10 Spanish Sayings with No English Equivalents

Más vale ser cabeza de ratón que cola de león.

English translation: Better to be a mouse's head than a lion's tail. (Or how about neither?) Meaning: It's better to be the king/queen of a more modest crew than to hang by a thread with the big dogs.

Ojo que no ve, corazón que no siente.

English translation: Eye that doesn't see, heart that doesn't feel. (Pretty colorful, right?) Meaning: What you don't know can't hurt you.

En boca cerrada no entran moscas.

English translation: Flies don't enter a closed mouth. (True that.) Meaning: Sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut.

A falta de pan, buenas son tortas.

English translation: If there's no bread, cakes will do. (...And why is this a problem?) Meaning: Make do with what you have. Beggars can't be choosers.

A mal tiempo, buena cara.

English translation: In bad times, put on a good face. (Hold on for a sec, let me put on my makeup.) Meaning: To face obstacles with your head held high.

A lo hecho, pecho.

English translation: In the face of deeds done, present a full chest. (Who says that?!) Meaning: What's done is done, and you're going to face the consequences whether you like it or not.

Zapatero a tus zapatos.

English translation: Shoemaker, to your shoes. (Well, that is the shoemaker's job...) Meaning: Stick to talking about things you know.

Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres.

English translation: Tell me who you hang out with and I'll tell you who you are. (A bit straightforward, don't ya think?) Meaning: Your friends say a lot about who you are.

Moro viejo nunca será buen cristiano.

English translation: The old Moor will never be a good Christian. (Isn't that why he/she is a Moor?) Meaning: You can't change someone.

Gato con guantes no caza ratones.

English translation: A cat with gloves can't catch mice. (Don't think too much about the logistics of this one.) Meaning: Be prepared to get your hands dirty to do the job right.