viernes
may042012
Language in Colombia
Email Reasons that it’s difficult to communicate in Spanish
Following are some of the reasons that it’s difficult to communicate in Spanish:
- The people speak quickly, use a lot of jargon and have different accents.
- My listening and hearing abilities were inferior to my reading and writing abilities.
- The majority of the Spanish television programs don't offer subtitles in English or Spanish.
- Many dictionaries don't offer examples to understand the specific use of each word.
- One speaks Castellano.
Suggestions for learning Spanish
Here are some suggestions so your experience with Spanish is easier. I recommend to you all that you:
- Practice the four communication modes daily (listening, speaking, reading and writing).
- Spend your time with locals (e.g., make friendships, attend classes, volunteer and participate in activities).
- Do everything in Spanish (e.g., change the language on your cell phones and computers to Spanish).
- Increase your understanding of the words and phrases that Colombians use, including the jargon. After all, you're in Colombia, not Spain, and each country is unique.
- Learn what is necessary about Castellano (e.g., in general, one pronounces the double “l” (“ll”) and the “y” in Castellano in the same way that one pronounces the “j” in English; and, “vos” can be a substitute for “tú”).
- Ask for help when you don't understand something.
- Be patient. Time cures everything.
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - common words and phrases
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases of Colombian vocabulary so you are able to enjoy your Colombian experience:
| Word or Phrase (Spanish) | Meaning (English) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| afán | hurry (Colombia) (e.g., if someone in Colombia asks you, "¿Tienes afán?", this typically means "Are you in a hurry?") | 3 |
| a la orden | "at your service" | 1 |
| a la parrilla; al carbón | "grilled" | 3 |
| a ver | "so"; typically appears at the start of a sentence | 3 |
| adjuntar (por ej., "adjuntar un archivo") | "attach" (e.g., "attach a document") | 1 |
| aguardiente | alcohol commonly consumed by groups of Colombians in shotglasses at a restaurant or bar | 3 |
| ahora; ahorita | "not now"; "later"; "never" | 1 |
| al horno | "baked" | 3 |
| Antioquia | land of the paisas; 1 of about 40 departments of Colombia that includes the city of Medellín | 3 |
| apenas | "scarcely"; "hardly"; "barely"; "just" (por ej., "Apenas llegue te marco." means "When I arrive, I will call you.") | 3 |
| asado | "BBQ" | 3 |
| aseo | "cleaning" | 3 |
| bacán (m); bacana (f); genial | "great"; typically referring to a person | 3 |
| ¿Bien o no?; ¿Bien o qué? | "How are you?"; literally, "Good or not?" or "Good or what?" | 1 |
| brackets | "braces"; referring to orthodontics for teeth | 3 |
| ¡Buenas noches! | "Good night!" | 2 |
| ¡Buenas tardes!; ¡Buenas! | "Good afternoon!" (until 5pm); "Good evening!" (after 5pm) | 1 |
| ¡Buenos días!; ¡Buenos! | "Good morning!" | 1 |
| caleño | native of Santiago de Cali | 2 |
| cédula | "ID"; typically refers to ID issued by the government | 2 |
| centro comercial | mall; commercial center | 2 |
| chao | "goodbye"; typically used in Colombia as a substitute for "adios", which is seldomly used | 1 |
| charro (m); charra (f) | "funny"; referring to a person | 3 |
| chévere | "great" | 2 |
| chiva | bus (e.g., in Colombia, "chiva" typically refers to a bus that is used for a mobile party); chiva has additional meanings, such as female goat | 3 |
| chucu-chucu | all music of the tropical genre that can be danced to | 3 |
| ¿Como sigues? | "How are you in relation to your health problem/ailment?"; typically, if you are sick or have a health issue/an ailment and your Colombian friends or family know this, they are more likely to ask you "¿Como sigues?" until you are recovered/return to your normal state of health; after you are recovered/return to your normal state of health, it is likely they will stop asking you "¿Como sigues?" and resume asking you the Colombian equivalents of "How are you?" (e.g., "¿Bien o no?", "¿Bien o qué?", "¿Qué más?") | 2 |
| con gusto | "you’re welcome"; literally, "with pleasure" | 1 |
| con quién | with whom (e.g., "¿Con quién hablo?" can be the equivalent of "With whom am I speaking?" or "Who's calling?"; "¿Con quién vas a ir?" means "With whom are you going to go?") | 2 |
| conseguir | "to get"; "to obtain" | 3 |
| contaminación | "pollution" | 3 |
| crispetas | "popcorn"; often served complimentarily with drinks at a restaurant or bar; complimentary mango slices are also common | 2 |
| crossover | mixture of different musical genres typical of discotecas | 3 |
| cuenta con eso | "count on it" | 3 |
| de una | "let's do it" | 3 |
| descargar | "download" | 2 |
| Dime | Frequently, this is an informal response; for example, if someone says, "Tengo una pregunta." ("I have a question"), one is able to respond, "Dime" (in other words, "Tell me" or "What is your question?") | 2 |
| diminutivos | words with suffixes that change the meaning (e.g., florecita) | 1 |
| ¡Eh, Ave María, pues! | "Wow!" | 2 |
| empanada; arepa; buñuelo; morcilla; natilla; arroz con coco; bandeja paisa; ajiaco | typical Colombian food | 1 |
| en la chanda; en la mala; en la olla; tirado; sin plata | in the bad; out of money; full of problems (e.g., in Colombia, "estoy en la chanda", "estoy en la mala", "estoy en la olla" or "estoy tirado" can be the equivalent of, "I'm not well off", "things aren't good for me", "I'm full of problems" or "I'm out of money"; if someone in Colombia says "estoy tirado" or "estoy en la olla", this may more frequently mean "I'm out of money"; "estoy sin plata" can mean "I'm out of money" or "I don't have any money with me") | 3 |
| entregar | "to deliver" | 2 |
| Estoy amañado en … | "I am happy in …" | 2 |
| gaseosa | "soft drink" | 3 |
| gracias a Dios | "thanks to God" | 1 |
| ¡Hágale pues! | Do it! | 3 |
| hasta luego | see you later; literally, "until later"; this phrase can be used to say goodbye to someone and very often is used as a formal, polite way of saying goodbye to anyone, including strangers, when departing an elevator | 2 |
| igual tú; igualmente | likewise (e.g., if you say to someone in Spanish, "qué disfrutes el fin de semana", which is the equivalent of "I hope you enjoy the weekend", the person may respond to you, "igual tú" o "igualmente", which is the equivalent of "likewise" or "I hope you enjoy the weekend, too") | 3 |
| incumplido (m), incumplida (f) | unreliable; way to describe someone who doesn't do what he/she says he/she will do | 3 |
| jajaja | "hahaha"; pronunciation is the same in Spanish and English; in Spanish, one pronounces the letter "j" in the same way as one pronounces the letter "h" in English | 1 |
