All Questions
4
votes
5answers
102 views
Linguistic Use of Spanish Characters Keyboard Layout
After looking at the Spanish Keyboard thatcomes in Windows I have come to notice that are 5 Dead Keys on the Spanish Keyboard layout.
Name Example
´ ACUTE ACCENT más
¨ ...
3
votes
4answers
129 views
Meaning of “andar de vago(a)”
I have heard this phrase, and several similar around the word "vago", but I don't really understand what it means.
The word "vago" seems to translate directly to "vague"... But what does this sort of ...
2
votes
4answers
74 views
Stir the pot, in American Spanish
What is the correct way to express this idiomatic expression? -- Stir the pot --
My goal is to say something like "she stirs the pot even more by inviting this person to her house."
I would imagine ...
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 ...
3
votes
1answer
62 views
Remind me to give it to you
Which, if either, of these are correct for "Remind me to give it to you".
Recuérdeme dártelo.
Recuérdeme que te lo dé.
1
vote
1answer
33 views
When using object pronouns, should I say “la van a ver a” or “la van a ver”?
If I have a question:
¿Quiénes van a ver a Luisa el domingo?
I can answer it someway like this, using object pronoun (I do not know if this is the right way to say that in English):
Los alumnos van ...
5
votes
1answer
108 views
Does “Prima” have a double-meaning (in Mexico)?
I recently saw this billboard in Léon, Guanajuato, México:
[Sorry for the awkward placement of the light pole in the photo; I was driving when I snapped it.]
The sign is an advertisement for ...
3
votes
1answer
64 views
Can I say “contestar las preguntas” instead of “contestar a las preguntas”?
In my spanish text book there is a sentence:
¿Tenéis que contestar a las preguntas de la profesora?
Since "contestar" can be followed directly by objects, why should we use a preposition "a" before ...
12
votes
1answer
260 views
How to avoid the lexical redundancy in the literal Spanish translation of “to ask a question”?
In English we have different words for the verb to ask and the noun question.
But in Spanish to ask is preguntar and question is pregunta.
This always causes me to stumble when speaking Spanish and ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
“xq” in Internet slang/abbreviations
In informal chat conversations online, I have seen Spanish speakers write the abbreviation "xq." What does this stand for, and why?
12
votes
3answers
314 views
Internet Chat laughter in Spanish
In English we tend to use:
lol = laughing out loud;
rofl = rolling on the floor laughing;
lmao = laughing my a** off;
roflmao = rolling on the floor laughing my a** off.
These are just some of the ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
how to translate the software specific expression “how to” in Castellano?
There's something in software or websites that is called a "how-to" section, it is like a frequently asked questions (faq) section but with a content closer to be a tutorial of how to do something in ...
7
votes
4answers
348 views
How did the words “mataburros” and “tumbaburros” come to mean “dictionary”?
The recent question about irregular plurals led me to a couple of odd and interesting words that apparently mean "dictionary" in at least one sense each:
mataburros
tumbaburros
The connection ...
3
votes
2answers
94 views
Objeto Indirecto
I was given the sentence
¿Quiénes os están haciendo las camas?
and asked to put it into the form:
Ellos……….…están haciendo
using the objeto indirecto (OI) and the objeto directo (OD).
...
4
votes
2answers
179 views
Significado de “presente” en una carta. ¿Se escribe dos puntos después del destinatario?
Por ejemplo, suelo encontrar los encabezados de las cartas como sigue:
Cierta ciudad, Cierto país,
...
6
votes
2answers
196 views
¿Cuál es el significado de “órale” y su origen?
La palabra "órale" es usada frecuentemente en México en situaciones informales. ¿Cuál es su significado y origen?
5
votes
2answers
270 views
Different words for “stop”
In English, we have a fairly generic verb "to stop" that can be used in many different contexts. For example:
Stop talking to me!
The driver saw the red light and stopped his car.
You really need to ...
8
votes
4answers
1k views
Is there a difference between cilantro and culantro in Spanish?
I've seen the American English "cilantro" (British English "coriander") translated into Spanish as both cilantro and culantro. What is the difference? Are they synonyms used interchangeably, or is the ...
6
votes
4answers
202 views
“okupar” and “ocupar”
It's pretty common to find, in the net, people chatting, posting, and so on with (sometimes convenient, for shortness, but sometimes intentional) spelling mistakes: ¿qué? is often written ke?, xq ...
9
votes
7answers
654 views
What is the longest word in Spanish?
What is the longest word in Spanish accepted by the Real Academia Española? What about words not officially accepted by the RAE?
¿Cuál es la palabra en español más larga aceptada por la Real ...
2
votes
3answers
420 views
Translation of “real estate”
I have read that "real estate" can be translated as:
bienes raíces
bienes inmuebles
inmuebles
What is the difference between these terms, and which is the most generic translation of "real ...
7
votes
7answers
421 views
¿Qué significa “salir del paso?”
Estoy leyendo esta página, y tiene la frase:
Es una solución para salir del paso. Da mejores resultados entre idiomas de origen indoeuropeo, como es de esperar. Pero si se necesita una traducción ...
