How do you say “Like water off a duck's back” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is resbalarle a alguien, which literally means “to slide off someone”. English speakers use like water off a duck's back to mean without upsetting or affecting someone, especially when criticism is involved. A natural, casual match when criticism has no emotional effect. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
resbalarle a alguien
/resβaˈlaɾle a ˈalɣjen/
- Literal meaning
- “to slide off someone”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
Spanish also lets the comments slide away. “Me resbala” is a short, direct way to say that something does not bother you.
It can sound confidently unconcerned or dismissive. With useful advice, it may suggest that you do not care enough to listen.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity4 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
The rude comments were like water off a duck's back to her.
Spanish
Los comentarios desagradables le resbalaban.
English
His criticism is like water off a duck's back to me.
Spanish
Sus críticas me resbalan por completo.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19