{"id":143433,"date":"2023-03-23T02:44:49","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T06:44:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/advanced-spanish-phrases\/"},"modified":"2025-05-26T07:50:30","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T11:50:30","slug":"advanced-spanish-phrases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/advanced-spanish-phrases\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Advanced Spanish Phrases to Try Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now that you have a solid intermediate level of Spanish speaking<\/a>, it’s time to take your Spanish to the next level with advanced phrases.\u00a0Focusing on interesting or uncommon vocabulary<\/a>\u00a0is a great way to make the leap from intermediate to advanced Spanish.<\/p>\n

In this post, we will teach you 12 advanced Spanish phrases<\/strong> which will not only help your comprehension but also make you sound like a native speaker.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. Tiene pinta de ser<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> It seems
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Parece<\/em><\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t tell you why the word pinta<\/em>\u2014which means \u201cpint\u201d and \u201che\/she paints\u201d\u2014also means \u201caspect\u201d or \u201cappearance.\u201d Oh, well\u2014languages are just complicated like that.<\/p>\n

You may have heard someone say “tiene buena pinta”\u00a0<\/em>(it looks great) to describe food, a good idea or even an attractive person. But the word pinta<\/em> can actually be used with many adjectives, not just buena<\/em> or its opposite, mala<\/em> (bad).<\/p>\n

Instead of using the verb parecer <\/em>(to seem, to appear), try throwing in the phrase tiene pinta de ser<\/em><\/strong> plus the adjective of your choice. It has almost the same meaning, and it\u2019ll help you vary your speech and sound more colloquial.<\/p>\n

Ese restaurante tiene pinta de ser<\/strong> muy caro.<\/em>
\n(That restaurant looks really expensive.)<\/p>\n

2. M\u00e1s … que nada<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Very
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Muy<\/em><\/p>\n

Spanish negative words<\/a>\u00a0can be tricky for native English speakers to get the hang of. In this case, nada<\/em> (nothing) functions like the English word “anything.” So, this phrase means \u201cMore [adjective] than anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Use this phrase to add emphasis when describing something. Because why say \u201cvery good\u201d over and over again, when occasionally you can throw in \u201cThis is the best thing ever\u201d?<\/p>\n

El chocolate es m\u00e1s rico que nada<\/strong><\/em>.
\n(Chocolate is the most delicious thing in the world.)<\/p>\n

3. Perder los estribos<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Get angry
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Enfadarse,<\/em>\u00a0enojarse<\/em><\/p>\n

Perder los estribos <\/em><\/strong>(lose the stirrups) is not a perfect synonym for enfadarse<\/em>, but it’s a great phrase to describe a specific type of anger.<\/p>\n

To perder los estribos<\/em> means to lose one\u2019s head, get irrationally angry or talk without sense or reason due to anger. The phrase especially refers to short-tempered people or those with little patience who have a tendency to blow their top at the slightest provocation.<\/p>\n

El ni\u00f1o no dejaba de gimotear, y al final su madre perdi\u00f3 los estribos<\/strong>.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(The boy wouldn\u2019t stop whining, and finally his mother lost her temper.)<\/p>\n

4. En mi d\u00eda a d\u00eda<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Usually
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Normalmente,<\/em>\u00a0usualmente<\/em><\/p>\n

Usualmente<\/em> (usually) and normalmente<\/em> (normally) work just fine to express habitual actions. However, for a more colloquial and literary way to express the same concept, try en mi d\u00eda a d\u00eda<\/em><\/strong>. It\u2019s a great phrase to describe actions that are part of your everyday routine.<\/p>\n

Intento comer sano en mi d\u00eda a d\u00eda<\/strong>, pero de vez en cuando me apetece una pizza o una hamburguesa.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(I try to eat healthy on a day-to-day basis, but every so often I\u2019m in the mood for a pizza or a hamburger.)<\/p>\n

5. Como ning\u00fan otro<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Unique
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>\u00danico<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cUnique\u201d is one of those interesting words that can be positive, neutral or negative depending on context. For that reason, it\u2019s a very useful word and comes in handy in many different situations.<\/p>\n

Instead of \u00fanico<\/em>, try using como ning\u00fan otro<\/em><\/strong> (like nobody\/nothing else). Remember that if you\u2019re referring to a female or to a feminine-gendered object, you\u2019ll need to change the phrase to como ninguna otra<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

You can use this phrase in two different ways. First, you can use it on its own as a synonym for \u00fanico<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Ella siempre se viste bien. Tiene un estilo como ninguna otra<\/strong>.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(She\u2019s always well-dressed. She has a completely unique style.)<\/p>\n

