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Lessons for topic Vocabulary

The Shapes in Spanish

Do you know the names of the shapes in Spanish? Today's lesson will teach you what the most basic Spanish shapes are called as well as the words for more advanced Spanish shapes and figures. Let's get started! 

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How Do You Say "Shape" in Spanish?

Let's start with the basics! Listen to the following caption from the Yabla Spanish video library to hear how to say "shapes" in Spanish:

 

Puedes jugar con diferentes formas y colores

You can play with different shapes and colors

Caption 76, Manos a la obra Papel picado para Día de muertos

 Play Caption

 

Now, let's hear the Spanish word for the similar concept of "figures":

 

como los números o las figuras geométricas,

like numbers or geometric figures,

Caption 16, Carlos explica Vocabulario de las matemáticas - Part 1

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Basic Spanish Shapes

Next, we'll learn the Spanish names for the most classic shapes, including their definite articles, and hear them in context:

 

El círculo (the circle)

 

Vamos a marcar el círculo

We're going to mark the circle,

Caption 47, Maoli Calabaza de Halloween

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El cuadrado (the square)

 

se presenta como un cuadrado de ocho por ocho

appears as an eight by eight square

Caption 18, Aprendiendo con Carlos El ajedrez - Part 1

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El rectángulo (the rectangle)

 

Puede ser un cuadrado, un rectángulo.

It can be a square, a rectangle.

Caption 41, María Fernanda Hacer un turbante

 Play Caption

 

El triángulo (the triangle)

 

Obtendrás un triángulo.

You will get a triangle.

Caption 39, Manos a la obra Separadores de libros: Charmander

 Play Caption

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Advanced Spanish Shapes

Let's move on to the Spanish words for some slightly more sophisticated shapes and hear them pronounced: 

 

El óvalo (the oval)

 

—podríamos decir que es un óvalo— 

we could say that it's an oval

Caption 49, Con Marta por Madrid La Plaza del Sol - Part 2

 Play Caption
 

El rombo (the diamond/rhombus)

 

Lograrás un rombo como éste.

You will get a diamond like this one.

Caption 45, Manos a la obra Separadores de libros: Charmander

 Play Caption

 

El trapecio (the trapezoid)

Interestingly, this word also means "trapezius" (the muscle) in Spanish as well as "trapeze," as in the following example, which we've included for pronunciation purposes:

 

como un número de trapecio,

as a trapeze act,

Caption 18, Circo Berlín Jose - Part 2

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El semicírculo (the semicircle)

 

"semicírculo",

"semicírculo" [semicircle],

Caption 74, Carlos explica Los prefijos en español - Part 7

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Polygons in Spanish

Figures with at least three but typically five or more sides and angles are called los polígonos (the polygons) in Spanish. Let's learn their Spanish names along with their respective numbers of lados (sides) and ángulos (angles):

 

El pentágono (the pentagon): 5 

 

El hexágono (the hexagon): 6

 

El hectágono (the hectagon): 7 

 

El octógono (the octagon): 8 

 

El nonógono (the nonagon): 9

 

El decágono (the decagon): 10 

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Bonus Spanish Shapes

While not "official" geometric shapes, figures like the heart, cross, star, etc., are recognized universally as shapes and/or symbols. Let's learn how to say them in Spanish!

 

El corazón (the heart)

 

a hacer pancitos de corazón, pancitos decorados y este tipo de, de...

into making heart rolls, decorated rolls, and this kind of, of...

Caption 18, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Luis y el pan de muerto

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La cruz (the cross)

 

es la cruz de piedra.

is the stone cross.

Caption 16, Viajando con Carlos Popayán - Colombia - Part 2

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La estrella (the star)

 

y la estrella.

and the star.

Caption 27, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

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La flecha (the arrow)

 

con la punta bien afilada en forma de flecha,

with a well-sharpened tip in the shape of an arrow

Caption 32, Isabel Lavesa Dibujo en acuarela

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3-D Spanish Shapes

Do you know how to say 3-D in Spanish? You could say tridimensional (three-dimensional) or simply use the Spanish pronuncation of 3-D, as we hear here: 

 

Y las obras están sacadas de modelos 3-D del programa Google Earth.

And the works are taken from 3-D models from the Google Earth program.

Caption 24, El estudio De Julio Sarramián

 Play Caption

 

That said, we'll conclude this lesson with the names of several of the most common formas tridimensionales (3-D shapes):

 

La esfera (sphere)

 

El cilindro (the cylinder)

 

El cubo (the cube)

 

El cono (the cone)

 

¿podría ponerme un cono de chocolate por favor?

can you give me a chocolate cone please?

Caption 36, Málaga Calle Larios

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La pirámide (the pyramid)

 

en forma de pirámide invertida.

in the shape of an inverted pyramid.

Caption 14, Víctor en Caracas Centro comercial

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El prisma rectangular (the rectangular prism)

 

That's all for today. We hope that you have found this lesson on the names of the shapes in Spanish useful, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments. ¡Hasta pronto!

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What Does “Capaz” Mean in Spanish?

Have you heard the word capaz in Spanish? Although this word is often translated with the English term "capable," it has several different nuances and additional translations that are worth exploring. In this lesson, we will highlight five different ways in which this useful Spanish adjective can be employed.

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1. To Talk About Capacity

We can use the word capaz in Spanish when referring to "capacity," or the number or amount of something that can fit in a determined space. Let's see an example of this usage:

 

El salón de baile es capaz para 1,500 personas.

The capacity of this ballroom is 1,500 people.

 

2. To Indicate Ability

The word capaz can additionally be used to indicate someone or something's "ability" to do something:

 

Roberto es capaz de conducir un auto.

Roberto is capable of driving a car.

 

Note that in this example, we are merely saying that Roberto is "able" to drive a car (rather than implying that he is an excellent driver!). Let's see another, similar example:

 

Quiero comprar un barco que sea capaz de... de hacer travesías largas.

I want to buy a boat that is capable of... of making long voyages.

Captions 72-73, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 20

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3. To Emphasize Talent or Ability

Contrary to the previous usage, the Spanish word capaz can also be used to emphasize someone's talent or ability. In this case, the person described actually excels at some task or is generally considered "qualified" or "efficient":

 

Ah, bueno, Juan Cruz es un muchacho muy capaz, un excelente muchacho.

Oh, well, Juan Cruz is a very capable guy, an excellent guy.

Caption 56, Muñeca Brava 45 El secreto - Part 5

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4. To Describe Inherent Capacity

Another meaning of the word capaz has to do with whether or not one "has it in them" or "would dare" to do something. Let's take a look at a couple of clips that illustrate this meaning:

 

¿Ah? ¡A ver! A ver si es capaz de decírmelo en mi cara.

Huh? Let's see! Let's see if you're capable of saying it to my face.

Captions 42-44, Tu Voz Estéreo Embalsamado - Part 12

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¡A que no eres capaz!

I bet you can't do it!

Caption 53, Guillermina y Candelario El Mar enamorado

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In the following clip, our friend Silvia shares with us an expression that fits into this use of capaz:

 

"No tener pelos en la lengua" quiere decir que esta persona es capaz de decir cualquier cosa de forma clara y directa, sin importarle lo que piensen los demás.

"Not to have hairs on one's tongue" means that this person is capable of saying anything clearly and directly, without what others think mattering to them.

Captions 13-16, Aprendiendo con Silvia Frases hechas - Part 4

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5. To Express Probability or Possibility

In many Latin American countries, the expression Es capaz que can be used to say that "It's possible that" or something "might" happen, as in the sentence  Es capaz que nieve (It might snow). Similarly, the Spanish word capaz can also function as an adverb with que or on its own to express the idea of "perhaps" or "maybe," as in the following examples:

 

Y capaz que lo conozco.

And maybe I know him.

Caption 53, Yago 14 La peruana - Part 3

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capaz están cerca de un lugar para escalar

maybe you are near a place to climb

Caption 12, Buenos Aires Escalando en Buenos Aires

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In fact, you might even hear someone answer a question like "¿Vas a la fiesta?" with the simple word: "Capaz" (Maybe/I might).

 

That's all for today. Having learned several ways to use capaz in Spanish, we invite you to write ten sentences with this very useful word— and don't forget to write us with your suggestions and comments.

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The Spanish Word of the Year 2023

This year, we have chosen a word that has already been named Word of the Year by other linguistic sources. In fact, it was FundeuRAE's Word of the Year last year. However, we believe that this word has gained new traction in the last twelve months, and, for this reason, have selected it as our Spanish Word of the Year 2023. Let's reveal it!

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Inteligencia artificial: The Spanish Word of the Year 2023

Is there anything more trendy than AI today? From ChatGPT to MidJourney and everything in between, the concept of AI is totally transforming the world around us. This is why we have chosen the term inteligencia artificial (artificial intelligence) as the Spanish Word of the Year 2023. Let's see how to pronounce this word in the definition that Carlos shares with us in his video about this topic:

 

la inteligencia artificial es la disciplina científica que se ocupa de crear programas informáticos que ejecutan operaciones comparables a las que realiza la mente humana, como el aprendizaje o el razonamiento lógico.

artificial intelligence is the scientific discipline that deals with creating computer programs that execute comparable operations to the ones that the human mind carries out, like learning or logical reasoning.

Captions 25-29, Aprendiendo con Carlos Inteligencia artificial - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

Now that the winner has been revealed, here are a couple of things to keep in mind about the term inteligencia artificial:

 

1. In Spanish as in English, the term inteligencia artificial should be written in lowercase. 

 

2. If you wish to use the acronym for inteligencia artificial, remember to use the Spanish initials "IA" rather than the English version, "AI," which some people mistakenly use in Spanish.

