Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«Entre broma y broma, la verdad asoma.»
Word for word
Between joke and joke, the truth peeks out.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Many a true word is spoken in jest.
Used when someone reveals a genuine feeling or opinion while supposedly joking. Common in Spain and Latin America to point out that jokes often carry hidden truths.
Hear it in a sentence
Dijo que yo era su favorita en broma, pero entre broma y broma, la verdad asoma.
He said I was his favorite as a joke, but many a true word is spoken in jest.
More Spanish sayings
- La verdad sale a flote. — The truth comes to the surface.
- Las palabras se las lleva el viento. — Words are carried away by the wind — actions count.
- Al que le quede el saco, que se lo ponga. — If the shoe fits, wear it.
- Pueblo pequeño, infierno grande. — Small town, big gossip.
- La cara es el espejo del alma. — The face reveals the soul.
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.