AQA GCSE Spanish · 8692
GCSE Spanish idioms and grade 9 phrases
28 Spanish idioms, opinion phrases and high-mark structures for GCSE speaking and writing, each with what it means word for word, what it actually means and an example on a GCSE theme. Practise them at the bottom of the page.
Idioms
One well-placed idiom shows range. Two in one answer is plenty; more reads as a list.
| Spanish | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| estar en las nubes literally "to be in the clouds" | to be daydreaming, miles away | En clase de matemáticas siempre estoy en las nubes.In maths lessons I'm always miles away. |
| costar un ojo de la cara literally "to cost an eye of the face" | to cost an arm and a leg | El viaje a Nueva York nos costó un ojo de la cara.The trip to New York cost us an arm and a leg. |
| ser pan comido literally "to be eaten bread" | to be a piece of cake, really easy | El examen de vocabulario fue pan comido.The vocabulary test was a piece of cake. |
| tomar el pelo a alguien literally "to take someone's hair" | to pull someone's leg, to wind someone up | ¿Mañana no hay clase? ¡Me estás tomando el pelo!No school tomorrow? You're pulling my leg! |
| estar hecho polvo literally "to be made dust" | to be shattered, worn out | Después del partido de fútbol estaba hecho polvo.After the football match I was shattered. |
| no tener pelos en la lengua literally "not to have hairs on the tongue" | to speak your mind, not mince your words | Mi abuela no tiene pelos en la lengua: siempre dice lo que piensa.My gran doesn't mince her words: she always says what she thinks. |
| meter la pata literally "to put the paw in" | to put your foot in it, to mess up | Le hablé a mi hermana de su fiesta sorpresa. ¡Metí la pata!I mentioned her surprise party to my sister. I put my foot in it! |
| estar como pez en el agua literally "to be like a fish in water" | to feel completely at home, in your element | En el club de teatro estoy como pez en el agua.In the drama club I'm in my element. |
| ponerse las pilas literally "to put your batteries in" | to get your act together, to buck up | Si quiero aprobar los exámenes, tengo que ponerme las pilas.If I want to pass my exams, I need to get my act together. |
| echar una mano literally "to throw a hand" | to lend a hand, to help | Los fines de semana le echo una mano a mi padre en el jardín.At weekends I lend my dad a hand in the garden. |
| ser un rollo literally "to be a roll" | to be boring, a drag (informal, especially in Spain) | La película era un rollo y me dormí.The film was really boring and I fell asleep. |
| llover a cántaros literally "to rain in jugs" | to pour down, to rain cats and dogs | Durante nuestras vacaciones en Galicia llovió a cántaros.During our holiday in Galicia it poured down. |
| quedarse en blanco literally "to stay in white" | to go blank, to forget everything | En el examen oral me quedé en blanco.In the speaking exam my mind went blank. |
| no hay mal que por bien no venga literally "there is no bad that does not come for good" | every cloud has a silver lining | Perdimos el tren, pero conocimos a gente muy simpática. No hay mal que por bien no venga.We missed the train, but we met some really nice people. Every cloud has a silver lining. |
Opinion phrases
Every answer needs an opinion and a reason. These say it better than a bare 'I like'.
| Spanish | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| lo que más me gusta es... literally "what most pleases me is..." | the thing I like most is... | Lo que más me gusta de mi instituto es el ambiente.What I like most about my school is the atmosphere. |
| desde mi punto de vista literally "from my point of view" | from my point of view, in my view | Desde mi punto de vista, las redes sociales tienen más ventajas que inconvenientes.In my view, social media has more advantages than disadvantages. |
| me vuelve loco / loca literally "it turns me crazy" | I'm mad about it, I love it (context decides: it can also mean it drives me mad) | Me vuelve loca la comida mexicana.I'm mad about Mexican food. |
| no soporto... literally "I don't bear..." | I can't stand... | No soporto la comida basura porque es muy grasienta.I can't stand junk food because it's really greasy. |
| estoy totalmente en contra de... literally "I am totally against..." | I'm completely against... | Estoy totalmente en contra del uniforme escolar.I'm completely against school uniform. |
| lo bueno es que... / lo malo es que... literally "the good (thing) is that... / the bad (thing) is that..." | the good thing is that... / the bad thing is that... | Lo bueno es que vivo cerca del centro; lo malo es que el autobús es caro.The good thing is that I live near the centre; the bad thing is that the bus is expensive. |
| me da igual literally "it gives me equal" | I don't mind, it's all the same to me | ¿Pizza o pasta? Me da igual, las dos me encantan.Pizza or pasta? I don't mind, I love them both. |
Grade 9 structures
The complex structures that lift an answer at Higher: conditions, contrasts, purpose and more than one tense in a sentence.