| jejeje | "hehehe"; pronunciation is the same in Spanish and English; in Spanish, one pronounces the letter "j" in the same way as one pronounces the letter "h" in English | 1 |
| listo | "OK" | 1 |
| loliar | to look; to browse (e.g., if you ask someone to look at a website, after doing it, he/she may say to you, "Ya me lolié en el sitio de Web", which is the equivalent of saying "I already took a look at the website"; if you're browsing in a store and aren't interested in buying something and an employee at the store asks you if you would like assistance, one way to respond is "No, gracias, estoy loliando", which is the equivalent of saying, "No, thank you, I'm browsing") | 3 |
| mango; lulo; banano; pina; papaya; guanábana; mora; maracuyá; fresa; higo; chontaduro | typical Colombian fruits | 1 |
| manillas | bracelets; typically refers to the type of paper, discardable bracelet you may receive at a bar, club or special event that gives you permission to enter and/or other privileges (e.g,. VIP access) | 3 |
| mera | tremendous (e.g., in Colombia, "estoy en la mera chanda" can be the equivalent of "things are tremendously bad for me" or "I'm completely out of money" or similar) | 3 |
| ¿Me regalas un minuto? | "Will you lend me your cellphone so I can make a call?"; literally, "Will you gift me a minute?" | 2 |
| Me traes cositas | "Bring me little things"; you may hear this often if you tell your Colombian friends you’re taking a trip outside the city or country | 3 |
| ni idea | "I don't have any idea"; "ni idea" is an abbreviated way of saying "no tengo ninguna idea" | 3 |
| notaria | "notary" | 3 |
| ¡Oe! | an informal response, such as "Sí, Señor (or Señora)", "Dime" or "¿Qué necesitas?" | 3 |
| o sea | "in other words"; typically appears at the start of a sentence | 2 |
| paila; grave | serious; in a serious situation; not good (e.g., in Colombia, if a professional dancer has an injured leg, he or she may say something like "estoy paila por la pierna" or "estoy grave por la pierna", which is the equivalent of "things aren't good for me because of my leg") | 3 |
| paisa | native of Antioquia, Caldas and Risaralda | 2 |
| parcero | "partner"; "pal" | 1 |
| pico y placa | government-enforced schedule that indicates when Colombians are permitted to use their vehicles; certain forms of transportation do not have pico y placa requirements (e.g., motorcycles do not have pico y placa requirements, and motorcycles are seemingly more common in Colombia as a result of this reason and other reasons (e.g,. lower cost of ownership, ability to drive motorcycles between lanes to pass vehicles/save time) | 2 |
| platudo (m), platuda (f); | well-heeled; in the money (e.g., in Colombia, "estás platudo" can be the equivalent of "you have a lot of money"; if you pay for a cup of a coffee with a bill of a high demonination and the employee says to you, "estás platudo", this is a way of saying, "wow, you have a lot of money" or similar) | 3 |
| polvo | "dust" | 3 |
| portátil | laptop | 3 |
| pues | "well"; typically appears at the start or end of a sentence | 1 |
| Que estés bien | "Wishing you well"; literally, "That you’re good" or "That you’re well"; you’ll often hear this after placing an order | 2 |
| ¿Qué más?; ¿Qué hubo pues? | "How are you?"; "What’s up?" | 1 |
| ¿Qué opinas? | "What do you think?"; "What is your opinion?" | 3 |
| Qué pena; Hay, qué pena; Qué pena contigo | This is often said to express that one is aware of an inconvenience to you; for example, if you buy something at a café and the employee forgets to give you your change, the employee may say, "Qué pena", which is the equivalent of saying "Disculpa" or "Discúlpeme" ["Excuse me (for causing you this inconvenience)" or "Lo siento". Mi error le ha impuesto a Usted una inconveniencia." ("I'm sorry. My error has imposed an inconvenience on you.") | 2 |
| redactar un correo | "compose an email" | 2 |
| rico | "tasty" or "delicious" | 1 |
| rolo; cachaco; bogotano | native of Bogota | 2 |
| Semana Santa | holy week in Colombia that falls on same week as Easter Sunday | 3 |
| sencillo | "simple"; also often used to refer to small denominations of money in singular "sencillo" and plural "sencillos" | 2 |
| sombrilla | "umbrella" | 3 |
| taco | "traffic" | 3 |
| te dejo | "I’m going to leave you now"; used to politely end a conversation and often followed by the reason | 3 |
| te quiero | "you're important to me"; can be said to a family member or a friend in a way that does not imply intimacy; can also be said to a significant other in a way that does imply intimacy | 3 |
| te ves (tú); se ve (Usted) | you look (e.g., "te ves muy bien" is the equivalent of "you look very good"; "te ves" is derived from the Spanish reflexive verb "verse", which means "to be seen" | 3 |
| torre | "tower"; often used to refer to a tall building, such as an apartment or office building | 3 |
| trancón | "traffic jam" | 3 |
| viejoteca | dance venue for traditional music, such as porro, fox, tango, bachata, merengue and salsa | 3 |
| vivero | "nursery"; referring to plants | 3 |
| ya | "already"; "in the near future" | 1 |
| Ya te la entrego | "I’ll deliver it to you soon" | 3 |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - common abbreviations
Following are some examples of common and helpful abbreviations of Colombian vocabulary so you are able to enjoy your Colombian experience:
| Abbreviation (Spanish) | Meaning (Spanish) | Meaning (English) |
|---|---|---|
| apto | apartamento | apartament |
| bn | bien | good |
| maso | más o menos | more or less |
| q | que | that |
| ola | hola | hello |
| pa | para | for; intended for |
| parce, parche | parcero | partner; friend |
| porfa | por favor | please |
| ps | pues | well |
| tonc | entonces | then |
| ombe | hombre | man |
| guaro | aguardiente | aguardiente; alcohol commonly consumed by groups of Colombians |
| fb | ||
| msn | Microsoft Messenger/Microsoft Live, correo electrónico de Hotmail | Microsoft Messenger/Microsoft Live, Hotmail email account |
| Sr. | señor | Mr. |
| Sra. | señora | Mrs., Ms.; in certain Spanish-speaking countries (e.g., Spain), "Sra." o "señora" more often signifies that the female you are addressing is married; in other Spanish-speaking countries (e.g., Colombia), "Sra." o "señora" more often signifies that you are addressing a female adult respectfully and would typically apply if the female adult you are addressing is mature in age (e.g., 20 years or older) and/or behavior |
| Srta. | señorita | Miss, Ms.; "Srta." o "señorita" more often signifies that the female you are addressing is not married and/or not mature in age and/or behavior | xq | porque | because |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - animals and insects
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about animals and insects.
