Improve Your Spanish With These 32 Fun Animal Idioms

From cats and dogs to bugs and birds, discover the fascinating world of Spanish animal expressions. 

Male lion sleeping on a bed

Are you a lion in bed? Have you become a seal and could stand to lose a few pounds? Maybe you’re a dead mosquito who keeps everyone guessing. The age of the turkey is always an awkward time. Just remember, no one likes a toad!

Here are some wild Spanish expressions involving animals. And if you shit the fly, don’t worry! –Wally

Closeup of fly on dirty surface

Buggin’ Out

Cagar la mosca

What it translates to: To shit the fly

What it means: To make a small mistake

Ser un bicho

What it translates to: To be a bug

What it means: To be a strange or eccentric person

Ser una mosquita muerta

What it translates to: To be a dead mosquito

What it means: To be a person who seems innocent or harmless but is actually cunning or deceitful

Tener malas pulgas

What it translates to: To have bad fleas

What it means: To be irritable or have a bad temper

Boxer dog rearing up as tiger striped cat hisses at it by concrete wall outside

Pet Sounds

Dar gato por liebre

What it translates to: To give a cat instead of a hare

What it means: To deceive someone by substituting one thing for another

Dormir como un lirón

What it translates to: To sleep like a dormouse

What it means: To sleep deeply

Estar como el perro y el gato

What it translates to: To be like the dog and the cat

What it means: To be in a constant state of conflict

Llevarse como el perro y el gato

What it translates to: To get along like the dog and the cat

What it means: To have a hostile relationship

Ser un perro viejo

What it translates to: To be an old dog

What it means: To be an experienced or wise person

Ser un ratón de biblioteca

What it translates to: To be a library mouse

What it means: To be a person who spends a lot of time studying or reading

Tener un humor de perros

What it translates to: To have a dog’s humor

What it means: To be in a bad mood

Sad eyed whitish seal on the sand

All Wet

Estar como una foca

What it translates to: To be like a seal

What it means: To be overweight or to have gained a lot of weight


Ser un pez gordo

What it translates to: To be a fat fish

What it means: To be an important or influential person


Ser un sapo

What it translates to: To be a toad

What it means: To be a snitch or a tattletale

Closeup of blue head and neck of male peacock with its tail feathers spread out with aqua and orange eye designs

Bird-Brained

Estar en la edad del pavo

What it translates to: To be in the age of the turkey

What it means: To be a teenager and going through a difficult or awkward phase


Ser un búho

What it translates to: To be an owl

What it means: To be a night owl, someone who stays up late


Ser un loro

What it translates to: To be a parrot

What it means: To be someone who talks a lot or repeats what others say


Ser un pavo real

What it translates to: To be a peacock

What it means: To be arrogant or to show off


Tener ojos de águila

What it translates to: To have eagle eyes

What it means: To have great vision or to be very observant


Tener pájaros en la cabeza

What it translates to: To have birds in your head

What it means: To be absent-minded (bird-brained) or to have unrealistic ideas

Goat with black and copper colored marking and yellow ear tags screaming as head peeks around a wall

Animal Farm

Estar como una cabra

What it translates to: To be like a goat

What it means: To act crazy

Ponerse como un burro

What it translates to: To become like a donkey

What it means: To become very angry

 

Ser un burro

What it translates to: To be a donkey

What it means: To be stubborn or slow-witted

Ser un cabrón

What it translates to: To be a big goat

What it means: Depending on the context, it can be used to describe a jerk or a dumbass