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Runners-up for the Spanish Word of the Year 2023 

 

dato (data)

There are several AI-related Spanish words that have been quite popular this year, and dato (data) has definitely been one of them.

 

La percepción del comerciante coincide con el dato que manejan algunos expertos.

The perception of the merchant coincides with the data that some experts work with.

Caption 6, Los Reporteros Crecen los robos en tiendas - Part 4

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guerra (war)

Unfortunately, this word is still trending, especially after what has occurred this year in Israel.

 

La palabra más fea es guerra.

The ugliest word is war.

Caption 61, Karla e Isabel Palabras

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terremoto (earthquake)

This year was full of deadly earthquakes. From Turkey and Morocco to Afghanistan and Nepal, the world was shaking far too much this year.

 

Este mes han muerto muchas personas en el terremoto.

This month many people have died in the earthquake.

Caption 26, Lecciones con Carolina Participios - Ejemplos de uso

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So, there you have it. What do you think of our Spanish Word of the Year 2023, and how do you feel towards AI in general? Can you think of any other word that is worthy of this title? Don't forget to send us your feedback!

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Epicene Nouns: Gender Neutral Words in Spanish

In Spanish, nouns are categorized into two grammatical genders: masculine and feminine. While the grammatical gender of a noun that describes a living being sometimes gives away that being's real life gender, there is a special category of nouns known as "epicene nouns" where this is not the case. In this lesson, we will explore the concept of epicene nouns in Spanish and provide you with several examples to better understand them. 

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Epicene Nouns: The Basic Rules

When indicating real life gender in Spanish, for some living beings, there are different words for the male and female versions, for example, la vaca (the cow) vs. el toro (the bull). Others nouns indicate real life gender with changes to their endings and/or articles, such as the fact that el maestro refers to a male teacher, while la maestra is a female teacher. 

 

Grammatically speaking, epicene nouns, like all nouns, are either masculine or feminine. However, what makes Spanish epicene nouns unique is that they are used for both the males and females of the beings they describe. For example, the noun la hormiga (ant) is a feminine noun that can be used to talk about either a male or female insect. Considering this, if you wish to say that a male ant was defending the queen ant, you would need to add the word macho (male) after it for clarification:

 

La hormiga macho estaba defendiendo a la reina.

The male ant was defending the queen.

 

Therefore, if you wish to provide this type of precise information regarding the real life gender of the noun about which you are speaking, the following terms should be used to talk about animals and people.

 

  MASCULINE FEMININE
     
ANIMALS macho (male) hembra (female)
     
     
PEOPLE varón (male) mujer (female)
masculino (masculine) femenino (feminine)
     

 

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Agreement With Epicene Nouns

It is important to keep in mind that grammatical agreement in terms of number and gender with epicene nouns is determined by a noun's grammatical gender rather than the sex of the entity it refers to. Let's see what we mean in the following example:

 

Correct: El tiburón hembra es muy peligroso (The female shark is very dangerous).

 

Incorrect: El tiburón hembra es muy peligrosa (The female shark is very dangerous).

 

As you can see, the masculine singular adjective peligroso (dangerous) is used to modify the masculine singular noun el tiburón (the shark), despite the fact that the shark is female. It would be wrong to choose the feminine singular form peligrosa in attempts to correspond to the feminine adjective hembra (female). Now that we know these rules, let's take a look at some of the most common epicene nouns in the Spanish language.

 

Epicene Nouns for Animals

The majority of Spanish epicene nouns are words for animals. In the following list, you can see several:

 

el búho (the owl)

el camaleón (the chameleon)

la cebra (the zebra)

la hiena (the hyena)

la hormiga (the ant)

la jirafa (the giraffe)

la mosca (the fly)

el tiburón (the shark)

 

Interestingly, some other nouns like el perro (the dog) and el gato (the cat) may also be considered epicene as they could refer to either gender of these animals. However, in some circles, words like la perra and la gata could be chosen to describe male or female cats. 

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Epicene Nouns for People

Now let's look at some epicene nouns for people:

 

la persona (the person)

la autoridad (the authority)

el personaje (the character)

la víctima (the victim)

el especialista (the specialist)

 

Some additional epicene nouns for people such as el estudiante (the student), el dentista (the dentist), or el cliente (the customer) can also refer to either men or women. Over time, however, their feminine versions (la estudiante, la dentista, la clienta) have come to be used by some people when referring to females who fit these descriptions.

 

Now that you understand the concept of epicene nouns, let's see a couple of examples from the Yabla Spanish video library. In the first one, you can see how the feminine epicene noun la víctima (the victim) is used to talk about a male victim, while in the second, the masculine noun el personaje describes a female "character":

 

¡él no es un asesino! Él, ante todo, es una víctima,

he's not a murderer! He, first and foremost, is a victim,

Captions 12-13, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 5 - Part 8

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el nombre del personaje mitológico mexicano de 'la Llorona'.

the name of the Mexican mythological character 'La Llorona' [The Weeping Woman].

Caption 51, Carlos explica Recursos para consultas del español - Part 8

 Play Caption

 

That's all for this lesson. We hope that you learned something new today, and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions. ¡Hasta la próxima!

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Spanish Vocabulary for the Winter Season

Do you know vocabulary to talk about winter in Spanish? This lesson should get you up to speed on Spanish terms to talk about all things winter... depending upon what part of the world you are in, of course!

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Winter Basics

First off, do you know how to say "winter" in Spanish? Let's find out in a clip from our Yabla Spanish video library, which also mentions the name of the first of the winter months in Spanish:

 

En diciembre, empieza el invierno.

In December, winter starts.

Caption 25, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

 Play Caption 

 

Now let's hear the pronunciation of the next three winter months:

 

Enero. Febrero. Marzo.

January. February. March.

Captions 2-4, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

 Play Caption

 

Having said that, bear in mind that in countries in the southern hemisphere of South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), the colder, winter months are the opposite:

 

Junio. Julio. Agosto. Septiembre.

June. July. August. September.

Captions 7-10, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

 Play Caption

 

Now that you know how to say "winter" in Spanish and the names of the various months in which it can fall, don't forget to learn or brush up on the terms for the additional seasons in Spanish

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Names of Winter Clothes in Spanish

Of course, since some countries are warm year-round, what constitutes "winter clothes" varies depending upon where one lives, as Ana Carolina explains in the following clip:

 

El Ecuador, al igual que el resto de países latinoamericanos, se encuentra en la zona tórrida, es decir, que acá nunca cae nieve.

Ecuador, just like the rest of Latin American countries, is located in the tropical zone; in other words, snow never falls here.

Captions 34-37, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

 

With this in mind, let's learn some vocabulary to describe Spanish articles of clothing in regions with colder winter climates:

 

el abrigo: the coat

las botas: the boots

la bufanda: the scarf

el gorro/el sombrero: the hat/cap

los guantes: the gloves

los mitones: the mittens

las orejeras: the earmuffs

el jersey/el suéter: the sweater

el traje de nieve: the snowsuit

 

Now, let's hear a few of these in a catchy proverb:

 

"En enero bufanda, abrigo y sombrero".

"In January, scarf, coat, and hat."

Caption 29, Aprendiendo con Silvia Dichos populares - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

More Winter Nouns

Next, let's go over several additional nouns that are often associated with the winter season:

 

la bola de nieve: the snowball 

el carámbano/el témpano: the icicle 

la chimenea/el hogar: the fireplace

el copo de nieve: the snowflake 

el esquí: skiing

el frío: the cold

el hombre de nieve/el muñeco de nieve: the snowman 

la nieve: the snow

el patinaje sobre hielo: ice skating

los patines de hielo: the ice skates

la pelea de bolas de nieve: the snowball fight

la pista de patinaje sobre hielo: the ice skating rink

la tabla de snowboard: the snowboard

la tormenta de nieve: the snowstorm

el trineo: the sled 

 

Let's listen to a few of these pronounced in excerpts from Yabla Spanish videos:

 

Sin embargo, la nieve y los muñecos de nieve

However, snow and snowmen

Caption 38, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

 

Cuando tengo una pelea de bolas de nieve, tengo que llevar guantes.

When I have a snowball fight, I have to wear gloves.

Captions 13-14, Aprendiendo con Zulbany Piensa rápido - Part 1

 Play Caption

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Winter Verbs:

Up next are some winter verbs for talking about sports, activities, and weather phenomena:

 

andar en trineo: to sled 

calentarse: to get warm

congelarse: to freeze

derretirse: to melt

deslizarse: to slip

encender una hoguera/un fuego: to build a fire 

esquíar: to ski

hacer frío: to be cold 

hacer snowboard: to snowboard

hacer un muñeco de nieve: to build a snowman

hibernar: to hibernate

lanzar bolas de nieve: to throw snowballs

nevar: to snow 

patinar sobre hielo: to ice skate 

resfriarse: to catch a cold 

 

To learn more ways to talk about catching a cold in Spanish, check out our lesson on sickness and health in Spanish. In the meantime, let's hear a few of these winter verbs in context along with some of our previously mentioned winter nouns:

 

La nieve es muy molesta cuando se empieza a derretir, pero también es muy emocionante cuando empieza a nevar.

The snow is very annoying when it starts to melt, but it is also very exciting when it begins to snow.

Captions 39-40, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 2

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y por la tarde encendíamos un fuego en la chimenea

and in the afternoon, we would light a fire in the fireplace.

Caption 55, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 3

 Play Caption
 

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Winter Adjectives

Let's conclude by learning some wintery adjectives!