| Word or Phrase (English) | Word or Phrase (Spanish) |
|---|---|
| aardvark | oso hormiguero |
| alligator | caimán |
| anchovy | anchoa |
| ant | hormiga |
| antelope | antílope |
| antler | asta |
| aquarium | acuario |
| barn; stable | establo |
| bat | murciélago |
| beak | pico |
| bear | oso |
| beaver | castor |
| bee | abeja |
| beetle | escarabajo |
| bird; fowl; poultry | ave (significa "bird", "fowl" o "poultry"; pájaro (significa "bird") |
| blackbird | mirlo |
| bluebird; another meaning of "azulejo" is "tile" | azulejo |
| buffalo | búfalo |
| bug; insect | insecto ("bug" o "insect"); bicho ("bug") |
| bull | toro |
| bunny | conejito |
| butterfly | mariposa |
| cage | jaula |
| camel | camello |
| canary | canario |
| cat | gato |
| caterpillar | oruga |
| chick | pollito |
| chicken | pollo |
| chimpanzee | chimpancé |
| chipmunk | ardilla listada |
| cicada | cigarra |
| claw | zarpa; garra |
| cobweb; spider's web | telaraña ("spider's web" or "cobweb"); tela de araña ("spider's web") |
| cockroach | cucaracha |
| cocoon | capullo |
| coral | coralino |
| cow | vaca |
| coyote | coyote |
| crab | cangrejo |
| crane | grulla |
| cricket | grillo |
| crocodile | cocodrilo |
| crow | cuervo |
| deer | venado |
| dinosaur | dinosaurio |
| dog | perro |
| doghouse | perrera |
| dolphin | delfín |
| donkey | burro |
| dove; another meaning of "paloma" is "pigeon" | paloma |
| dragon | dragón |
| dragonfly | libélula |
| duck | pato |
| duckling | patito |
| eagle | águila |
| earthworm | lombriz de tierra |
| eel | anguila |
| egg | huevo |
| elephant | elefante |
| elk | alce |
| farm | granja; finca |
| feather | pluma |
| fin | aleta |
| fish; bluefish | pescado (significa "fish"); pez (significa "fish" o "bluefish") |
| fishbowl | pecera |
| fish (to fish) | pescar |
| fishing rod | caña de pescar |
| flamingo | flamenco |
| fly | mosca |
| fox | zorro |
| frog | rana |
| gazelle | gacela |
| gill | branquia |
| giraffe | jirafa |
| goat | cabra |
| goose | ganso |
| gorilla | gorila |
| grasshopper | saltamontes |
| hamster | marmota; rata del trigo |
| hedgehog | erizo |
| hen | gallina |
| hippopotamus | hipopótamo |
| hive | colmena |
| hog; pig | cerdo |
| honeycomb | panal de miel |
| hoof | casco |
| horn | cuerno |
| hornet | avispón |
| horse | caballo |
| horseshoe | herradura |
| hummingbird | colibrí |
| hyena | hiena |
| jaguar | jaguar |
| jay | arrendajo |
| jellyfish | medusa |
| kangaroo | canguro |
| kitten | gatito |
| koala bear | koala |
| ladybug | mariquita |
| lamb | cordero |
| lion | león |
| lizard | lagartija; lagarto |
| llama | llama |
| lobster | langosta |
| macaw | guacamayo |
| mammal | mamífero |
| mammoth | mamut |
| marsupial | marsupial |
| mermaid | serena |
| minnow | pececillo |
| mole | topo |
| monkey; ape | mono |
| moose | alce |
| mosquito | mosquito; zancudo |
| moth | polilla; mariposa nocturna |
| mouse | ratón |
| mule | mula |
| muskrat | ratón almizclero |
| mutt; another meaning of "bobo" is "clown" | bobo |
| nest | nido |
| net; another meaning of "red" is "network", such as a "computer network" | red |
| newt | tritón |
| octupus | pulpo |
| orangutang | orangután |
| ostrich | avestruz |
| otter | nutria |
| owl | búho; lechuza |
| parrot; another meaning of "payagayo" is "chatterbox" | loro; papagayo |
| peacock | pavo real |
| penguin | pingüino |
| pet | animal doméstico |
| pigeon; another meaning of "paloma" is "dove" | paloma; pichón |
| puppy | cachorro |
| quail | codorniz |
| rabbit | conejo |
| raccoon | mapache |
| rat | rata |
| reindeer | reno |
| rhinoceros | rinoceronte |
| roadrunner | correcamino |
| robin | petirrojo |
| rooster | gallo |
| sardine | sardina |
| scorpion | alacrán |
| sea gull | gaviota |
| sea horse | caballito de mar |
| seal | foca |
| sea urchin | erizo de mar |
| shark | tiburón |
| sheep; another meaning of "carnero" is "ram" | oveja; carnero |
| shell | concha |
| shrimp | camarón (singular); camarones (plural) |
| snail | caracol |
| snake | culebra; serpiente |
| spider | araña |
| squid | calamar |
| squirrel | ardilla |
| starfish | estrella de mar |
| stingray | raya |
| swallow; other meanings for "golondrina" are "furniture van" and "wanderer" | golondrina |
| swan | cisne |
| tadpole | renacuajo |
| tail | cola |
| tiger | tigre |
| toad | sapo |
| toucan | toucan |
| trout | trucha |
| trunk | trompa |
| turkey buzzard | gallinazo |
| turtle | tortuga |
| unicorn | unicornio |
| vulture; buzzard | buitre |
| walrus | walrus |
| wasp | avispa |
| weasel | comadreja |
| whale | ballena |
| wolf | lobo |
| woodpecker | pájaro carpintero |
| worm | gusano |
| zebra | cebra |
| zoo | parque zoológico |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - body and health
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about the body and health.
