Mas feliz que un regaliz – Spanish Happiness Phrases

Happiness Phrases

The following phrases can all be used in Spain (there may be variations in South/Latin America) to say that you, or someone else, are really happy:

Más feliz que un regaliz (literally, happier than liquorice)

Más feliz que una perdiz (literally, happier than a partridge)

Más contento que un niño con zapatos nuevos (happier than a child with new shoes)

e.g. ¿Cómo estás? … ¡Estoy más feliz que un regaliz!

Another favourite of ours:

Está como un pez en el agua – She’s really having a great time, she’s in her element, (literally ‘like a fish in water’. It’s strange that in English we say ‘like a fish out of water’ to mean the exact opposite!)

And if you just want to keep things simple, there’s no easier phrase in the world than:

Estoy super contento/a :)

Great Happiness Article – Happiness At Google!

My sister gave me a really interesting book for Christmas called Search Inside Yourself, written by an engineer at Google, about a program he’s introduced at the company that teaches employees mindfulness and emotional intelligence. Here’s an interesting Spanish article about the program, and the launch of the Spanish version of the book:

En Google la felicidad se logra con meditación

And finally…

Ben and Marina are passionate about happiness! Marina works part time as a doula and yoga teacher for pregnant women and mothers and babies, and Ben writes about happiness at beinghappiness.com (The posts are in English, but some contain hints of Spanish too, plus see this related post in Spanish by a friend of ours.)

¡Que seáis muy felices! - May you all be very happy!

- Ben y Marina

17 thoughts on “Mas feliz que un regaliz – Spanish Happiness Phrases”

  2. Salvador

    I believe you wanted to say ” child with new shoes” – you’ve been away from UK far too long, Ben ;) On a different nore, I very much enjoyed you NiS Gold podcasts. Thanks for releazing them in “general public domain”. Great job guys, keep it up!

  3. Maria Perez

    Ben, me encantan vuestros artículos y frases. Te escribo porque creo que hay una errata en las expresiones: es “más feliz que UNA perdiz”. ¡Feliz viernes!

  6. Natasha

    Thanks a lot Ben for all these wonderful frases!…they are gonna be really helpful!!.. I enjoy listening to the pod casts as well!…great job!!!….:)

  7. Thomas H Houck

    Estoy feliz que una alemja !

    You are planning any new material for your Spanish students ? It seems that you are into bigger and better things. Thanks for all the help and support, you have been great. All good things do come to an end.
    Hasta Pronto, Tom H

  9. Simone Baroke

    Thanks for these!
    But how ironic that “happy as a clam” is an English expression, not a Spanish one, with all the seafood they eat ;-) Or is there an equivalent that you’ve (shock horror!) carelessly omitted? Hmmm??????

  10. Pat

    thanks for the new phrases. I have posted on your other site about a great set of programmes on rtve about happiness in 4 minutes [la felicidad en cuatro minutos] there are 50 programmes on various themes with lots of enthusiastic contributors talking in a variety of situations mainly but not exclusively in Spanish. You can be happy improving your listening skills and t is a joy to watch what makes others happy, often quite inconsequential things.
    http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/la-felicidad-en-cuatro-minutos/felicidad-cuatro-minutos-compartir-momentos/1202496/#aHR0cDovL3d3dy5ydHZlLmVzL2FsYWNhcnRhL2ludGVybm8vY29udGVudHRhYmxlLnNodG1sP3BicT00Jm1vZGw9VE9DJmxvY2FsZT1lcyZwYWdlU2l6ZT0xNSZjdHg9NDk4MTAmYWR2U2VhcmNoT3Blbj1mYWxzZQ==

  12. Ben Post author

    Thanks for all the comments and additonal phrases!
    @Thomas, there is nothing bigger and better for us than Notes in Spanish! We are still not sure about the next lot of material, and dates yet.
    @Simone, I never heard the clam expression!
    @Pat, thanks for the link again, great stuff!

  13. Thomas H

    Thanks Ben for the comment and looking forward to its arrival of your new material. You have bought me from a beginner to a much higher level and of course we are all still learning. I’ve read and listen to so much of your material you seem like family ! The very best to all your endeavours. Un fuerte Abrazo y Salud a Todo- Tom H

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