All Questions
2
votes
2answers
496 views
Are there any free bilingual books in Spanish and English? [closed]
I guess bilingual books may speed up the learning process a little bit.
Thanks!
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
3answers
110 views
Translation of “twang”
In English (at least American English), "twang" is an onomatopoeia describing the sound of a plucked or vibrating string. It also describes a characteristic of that sound (more common in, say, country ...
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
184 views
Translation of the idiom: “To wind (somebody) up”
My question is similar to that of jrdioko's "to wind up (doing something)"
However the expression I'm looking for is: "To wind (somebody) up"
I know this is an idiomatic expression so there may or ...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
“Reclamo” vs. “Reclamación”
Whenever I go to a restaurant I see a Libro de Reclamaciones which I believe it's something like a Book of Complaints. I thought the direct translation of complaint was in fact reclamo or queja. In ...
2
votes
2answers
518 views
What's the meaning of “me choca” expression?
What's the meaning of the mexican expression "me choca"?
Is it used in any other regions?
Examples:
Me choca que cuando estoy dormido suene el teléfono y me despierte.
Me choca tener que ...
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
1answer
99 views
Translating “to open up” and “closed” (revealing feelings to another)
In English, "to open (oneself) up to someone" describes someone who shares their feelings and emotions with another person as opposed to someone who is "closed" and keeps their feelings to themselves?
...
2
votes
1answer
90 views
Translating “wait until” or “wait for”
How do you translate phrases involving wait until or wait for:
Wait until I call you before you leave for the restaurant.
Wait for me to come home before you buy the tickets.
You should ...
2
votes
1answer
246 views
Literal and metaphorical translation of “duende”
I have read that duende can mean both a mythical creature or, metaphorically, a kind of magical sensation to something. What exactly does duende refer to in both senses? How would both of these senses ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
When would one use the subjunctive form of a verb?
I'm trying to recall some high school spanish and having difficulties as its been several years.
Under what conditions would one use the subjunctive form of a verb? Why would you want to use it to ...
2
votes
1answer
101 views
Jumping between pronunciations of “y” in Spanish songs
I've heard a few songs (off the top of my head, A Dios Le Pido) where they pronounce "y" both with a y-sound and an English j-sound at times. In some songs, the different pronunciations occur when ...
2
votes
2answers
687 views
Equivalent of “To whom it may concern:”
When writing formal letters in English where there is no named recipient (for example, a job application sent to a Human Resources department, or a letter sent to an organization in general as opposed ...
2
votes
2answers
227 views
What is the most common way to end a phone call?
Similar to my other question, what is the most universal way of ending a phone call in Spanish (the last thing you'd say after ending your conversation before hanging up)? In English, we'd say things ...
2
votes
3answers
188 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, ...
2
votes
3answers
61 views
Translation of “audio signalling”
How do I translate "audio signalling of each detected particle"
I was trying:
Señalización de audio para cada particula detectada
or
Señalamiento con audio para cada particula detectada
...
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
3answers
93 views
Jugada estratégica
En el fútbol para una jugada a balón parado, preparada por el equipo, ya sabiendo lo que va a hacer cada uno se dice que es una jugada de estrategia. De acuerdo a las definiciones de táctica y ...
2
votes
1answer
167 views
Different words for “servant”
According to Wiktionary, the English "servant" has two meanings:
One who serves another, providing help in some manner.
(e.g. She is quite the humble servant, the poor in this city owe much to her ...
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
55 views
What is the difference between “por si” and “por si acaso”?
I learned that "just in case" should be translated por si acaso, but I have also heard por si used by itself without the acaso. I believe I've even heard si acaso without the por. What is the ...
2
votes
2answers
173 views
Translating “to wind up (doing something)”
In informal English, we use the phrase "to wind up" to describe the final state of a situation, after all is said and done. For example:
How did you wind up moving to Kansas after growing up in ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
Translation of “in a pickle” and related phrases
In English there are several idioms or phrases that describe being in the midst of a very difficult situation:
in a pickle
in a quandary
in a predicament
in between a rock and a hard place
How ...
2
votes
1answer
572 views
lo ayudo vs. le ayudo (direct vs. indirect object)
When describing someone helping someone else, does ayudar take a direct or indirect object pronoun? In other words, is it:
¿Lo puedo ayudar? or ¿La puedo ayudar?
or
¿Le puedo ayudar?
If ...
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
178 views
Most common verbs
I am a spanish learner and I figured out that I really need to learn the verbs. Is there a good (preferably online) resource with let's say the 100 most common verbs and conjugation to get me started.
...
