Morning! 😃 ☕️
Ask anyone who grew up in a Spanish-speaking household about flies in your mouth, and watch their face change.
This isn't a random saying. It's one of the first lessons Spanish-speaking parents teach their kids, right up there with saying "please" and "thank you."
And once you understand it, you'll hear it everywhere, from your coworker's abuela to a telenovela villain right before she gets caught.
In today's email…
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📱 Day 1: The full phrase, plus why it matters
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🌟 Where this gets used in real conversations
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🏃♂️ How to work it into a conversation this week
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MEMORIZE 🧠
En boca cerrada no entran moscas.
As always, the answer key and audio are at the bottom of this email.
CULTURAL MOMENT 🍅
This phrase translates literally to "flies don't enter a closed mouth." The meaning is simple: if you keep your mouth shut, you can't get yourself in trouble.
Spanish speakers say this constantly, to a kid who's about to repeat something they overheard, to a coworker tempted to share office gossip, to a friend who's had one too many drinks and is about to say something they'll regret tomorrow.
Here's where it gets useful for you: this phrase gives you a way to warn or advise someone without sounding harsh.
In English, you might say "loose lips sink ships" or "keep it to yourself," but those land differently. This phrase carries a gentle, almost playful weight. It's said with a raised eyebrow, not a scolding tone.
Get this right, and you'll sound like someone who actually understands how Spanish speakers communicate, not just someone reciting words.
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Phrase Café sends you a letter from Sara every morning, with the English under every line and her voice reading it. Then a coach walks you through it. 5 to 10 minutes a day.