| Word or Phrase (English) | Word or Phrase (Spanish) | Type (English) | Type (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| brain | cerebro, seso | organs | órganos |
| colon | colon | organs | órganos |
| heart | corazón | organs | órganos |
| intestine | intestino | organs | órganos |
| liver | hígado | organs | órganos |
| muscle | músculo | organs | órganos |
| skin | piel | organs | órganos |
| stomach (internal) | estómago | organs | órganos |
| cheek | mejilla | head | cabeza |
| ear | oído, oreja | head | cabeza |
| eye | ojo | head | cabeza |
| eyebrow | ceja | head | cabeza |
| eyelash | pestaña | head | cabeza |
| hair (referring to a single hair on one's body) | pelo | head | cabeza |
| hair (referring to all hair on your head) | cabello | head | cabeza |
| head | cabeza | head | cabeza |
| lip | labio | head | cabeza |
| molar | muela | head | cabeza |
| mouth | boca | head | cabeza |
| neck | cuello | head | cabeza |
| neck | cuello | head | cabeza |
| nose | nariz | head | cabeza |
| sinus | seno | head | cabeza |
| throat | garganta | head | cabeza |
| tongue | lengua | head | cabeza |
| tooth | diente | head | cabeza |
| abdomen (external) | vientre, abdomen | torso | torso |
| back | espalda | torso | torso |
| belly button | ombligo | torso | torso |
| breast (of a woman) | seno | torso | torso |
| butt or buttock | nalga | torso | torso |
| chest | pecho | torso | torso |
| hip | cadera | torso | torso |
| spine | columna, columna vertebral | torso | torso |
| torso | torso | torso | torso |
| armpit | axila; sobaco | arm | brazo |
| elbow | codo | arm | brazo |
| finger | dedo, dedo de la mano | arm | brazo |
| fingernail | uña | arm | brazo |
| hand | mano | arm | brazo |
| shoulder | hombro | arm | brazo |
| ankle | tobillo | leg | pierna |
| calf | pantorrilla | leg | pierna |
| foot | pie | leg | pierna |
| heel | talón | leg | pierna |
| knee | rodilla | leg | pierna |
| kneecap | rótula | leg | pierna |
| thigh | muslo | leg | pierna |
| toe | dedo, dedo del pie | leg | pierna |
| toenail | uña del dedo del pie | leg | pierna |
| abdominal pain | cólico | health | salud |
| accident and emergency department (in hospital) | urgencias, sala de urgencias | health | salud |
| allergic | alérgico (m), alérgica (f) | health | salud |
| allergy | alergia | health | salud |
| ambulance | ambulancia | health | salud |
| anorexia | anorexia | health | salud |
| bald | calvo | health | salud |
| cardiovascular specialist | internista cardiovascular | health | salud |
| cardiovascular surgeon | cirujano cardiovascular (m), cirujana cardiovascular (f) | health | salud |
| catch a cold | resfriarse | health | salud |
| clinical laboratory | laboratorio clínico | health | salud |
| cold | gripa | health | salud |
| contagious | contagioso | health | salud |
| container | envase | health | salud |
| contraindications | contraindicaciones (often refers to reasons not to use on medicine packages) | health | salud |
| dizziness | mareo, vahído | health | salud |
| doctor's office, consulting room | consultorio | health | salud |
| Do not induce vomiting. | No provoque/induzca vómito. | health | salud |
| dosage | dosis, posología (often refers to recommended dosage on medicine packages) | health | salud |
| dose | dosis | health | salud |
| dressing (for a wound); "cura" can be the equivalent of adhesive bandage (e.g., BAND-AID) | apósito; vendaje; cura | health | salud |
| echography, sonography | ecografía | health | salud |
| emotion | emoción | health | salud |
| envelope | sobre | health | salud |
| feeling | sentimiento | health | salud |
| fever | fiebre | health | salud |
| fracture | fractura | health | salud |
| gasa | gauze | health | salud |
| general surgeon | cirujano general (m), cirujana general (f) | health | salud |
| headache | dolor de cabeza | health | salud |
| healing | curativo (m); curativa (f) | health | salud |
| healthy | saludable, sano | health | salud |
| hearing | oído | health | salud |
| How is your recovering coming along?; How are you doing?; How are you feeling? | ¿Cómo sigues? | health | salud |
| how to use | modo de empleo (often refers to instructions for use on medicine packages) | health | salud |
| hypersensibility | hipersensibilidad | health | salud |
| I called the doctor to make an appointment. | Llamé al médico para pedir hora.; Llamé al médico para pedir una cita. | health | salud |
| indications | indicaciones (often refers to purpose of use on medicine packages) | health | salud |
| infection | infección f | health | salud |
| inflammation | inflamación | health | salud |
| injection, shot | inyección | health | salud |
| internist | internista; especialista en medicina interna | health | salud |
| laboratory | laboratorio | health | salud |
| lame; weak; with a limp (e.g,. in Colombia, if you have a leg injury and someone asks you, "¿Todavía estás caminando cojo?", this can be the equivalent of "Are you still walking with a limp?") | cojo (m); coja (f) | health | salud |
| limp; hobble (e.g,. in Colombia, if you have a leg injury and someone asks you, "¿Estás cojeando?", this can be the equivalent of "Are you limping?") | cojear | health | salud |
| loss/lack of appetite | inapetencia; la falta de apetito; disminución del apetito; pérdida de apetito | health | salud |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) | Resonancia; imagen por/de resonancia magnética (MRI) | health | salud |
| medicine | medicamento, medicina, remedio | health | salud |
| nausea | náusea | health | salud |
| pain | dolor | health | salud |
| physical therapy | fisioterapia | health | salud |
| pills | pastillas | health | salud |
| rehab, rehabilitation | rehabilitación | health | salud |
| saline solution | solución salina | health | salud |
| session (singular), sessions (plural) | sesión (singular), sesiones (en plural) | health | salud |
| sickness, illness | enfermedad | health | salud |
| somnolence, drowsiness, sleepiness | somnolencia | health | salud |
| surgeon | cirujano (m), cirujana (f) | health | salud |
| surgery | cirugía | health | salud |
| symptom | síntoma | health | salud |
| thorax surgeon | irujano de tórax | health | salud |
| to be allergic to something | ser alérgico a algo | health | salud |
| to have insomnia | estar desvelado (m), desvelada (f) | health | salud |
| to laugh | reír | health | salud |
| to smile | sonreír | health | salud |
| to yawn | bostezar | health | salud |
| vomiting | vómito, vómitos | health | salud |
| whiplash | latigazo cervical | health | salud |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - dining experience
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about the dining room and the dining experience.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| appetite | apetito |
| appetizer | apertivo |
| appetizing | apetitivo (m), apetitiva (f) |
| bowl |
|
| fruit bowl | frutero |
| bread basket | panera, canasta de pan | Bring a big appetite. | Venga con hambre. |
| centerpiece | centro de mesa, pieza central |
| chef | chef, jefe de cocina (m), jefa de cocina (f), cocinero (m), cocinera (f) |
| cloth napkin | servilleta de tela |
| coffee cup | taza de café, posillo |
| coffee pot | cafetera |
| compliments to the chef | felicitaciones al chef/cocinero, felicitaciones para el chef/cocinero, saludos hacia el chef/cocinero, cumplidos al chef/cocinero (por ej., "Si me cae bien la comida, entonces me gusta hacerle cumplidos al chef.") |
| culinary | culinario |
| culinary delight | deleite culinario, placer gastronómico, placer al gusto |
| delicious | rico |
| dessert | postre |
| dining | comida |
| dining out together | cenar juntos afuera |
| dining etiquette | etiqueta del comedor |
| dining room | comedor |
| dining room table | mesa de comedor |
| don't chew with your mouth open | no mastique con la boca abierta |
| drinking glass | vaso, vaso de vidrio |
| eat together | comer juntos |
| eat a meal together | comer una comida juntos |
| eating utensils | cubiertos, utensilios para comer |
| enjoy the food, help yourselves to the food | buen provecho; provecho, espero que les guste |
| fork | tenedor |
| french fries | papas a la francesa; papas francesa; papas fritas |
| gourmet food | comida gourmet |
| healthy appetite | buen apetito |
| How big is your appetite? | ¿Cuán grande es su apetito? |
| How would you like it cooked?; to learn the options for how meat, poultry or fish is cooked, see "rare", "medium rare", "medium", "medium well" and "well done" | ¿Que término?; para aprender las opciones de como se puede terminar la carne, la carne de ave o pescado, buscar "azul", "un cuarto", "medio", "tres cuartos" y "bien asado" |
