Mexican quotes, sayings and proverbs (dichos ) convey the vibrant tradition of this beautiful nation alive.
In addition they give us an effective way to taste our personal Spanish language follow.
How we speak about necessary issues like relationships, cash and meals informs our understanding of who we’re as a tradition.
Let’s acquire some perception into Mexican tradition (and follow our Spanish!) by trying out 24+ frequent sayings from Mexico.
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Mexican Sayings About Life
1. En boca cerrada no entran moscas
Literal meaning: No flies enter a closed mouth.
If I had a dollar for every time my Abuela (Grandma) said this to me and my cousins, I’d be rich!
It basically means to keep quiet, mind your own business or don’t comment on something that you know nothing about.
2. Al mal tiempo, buena cara
Literal meaning: To bad times, a happy face.
The power of positive thinking crosses cultures. This is a saying that reminds us to be positive even through the hard times.
3. Zapatero, a tus zapatos
Literal meaning: Shoemaker, to your shoes.
This is a nice way of telling someone to mind their own business, similar to “tend to your own knitting” in English.
4. Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo
Literal meaning: The devil knows more because he is old rather than because he is a devil.
In other words, wisdom comes with age.
This one’s really popular, which can tell you heaps about the way the culture sees its elderly. If you happen to spend any time in Mexico, you’re positive to listen to it!
5. El que busca encuentra
Literal meaning: If you search you will find.
Look for what you want out of life and you’re sure to find it! The key is to actively go out there and do something, rather than sit around waiting for something nice to happen to you.
Mexican Provebs About Relationships
6. A falta de amor, unos tacos al pastor
Literal meaning: In the absence of love, some tacos al pastor.
Tacos al pastor originate in Mexico and feature pork that’s been marinated in pineapple, peppers and spices, usually with bits of pineapple included in the mix. Yum!
So if your love life isn’t going too well, or you’re feeling lonely, don’t waste too much time worrying about it. Have a taco, instead!
7. Cuentas claras, amistades largas
Literal meaning: Clear accounts, long friendships.
Similar to our saying “Short reckonings make long friendships,” this proverb serves as a reminder to settle your accounts as soon as possible!
If you ever borrow something or owe money to someone, you should return or pay it back in a timely manner to ensure your relationship continues smoothly.
8. El que con lobos anda, a aullar se enseña
Literal meaning: He who runs with wolves will learn to howl.
You’re influenced by the company you keep.
And yes, this is a proverb that many of us hear a lot from parents and grandparents during those teenage years!
It’s not confined to Mexico: Other Spanish-speaking countries use this proverb, too.
9. Desgracia compartida, menos sentida
Literal meaning: Shared misfortune is less felt.
In English, we say “a burden shared is a burden halved.” Both expressions reflect the human need for companionship and emotional support.
The Mexican expression also embodies the cultural value of community spirit. In other words, when times are tough, everyone is in it together.
10. Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr
Literal meaning: Water you don’t have to drink, let it run.
Generally, this expression means to mind your own business. It is also apt advice against making a commitment you can’t keep or stringing someone along. If you’re not serious, let them go.
Mexican Quotes About Food
11. A darle, que es mole de olla
Literal meaning: Hit it, ’cause it’s mole de olla
This is such a great cultural tidbit. It means that you need to have enthusiasm for whatever task is before you.
Mole de olla is a conventional Mexican soup. It’s nourishing and attractive and is a staple for a lot of households. Briefly, mole de olla is extensively eaten and well-loved!
It’s thought of to be a advantageous addition to at least one’s life, so when one thing’s in comparison with the soup, it should be one thing price doing.
This soup doesn’t simply pull itself collectively; it’s not a recipe for novices. So to many, this proverb signifies {that a} activity could be prolonged or tough however it’s nonetheless one thing price doing.
12. Estoy pariendo chayotes
Literal meaning: I’m birthing chayotes.
A chayote is a sort of gourd that’s present in Mexico and different components of Central and South America. It’s bumpy and exhausting, one thing that’s positively extra nice to eat than give delivery to.
This saying signifies that, like giving delivery to a spiky pear-shaped pumpkin, you’re going via a tough or disagreeable time.
13. A falta de pan, tortillas
Literal meaning: Lack of bread, tortillas.
If you don’t have bread, use tortillas. Although honestly, this has little to do with either bread or tortillas!
It’s all about making do with what’s on hand. Use what you have and it’ll work out!
14. A la mejor cocinera se le queman los frijoles
Literal meaning: Even the best cook burns her beans.
This proverb is used to remind people that even someone who’s an expert at something can mess it up on occasion. Basically, we all make mistakes!
15. Barriga llena, corazón contento
Literal meaning: Full belly, happy heart.
You know that grandparent, aunt or uncle who always insists on feeding you even if you just ate? In Mexico, they’ll probably say this phrase while doing it. Food is love!
Mexican Sayings About Money
16. Con dinero baila el perro
Literal meaning: With money the dog dances.
This is one of those two-sided proverbs. That is, it’s got more than one meaning.
To some, it means that everybody has a price. Pay enough and even a dog will dance.
It also means that if you work hard to get paid, you’ll be happy. You might even be happy enough to dance!
17. Lo barato cuesta caro
Literal meaning: Cheap is expensive.
Invest wisely so you don’t need to replace a cheap item. In other words, buy quality and you won’t need to buy the same product again when it inevitably falls apart.
