Tag Archives: spanish

Camarón

Nationality: Mexico
Age: 70
Occupation: None
Residence: Los Angeles
Language: English and Spanish

“Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente”

My informant mentioned this proverb, “Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente” which in English means “Shrimp that falls asleep is carried by the current.” The informant told me that their mother would bring up this phrase when they missed out on opportunities. My informant is from Michoacán, Mexico, and learned it from their mother, but has also heard from other regions of Mexico. They now use that proverb and tell their kids and grandkids in order to teach them about how to make the most of their lives.

It is a phrase that warns of the dangers of passivity and inaction. It’s a way to teach a lesson that if you don’t take control of your life, you risk being swept away, just like a shrimp that is carried by the water.

gotta keep your head up

AGE

22

Date_of_performance

2/24/25

Language

English

Nationality

American

Occupation

Student

Primary Language

Spanish

Residence

Los Angeles, CA

Folk Speech: Al mal tiempo, Buena Cara

Translation: Bad times, good face

Context + Text: The individual is my roommate’s girlfriend. I went through a tough time in school, and I would come home crying sometimes because of how hard school was. “One day, I had gotten into a fight with a girl in my class and she threw the kick ball at my face, it really hurt, and I was crying when I went home.” She continued on to say that after her parents had comforted her, they reminded her that ‘al mal tiempo, buena cara”, and that I should not let the rest of my day be ruined by having a pouty face. “I really enjoyed hearing my parents say this because it has helped me in my college life now. I’ve failed midterms, missed my family, and just had bad days overall, but I always try to smile no matter what.” She continued on by explaining how keeping a smile on her face would make it easier to stop the bad thoughts or remembering the bad time she might’ve had that day, and it could also help others around her remember to smile. “If me and my friends all smile, there’s no way I have a bad time.”

Analysis: The above phrase is very similar to what many of us had heard as kids, “Turn that frown upside down”, but it can be used in different contexts. Turn that frown upside down is more related to individuals who may be sad and expressing it out to those around them. If I just received some devastating news or feel like I failed a test, I might walk around my house with just a sad/mad face. The phrase, bad times good face however, relates more to the individual trying to hype themselves up. It’s hard to have a bad time when you’re smiling, so simply waking up and reminding yourself to have a “good face” is a great way to ensure you can stay happy with whatever life throws at you.

Healing frogs

AGE

21

Date_of_performance

2/23/25

Language

English

Nationality

American

Occupation

Student

Primary Language

Spanish

Residence

San Martin, CA

Folk Speech: sana sana, colita de rana si no sanas hoy, sanaras manana

Translation: heal, heal, little frog’s tail. If you don’t feel better today, you’ll feel better tomorrow

Context + Text: The individual is my roommate in college for the past 4 years. The informant is from Mexican descent and when he was a little boy, his grandma would say this to him whenever he was sick. He never really understood what it meant, but it had been said to him since he could remember, and he believes that it actually healed him. “When I finally got old enough to understand what was being said, I got a little confused and asked my grandma why this was a cultural saying”, he explains. “She told me it was a little bit of nonsense, but it was a little silly rhyme that kids could learn.” When I asked him how he feels about it today, he said it was his favorite thing to say whenever he was sick, and he would beg his mom to buy little frog plush toys whenever they were at the store. “I built a collection of 12 little frogs, and every time I got sick, I used to sleep with them hoping their tails would heal me.” I then asked him if he still had them, and he said “Of course, I still get sick today and my kids one day will need them!”

Analysis: This little folk saying stems from Latin American culture, and it turned into a belief for little children that a frog’s tail truly had healing powers. The short version of the saying it simply “heal, heal, little frog’s tail”, calling for the child to heal from the powers of the little frog. The longer version provides a better explanation, that if you are not healed by tonight, tomorrow will heal you. It falls along with parental advice that if you sleep while sick, you will always feel better when you wake up. The short version is what many of the kids learned as it was just easier to remember, and in the original Spanish version it rhymes. We have seen that rhymes are easier to remember, especially for children. 

Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres.

Age: 19
Language: Spanish/English

Text: Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres. (Literal translation: Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.)

Context: The participant, upon getting into and preparing to attend college, described the saying her father taught her that he thought would best help her in her transition. In her new school, her father wanted her to make good decisions to ensure a good future. Since he believes that one’s environment is oftentimes a predictor of one’s success, he wanted to imbue a great sense of importance upon the participant that her friends were included in this environment. According to the participant, he wanted to make sure the friends she made were “like-minded and focused with good study habits”. 

Analysis: A popular Spanish proverb, this saying speaks to one’s character, and the people they choose to surround themselves. Supposedly, it is meant to convey the idea that our personalities and the way we are perceived by others is entirely predicated upon the company that we choose to keep. This sentiment is not unique to Spanish-speaking cultures, as other proverbs across different languages (such as “birds of a feather flock together”) hold similar meanings. This proverb (and subsequently, those in other languages meant to convey the same idea) is most likely intended to encourage people to be particular about those close to them, and make sure that their morals align with their friends’.

Al mejor escribano se le va un borrón.

Age: 59
Language: Spanish/English

Text: Al mejor escribano se le va un borrón. (Literal translation: To the best scribe comes a blot/smudge.)

Context: The participant remembers his father telling him this phrase when he was younger. His father would notice that he was frustrated that his art wasn’t turning out how he hoped it would, or when he was taking a long time to work on small details in projects. The participant believes that his father was trying to teach him that it’s okay to make mistakes and that his work didn’t have to be perfect.  

Analysis: This saying is meant to convey that perfectionism is an unsustainable behavior. Even those who might be incredibly experienced at something are still prone to err. As the proverb suggests – the best, most skilled scribe can still leave smudges and stains on a paper; they are still human, after all.  Although this specific saying is in Spanish, the message conveyed by it is universal in its appearance across cultures and languages. This universality only further proves the point of this proverb – making mistakes is a universal experience, and no one is exempt.