Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«De grano en grano, llena la gallina el buche.»
Word for word
From grain to grain, the hen fills her crop.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Little by little, one goes far.
Used to encourage patience and persistence, reminding someone that small consistent efforts add up to big results. Common in both Spain and Latin America, especially when saving money or building something gradually.
Hear it in a sentence
No te desanimes si ahorras poco cada mes; de grano en grano, llena la gallina el buche.
Don't get discouraged if you save little each month; from grain to grain, the hen fills her crop.
More Spanish sayings
- Poco a poco se anda lejos. — Little by little, one goes far.
- Con el tiempo y una caña, todo se alcanza. — With time and patience, anything is possible.
- Pueblo pequeño, infierno grande. — Small town, big gossip.
- Todo llega para quien sabe esperar. — Good things come to those who wait.
- A su tiempo maduran las uvas. — Everything ripens in its own time.
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.