Ser un gallina

What it translates to:  To be a chicken

What it means: To be a chicken, a coward

Closeup of tiger head looking at the camera

In the Wild

Ser un león en la cama

What it translates to: To be a lion in bed

What it means: To be good in bed

Ser un lince

What it translates to: To be a lynx

What it means: To be very perceptive or to have a sharp mind

Ser un ratón de campo

What it translates to: To be a field mouse

What it means: To be shy or introverted

Ser un tigre

What it translates to: To be a tiger

What it means: To be very strong, brave or skillful

Ser una víbora

What it translates to: To be a viper

What it means: To be a malicious or treacherous person

Ser un zorro

What it translates to: To be a fox

What it means: To be sly or cunning

Tener memoria de elefante

What it translates to: To have an elephant’s memory

What it means: To have a great memory

Woman holding a poop emoji in front of her face
Last summer Wally and I had the pleasure of visiting the garden of chef and philanthropist @rick_bayless. Bayless opened Frontera Grill in 1987 forever changing the face of Mexican food in Chicago. The production garden supplies his three downtown re
No Straight Jacket Required. When Wally and I revisited my former stomping grounds in Buffalo, we couldn’t resist the chance to tour the empty patient wards of the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane. I had only been able to admire them from a
The Library is Open! It’s fun to be a tourist in your own city. I can’t believe it took us this long to visit the incredible Newberry Library. Its collections span an Aston six centuries, making it a treasure trove of knowledge. And that
The Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is a masterclass in Mexican Baroque. A literal visual feast for the eyes, the church’s highly decorated interior includes use of more than 60,000 sheets of gold leaf. Its façade is decorated w
I was initially reluctant about visiting Hierve el Agua, the calcified waterfalls and spring-fed mineral water pools outside of the city of Oaxaca de Juárez. The popular geologic wonder is located in the town of San Isidro Roaguía, in t
San Miguel de Allende is a town with art in its DNA. There are galleries galore and shops full of colorful folk art. But we knew that one of the places we had to add to our itinerary was the Fábrica La Aurora. It just sounded so interesting: I
If you’re planning a trip to San Miguel de Allende and are looking for something fun and unusual to do, be sure to set some time aside for a visit to the Chapel of Jimmy Ray. The mosaic wonderland filled with art and assemblages by the late art
I’ll admit it, I’m a fan of @andresgandresg. When the time came for us to find the perfect place to stay in San Miguel de Allende, and I saw that @casahoyos was another one of his projects, the decision for me was easy. The boutique hote
The colorful #fantastical #woodcarving creatures known as #alebrijes were inspired by an artist’s fever dream. Learn more about our favorite #mexican #folkart #artepopular #handicraft. Link in bio. #travel #travelblogger #mexico🇲🇽 #oaxaca #
Sweat to Reset. The herb-infused indigenous steam ritual #temazcal opens your mind as well as your pores. Plus, you won’t believe how they cleanse you of negative energy. Learn more about this Mesoamerican tradition and why we highly recommend
There’s No Place Like Home. Located on a quiet stretch of Calle Miguel Hidalgo in the Centro of Oaxaca City, @casaantonieta was more than just a hotel for Wally and I. It was our home away from home. Plus it included the hip @muss_cafe with gre
Folk Yes! Linda Hanna’s home contains an incredible collection of handmade #folkart pieces from the surrounding villages around #Oaxaca. If you have a passion for folk art as Wally and I do, Oaxaca should be on your Mexico itinerary. And there&
@palaciooficial is more than just a pretty building. Head inside for strange #murals by famous #artists, including #diegorivera and #orozco. They’re also infamous, whether it’s because they’re #communist propaganda or feature a hide
Walking around #PuertoVallarta is a bit like being in an outdoor art gallery. #Murals #streetart and #graffiti can be found all over. #Mexico has a long history of this public art form. Click our link for more photos — and learn how some of the
Viva La Revolución. Masala y Maíz checked every box for us: a delicious blend of Mexican, African and Indian cuisine, great service, a pleasing atmosphere and a business philosophy we can get behind. Learn why this restaurant stands out
Shop ‘Til You Drop. If you’re looking to purchase folk art, handicrafts and arte popular from all over Mexico such as brightly painted alebrije wood carvings from Oaxaca and hand-embroidered Otomi textiles, head to the @mercadodeartesania
Pretty in Pink. #cuadrasancristobal, designed by #barragán, is a #modernarchitecture masterpiece. Its bright magenta walls complement the native cacti and palms and enclosed pastures for #horses. While there, @chiduke and I met a #schnauzer na