Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«Al freír será el reír.»
Word for word
At the frying will be the laughing.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: We'll laugh when we see the results.
Said to warn that the real test or fun comes when the moment of truth arrives, often implying consequences will be revealed. Used in Spain and some Latin American countries.
Hear it in a sentence
Todos prometen mucho, pero al freír será el reír.
Everyone promises a lot, but we'll laugh when we see the results.
More Spanish sayings
- Dios aprieta, pero no ahoga. — God tests us but never gives us more than we can bear.
- La verdad sale a flote. — The truth comes to the surface.
- Amigo en la adversidad es amigo de verdad. — A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- El que la hace, la paga. — You reap what you sow.
- Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma. — Speak of the devil.
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.