| Spanish | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| si tuviera..., + conditional | if I had..., I would... (imperfect subjunctive + conditional) | Si tuviera más tiempo libre, haría más deporte.If I had more free time, I would do more sport. |
| espero que + subjunctive | I hope that... (the verb after it goes into the subjunctive) | Espero que haga buen tiempo durante las vacaciones.I hope the weather is good during the holidays. |
| no solo... sino también... | not only... but also... | Ir en bici no solo es sano, sino también barato.Cycling is not only healthy but also cheap. |
| tras haber + past participle | after having done something | Tras haber terminado los exámenes, fuimos a la playa.After finishing our exams, we went to the beach. |
| llevar + time + gerund | to have been doing something for a length of time | Llevo cinco años aprendiendo español.I've been learning Spanish for five years. |
| cuando + subjunctive (future) | when (in the future) ... (cuando takes the subjunctive when it looks ahead) | Cuando sea mayor, me gustaría trabajar en otro país.When I'm older, I'd like to work in another country. |
| acabar de + infinitive | to have just done something | Acabo de volver de un intercambio en Francia.I've just come back from an exchange in France. |
Practise them
Matching
0/8Match each idiom to its meaning.
Fill in the blank
0/8Complete each idiom with the missing word. The English meaning is given as a hint.
Hoy no presto atención en clase; estoy en las . (I'm daydreaming)
Ese móvil nuevo cuesta un ojo de la . (costs an arm and a leg)
El examen de vocabulario fue pan . (a piece of cake)
¿No hay deberes esta semana? ¡Me estás tomando el ! (pulling my leg)
Después de correr diez kilómetros, estoy hecho . (shattered)
Si quiero sacar buenas notas, tengo que ponerme las . (get my act together)
Le hablé a mi primo de su fiesta sorpresa. ¡Metí la ! (I put my foot in it)
En el examen oral me quedé en y no dije nada. (my mind went blank)
Pick the right one
0/6Read the situation and pick the idiom that fits.
The test was dead easy. El examen fue .
You have felt at home at your new school since day one. En mi nuevo instituto estoy .
It rained non-stop on your camping trip. Durante la acampada llovió .
Your friend is only joking with you. Mi amigo me está .
Your gran always says exactly what she thinks. Mi abuela .
You helped your dad in the garden. Le a mi padre en el jardín.
Learn it in the order the specification sets it
The GCSE Spanish course teaches the specification's words and grammar, Foundation before Higher, with drills that remember what you already know.
Questions
Do idioms get you marks in GCSE Spanish?
They can, when they fit. Examiners credit a range of language, and a natural idiom is one sign of it. A forced one is not: use an idiom only where you would use its English equivalent, and never at the cost of getting the basic message across.
Are idioms on the vocabulary list?
Mostly not. The AQA vocabulary list limits the words the exam papers themselves may use without a gloss. It does not limit what you write or say, so an idiom you use correctly is yours to use.
What are grade 9 phrases?
Not an official term: teachers use it for the structures that show control of the language at Higher, such as conditional sentences, the subjunctive after certain phrases, and linking two tenses in one sentence. The structures section above lists the ones worth learning.
Themes and tiers from the AQA GCSE Spanish (8692) specification. Kilo Lingo is not affiliated with or endorsed by AQA.