Questions tagged [uso-de-palabras]
De qué manera una palabra, frase o concepto es usado en el idioma español. // How a word, phrase, or concept is used in the Spanish language.
1,303
questions
1
vote
1
answer
21
views
Translation of gerund and absolute phrases
When reading English texts, I often encounter sentences such as:
The storks circled high above us, their slender bodies sleek and black against the orange sky.
This sentence contains an absolute ...
3
votes
4
answers
465
views
What is the difference between "Hubiera" and "Habría"?
I was taught that the Spanish conditional tense translates into English as would and is formed, for regular verbs at least, by adding ía to the infinitive.
So I would translate the sentence:
Y eso es ...
6
votes
1
answer
268
views
Translating “To stay” + (adjective)
To translate “to stay in a given state without interruption,” which of the following verbs is most appropriate: mantenerse, permanecer, and/or quedarse?
I will use dormido for example with the ...
1
vote
2
answers
83
views
¿Alguien me puede identificar el uso de "éste" en esta frase?
Tengo una duda relacionada con este extracto de la Ilíada de Homero
Después de una corta invocación a la divinidad para que cante "la
perniciosa ira de Aquiles", nos refiere el poeta que ...
- 113
2
votes
1
answer
65
views
¿Cuándo usar la palabra "cirugía" vs "operación?"
Una búsqueda breve sugiere que "cirugía" es más especifica, y "operación" más amplia. Al uso común, ¿importa si digo, "mi hermano tiene una operación del pie la semana que ...
- 23
3
votes
2
answers
72
views
What is the difference between "pasar vergüenza" and "sentir vergüenza"?
What do 'pasar vergüenza" and "sentir vergüenza" mean exactly, and how do you know when to use each?
Example 1
No he pasado más vergüenza en la vida.
No he sentido más vergüenza en la ...
1
vote
3
answers
83
views
¿Cómo se llama (si es que tiene nombre) al hecho de llamar a los objetos por su nombre?
Por ejemplo, cuando evitamos el uso excesivo de palabras que sustituyen a los nombres, como "cosa(s)".
En lugar de decir: "esta cosa está bonita", decir "esta taza está bonita&...
- 11
4
votes
3
answers
128
views
How to distinguish between "scream" and "shout" in Spanish
Both words seem to be translated as "gritar". But in English, they have distinct meanings. You might shout simply to be heard in a noisy place, but you usually scream because of high emotion ...
- 215
0
votes
2
answers
85
views
What is que doing in "ella tiene que ducharse hoy"?
"ella tiene que ducharse hoy" the translation of it is "She has to shower today".
The meaning stays the same without "que", I don't see anything directly or indirectly. ...
0
votes
1
answer
27
views
Pasado de moda-word use and context
I know ''pasado de moda means old-fashioned especially with clothes at least. I reviewed Spanishdict and the RAE. THe latter states:
pasar, o pasarse, algo de moda
locs. verbs. Perder actualidad o ...
- 1,505
1
vote
1
answer
68
views
Expression: sota, caballo y rey, context and word use
The expression "sota, caballo y rey" is derived from card playing. According to El Mundo, it means something that doesn't vary and is repeated in the same manner.
Por su parte, la expresión ...
- 1,505
1
vote
4
answers
263
views
What is the new word for North Africans descendants born in Spain?
I listened to the podcast Hoy Hablamos. The episode was called "Los chonis y las Chanis". They used a word for North African descendants living or born in Spain.
I think it comes from French ...
- 1,505
1
vote
1
answer
76
views
In Laura Esquivel's book "Como agua para chocolate" this phrase appears
¿Qué significa la siguiente frase?
Observar lo repuesta que se encontraba Chencha
- 11
0
votes
0
answers
52
views
Pájara mental -adopted use or generally accepted
I learnt a new word from an article I received in a newsletter from El País. It is "pájara" or in this case "pájara mental".
I see from the RAE that it means:
En ciclismo, bajón ...
- 1,505
6
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Usage of ese/esa/eso with implied gender
A friend from Argentina (native) and I (non-native) have been arguing for the past few hours about the grammatical validity of the following bolded sentence:
«Este hecho es interesante: Todo el ...
- 163
2
votes
1
answer
50
views
"go to a wedding" vs "be in a wedding"?
How do you distinguish between "go to a wedding" and "be in a wedding" in Spanish? I would have thought "go to a wedding" would be "ir a una boda," but both ...
- 21
2
votes
4
answers
231
views
What is the difference between “Voy a ir al cine” and Voy al cine”?
What is the right sentence? Or are they both used? I want to know the exact meaning of the two sentences. Thank you!
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
48
views
En un plis plas context
I have read previous posts about the origin of the expression," en un plis plas".
