All Questions
3
votes
4answers
1k views
Most accurate translation of “possum”
What is the most universal Spanish word to describe a possum? What regional variations exist? Does the translation refer specifically to the same animal as the English word, or does it cover a larger ...
3
votes
2answers
81 views
En esta oración ¿cuáles son las funciones sintácticas?
No tienes derecho a afearles que hayan incumplido todas sus promesas electorales
Identifico "tienes" como el núcleo del predicado (el verbo principal de la oración principal) y "derecho" como ...
3
votes
2answers
88 views
¿Qué significa “a poco”?
¿Qué significa la expresión "a poco" usada en México?
Por ejemplo:
¿A poco?
¿A poco sí?/¿A poco no?
¿A poco no has hecho la tarea?
3
votes
4answers
154 views
¿Cómo se pronuncia RAE?
En el lenguaje hablado, ¿cómo se pronuncia las siglas RAE (Real Academia Española)? ¿Es con letras separadas, como si fuera una palabra unida, o algo más?
4
votes
2answers
49 views
How do you introduce yourself on the phone?
In America, a telephone conversation usually starts like this.
Me: [Calls John]
John: Hello.
Me: Hi, John. It's Joe.
This is between 2 people that are familiar with each other, but not ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
¿Qué quiere decir “engatillado”?
Sé lo que dice el RAE sobre la palabra. Sobre los animales y sobre la chapa.
Pero cuando alguien me dice:
Chepe estabas engatillado!
Eso ¿qué quiere decir?
La expresión viene de Colombia.
4
votes
2answers
190 views
¿Cuáles son las distinciones más importantes del castellano amazónico del Perú?
Se dice aquí que hay cinco variaciones del español hablado en el Perú, y que el español amazónico parece predominar en un área geográficamente más extensa que los otros dialectos. Supongo que hay ...
3
votes
1answer
43 views
El Tigre - slang meaning?
When I was in the Dominican, I heard men referred to as 'tigres'... I took it to mean that they were flirts, but I never really got a good definition. Can anyone explain how calling a man a tigre ...
-3
votes
0answers
40 views
Can someone please check this letter [closed]
Querido Señor/Señora,
He estado tratando de contactar con Ms A. Jimenez pero aún sin éxito. Ahora hay sólo un día a la izquierda para llenar el formulario de solicitud ERASMUS pero yo todavía ...
2
votes
1answer
35 views
Can “desprenderse” be used to imply the English phrase “to give off”?
English: He "gives off" a strange vibe.
Español: Él se "desprende" extraño.
4
votes
2answers
104 views
Is colegiala a type of flower?
A native speaker in Colombia showed me a flower and told me it was called a colegiala, but the only translation I can find is schoolgirl or female college student. Also, I haven't been able to find ...
5
votes
2answers
68 views
What's the meaning of “carne mechada”?
My friend and I were discussing 'carne mechada' - I've only ever heard the word in conversation and I thought it meant 'mixed' but according to our google searching it's a little more specific.
Can ...
4
votes
1answer
65 views
El significado de “nunca nadie”
La combinación "Nunca nadie" significa que nunca hay alguien, al menos así está usado por la gente... Pero el significado gramatical sera lo contrario, verdad? O hay alguna regla gramatical que dice ...
10
votes
2answers
129 views
How does one say “It's not nothing.”
In English, we can express the idea that something is not negative, such as:
A: What's in the box?
B: Oh, nothing.
A: It's not nothing!
In English, the double negative (not and nothing) ...
3
votes
4answers
223 views
Identifying masculine and feminine words
Are there any tips to quickly identify words in Spanish as 'male' or 'female'?
I am a new learner and have trouble with this.
7
votes
3answers
244 views
When to use “tratar de” and when to use “intentar” for “to try to”?
Spanish has three words that can translate to English to try.
Probar is easy to remember because it's used for sample or taste, like:
Have you ever tried tacos el pastor?
