Time of Verbena

The standard good-luck phrase used among theatre people in the same way 'break a leg' works in English. Considered perfectly appropriate backstage; saying 'buena suerte' is thought to bring bad luck. The literal meaning is 'lots of shit', referencing horse droppings from audience carriages, a sign of a full house.

Literally a dense fried pastry, by extension, something or someone tediously dull and hard to get through. Mild and humorous in tone.

Espinita (little thorn) here means a small, persistent desire or ambition that has never been satisfied. Affectionate and informal.

Gallo (rooster) is the metaphor for bravado and domineering swagger. The phrase criticises someone who is putting on an aggressive or boastful front.

A fixed Spanish proverb used to accuse someone of projecting their own bad intentions onto others. Delivered sharply in arguments to dismiss unfair suspicion.

From alucinar (to hallucinate). Used hyperbolically to express disbelief or amazement at something considered absurd or extraordinary. Very common in informal speech.

Idiomatic expression describing a person who is tough, determined, and not easily pushed around. Can be admiring or cautionary.