Whether you’re a Spanish speaker, learning Spanish in your spare time or at school, or are simply enthusiastic about all things language, you’ll find some amazing animal-related Spanish phrases in this blog post. Who knows, maybe you’ll expand your vocabulary and start saying goodbye, fish when you leave a room in future?
We’ve selected a huge range of different untranslatable animal-related Spanish phrases for you to read, learn, and enjoy, that come from Spanish-speaking countries all over the world.
Have we missed your favourite animal-related Spanish phrase? Submit your own expressions, words, and idioms, to untranslatable.co, the world’s first multilingual urban dictionary! If you’re not sure how to submit a foreign language expression, be sure to read this useful blog guide.
Little Doves
Do you like your little doves salty or sweet? Next time you’re at the cinema or settling down to watch a movie, there’s no way that you’ll forget that in the Spanish-speaking world, popcorn is sometimes also known as “little doves”. Isn’t this such a sweet animal-related Spanish phrase?
Being in the peacock age
Estar en la edad del pavo
(to be in the peacock age)
Spanish | Spain
This expression is used to describe the stage that takes place after childhood and before adolescence (between 11 and 13 years old).
Whilst lots of English speakers would call this period of growing up, the awkward phase, this animal-related Spanish phrase is so much more beautiful and descriptive!
Bye fish!
chao pescao
Literal translation: chao pescao
Similar to the English “see you later alligator”, it’s a colloquial expression used with friends to say goodbye in a funny, rhyming way.
The next time you’re leaving your friends or close family and you know you’re going to see them soon, why not say “bye fish!”? This is such a cute little goodbye and I can’t wait to say it.
To be a bad duck
pato malo
Literal translation: pato malo
Bad person, sometimes is used for vulgars or people who did bad things.
Now this phrase is super interesting, because to be a bad duck actually sounds like a lovely vocative expression for someone who is misbehaving, when actually it is meant for someone who has genuinely done something bad. Do you know any bad ducks? Or maybe you’re blessed in the company of good ducks!
Shrimp!
camarón
Literal translation: camarón
Way to address a person who is a very bad driver.
Have you ever been in the car with someone that is a little lapse in judgement? Then you’ve been driven by a shrimp! I wonder how this phrase came to exist….if you know, please do tell us over on Instagram!
Dog bear
perro oso
Literal translation: perro oso
Expresses a huge embarrassement. “Dog” is used as quantity, and “bear” as an embarrassing situation or event. Can also be used to express second-hand embarrassment.
If you’re anything like me, you might feel second-hand embarrassment very strongly. That’s where this fantastic animal-related Spanish phrase comes in clutch! If you experience or witness something super embarrassing, you will say it’s a dog bear!
To be more lost than an octopus in a garage
estar más perdidx que un pulpo en un garaje
Literal translation: estar más perdidx que un pulpo en un garaje
To be lost. To not have a clue.
Can’t follow directions? Or maybe you’re looking at the instructions for some flat-pack furniture and you can’t make head or tail of them? That’s when you might start to feel like you’re more lost than an octopus in a garage! This phrase is fantastic, I can’t wait to start using it the next time I can’t figure something out.
Say frog and I’ll jump
tú di rana y yo salto
Literal translation: tú di rana y yo salto
Means that you are eager to fulfill a request or follow an order.
If you’ve got someone who you’d do just about anything for, if they said frog, you’d jump! That means that you’re super ready and keen to help someone out.
To have pig’s disease
mal del puerco
Literal translation: mal del puerco
It’s the feeling of getting sleepy after a big meal.
Now this animal-related Spanish phrase is a little bit grotesque, but it’s a useful one to describe when your eyes were definitely too big for your stomach and you need a little snooze after a big, delicious meal!
The day that frogs grow hair
el día que las ranas críen pelo
Literal translation: el día que las ranas críen pelo
A different way to say that something would never happen or a strong no to a question.
This phrase is a lovely variation on the expression “when pigs fly”. Meaning that something will never ever happen in a million years, that’s when you’d say “the day that frogs grow hair”.
To change the water to the canary
cambiar el agua al canario
Literal translation: cambiar el agua al canario
Used when someone needs to go to the toilet.
If you want a polite way of saying that you need to go to the bathroom without saying it explicitly, here you go! Saying that you need to change the water to the canary will get you completely understood in Spain, and someone should help to direct you to the nearest bathroom.
To be more stupid than pigeons
más boludo que las palomas
Literal translation: más boludo que las palomas
Used to talk about someone who is very stupid. Often said after they do a silly thing, but it can also be used to simply describe them.
This is a great and gentle way to tell someone that they’ve said something a bit daft!
To throw the greyhounds
tirarle los galgos
Literal translation: tirarle los galgos
Used when a person is trying to seduce someone.
If you’re trying to flirt with someone that you like, you’ll be known in Argentina as throwing the greyhounds! I wonder how this expression came to exist, but I think it’s a really sweet euphemism for flirting.
Blowing flies
papar moscas
Literal translation: papar moscas
Describes a person who is distracted and wasting time doing nothing.
Are you a procrastinator? Then, I hate to break it to you, but you might be blowing flies! This expression is used for someone that is a bit of a time-waster and will do anything to avoid the things on their to-do list!
The day cows fly
el día que las vacas vuelen
Literal translation: el día que las vacas vuelen
It means something will never happen.
If you want an alternative expression for “the day that frogs grow hair”, this is your one! Perfect for mixing up your vocabulary, you can use this expression when you want to say a firm no to someone else.
To gather a cow
hacer una vaca
Literal translation: hacer una vaca
Gather money for a determined purpose.
If you’re collecting money for a specific purpose, you’ll be gathering a cow! This is perfect for when you’ve got something that you’re saving up for, and you need to explain it to friends or family.
A dog
chucho
A dog.
And to round it all off, here’s the Guatemalan word for dog. I think it’s so cute, and would be a paw-sitively great name for your four-legged friend!