But I never know when ...
12
votes
6answers
5k views
How do you say a “shot” referring to alcohol?
What are some common ways of saying a shot of liquor? This can be referring to a small, usually 1 to 2 ounce drink taken all at once or can be a measure of liquor.
For example:
I ordered a round of ...
5
votes
2answers
563 views
Translation of “cheesy”
What is the best Spanish translation of the English word "cheesy" (something inauthentic, trying too hard to be funny, cheap, shabby, etc.)?
5
votes
5answers
97 views
Difference between “acaso” and “quizá”
I understand that both Quizá and Acaso are translated to "Perhaps" or "Maybe" in English. Is there any difference between these two words in Spanish, other than quizá being apparently more common? Or ...
10
votes
7answers
477 views
Use of “Veni”? Is it a real word?
I was teaching a high school Spanish class, and a student (who was raised in Texas, but has Mexican relatives) told me that he has heard "veni" instead of "viene". I'd like to know if this is ...
6
votes
2answers
166 views
Historical pronunciation of letters “b” and “v”
In another question, a Wikipedia article was quoted saying:
The letters ⟨b⟩ and ⟨v⟩ were originally simply known as be and ve. However, there is no longer any distinction between the sounds of ...
4
votes
2answers
62 views
Word usage: difference between “bailar” and “danzar”
Is there any difference between "bailar" and "danzar"?
2
votes
2answers
32 views
¿Cual es la sequencia apropiada para un substantivo con adjetivo y/o participio + “de”?
Se trata, por ejemplo, de un paciente que saldrá del hopital donde fue curado de una enfermedad. El hospital ha sido recientamente abierto, y el paciente es satisfecho.
En este caso, ¿cuales son ...
3
votes
2answers
49 views
What is the difference between “congestión del tráfico” and “congestión de tráfico”?
What is the difference between these?
congestión del tráfico.
congestión de tráfico.
Thank you in advance!
-3
votes
1answer
28 views
Gramatica: if the sentence is correctly written [closed]
Could you please advise if the following sentence is correctly written?
La señal advierte al público que las fuertes lluvias probablemente trajeron consigo seria inundación de carretera y ...
3
votes
2answers
40 views
“a” personal en “Yo les presento a mi novio a mis padres”?
Estaba viendo la pregunta sobre el "a" personal y empesé a estudiar un poco el asunto. Me quedé con la duda, lo que pasa con el "a" personal en caso que se agrega un objeto indirecto.
Pensé en este ...
5
votes
6answers
201 views
How to translate “if any”?
I'm translating a text and have a doubt. It says:
Please add a copy of [some specific papers] (if any).
I could mix up the sentence and say: "Si existen [...], añade una copia, por favor."
But ...
9
votes
2answers
189 views
What is the history of the “personal a”?
What is the historical origin of the "personal a" in Spanish?
Examples of the personal a:
George sees Mary. -> Jorge ve a María.
I see the waitress. -> Veo a la mesera.
But with the exact ...
5
votes
3answers
182 views
What is the ingredient “royal”?
I bought a cake like snack in Costa Rica called Gato Guayaba. I was trying to figure out what was in it, so I read the following ingredients list:
Ingredientes: Margarina, huevos, royal, azùcar, ...
4
votes
2answers
115 views
To “have been told”
English
I am often unsure how to translate the phrase to have been told into Spanish. For example, "I have been told that...". I normally translate that phrase to "Se me ha dicho que...", but I am ...
4
votes
2answers
109 views
What is the meaning of “palabra” in this context?
I came across this sentence while reading, and the use of 'palabra' doesn't make sense to me:
Y no es que quiera irme; palabra.
Although it brings up connotations of the very slang usage of word ...
-1
votes
0answers
40 views
Duda sobre la preposición “into” [closed]
Hola tengo una duda sobre esta preposición. Lo que intento traducir es:
Convierte un grupo de líneas en una lista HTML
Y dudo entre esta traducción
Turn a group of lines into HTML list
y esta ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
How is the placement of this prepositional phrase grammatical?
