Dichos y refranes · Spanish proverbs
37 Spanish sayings about life and wisdom
Mistakes, luck, hope and learning the hard way: these are the Spanish sayings about life that older relatives hand down, each with the English saying that comes closest and a sentence showing it in use.
No hay mal que por bien no venga.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Literally: “There is no bad thing from which something good does not come”.
Said to console someone after a setback: whatever went wrong will eventually open a door.
Perdí aquel trabajo, pero gracias a eso encontré uno mejor: no hay mal que por bien no venga.
Quien mucho duerme, poco aprende.
He who sleeps much learns little. Literally: “He who sleeps much learns little”.
A nudge against laziness: time spent idle is learning lost.
Se pasa las mañanas en la cama y luego suspende: quien mucho duerme, poco aprende.
Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
With age comes wisdom. Literally: “The devil knows more from being old than from being the devil”.
Experience beats raw talent or cleverness — used to defend an older person’s advice.
Haz caso del consejo de tu abuela: más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
El saber no ocupa lugar.
You can never know too much. Literally: “Knowledge takes up no space”.
There’s no harm in learning something extra — the excuse for every new course or hobby.
Se apuntó a clases de alemán solo por curiosidad: el saber no ocupa lugar.
Todo llega para quien sabe esperar.
Good things come to those who wait. Literally: “Everything arrives for the one who knows how to wait”.
Said to encourage patience when someone is anxious about results or waiting for something good. It reassures that patience will be rewarded.
No te desesperes por el ascenso; todo llega para quien sabe esperar.
No todo el monte es orégano.
Life isn't a bed of roses. Literally: “Not all the countryside is oregano”.
Used to warn that a situation is not as easy or pleasant as it seems, often regarding work or business.
Ese negocio parece fácil, pero no todo el monte es orégano.
Gallina vieja hace buen caldo.
Experience is worth more than youth. Literally: “Old hen makes good broth”.
Used to say that older people have valuable experience and wisdom. It is said with respect and often in response to age-related comments.
Gallina vieja hace buen caldo; mi abuela resolvió el problema en cinco minutos.
El que nace para maceta, del corredor no pasa.
You can't escape your destiny. Literally: “He who is born for a flowerpot never leaves the corridor”.
Used to express that people cannot change their fate or social position. It is often said with resignation or irony.
El que nace para maceta, del corredor no pasa; por más que lo intentó, nunca salió de su barrio.
Cuando las barbas de tu vecino veas cortar, pon las tuyas a remojar.
Learn from others' mistakes before they happen to you. Literally: “When you see your neighbor's beard being cut, put yours to soak”.
Used to advise taking precautions when you see trouble affecting others nearby. Common in warnings about politics, health, or finances.
Cuando las barbas de tu vecino veas cortar, pon las tuyas a remojar; si a él lo despidieron, tú deberías prepararte.
La suerte favorece a los audaces.
Fortune favors the bold. Literally: “Luck favors the bold”.
Used to encourage someone to take a risk or seize an opportunity rather than hesitate. It's common when motivating a friend before a big decision.
La suerte favorece a los audaces, así que atrévete a pedir ese ascenso.
No hay mal que dure cien años.
Troubles don't last forever. Literally: “There is no evil that lasts a hundred years”.
Offered as comfort to someone going through a hard time, reminding them that difficult situations eventually pass. Very common in everyday consolation.
No hay mal que dure cien años, ya verás que pronto mejora todo.
El que nace para tamal, del cielo le caen las hojas.
Some people are just born lucky. Literally: “He who is born to be a tamal, leaves fall from the sky for him”.
Said humorously about someone who always seems to get lucky or have things fall into place effortlessly. Common in Mexico and Central America.
El que nace para tamal, del cielo le caen las hojas, y a ti siempre te toca el premio.
El que a hierro mata, a hierro muere.
Live by the sword, die by the sword. Literally: “He who kills by iron, dies by iron”.
Warns that the harm you do to others will eventually come back to you. Used as a moral observation about violence or cruelty.
El que a hierro mata, a hierro muere, y tarde o temprano pagará por sus actos.
A la cama no te irás sin saber una cosa más.
You should learn something new every day. Literally: “To bed you will not go without knowing one thing more”.
Said to encourage lifelong learning and curiosity; often told to children or students at the end of the day.
Hoy aprendí una palabra nueva; a la cama no te irás sin saber una cosa más.
Nadie nace sabiendo.
Nobody is born knowing everything. Literally: “Nobody is born knowing”.
Used to reassure beginners or people who are just starting to learn something. It reminds them that knowledge comes with time and practice.
Tranquilo, nadie nace sabiendo; poco a poco aprenderás.
De los errores se aprende.
You learn from your mistakes. Literally: “From errors one learns”.
A common phrase to encourage someone after a failure. It emphasizes that mistakes are valuable lessons rather than reasons to give up.
Perdiste la partida, pero de los errores se aprende.
La experiencia es la madre de la ciencia.
Experience is the best teacher. Literally: “Experience is the mother of science”.
Said to highlight that practical experience teaches more than theory. Often used when someone learns something through doing rather than studying.
No importa cuántos libros leas; la experiencia es la madre de la ciencia.
Escarmentar en cabeza ajena.
Learn from others' mistakes. Literally: “To learn a lesson in someone else's head”.
Used when someone learns a lesson by watching another person's failure rather than experiencing it themselves. It praises wisdom gained without personal cost.
No repitas el error de tu hermano; hay que escarmentar en cabeza ajena.
Más vale saber que haber.
Knowledge is better than wealth. Literally: “More is worth knowing than having”.