11
votes
6answers
1k views
Can I learn to roll my R's?
Whenever I try to say words like perro or arroyo, I sound like I'm telling a pirate joke. I can identify the sound I'm supposed to make and I've been told how my tongue is supposed to move, but I ...
6
votes
5answers
155 views
Equivalent phrase for the modern english 'Moot Point'?
Although the origins of 'moot point', appear to have the opposite meaning,
I'm wondering does anybody have a short phrase in Spanish for the modern meaning:
something irrelevant or not valid for ...
5
votes
2answers
120 views
¿Cuándo quitaron los acentos de las palabras como “fué”?
He leído que hace años la RAE cambiaron las reglas para quitar las tildes de las palabras como fué, dió, etc. ¿Cuándo pasó eso? ¿Por qué hizo este cambio la RAE? ¿Cuáles fueron las palabras afectadas?
...
17
votes
9answers
910 views
Are there native-born Spanish speakers that can't trill their R's?
It seems that one of the greatest difficulties some native-English speakers have is learning to trill their R's. Some, it seems, are completely incapable of performing this task.
Is this ever a ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
Differences between “razón de,” “razón por la que,” and “razón para”
I think I've heard three ways of translating "the reason [something happened]" or "the reason [for something]":
la razón para
la razón de
la razón por la que
What is the difference between these ...
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?
...
2
votes
3answers
131 views
Alternatives to “ya me voy”
"Ya me voy" is sometimes heard often; for example at the end of the workday. What alternative phrases convey a similar meaning? "Me marcho" comes to mind, but it seems to connote walking in formation.
...
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
78 views
Easy reading for someone with one year in Spanish language? [closed]
I have been studying Spanish once a week for two semesters now. We have covered two different past tenses plus future tense and I thought it might be a good time to start doing some reading on my own. ...
3
votes
4answers
122 views
What does “alma sucia” mean?
What does it mean? I've checked the literal meaning with Google:
dirty soul
I was looking for something more elegant, that shows its tone. Is it an idiom?
3
votes
2answers
92 views
En esta oración compleja ¿cuáles son las oraciones subordinadas y qué función desempeñan?
Oración compleja:
ha sido en la última década cuando la importación de vocablos de ese idioma ha crecido, sobre todo entre los jóvenes.
Estoy un poco inseguro de cuáles son las oraciones ...
5
votes
2answers
207 views
Palabras sobreesdrújulas: ¿cuándo se escriben con tilde?
Todas las palabras esdrújulas llevan tilde. Había oido que las sobreesdrújulas también lo llevan, pero encontré "exactamente" y otros adverbios escritos sin acento.
¿Cuál es exactamente la regla de ...
2
votes
3answers
140 views
¿Por qué el ceceo solo se da en España?
La pronunciacion en el centro y el norte de España, como sabemos, proncuncia la "ce" y la "zeta" en forma difrente a la "ese" que es el unico sonido que se utliza para estas tres letras en ...
2
votes
3answers
316 views
Latinoamérica, Hispanoamérica, or Sudamérica?
Latinoamérica, Hispanoamérica, Sudamérica or other?
For someone living in Venezuela or Chile, for example, what term would I be most likely to hear to describe countries south of the US?
The terms ...
3
votes
4answers
157 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 ...
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 ...
4
votes
3answers
132 views
How do you describe a pie pan in Spanish?
Even my Mexican friends don't know how to say "pie pan" or "pie tin" in Spanish. Google isn't much help, either.
How can I effectively communicate about a pie pan?
Examples:
Disposable, single-use ...
8
votes
5answers
216 views
Why is “voy” used in “voy perdiendo” instead of “estoy”?
Apparently "Voy perdiendo" means "I'm losing." But I thought the present participle was formed using estar. I am confused!
1
vote
2answers
109 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
204 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 ...
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
...
6
votes
6answers
248 views
Is there a Spanish equivalent for the French word “voilà”?
A rough English translation for the French word "voilà" might be "there it is." One of my former Spanish teachers (an American, not a native speaker), would use the word "eso" in this context, in ...
4
votes
1answer
85 views
¿Hay alguna diferecia importante entre los dos subjuntivos?
Estoy encantado con estas dos formas del lenguaje, pero ninguno de los materiales disponibles ha clarificado la diferencia entre las dos formas:
Si hubiese sabido que iba a llover, me habría ...
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
2answers
147 views
What is the difference between “por medio de” and “a través de”?
It seems like a través de and por medio de can often be used to mean the same thing. What is the difference between them, and in what contexts can you only use one or the other?
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. ...
2
votes
3answers
96 views
¿Se escribe “satisfactibilidad” o "satisfacibilidad?
En teoría de computación se habla del Problema de satisfacibilidad booleana. En inglés se llama “satisfiability problem”, y se trata de determinar si una fórmula lógica se puede o no satisfacer. Sin ...
3
votes
3answers
101 views
¿Qué origen tiene la expresión “ya te cargó el payaso”?
Entiendo que "ya te cargó el payaso" expresa fracaso total, problemas que no pueden ser resueltos, etc. ¿Qué orígen tiene esta expresión? ¿Es lenguaje no ofensivo?
