Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«A río revuelto, ganancia de pescadores.»
Word for word
In a churned-up river, fishermen’s gain.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: There is opportunity in troubled waters.
Chaos benefits those positioned to exploit it — common in politics and business commentary.
Hear it in a sentence
Con el caos de las rebajas, los revendedores hicieron su agosto: a río revuelto, ganancia de pescadores.
Amid the chaos of the sales, the resellers made a killing — there is opportunity in troubled waters.
More Spanish sayings
- Dios da pan a quien no tiene dientes. — Luck comes to those who can't use it.
- El que nace para maceta, del corredor no pasa. — You can't escape your destiny.
- La sangre tira. — Blood is thicker than water.
- No hay mal que dure cien años. — Troubles don't last forever.
- Quien fue a Sevilla, perdió su silla. — You snooze, you lose.
Why learn dichos?
Proverbs like this one are everywhere in spoken Spanish — dropped mid-conversation, usually just the first half, with the rest left for you to complete. Recognizing them is one of the fastest ways to sound less like a textbook and follow real speech. Every Lingocito edition signs off with the dicho del día, so you meet one a day next to news written at your level.