| It will ruin your appetite. | Le quitará el apetito.; Le quitará la gana de comer. |
| I was/went grocery shopping. | Estuve mercando.; Estuve en el supermercado. Fui al supermercado.; Fui a comprar las provisiones/viveres/mercancías.; Fui a la tienda a comprar provisiones/viveres/mercancías.; Fui a la compra.; Fui a hacer la compra.; Fui a mercar. |
| knife | cuchillo |
| ladle (e.g., for serving soup) | cucharón (por ej., para servir una sopa) |
| main course | plato principal |
| medium; referring to how or how long meat, poultry or fish is cooked | medio; sangroso |
| medium rare; bloody; referring to how or how long meat, poultry or fish is cooked | un cuarto; sangroso |
| medium well; referring to how or how long meat, poultry or fish is cooked | tres cuartos |
| napkin holder/ring | servilletero |
| paper napkin | servilleta |
| picnic basket | canasta de picnic, canasta para bocadillos |
| pitcher (to serve beverage from) | jarro (se utiliza para servir una bebida) |
| placemat | mantel individual |
| plate | plato |
| Please eat before the food gets cold. | Coma, por favor, se enfría. |
| Put your napkin on your lap. | Coloque la servilleta en su regazo., Ponga la servilleta en su regazo. |
| rare; seared; almost not cooked; referring to how or how long meat, poultry or fish is cooked | azul; casi crudo |
| salad bowl | ensaladera |
| salad fork | tenedor para la ensalada |
| salad dressing | vinagreta, aderezo para la ensalada |
| salt and pepper shaker | salero y pimintero |
| saucer (you put a tea or coffee cup on a saucer so you can rest the teaspoon on it after stirring) | platillo |
| serving | porción de un alimento, ración |
| serving plate/dish | plato de servir, plato para servir |
| serving spoon | cuchara de servir, cuchara para servir |
| serving tray | bandeja |
| serving utensils | utensilios para servir |
| set the table | poner la mesa |
| silverware | vajilla de plata, cubiertos |
| spoon | cuchara |
| soup bowl | sopero, recipiente para la sopa |
| soup spoon | cuchara, sopera, cuchara sopera |
| steak knife | cuchillo cocinero/de cocina, cuchillo carnicero |
| steamed potato | papa al vapor |
| tablecloth | mantel |
| tablespoon |
|
| teacup | taza de té |
| teapot | tetera |
| teaspoon (used to stir tea or coffee) |
|
| The food is delicious. | La comida está deliciosa. |
| tongs (e.g., salad tongs) | pinzas (por ej., pinzas para ensalada) |
| well; well done; referring to how or how long meat, poultry or fish is cooked | bien asado |
| What time will dinner be served at? | ¿A qué hora(s) se servirá la cena?, ¿A qué hora(s) se va a servir la cena? |
| What would you like to drink?; Something to drink? (not a complete sentence; nonetheless, it is a common abbreviated phrase); Would you like something to drink? | ¿Que deseas para tomar?; ¿Algo para tomar?; ¿Te gustaría tomar algo? |
| wine glass | copa de vino |
| Would you like me to heat up the food for you? | ¿Le gustaría que caliente la comida para usted? |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - clothing and accessories
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about clothing and accessories.
| Word or phrase (English) | Word or phrase (Spanish) | Type (English) | Type (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| bathrobe | albornoz | bathwear | accesorios para baño/bañarse; |
| bluejeans | bluejeans (Colombia); jeans; vaqueros (Spain); bluyines; tejanos | bottoms | ropa para piernas |
| dress pants | pantalones elegantes; pantalón de vestir | bottoms | ropa para piernas |
| jeans that aren't blue, such as "black jeans" ("jeans de negro") or brown jeans ("jeans de café") | jeans | bottoms | ropa para piernas |
| miniskirt | minifalda | bottoms | ropa para piernas |
| pants; trousers | pantalón (singular), pantalones (plural) | bottoms | ropa para piernas |
| shorts | pantaloneta (Colombia); pantalones cortos; short; bermudas; culotes | bottoms | ropa para piernas |
| skirt | falda | bottoms | ropa para piernas |
| hood | capucha | components | componentes |
| longsleeve | manga larga | components | componentes |
| shortsleeve | manga corta | components | componentes |
| sleeves | mangas | components | componentes |
| strap; typically, refers to the strap of a shirt/top | tira | components | componentes |
| cocktail dress | vestido de noche; vestido de cóctel | dresses | vestidos |
| vestido | dress | dresses | vestidos |
| dress shirt | camisa de etiqueta | dresswear | ropa de etiqueta |
| dress suit | traje de etiqueta | dresswear | ropa de etiqueta |
| suit | traje | dresswear | ropa de etiqueta |
| bifocal lenses; bifocals | lentes bifocales | eyewear | accesorios para ojos |
| contact lenses | lentes de contacto | eyewear | accesorios para ojos |
| glasses; spectacles | anteojos | eyewear | accesorios para ojos |
| lenses; eyeglasses | lentes | eyewear | accesorios para ojos |
| light prescription glasses (e.g., for reading, using computer, or watching tv) | lentes de descanso | eyewear | accesorios para ojos |
| sunglasses | gafas de sol | eyewear | accesorios para ojos |
| varifocal lenses | lentes progresivos | eyewear | accesorios para ojos |
| fingerless gloves | mitones (falanges de los dedos descubiertos) | handwear | accesorios para manos |
| gloves | guantes | handwear | accesorios para manos |
| mittens | manoplas (un compartimiento para el pulgar, demás dedos en un solo compartimiento) | handwear | accesorios para manos |
| cap; typically a baseball cap | garra; cachuca | headwear | accesorios para cabeza |
| hat | sombrero | headwear | accesorios para cabeza |
| something to cover the head; can be made of various materials, such as wool or plastic | gorro | headwear | accesorios para cabeza |
| leggings | mallas sin pie | hosiery | calcetería |
| leotard | malla para gimnasia | hosiery | calcetería |
| pantyhose | medias veladas; pantimedias | hosiery | calcetería |
| socks | medias; calcetines | hosiery | calcetería |
| thick tights; ballet tights | leotardos | hosiery | calcetería |
| tights; stockings | medias | hosiery | calcetería |
| scarf (singular); scarves (plural) | foulard (singular); foulards (plural); bufanda | neckwear | accesorios para cuello |
| tie | corbata | neckwear | accesorios para cuello |
| coat | abrigo | outerwear | ropa exterior |
| jacket | chaqueta | outerwear | ropa exterior |
| pullover | pulóver | outerwear | ropa exterior |
| raincoat | impermeable | outerwear | ropa exterior |
| pajamas | pijama | sleepwear | accesorios para dormir |
| sports bra | brasier deportivo; sostén deportivo; sujetador | sportswear | ropa deportiva |
| sports suit; athletic suit; typically, refers to the bottom and top, such as a sweatsuit | conjunto deportiva (Colombia) | sportswear | ropa deportiva |
| sportswear; athletic wear; sports clothes | ropa deportiva | sportswear | ropa deportiva |
| sweatpants; typically, refers to the bottom only | sudadera | sportswear | ropa deportiva |
| sweatsuit | conjunto deportiva (Colombia); traje de entrenamiento | sportswear | ropa deportiva |
| bathing suit | bañador (Colombia), traje de baño (España) | swimwear | trajes de baño |
| bikini | bikini | swimwear | trajes de baño |
| one-piece swimsuit | bañador de una pieza; traje de baño enterizo | swimwear | trajes de baño |
| blouse | blusa | tops | tops |
| button-down shirt | camisa abotonada; camisa abotonada al frente | tops | tops |
| diminutive of camisa | camisilla | tops | tops |
| shirt; typically, more elegant than a t-shirt, such as a polo or button-down shirt | camisa | tops | tops |
| sweater | saco; suéter; chompa | tops | tops |
| tanktop | camiseta sin mangas | tops | tops |
| t-shirt | camiseta (Colombia); playera | tops | tops |
| vest | chaleco | tops | tops |
| English | Spanish | Type (English) | Type (Spanish) |
| boxers; boxer shorts | boxers | undergarments; underwear | ropa interior |
| bra | brasier; sostén | undergarments; underwear | ropa interior |
| breeches; typically, referring to women's underwear | calzones (Colombia); bragas (España) | undergarments; underwear | ropa interior |
| tanga | g-string | undergarments; underwear | ropa interior |
| thong/g-string underwear | tangas brasileras | undergarments; underwear | ropa interior |
| underpants; skivvies; typically, referring to men's underwear | calzoncillos | undergarments; underwear | ropa interior |
| belt | cinturón | waistwear | accesorios para cintura |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - footwear
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about footwear.