 

blanco: white

brillante/reluciente: sparkling, glittering 

gélido/glacial: icy, frosty

cubierto de nieve/nevado/níveo: snowy

congelado/helado: frozen, freezing, chilly, frosty

derretido: melted

encapotado/nublado/nubloso: cloudy

escurridizo/resbaladizo: slippery

frío: cold/chilly

fundente: melting

gris: gray, dreary

medio derretido: slushy

mojado: wet

neblinoso: misty, foggy

 

Let's hear two of these in context. Note that in the first caption, the singular masculine adjective níveo has been modified to the plural feminine form níveas to agree with the plural feminine noun las blancuras. This is due to the fact that there must be gender and number agreement in Spanish between adjectives and the nouns they modify.

 

Entre las blancuras níveas 

Among the snowy whiteness

Caption 38, Acercándonos a la Literatura José Asunción Silva - "Nocturno III"

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Si el invierno se hace helado me prendo

If the winter gets freezing, I turn myself on

Caption 11, Jorge Celedón, Vicentico Si Me Dejan

 Play Caption

 

That's all for this lesson, which we hope has helped you to feel more confident to talk in Spanish about many things you might do, wear, feel, or see during the winter season. For more seasonal vocabulary, be sure to check out our lessons on Spanish vocabulary for autumn, expressions for summer, and words for spring! And don't forget to write us with your questions and comments

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Spanish Vocabulary for Bedtime

Are you familiar with the word sueño in Spanish, whose meaning can change from "dream" to "sleepiness" depending upon whether it is used as a noun or within the verb tener sueño (to be sleepy)? Today's lesson will cover these terms as well as additional pertinent vocabulary for la hora de dormir or de acostarse (bedtime).

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Spanish Bedtime Verbs

Let's explore some Spanish bedtime verbs, which we've broken down into several categories.

 

Feeling Bedtime Verbs

First, we'll look at some Spanish verb phrases that describe how you might feel at bedtime, listening to their pronunciation in clips from our Yabla Spanish video library.

 

Estar cansado/ato be tired

Bueno, yo también me voy a la cama, estoy muy cansado.

Well, I'm also going to bed, I'm very tired.

Caption 87, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

Tener sueño: to be sleepy

siento que todavía tengo sueño,

I feel that I'm still sleepy,

Caption 40, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados, usos y expresiones con "quedar" - Part 6

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Estar agotado/a: to be exhausted

Tengo... Estoy agotado.

I have... I'm exhausted.

Caption 22, Yago 11 Prisión - Part 6

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Now, let's learn a couple of more colloquial ways to convey the idea of being exhausted:

 

Estar muerto/a (literally "to be dead"):

Te juro, Mili, que estoy muerta.

I swear to you, Mili, that I'm exhausted.

Caption 2, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 2

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Estar hecho polvo (literally "to be made into dust"):

"yo ya estoy hecho polvo.

"I'm exhausted already.

Caption 24, Pigueldito y Federico El cielo

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Pre-Bedtime Verbs

Next, let's take a look at several Spanish reflexive verbs for actions from many people's bedtime routines. 

 

Bañarse: to bathe/take a bath 

Cepillarse los dientes/lavarse los dientes: to brush your teeth

Ducharse: to take a shower

Lavarse la cara: to wash your face 

 

Let's hear a couple of these in action:

 

Ehm... Suelo ducharme con agua caliente. Después, ehm... suelo lavarme los dientes en el baño,

Um... I usually take a hot shower. After that, um... I usually brush my teeth in the bathroom,

Captions 2-3, El Aula Azul Actividades Diarias

 Play Caption

 

Sleep-related verbs

To top off the bedtime verbs, let's check out these sleep-related verbs:

 

Acostar: to put to bed

Acostarse: to go to bed

Descansar: to rest

Despertarse: to wake up

Dormir: to sleep 

Dormirse: to fall asleep 

Levantarse: to get up

Relajarse: to relax

Soñar: to dream

Soñar con: to dream about 

Roncar: to snore

 

It's worth noting that the concept of dreaming "about" something is expressed instead with the Spanish equivalent of "with," or the preposition con. Let's hear this construction in a clip from our library:

 

¿Sabés que anoche soñé con vos?

Do you know that last night I dreamt about you?

Caption 39, Muñeca Brava 41 La Fiesta - Part 7

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Spanish Bedtime Nouns

Let's move on to some categories of sleepytime related nouns!

 

Articles of Clothing for Bedtime

Since there are various ways to say or spell all of the Spanish articles of clothing for bedtime, let's start with the English terms and give you some alternatives in Spanish:

 

Bathrobe: la batala bata de bañoel albornoz

Nightgown: el vestido de dormirel camisón de noche

Pajamas: las pijamas, las piyamas, la pijama, la piyama

Slippers: las zapatillaslas pantuflas

 

A couple of things to keep in mind:

1. As you may know, the term zapatillas can also refer to "sneakers" in some regions.

 

2.  The many words for "pajamas" in Spanish are similar but differ slightly due to being extranjerismos, or adaptations of a foreign word to another  language. Therefore, you may encounter spellings of this word with either a "j" or a "y" as well as both the singular and plural versions as equivalents for the always plural English term "pajamas." Let's listen to two variations:

 

Usa piyama lo más flojita posible 

Wear pajamas [that are] as loose as possible,

Caption 13, Los médicos explican Consejos para dormir

 Play Caption

 

A mí me gusta ponerme enseguida la pijama o ropa de cama.

I like to put on pajamas or sleepwear right away.

Caption 83, Natalia de Ecuador Vocabulario de prendas de vestir

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Beds, Bedrooms, and Bedclothes in Spanish

Now let's cover another type of "bedclothes" and some additional nouns in our bedtime environments with a couple of video examples. Note that the use of particular terms for items like a "bedroom," "blanket," etc. varies widely from region to region. 

 

Bed: la cama

Bedroom: la alcoba, el cuarto, el dormitorio, la habitación, la pieza, la recámara

Bedspread: la colchael cobertorla cubrecama, la sobrecama

Blanket: la cobija, la manta, la frazada

Mattress: el colchón

Nightstand/Night table: la mesita de luz, la mesita de noche, la mesilla de noche, la mesa de noche

Pillow: la almohada

Sheet: la sábana

 

A mí me gusta cambiar las sábanas cada semana.

I like to change the sheets every week.

Caption 21, Ana Carolina Arreglando el dormitorio

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Y aquí tienes una almohada, ¿mm?

And here you have a pillow, hmm?

Caption 57, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 1 - La llegada de Sam - Part 3

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A Very Special Bedtime Noun

We'll conclude our section on Spanish bedtime nouns by hearing the noun el sueño used as the equivalent of three different English words:

 

Llevo toda la semana teniendo todas las noches el mismo sueño.

All week, I've been having the same dream every night.

Caption 6, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Hay y estar

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va a mejorar tu sueño.

it's going to improve your sleep.

Caption 17, Bienestar con Elizabeth Introducción al yoga

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Por tu culpa estoy muerta de sueño.

It's your fault I'm dying of sleepiness.

Caption 3, Muñeca Brava 46 Recuperación - Part 3

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Bedtime Sayings

Lastly, let's learn the Spanish versions of some common English phrases you might say to someone at bedtime:

 

Good night: Buenas noches

Sleep well: Que duermas bien, Que descanses (literally "I hope you rest")

Sweet dreams: Dulces sueños, Felices sueños (literally "Happy dreams")

 Que duermas/sueñes con los angelitos (literally I hope you sleep with/dream about the angels)

 

We encounter two of these phrases in the following clip:

 

Buenas noches. -Buenas noches. Buenas noches. -Que descanses, mi amor.

Good night. -Good night. Good night. -Sleep well, my love.

Captions 73-74, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 1

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Remember that, in addition to meaning "Good night," Spanish-speakers also use the expression Buenas noches in contexts other than bedtime when English speakers would say "Good evening," for example, as a greeting at a restaurant in the late evening or at night. 

 

That's all for today. If all of these sleep-related terms have got you thinking about your own sleep, you might want to check out Silvia's Consejos para dormir mejor (Advice to Sleep Better), Los Médicos' (The Doctors') Consejos para dormir (Sleep Advice) or Soledad's series on El insomnio (Insomnia). In the meantime, we wish you excellent sleep, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.

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Continuer la lecture

10 Spanish Words That Change Meaning With an Accent

What a difference an accent makes! Did you know that the meanings of several Spanish words vary depending upon whether or not they have a written accent? Today, we'll learn ten such pairs of words, providing examples of each in context. Are you ready?!

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1. Aun vs. Aún 

Aun:

The adverb aun in Spanish, without an accent, is the equivalent of the English word "even":

 

Aun así, me hubiera gustado tener algo más de luz.

Even so, I'd have liked to have had a bit more light.

Caption 63, Viajando con Fermín La Cueva de Nerja - Part 2

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Aún:

The adverb aún, on the other hand, with an accent, means "yet" or "still" in Spanish:

 

Aún no tengo hijos, eh...

I don't have kids yet, um...

Caption 29, La Sub30 Familias - Part 9

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2. De vs. Dé​

De:

The preposition de in Spanish is an extremely common word that can mean "of" or "from":

 

Yo soy de Barcelona, nací aquí,

I'm from Barcelona, I was born here,

Caption 23, Carlos y Xavi Diferencia de pronunciación entre España y Colombia - Part 1

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:

The word with an accent, however, is a conjugated form of the verb dar (to give) in Spanish. It could be either the present subjunctive form that corresponds to the subject pronouns él (he), ella (she), or usted (formal "you") or the formal imperative. Let's look at an example of each:

 

Present Subjunctive:

que me una explicación.

for him to give me an explanation.

Caption 60, Yago 13 La verdad - Part 5

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Formal Imperative:

mela, no se va a dar cuenta.

Give it to me, she won't realize.

