Here are the promised "things to remember" from my 1990 stay in Salamanca:

"A cada cerdo le llega su San Martín" means "every dog has his day."

"Estar con el agua al cuello" means "to have your back to the wall."

"Tomando el pelo" means "pulling one's leg."

"Aguar la fiesta/ser un aguafiestas" means "to be a wet blanket."

"Beber como una cuba" means "to drink like a fish."

"De mil amores" means "with great pleasure/con muchissimo gusto."

"Caer del burro" means "to see the light."

"Beber mano a mano" is for two people to drink very quickly.

"Decir tacos" is "to curse/use obscenities."

"Ser un gamberro" is "to be a troublemaker."

"Ir al otro barrio" means "to die."

"La juerga" means "the party."

"Estar por las nubes" is "to be very expensive."

"Estar en la luna" means "to be spaced out."

"Tener mucha marcha" means "to feel like partying/going out."

And one of my favorite words: columpios=swingset

And a silly piropo:
"Que curvas y yo sin frenos," which means "what curves and me without brakes..."

More, folks? These are fun!
Tara

And here's a (supposedly old Spanish) saying I have used from time to time when teaching college classes on social policy: "Three Spaniards, four opinions."

(Here's the insulting--to Americans--follow-up I always have in my head: "Four Americans, two opinions." But I don't say that one, and my students would probably sleep through it if I did.)

Okay...porra was not a misuse, Eddie...mis oídos no me engañaron on that one. Here are some more:

Tough guy:
>Más duro que seis pesetas

When walking, you take:
>El coche de San Fernando, uno a pie y otro andando

Brown-nosing:
>Hacer la pelota, or chupar medias (chupamedias)

and if you're under 18, close your eyes...I've never understood this one:

Slang term for bathroom:
>Cagódromo (yes, I've got tickets to the "Poop-o-Drome"). Sounds like a Mad Max sequel in Spanish: "Max Enfadado, Más Allá del Cagódromo".

Masturbate:
>Hacer la paja (make hay? c'mon!)

My friends that I met in Salamanca and I made a journal with our funny experiences (when Susana was so drunk Raquel had to climb under the bathroom door to get her.... when Susana tried to be the portera at a club and told everyone "Zapatillas no!" etc ) But anyway, we titled the book "Vale, venga, 'sta luego" based on the most common things we heard. "Vaya" and "anda" were also enjoyable. As for refranes: we learned "Un grano no hace granero" meaning don't stereotype, "No seas gallego" although I can't remember what that one meant (Antonio?), and "La miel no está hecha para la boca del cerdo" to say to creepy guys who attempt piropos.

Hey, Majesty, I love that last one! This is a bit off topic, but are piropos dying out? (Eek...or am I getting too old to elicit them?)

I remember them being a much bigger deal (like people talked about them a lot) when I was in Salamanca in 1990 than during more recent trips to Spain (even without my marido and WITH my gorgeous blonde sister).

well, antonio, i'm understand what you were saying about 'taking the piss out of me,' but i don't think that's a fixed expression!

here's another one i like, 'cabrearse.' to 'get pissed off.' ej, 'me cabrean los hijos de #$*# que hacen eso...'

you teachers out there be sure to teach these to your class, now...

mahou_fan,

i too learned 'llevar a la huerta' and would give it a similar definition as you did...

it's basically a saying from way out in the country... i have heard it in madrid, tho, too...

My favourite, said by the camarero as he wipes the bar, "?Que le pongo, caballero?"

I want to apologize for some of the content on my last post. I'm not sure how sensitive everyone is on this board, and actually, I looked at my own post and thought "why did you put that!" to myself. MM, if you want to edit, please be my guest. I guess I thought I was educating you folks in case you heard it on the streets...which is where I'm sure I first heard it. Thank you for understanding. I wouldn't want to offend any on this board, as I'm quite an avid member!

May be you have heard of a booklet they used to sell at vips which contained the literal translation of most of the refranes, when I say literal is literal. The title was "From loss to the river" ----> (De perdidos al rio)
It is a lot of fun, some of the sentences have even got into the slang of Madrid.

Some other proverbs,

- "No por mucho madrugar amanece mas temprano"
- "A quien madruga Dios le ayuda
- "La avaricia rompe el saco"
- "arrieritos somos y por el camino nos encontraremos", in other words, life is long, world is small and I'll get you some other time.