Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«Gato con guantes no caza ratones.»
Word for word
A cat with gloves does not hunt mice.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: You can't get things done with kid gloves on.
Used to say that being too refined, cautious, or delicate prevents you from achieving results. Often said to someone who is being overly polite or hesitant in a tough situation.
Hear it in a sentence
Si quieres cerrar ese trato difícil, deja la diplomacia excesiva: gato con guantes no caza ratones.
If you want to close that difficult deal, drop the excessive diplomacy: a cat with gloves does not hunt mice.
More Spanish sayings
- La paciencia todo lo alcanza. — Patience achieves everything.
- Hombre precavido vale por dos. — A cautious man is worth two.
- Quien con niños se acuesta, mojado amanece. — Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.
- Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho. — Easier said than done.
- Sobre gustos no hay nada escrito. — There’s no accounting for taste.
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.