Caption 42, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 7 - Part 2

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3. Esta vs. Está

Esta:

Without an accent, esta is the singular feminine demonstrative adjective that means "this":

 

Esta pasión empezó cuando yo era muy pequeña

This passion started when I was really little,

Caption 5, Adriana La lectura

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Está

With an accent, está is the third person singular and formal second person singular conjugation of the verb estar (to be).

 

y el mar está muy agitado.

and the sea is very choppy.

Caption 40, Aprendiendo con Silvia Las emociones - Part 8

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4. El vs. Él

El:

The word el in Spanish is the masculine singular definite article that means "the":

 

En el parque hay árboles,

At the park there are trees,

Caption 15, El Aula Azul Mi Barrio

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Él:

Él with an accent is a subject pronoun that means "he" or "it": 

 

Él tiene una responsabilidad con ustedes,

He has a responsibility to you guys,

Caption 41, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 13 - Part 4

 Play Caption

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5. Mas vs. Más

Mas:

The Spanish word mas without an accent is a conjunction that is used similarly to the word pero in Spanish and also means "but":

 

"Te dije que me hicieras caso, mas no escuchaste".

"I told you to pay attention to me, but you didn't listen."

Caption 21, Aprendiendo con Priscilla La palabra "más"

 Play Caption

 

Más:

Meanwhile, the word más with an accent is the Spanish equivalent of the word "more":

 

"Necesito comprar más carros".

"I need to buy more cars."

Caption 15, Aprendiendo con Priscilla La palabra "más"

 Play Caption

 

For more on the difference between these two words, take a look the video from which these two examples were taken: Aprendiendo con Priscilla- La palabra "más."

 

6. Mi vs. Mí

Mi:

The non-accented word mi in Spanish is a short form possessive adjective that means "my" when referring to singular nouns:

 

Mi casa es pequeña.

My house is small.

Caption 10, Ariana Mi Casa

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:

The accented version of this word is a prepositional pronoun that can be used after any  preposition (except the preposition con) to mean "me":

 

Para , el mejor jugador de fútbol es Leo Messi.

For me, the best soccer player is Leo Messi.

Caption 52, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 3

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7. Se vs.

Se:

The pronoun se in Spanish has many uses, including in impersonal and passive se constructions, in the no fault construction, to say "each other" in phrases like se abrazaron (they hugged each other), and as the reflexive pronoun that accompanies reflexive verbs with él, ella, usted, and ustedes. The following example includes se in both an impersonal and a reflexive construction.

 

y, como se dice en España: "Hay que saberse bañar

and, as they say in Spain: "You have to know how to bathe yourself

Caption 77, Soledad Amistades

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:

The accented version of the word sé is the first person conjugation of the verb saber (to know) in the present indicative:

 

yoque Ríos está aquí, hermano.

I know that Rios is here, brother.

Caption 58, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 4 - Part 6

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8. Si vs. Sí​

Si:

Si without an accent in Spanish means "if":

 

Si vienes, entonces te invito a comer.

If you come, then I'll treat you to a meal.

Caption 22, Ana Carolina Condicionales

 Play Caption

 

And, as you surely already know, with an accent in Spanish means "yes":

 

. -, señor.

Yes. -Yes, sir.

Caption 94, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 1

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Carolina sums up this difference well:

 

Entonces, "" es una palabra afirmativa cuando queremos algo, mientras que "si" es una palabra condicional.

So, "" is an affirmative word when we want something, while "si" is a conditional word.

Captions 38-40, Lecciones con Carolina Haber vs. A Ver / Si vs. Sí

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9. Te vs.

Te:

Te with no accent can be either a direct or indirect object pronoun or a reflexive pronoun that corresponds to the informal second person singular subject pronoun . Let's see it in use as a direct object pronoun:

 

Te voy a llevar a los mejores restaurantes.

I am going to take you to the best restaurants.

Caption 23, Clara y Cristina Hablan de actividades

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:

The accented version of té refers to the beverage "tea":

 

Si querés tomar tomalo en tu escritorio... -Ah, está bien...

If you want to have tea, have it at your desk... -Oh, OK...

Caption 29, Muñeca Brava 3 Nueva Casa - Part 7

 Play Caption

 

 

10. Tu vs.

Tu:

Tu (no accent!) is the informal second person singular possessive adjective that means "your":

 

¿Cómo se llama tu mamá?

What's your mom's name?

Caption 26, Ana Carolina Preguntas básicas con su hijo

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:

As we mentioned previously, with an accent is a subject pronoun that informally means "you" in Spanish

 

¿Y ? Que tampoco me has vuelto a llamar.

And you? You haven't called me again either.

Caption 18, Cleer y Lida Conversación telefónica - Part 1

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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has clarified the difference between words in Spanish that, while pronounced identically, have different meanings depending upon whether or not they have an accent. Don't hesitate to write us with any questions, suggestions, or comments.

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Continuer la lecture

Beer, Wine, and More in Spanish!

When traveling in a foreign country, you might want to order a glass of wine with dinner or have a beer with friends. But do you know how to say "wine" and "beer" in Spanish? In this lesson, we will teach you the words for those bebidas (beverages) as well as the names for several of the most popular liquors... just in case you want to have a trago (alcoholic beverage) instead!

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Beer

The standard word for beer in Spanish is cerveza:

 

"Llevo tres cervezas y todavía tengo sed", 

"I've had three beers, and I'm still thirsty,"

Caption 34, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados, usos y expresiones con "quedar" - Part 6

 Play Caption
 
However, you might hear such colloquial words for beer in different countries such as chop (Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay), chela (Mexico), caña (Spain), or pola (in Colombian slang). 

 

Wine 

The word for wine in Spanish is vino. Let's hear it in action:

 

hay vino blanco.

there's white wine.

Caption 24, Ariana Cena especial

 Play Caption

 

As we just heard, vino blanco is "white wine" in Spanish. Now, let's find out how to say "red wine," which might be different than you thought!

 

Vino tinto es como se refiere al vino rojo en el resto del mundo, aquí en España. 

"Vino tinto"  is the name here in Spain for what's called "red wine" in the rest of the world.

Caption 50, Amaya Cata de vinos

 Play Caption
 
And, for fans of rosé, let's learn how to say it!
 

El vino rosado puede venir de variedades blancas mezcladas con tintas

Rosé wine can come from white varieties mixed with red ones

Caption 14, Feria de Vinos Españoles en Londres Bodegas Quiroga de Pablo

 Play Caption

 

Rosé wine can also be referred to in Spanish as rose, rosé, or simply rosado

 

Sparkling Wine

"Sparkling wine" is the more general category for bubbly wines like champagne, cava, and prosecco. Let's learn how to say a few of these terms in Spanish:

 

El cava es el vino espumoso de España que sigue el mismo método que... que el champán,

Cava is the sparkling wine from Spain that follows the same method as... as champagne,

Captions 13-14, Feria de Vinos Españoles en Londres Bodegas Castell D'Age

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Alternatively, the words champaña or champagne itself may be used for "champagne."

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Liquor

Let's hear the names for many of the world's most popular types of liquor in the context of videos from our Spanish library.

 

Cognac:

Está Elisa elaborando unas trufitas de coñac 

Elisa is making some little cognac truffles

Caption 9, Horno San Onofre El Chocolate

 Play Caption
 

Gin: 

Su mujer era Ginebra

His wife was Guinevere,

Caption 42, El Aula Azul Adivina personajes históricos - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

Although in this clip, Ginebra is the translation for the name Guinevere, the word ginebra in Spanish also means "gin."

 

Mezcal:

de Tequila su mezcal 

from Tequila, its mezcal

Caption 45, El Ausente Acto 2 - Part 3

 Play Caption
 

Rum:

Lo que no puedes dejar de probar si vas a Cuba es el Ron Santiago,

What you can't miss trying if you go to Cuba is Ron Santiago [Santiago Rum],

Caption 24, Viajando con Fermín La Feria Internacional de los Países de Fuengirola - Part 3

 Play Caption

 

Tequila: 

Con un... -Claro, claro, sí. -la botella de tequila.

With a... -Of course, of course, yes. -the bottle of tequila.

Caption 40, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Karla y Fernando hablan de música

 Play Caption

 

Vodka:

Mis pensamientos son tan puros como vodka caro 

My thoughts are as pure as expensive vodka

Caption 5, Joselo Sobriedad

 Play Caption
 

Whiskey:

¡No tomo whisky! -¡Pero hacete hombre de una vez, che!

I don't drink whiskey! -But become a man once and for all!

Caption 23, Muñeca Brava 2 Venganza - Part 3

 Play Caption

 

And, as subcategories of whiskey, we have "Scotch," which can be known as whisky/güisgui escosés, or simply escosés and "bourbon" (bourbon, borbón, whisky/güisgui americano or borbónico).

 

Local Liquors:

Of course, in addition to these internationally renowned liquors, it might be interesting to try local favorites like fernet in Argentina, pisco in Peru, cocuy in Venezuela or aguardiente in Colombia, just to name a few, either alone or in the context of cócteles (cocktails).

 

Armed with this information, we hope you now feel equipped to order your favorite alcoholic beverage in Spanish, should you choose to. 
Just remember to do so in moderation (so as not to have to describe your hangover in Spanish), and write us with any of your comments, questions, or suggestions¡Salud (Cheers)!

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Continuer la lecture

6 Different Ways to Say Hangover in Spanish

Drinking in excess is just bad, especially if you have to deal with a horrible hangover the next day. But do you know how to say "hangover" in Spanish? Let's find out!

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1. Resaca in Spain and Argentina

Generally speaking, the word resaca is probably the most standard term you can use to refer to a hangover. In other words, if you use this term throughout the Spanish-speaking world, people will understand what you are saying. Let's hear how this word is pronounced:

 

Me duele la cabeza. Creo que tengo resaca.

My head hurts. I think that I have a hangover.

