01 / 09

Tela marinera

Spain. Cloth and sailor's, but together they simply mean a lot.

Tardó tela marinera means he took ages.

02 / 09

Echar aguas

Mexico. Literally to throw waters, it means to warn someone.

If a friend te echa aguas, they are telling you to watch out.

03 / 09

Pura vida

Costa Rica. Pure life is a greeting, and also the answer to one.

Ask ¿Cómo estás? and pura vida is a fine reply.

04 / 09

Dar papaya

Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. To give someone the chance to take advantage of you.

Phone left on a café table? No des papaya.

05 / 09

Tirar arroz

Peru. The words mean to throw rice, and the idiom means to ignore someone.

A friend who stops answering is tirándote arroz.

06 / 09

Pasarlo chancho

Chile. Chancho means pig, and this means to have a great time.

Lo pasamos chancho means we had a great time.

07 / 09

Hacerse la rata

Argentina and Uruguay. To skip class, without your parents knowing.

Peru says hacerse la vaca, and Colombia says capar clase.

08 / 09

Coger lucha

Cuba and the Dominican Republic use the same words with 2 meanings.

In Cuba it means to worry. In the Dominican Republic it means to work hard.

09 / 09

Dar bola

To pay attention. It is listed in 11 countries, the widest of the 15.

8 of the 15 idioms are recorded in one country only.

Tap for all 15 idioms, with the countries that use each one.