15 Salvadorian Expressions You Want to Know
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Así es la onda!
Literal translation: This is how is the wave!
Figurative meaning: This is the situation!
Ejemplo: ¡Así es la onda! ¡Me engañó pero es la madre de mis hijos! La perdoné en tiempo...
Example: This is the situation! She cheated on me but she is the mother of my kids! I forgave her in time...
Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
Literal translation: Shrimp that falls asleep, gets carried away by the current.
Figurative meaning: To be slow.
Ejemplo: ¡Por lento te dejo el tren! ¡Ya sabes; camaron que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente!
Example: How slow the train gets there! You know; you snooze, you lose!
Dale para la leche.
Literal translation: Give it for the milk.
Figurative meaning: To give money to someone for shopping.
Ejemplo: Juan, anda comprame dos kilos de cemento y cinco de arena.
Y no me vas a dar pa' la leche?
Example: Juan, go and get me two kilos of cement and five kilos of sand.
But can't you give me money for the milk?
Está chice.
Literal translation: It's baby food.
Figurative meaning: It's very easy, easy-peasy.
Ejemplo: ¡No te preocupes! ¡Puedo manejarlo! ¡Está chice!
Example: Don't worry! I can manage it! It's very easy!
Está yuca.
Literal translation: It's cassava. It's agave.
Figurative meaning: It's very hard, difficult.
Origin: This very frequently used expression indicates difficulty as even after cultivating cassava, it has to be hanged and dried for a long period and finally it has to be peeled with a knife. Cassava is a type of shrub but it is not edible as you pick, after picking it, farmers process it and then it makes its way to flea markets of El Salvador.
Ejemplo: ¡Ayúdame! ¡ Está yuca la cosa!
Example: Help me! This is very hard!
Gallina que come huevos, aunque le quemen el pico.
Literal translation: The hen that eats the eggs, although they burn his beak.
Figurative meaning: To make the same mistake although you have been punished for it before.
Ejemplo: ¡Te volviste a comer los chocolates podridos, ahora te voy a tener que castigar de nuevo!
Example: You started to eat rotten chocolates again, now I have to punish you again!
La hoya le dijo al comal.
Literal translation: The grave told the hotplate.
Figurative meaning: To see defects/flaws of other people when you have your own defects/flaws.
Origin: In El Salvador, food is often cooked on a 'comal'. Comal is a smooth and flat griddle. Almost every street food is cooked on a comal and in households, tortillas are cooked on a comal.
Ejemplo: ¡Tu dices que yo hablo mucho, pero tu hablas más! ¡Es definitivamente la hoya que le dijo al comal!
Example: You are telling me that I talk too much but you talk even more than me! It's definitely like the pot calling the kettle black!
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No hay dulzura sin amargura o no hay placer sin pena.
Literal translation: There is no sweetness without bitterness or no pleasure without sorrow.
Figurative meaning: Everything has its time and things must be learned the hard way and things to be enjoyed at the right time.
Ejemplo: ¡No puedes ser jefe del negocio familiar! No hay dulzura sin amargura o no hay placer sin pena!
Example: You cannot become the boss of the family business! Everything has its time and to be enjoyed at the right time!
No hay miel, sin hiel.
Literal translation: No honey, no bitterness.
Figurative meaning: No pain, no gain.
Ejemplo: ¡Si no sudas en el trabajo, no hay paga! ¡Sí no hay miel, sin hiel!
Example: If you don't sweat at work, you won't get paid! No pain, no gain!
¡Qué comes, que adivinas!
Literal translation: You become, what you eat!
Figurative meaning: The more practice you make, the better you get.
Ejemplo: ¡Que comes, que adivinas!
Example: The more practice you make, the better you get!
¡Qué pipián!
Literal translation: What a squash!
Figurative meaning: What a coward!
Origin: Pipián is a type of squash and also a dish prepared by smashed squashes and juicy sauces. The expression compares the state of being coward to the state of being a smashed dish.
Ejemplo: ¡Qué pipián sos, empezaste a llorar al instante!
Example: What a coward you are, you started to cry right away!
Saber socarla.
Literal translation: To know how to compress or squeeze it.
Figurative meaning: To know how to progress, go further.
Ejemplo: ¡Tranquila, se socarla! Voy a leer todas las instrucciones y hacer que lo que ya sé por experiencia!
Example: Chill, I know what to do in order to go further! I will read all the instructions and combine what I already know by experience!
Ser aguacate.
Literal translation: To be avocado.
Figurative meaning: To be scared when you don't know anything to do good.
Ejemplo: ¡Sos un aguacate porque te dio miedo subir hasta arriba del arbol!
Example: You are a coward because it scares you to climb on top of the tree!
Ser tamal.
Literal translation: To be tamale.
Figurative meaning: To take advantage of people, to mischievously steal their belongings.
Origin: Salvadorean tamales are often wrapped in banana or plantain leaves. The expression compares the state of a wrapped good with someone who conceals his true intentions.
Ejemplo: Ese es un gran tamal que le robaba dinero a su vecino.
Example: He is a big thief, he would even steal money from his neighbour.
Un indio menos, una tortilla más!
Literal translation: One peasant less, one tortilla more!
Figurative meaning: The less, the merrier! Less people, more joy!
Ejemplo: No vino Pedro a la cena.
¡No, importa! ¡Un indio menos, una tortilla más!
Example: Pedro didn't come to dinner.
It doesn't matter! More food for everybody!