Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«Piensa mal y acertarás.»
Word for word
Think badly and you will be right.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Think the worst and you'll be right.
Used cynically to suggest that assuming the worst about people's motives often proves correct. Common in Spain and Latin America, often said with a knowing or resigned tone.
Hear it in a sentence
No confío en sus intenciones; piensa mal y acertarás.
I don't trust his intentions; think the worst and you'll be right.
More Spanish sayings
- Cada maestrillo tiene su librillo. — Every teacher has their own method.
- El que la hace, la paga. — You reap what you sow.
- Pueblo pequeño, infierno grande. — Small town, big gossip.
- Hecha la ley, hecha la trampa. — Every law has a loophole.
- Con dinero baila el perro. — Money makes the world go round.
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.