Idioms from South America: Spanish & Portuguese Expressions

South America is home to diverse cultures and languages, mainly Spanish and Portuguese. These idioms reflect the unique humor, wisdom, and way of life across different countries.

🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese Idioms

1. “Pagar o pato” – “To pay the duck.”

   • Meaning: To take the blame for something you didn’t do.

2. “Engolir sapo” – “To swallow a frog.”

   • Meaning: To tolerate an unpleasant situation or insult without complaining.

3. “Fazer vaquinha” – “To make a little cow.”

   • Meaning: To collect money from multiple people for a shared cause.

4. “Viajar na maionese” – “To travel in mayonnaise.”

   • Meaning: To be daydreaming or saying something that doesn’t make sense.

5. “Chutar o balde” – “To kick the bucket.”

   • Meaning: To lose patience and give up on rules or restrictions.

6. “Estar com a faca e o queijo na mão” – “To have the knife and the cheese in hand.”

   • Meaning: To have everything you need to succeed.

🇦🇷 Argentine Spanish Idioms

1. “Más perdido que turco en la neblina” – “More lost than a Turk in the fog.”

   • Meaning: To be completely confused or clueless.

2. “Estar al horno con papas” – “To be in the oven with potatoes.”

   • Meaning: To be in serious trouble or a bad situation.

3. “Tirar la casa por la ventana” – “To throw the house out the window.”

   • Meaning: To spend a lot of money on a big event or celebration.

4. “Le falta un jugador” – “He is missing a player.”

   • Meaning: Someone is a bit crazy or not thinking straight.

5. “Poner los puntos sobre las íes” – “To put the dots on the i’s.”

   • Meaning: To clarify details or be very precise about something.

6. “Hacerse la mosquita muerta” – “To act like a dead little fly.”

   • Meaning: To pretend to be innocent while actually being sneaky.

🇨🇴 Colombian Spanish Idioms

1. “Más raro que un perro a cuadros” – “Stranger than a checkered dog.”

   • Meaning: Something or someone is extremely weird or unusual.

2. “Ser la última Coca-Cola del desierto” – “To be the last Coca-Cola in the desert.”

   • Meaning: Someone thinks they are more important or special than they really are.

3. “Camello” – “Camel.”

   • Meaning: Used to describe hard work or a tough job.

4. “No dar papaya” – “Don’t give papaya.”

   • Meaning: Don’t make yourself an easy target for theft or problems.

5. “Estar tragado” – “To be swallowed.”

   • Meaning: To be deeply in love or obsessed with someone.

6. “Se fue de rumba” – “He/She went partying.”

   • Meaning: Someone went out to party or have fun.

 Final Thought

Idioms reveal how different cultures view the world, express emotions, and share wisdom. Learning them not only helps with language skills but also gives insight into how people think and live in different parts of the world. Whether you’re “swallowing a frog” in Brazil or “not giving papaya” in Colombia, these phrases show the humor and creativity of South American languages.