My favorite types of Spanish sayings are the comparisons. Many comparison sayings, especially the ones that exaggerate, are hilarious. I am talking about the sayings that are constructed with Más (adjective) que (exaggerated reference). For example, más apretado que moño de vieja or “tighter than an old lady’s hair bun.” The creativity to come out with these Spanish sayings around the Spanish-speaking world is endless. There are hundreds of expressions of this type that I promise that will make you laugh your ass off.
You already may know that our books about Puerto Rican, Chilean and Argentine Spanish include caricature illustrations. Well, it turns out that we have created a total of 22 illustrations for exaggerated comparison sayings. Remember that even though these illustrations are for the books from Puerto Rico, Chile and Argentina, these sayings may be known and used in other countries. Here, I will share them all and you let me know which one is your favorite.
The most complete list of exaggerated comparisons Spanish sayings I have seen is the book Más X que Y: Compilaciones de Le Vieux Coq. The Kindle version of this book is relatively inexpensive (just $4) and cool part is that each saying is labeled with the country that uses it.
Más X que Y (Compilaciones de Le Vieux Coq nº 1) (Spanish Edition)
Well, without further ado, here I share our 22 illustrations of exaggerated Spanish comparisons. Feel free to pin, like or tweet any of them!
Spanish Sayings: 22 Illustrations of Exaggerated Comparisons in Spanish
1. Más apretado que traje de torero
Literal translation: Tighter than a bullfighter’s suit
Meaning: Cheapskate, extremely cheap
2. Más asustado que pez para Semana Santa
Literal translation: More scared than a fish for Easter
Meaning: Extremely scared
3. Más blanco que poto de monja
Literal translation: Whiter than a nun’s butt
Meaning: Pale white
Check out this list: 25 Goofy Spanish Similes with the Word NUN »
4. Más contento que perro con dos colas
Literal translation: More content than a dog with two tails
Meaning: Extremely happy
5. Más cuadrada que una nevera
Literal translation: Squarer than a refrigerator
Meaning: This phrase is used to describe a woman’s figure. Obviously it is not very flattering for a woman to be compared to the shape of a refrigerator
6. Más doblado que chino con visita
Literal translation: More bent over than a Chinese with visitors
Meaning: Drunk, trashed
7. Más doblado que conejo de mago
Literal translation: More folded than a magician’s rabbit
Meaning: Extremely drunk or high
8. Más enredado que abrazo de pulpo
Literal translation: More tangled than a octopus’ hug
Meaning: A confused, mixed-up situation
9. Más feo que diablo chupando limón
Literal translation: Uglier than the Devil sucking a lemon
Meaning: Really, really ugly
10. Más frío que culo de foca
Literal translation: Colder than a seal’s ass
Meaning: Extremely cold
11. Más inútil que bocina de avión
Literal translation: More useless than a plane’s horn
Meaning: Someone or something useless
12. Más inútil que cenicero de moto
Literal translation: More useless than a motorcycle’s ashtray
Meaning: Someone or something useless
13. Más jincho que nalga de monja
Literal translation: Paler than a nun’s butt cheek
Meaning: Extremely white or pale
Check out this list: 25 Goofy Spanish Similes with the Word NUN »
14. Más lento que una caravana de cojos
Literal translation: Slower than a caravan of cripples
Meaning: Extremely slow
Click here for an example »
15. Más negro que piojo de minero
Literal translation: Blacker than a miner’s louse
Meaning: Extremely black
16. Más pelado que culo de mono
Literal translation: Balder than a monkey’s ass
Meaning: Broke, penniless, with no money
Click here for an example »
17. Más peligroso que mono con navaja
Literal translation: More dangerous than a monkey with a razor blade
Meaning: Very dangerous
18. Más perdido que un juez bizco
Literal translation: More lost than a cross-eyed crab
Meaning: Lost. Refers not only to directions, but also in situations when a person does not follow a conversation or an idea
Read more about this saying »
19. Más pesado que collar de melones
Literal translation: Heavier than a melon necklace
Meaning: Annoying, bothersome
Click here for the examples »
20. Más rollos que frenada de cuncuna
Literal translation: More rolls than a suddenly stopped caterpillar
Meaning: A fat person with lots of rolls on their body
21. Más transpirado que caballo de feria
Literal translation: Sweatier than a fair horse
Meaning: Really sweaty
22. Más transpirado que calcetín de cartero
Literal translation: Sweatier than a postman’s sock
Meaning: Extremely sweaty
For more cool illustrations, check out all of Spanish sayings articles.
