Proverbs (“los refranes” in Spanish) are popular sayings used by a population or community; usually to give advice about how people should live, or to express a belief that is generally considered to be true. The Spanish language has hundreds of proverbs on different issues, used all over in the Spanish and Latin communities. We’ve gathered 5 of the best proverbs in Spanish for you, with a special theme: friends and friendship! Learn some Spanish and enjoy these fun insights on the special people that accompany us throughout our lives.
1. Hoy por ti, mañana por mí
Nowadays this proverb is used frequently. Its meaning is that is always good to help and support each other – and a good action is often reciprocated! If you help a friend today, you’re helping yourself too because the next time you need him or her, they’ll be at the ready to help you out!
Translations of and variations on this popular proverb are also found in other languages:
In English: You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours
In Italian: Oggi a me, domani a te
In French: Aujord’hui à moi, demain à toi
In German: Heute mir, morgen dir
2. Los amigos de mis amigos son mis amigos
This proverb is normally used when you meet the friend of a friend. You use this expression in order to let the friend of a friend know that he or she can count on your friendship – because you already share a friend! This expression may sound familiar to you, since it is often used in movies, along with variants such as, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”!
This proverb is well-used in other languages too:
In English: The friends of my friends are also my friends
In Italian: Gli amici dei miei amici sono miei amici
In French: Les amis de nos amis sont nos amis
In German: Die Freunde unserer Freunde sind auch unsere Freunde
3. Amigo de muchos, amigo de ninguno
To understand this proverb, you have to put it in context. Normally when you are friends with someone, you listen to them, share similar opinions, and agree on many issues. Since everyone has differing opinions, someone who is a friend to everyone – and agrees with everybody’s opinion – cannot truly be in agreement with all of their friends! Quite simply, if you are not true to anyone about your opinion, nor are you true friends with anyone.
Translations of this proverb are common:
In English: A friend to all is a friend to none
In Italian: Chi è amico di tutti non è amico di nessuno
In French: Ami de tout le monde, ami de personne
In German: Allerwelts Freund, niemands Freund
4. Hay que tener amigos hasta en el Infierno, por lo que pueda pasar
This expression means that is always good to have friends everywhere – even in Hell – so you can always count on someone whatever might happen or wherever you may end up!
Having friends everywhere is considered important in every country – check out these translations!
In English: It’s a good idea to have friends, both in Heaven and in Hell
In Italian: Gli amici son buoni in ogni piazza
In French: Il est bon d’avoir des amis partout
In German: Freundschaft bis in die Hölle bewahren wollen
5. Donde hay confianza, da asco
This proverb is used to express that an excess of confidence (over-familiarity) between two people can be a bad thing! When you’re extremely close with a friend, that can entail taking your friend for granted, behaving badly, and losing mutual respect – which ends in disgust, or “asco”! This proverb wants to censor behaving badly towards a friend you are overly close with.
Other languages have the same idea:
In English: Familiarity breeds contempt.
In Italian: Confidenza toglie riverenza
In French: Le trop de confiance nuit
In German: Wer leicht traut, wird leicht betrogen
That concludes our top 5 proverbs about friendship! Enjoyed this and want to know more useful Spanish vocabulary (maybe to share with your friends! 
)? Get back to basics and check out our Spanish vocabulary for the classroom!
¡Enamorados de Málaga! ¡Locos por el español!
