Al que madruga, Dios lo ayuda.
The early bird catches the worm. Literally: God helps those who rise early. Universal Spanish proverb but very commonly used in Argentina. Often said ironically given Buenos Aires’s notoriously late schedule.
No hay mal que por bien no venga.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Literally: there is no bad from which good doesn’t come. One of the most commonly used consolation proverbs across all Spanish varieties.
Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
You snooze you lose. Literally: the shrimp that falls asleep gets swept away by the current. Very commonly used in Argentina for warning against complacency or missed opportunities.
A caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes.
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Identical concept to the English proverb. Used when someone is being ungrateful or overly critical of something they received for free.
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Literally: he who grasps too much, grips little. Used as a warning against overextending yourself or taking on too many projects.
Más vale tarde que nunca.
Better late than never. Direct equivalent of the English proverb. Universal Spanish but heavily used in Argentina — often said with irony given Argentine attitudes toward punctuality.
No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír.
There’s none so deaf as those who will not hear. Literally: there’s no worse deaf person than one who doesn’t want to hear. For someone willfully ignoring advice or truth.
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho.
Easier said than done. Literally: from saying to doing there is a great distance. Used when someone promises or claims something but delivering is another matter entirely.
En boca cerrada no entran moscas.
Keep your mouth shut and you won’t get in trouble. Literally: flies don’t enter a closed mouth. Advice to stay silent rather than saying something regrettable.
No hay que vender la piel del oso antes de haberlo cazado.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Literally: don’t sell the bear’s skin before hunting it. Argentine version of this universal concept — very commonly heard.
Dime con quién andás y te diré quién sos.
You are who you associate with. Literally: tell me who you walk with and I’ll tell you who you are. Voseo version — the Argentine adaptation of the classic proverb.
El hábito no hace al monje.
Clothes don’t make the man. Literally: the habit (monk’s robe) doesn’t make the monk. Don’t judge by appearances — what someone wears or presents isn’t who they are.
A mal tiempo, buena cara.
Keep a stiff upper lip / make the best of a bad situation. Literally: in bad weather, a good face. One of the most commonly used Argentine expressions of resilience.
Genio y figura hasta la sepultura.
A leopard never changes its spots. Literally: genius and figure until the grave. People don’t fundamentally change their nature. Often used with resignation or exasperation.
No hay rosa sin espinas.
Every rose has its thorn. Literally: there is no rose without thorns. Nothing good comes without some difficulty or downside. Direct equivalent of the English expression.
El que ríe último, ríe mejor.
He who laughs last, laughs best. Direct equivalent of the English expression. Used when someone initially dismissed ends up having the last word or winning in the end.
A río revuelto, ganancia de pescadores.
Fish in troubled waters. Literally: in a troubled river, fishermen profit. Some people take advantage of chaotic or difficult situations. Very relevant for Argentine political discussions.
Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr.
Let it go / don’t meddle in things that don’t concern you. Literally: water you’re not going to drink, let it run. Mind your own business with things that don’t affect you.
No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano.
You can’t rush things. Literally: the dawn doesn’t come earlier just because you got up early. Some things happen in their own time regardless of how much effort you put in.
Donde fueres, haz lo que vieres.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Literally: wherever you go, do what you see. Excellent advice for your CABA trip — adapt to local customs and behavior.
El que no llora, no mama.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Literally: he who doesn’t cry, doesn’t get fed. You have to speak up and advocate for yourself to get what you need. Very commonly used in Argentina.
Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
Experience counts for more than intelligence. Literally: the devil knows more because he’s old than because he’s the devil. Wisdom comes from experience, not just innate ability.
No se ganó Zamora en una hora.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Literally: Zamora wasn’t won in an hour (reference to a medieval Spanish siege). Used for anything that requires patience and sustained effort.
A quien le quepa el saco, que se lo ponga.
If the shoe fits, wear it. Literally: whoever the jacket fits, let them put it on. Said when a general criticism clearly applies to a specific person without naming them directly.
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Terms in the Grocery Store106
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Argentine Food Vocab80
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False Cognates28
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Preterite vs Imperfect58
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Pronoun Rules24
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Subjunctive Triggers24
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Lunfardo 225
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Advanced Lunfardo25
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Ordering in a Restaurant21
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Compound Tenses23
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Regional Vocabulary23
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Discourse Connectors24
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Ser vs Estar58
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Voseo23
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Conditional Sentences23
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Passive Voice22
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Subjunctive Perception23
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Travel Vocab23
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Muletillas23
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Vesre23
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Por vs Para35
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Body Parts34
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Trabalenguas30
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Animals 234
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Advanced Subjunctive30
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Reported Speech30
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Diminutives30
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Gerund28
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Relative Clauses30
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Weather and Nature32
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Idioms32
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Emotions32
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Alcohol Vocab54
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CABA Neighborhoods55
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Synonyms - Differentiation67
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Ser and Estar Meaning Changes25
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Subjunctive Trigger Phrases55
