Dichos y Frases: The Sayings That Raised Us
Every familia has the lines that get said so often they stop being words and become a voice: your mom's "te calmas o te calmo," your tío's "ni modo," your abuela's "si Dios quiere" after every plan anyone ever made. These are the dichos and frases we grew up hearing, on things you'll use every day.
1. Échale ganas
What someone said to you before the exam, the first shift, the interview. Not "good luck." More like "I know you can, so do it." The Échale Ganas tee, mug and sweatshirt are for the student, the new nurse, the one starting over. Read what échale ganas really means, and the dichos that say the same thing slower, like poco a poco se anda lejos. Shop Échale Ganas.
2. Si Dios quiere
"See you Sunday." "Si Dios quiere." The phrase that puts every plan in its right place. The Si Dios Quiere tee and tote are for the one who says it without thinking. Here's why we say it, and its cousin, el que madruga, Dios lo ayuda. Shop Si Dios Quiere.
3. Café y chisme
The coffee is the excuse. The chisme is the point. The Café y Chisme mug and La Chismosa tee are for the comadre who already knows before you tell her. Read what chismosa really means and why nobody leaves the table after dinner. Shop café y chisme.
4. Ni modo, me vale, no pasa nada
The shrug, in three versions. Ni modo when it didn't work out. Me vale when it doesn't matter. No pasa nada when everything is on fire and you're fine. Read the philosophy behind ni modo. Shop the shrug.
5. Te calmas o te calmo
The sentence every Latino kid heard at least once, usually in a store. The Te Calmas o Te Calmo mug and tee, plus Cálmate, are for the mamá who never had to say it twice. Here's the story behind it. Shop Te Calmas o Te Calmo.
6. Ni de aquí ni de allá
Too Mexican for here, too American for there. The Ni de Aquí Ni de Allá tee and sweatshirt are for everyone who lives in both. Read the phrase that captures the diaspora. Shop Ni de Aquí Ni de Allá.
7. From one familia to yours since 2023
SmileMaz is family-run. Every piece is designed by our familia, printed to order and shipped to you. Since 2023, our buyers have left 745+ reviews on Etsy at 4.9★ and we've shipped 2,900+ orders. If something arrives wrong, we replace it free.
US shipping is free over $35. Order two weeks before a birthday or graduation to be safe.
The familia deal
Mix pieces from this collection with any of our year-round collections, from Leyendas to Dichos y Frases to Cocina Latina: 2 pieces, 10% off. 3 or more, 15% off. The discount is applied automatically at checkout, and US shipping is free over $35.
Quick answers: Pieces are printed to order in 2–5 business days, then take 3–5 days to arrive in the US. Every product has its own size chart. Want the meaning first? Start with our dichos en español (en español) or refrán vs. dicho.