Hacerse la boca agua
For one's mouth to become water.
to make one's mouth water; **to make one's mouth water**; **to have one's mouth water**; **to salivate**; **to whet one's appetite** (depending on the context)
Hacerse la boca agua means to have one's mouth water or to salivate at the thought, sight or smell of food.
Solo de verlo se me hace la boca agua.
Just looking at it makes my mouth water.
Se me hace la boca agua pensando en esa paella.
My mouth waters just thinking about that paella.
A cualquiera se le hace la boca agua con ese pastel.
Anyone's mouth would water at the sight of that cake.
El olor del pan recién hecho me hace la boca agua.
The smell of freshly baked bread makes my mouth water.
More figuratively, it can also describe eagerly longing for something very desirable.
- seeing delicious food
- smelling something appetising
- reading an attractive menu
- imagining a favourite meal
- strongly desiring something pleasant
The expression comes directly from a natural physiological reaction.
When people anticipate eating something delicious, the salivary glands produce saliva in preparation for digestion.
Spanish poetically describes this by saying that the mouth "becomes water."
The metaphor has existed for centuries and is universally understood.
Although the expression mainly refers to food, it can occasionally be extended to other highly desirable things, such as a luxury car, a holiday or a valuable object.
In these cases, it expresses intense desire rather than literal appetite.
Many languages describe appetite through the production of saliva.
Spanish says:
- Hacérsele la boca agua → to have one's mouth water.
English says:
- To make one's mouth water.
The similarity is no coincidence—both expressions describe the same universal human reflex.
This expression has an almost perfect English equivalent.
Translate it naturally as:
- to make one's mouth water
- my mouth waters
- mouth-watering (as an adjective)
Avoid translating it literally as:
My mouth becomes water.
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