Phrase · 📜 Proverbs in conversation
Mejor no opines en la reunión; en boca cerrada no entran moscas.
Better keep your opinion to yourself in the meeting; least said, soonest mended.
C2advising discretioninformallearned as a wholeAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Mejor4adverbbetterno4adverbnotopines4verbyou give your opinionopinar · subjunctive · present · 2nd sing.enprepositioninladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definitereuniónnounmeetingfem. · sing.;en2prepositioninboca1nounmouthfem. · sing.cerrada3verbclosedcerrar · participle · fem. · sing.no1adverbnotentran1verbget inentrar · present · 3rd pl.moscas1nounfliesmosca · fem. · pl..
- en → moscas: frozen proverb
- entran → moscas: entran agrees with moscas (pl.)
- cerrada → boca: cerrada agrees with boca (f. sg.)
- Mejor → opines: mejor no + subjunctive
Word for word: “Better don't give your opinion in the meeting; no flies get into a closed mouth.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1En boca cerrada no entran moscas = least said, soonest mended (lit. no flies get into a closed mouth).
- 2Natural and very common: a friendly hint to keep quiet. Said to your boss, it would sound cheeky.
- 3cerrada agrees with boca; cerrar = to close.
- 4Mejor no + subjunctive = better not: mejor no opines. Subjunctive: value judgements and impersonal expressions →
Variations
- Mejor no digas nada en la reunión; en boca cerrada no entran moscas.
- No opines en la reunión, que en boca cerrada no entran moscas.
- Mejor no opines en la reunión; a veces es mejor callar.