Oh, To Be a Spanish Phrase
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Ser is one of two Spanish verbs that mean "to be" (learn more). It’s found in many essential and idiomatic expressions, including to be easy as pie, all ears, and a horse of a different color. Learn these and dozens of other Spanish expressions featuring ser.
Ser translations
- to be
- to belong
- to exist
Proverbs with ser
Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres. | Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are. | |
Es peor el remedio que la enfermedad. | The solution is worse than the problem. | |
No todo lo que brilla es oro. | All that glitters isn’t gold. |
Expressions with ser
ser de | to be from (a city, country) | ||
to be made of (metal, plastic) | |||
to belong to | |||
ser de buena pasta | to be a good/nice person | ||
ser de película | to be sensational | ||
ser de poca monta | to be of little value | ||
ser el colmo | to be the limit | ||
ser el ojo derecho de uno | to be the apple of one's eye | ||
ser en todo con alguien | to be in complete agreement with someone | ||
ser harina de otro costal | to be a horse of a different color (literally, to be flour from a different bag) |
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ser la flor de la canela | to be the very best | ||
ser otro cantar | to be a horse of a different color | ||
ser pan comido | to be as easy as pie | ||
ser para chuparse los dedos | to taste delicious | ||
ser todo oídos | to be all ears | ||
ser todos ojos | to be all eyes | ||
ser un cero a la izquierda | to be worthless, count for nothing | ||
ser una flor de estufa | to be very delicate (literally, to be a hothouse flower) |
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ser una lata | to be annoying | ||
ser un mirlo blanco | to be an impossible dream (literally, to be a white blackbird) |
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ser una perla | to be a jewel/treasure | ||
ser uña y carne | to be as close as can be | ||
a no ser que | unless | ||
a no ser por | if it weren't for | ||
no ser cosa del otro jueves | to be nothing out of the ordinary | ||
¡Ahi fue ella! | You should have heard it (the fuss)! | ||
Así era | That's the way it was, that's what it was like | ||
Así es | That is so, that's the way it is | ||
Así es la vida. | Such is life. | ||
Así es que + subject/verb | That's why…, So… | ||
Así sea | So be it | ||
¿Cómo es que…? | How is it that…? | ||
¡Cómo ha de ser! | What do you expect! | ||
Érase que se era (una vez) | Once upon a time | ||
Esa manera de hablar no es de una dama. | That's no way for a lady to talk. | ||
Es que no pude. | But I couldn't. | ||
Es que no quiero. | But I don't want to. | ||
Hizo como quien es. | He did what could be expected. | ||
¿No es así? | Isn't it? | ||
¡No es nada lo del ojo! | There's a lot more to it than that! | ||
no sea que | in case, for fear that | ||
no vaya a ser que… | unless | ||
o sea | or rather, in other words | ||
¡O somos o no somos! | (inf) | Make up your mind! Let's get on with it! | |
¿Qué ha sido de él? | What has become of him? | ||
¿Qué será de mí? | What will become of me? | ||
Qué será será | What will be, will be | ||
¡Sea! | Agreed! | ||
sea… sea | either… or | ||
Sea lo que sea | Be that as it may | ||
¿Será posible? | Is it possible? | ||
el ser | being, life, essence | ||
el ser humano | human being | ||
el ser imaginario | imaginary being | ||
el ser vivo | living creature, organism | ||
en lo más íntimo de su ser | in one's inmost being, deep within oneself |
Telling time | ||
es la una | it's one o'clock | |
son las dos, tres | it's two o'clock, three o'clock |
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