver negro
To doubt/feel hopeless about (lit. to see black)
Veo negro en que puedo aprobar mi exámen de matemática.
I doubt I will be able to pass my math exam.
En negro
Illegally/”under the table” (lit. in black)
Estoy en este país en negro porque aún no me entregan mi visa.
I’m in this country illegally because they haven’t given me my visa yet.
Poner verde
Criticize or badmouth someone/backstab (lit. to put green)
Ese grupo de amigas solo pone verdes a los demás.
(That group of friends only badmouths others.)
10. Estar verde
To be new at doing something (lit. to be green)
El joven aún está muy verde para ser el director de la empresa.
The young man is very new to be the director of the company.
Media naranja
Soulmate/better half (lit. half orange)
Una de mis metas en la vida es encontrar a mi media naranja.
One of my goals in life is to find my soulmate.
Ver la vida color de rosa
To see the world through rose-coloured glasses/to be (overly) optimistic (lit. to see the world in pink)
Mi novio es un ingenuo, sigue viendo la vida color de rosa.
.My boyfriend is naive, he keeps seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses.
Novela rosa
Romantic novel (lit. pink novel)
Mi abuela lee muchas novelas rosas.
My grandmother reads a lot of romantic novels.
Estar en números rojos
In debt/in the red (lit. to be in red numbers)
La empresa está cerca de la bancarrota, están en números rojos.
The company is close to bankruptcy, they’re in the red.
Ponerse rojo (como un tomate)
to blush/to be embarrassed/to turn beet red (lit. to become red like a tomato)
Cuando mi hermana se cayó en las escaleras se puso roja como un tomate.
When my sister fell on the stairs she turned beet red.
We hope you’ve enjoyed these expressions! Are there any others that you think we missed? Let us know!
Posted in Learn Spanish
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