IdiomBody & Senses
Spanish
SpanishQuedarse de piedra
Meaning: To be stunned speechless.
Literally: To be left as stone
Example: “Me quedé de piedra cuando anunciaron al ganador.” — You could have knocked me down with a feather when they announced the winner.
English equivalent: You could have knocked me down with a feather
Origin: To be turned to stone is to be frozen by shock, unable to move or speak. Stories of people petrified by a sight are old, from Medusa to Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt, but no source ties the Spanish phrase to any of them; it is the ordinary picture of someone too stunned to react. Spanish also says quedarse helado (frozen).
Equivalents in other languages
Greek: Μου έφυγε το καφάσι Literally: My crate flew off
French: En rester comme deux ronds de flan Literally: To be left like two rounds of custard
English: you could have knocked me down with a feather
More Spanish idioms
- Ser uña y carne To be inseparable; the closest of friends.
- Dar gato por liebre To swindle by passing off something inferior as the real thing.
- Importar un pepino To not care in the slightest.
- Ponerse las pilas To get your act together and start working hard.
- Estar en el ajo To be in on a secret or scheme.
- Ser la oveja negra To be the outcast of the family or group.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
- Once Actually means 'eleven'. For once (one time), say una vez.
- Vaso Actually means 'a drinking glass'. A vase (for flowers) is un jarrón or florero.
- Embarazada Actually means 'pregnant'. For embarrassed, say avergonzado/a.
Keep exploring