Animals expressions in Spanish

A list of useful idioms with animals

Spanish vocabulary

estar como una cabra to be as mad as a hatter
ser la oveja negra to be the black sheep
ser mono to be cute
ponerse gallito to get cocky
ser más pesado/a que una vaca en brazos to be a pain in the neck
tener pájaros en la cabeza to have bats in the belfry/be away with the fairies
por si las moscas just in case
llevarse como el perro y el gato to fight like cat and dog
ser cuatro gatos to not be numerous, hardly anyone present
¿Qué mosca te ha picado? what's wrong with you?
estar todo el pescado vendido it's over/finished/decided
comportarse como un cerdo to behave like a pig
caerle la del pulpo to get clobbered
no ver tres en un burro to be as blind as a bat
pagar el pato to take the rap/blame
tener memoria de elefante to have the memory of an elephant
sentir mariposas en el estómago To feel butterflies in the stomach
a otra cosa mariposa it's time to move on
moverse como pez en el agua like a fish in water - to be at ease/ comfortable
ir a paso de tortuga to go at a snail's pace
a caballo regalado no le mires el diente don't look a gift horse in the mouth
estar hecho un toro to be as strong as an ox
lágrimas de cocodrilo crocodile tears
los tortolitos lovebirds
no ser moco de pavo be no mean feat
Let me take a look at that...