| Word or phrase (English) | Word or phrase (Spanish) | Type (English) | Type (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ankle boots | botín (singular); botines (plural) | footwear | calzado |
| ballet shoes | bailarinas; zapatos para ballet | footwear | calzado |
| boots | botas | footwear | calzado |
| canvas shoes | zapatos de lona | footwear | calzado |
| espadrilles | alpargatas | footwear | calzado |
| flat shoes; flats | zapatos de piso | footwear | calzado |
| insoles | plantillas | footwear | calzado |
| last | horma (para hacer zapatos) | footwear | calzado |
| moccasins | mocasín (singular); mocasines | footwear | calzado |
| mountain boots | botas de montaña | footwear | calzado |
| running shoes | zapatos para correr | footwear | calzado |
| sandals | sandalias | footwear | calzado |
| shoes | zapatos | footwear | calzado |
| shoetrees | hormas (para conservar la forma de zapatos) | footwear | calzado |
| slingback shoes; slingbacks | zapatos de talón abierto | footwear | calzado |
| slippers | pantuflas; zapatillas | footwear | calzado |
| sports shoes; running shoes | tennis | footwear | calzado |
| tennis shoes | zapato de tenis | footwear | calzado |
| training shoes; trainers; sneakers | zapatos para deportes; zapatos de deporte | footwear | calzado |
| training shoes; trainers; sneakers | zapatos para deportes; zapatos de deporte | footwear | calzado |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - bags
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about bags.
| Word or phrase (English) | Word or phrase (Spanish) | Type (English) | Type (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| briefcase, attaché case | maletín | bags | bolsos |
| purse; handbag | bolso; cartera | bags | bolsos |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - jewelry
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about jewelry.
| Word or phrase (English) | Word or phrase (Spanish) | Type (English) | Type (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| bracelet | pulsera | jewelry | joyería |
| bracelet made from "cloth" ("tela") or "fabric" ("tejido") | manilla | jewelry | joyería |
| earrings | aretes (Colombia); pendientes | jewelry | joyería |
| necklace | collar | jewelry | joyería |
| ring | anillo | jewelry | joyería |
| wristwatch | reloj de pulsera | jewelry | joyería |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - beauty
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about beauty.
| Word or phrase (English) | Word or phrase (Spanish) | Type (English) | Type (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| comb | peine | personal hygiene | higiene personal |
| hair dryer | secador | personal hygiene | higiene personal |
| hairbrush | cepillo para el cabello, cepillo para el pelo | personal hygiene | higiene personal |
| nail clippers | cortaúñas | personal hygiene | higiene personal |
| to comb one's hair | peinarse | personal hygiene | higiene personal |
| hairtie | chulo | hair accessories | accesorios de cabello |
| thick hairpin | ebilla | hair accessories | accesorios de cabello |
| thin hairpin | gancho | hair accessories | accesorios de cabello |
| blush; referring to makeup | rubor | makeup | maquillaje |
| eyeliner | delineador | makeup | maquillaje |
| lipstick | labial | makeup | maquillaje |
| makeup | maquillaje | makeup | maquillaje |
| mascara; referring to makeup for eyelashes | pestañina; tinte para las pestañas; máscara de pestañas | makeup | maquillaje |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - Internet, computing and technology
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about the Internet, computing and technology.
| Word or phrase (English) | Word or phrase (Spanish) |
|---|---|
| ad; advertisement | publicidad; propaganda; anuncio |
| buy | comprar |
| case insensitive | indistinto mayúscula o minúscula |
| case sensitive | distinto mayúscula o minúscula |
| catalogue | catálogo |
| click | clic |
| close | cerrar |
| code | código |
| confirm | confirmar |
| consent | consentimiento |
| delivery | entrega |
| don't sell or rent your personal information to third parties without your consent | no vende o alquila tu información personal a terceros sin tu consentimiento |
| encrypted data | datos cifrados |
| enter | ingresa |
| Forgot your password? | ¿Olvidaste tu clave? |
| guarantee | garantía |
| homepage | inicio |
| image | imagen |
| item | artículo |
| logo | logotipo |
| monthly payments | mensualidades |
| more information | más información |
| network | red |
| new item | artículo nuevo |
| news; updates | novedades |
| next | siguiente |
| online | en línea |
| password | clave |
| payment options | medios de pago |
| personal information | información personal |
| photo; photograph | foto |
| previous | anterior |
| price | precio |
| privacy | privacidad |
| privacy policy | políticas de privacidad |
| product | producto |
| quantity | cantidad |
| re-enter | repite (por ej., "repite email") |
| required fields | datos obligatorios |
| review | revisar |
| search (noun); search (verb) | búsqueda (sustantivo); buscar (verbo) |
| sign up | inscríbete; regístrate |
| site map; site guide | mapa del sitio |
| shipping | envío |
| size | talla |
| sort by | ordenar por |
| sell or rent your information | vende o alquila tu información |
| SSL certificate | certificado SSL |
| terms and conditions; terms & conditions | términos y condiciones |
| third parties | terceros |
| to sign up | inscribirse |
| username | seudónimo |
| users | usuarios |
| Web page | página de Web |
| website | sitio de Web |
| your purchase is protected | su compra está protegida |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - business
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about business.