I'm re-reading La Vida Inútil de Pito Pérez, this time making extra effort to understand the all the words and grammar, and I'm stumped in the second paragraph already, which is describing his ...
1
vote
1answer
214 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
0answers
31 views
“ir” vs “venir” when speaking of joining a friend [duplicate]
A friend recently criticized me for using the word venir instead of ir when I said I was going to join her.
An example:
Voy a venir a visitarte el lunes.
But she thinks I should say:
Voy a ...
3
votes
1answer
54 views
Paisaje de siempre
I read a line the other day in Almudi.org that said
Mi paisaje de siempre visto desde otra perspectiva
the latter part means 'seen from another perspective'. I can't quite figure out what could ...
10
votes
3answers
153 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. ...
15
votes
9answers
2k views
How to translate “I can't wait…”
A literal translation always falls flat, and confuses people (I've learned this the hard way).
I can't wait [to see the movie] => No puedo esperar [a ver la pelicula]
This always leaves the ...
2
votes
3answers
71 views
Palabra correcta para describir la “acción de solicitar”
¿Cuál es la palabra correcta para describir la "acción de solicitar", según la RAE? ¿"Solicitación"?
3
votes
4answers
121 views
How is the second person singular formed with rioplatense “vos”?
English
I learned my Spanish in Spain, some years ago. Now I am visiting Uruguay and Argentina and coming across the usage of the pronoun vos, and its corresponding different formation of the second ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
The letter “k” in Spanish
The letter "k" is rarely seen in Spanish. What is the origin of Spanish words containing a k? Are most recent loanwords from modern languages, influences from older languages (Latin or Greek), or of ...
10
votes
2answers
234 views
Why does saber mean both “to know” and “to taste”?
Español
Cuando aprendía español, estaba muy confundido cuando aprendí que saber significa "to know" y "to taste". Los dos verbos en inglés me parecen muy diferentes. ¿Cómo puede ser esto? ¿Cuál es la ...
4
votes
1answer
856 views
Does indirect speech in Spanish require changes in tense, mood, etc?
In German you have to use different moods, in English different tenses for verbs to mark indirect speech (speech where you are saying what was said or expressed):
He said that he had painted the ...
2
votes
3answers
200 views
American style TV shows in Spanish [closed]
Are there American style TV shows that could be used to practice listening Spanish. By American style I mean
Each episode around 30 minutes in length
Although it helps to watch them in sequence, ...
1
vote
0answers
122 views
What is a good, original Spanish childrens novel to help learn grammar and vocab? [closed]
I want to find a Spanish book that I can read to help practice my grammar and vocabulary.
I've only done about a year of evening classes for adults, but I can read sites like BBC Mundo and have a ...
6
votes
2answers
10k 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 ...
7
votes
1answer
219 views
Is there a Spanish equivalent for '(sic)'?
In English, when you quote text or speech that you know has nonstandard usage, such as misspellings or nonstandard grammar, it is typical to use '(sic)' to indicate that you know what you're quoting ...
0
votes
0answers
68 views
Spanish After Mango Languages [closed]
I am currently learning Spanish through Mango Languages for Libraries. When it is complete, it looks like I will be somewhat conversational and will understand the basics of conjugation for common ...
10
votes
1answer
216 views
“Quick brown fox…” equivalent in Spanish?
In typing classes in English, it is common to learn to type the sentence:
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Because it contains every letter of the alphabet at least once.
Is there ...
7
votes
2answers
124 views
¿Es redundante la expresión “suele ser frecuente”?
Español
He oído a menudo la expresión “suele ser frecuente”. ¿Es redundante? ¿Suena bien a pesar de la redundancia? ¿O bien suena mal y sería mejor decir solo “es frecuente”?
Por ejemplo:
Suele ...
