Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«No se ganó Zamora en una hora.»
Word for word
Zamora was not won in an hour.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Rome wasn't built in a day.
Used to remind someone that important achievements take time and patience. The saying refers to the historical siege of Zamora and is common in Spain, though less known in Latin America.
Also said as
- Roma no se hizo en un día.
Hear it in a sentence
Aprender español lleva tiempo; no se ganó Zamora en una hora.
Learning Spanish takes time; Rome wasn't built in a day.
More Spanish sayings
- A su tiempo maduran las uvas. — Everything ripens in its own time.
- En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques. — Tuesday is unlucky: Spain's Friday the 13th.
- Todos los caminos llevan a Roma. — All roads lead to Rome.
- De grano en grano, llena la gallina el buche. — Little by little, one goes far.
- A la tercera va la vencida. — Third time's the charm.
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.