The vocabulario tag has no wiki summary.
18
votes
4answers
296 views
Question words: “qué” versus “cuál”
English
Often "qué" is translated to English as "what" and "cuál" is translated as "which." However, I know that this is not always the case. Here are some examples. (Please correct me if I am ...
14
votes
4answers
838 views
Why don't Spanish words start with “sp”?
I've noticed that there aren't any words in Spanish that start with sp. Latin words are altered to include an e in front of the sp. Even loan words are often modified to esp...:
spaghetti => ...
12
votes
6answers
731 views
Is there a difference between “español” and “castellano”?
English
I always thought the two could be used interchangeably (meaning "the Spanish language"). But I recently got into an argument with someone where they insisted there was a difference (although ...
12
votes
4answers
553 views
¿Cómo se pueden identificar palabras árabes en español?
Español
Yo sé que los musulmanes, cuando conquistaron España, impactaron en gran medida al idioma. Hay palabras en español que son prestadas (y ahora son una parte del idioma). ¿Hay un método con ...
11
votes
4answers
237 views
Translation of “bug” to Spanish
What is the best way to translate "bug", as in a misfeature of a computer program or device?
Google translate offers a few options, none of which quite seem to fit, except the term itself:
bug ...
11
votes
3answers
354 views
What is the difference between “personas” and “gente”?
I was translating a sentence for school en Español and I came across the word "people." I looked it up on Google Translate and it gave me "personas" and also "gente." What is the difference between ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
How do you differentiate between walnuts and pecans in Spanish?
It recently occurred to me that the Spanish nuez can be translated to English as both "walnut" and "pecan." Is the same word really used for both types of nuts? How would you specify which nut you're ...
10
votes
1answer
211 views
Plural form of compound words
The plural form of compound words in Spanish is not an easy matter. If the compound word already has its final element in plural form, then the plural form is the same as the singular one: for ...
9
votes
1answer
436 views
How should I discuss my wife's due date?
How do I tell people when my wife's due date is? I usually say something like "el bebé se debe nacer el cuatro de junio" but I don't know if that's the correct way to say it.
9
votes
2answers
174 views
Is “versus” a Spanish word?
RAE says no, wordreference says yes. Is it used or understood by the Spanish speakers?
9
votes
1answer
289 views
Words for “East” and “West” in Spanish?
The words I learned when beginning Spanish for east and west are este and oeste, which are basically cognates of their English equivalents.
But I've been told that there are other words to denote ...
8
votes
7answers
446 views
Are there any words that have opposite regional meanings?
Following in the footsteps of EL&U, are there any words that have opposite meanings in different Spanish-speaking regions?
We are looking for words that are the same, but have different meanings ...
8
votes
4answers
511 views
Waterfall: cascada vs. catarata
What is the difference between cascada and catarata as translations for the English "waterfall"? Are they synonyms, or is there a difference?
8
votes
2answers
209 views
What is the spanish translation for “Account” when referring to a user account on a website?
The English > Spanish translation of account on Google Translate comes up with various forms of the word cuenta.
However, the Spanish > English translation of cuenta returns words relating to ...
8
votes
2answers
132 views
Duda entre “sino” y “si no”
Hace poco he leído un libro donde se empleaba el sino. Al principio pensaba que era un error de ortografía, pero me resulta un poco extraño que se equivocaron en poner sino y no separado si no. ...
8
votes
5answers
228 views
Is “tobogán” an acceptable word for “slide” throughout the Spanish speaking world?
English
I'm trying to learn words to talk to my baby at the playground in Spanish. WordReference.com gives the following as part of its definition for "slide."
slide 2 sustantivo 1. (in ...
8
votes
2answers
338 views
Armpit: sobaco vs. axila
"Armpit" in English can be translated as either sobaco or axila in Spanish. Is each term used in different regions, or are they both used across the Spanish-speaking world? What is the difference, or ...