Used to emphasize that education and wisdom are more valuable than material possessions. Common in conversations about the importance of studying.
No envidies su dinero; más vale saber que haber.
Nunca es tarde para aprender.
It's never too late to learn. Literally: “Never is late to learn”.
Said to motivate people of any age to pursue education or new skills. It reinforces that age is not a barrier to learning.
Mi abuela empezó a estudiar piano a los setenta; nunca es tarde para aprender.
La letra con sangre entra.
Learning requires effort and discipline. Literally: “The letter with blood enters”.
Used to say that learning is hard and requires sacrifice and discipline. It can be said seriously or with a tone of resignation about difficult study.
Estudiar medicina es durísimo, pero la letra con sangre entra.
El que no sabe es como el que no ve.
The ignorant are like the blind. Literally: “He who does not know is like he who does not see”.
Said to emphasize how important knowledge is for navigating life. It suggests that ignorance limits a person just as blindness limits sight.
Por eso estudio todos los días; el que no sabe es como el que no ve.
La esperanza es lo último que se pierde.
Hope is the last thing to lose. Literally: “Hope is the last thing that is lost”.
Said to encourage someone in a seemingly hopeless situation, reminding them never to give up hope.
Aunque las cosas estén difíciles, la esperanza es lo último que se pierde.
Mientras hay vida, hay esperanza.
While there's life, there's hope. Literally: “While there is life, there is hope”.
Used to console someone facing a grave or uncertain situation, emphasizing that as long as one is alive, things can improve.
No te rindas, que mientras hay vida, hay esperanza.
A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan.
A word to the wise is enough. Literally: “To a good understander, few words suffice”.
Used when a brief hint is enough for a clever person to grasp the full meaning, often to cut a conversation short. Common in Spain and Latin America in both formal and informal speech.
No hace falta que te lo explique todo; a buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan.
Dios aprieta, pero no ahoga.
God tests us but never gives us more than we can bear. Literally: “God squeezes, but does not drown”.
Offers comfort during difficult times, meaning that hardships will not be so severe as to be unbearable. Common in religious and everyday consolation contexts in Spanish-speaking countries.
Sé que es difícil, pero Dios aprieta, pero no ahoga; saldremos adelante.
El que con lobos anda, a aullar se enseña.
He who keeps company with wolves will learn to howl. Literally: “He who walks with wolves learns to howl”.
Warns that you pick up the habits and behaviors of the company you keep. Used as advice to choose friends and associates carefully, especially for young people.
No te juntes con esa gente; el que con lobos anda, a aullar se enseña.
Unos nacen con estrella y otros nacen estrellados.
Some are born lucky, others are born unlucky. Literally: “Some are born with a star and others are born crashed”.
Comments on how fortune favors some people from birth while others seem doomed to misfortune. The pun on 'estrella' and 'estrellado' makes it common in casual conversation.
Él gana la lotería y yo pierdo el trabajo; unos nacen con estrella y otros nacen estrellados.
En la variedad está el gusto.
Variety is the spice of life. Literally: “In variety is the taste”.
Used to express that having different options, experiences, or flavors makes life more enjoyable. Common across the Spanish-speaking world when discussing food, hobbies, or choices.
Me gusta probar comidas de distintos países porque en la variedad está el gusto.
La suerte está echada.
The die is cast. Literally: “The luck is cast”.
Said when a decision has been made and there is no turning back. Used dramatically at decisive moments, echoing Julius Caesar's famous phrase.
Ya firmé el contrato y renuncié a mi trabajo; la suerte está echada.
Nunca digas de esta agua no beberé.
Never say never. Literally: “Never say 'of this water I will not drink.'”.
A warning against making absolute statements about the future, since circumstances change. Often said when someone swears they'll never do something they might later end up doing.
Dijiste que jamás te casarías, pero nunca digas de esta agua no beberé.
Quien tiene boca se equivoca.
To err is human. Literally: “Whoever has a mouth makes mistakes”.
Used to comfort someone who has just made a mistake or said something wrong, reminding them that everyone errs. Common in everyday conversation across the Spanish-speaking world.
No te preocupes por lo que dijiste en la reunión; quien tiene boca se equivoca.
Todo lo que sube, baja.
What goes up must come down. Literally: “Everything that goes up, comes down”.
Used to comment on the cyclical nature of life, especially regarding success, prices, or fortunes that inevitably decline. Common in both casual and journalistic contexts.
Disfruta el éxito mientras dure, porque todo lo que sube, baja.
Dios da pan a quien no tiene dientes.
Luck comes to those who can't use it. Literally: “God gives bread to whom has no teeth”.
Used to express irony when someone receives something they cannot use or enjoy, often about undeserved fortune. Common in everyday commentary on life's unfairness.
Le regalaron un piano y no sabe tocar; Dios da pan a quien no tiene dientes.
El muerto al pozo y el vivo al gozo.
Life goes on for the living. Literally: “The dead one to the well and the living one to joy”.
Used to express that after a death or misfortune, life continues and survivors must move on. Common in contexts dealing with grief and resilience.
Tras el funeral, la familia siguió adelante; el muerto al pozo y el vivo al gozo.
Bien está lo que bien acaba.
All's well that ends well. Literally: “Well is that which ends well”.
Used to express relief when something turns out fine despite difficulties along the way. Common across the Spanish-speaking world, often said at the end of a stressful situation.
Después de tantos problemas, bien está lo que bien acaba.
Vivir para ver.
You live and learn. Literally: “To live in order to see”.
Said when something surprising or unexpected happens, expressing that life keeps showing you new things. Often used with irony or resignation.
¿Que se casaron ayer? Vivir para ver.
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