Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«El que algo quiere, algo le cuesta.»
¿Cómo se dice «El que algo quiere, algo le cuesta» en inglés? Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Word for word
He who wants something, it costs him something.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Used to remind someone that achieving goals requires sacrifice, effort or investment. Very common when encouraging persistence.
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Hear it in a sentence
Si quieres ese ascenso, tendrás que esforzarte más; el que algo quiere, algo le cuesta.
If you want that promotion, you'll have to work harder; nothing ventured, nothing gained.
More Spanish sayings
- Con el tiempo y una caña, todo se alcanza. — With time and patience, anything is possible.
- Quien no arriesga, no gana. — Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- La letra con sangre entra. — Learning requires effort and discipline.
- El que la sigue, la consigue. — He who keeps at it, gets it.
- De grano en grano, llena la gallina el buche. — Little by little, one goes far.
More: Spanish sayings about money and work
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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.