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Spanish Word: -ction

Pronunciation: see-ohn

Translation: -ction

Function: suffix

This ending clearly shows that English and Spanish share a common root: the Indo-European. When you start studying one of them as a foreign language, you are told “you already know dozens of words” by changing a mere letter, as in ‘acción’ [action]Spanish Word: -ción

And that’s what this suffix main significance is: action, movement; as in ‘conducción’ [conduction] and ‘introducción’ [introduction]. It can also denote a state, as in ‘desesperación’ [desperation] and ‘aflicción’ [affliction]

Example:

Reacción

Translation:

Reaction

Tags: -ción, Spanish vocabulary, Spanish Word
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Spanish Word: a.m., p.m.

Pronunciation: ah aymay, pay aymay

Translation: a.m., p.m.

Function: Abbreviation

In Spain, they say ‘buenas noches’ [good night] from dusk till dawn. In America it all depends on the clock, and changes to ‘buenos días’ at 12:01 a.m.

These abbreviations stand for “antemeridiano” [ante meridiem] y “postmeridiano” [post meridiem]. A change from the first to the second occurs at noon. In most Latin-American countries this change also indicates you should no longer greet with ‘buenos días’ [good morning] but with ‘buenas tardes´[good afternoon] instead.

Example:

Llegaremos a las 12 p.m.

Translation:

We will get there at noon

Tags: a.m., p.m., Spanish vocabulary, Spanish Word
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Spanish Phrase: Modismos

Pronunciation: Moh-dees-moh

Translation: Adverbial idioms

Function: adverb phrases

There are some Spanish expressions that come from “who knows where” and follow no syntax rule, but they appear often. Here are the most popular ones: ‘a fuerza’, ‘por poco’,'en serio’,'de golpe’, ‘de veras’,'de milagro’,'poco a poco’, ‘de memoria’ and ´tarde o temprano’

They mean “forcefully, almost, seriously, suddenly, really, miraculously, little by little, by heart, sooner or later”. They all add-up “flavor” to the language and there is no other choice but to memorize and try to use them often.

Example:

A lo mejor

Translation:

Maybe

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Spanish Word: Presente histórico

Pronunciation: Preay-sayn-tay ees-toh-ree-coh

Translation: Historical present

Function: Usage

To help you do story-telling when your Spanish past tenses are not that polished, you can do it the American way: by using the ‘presente histórico’ [historical present], which means you talk about something from the past using the present tense, something typically done by historians.

You can see in the following example how a happening of the past is told using the present tense, as if things were happening that very moment. You can use this rhetorical resource when your past-tense skills are yet to be fully learned.

Example:

Y ahí estoy, todo mojado, cuando de repente pasa todo un equipo de futbol y me ayuda a empujar el coche.

Translation:

And there I am, all wet, when all of a sudden, a whole soccer team passes by and helps me push the car.

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Spanish Phrase: ¿Me puede… ?

Pronunciation: Meh pooay-day

Translation: Can you… me?

Function: Phrase

When asking a question, starting the sentence with ‘me’ helps you keeping it simple, as in ‘¿Me puede decir… ?’ [can you tell me... ?] as opposed to ‘¿Puede decirme… ?, where the ‘me’ is joined with the verb, forming a complex word form called an “enclítical”

It clearly is simpler, to start with the pronoun ‘me’ (or plural form ‘nos’) and continue with a verb in infinitive, instead of the alternative: an enclitical.

Example:

¿Me puede ayudar?

Translation:

Can you help me?

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Spanish Word:Ha escrito

Pronunciation:Ah ays-cree-toh

Translation:Has written

Function: usage

Spain prefers it, even it takes more words to say or write: The so called “perfect tense”, where the verb ‘haber’ [have] functions as an auxiliary for another verb (in the gerund form) appearing right next to it, as in ‘hemos hablado’ [we have spoken]. Hispanic Americans would say a single word: ‘hablamos’ [we spoke] instead.

This form takes “less memory” from those learning Spanish, because all they need to memorize is the ‘haber’ verb conjugation and the other verbs gerunds, i.e. ‘Llegó y tomó el coche’ takes more words below, but you don’t have to know the indicative third-person past tense of the verbs ‘Llegar’ and ‘Tomar’

Example:

Ha llegado y tomado el coche

Translation:

Has come and taken the car

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Spanish Word: Tú

Pronunciation: Too

Translation: You

Function: treatment

Remembering all kinds of people names is more important in English than Spanish, as English has no ‘tú’ treatment, and the only way to show familiarity trough the spoken word is to say a person’ name along the talking. In Spanish-speaking countries people can even talk with great familiarity to other people who call them on the streets… and get away with the fact that they don´t really remember who “that one” was.