Captions 13-14, Raquel Expresiones para un festival de música.

 Play Caption

 

2. Cruda in Mexico

If you go to Mexico, the word to use is cruda. Just like food that is cruda (raw) is not ready for eating, someone with a cruda is not ready to be at his or her best. Note that in some Spanish-speaking countries, crudo/a can also be used as an adjective with the verb estar (to be) to say that one has a hangover, or "is hungover."

 

3. Goma in Central America

In many Central American countries, the Spanish word for hangover is goma (literally "rubber band"). This is probably because someone with a hangover resembles a rubber band that can't stay straight!

 

4. Guayabo in Colombia

Literally speaking, un guayabo is a guava tree. Although the origin of this slang term is unclear, some believe that it refers to this tree's fruit, la guayaba (guava), which can still look good on the outside when it is rotten on the inside. Let's hear how to say this term:

 

¡No, bueno, bueno! ¡Ni anginas ni nada! Para mí era un guayabo y punto.

No, well, well! No tonsils or anything! For me, it was a hangover, period.

Captions 16-17, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 1 - Part 3

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5. Ratón in Venezuela

The word for "mouse," ratón, is used by Venezuelans to refer to a hangover. 

 

6. Chuchaqui in Ecuador

One of the most unique ways of saying "hangover" in Spanish is chuchaqui. This word comes from the Quichua word chaqui, which refers to the nauseous feeling that one might experience after chewing coca leaves. Let's listen to this word in action:

 

Como a chuchaqui, quiero que tome agua,

Like for a hangover, I want you to drink water,

Caption 44, Los médicos explican Consulta con el médico: herpes

 Play Caption

 

That's all for today. Now that you know how to say "hangover" in Spanish, we hope you won't have to use that word for yourself! Do you know any other terms for" hangover" in Spanish? Please let us know, and don't forget to send us your suggestions and comments.

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Continuer la lecture

The Meals of the Day in Spanish

Generally speaking, there are three main meals that many people eat each day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Do you know how to say the names of those three meals in Spanish? Let's see how the answer to that question depends upon where you happen to be in the Spanish-speaking world.

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The Meals of the Day in Spain and Mexico

If you are in Spain or Mexico, the following are the names of the three main daily meals:

 

el desayuno (breakfast)

 

es la hora del desayuno

it's breakfast time,

Caption 7, Clase Aula Azul Acciones habituales y en este momento - Part 1

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la comida (lunch)

 

Todos los días, hago la comida a mediodía

Every day, I make lunch at midday

Caption 24, Ariana Mi Casa

 Play Caption

 

la cena (dinner)

 

y normalmente cuando llego a casa, me hago la cena,

and usually when I get home, I make myself dinner,

Caption 30, El Aula Azul Actividades Diarias

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In the following clip, our Mexican friend Karla mentions all three of these daily meals as she tells us how, in her country, tacos can be eaten at any time of the day!

 

Eh... Puedes encontrar tacos en todas las esquinas, en todas las ciudades de todo México y puedes comerlo, en realidad, de desayuno, de comida o de cena,

Um... You can find tacos on every corner, in every city throughout Mexico, and you can eat it, actually, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner,

Captions 37-39, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Karla y los tacos - Part 2

 Play Caption

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The Meals of the Day in Other Latin American Countries

In contrast, in most Latin American countries, the names of the three main meals are as follows:

 

el desayuno (breakfast)

 

Hoy es domingo y vamos a hacer el desayuno.

Today is Sunday, and we're going to make breakfast.

Captions 6-7, Quito Desayuno con Julia

 Play Caption

 

el almuerzo (lunch)

 

Al mediodía, preparo el almuerzo.

At noon, I make lunch.

Caption 14, GoSpanish La rutina diaria de Maru

 Play Caption

 

la comida or la cena (dinner)

While some places use the word comida (e.g. Colombia), others use the term cena (e.g. Argentina). Let's hear a couple of clips:

 

¿Qué es la comida?

What's for dinner?

Caption 9, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 1 - Part 3

 Play Caption

 

Bueno, espero que lleguemos justo para la cena porque tengo un hambre que me muero.

Well, I hope that we are arriving just [in time] for dinner because I am dying of hunger.

Caption 49, Muñeca Brava 44 El encuentro - Part 6

 Play Caption

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The Word Almuerzo in Spain

As we have just seen, the main difference between the meals of the day in Spain and Mexico vs. other Latin American countries is the term people use to talk about lunch. However, if you happen to hear the word almuerzo in Spain, you should be aware that, in that country, almuerzo refers to a mid-morning snack. In addition, it is very common for Spanish people to enjoy an afternoon snack called la merienda. Let's hear Raquel and Marisa explain this in detail:

 

El almuerzo es lo que tomamos entre el desayuno y la comida. Pero además tenemos la merienda y la cena. La merienda suele ser a las seis de la tarde. Y la cena es la última comida del día.

The mid-morning snack is what we have between breakfast and lunch. But in addition, we have the afternoon snack and dinner. The afternoon snack is usually at six in the afternoon. And dinner is the last meal of the day.

Captions 30-33, Raquel Presentaciones

 Play Caption

 

That's all for this lesson. We hope you learned some new words today, and don't forget to send us your suggestions and comments.

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Continuer la lecture

The Three Ways to Say "There" in Spanish: Pronunciation and Usage

Do you know how to say "there" in Spanish? There are three different ways: ahí, allí and allá. Today's lesson will explore the differences and similarities between them in both pronunciation and usage. 

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Pronunciation of the Words for "There" in Spanish

Let's learn how to pronounce the three ways to say "there" in Spanish.

 

Ahí

When listening to this word, keep in mind that the letter h in Spanish is silent (see Spanish Alphabet: Letters and Pronunciation to review this and more). Let's hear it in context:

 

Ahí está.

There it is.

Caption 10, Animales en familia La operación de Yaki - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

 

Allí

Although the word allí in Spanish is often confused with words like hay, ay, and ahí, its pronunciation is actually different from ahí due to the double L (ll) sound in Spanish, which is equivalent to the letter y. Let's listen to it:

 

Allí, los productos son muy frescos.

There, the products are very fresh.

Caption 11, Ariana Cena especial

 Play Caption

 

Hence, the pronunciation difference between the words ahí and allí can be broken down as follows:

 

ahí = ah-ee

allí = ah-yee

 

That said, this difference can be very hard to hear for non-native speakers, especially with accents from Spain or other regions where the ll/y sound is quite subtle. This sound is, however, more distinct in other regions like the Dominican Republic, where it sounds like a soft g or j, and Argentina and Uruguay, where it sounds like "sh," as we hear in this caption:

 

Por allí, están los botones "hide".

Over there are the "hide" buttons.

Caption 34, Julieta Promo

 Play Caption

 

Allá

The difference in the final letter makes the word allá stand out even more from its predecessors. Let's hear it pronounced:

 

Aha... allá.

Uh-huh... there.

Caption 55, Aprendiendo con Priscilla Juego de palabras

 Play Caption

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Using the Words for "There" in Spanish

Now let's explore the difference in meaning between the different words for "there" in Spanish. 

 

Ahí

The RAE (Real Academia Española) defines the word ahí as "en" or "ese lugar" ("in" or "to that place") or simply "ese lugar" (that place). Having said that, remember that ese in Spanish is the "nearer" version of "that" with definitions ranging from "near the speaker," "far from the speaker but near to the listener" or "close but not within reach." With this in mind, let's see a couple of examples of the word ahí in context.

 

¿Me puedo sentar ahí? -Claro.

Can I sit there? -Of course.

Caption 27, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 1 - Part 8

 Play Caption

 

Ahí está. 

There it is.

Caption 41, Ana Carolina Recorrido por el parque

 Play Caption

 

Allí

While the English translation of the definition for allí is the same as for ahí ("in" or "to that place" or "that place"), the difference lies in the replacement of the word ese with aquel, which also means "that" but constitutes a further distance (as explained in this lesson on demonstrative adjectives) that might be thought of as "far from both the speaker and the listener." Its translation can thus be either "there" or "over there." Let's see two examples where the speakers refer to locations far from where they currently are:

 

Y allí existe una de las mayores huertas de España,

And there, there is one of the biggest vegetable gardens in Spain,

Caption 41, Soledad Ensaladilla de brócoli

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y allí estuve durante diez años;

And I was there for ten years,

Caption 23, Luis Guitarra Influencias musicales - Part 1

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Allá

According to the RAE, one definition of allá, which can also be translated as "there" or "over there," is "en aquel lugar o sus proximidades" (in that place or its vicinity), making the term a bit more vague. Let's see an example:

 

Sin embargo, uno de los ecosistemas más importantes de la zona está allá. En el mar.

However, one of the most important ecosystems of the area is over there. In the sea.

Caption 65, Instinto de conservación Parque Tayrona - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

Allá can also be used in lieu of allí to emphasize the distance of a particular place:

 

Y pues entré a hacer mi maestría allá en Moscú, de... de imagen.

And well, I went to do my master's degree there in Moscow in... in photography.

Caption 40, Bogotá Fotógrafo José Segundo Quinche Pérez

 Play Caption

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Ahí, Allí and Allá: Overlap in Usage 

Although we have explored the primary definitions for the Spanish terms ahíallí and allá, note that if you scroll further down in the entry for ahí, the RAE actually lists allí and allá as synonyms! This is because, like the words for "here" in Spanish (aquí and acá), the use of the words for "there" varies vastly from region to region and person to person, leading many speakers to use these terms differently or interchangeably. Let's see a couple of examples that deviate from the parameters we have learned:

 

¡Oh, mira ese vestido allá

Oh, look at that dress over there!

Caption 23, Cleer y Carolina De compras

 Play Caption

 

ahí, no es como Madrid que sales cuando te da la gana, es que allí, no paras. 

