Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«No es tan fiero el león como lo pintan.»
Word for word
The lion is not as fierce as they paint it.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: The devil is not as black as he is painted.
Used to reassure someone that a person, situation, or task is less frightening or difficult than it seems. Very common in everyday conversation across the Spanish-speaking world.
Hear it in a sentence
No tengas miedo de hablar con el jefe; no es tan fiero el león como lo pintan.
Don't be afraid to talk to the boss; the devil is not as black as he is painted.
More Spanish sayings
- Quien tiene boca se equivoca. — To err is human.
- Sin esfuerzo no hay recompensa. — No pain, no gain.
- No hay mal que dure cien años. — Troubles don't last forever.
- Nadie da duros a cuatro pesetas. — Nobody gives something for nothing.
- Cuando el diablo no tiene qué hacer, con el rabo mata moscas. — Idle hands are the devil's workshop.
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.