Echar flores
To throw flowers.
to sing someone's praises; **to sing someone's praises**; **to praise someone**; **to compliment someone**; **to flatter someone** (when the praise is excessive)
Echar flores means to praise someone generously, compliment them or speak highly of them.
Siempre le está echando flores.
He's always singing her praises.
No deja de echarle flores a su jefe.
He keeps praising his boss.
Me echó muchas flores por el trabajo.
She paid me lots of compliments about my work.
Todos le echaron flores después de la presentación.
Everyone praised him after the presentation.
The praise may be sincere or exaggerated.
The expression can describe admiration, politeness or even flattery, depending on the context.
- gives another person many compliments
- praises someone's work
- speaks very positively about someone
- flatters another person
- expresses enthusiastic admiration
Flowers have long symbolised admiration, honour and celebration.
Offering flowers has traditionally been a way of expressing appreciation.
Spanish extended this symbolic gesture into language.
Instead of literally giving flowers, speakers throw flowers in the form of compliments.
The expression is frequently used with a touch of irony.
For example:
No le eches tantas flores.
may imply:
"You're praising him far too much."
Whether the praise is genuine or excessive depends entirely on the speaker's tone.
Spanish also uses flowers in another common expression:
No todo son flores.
("It's not all roses.")
Like echar flores, it shows how flowers often represent positive feelings, admiration and pleasant experiences in Spanish figurative language.
Do not translate the expression literally.
English speakers would never say:
He threw flowers at me.
unless actual flowers were involved.
Instead, use expressions such as:
- He praised me.
- He paid me a compliment.
- He sang my praises.
Choose to flatter if the compliments are clearly intended to gain favour.
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