Phrase · 📜 Proverbs in conversation
La bici es usada, pero a caballo regalado no se le mira el diente.
The bike is second-hand, but never look a gift horse in the mouth.
C2accepting a giftinformallearned as a wholeAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Ladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definitebici4nounbikefem. · sing.esverbisser · present · 3rd sing.usadaadjectivesecond-handusado · fem. · sing.,peroconjunctionbuta2prepositiontocaballo1nounhorsemasc. · sing.regalado1verbgiven as a giftregalar · participle · masc. · sing.no1adverbnotse3pronoun(one)3rdle3object pronounitsél · 3rd sing. · indirect objectmira1verblooks atmirar · present · 3rd sing.el1determinerthemasc. · sing. · definitediente1nountoothmasc. · sing..
- a → diente: frozen proverb
- le → caballo: le refers back to a caballo regalado
- se → mira: impersonal se + 3rd person
- usada → bici: usada agrees with bici (f. sg.)
Word for word: “The bike is used, but at a gifted horse one does not look its tooth.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1A caballo regalado no se le mira el diente = don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
- 2Natural when you accept something imperfect but free; tactless if the giver hears you say it about their present.
- 3Impersonal se + le: nobody looks at its tooth. le picks up a caballo regalado, placed first. Impersonal and passive se; reciprocal se →
- 4bici = short for bicicleta, feminine.
Variations
- La bici es usada, pero a caballo regalado no le mires el diente.
- La bici es usada, pero a caballo regalado no se le mira el colmillo.
- La bici es usada, pero es un regalo: no me voy a quejar.