How a word, phrase, or concept is used in the Spanish language.
4
votes
2answers
81 views
Usage of “millar” vs “millón”
First the context. There are two similar words that cannot be confused:
Millar → Conjunto de mil unidades. → Set of one thousand elements.
Millón ...
4
votes
1answer
67 views
Con qué, a qué, lo que
Las siquientes frases equivalen a "Do you still remember what you've committed at first? "
¿Todavía recuerdas con qué te comprometiste al principio?
¿Todavía recuerdas a qué te ...
4
votes
1answer
46 views
What's the meaning of “hasta” in the following sentences?
What's the meaning of "hasta" in the following sentences?
Hasta que te dignes a hacerme caso.
Los resultados del examen se publicarán hasta febrero.
Those have different meanings than the "hasta" ...
4
votes
1answer
62 views
'Controlar' en lenguaje formal
En el Metro de Madrid, así como en otros lugares en España, aconsejan al usuario por megafonía que "Controle sus pertenencias en todo momento, por su seguridad."
Me da la impresión de que Controlar, ...
4
votes
2answers
77 views
Género de derecha/o e izquierda
¿Por qué las palabras derecha e izquierda (en oraciones como "doblar a la derecha") tienen el género femenino y no el masculino? Y ¿por qué derecho (en masculino) significa "recto," pero derecha (en ...
4
votes
1answer
153 views
Do fluent Spanish Speakers say the pronoun when speaking? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should I use the word 'yo' in a sentence where the verb conjugation already shows that I am the subject?
I was wondering if fluent Spanish Speakers say the ...
3
votes
3answers
189 views
Translating “Help!” (interjection)
In English, if there is any kind of emergency or urgent assistance needed, we use the interjection, "Help!" In Spanish I've seen several:
¡Socorro!
¡Auxilio!
¡Ayuda! or ¡Ayúdame!
Which of these is ...
3
votes
3answers
325 views
Connotations of “mortal” (slang)
What does the Spanish word mortal mean when used as slang? Does it have a positive or negative connotation towards the thing being described?
3
votes
4answers
13k views
congratulations: felicidades vs. felicitaciones
English
I have heard both ¡Felicidades! and ¡Felicitaciones! as translations of the interjection, "Congratulations!"
What is the difference between the two, and when is each used?
Español
He ...
3
votes
2answers
132 views
“matricular” y “matricularme”
Both the captioned words mean "enroll, register".
"matricular" is a transitive verb and "matricularse" is a reflexive verb.
But they have no difference in meaning but just "matricular" follows a noun ...
3
votes
2answers
71 views
Is “performance” a common word in spanish IT terminology?
While reading a spanish-language article on some client-side topics,
I was surprised to read following passage:
La gente de Microsoft hizo un excelente artículo (con una gran demo incluida), donde ...
3
votes
2answers
115 views
Translation for the adjective “haunting” (as in “a haunting melody”)
What is the best Spanish translation for the English adjective "haunting" (as in "a haunting melody")? WordReference gives three options: evocador, inquietante and inolvidable. Do any of these really ...
3
votes
2answers
181 views
What is the difference between parece and pareciera?
What is the difference between parece que and pareciera que? How are both normally translated? What tenses can be used after pareciera que, and in general how is pareciera used?
3
votes
2answers
237 views
esperar: wait vs. hope vs. expect
The verb esperar (e.g. Estoy esperándolo.) can be used in at least three senses:
to wait for
to hope
to expect
In English, these all mean very different things:
I'm waiting for you to ...
3
votes
4answers
154 views
¿Cómo se usa el antepretérito?
En clase hemos estado repasando el tiempo pluscuamperfecto. En todos los ejemplos que vimos, usaron el imperfecto del verbo haber. Cuando pregunté a mi profesor sobre el pretérito de haber, nos dijo ...
3
votes
1answer
81 views
Words for on purpose, accidentally, intentionally, unintentionally, etc
English has several words or phrases to express that something was done with or without the person meaning to do it:
purposefully (or on purpose)
accidentally (or on accident)
intentionally
...
