Daily Spanish — A New Mini Lesson Every Day
One real, bite-sized Spanish word, phrase, or idiom, published every day — come back tomorrow for a new one.
Every morning I pick one word or phrase I think you'll actually use — not textbook filler — and I write a little about it myself, right below each one.
— Graciela 🇪🇸
Giving up on something
Tirar la toalla
tee-RAR lah toh-AH-yah — To throw in the towel
"Después de tres intentos, decidió tirar la toalla."
After three tries, he decided to throw in the towel.
Comes from boxing, exactly like the English idiom — one of the easier idioms to remember because it maps directly onto English.
"Something I refuse to do with a stubborn student — we always get there eventually."— Graciela
Previous lessons
No tener pelos en la lengua — For someone who says exactly what they think
Day 21 · Idiom
Meter la pata — Admitting a mistake, casually
Day 20 · Idiom
Costar un ojo de la cara — For something painfully expensive
Day 19 · Idiom
Ponerse las pilas — Telling someone to get moving
Day 18 · Idiom
Dar la lata — For someone who won't stop nagging
Day 17 · Idiom
Estar en las nubes — For someone who's a bit spacey
Day 16 · Idiom
Echar de menos — Talking about missing someone
Day 15 · Everyday
Qué rollo — Complaining about something tedious
Day 14 · Everyday
A lo mejor — Hedging without committing
Day 13 · Everyday
Menos mal — A relieved sigh, in two words
Day 12 · Everyday
Ni idea — Admitting you don't know
Day 11 · Everyday
Ya está — Wrapping something up
Day 10 · Everyday
Vale la pena — Saying something is worth doing
Day 9 · Everyday
Genial — The all-purpose word for "awesome"
Day 8 · Everyday
Oye — Getting someone's attention, politely
Day 7 · Everyday
Qué tal — How's it going, casually
Day 6 · Everyday
Actualmente — The false friend that trips up nearly every English speaker
Day 5 · False Friend
Perdona / Perdone — Two words for "sorry" that aren't interchangeable
Day 4 · Politeness
Estoy hecho polvo — An idiom for when you're completely drained
Day 3 · Idiom
La cuenta, por favor — Asking for the bill without feeling rushed
Day 2 · Travel & Food
Vale — The word Spaniards say more than any other
Day 1 · Everyday