You would think a word as simple as slice would have only one translation. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The noun SLICE in Spanish has seemingly countless translations, each one is specific to whatever you are slicing. Here are a few of the more common translations: 1. Trozo Used for slices of cake or […]
A Funny Story About the Spanish Language Word BOMBA
Now, if you are looking at the word BOMBA in Spanish for the first time or even as someone who has studied Spanish for years, you are probably thinking it means “bomb”. Well, that is correct. Most of the time. I studied Spanish for several years before I headed to Mexico. I was pretty confident […]
Learn Spanish: 4 Ways to Say STRAIGHT AHEAD in Spanish
Straight ahead, go straight, forward. They all mean keep going in the same direction you are currently facing. What about recto, directo, de frente, p’alante, t’o tieso and derecho? Any guess as to their meaning? These are some Spanish synonyms for… You got it: Straight ahead. Good guess. Was it the title of the post […]
ESTAMPILLA or SELLO? Spanish Language Words for STAMP
STAMP. This simple word becomes complex when translated into Spanish. Spanish differences give us two possible words. Spanish Language Words for STAMP I remember learning estampilla in my early studies for STAMP. Only when I began to travel did I learn that another option exists. The other option I know of is sello. Generally estampilla […]
Language Learning: Spanish Phrases and Usages of the Word PALO
This also happens to be a mega blog post about Spanish differences. The word PALO includes many meanings and phrases tied to it. Check it out. PALO generically refers to a stick, like a broom stick, a pool stick or baseball bat-type stick. However, PALO may also refer to the soccer goal posts. Also, in […]
4 Spanish Language Words for ZIPPER
Yet again, we have what should be a simple word, ZIPPER, identified by a variety of Spanish synonyms. Depending on the country a zipper may be referred to as bragueta, cremallera, cierre or zíper (pronounced zeeper). Anyone care to identify the country or countries that correspond to each? HINT: Some of the answers are here […]
Comay, Yerna, Chozno & Other Spanish Words for Family Members and Relatives: Infographic
As you learn a language, one of the major tasks is vocabulary acquisition. The more words you know, the better you communicate. Occasionally, you run across words that are not translatable, but for the most part words in one language have an equivalent in another. In the process of acquiring more vocabulary you will notice […]
Which is the Hardest Spanish Language Word for You to Pronounce?
For years now one Spanish word beat up on me regularly; I could never pronounce it properly. I learned to hate it, even avoided using the word. This lasted for years until last week when my girlfriend (a Puerto Rican native Spanish speaker) walked me through the Spanish pronunciation a couple times. It now rolls […]
Join the Celebration of El Día E: The Day of Spanish Language
The Spanish language has its own day for celebration. And it’s so big that countries such as Japan, Turkey, Australia, Russia, and China have joined. I am talking about El Día E: La fiesta de todos los que hablamos español, a project that the Instituto Cervantes will celebrate for the fourth time on June 23th, […]
Spanish Language Words for HOLE
A few days ago, I sat down at my favorite Italian place in South Beach. It’s a locals place where the prices are reasonable and the food amazing. Many of the staff are Italian and speak Spanish. And being Miami, lots of other people speak Spanish too. Almost more than English in some areas. The […]
Spelling Spanish Words: Language Mistakes That Even Natives Make
Overall, spelling in Spanish is pretty straightforward and easy. It’s one of the many reasons I love Spanish. If you can pronounce a word in Spanish, you can generally spell it correctly. However, there are a few common mistakes. Interestingly enough, these are more often made by native speakers than those who study Spanish as […]
Language Learning: Spanish for DRINKING STRAW
On a recent stroll through Puerto Limón, Costa Rica this street vendor’s marketing efforts caught my attention. For two reasons. The first reason is given away by this post title. For the second, take a stab to see if you know why. I’ll give you the answer at the end of this post. For any […]
3 Words for TO GROW in Spanish
The words cultivar, crecer, and madurar all mean to grow in Spanish but are used in different contexts. Let’s take a look. • Cultivar is used for plants. For example, “En mi jardín, cultivo tomates, albahaca y cebollas” translates to “In my garden, I grow tomatoes, basil, and onions.” • Crecer, on the other hand, […]
Spanish Language Translation and Interpretation Etiquette
There are several levels of translation and interpretation as well as different rules and norms. There is everything from the formal certifications that involve taking tests in order to receive legally recognized certification to helping a Spanish speaker in the grocery store, but they all require certain etiquette. Legal and Medical Translation Legal and medical […]
Spanish Language Study Tips: 4 Tricks to Read in Spanish without Going Crazy
If you are learning Spanish, I’m sure you have been given the advice to read in Spanish. I know I have told you to do it. Reading news, stories, magazines, and books in Spanish is an excellent way to keep your Spanish sharp and/or learn new words. Of course, it can also be incredibly frustrating […]
3 Spanish Language Study Tips: How to Write in Spanish
Taking the step into creative writing in a foreign language is difficult. I have been writing poetry for most of my life, but it took me 6 years of studying Spanish before I could write in Spanish a halfway decent poem. If you love to write in English, chances are you will want to learn […]
Spanglish: The Spanish Language Pollution or Language Evolution?
