So if you hear someone talking about caring for cucumbers or complaining about bad milk, the chances are they are not actually taking their food too seriously.
Here are seven of our favourite expressions that use food to talk about something else entirely.
Es del año de la pera (literal translation: it is from the year of the pear)
This is used to refer to old objects, especially when something is so old that you can't remember when you got it. In English, phrases like 'donkey's years ago' would be comparable.
Estar más bueno/Buena que el pan (literal translation: to be better than bread)
This is a great way to walk about someone being attractive or beautiful. The Spanish are absolutely obsessed with bread and telling someone that they're better than bread is a real compliment!
Estar de mala leche (literal translation: to be of bad milk)
Photo: stetsik/Depositphotos
Milk is used for tons of phrases in Spanish. 'To be of bad milk' means you're in a bad mood and refers to a temporary feeling.
READ ALSO: Five ways that 'leche' means more than just 'milk' in Spain
Ser salado (literal translation: to be salty)
In Spain, ser salado means to be witty, amusing or charming.
Me importa un pepino (literal translation: I care a cucumber)
Photo: spaxiax/Depositphotos
When you don't care about something you can mention cucumbers as it means that you simply don't give a damn!
Vete a freir espárragos (literal translation: go fry asparagus)
Photo: sukr13/Depositphotos
This is a way of telling someone to go away or leave you alone. A good English equivalent would be telling someone to 'piss off'.
Estar como un flan (literal translation: to be like an egg custard)
This means to be nervous about something, like an exam, a presentation or an event. It means to be a nervous wreck. Ser un flan is a colloquial way of saying that you're shaking like a leaf.
Food is never far from your mind while in Spain or speaking Spanish and these phrases will help you sound like a native and improve your fluency.
LAE Madrid is the leading Spanish academy in Madrid and is accredited by the Insitituto Cervantes. It offers Spanish courses for all levels and also has Spanish classes for kids and families.To see more phrases with food, check out LAE Madrid's Facebook Live Spanish classes on YouTube.