You can also use como ning\u00fan otro<\/em> with a noun at the end, to say that something is \u201clike no other _____.\u201d<\/p>\n

Par\u00eds es incre\u00edble. Es como ning\u00fan otro<\/strong> lugar en el mundo<\/em>.
\n(Paris is incredible. It\u2019s like no\u00a0other place in the world.)<\/p>\n

6. Hacer la vista gorda<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Ignore
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Ignorar<\/em><\/p>\n

Ignorar<\/em> (to ignore) is a nice, useful cognate to have in your vocabulary<\/a>\u00a0arsenal. However, in certain situations, you can substitute it for\u00a0the more exciting and colorful phrase hacer la vista gorda<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So what does it mean to \u201cmake the fat look\u201d in Spanish? This phrase refers to consciously ignoring something you\u2019d rather not see, like the English \u201cto turn a blind eye\u201d or \u201cto look the other way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because it has such a specific meaning, hacer la vista gorda<\/em> can\u2019t be directly substituted for ignorar<\/em> in all contexts, but you can use it to convey a more nuanced meaning to readers or listeners in certain situations.<\/p>\n

La profesora sab\u00eda que sus estudiantes hab\u00edan copiado durante el examen, pero hizo la vista gorda<\/strong>.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(The professor knew that her students had copied off of each other during the exam, but she looked the other way.)<\/p>\n

7. Desde luego<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Of course
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Claro,<\/em>\u00a0por supuesto<\/em><\/p>\n

The words claro<\/em> and por supuesto<\/em> are highly useful in colloquial Spanish\u2014you can use them to express agreement, excitement or even indignation, depending on the context.<\/p>\n

Personally, I find myself completely overusing the word claro<\/em>, so it\u2019s nice to have a substitute to use every so often! That\u2019s where\u00a0desde luego<\/em><\/strong> comes in.<\/p>\n

Literally translated as \u201csince then,\u201d this phrase is a great stand-in for claro<\/em>. You can also say desde luego que s\u00ed<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(of course), which means more or less the same thing as\u00a0desde luego.<\/em>\u00a0To express the opposite\u2014\u201cof course not\u201d\u2014use desde luego que no<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A: <\/em>\u00bfVas a venir a mi fiesta de cumplea\u00f1os?<\/em>
\nB: <\/em>Hombre, \u00a1desde luego<\/strong> que s\u00ed! \u00a1Nos vemos all\u00ed!<\/em><\/p>\n

(A: Are you going to come to my birthday party?
\nB: Dude, of course I will! I’ll see you there!)<\/p>\n

8. Ganarse la vida<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Work
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Trabajar<\/em><\/p>\n

In Spanish,\u00a0ganarse la vida<\/em> <\/strong>(literal translation: earn yourself the life) is roughly equivalent to the English phrases \u201cto earn a living\u201d or \u201cto make a living.\u201d<\/p>\n

As in English, you can use the phrase to specifically talk about the money you make from your work. However, you can also use it in many cases as a substitute for the word trabajar<\/em> (to work).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a more playful and figurative way to talk about your job, and it sounds more interesting than just saying yo trabajo<\/em> all the time. Think of it as similar to the English phrase \u201cI do _____ for a living.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grammatically, you can use the phrase in two different ways.<\/p>\n

First, you can use ganarse la vida +<\/em>\u00a0[gerund]<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Me gano la vida<\/strong> escribiendo poes\u00eda<\/em>.
\n(I make a living writing poetry.)<\/p>\n

Second, you can use ganarse\u00a0la vida +\u00a0como +\u00a0<\/em>[a profession]<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Me gano la vida como<\/strong> poeta<\/em>.
\n(I make my living as a poet.)<\/p>\n

9. Por otra parte…<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Not to mention…
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Adem\u00e1s…<\/em><\/p>\n

Por otra parte<\/em><\/strong> is a somewhat confusing phrase because it has two seemingly contradictory meanings.<\/p>\n

First, it can be used to introduce further information on a topic or supporting details, such as the English \u201cnot to mention…\u201d or \u201cfurthermore…\u201d<\/p>\n

Me encanta Grecia. La comida all\u00ed es estupenda. Por otra parte<\/strong>, la arquitectura es bell\u00edsima.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(I love Greece. The food there is stupendous. Furthermore, the architecture is beautiful.)<\/p>\n

But por otra parte<\/em> can also be used to introduce conflicting or contradictory information, like the English \u201cOn the other hand…\u201d<\/p>\n

No me gusta Nueva York porque me agobia. Pero por otra parte<\/strong>, tambi\u00e9n es una ciudad con mucha cultura.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(I don\u2019t like New York because it\u2019s overwhelming. But on the other hand, it\u2019s also a city with a lot of culture.)<\/p>\n

