11 Spanish Proverbs That Make No Sense In English

When trying to speak in a different language, most of us will have experienced a literal translation gone completely wrong. Here, we’ve compiled some of our favorite Spanish proverbs which, when translated into English, literally make no sense! See if you can guess the English equivalents to these gems.

‘Gato escaldado del agua fría huye’

‘The scalded cat runs away from cold water’

Closest English equivalent: ‘Once bitten, twice shy’

‘Qué bonito es ver la lluvia y no mojarse’

‘How nice to see the rain and not get wet’

Closest English equivalent: ‘Criticism is easy, art is difficult’

‘Quien quiera peces, que moje el culo’

‘He who wants to catch fish must wet his ass’

Closest English equivalent: ‘You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs’

‘Quien tiene hijos o ovejas, no le faltan quejas’

‘Those who have children and sheep have plenty of complaints’

Closest English equivalent: ‘Children are certain cares but uncertain comforts’

‘Si el rio suena es porque piedras trae’

‘If the river makes noise, it’s because it brings rocks’

Closest English equivalent: ‘There’s no smoke without fire’

‘Cada uno sabe dónde le aprieta el zapato’

‘Everyone knows where their own foot hurts’

Closest English equivalent: ‘Each heart knows its own bitterness’

‘El mundo es un pañuelo’

‘The world is a handkerchief’

Closest English equivalent: ‘It’s a small world’

‘Quien acheja por agujero, ve su duelo’

‘He who looks through the keyhole, sees his duel’

Closest English equivalent: ‘Curiosity killed the cat’

‘Quien no adoba gotera, hace casa entera’

‘If you don’t fix a leak, you build an entire house’

Closest English equivalent: ‘A stitch in time saves nine’

‘Piedra sin agua no aguza en la fragua’

‘Stone without water doesn’t sharpen in the forge’

Closest English equivalent: ‘Out of nothing, comes nothing’

‘De perdidos, al río’

‘From lost, to the river’

Closest English equivalent: ‘In for a penny, in for a pound’

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.