Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«El ojo del amo engorda al caballo.»
Word for word
The eye of the owner fattens the horse.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: The master's eye makes the horse fat.
Stresses that things run better when the owner or person in charge supervises personally. Common in business, farming, and family contexts.
Hear it in a sentence
No dejes el negocio en manos ajenas; el ojo del amo engorda al caballo.
Don't leave the business in others' hands; the master's eye makes the horse fat.
More Spanish sayings
- Cuando el gato no está, los ratones bailan. — When the cat's away, the mice will play.
- El que paga, manda. — He who pays the piper calls the tune.
- Los trapos sucios se lavan en casa. — Don't air your dirty laundry in public.
- Donde manda capitán, no manda marinero. — The captain's word is final.
- A caballo regalado no le mires el diente. — Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
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.