éramos pocos y parió la abuela
Meaning: as if that wasn't enough, things went from bad to worse.
Language: Spanish
Literally: we were few and grandmother gave birth
Category: The Absurd
Origin: Origin uncertain; the phrase pictures a crowded, difficult situation made absurdly worse by an unexpected addition, as though a grandmother's sudden childbirth in an already cramped space were the final indignity.
More idioms — The Absurd
- no sé qué y no sé cuánto — An undefined or vague something; an indescribable quality or collection of things.
- caer en gracia — To charm someone instantly or be liked right away.
- no ganar para sustos — To be plagued by constant troubles and misfortunes; to suffer setback after setback.
- perder la chaveta — To go crazy; to lose one's grip on sanity or self-control.
- nur Bahnhof verstehen — to understand nothing at all of what is being said.
- alles im grünen Bereich sein — Everything is functioning well or is satisfactory.
More Spanish idioms
- de un plumazo — suddenly or in a single swift action, as if accomplished with one stroke of a pen.
- mal trago — a difficult or unpleasant experience; a bitter pill to swallow.
- en dos patadas — very easily or effortlessly.
- ni a tiros — absolutely not; under no circumstances.
- a la buena de Dios — To proceed carelessly or without proper planning, leaving the outcome to chance or fate.
- con pies de plomo — To proceed with extreme caution or wariness; to tread carefully in a delicate situation.
From our proverbs
- Kindnesses, like grain, increase by sowing. — Generosity multiplies when shared freely, returning abundance to those who give it.
- Many kiss the child for the nurse's sake. — People often show affection to gain favor with those in power or influence, rather than f…
- A fat kitchen, a lean will. — Excessive spending on pleasures leaves little inheritance or resources for one's heirs an…