| Word or phrase (English) | Word or phrase (Spanish) |
|---|---|
| aggregate income/revenue | renta agregada |
| amount | monto |
| ascent; climb; rise | subida |
| balance sheet | estado financiero; balance de situación; balance de estado; balance; balance general |
| bar chart | gráfico de barras |
| breakeven | no hay ganancias ni pérdidas; en punto de equilibrio |
| buyers | compradores |
| cash flow statement | flujo de caja |
| charge | cobrar |
| column (on a spreadsheet) | columna |
| column header (on a spreadsheet) | nombre de columna |
| consumer (singular); consumers (plural); end consumer | consumidor (singular); consumidores (plural); usuario final |
| consumer confidence | confianza del consumidor |
| consumer confidence index | índice de confianza del consumidor (ICC) |
| current; everyday | corriente |
| demand | demanda |
| demand curve | curva de demanda |
| deposit, down payment | cuota inicial |
| depress; discourage | desalientan la actividad del mercado |
| diagrams | diagramas |
| discoveries; findings | hallazgos |
| displacement; slip | desplazamiento |
| exports | exportaciones |
| farming; land and cattle | agropecuario |
| field (on a spreadsheet); although this word can be used to refer to a field in the countryside, it's also often used to refer to a field on a form | campo |
| finance | finanzas |
| form | formulario |
| graphs | gráficos |
| goods | bienes |
| growth rate | tasa de crecimiento |
| imports | importaciones |
| income; interest; return; revenue; stock | renta |
| income statement; profit/loss statement (P&L) | estado de ganancias y pérdidas; estado de resultados |
| inflation | inflación |
| inflation rate | tasa de inflación |
| in monthly installments | en cuotas mensuales, in monthly instalments |
| leasing; rent; rental | alquiler |
| length; section; plot; stretch | tramo |
| loss (singular); losses (plural) | pérdida (singular); pérdidas (plural) |
| manufacturer | fabricante |
| market | mercado; grupo de compradores y vendedores de un bien o servicio |
| market share | cuota de mercado |
| mold; shape | plasmar |
| monetary terms | términos monetarios |
| negative relationship; inverse relationship | relación negativa; relación inversa |
| null; nil; void | nula |
| occupants; tenants | inquilinos |
| operations | operaciones |
| payments; installments | cuotas |
| percentage variation | variación porcentual |
| pie chart | gráfico de torta |
| positive relationship; direct relationship | relación positiva; relación directa |
| previous period | período anterior |
| price level | nivel de precio |
| production quotas | cuotas de producción |
| profit (singular); profits (plural) | ganancia (singular); ganancias (plural) |
| remittance; shipment | remesa |
| retailer | minorista |
| sales; revenue | ingresos |
| section | corte |
| sellers | vendedores |
| series of time | series de tiempo |
| simple view | simple vista |
| source | fuente |
| spreadsheet | hoja de cálculo |
| standard; pattern | patrón |
| strategies | estrategías |
| subsidy; allowance; aid; benefit | subsidio |
| supply; input; materials | insumo |
| surplus | excedente |
| taxes | impuestos |
| transverse section | corte trasversal |
| unemployment | desempleo |
| units | unidades |
| unpredictable | impredecible |
| watch over | recaudar (por ej., "el gobierno recauda impuestos") |
| wholesaler | mayorista; comerciante al por mayor |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - telephone
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about the telephone.
| Word or phrase (English) | Word or phrase (Spanish) |
|---|---|
| area code | código de área; prefijo local; lada (México) |
| business phone; office phone | teléfono de la oficina; teléfono del trabajo |
| call me | llámame |
| Can you lend me your phone?; May I borrow your phone to make a call?; "¿Me regalas un minuto?" is common in Colombia to ask someone if he or she can lend you a mobile/cell phone to make a call | ¿Me prestes tu teléfono?; ¿Me preste su teléfono; ¿Me regalas un minuto? |
| Can you speak more slowly? | ¿Podría usted hablar más despacio? |
| Can you try again later?; Call again. | ¿Puede volver a llamar más tarde?; Vuelve a llamar.; Marque de nuevo. |
| car phone | teléfono del auto |
| cell phone | celular |
| collect call | llamada por cobrar |
| to dial again | marcar de nuevo |
| Did anyone call me? | ¿Alguien me llamó? |
| Did I receive any messages? | ¿Recibí algún mensaje? |
| Don't hang up please.; Hold on, please. | No cuelgue, por favor. |
| Hello | Hola; Aló |
| hold on for a moment; one moment, please | espérate un momento; espera un momento; espere un momento, por favor; uno momento, por favor |
| home phone | teléfono de la casa |
| I'd like to make a collect call to [country], please. | Quiero hacer una llamada por cobrar a [país], por favor.; Me gustaría hacer una llamada por cobrar a [país], por favor. |
| I'd like to make a long distande phone call, please; I'd like to make a long distance telephone call, please. | Quiero hacer una llamada de larga distancia, por favor.; Me gustaría hacer una llamada de larga distancia, por favor. |
| I'll call you | te llamo |
| I'll call you later | te llamo luego |
| I would like to speak with [person]. | Me gustaría hablar con [persona]. |
| [Person] is busy. | [Persona] está ocupado (m). [Persona] está ocupada (f). |
| [Person] isn't here. | [Persona] no está. |
| I can't hear you, please call again (the equivalent of, "We have a bad phone connection. Please call me again.") | No le escucho, favor de marcar de nuevo.; No le escucho, favor de llamarme de nuevo. |
| Is [person] there?; May I speak with [person]? | ¿Está [persona]? |
| I want to make a phone call; I would like to make a phone call | quiero hacer una llamada telefónica; me gustaría una llamada telefónica |
| land line telephone | fijo |
| to leave a message | dejar un mensaje; dejar un recado |
| to leave your name and number; to leave your name and telephone number | dejar su nombre y número |
| May I leave a message? | ¿Puedo dejar un mensaje? |
| May I send a fax? | ¿Puedo enviar un fax? |
| May I speak with [person]? | ¿Puedo hablar con [persona]? |
| mobile phone | teléfono móvil |
| operator | operadora |
| Pardon me. I dialed the wrong number.; I'm sorry. I dialed the wrong number. | Perdón, tengo el número equivocado. |
| phone call | llamada de teléfono; llamada telefónica |
| phone number | número de teléfono |
| to not hang up | no colgar |
| to tell him/her that I called | decirle que llamé |
| the line is busy; the telephone line is busy | la línea está ocupada |
| The person you're asking for is not here.; He/she is not here. | No se encuentra. |
| This is [persona].; literally, "I am..." | Soy [persona]. |
| to wait a moment | esperar un momento |
| What is the area code for [city]? | ¿Cúal es el código de área de [ciudad]?; ¿Cúal es el prefijo local de [ciudad]? |
| Who is speaking?; Who is this? | ¿Quién habla? |
| with whom (e.g., "¿Con quién hablo?" can be the equivalent of "With whom am I speaking?" or "Who's calling?"; "¿Con quién vas a ir?" means "With whom are you going to go?") | con quién |
| You have the wrong number.; You dialed the wrong number. | Usted tiene el número equivocado. |
Vocabulary (official and jargon) - travel
Following are some examples of common and helpful words and phrases about travel.
