Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«Cuando el diablo no tiene qué hacer, con el rabo mata moscas.»
Word for word
When the devil has nothing to do, he kills flies with his tail.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Idle hands are the devil's workshop.
Used to describe someone who, out of boredom or idleness, does something mischievous, pointless, or troublesome. Common across the Spanish-speaking world as a warning against having too much free time.
Hear it in a sentence
Mi hermano empezó a pintar las paredes de morado porque no tenía nada que hacer: cuando el diablo no tiene qué hacer, con el rabo mata moscas.
My brother started painting the walls purple because he had nothing to do: when the devil has nothing to do, he kills flies with his tail.
More Spanish sayings
- Quien mucho duerme, poco aprende. — He who sleeps much learns little.
- No es tan fiero el león como lo pintan. — The devil is not as black as he is painted.
- Nadie da duros a cuatro pesetas. — Nobody gives something for nothing.
- En la variedad está el gusto. — Variety is the spice of life.
- Las apariencias engañan. — Appearances can be deceiving.
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.