You may find it hard to believe that there is almost as much difference between the Spanish you learn in school and the Spanish spoken in everyday life, as there is between Spanish and English.

Many students spend years studying Spanish in a formal setting only to find they cannot understand native Spanish speakers. Spanish like English has become very idiomatic.  That is to say daily speech contains many expressions not taught in traditional Spanish courses.

The only way to learn this vocabulary is to practice with native speakers as often as possible and/or to memorize the expressions like the ones listed below.

Ahogarse en un vaso de agua – means to get all worked up over nothing or to make a mountain out of a molehill
Estar en un apuro – means to be in a jam or in trouble
Gastar saliva – means to waste one’s breath figuratively speaking
Poner a uno al día – to bring someone up-to-date
Tomarle el pelo a uno – to pull someone’s leg or tease
Ser pan comido – to be easy or a “piece of cake. Es un queque is also used here.
Partir la espalda – to break one’s back by working hard. Deslomarse is also used
Faltarle a uno un tornillo – to be missing a screw or crazy

Tiquismo of the week: Cortar el rabo means to fire someone from a job.