8
votes
5answers
273 views
Best way to translate 'uneducated', meaning lacking formal schooling
Generally the Spanish word maleducado more often means rude, rather than unschooled. In light of this, how would one describe someone who is polite and intelligent, but has never been formally ...
8
votes
3answers
484 views
What's the difference between rezar and orar? Are there any other ways to say 'to pray'?
My teacher told me that different religions tend to use different words for "to pray", usually choosing between rezar and orar. Which words are preferred by what religions & in which areas? Are ...
8
votes
2answers
494 views
How to translate 'to become?' (hacerse, ponerse, convertirse en, etc.)
I've heard several different words used for 'to become' in Spanish. Obviously sometimes there are specific verbs to use, like 'enfadarse' means to become angry, but often you need to use a verb that ...
8
votes
1answer
368 views
Difference between “hay”, “ay” and “ahí”
These are commonly misused when writing, and can be very confusing for someone that is learning Spanish. These three words have a very different meaning and they are used in a very different context.
...
8
votes
1answer
227 views
What's the difference between “sólo”, “únicamente” and “solamente”?
According to the RAE:
solo o sólo.
adv. m. Únicamente, solamente.
In what situations is preferred to use one over the other?
Are they interchangeable?
Sólo es una pregunta ...
7
votes
2answers
161 views
Basque words in Spanish vocabulary
Which are the words, parts of words and structures coming from Basque to Spanish language? And possibly in which periods did they become part of spoken Spanish and official Spanish (Castellano)?
7
votes
3answers
520 views
Usage of fea and rico
I'm learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone. The lesson I am currently on has two examples that I don't completely understand.
La leche está fea
El pan está rico
"Fea" seems to be translated ...
7
votes
4answers
297 views
Shorter/alternate version of refrigerator
English
Is there a shorter or more common word for refrigeradora in Mexico and the southern parts of the US? I find it a cumbersome and difficult word to say in Spanish.
Español
Hay otra manera ...
7
votes
3answers
535 views
How can I distinguish between “girlfriend,” “fiancée” and “bride”, which are all “novia”?
I am a native Portuguese speaker, where noiva means "bride" or "fiancée." So I was very confused when someone asked me if a girl was my novia, since she didn't have an engagement ring (thank goodness ...
7
votes
3answers
634 views
Age range of niño, chico, muchacho, joven, etc
Spanish has several words for referring to children:
niño/niña
chico/chica
muchacho/muchacha
joven
Some dialects add others like chavo or chavalo.
What are the approximate age ranges these words ...
7
votes
1answer
98 views
Is there a Spanish equivalent to Ms.?
As far as I can tell, the honorifics to address a woman are:
Señora (Sra.) which is equivalent to "Mrs." and is used to address a married woman;
Señorita (Srta.) which is equivalent to "Miss" and is ...
6
votes
7answers
2k views
How might you say a child is “cute” in Spanish?
Suppose you see a mother with a laughing little 2-year-old. In English, we might exclaim, "how cute!"
I've had trouble saying this in Spanish. The word "cute" means something like "beautiful", but it ...
6
votes
2answers
128 views
What is the intended meaning of “maría” in this news article?
While reading an article in El País, I saw this in the last sentence in the 4th paragraph (emphasis mine):
“La Religión, según esos acuerdos, no puede ser considerada una maría, y debe tener el ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
List of most commonly used Spanish words
When learning vocabulary in a new language, it is useful to focus on very commonly used words first. Are there any resources online (or in print) that give a list of the most frequently occurring ...
6
votes
2answers
137 views
What is the difference between requerir and exigir?
I believe that they both mean to "require." But do they refer to different "degrees" (urgencies) or types of requirments?
Can they be used interchangeably or is one more suitable in some contexts and ...
6
votes
3answers
551 views
Words for strong or weak rain (sprinkling, drizzling, pouring)
This question on English.StackExchange made me wonder about words for rain in Spanish. In English, a light rain can be a drizzle, sprinkle, or mist and a heavy rain can be a deluge, downpour, or ...