And there, it's not like in Madrid where you go out when you feel like it, it's just that there, you never stop.

Captions 18-20, Arume Barcelona

 Play Caption
 
In the first example, since the dress that is spoken about is quite close to both the speaker and the listener, using our initial definitions, we might have expected her to choose ahí rather than allá.  And in the second, interestingly, the speaker refers to the exact same place, Barcelona, using both ahí and allí.

 

 Ahí, Allí and Allá: The Takeaway

To conclude today's lesson, let's concisely sum up what we have learned:

 

1. Generally speaking, ahí describes something relatively close to the speaker and/or listener. It is most typically translated as "there."

 

2. Allí usually describes something further away from both the speaker and listener. It is most typically translated as "there" or "over there."

 

3. Allá is similar to allíbut less specific, and can also be employed to emphasize distance. Its translations are "there" or "over there."

 

4. There is a great deal of overlap in the manner in which these words for "there" are used in spoken Spanish, which is often influenced more by the individual or region than any strict parameter of distance or grammatical rule.

 

That's all for this lesson. We hope that it has helped you to understand the differences and similarities among the three different ways to say "there" in Spanish, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments

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20 Spanish Words That Start With K

How many Spanish words do you know that start with the letter K? Probably not many since there are few Spanish words that start with K, and most of them are not native to Spanish. Having said that, let's find out a bit more about the letter K in Spanish as well as learning some Spanish words that begin with it.

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Some Facts about the Spanish Letter K 

The name for the Spanish letter K is ka, which sounds a bit like the English word "caw." Let's hear it pronounced:

 

hache, i, jota, ka,

h, i, j, k,

Caption 7, Graciela Alfabeto y formación de sílabas

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Although the letter K is indeed a letter in the Spanish alphabet, it was only used rarely in the Latin language from which Spanish evolved. For that reason, the equivalent of the K sound in Spanish is more commonly made with the letters C or Q, as in the following examples:

 

la corté!

I broke up with her!

Caption 4, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 7 - Part 7

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queso y aceitunas.

cheese and olives.

Caption 6, Ariana Cena especial

 Play Caption

 

That said, like Spanish words that start with W, most Spanish words that start with K are extranjerismos, or words that come from other languages. Today, we'll highlight 20... then mention a few more!

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Spanish Words That Start with K

Below, you'll find 20 Spanish words that start with K. You will note that many of them are spelled exactly the same as or very similarly to their English counterparts. 

 

1. el kaleidoscopio (noun): kaleidoscope

 

2. el kamikaze (noun/adjective): kamikaze

Note that this word can have all of the meanings of the English noun (e.g. a suicidal pilot or driver or a kamikaze aircraft) but can also informally refer to a "speed demon." As an adjective, kamikaze can additionally be used to describe someone "reckless."

 

3. el kárate/karate (noun): karate

While both are valid, the accented version of the word for this Japanese martial art in Spanish is used more frequently in Spain, while the spelling/pronunciation without an accent, which we hear in the following clip, is heard more in Latin America.

 

Estoy haciendo unas tomas de karate

I'm doing some karate kicks.

Caption 59, Disputas La Extraña Dama - Part 9

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4. el karma (noun): karma

 

Ten cuidado con el karma 

Be careful with karma

Caption 17, Yátu Tú la quieres aplicar

 Play Caption

 

5. el karaoke (noun): karaoke

 

Una tarde de karaoke con amigos 

An afternoon of karaoke with friends

Caption 33, Ana Carolina Mejorando la pronunciación

 Play Caption

 

6. el kayak (noun): kayak/kayaking

El kayak in Spanish might refer to the boat or the sport. Let's see an example where it means the latter:

 

deportes como el velero, el kayak

sports such as sailing, kayaking,

Caption 27, Otavalo Un día en la ciudad de los lagos

 Play Caption

 

7. el kebab (noun): kebab

 

8. el kilogramo (noun): kilogram

You will note that many Spanish measurement terms start with K since they are equivalents of words from other languages from the metric system, which the vast majority of the world uses. In the metric system, weight is measured with kilograms, and, for reference, one kilogram is equal to two point two pounds. While the official name for kilograms in Spanish is kilogramos, in everyday speech, many people say simply kilos. Let's hear both versions:

 

lo que equivale a dos kilogramos diarios por persona y día.

which is equivalent to two kilograms daily per person per day.

Caption 17, 3R Campaña de reciclaje - Part 1

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pero puede pesar hasta cuatrocientos cincuenta kilos.

but it can weigh up to four hundred and fifty kilos.

Caption 11, El Aula Azul Adivinanzas de animales - Part 1

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9. el kilómetro (noun): kilometer

The metric system measures distance in kilometers. One kilometer is just over half a mile, or 0.62 miles, to be exact. Let's hear how the word for "kilometer" is pronounced in Spanish:

 

ya que hubiera destruido más de un kilómetro de franja dunar. 

since it would have destroyed more than a kilometer of the stretch of dunes.

Caption 13, Viajando con Fermín Asociación ProDunas Marbella

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10. el kilometraje (noun): mileage

Kilometraje would be the distance traveled... in kilometers, of course!

 

aunque con muy poco kilometraje

although with very low mileage,

Caption 27, Raquel y Marisa Agente del concesionario

 Play Caption

 

11. kilometrar (verb): to measure in kilometers

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12. el kilovatio (noun): kilowatt

 

13. la kinesiología (noun): kinesiology/physical therapy

In addition to this word, several related Spanish words start with K, such as the nouns el/la kinesiólogo/a (kinesiologist) and la kinesioterapia (kinesiotherapy) and the adjectives kinesiológico/a (pertaining to kinesiology) and kinesioterápico (related to kinesiotherapy).

 

14. el kimono (noun): kimono

Like kamikaze, the word kimono was adopted from Japanese by both Spanish and English. 

 

15. el kiosco (noun): the kiosk 

While the alternative spelling quiosco is preferable in more formal circles, the spelling that maintains its K etymology is also accepted, as we see here:

 

Ya está por allí en la calle en ocho estados en su kiosco favorito. 

It's already out there on the street in eight states at your favorite magazine stand.

Caption 90, En la radio Falcón Total

 Play Caption

 

By the way, a person who works in a kiosk can sometimes be called un/a kiosquero/a... yet another Spanish word that can start with K! 

 

16. el kit (noun): kit

Like the English term, el kit in Spanish can refer to a set of items, for example, un kit de maquillaje (a makeup kit) or un kit de útiles escolares (a school supply set). 

 

17. el kitesurf (noun): kitesurfing

 

Nosotros tenemos una escuela de kitesurf,

We have a kitesurfing school,

Caption 46, Adícora, Venezuela La Posada Sea Club - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

18. el kiwi (noun): kiwi

Although it's obvious what el kiwi means, be sure to check out our lesson on the names of fruits in Spanish in order to learn other Spanish fruit names that are totally different from their names in English.  

 

19. el koala (noun): koala

While the name of this furry creature is also the same in Spanish and English, we highly recommend learning some of the other names for animals in Spanish

 

20. kosher (adjective): kosher

 

Spanish Adjectives That Start With K

You may have noticed that most of the 20 words that we have mentioned are nouns, with just one verb and a couple of adjectives. There are, however, quite a few more Spanish adjectives that start with K, most of which are related to either specific historical figures or regions. As a bonus, let's take a look at several of these. While we have provided their masculine forms, remember that Spanish adjectives must always agree in terms of number and gender with the nouns they modify.

 

kafkiano: related to or supporting the novelist Kafka 

kantiano: related to or supporting the philosopher Kant

kárstico: karstic, related to karst, or a type of limestone landscape

kawaití: Kawaiti (from or pertaining to Kawait)

kazajo: Kazakh (from or pertaining to Kazakhstan)

keniano: Kenyan (from or pertaining to Kenya)

kieveño: from or pertaining to Kiev, Ukraine

kirguís: Kyrgyz (from or pertaining to Kyrgyzstan)

kiribatiano: from or pertaining to Kiribati

kurdo: Kurdish (pertaining to Kurds or their language)

 

Interestingly, all of these adjectives above except kárstico can also function as nouns, for example, los kenianos can mean "the Kenyans" or "the Kenyan people." 

That's all for today. Can you think of any more Spanish words that begin with K? Write us with your suggestions and comments!

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14 Common Spanish Words That Contain All 5 Vowels

Can you think of any Spanish word that contains all five vowels? Believe it or not, there are many words in Spanish that have all five vowels. In this brief lesson, we will list some of the most common ones. However, before you go through our list, we would like to invite you to do the following:

 

1. Read this lesson about the vowels in Spanish.

2. Try to come up with some word in Spanish that has all 5 vowels.

 

If nothing comes to mind, get ready to check out the following list of words, which we have classified into 3 big groups: Nouns, Adjectives, and Conjugated Verbs. If you have been studying Spanish, we are sure you are already familiar with several of the words we have included in this list. Are you ready to unveil these words and hear how to say them?  Let's get started!

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Nouns

 

1. abuelito (grandpa)

 

El abuelito merece la mejor fiesta

Grandpa deserves the best party

Caption 10, Cleer y Carolina Organizando la fiesta del abuelo

 Play Caption

 

2. comunidades (communities)

 

España está dividida en diecisiete comunidades autónomas.

Spain is divided into seventeen autonomous communities.

Caption 11, Ariana España

 Play Caption

 

3. ecuación (equation)

 

Mi escultura es la solución a una ecuación

My sculpture is the solution to an equation

Caption 25, San Sebastián Peine del viento

 Play Caption

 

4. educación (education)

 

El uso de las computadoras y el internet forman parte de la educación de los estudiantes

The use of computers and the internet are part of the students' education

Captions 38-39, Aprendiendo con Karen Útiles escolares - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

5. euforia (euphoria)

 

¿Qué es eso de la euforia?