I also have checked the RAE and Spanish Dictionary ,and Word Reference for examples. They all confirm it ...
- 1,505
1
vote
0
answers
57
views
¿Es común el uso de "birlar" con el significado de "matar"?
En el DLE aparece birlar con varias acepciones, entre las que me llama la atención la tercera:
3. tr. coloq. Matar o derribar a alguien de un golpe o un disparo.
No conocía esta acepción y me ha ...
- 11
0
votes
0
answers
32
views
How does Spanish handle people that identify as binary as far as with noun + verb agreement? [duplicate]
As gender has become a more varied identification than just male and female for people, how is it dealt with in a language so entrenched in gender?
would a binary person be - ellos and use the plural ...
4
votes
2
answers
83
views
If a verb is transitive does it always need to be accompanied with a direct object/direct object pronoun?
In Spanish, if a verb is transitive does it always need to be accompanied with a direct object/direct object pronoun? For example, see the following sentence:
Los países ricos extraen más que dan a ...
- 1,497
0
votes
1
answer
184
views
"Cuando era niño" or "cuando estaba niño"? How do I say "when I was a kid"? [duplicate]
According to Duolingo, "when I was a kid" in Spanish is "cuando era niño" or "cuando era niña". Google Translate says the same thing.
That sounds strange to me. Being a ...
- 211
-2
votes
1
answer
87
views
¿Qué tan aceptable es "es como [algo]" como sustituto de "[se] parece [algo]"? [closed]
Según Google Translate, "It's a little like [something]" se traduce como "Es un poco como [algo]." ¿Es correcto? Además, ¿es también aceptable decir "Comó es un poco como [...
0
votes
2
answers
63
views
El significado de usar una frase con "en" después del verbo "sentir"
En esta frase: La fuerza de combate de un supersaiyano de tercer nivel es tan apabullante que llega a sentirse incluso en un lugar tan lejano como el Kaioshinkai.
Cuando dice que el fuerza apabullante ...
0
votes
1
answer
73
views
What cues or clues can we look for to work out the context in which "ya" is being used? [closed]
After reading a brief explanation about the versatility of the word "ya" in Spanish, and how it can basically be used in different contexts to express ideas relating to the past, present and ...
- 141
5
votes
2
answers
195
views
Historia de la palabra "lavanda" para referirse de forma común al "espliego"
Según mis recuerdos, cuando era pequeña, para nombrar a la planta silvestre con flores azules en forma de espiga con un intenso olor muy perfumado, que se encuentra a veces caminando por la montaña, ...
- 1,987
4
votes
1
answer
88
views
‘le di’ meaning ‘I took’ instead of ‘I gave’ - darle un trago (a algo)
La única vez que probé cerveza fue cuando tenía doce años y le di un trago en secreto a la Old Style de apá cuando fue al baño.
This is translated by google translate as:
The only time I ever tasted ...
- 95
3
votes
1
answer
57
views
Using either aparte or separado(a)
The expression in English,
"These breads [this bread] in a separate bag please."
Normally I'd say,
Por favor, estos panes en una bolsa (de papel) separada
Google translate used apartar
......
- 286
2
votes
1
answer
72
views
Does “acabar de …” only convey “just” in the “very recently” sense, or does it also mean “just” in the “only just” sense?
Consider this sentence
El viaje acaba de comenzar.
I believe we can understand it as
The journey has just begun.
But in English, “The journey has just begun.” can mean both
The journey has begun ...
- 211
0
votes
0
answers
34
views
What is the difference between estará vs será? [duplicate]
Can someone explain the difference between these two in the future tense (examples would be very appreciated)? Since the future tense expresses uncertainty of the future, I am not sure how to ...
1
vote
2
answers
71
views
Palabra "sabatismo"
Cita de Cuestiones Místicas por el p. Gonzalez Arintero, alto de la p. 173 :
Todos los días, nos advierte el Apóstol (Hebr., 3, 13, 14;
4, 1-12), se nos invita a entrar en ese descanso; para
nosotros ...
- 47
4
votes
2
answers
335
views
Situational Por vs Para
What is the difference between "Judy canta para Emily" and "Judy canta por Emily"? Don't they both mean "to" in this situation?
- 41
0
votes
2
answers
155
views
Cual es la diferencia entre zafar y escapar?
Yo le pregunté a chatgpt cual es la diferencia y me respondió que:
En resumen, "zafar" se refiere a liberarse de una situación difícil o
a desatascar algo, mientras que "escapar" ...
- 192
1
vote
2
answers
77
views
Why does resultar have le/les before it?
What is the purpose of le/les in the following sentences:
Juan estaba intentando sentarse. Le resultaba difícil respirar.