6
votes
1answer
92 views
Polite terms for excrement
There are many vulgar terms for excrement, but what are the non-vulgar, polite ones (used in medical settings, or with children, or among adults in polite conversation)?
6
votes
2answers
8k views
Bonita, linda, hermosa, bella, and guapa: what's the difference?
I've seen all of these used to mean 'pretty', although 'hermosa' seems to mean beautiful and 'guapa' seems to mean handsome. Are there any subtle differences them?
For instance, in English being ...
6
votes
3answers
149 views
Learn basic vocabulary
I am learning Spanish (Castellano) and want to expand my vocabulary.
There are many vocabulary trainers out there. But some do not come with predefined words and others contain them all. I want to ...
6
votes
1answer
229 views
What's the plural of “suéter”?
What's the plural of "suéter"?
In Mexico, most of the times is called "sueters".
Is it "sueters" or "suéteres"?
6
votes
3answers
436 views
Determining gender of words ending in “e”
When learning Spanish, there are basic rules taught about word gender: words ending in o are usually masculine, words ending in a are usually feminine.
What about words ending in e? Are there any ...
6
votes
2answers
100 views
Analog to “sustainability”
I asked a question on english synonyms of "sustainability" alrady on ELU. In Spanish, dictionaries and ngrams give out several options:
Comparing with the english ngrams chart I conclude la ...
6
votes
5answers
957 views
What is the difference between allí and ahí (“there”)?
English
What is the difference between allí and ahí? Is there any difference in pronunciation between the two? Are there any contexts where one is correct and one is wrong, or are they completely ...
5
votes
4answers
835 views
to drink: beber vs. tomar
I have heard beber and tomar used interchangeably as translations for the English "to drink." Is there any difference between the two, or are they exact synonyms when describing drinking a liquid? Are ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre “formación” y “capacitación”?
Estoy escribiendo con mi amiga de Argentina, y ella me habló de su nuevo trabajo. Ella dijo que tenía que tomar un curso de capacitación, pero veo la palabra "formación" en lugar a veces.
¿Cuál es ...
5
votes
2answers
217 views
forever: por siempre vs. para siempre
I have seen "forever" translated as both por siempre and para siempre. What is the difference? Are there contexts where you must use one or the other?
5
votes
3answers
90 views
“Earthquake”: When to use “temblor” and “terremoto”
When referring to an earthquake, are temblor and terremoto perfect synonyms? Are there any differences?
5
votes
2answers
136 views
Matutino and Vespertino
I see matutino and vespertino, meaning morning and afternoon, used to describe parts of the daily schedule in schools and church. They sound very formal.
Are there more words like them to describe ...
5
votes
3answers
76 views
Is it acceptable to say Brasilero instead of Brasileño?
On the wikipedia article in spanish about Brazil, both terms, Brasileño and Brasilero, are used as gentilic for people born in Brazil, it also mentions that Brasilero is used only on certain regions ...
5
votes
1answer
385 views
Translating medicine names to Spanish
I have sometimes run into cases where I want to translate the name of a medication into Spanish, but can't find the specific medicine name in a dictionary (e.g. amoxicillin, acetaminophen). This is ...
5
votes
3answers
109 views
¿Hay una diferencia entre “restaurante” y “restauran”?
¿Cuál es la diferencia, si la hay, entre "restaurante" y "restauran"?
He escuchado la palabra "restauran" algunas veces, pero recientemente la vi en una señal también:
¿Son sinónimos?
5
votes
2answers
234 views
¿Es correcto decir “salir afuera”?
Asumiendo que se está en un edificio con muchas oficinas, ¿es correcto decir
"salí afuera de la oficina"? Porque si se dice "salí de la oficina" no se sabe si la persona esta dentro del edificio pero ...
5
votes
3answers
176 views
feliz vs. alegre vs. dichoso
I recently heard dichoso used to mean feliz. Looking up dichoso in a dictionary shows it means "happy" (or "blessed"). What is the difference between dichoso, feliz, and alegre to mean "happy"? Are ...
