Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«El hábito no hace al monje, pero lo disimula.»
Word for word
The habit does not make the monk, but it disguises him.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Clothes don't make the man, but they disguise him.
A variation on a classic saying, used to note that while clothing doesn't change who you are, it can fool people. Common in discussions about appearances and first impressions.
Hear it in a sentence
El hábito no hace al monje, pero lo disimula, así que ese estafador parece un empresario respetable.
Clothes don't make the man, but they disguise him, so that con artist looks like a respectable businessman.
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 exact level.