2
votes
1answer
119 views
7up in Spanish speaking countries
When I first went to Argentina a long time ago I spent 5 minutes trying to ask the person at the bar in a club for a glass of "Siete up" until they eventually understood that I wanted a glass of ...
2
votes
1answer
71 views
Translation of “range” (as in age range)
Is there a simple translation of the English "range" as in the phrase "age range"? If not, how would "age range" best be translated?
2
votes
1answer
72 views
Why is “buena” in different places depending on its use? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Significance of adjective placement
In these phrases below, why is the word "buena" in different places?
Are there good things? => ¿Hay cosas buenas?
Are there ...
2
votes
3answers
237 views
Difference between usage of “por favor” and “please”
I heard that Spanish puts much less value on "por favor" than English does on "please". If this is true, could someone elaborate? Are there any situations where in English 'please' is expected, but in ...
2
votes
1answer
118 views
How important is 'proper' pronunciation in Spanish and is it incorrect to 'make up' a dialect?
All languages have dialects, but there tend to be "major" dialects (e.g. For English, Canadian/American, a few of the British accents could be considered as the main dialects to consider learning ...
2
votes
2answers
72 views
Infinitive instead of past participle in Maná's “El Verdadero Amor Perdona”
In Maná's song "El Verdadero Amor Perdona" one of the verses contains the lines:
Cómo pude haberte yo herido / engañarte y ofendido
I'd think it should be "Como pude haberte yo herido / engañado ...
2
votes
1answer
230 views
Pronunciation of words ending in -n
It seems that some people pronounce words that end with -n almost as a "ng" sound. "Bien", for example, seems to come out as "Bie[ng]".
Is this a regional issue? What regions use this ...
2
votes
1answer
33 views
How to translate “surface contamination”
I want to translate a phrase:
Evaluation of surface contamination by beta radionuclides.
I have
Evaluación de contaminación en superficies provocada por radio
nucleótidos beta
I do not ...
2
votes
1answer
145 views
¿De dónde viene la expresión “en capilla ardiente”?
Soy de Guatemala y he escuchado muchas veces la expresión "en capilla ardiente" principalmente cuando una persona está a punto de contraer nupcias se le dice "estas en capilla ardiente".
Me parece ...
2
votes
1answer
665 views
How to respond to ¿Cómo estás? [closed]
What are the standard responses to ¿Cómo estás??
The only ones I know of are:
Bien.
and
Muy bien.
Which both are for when you are well, how do you say ok? or not so good?
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
109 views
Pregunta sobre pronombre: preguntárnoslas
please look at the below sentence:
Gabriela no quiere presentarnos a sus amigas.
(Gabriela doesn't want to introduce us (DO) to her friends (IO)) where DO is Direct Object and IO is indirect ...
2
votes
1answer
150 views
How are “first” and “second” books of the Bible pronounced?
The Bible has several books in multiple parts (e.g. 1 Corintios, 2 Pedro, 3 Juan). How are these books said out loud? For example, is 1 Pedro pronounced Primer de Pedro, Primero de Pedro, Primera de ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
What is the verb landarse (to be it in a game of tag)?
In Nicaragua, when children are playing tag, "to be it" is expressed using what is apparently the verb landarse:
Pablo se landa. -> Pablo's it.
Me lando yo. -> I'm it.
I can't find landar ...
2
votes
3answers
425 views
Are there any words in Spanish that are very difficult to translate to English? [closed]
There seem to be many words (especially technical ones) in English that don't directly translate to a single word in Spanish. What about in the other direction: are there any words in Spanish that are ...
2
votes
1answer
60 views
Translation of “Great!”
In English, the interjection "Great!" can be used to respond to almost any statement. In Spanish, I've heard a few similar interjections:
¡Qué bien!
¡Qué bueno!
¡Está bien!
¡Está bueno!
I've ...
2
votes
1answer
75 views
Best English translation of “conmoción”
I was told the Spanish word conmoción refers to a strong feeling of shock or emotion shared by a group of people rather than an individual. It seems like English doesn't have a single word or phrase ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
How does it form a conditional event which will happen in the future?
Talking about a conditional event which will happen in the future. But here, future form isn't used. Which of the below sentences is grammatically correct?
Whenever these bills have been paid, ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
What does “parce” mean?
I'm not from Colombia but I have some Colombian colleges. I wonder, what does "parce" means? They use it quite like a word that can be substituted by "compadre", or in English, "dude", "man", ...
2
votes
1answer
86 views
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre “se me olvidó” y “olvidé”?
¿Cuales son las diferencias semánticas entre "se me olvidó" y "olvidé"?
Ejemplo:
Se me olvido mi teléfono.
Olvidé mi teléfono.
Creo que cuando se usa el reflexivo indica menos ...