What is that [whole] euphoria [thing]?

Caption 5, Aprendiendo con Silvia Las emociones - Part 6

 Play Caption

 

6. menstruación (period)

 

dice que si tú tienes tu menstruación,

says that if you're on your period,

Caption 37, Melyna El aguacate

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7. murciélago (bat)

 

Los murciélagos se llaman "morciguillos",

Bats are called "morciguillos,"

Caption 73, Soledad El argot

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8. orquídea (orchid)

 

O sea... que esa imagen que tenemos de la orquídea,

In other words... that image that we have of the orchid

Captions 29-30, Estepona Orquidario - Part 1

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9. riachuelo (stream)

 

A veces era una fuente, otras un riachuelo,

Sometimes, it was a fountain, other times, a stream,

Captions 50-51, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 3

 Play Caption

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Adjectives

 

10. auténtico (authentic)

 

para un taco auténtico:

for an authentic taco:

Caption 23, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Karla y los tacos - Part 2

 Play Caption

 

11. cuestionable (questionable)

 

o algo que puede ser cuestionable.

or something that could be questionable.

Caption 17, Carlos explica 20 formas de decir no sin decir no

 Play Caption

 

12. funerario (funeral)

 

y servían como necrópolis para los enterramientos funerarios.

and were used as a necropolis for funeral burials.

Caption 7, Rosa Los Dólmenes de Antequera

 Play Caption

 

Conjugated Verbs

 

13. averiguo (find out)

 

Pero claro, muñeca. No te preocupes que averiguo todo y te cuento, ¿listo?

But of course, doll. Don't worry as I'll find out everything and I'll tell you, alright?

Caption 32, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 1 - Part 5

 Play Caption

 

14. comunicarte (communicate to you)

 

Sí, querida, te llamé porque quería comunicarte

Yes, dear, I called you because I wanted to communicate to you

Caption 12, Muñeca Brava 39 Verdades - Part 10

 Play Caption

 

And those were the words with all five vowels in Spanish! How many did you know? While there are, of course, many more words Spanish words containing all five vowels, we have limited this list to some of the more common ones. Is there any word that you think we should have included? Do let us know, and don't forget to send us your suggestions and comments.

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The Word "Listo" in Spanish

You've probably learned the Spanish word listo as an adjective that means "ready." But did you know that the Spanish word listo can have different meanings and function as a noun or interjection as well? Let's explore the many meanings of the word listo in Spanish. ¿​Estás listo/a (Are you ready)?

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1. Ready

The word listo in Spanish can be used as an adjective with the verb estar to describe the state of being mentally or physically complete or prepared for some situation, activity, or action. When employed as an adjective, the Spanish word listo must match the noun it modifies in terms of number and gender, as follows:

 

Masculine singular: listo

Feminine singular: lista

Masculine/mixed plural: listos

Feminine plural: listas

 

Let's see some examples:

 

El nuevo estadio estará listo para el próximo año.

The new stadium will be ready by next year.

Caption 41, Carlos explica - Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para'

 Play Caption

 

Estoy lista para mi entrevista.

I am ready for my interview.

Caption 66, Maquillaje Con Cata y Cleer

 Play Caption

 

When describing readiness for an action, the formula estar listo/a para + infinitive is often utilized:

 

Estamos listos para comer.

We're ready to eat.

Caption 30, Ana Carolina - El comedor

 Play Caption

 

"Hello", ya estoy lista para triunfar ante las cámaras.

Hello, now I am ready to triumph in front of the cameras.

Caption 45, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso

 Play Caption

 

2. Smart/Clever

When used with the verb ser in lieu of estar, the Spanish adjective listo instead means "intelligent." Let's take a look:

 

un "lince" es un ser listo, muy inteligente.

a "lynx" is a smart, very intelligent being.

Caption 64, Beatriz - Palabras polisémicas

 Play Caption

 

Sam, eres listo. Hablas muy bien el español.

Sam, you're smart. You speak Spanish very well.

Caption 19, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 2: Sam va de compras

 Play Caption

 

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3. Cunning/Crafty

As an extension of the "smart" meaning, the Spanish adjective listo can also be employed with ser to mean "cunning" or "sly," which sometimes has a negative connotation. The following caption describes un jornalero listo (a crafty day laborer) who is able to able to reap financial gain by tricking others:

 

Hay que ver qué listo era este jornalero. 

You've got to see how crafty this day laborer was.

Caption 54, Cleer - El cuento de las tres palabras

 Play Caption
 

4. Smarty Pants

As a noun, the Spanish word listo/a can refer to either a crafty person or a "smarty pants" (or the more vulgar English equivalent), in the sense of a person who thinks they know everything.

 

En cada clase, siempre hay un listo que cree saberlo todo. 

In every class, there's always a smarty pants who thinks they know everything. 

 

5. Done!/OK!/Great!/That's it!

Finally, you will often hear the Spanish word listo in its masculine singular form as an interjection to indicate agreement, acknowledgement, or completion. You might recognize this use from our lesson on Colombian slang, although it is used similarly in many Spanish-speaking countries. Let's see a few examples of the Spanish word listo as an interjection, with varying translations:

 

Entonces van: la tía Olga, el tío Juan, el tío Óscar y mi mamá.

So: Aunt Olga, Uncle Juan, Uncle Oscar, and my mom are going.

OK, listo.

OK, done.

Captions 17-18, Cleer y Carolina - Organizando la fiesta del abuelo

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Voy a ir a darle la buenas noches. -Bueno, listo.

I'm going to say good night to her. -OK, great.

Caption 48, X6 - 1 - La banda - Part 10

 Play Caption

 

Listo! Por hoy terminamos

That's it! We're done for the day.

Caption 23, Muñeca Brava - 48 - Soluciones

 Play Caption

 

And speaking of being done for the day, that's all for this lesson, which we hope has helped you to understand the many uses of the Spanish word listo. Don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.

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The Cardinal Directions in Spanish

Do you know how to say "east" or "southwest" in Spanish? In this lesson, we will learn how to spell and say the names of the four cardinal directions in Spanish as well as the intermediate, or ordinal directions. Let's take a look.

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The 4 Cardinal Directions in Spanish

First things first: The cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are known in Spanish as los puntos cardinales. Let's learn the names and pronunciations of the four cardinal directions in Spanish:

 

North (el norte)

 

En el norte de España.

In the north of Spain.

Caption 48, Aprendiendo con Silvia - Deportes tradicionales canarios

 Play Caption

 

East (el este)

 

¡Ah! Y en el este lloverá. 

Oh! And, in the east, it will rain.

Caption 24, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 5: Ha nacido una estrella

 Play Caption
 

South (el sur)

 

En el sur, por ejemplo, existe la cultura maya.

In the south, for example, there's the Mayan culture.

Caption 13, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín - Manuel y El barrilito

 Play Caption

 

West (el oeste)

 

San Pedro está situado en el oeste del canal de entrada a la bahía.

San Pedro is located in the west of the entrance channel to the bay.

Caption 34, Viajando con Fermín - Pasajes (Pasaia)

 Play Caption

 

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The 4 Ordinal Directions in Spanish

Now that we know how say the four cardinal directions in Spanish, it is time to find out the words for the four ordinal directions, which are known in Spanish as los puntos ordinales. By the way, because they are located between the cardinal directions, these are also known as las direcciones intercardinales (the intercardinal directions). 

 

Northeast (el noreste)

 

En el noreste de México.

In the northeast of Mexico.

Caption 34, Paseando con Karen - Bienvenidos a Parque Fundidora

 Play Caption

 

Southeast (el sudeste)

 

Eh... Son plantas, eh... la mayoría,

Um... They're plants [that are], um... the majority,

originarias todas del sudeste asiático.

all native to Southeast Asia.

Caption 88, Estepona - Orquídeas y plantas raras

 Play Caption

 

Southwest (el sudoeste)

 

Popayán es una ciudad que está ubicada

Popayan is a city that is located

en el sudoeste de Colombia.

in the southwest of Colombia.

Caption 3, Viajando con Carlos - Popayán - Colombia

 Play Caption

 

Northwest (el noroeste)

 

Caminaron un rato hacia el noroeste.

They walked northwest for a while.

Caption 8, Pigueldito y Federico - Ordenar

 Play Caption

 

When referring to "southeast" and "southwest," you can also use the terms sureste and suroeste (with the prefix sur-) instead of sudeste and sudoeste. However, the Real Academia Española prefers the variations with the prefix sud-

 

That's all for now. We hope you learned something useful today, and don't forget to send us your suggestions and comments.

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Continuer la lecture

How to Say "Ever" in Spanish

In a previous lesson, we learned various ways to say "never" in Spanish. But what about "ever"? Find out in today's lesson!

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The Never/Ever Overlap 

To start, note that two of the very same formulas that were used to say "never" in Spanish can also be used to say "ever." This is due to the fact that sometimes an idea in English can be expressed with either of these two words. Let's take a look at these formulas to understand better.

 

 

1. Nunca + affirmative sentence 

Let's look at this formula where nunca has been translated as "never":

 

Oh... ¡Nunca voy a tener un novio!

Oh... I'm never going to have a boyfriend!

Caption 28, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 3 - Sam aprende a ligar

 Play Caption

 

However, this very same formula can also mean "ever" because an alternative translation of the sentence above into English would be:

 

Oh... ¡Nunca voy a tener un novio!

Oh... I'm not ever going to have a boyfriend!

 

2. No + sentence + nunca

The same can be said for the formula no + sentence + nunca, as in the following example:

 

No te has equivocado nunca.

You've never made a mistake.

