Colorful Idioms in español

De cabo a rabo, literally, from the end to the butt, from the stub to the butt, from the tail to the butt - in English, from beginning to end, from start to finish, from end to end.

He leído de cabo a rabo revistas sobre lo último en equipamiento.
I've read all the magazines on the hottest equipment.

In Puerto Rico there is a university that we always used to make fun of the name - Universidad del Turabo.  If you say "de" instead of "del", it's University of Your Butt...

You might also hear occasionally, de pe a pa which means the same thing, or from A to Z.

In English, we say so-and-so, or John (or Jane) Doe.

In Spanish, you can say fulano/a de tal.  Or, Señor/Señora Fulano/a.  But wait, there's more!

You can say the equivalent of Tom, Dick and Harry using fulano, mengano y zutano, meaning everyone or anyone, random or unknown people.  And there's even another one you can tack on at the end, perengano.

Le han pegado una paliza a fulano y mengano está en el hospital.
So-and-so was beaten to a pulp and the other so-and-so's in the hospital.

Fulano, mengano, zutano y perengano fueron a la fiesta.
EVERYONE went to the party.

As to the order - I have always heard this in the order fulano, zutano y mengano but some sources say it should be fulano, mengano y zutano.  Fulano/a (and fulano/a de tal) is the only one used stand-alone.  Perengano is always the last.

Buen provecho.

Spend any time in restaurants where Spanish is spoken and you'll likely hear someone tell a table of diners Buen provecho.

Literally this phrase means 'good advantage'.

Culturally, the meaning in this context is Hearty appetite.

It's more or less traditional to say the phrase at the beginning of the meal.

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English speakers learning Spanish may be more familiar with 'bueno' than 'buen'.  Both words mean 'good'.  'Buen' is used as the adjective when it precedes a masculine noun. 

Tenga un buen día.
Have a good day.

Este sánduche es muy bueno.
This sandwich is very good.

Lola es una buena canina.
Lola is a good dog.

esto no se habla mucho, pero sí, probablemente podría serlo o simplemente no lo escuché, más sp sería <disfrutar, lo que significa simplemente disfrutar. ya que he vivido en Colombia durante 3 años este septiembre y he estado en demasiados restaurantes y seguramente lo sabría, ¡y sí, desde restaurantes económicos hasta plata de alta gama, como se podría decir!

Posters, please remember that this is a Spanish-learning thread for Anglos, so posts should be mainly in English in order that learners are enlightened, not confused.

Favor de contribuir a esta cadena principalmente en inglés para no confundir a la gente que están aprendiendo.

  -- cccmedia

cccmedia wrote:

Buen provecho.
Spend any time in restaurants where Spanish is spoken and you'll likely hear someone tell a table of diners Buen provecho.

We don't really have this custom per se in the USA.  I have heard and said this both entering and leaving, if you catch the eye of someone as you are entering or exiting a restaurant.  It may be more common in México but it's quite common in Colombia too and is considered by all to be muy culto, very educated and polite. 

If it is said to you in a restaurant, simply respond in acknowledgement, buen provecho and/or gracias and/or igualmente, or just a friendly nod of your head.

It is said among family and friends at home as a matter of course, starting a meal.

The politeness in this aspect is more common in Latin countries than in the USA.  If you come across someone partaking of a meal or a drink, and catch their eye, they may offer you some, extending the bottle,  but it is better this should always be politely refused, more or less as follows:

¿Usted gusta? (extending the bottle towards you)
Gracias, buen provecho. (or, Gracias, que le aproveche.) (gesturing "no" with your upheld hand, and/or shaking your head "no")