3
votes
1answer
358 views
Difference between “está” and “esta” or “esté” and “este”?
How do I know if I have to use the one with accent and not the one without accent? Could you provide examples?
3
votes
2answers
114 views
El uso de “comerse”
Qué diferencias hay entre las oraciones siguientes :
Así que empezaron a comerse las paredes de la casa.
Así que empezaron a comer las paredes de la casa.
3
votes
4answers
92 views
Word usage : te pertenece [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When is the indirect object pronoun required in sentences with an indirect object?
Y solo te pertenece a ti.
¿Podemos quitar el "te"? Si no, ¿por qué?
2
votes
3answers
974 views
Ways to express “to get ready” or “to get dressed”
What verbs in Spanish are used to express the concept of "getting ready" or "getting dressed" (for example, before leaving the house to go out to dinner)? I've seen alistarse, arreglarse, prepararse, ...
2
votes
3answers
481 views
challenge: desafío vs. reto
The English word "challenge" can be translated to Spanish as desafío (desafiar) or reto (retar). Is there any difference between these words, or are they exact synonyms? If there is a difference, when ...
2
votes
1answer
87 views
¿Qué significa la abreviatura “VoBo”?
¿Cuál es el significado de la abreviatura "VoBo"? ¿en qué casos se puede utilizar?
2
votes
1answer
162 views
What is the difference between “de corto plazo” and “a corto plazo”?
What is the difference between de corto plazo and a corto plazo (or de largo plazo and a largo plazo), meaning short-term and long-term? In what contexts can each be used?
2
votes
1answer
128 views
Using “qué” or “quién” when talking about people
Imagine for a moment you know who stole your car (some thiefs for example):
Sabemos qué personas lo hicieron.
The above sentence is the same as saying:
Sabemos quiénes lo hicieron. (Persons ...
2
votes
1answer
462 views
Describing the common cold or flu in Spanish
In English, when talking about common viruses people often get, there are generally two categories:
a cold is generally more mild and can come with runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, etc.
...
2
votes
2answers
145 views
Why is “missing” added to waiting in Spanish?
In Perú we say "me falta esperar 10 minutos", in United States we do not say "I am missing waiting 10 minutes". Why is "falta/missing" added in Peruvian Spanish? Or conversely, why in American English ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Comprometerse a
Según la siguiente frase:
¿Todavía recuerdas a lo que te comprometiste al principio?
¿Por qué necesita "a" aquí?
¿Es correcto que sola uso "al principio"?
(Hay persona preguntó ["al ...
2
votes
1answer
78 views
Difference between “oeste” and “occidente”
What is the difference between "oeste" and "occidente"?
Do they both mean the direction and the region?
2
votes
1answer
183 views
Translation of cord, cable, string, line, thread, rope, etc
In English there are many words describing different kinds of long, skinny, flexible objects:
cord
line (as in fishing line, clothesline)
cable
strand
lace (as in shoe lace)
thread
rope
string
wire
...
2
votes
1answer
86 views
justicia: justice and righteousness?
In the Spanish Bible, I believe the English "justice" and "righteousness" are both translated as justicia. Is justicia the only word that can translate both of these terms? Is there any way to know ...
2
votes
4answers
148 views
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre igual (adverbio) e igualmente?
Según la RAE, tanto igual como igualmente puede ser adverbio. ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre los dos (con ese significado)? ¿Son sinónimos exactos, o se usan de maneras distintas?
2
votes
2answers
158 views
Word usage: “caminamos” VS “caminábamos”
Please read the below sentence which is in the past tense.
Can I replace "caminamos" to "caminábamos" to describe a continued action?
Así que caminamos de tienda en tienda para comprar las ...
2
votes
2answers
58 views
Difference between “enterar por” and “enterar de”
Please read the following sentences:
Nos enteramos por las noticias que las flores valían más caras que los años anteriores.
Al comenzar este invierno me enteré de la noticia de que haría/iba a ...
2
votes
1answer
292 views
Does pelón/pelona mean bald or hairy?
I have heard pelón (or the feminine pelona) used to both refer to someone who has no hair and someone who has a lot of hair. Is there any way of distinguishing whether pelón means bald or hairy, or is ...