| Word or Phrase (Spanish) | Meaning (English) |
|---|---|
| airline | línea aérea |
| airline ticket | boleto de avión; pasaje aéreo; billete de avión |
| airport security | seguridad aeroportuaria; seguridad del aeropuerto |
| arrival (s); arrivals (p) | llegada (s); llegadas (p) |
| baggage check (referring to security inspection of luggage) | revisión de equipaje |
| baggage claim | entrega de equipaje; reclamo de equipaje |
| boarding pass | pasabordo; copia pasajero; tarjeta de embarque |
| boarding time | hora embarque |
| bus | autobús (España); bus (Colombia) |
| cable car; railway | teleférico |
| checked (referring to the airline employee who checked in passenger | chequeo |
| connection (referring to a travel connection, such as a flight connection | conexión |
| date checked (referring to the date/time airline employee checked in passenger | fecha chequeo |
| departure (s); departures (p) | salida (s); salidas (p) |
| departure gate; gate | puerta de embarque; puerta; sala |
| destination | destino |
| emergency exit | salida de emergencia |
| fire extinguisher | extintor |
| flight | vuelo |
| flight date | fecha vuelo |
| from (referring to place of departure, such as city) | origen |
| holiday | festivo |
| ID tag; luggage tag; bag tag | ficho de identificación |
| integrated fare [e.g., in Medellín, Colombia, you can purchase an "integrado", which is an integrated fair to a given destination; if you purchase an "integrado a Caldas" (literally, "an integrated to Caldas" at the "taquilla" ("ticket booth"), you will two tickets for travel, which include one Metro ticket and one bus transfer ticket (the bus transfer ticket is necessary because the Metro does not yet extend to Caldas)] | integrado |
| land (e.g., "Voy a ir a San Jerónimo por vía terrestre" means "I'm going to go to San Jerónimo by land" | terrestre |
| license plate | placa |
| long weekend (e.g., "Este puente me iré de paseo" means "This long weekend I will go away on a trip") | puente |
| luggage/baggage | equipaje; maletas |
| luggage pieces (referring to the number of luggage pieces per passenger) | número piezas |
| luggage weight | peso equipaje |
| metro; typically refers to local, rapid, public train transportation | metro |
| passenger | pasajero (masculino); pasajera (femenina) |
| passport | pasaporte |
| please fasten your seatbelts | por favor, abrochense los cinturones |
| point of sale | punto de venta |
| public service | servicio público |
| pull; lever (e.g., the pull or lever that opens a door or stops a train in the event of an emergency | palanca |
| rates | tarifas |
| ring the bell, do not shout, the driver's cabin is closed | timbre no grite, cabina cerrada |
| ring the bell with anticipation prior to your stop; in other words, don't wait until the last moment to ring the bell prior to your stop | timbre con anticipación |
| room time (referring to the time that passengers are required to be in the waiting room/at the departure gate in advance of a flight | hora sala |
| seat; typically refers to the place on a ticket (e.g., an airline, train, or show/concert/performance ticket) where your seat assignment/seat number is provided; another meaning of "puesto" is "place" (e.g., "primer puesto" refers to first place in a contest) | puesto |
| seatbelt | cinturón de seguridad |
| smoking is prohibited | prohibido fumar |
| ticket | tiquete; boleta |
| ticket office (e.g., the ticket window at the public train in Medellín, Colombia, referred to as the "Metro", is called the "taquilla"); another meaning of "taquilla" is "box office" (e.g., box office at the movie theater) | taquilla |
| time of departure | hora salida |
| to (referring to place of arrival, such as city) | destino |
| travel guide; tour guide | guía del recorrido |
| tray table | bandeja extensible; bandeja plegable; bandeja de entrada |
| trip; outing; tour; excursion (e.g., "Estoy de paseo" can be the equivalent of "I'm on vacation" or "I'm just visiting"; "Voy a irme de paseo" is the equivalent of "I'm going to go away on a trip") | paseo; recorrido |
| trip code | código viaje |
| value (e.g., ticket price, ticket value) | valor |
| vehicle | vehículo |
Common Spanish grammar errors
Here are some examples of common grammatical errors made by foreigners that Amañado has noted:
- Don't use “una” before “otra” or “un” before “otro”. For example, one should say “otra vez”, not “una otra vez”.
- Use “más de” when one speaks about quantity and “más que” when one is comparing 2 or more things. For example, one should say “más de 2 millones”, not “más que 2 millones” and one should say “ella trabaja más duro que él”, not “ella trabaja más duro de él”.
- Pay attention to the gender of a noun to give the adjective that accompanies it the correct ending. For example, one says “buena universidad”, not “buen universidad”, because the noun “universidad” is a feminine noun and one says “buen clima”, not “buena clima” because “clima” is a masculine noun.
Web sites to better your understanding of Spanish
Here are some websites to improve Spanish comprehension that Amañado has noted:
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Seville, Spain
Capital of Southern Spain...
Orange trees. Muslim monuments. Flamenco. Tapas. All synonymous with Seville. Capital of Southern Spain, it is one of the country’s most exciting cities. Stylish, lively and sun-kissed, it is full of narrow streets, small plazas and beautiful parks and gardens. Seville became a great city in Muslim times and became one of the wealthiest cities in Europe during the 16th century when it was an important trading post.</p>
<p>At 160m wide and 140m long, Seville’s cathedral is one of the largest on earth. Constructed on the site of the city’s old mosque in 1507, it was originally built in the Gothic style. When its central dome collapsed in 1511, however, the restoration work was carried out in the Renaissance style. Check out the renowned La Giralda bell-tower, formerly the minaret of the mosque. More than 90m high, its size, decoration and the way in which the light alters its colour render it Spain’s most perfect Islamic building. I can recommend you best vpn proxy - works fine. Climb up to the belfry to get an amazing view of the city. Just inside the cathedral’s south door lies the tomb of Christopher Columbus, whose remains were brought here from Cuba in 1899. Stroll around the Patio de los Naranjos, home to more than 60 orange trees, just inside the entrance to the cathedral. Don’t miss the breathtaking Alcazar palace, originally built as a fort for the governors of the city in 913. To see work by 17th century Sevillian masters such as Murillo and Zurbaran, head for the Museo de Bellas Artes on Plaza del Museo 9. An elegant former convent, the museum also features work by El Greco and Ribera.
<p>Wander around the narrow streets and lanes of the town centre or watch the world go by from a cafe terrace in one of the many plazas. The Plaza de San Francisco is the city’s main public square and was once the site of many an Inquisition burning. Seville’s most upmarket shopping street, the pedestrianised Calle Sierpes, lies to the north of this plaza. Seville is famous for its tapas - small savoury dishes served up with your drink. Devote at least one evening of your stay to a tapas crawl around the city’s lively bars. There are numerous bars and restaurants in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, El Centro and Alameda de Hercules areas. Next morning, take a gentle stroll by the Guadalquivir to recover.</p>