Idioms with “mano” ✋ 👋 🖐️
Idioms are those expressions, often of uncertain origin, that are being used a lot in colloquial language and conversations.
They are so much a part of our daily lives that it is sometimes difficult to realise how many and how we generally use them.
Deducing the meaning of these idiomatic expressions is not always easy, especially if they do not have equivalent expressions in other languages.
Idioms, as we have said on other occasions in our Spanish blog, are usually a complex part of a language. Today we will learn some expressions with the Spanish word “mano”.
Let’s see here below this short list:
Estar con una mano delante y otra detrás. If we use a little imagination and think of someone with no clothes on and literally staying with one hand in front and one hand behind, we might be able to understand the meaning of this expression. In case you haven’t guessed it, “estar con una mano delante y otra detrás” (lit. to be with one hand in front and one hand behind) is the same as “having no money”.
Estar a mano. If something is close to us, then “está a mano” and if it is far away, then “está en el quinto pinto” (that is, miles away from here).
Mano de santo. If something is good to treat a disease, then, it said to be “mano de santo”. This colloquial expression is usually used when speaking of health issues or to indicate home remedies for household chores such as cleaning. This expression is used a lot when mothers recommend herbal teas or herbs to fight colds, and, as we know, every mother has her own master recipe against the cold.
Mano a mano. This phrase means “under the same conditions”. It is generally used when people compete in a sport.
Lavarse las manos. Recalling the supposed phrase of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, to wash one’s hands means to want nothing to do with something. It is usually related to problems.
Irse de las manos. It is said when we lose control over something, usually referring to intangible things such as events, especially parties. 😊 🎉
Tener mano izquierda. Apparently, the right hand is not good for patience, which is why this expression is used to refer to people who are good at handling complicated situations, i.e. who are very diplomatic.
Tener buena mano. If you’re good at something, it’s because “tienes buena mano”. So, now you know what to say when you’re asked… Tienes buena mano con la cocina? 🧑🍳
Echar una mano. If you want to help someone in Spain, “échale una mano” (give them a hand).
Ponerse manos a la obra. Sometimes, to give someone a hand, you have to encourage them to get on with it. In the land of procrastination such as Spain, “ponerse manos a la obra” means “to start”.
Poner la mano en el fuego. And if you are sure of something, there is nothing like “poner la mano en el fuego por algo o por alguien” to demonstrate absolute certainty. ✋🔥
Ser la mano derecha de otra persona. In business, to be “the right hand” of someone is to be a totally trustworthy person. When referring to best friends, we use the expressions “ser uña y carne” (in English would be “being like two peas in a pod”), that express even more closeness and trust. 🙂
Ser un manitas. In Spanish we also have a phrase for people who are very crafty. We are talking about those people who are capable of repairing almost anything and have great mechanical intelligence. For this type of person, we use the expression “ser un manitas” (to be a handyman). ✋🛠️
Ser un manazas. In contrast to the handyman, the “manazas” is a clumsy person, that’s all!
And so far, we have come to know some of the most common idioms with the Spanish word “mano”. If feel like learning more, don’t miss our blog post about colloquial phrases with the verb ‘Arder’ or about the Spanish expressions “¡De Muerte!”