10. Dar vueltas a<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Think over
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Pensar<\/em><\/p>\n

The phrase dar la vuelta<\/em> can mean to make a turn, either literally or figurative. And when you dar vueltas a<\/em><\/strong> something, it means that you\u2019re going over it endlessly in your mind.<\/p>\n

As with many other examples in this post, dar vueltas a<\/em> is not an exact synonym of pensar<\/em>, and you cannot substitute the two phrases in any context. Use dar vueltas a<\/em> to specifically talk about something that\u2019s really been troubling you, that you keep going back and forth on in your mind. When used correctly, this turn of phrase can really add a figurative, almost poetic touch to your speech.<\/p>\n

Hemos pasado mucho tiempo dando vueltas a<\/strong> la idea, deber\u00edamos tomar una decisi\u00f3n ya.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(We\u2019ve spent a lot of time thinking the idea over, we should make a decision already.)<\/p>\n

11. Dar gato por liebre<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Trick
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Enga\u00f1ar<\/em><\/p>\n

The Spanish phrase dar gato por liebre <\/em><\/strong>(literally: to give a cat for a hare) means to trick someone, and specifically to pass off a poor item or service for something of higher quality. Supposedly, it originates from an old custom of butchers giving unsuspecting customers cat meat instead of hare meat to save money. Gross!<\/p>\n

Some English equivalents are \u201cto pull the wool over your eyes,\u201d \u201cto pull a fast one\u201d or \u201cto swindle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Esa tienda tiene muy mala fama. Ten cuidado que no te den gato por liebre<\/strong>!<\/em>
\n<\/em>That store has a really bad reputation. Be careful that they don\u2019t pull a fast one on you!<\/p>\n

12. Poner en marcha<\/em><\/h2>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>Begin
\nCommon word to replace: <\/strong>Empezar,<\/em>\u00a0comenzar<\/em><\/p>\n

When talking about something beginning, you\u2019ll usually use the word empezar <\/em>or comenzar<\/em>. However, in some cases you can use the more interesting phrase poner en marcha<\/em><\/strong>, which is similar to the English \u201cput into action.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grammatically, you can use this phrase in two ways:<\/p>\n

poner en marcha <\/em>+ [noun].<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoy voy a poner en marcha<\/strong> el proyecto.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(Today I\u2019m going to begin the project.)<\/p>\n

poner <\/em>+ [noun] + en marcha.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hoy voy a poner<\/strong> el proyecto en marcha<\/strong>.<\/em>
\n<\/em>(Today I\u2019m going to begin the project.)<\/p>\n

How to Diversify Your Spanish Vocabulary<\/h2>\n

In order to make the jump from being an intermediate<\/a> to an advanced Spanish speaker, you must develop a wide and varied vocabulary<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Knowing how to say things not only one way but two or three different ways at least, will help you converse like a native speaker and\u2014just as importantly\u2014understand other native speakers when they communicate with you! Here are some tactics to actively work on improving your vocabulary.<\/p>\n

Set aside a time each day to write or think in Spanish<\/h3>\n

One of the biggest benefits of learning by immersion<\/a> is that you\u2019re forced to learn the vocabulary to navigate tons of different everyday situations in Spanish. But if you can\u2019t learn by immersion due to lack of time, funds or desire, you can replicate this experience by setting aside time to write or think in Spanish every day.<\/p>\n

Either give yourself a topic or simply start writing\/internal-monologuing and see where you go. During this time, if you hit a word or phrase that you don\u2019t know how to express in Spanish, make a note of it.<\/p>\n

At the end of your time, look up these problem words and write down their correct translations. This stream-of-consciousness writing or thinking exercise will help you identify the gaps in your vocabulary.<\/p>\n

Look back at old things you\u2019ve written in Spanish.<\/h3>\n

Looking at things you wrote in the past<\/a>\u00a0can be a great way to measure your progress! For this exercise, though, your previous Spanish writings have a different use. Look back at the text, and challenge yourself to write a new text\u2014one that has the same meaning but uses different, more interesting vocabulary words and phrases.<\/p>\n

This will force you to learn synonyms for common words and get out of the pattern of using the same words over and over again. In a few months, you might even pull out your rewritten text and try to rewrite it again!<\/p>\n

Consume native Spanish content<\/h3>\n

Another great way to diversify your Spanish is to consume authentic media so you can see how the language is used by native speakers<\/strong>. There are many ways you can do this, such as by watching content in Spanish on YouTube, listening to Spanish music or trying a language immersion program like FluentU<\/a>.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \"FluentU\r\n

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