Dicho español · Spanish proverb
«Una de cal y otra de arena.»
Word for word
One of lime and another of sand.
What it really means
The closest English equivalent: Give and take.
Describes a situation mixing good and bad, or pleasant and unpleasant things, often in alternation. Used when someone balances praise with criticism or hardship with reward.
Hear it in a sentence
La vida es una de cal y otra de arena: hoy lloras y mañana ríes.
Life is give and take: today you cry and tomorrow you laugh.
More Spanish sayings
- No todo el monte es orégano. — Life isn't a bed of roses.
- Sarna con gusto no pica. — A labor of love is no burden.
- A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. — The early bird catches the worm.
- Todo llega para quien sabe esperar. — Good things come to those who wait.
- Al que le quede el saco, que se lo ponga. — If the shoe fits, wear it.
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.