 

Once again, this very same construction can also be used to convey the idea of "ever" since an alternative English translation for this sentence would be: "You haven't ever made a mistake." Let's view this same sentence in question form:

 

¿No te has equivocado nunca?

Haven't you ever made a mistake?

Caption 73, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa

 Play Caption

 

Negative commands with nunca

In addition, negative commands with the word nunca can be used to say the equivalent of "ever" in Spanish:

 

Y por favor, no me lo dejes solo nunca

And please, for me, don't ever leave him alone.

Caption 5, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante - Capítulo 1 - Part 14

 Play Caption
 
Of course, "never leave him alone" would be another way to express the meaning of this Spanish sentence. 

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Additional Ways to Say "Ever" in Spanish

Let's examine some more ways to say the English word "ever" in Spanish in different contexts. 

 

Alguna vez

One of the most common and straightforward ways to say "ever" in Spanish in the sense of "at some point in time" is alguna vez, typically within a question with either the present perfect or preterite tense. Let's see some examples: 

 

¿Se han preguntado alguna vez por qué es importante reír? 

Have you ever wondered why it's important to laugh?

Caption 8, Mónica - La risa

 Play Caption

 

¿Alguna vez te pasó? 

Has it ever happened to you?

Caption 32, Verano Eterno - Fiesta Grande

 Play Caption
 

De todos los tiempos

De todos los tiempos is yet another way to say "ever" in Spanish when the meaning is "of all time," which is, in fact, the literal translation of this phrase and could replace "ever" in the following example:

 

Hoy tenemos la fortuna de tenerlo entre nosotros,

Today we have the fortune to have him amongst us,

al más grande exponente de todos los tiempos, ¡al Señor Gardel!

the greatest example ever, Mister Gardel!

Captions 44-45, Yago - 1 La llegada

 Play Caption

 

English Expressions with "Ever" in Spanish

Finally, let's check out how many common English expressions with "ever" such as "more than ever," "never ever," etc. are said in Spanish. 

 

Nunca jamás (never ever)

 

Y yo te amé, como nunca jamás lo imaginé

And I loved you, as I never ever imagined it

Caption 8, Muñeca Brava - 9 Engaños

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Más que nunca (more than ever)

 

Ahora más que nunca, vas a hacer lo que yo te diga.

Now more than ever, you are going to do whatever I tell you.

Caption 10, Muñeca Brava - 7 El poema

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Mejor/peorque nunca (better/worse than ever)

 

El tiempo ha estado mejor/peor que nunca.

The weather has been better/worse than ever

 

Más + adjective/adverb + que nunca (more ... than ever, -er than ever)

In fact, any adjective or adverb can be used between más (more) and que nunca (than ever) to convey the equivalent of English phrases with "than ever." Let's see a few examples:

 

Hoy he corrido más rápido que nunca.

Today, I've run faster than ever

 

En cambio vos no cambiaste nada;

On the other hand you haven't changed a bit;

estás más hermosa que nunca

you're more beautiful than ever.

Caption 56, Yago - 11 Prisión

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Nunca más (ever again)

 

¿No me quieres volver a ver nunca más?

You don't ever want to see me again?

Caption 2, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante - Capítulo 1 - Part 2

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Another translation for this sentence could be "You never want to see me again?"

 

Desde entonces (ever since)

 

y desde entonces se nos quedó adentro.

and it has remained within us ever since.

Caption 8, Región mundo - Paso a paso

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And speaking of "ever since," did you know that, in addition to Vivieron felices para siempre, one of the manners of saying the popular storybook line "They lived happily ever after" in Spanish is Vivieron felices y comieron perdices ("They lived happily and ate partridges")? On that note, we'll conclude this lesson, hoping that you've learned a lot of useful phrases for translating the concept of "ever" into Spanish. And don't forget to write us with any questions or suggestions

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How to Say "Never" in Spanish

How do you say "never" in Spanish? Today's lesson will teach us a couple of different ways to say "never" in Spanish as well as some simple formulas and rules for using them. Are you ready?

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The Spanish Word Nunca

The most common way to say "never" in Spanish is with the word nunca. Let's hear it in action:

 

¿Pero pantaloncitos calientes? ¡No, nunca!

But hot pants? No, never!

Caption 16, La Sucursal del Cielo - Capítulo 1

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Rules for Using Nunca in Spanish

Now that we know that nunca is the most common word for "never" in Spanish, let's learn a couple of formulas for using it.

 

1. Nunca + affirmative sentence 

Let's see some examples of this construction from our Yabla Spanish library:

 

Nunca he estado en China.

I have never been in China.

Caption 27, Carlos explica - El pretérito Cap 3: Perfecto compuesto II

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Juan nunca pone atención en clase.

Juan never pays attention in class.

Caption 20, Carlos explica - Los cinco sentidos

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Note that if there is an explicitly stated subject like Juan in the second example, it must be placed before the word nunca.

 

2. No + sentence + nunca

This way of saying "never" in Spanish entails a "double negative," which, in contrast to English, in Spanish is grammatically correct. Taking our previous two examples, we will now convert them to this double negative formula to express exactly the same thing:

 

Nunca he estado en China.

No he estado en China nunca.

Both mean: "I have never been to China."

 

Juan nunca pone atención en clase.

Juan no pone atención en clase nunca

Both mean: "Juan never pays attention in class."

 

Now, let's look at a couple of additional examples of this double negative formula, noting that within this construction, the word nunca can go pretty much anywhere as long as it comes after the verb.

 

Creo que este momento no lo voy a olvidar nunca.

I think I'll never forget this moment.

Caption 10, Tu Voz Estéreo - Laura

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Él todavía no ha salido nunca afuera.

He has still never gone outside [of it].

Caption 39, Animales en familia - Un día en Bioparc: Cachorro de leopardo

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The Spanish Word Jamás

Just like nunca, the Spanish word jamás also means "never" in Spanish but is generally considered more emphatic. To remember how to use this word correctly, we can simply substitute the word jamás for nunca in our aforementioned formulas, utilizing the same parameters. Let's see some examples:

 

Yo jamás te mentiría.

I would never lie to you.

Caption 28, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 7

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No se me hubiera ocurrido jamás.

It never would have occurred to me.

Caption 21, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 12

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Nunca Jamás

If you want to be even more emphatic, you can combine nunca and jamás to get nunca jamás, which means something like "never ever" and is commonly seen in songs, telenovelas (Spanish soap operas), and other dramatic scenarios. Let's take a look:

 

Nunca jamás sentí tanto dolor. -No, no, no, no

I have never ever felt so much pain. -No, no, no, no

Es un puñal clavado aquí en mi corazón

It's a dagger stabbed here in my heart

Captions 15-16, Victor Manuelle - Nunca Habia Llorado Así

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Que quedaste embarazada y nunca jamás lo volviste a ver.

That you ended up pregnant and you never ever saw him again.

Caption 50, Yago - 10 Enfrentamientos

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With these melodramatic examples, we hope that this lesson has helped you feel more confident expressing the idea of "never" in Spanish, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.

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Is Sugar Masculine or Feminine in Spanish?

In order to answer the question asked in the title of this lesson, the first thing we need to know is how to say "sugar" in Spanish. Do you know how to say "sugar" in Spanish? Let's listen to the answer in the following clip:

 

Con media taza de azúcar

With half a cup of sugar

Caption 25, Ana Carolina - Ponche navideño

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Now that we know how to say "sugar" in Spanish, let's go back to our initial question: Is the word for "sugar" masculine or feminine in Spanish? Do you say el azúcar or la azúcar? Let's find out.

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Azúcar: An Ambiguous Noun in Spanish

When it comes to gender, the word azúcar is an ambiguous Spanish noun, which means that it can be either masculine or feminine. Both are valid! Let's look at a couple of examples:

 

Masculine

Los ingredientes principales de la torta son la piña y el azúcar moreno de caña.

The main ingredients of the cake are pineapple and brown cane sugar.

 

Notice how, in the example above, the word azúcar is preceded by the masculine article el and followed by the masculine adjective moreno.

 

Feminine

La industria de la azúcar morena juega un papel muy importante en este país.

The brown sugar industry plays a very important role in this country.

 

In this case, the word azúcar is preceded by the feminine article la and followed by the feminine adjective morena.

 

Taking this ambiguity into account, it should be mentioned that if there isn't any adjective next to the word azúcar, it is more often employed as a masculine noun. Let's take a look: 

 

Lía, por favor, cuando yo te diga

Lia, please, when I tell you,

me echas el azúcar poco a poco. -Sí.

add the sugar for me little by little. -OK.

Captions 22-23, Cleer y Lía - El día de la madre

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However, if there is an adjective next to the word, the feminine form tends to prevail, as we can see in the following clip from our friend María Fernanda:

 

Una vez mezclado, colocamos dos cucharadas de azúcar,

Once mixed, we add two tablespoons of sugar,

blanca o morena; en este caso yo conseguí azúcar morena.

white or brown; in this case I got brown sugar.

Captions 30-32, María Fernanda - Mascarilla de aguacate

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Ambiguous Nouns in Spanish

Azúcar isn't the only word in Spanish that is ambiguous in terms of gender. In fact, there are several additional ambiguous Spanish nouns, such as the following:

 

el armazón / la armazón (the frame)

el cochambre / la cochambre (the grime)

el enzima / la enzima (the enzyme)

el mar / la mar (the sea)

el vodka / la vodka (the vodka)

 

Unlike nouns that change meaning with gender, the unusual thing about ambiguous nouns is that they maintain the same meaning in both their masculine and feminine forms. In other words, both el azúcar and la azúcar mean "sugar."

 

With this final explanation, we've reached the end of this lesson. We hope that you've learned something new today, and don't forget to send us your questions and comments.

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