Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«El roce hace el cariño.»
Word for word
Friction makes affection.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Familiarity breeds affection.
Used to say that spending time together regularly builds fondness and closeness between people. Common in Spain and Latin America, often said about coworkers, neighbors, or couples who grow on each other.
Hear it in a sentence
Al principio no se caían bien, pero con el tiempo se hicieron amigos: el roce hace el cariño.
At first they didn't like each other, but over time they became friends: friction makes affection.
More Spanish sayings
- Hoy por ti, mañana por mí. — Today you, tomorrow me: we help each other.
- El dinero no crece en los árboles. — Money doesn't grow on trees.
- Amor con amor se paga. — Love is repaid with love.
- De grano en grano, llena la gallina el buche. — Little by little, one goes far.
- El tiempo vuela. — Time flies.
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.