1) a bird’s-eye shot, a bird’s eye view: a scene photographed or filmed from an angle above the subject
Spanish: vista aéra [airview], vista a vuelo de pájaro [a bird’s flight view], vista panorámica [a panoramic view], vista superior [a view from above], vista desde el cielo a view from the sky/heaven], mirada general [general view]
Observation: “superior” is a deceptive cognate in this context since it means “upper” or “above” physically and not “better”. “cielo” means both “sky” and “heaven” and when used in the phrase “cielo raso” it means ceiling.
2) a blessing in disguise: seems bad, but is actually good
Spanish:?
Spanish: puede ser que todo sea para bien [it could be that everything results in being fine] , no hay mal que por bien no venga [out of every evil/bad situation something good comes out of it], algo positivo inesperado [an unexpected posivitive (consequence)
Observation: the idioms in Spanish, “no hay mal que por bien no venga” quite often is the idiom in English, “every grey cloud has a silver lining”
3) a blind alley: path that leads nowhere
Spanish: callejón sin salida [alley without an exit], calle sin salida [a street with an exit]
Observation: Of course, the idea of a path leading nowhere is the alley or street without an exit.
4) a bone of contention: something that people disagree about
Spanish: la manzana de discordia [the apple of conflict or dissent or discord], materia de desavenencia [the subject matter of dissension, nonconformity], punto álgido [decisive/critical point], punto de discusión [debate/dispute point], elemento de discordia [conflictive element], motivo de discordia [reason for dissent]
Observation: The adjective “álg[ido” is interesting. One of its meanings is “icy”, but in this context it would be “decisive” or “critical”. And, even though often “discusión” means discussion in English, quite often it means “argument” or “debate.”
5) a breath of fresh air: new ideas or new emergy or new ways of doing something
Spanish: un poco de aire [a little bit of air], un poco de aire fresco [a little bit of fresh air], respiro de aire fresco [a breath of fresh air], soplo de aire fresco [a hint of fresh air], nuevos aires [new air], aire renovado [renewed air]
6) a bull in a china shop: tactless person that upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person
Spanish: chivo en cristalería [a goat in a shop of glassware], elefante en cristalería [an elephant in a shop of glassware]
Observation: It is curious that the animal used in Spanish is either a goat or an elephant and in English it is a bull.
7) a burning question: a current problem of general interest
Spanish: un tema cadente [a rhythmical subject], un tema de crucial importancia [a crucially important subject[, un tema de vital importancia [a vitally important subject], pregunta cadente [a rhythmical question], cuestión cadente [a rhythmical matter], cuestión palpitante [a palpitating issue], pregunta aguijoneante [an incisive/prodding/goading question], pregunta palpitante [a palpitating question], problema apremiante [an urgent / compelling problem], problema imperioso [a domineering problem]
8) a cat has nine lives: cars can survive accidents that would kill most animals
Spanish: siete vidas tiene un gato [a cat gas seven lives]
Observation: Why nine lives in English and seven in Spanish is a curious question.
9) a cat on a hot tine roof: full of lively activity
Spanish: estar sobre ascuas [be on hot coal, be on smoldering pieces of wood, etc.]
Observation: the same burning sensation reflecting hyper activity
10) a church mouse: a very poor
Spanish: más pobres que las ratas [poorer than mice]