Les resultaba difícil creerlo.
The verb gustar functions with a le/les ...
- 1,497
3
votes
2
answers
70
views
"mejor A que B" vs. "prefirió A a B"
I recently encountered in text "prefirió ser A a disfrutar B" which is a construct I have never seen before. I was taught and have often encountered "mejor A que B." Is the new-...
- 589
0
votes
4
answers
108
views
Situacion hipotética -- "could/might/may have... done it..."
Digamos que he perdido mi libro y no sé dónde. Uno de los lugares donde estaba yo fue una cafetería. Entonces, vuelvo allí a averiguar esto. Lo que hubiese dicho en ingles sería:
I could/might/may ...
2
votes
4
answers
140
views
Ábrele a Ana or Ábrela a Ana?
I have a hard time with laísmo. For example:
Ábrele/Ábrela a Ana.
No la/le escribas a ella.
They sound better with la (-la) but they are in feminine.
- 313
2
votes
3
answers
111
views
The use of 'de' between verbs
I have a basic understanding of Spanish which I am trying to improve.
Can someone please explain, in brief, why the following type of sentence includes 'de' ?
'estoy tratando de estudiar' which in ...
- 21
-1
votes
1
answer
80
views
Why is it clic and not clique?
I wonder: is "clic", as in "mouse click", the official term that RAE suggests?
Won't the "clique" be a more proper word according to the rules of Spanish? Why hasn't it ...
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
50
views
God damn if..(sí que (eso) es/si (eso) no es/si es que (eso) es)[Adverbio de afirmación]
I didn't realize that that was something that you could do. Thank you for this comment!
God damn if that ain't the truth.
¿Cómo traducirías esto?
Es un comentario de aprobación a otro comentario de ...
- 2,057
0
votes
2
answers
422
views
What does isimo mean when used at the end of a person’s name?
I have a close friend that says this when saying my name, and I find it very endearing. Just curious as to the exact meaning of it
- 1
17
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Is the phrase still "cuantos años tiene" where the age is obviously less than one year?
You see the parents of a baby obviously less than one year old. You want to ask how old the baby is. Would it be natural or ridiculous to ask "Cuantos años tiene?" In other words, would the ...
- 349
0
votes
1
answer
640
views
Who qualifies as güero/moreno and are they similar in use?
When I go buy a fresh pressed juice in the streets of CDMX, I am often referred to as güero, even though I have brown hair. Güero is sometimes translated as "blonde", which doesn't seem ...
- 115
0
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Es correcto decir la Empresa (nombre de la empresa)usando la palabra Empresa con mayúscula?
Por ejemplo si quiero decir Informe de la Empresa "Los Pollitos" ¿estaría bien?, o la otra opción seria Informe de la empresa "Los Pollitos".
¿El sustantivo en ese caso es con ...
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
1k
views
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre arrogante y prepotente?
La rae dice:
prepotente
Del lat. praepŏtens, -entis. 1. adj. Más poderoso que otros, o muy poderoso. U. t. c. s. 2. adj. Que abusa de su poder o hace alarde de él. U. t. c. s.
etimologias.dechile
...
- 2,057
2
votes
2
answers
308
views
Qué significa "efectivismo" en estudios de cine?
Traduzco un artículo para portugués sobre la película Ama Lur (1968), una película de 99 minutos. En ella se enfoca las terras bascas y la vida tradicional de la cultura de la región que corresponde ...
3
votes
1
answer
3k
views
¿Se usa/entiende la expresión "cascarón de huevo" más allá de Andalucía?
Acá por el sur de España usamos la expresión cascarón de huevo para designar a aquellas personas a las que, por el motivo que sea (bien la edad, bien la salud, bien la inexperiencia), no se les deben ...
- 77.6k
2
votes
3
answers
312
views
‘a’ after ayudar?
It’s unclear to me when the word ‘a’ comes before an infinitive in Spanish and when it shouldn’t. For instance suppose I want to say: “Trees help you to combat pollution” should it be “Los arboles te ...
- 123
1
vote
2
answers
58
views
¿Cuál podría ser una alternativa para la expresión "embutido vegetal"?
En los últimos años, estamos siendo testigos de un neologismo que, si he de ser sincero, a mí no me convence demasiado. Me refiero a la combinación embutido vegetal.
Si partimos de que el Diccionario ...
- 1,558
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Is "¿Qué dices si te rompo la cara?" a good translation of "what'd you say about me breaking your face"?
In the movie Men in Black, Tommy Lee Jones says this in the border patrol scene:
¿Qué dices si te rompo la cara?
I think it's a literal translation of:
What'd you say about me breaking your face?
...
- 566