2
votes
1answer
165 views
Words for “to encourage”: alentar, animar, fomentar
In English, "to encourage" seems to have at least two uses:
to suggest that someone should do something (e.g. "He encouraged me to find a new guitar teacher.")
to give confidence or hope to someone ...
2
votes
1answer
181 views
Translation of “to be fluent (in a language)”
The literal translation of "to speak a language fluently" would be hablar un idioma con fluidez, but I have heard that means that you speak the language fluidly and smoothly rather than that you have ...
2
votes
1answer
32 views
re-optimizar o volver a optimizar o reoptimizar
Cual es el mejor uso de "re-optimizar o volver a optimizar o reoptimizar"
si tengo que poner en un texto cientifico
"Esto evita desarrollar y re-optimizar ..."
¿cual de las 3 opciones queda mejor?
...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
Gramática: reflexivo
Dice que
El reflexivo tiene un valor factitivo: No es el que hace directamente la acción, sino quien la ordena hacer.
· Nos hicimos una casa en el pueblo.
· Ayer me corté el pelo.
I do not ...
1
vote
3answers
366 views
Singular and plural of pants, shorts, jeans, etc
In English, words like pants, shorts, and jeans appear to be in the plural but really refer to one item of clothing (I don't know what the technical term for it is). To be more specific, you can say ...
1
vote
3answers
164 views
Break: romper vs. quebrar vs. quebrantar vs. partir
Off the top of my head, I can think of four Spanish translations for the English verb "to break":
romper
quebrar
quebrantar
partir
In what cases can each be used, and what are the differences ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
How to use “A golpe de silbato”?
A golpe de silbato.
literally means
blow a whistle.
However, it is used to describe fast actions and/or decisions.
Could someone explain more about it and when/how to use it correctly?
...
1
vote
2answers
95 views
waste: desperdiciar vs. malgastar
I learned that "waste" in English can be translated as desperdiciar or malgastar in Spanish. What is the difference between these two words? Are there any cases where one is correct and the other is ...
1
vote
2answers
104 views
Me gustaría / quisiera / querría
I usually use "me gustaría" when asking for something or expressing myself towards something I would like to do. How about "quisiera" and "querría" can both be used the same way and what are the ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
Word usage: serme
I've come across the below sentence:
Este año he decidido serme fiel a mi misma y no mentirme
I checked the dictionary and couldn't find the word "serme". What does it mean?
1
vote
1answer
68 views
A good free book to get started [closed]
I am a fluent English speaker and I wanted a good FREE PDF to get started with. Primarily, I wish to see if my interests in learning spanish will sustain before I buy an expensive book. I have picked ...
1
vote
2answers
46 views
Usage of the word acullá
WordReference translates acullá as "yonder." Is this a word that was only used in the past, or is it still used in modern Spanish today? If so, what regions does it appear in and how is it used?
0
votes
1answer
856 views
Words for boat, ship, and other seafaring vessels
In English, we have many words to describe the different types of vessels that travel on water:
boat
ship
yacht
dinghy
canoe
kayak
raft
watercraft
vessel
sailboat
barge
catamaran
lifeboat/liferaft
...
0
votes
1answer
177 views
Speakers' location in determining venir vs. ir
In English, we use the word "come" very loosely (at least in day-to-day spoken English):
Want to come over to my place later?
Can I come over to your house for New Years'?
Can you come meet me at ...
0
votes
2answers
146 views
¿Me pueden ayudar a deconstruir las siguientes oraciones? Can you help me deconstruct these sentences? [closed]
Un artículo publicado en The Four Hour Work Week blog by Tim Ferriss llamado How to Learn (But Not Master) any Language in 1 Hour sugiere que la deconstrucción de un idioma es una de las cosas más ...
0
votes
1answer
144 views
Translation of “to wind (a rope, hose, string, cord, etc.)”
The other questions about "wind" got me thinking about it's normal verb use. To "wind" something is to wrap it in circles, either around an object or simply making a coil. For this use, it looks like ...