18. No todo lo que brilla es oro
Literal meaning: Not all that glitters is gold.
If you’re a Tolkien fan, you know a slightly different version of this saying from “The Lord of the Rings.” Both versions warn that appearances may be deceiving, but this one emphasizes that looking sparkly doesn’t mean a thing has real value. It might be fool’s gold instead.
And the inverse is true, too: a humble appearance may disguise a diamond (or an exiled king) in the rough!
19. Honra y dinero se ganan despacio y se pierden ligero
Literal meaning: Honor and money are gained slowly and lost quickly.
This is a straightforward warning that one reckless decision can destroy the work of years, so it’s better to be cautious. Spending money is easier than earning it, so make wise decisions if you want to hold onto your wealth and your reputation.
Mexican Proverbs About Nature
20. Cuando el río suena es que agua lleva
Literal meaning: When the river sounds, water is running.
This one’s similar to the “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire” maxim.
It’s often used to mean that if you want to get to the truth of something, go to the source.
21. Más vale un pájaro en mano, que cien volando
Literal meaning: A bird in hand is worth more than one hundred in flight.
This is similar to the well-known “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” proverb you’ve probably heard in English. In other words, it’s better to do one thing right than many things poorly.
The Mexican twist goes a bit further by replacing bushes with 100 flying birds. That paints a vivid mind picture, doesn’t it?
22. Árbol que nace torcido, jamás su tronco endereza
Literal meaning: A bent tree never has a straight trunk.
I think a lot of us can relate to this one—especially around the New Year.
Can you guess what it might mean? Yep: Árbol que nace torcido, jamás su tronco endereza is the equivalent to “Old habits die hard.”
23. Perro que ladra no muerde
Literal meaning: A dog that barks does not bite.
As you can guess from the literal meaning, our equivalent to this phrase in English is when someone’s “bark is worse than their bite.”
This phrase always reminds me of this hilarious video which completely demonstrates Perro que ladra no muerde.
24. Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente
Literal meaning: The shrimp that falls asleep is swept away by the current.
This saying is much more creative than our English version, “You snooze, you lose.”
I’m not sure about you, but I can picture it clearly (sleeping shrimp and all) in my head!
Common Questions About Mexican Sayings
- What is the Mexican proverb about the house?
A: La casa no se reclina sobre la tierra, sino sobre una mujerThis means “The house does not rest upon the ground, but upon a woman.”
In traditional Mexican culture, the women are responsible for taking care of the household while the men work. This proverb is a reminder that a woman’s work is work, too, and a happy home is impossible without it.
- What is the Mexican proverb about hard work?
A: A quien madruga, Dios lo ayudaThis can be translated as “He who rises early is helped by God.”
Similar to “The early bird catches the worm” in English, this proverb advises that success will come to those who make an effort.
- What is the Mexican proverb for “little by little one goes far”?
A: Poco a poco se anda lejosThis is not necessarily a Mexican proverb, but a general Spanish proverb to show that progress comes with commitment. Keep at it and you’ll go far. (Like your Spanish studies!)
A similar proverb which is indeed Mexican is De poquito en poquito, se llena el jarrito which translates to “little by little, the jug gets filled.”
Like the phrase above, it’s also used to say that something can be accomplished through slow—but steady—progress.
Mexican Slang and Expressions
Mexican sayings and proverbs often make their way into everyday language, especially in the form of slang. Common expressions that might not make sense translated literally bring color to Mexican Spanish.
If you’re at the point in your language learning journey where you want to add some authentic proverbs to your vocab arsenal, you may also want to look into these Mexican slang words and expressions:
You can find even more essential expressions and sayings from Mexico in this YouTube video, in addition to a terrific instrument for tips on how to study the phrases and extra like them:
If you wish to watch how Mexican individuals actually use slang and the sayings we’ve seen on this publish, the FluentU program makes use of genuine movies like film clips and commercials to show Spanish.
The movies have interactive captions and the power to avoid wasting any phrase as a flashcard so you possibly can see what different contexts native audio system use it in. You may also strive trying to find phrases and phrases within the contextual video dictionary to see extra movies the place they seem.
Plus, this system is obtainable as an iOS and Android app, so you possibly can study from wherever.
How Mexican Sayings Assist Your Spanish
It’s usually accepted that one of the simplest ways to study language is thru immersion: simply go someplace, examine the language and take in the tradition.
In idea, that’s a brilliant thought, however in actuality, it’s not potential for everybody to move out on an immersive trip.
An alternative is bringing language and culture to the learner. That means a solid language course and exposure to some first-rate cultural points.
How do proverbs fit into this? They’re nuggets of wisdom that are indicative of a culture. So learning about people, how they live and what they think through the proverbs they use is an excellent way to gain cultural insight.
Additionally, Mexican proverbs provide lots of vocabulary to help build strong language skills.
Keep a dicho journal to add to your reading and writing practice. It’s a fun way to add proverbs to your Spanish program.
If you’re planning to dive a cenote on the Yucatan Peninsula, attend Mexican cooking school or simply wander the incredible ruins on this history-rich nation, you’ll need to get a few of these proverbs below your belt.
Proverbs enable you perceive the tradition and make it simpler to suit into new conditions. They’re a language learner’s dream as a result of they train greater than phrases—they train customs and beliefs!
Good luck!