I used to think Spanglish was just a silly pseudo-language I spoke amongst my fellow Spanish students. Now that Spanish and English are constantly mixing, Spanglish has really become a sort of dialect. If you speak Spanish as a second language and learned it formally, you might actually have trouble with the mixture. The Easy […]
Language Learning: Spanish Words for LOVE
In English, you can use the word love in a couple of ways. You can love people, things, actions, or foods. But when it comes to translate love in Spanish, there are particular words you can use. Here are the Spanish words for love. I love you The English I love you has two different […]
How to Say TEACHER in Spanish
In the Spanish language, various terms are employed to describe teachers. These terms change from one country to the next as well as the level of education being taught. El maestro (male teacher) or la maestra (female teacher) is commonly used in elementary school settings. These roles entail providing fundamental education to younger students. In […]
5 Reasons the Spanish Language is Easier than English
Why the Spanish language is easier than English When I was teaching Spanish and dealing with expats in Argentina trying to learn Spanish, I constantly heard about how difficult the Spanish language is to learn. I actually wholeheartedly disagree. I learned through textbooks, the hard way, and I still stand by my stance that Spanish […]
8 Examples of Spanish Language Words With One Letter Difference
When learning a new language, it can be frustrating when you believe you are saying things correctly yet for some reason cannot make yourself understood. Living in Argentina, I have heard foreign friends say “oh they are just pretending not to understand me because they know I am foreign” or something along those lines more […]
What is TUNA in Spanish (and TUNAS)
You might be surprised to learn that la tuna or las tunas in Spanish has at least 3 different meanings in English: the fish, more commonly known in Spanish as atún, a type of fruit and a specific type of musical group (video link below). There’s a difference between tuna and tunas in Spanish and […]
Spanish Language Word GORDO: Insult, Compliment or None of the Above?
The word “gordo” is translated as “fat” so you would think there wouldn’t be much room for discussion about this word. But hey, this is Spanish and simple words are often a lot more versatile then they seem. Gordo in Spanish doesn’t always have to refer to weight. In some Latin American countries, people will […]
15 Spanish Words and Phrases to Understand Three Kings Day
For Latin America, Christmas Holidays does not end on December 25th with the celebration of the birth of Baby Jesus and Santa Claus bringing gifts to children. In fact, this is just the beginning because twelve days after Christmas, we celebrate El Día de Reyes on January 6th. This day is also known as the […]
Search the Reverse Spanish Dictionary Online and Spanish Dialects Map
Search the reverse Spanish dictionary online with DIRAE. Plus a Spanish dialect map with a list of words from each country.
GLOSARIO DE LA MODA: Glossary of Fashion Terms in Spanish [PDF]
The language of the fashion world is full of foreign words that are frequently used in the media. That is why Fundéu (Fundación de Español Urgente) has created this document that collects and explains fashion terms. It also includes linguistic recommendations and Spanish alternatives to avoid the excessive use of foreign terms. The document includes […]
Football Phrases in Spanish: What is Your Favorite?
The World Cup is about to end. This past month I had a great time watching many of the matches here in Miami and also in Spain, where we spent half of the World Cup. Listening to the commentators in Spanish was so much fun; the phrases they used, the energy they had, and how […]
How Do You Say Corn In Spanish?
There are several ways of how to say corn in Spanish: maiz, mazorca, elote, choclo, jojoto and marlo. Due to the fact corn is used in many ways and has such a long history in Latin America – in summary, the Spanish word for corn can vary from one country to another. Why Is There […]
Halloween Song in Spanish: CUANDO LLEGA EL MES DE OCTUBRE [VIDEO]
Cuando llega el mes de octubre is a Halloween song in Spanish taught to all kids in Puerto Rico. This song doesn’t talk about monsters or ghosts, it’s about a jack-o’-lantern. Puerto Rico is an island in the Caribbean where the traditional orange pumpkin doesn’t grow and, consequently, pumpkin carving is nonexistent. The song Cuando […]
How to say BACON in Spanish
The words tocino, tocineta, beicon, bacon, bacón and panceta all mean bacon in different countries. When asked the simple question “How do you say bacon in Spanish?” there is no quick answer. The Spanish word for bacon varies from one country to the next as you can see from the list above. The Royal Spanish […]