You can use it more freely in Spain. In Latin-America the ‘tú’ treatment is reserved for family and friends only.

Example:

Háblame de tú

Translation:

Talk to me as a friend

Tags: learn spanish, spanish treatment, Spanish vocabulary, Tú
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Spanish Word: Se

Pronunciation: Say

Translation: [n/a]

Function: Form

‘Se’ makes easier to construct some Spanish sentences, when the subject is unclear: just begin the sentence with ‘Se’ and use a verb… without a subject, as in ‘Se quemó’ [it burned], while standing before something unknown.

People pretty much use it when they’ve broken something: ’se cayó’ [it fell], instead of [lo tiré] [I let it fell]. Such impersonal form is much more used in Spanish than in English.

Example:

El niño se cayó y se pegó en su cabeza

Translation:

The boy fell and hit his head

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Spanish Word: EE.UU.

Pronunciation: Ay-Oo

Translation: U.S.A.

Function: Usage

You can see the abbreviation ‘EE.UU’ (’Estados Unidos’) every day in Spanish speaking countries newspapers. The letters repetition indicates a plural is being shortened.

The need for this repetition arises from the fact that the word could is also abbreviated in the singular form, so ‘p.’ is the abbreviation of ‘página’ [page]

Example:

pp. 2-4

Translation:

pages 2 through 4

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Spanish Word: Pingüino

Pronunciation: Peen-gooee-noh

Translation: Penguin

Function: Usage

The two small dots appearing sometimes on top of an u (ü) before the e & i vowels are called ‘diéresis’ [dieresis]. It is more noticeable if you wrongly put them on top of any other vowel, than forgetting to use them when they are supposed to be there.

The usage rule is simple: ‘diéresis’ should be used when the u is to be pronounced; this is necessary because in most of the words with the syllables ‘gue’ and ‘gui’ the u is not spoken because of grammar. When in doubt, you can say the word aloud without the u and check how it sounds.

Example:

vergüenza

Translation:

shame

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Spanish Word: Estará

Pronunciation: Ayhs-tah-rah

Translation: Is going to be

Function: Usage

English expression ‘is going to…’ has been wrongly incorporated into spoken Spanish in some American countries, as in ‘vamos a estar…’ [we are going to be…', where a much shorter 'estaremos...' [we'll be...] would have been enough.

You can both save words and talk a better Spanish if you avoid this practice. Use the future tense if you are comfortable using it. If you are not, then use the common construction: ‘Voy a’ + infinitive verb (in this case you don’t need to know all verb variations for the future tense)

Example:

Oscar estará ahí

Translation:

Oscar is going to be there

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Spanish Word: Reforma ortográfica

Pronunciation: Rayh-fohr-mah ohr-toh-grah-fee-cah

Translation: Orthographic reform

Function: Usage

These reforms mainly call for some single syllable words -and some with more than three- NOT to have a stress mark, when certain vowels meet, as in ‘guión’ [slash] The advice: don’t worry about changing your orthography… at least for  been very different: People have even gone to court)

In the last 10 years, the Spanish regulation Academy ‘RAE’ has published three reforms for Spanish orthography, but they all have been ignored in the other Spanish speaking countries (it also happened in other languages, but reaction has the next 10 years.

Example:

Él rió

Translation:

He laughed

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Spanish Word: Don, Doña

Pronunciation: Dohn, Donya

Translation: Don, Madam

Function: Title

You will find these courtesy titles almost paired to “Sir” and “Lady”, although you can still find ‘Señor Don” and ‘Señora Doña’ used in Spain… which falls short of the “king” or “queen” themselves. You will see it used in most written invitations.

You will also find a college degree used instead of ‘Señor’ [Mr.] or ‘Señora’ [Lady] as in ‘doctor’ [doctor] or ‘ingeniero´[engineer]. If you don’t know whether somebody has a degree or not, stay on the safe side and use ‘Don’ freely, as it works for both: informal or important occasions.

Example:

Sra. Doña Fe Roa Paz

Translation:

Madam Fe Roa Paz

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Spanish Word: Buen día

Pronunciation: Booayn deeah

Translation: Good day

Function: Salutation

If you can´t remember the right time of day to use ‘buenos días’, ‘buenas tardes’ or ‘buenas noches’ [good morning, good afternoon, good evening] you can always use the orthographically correct ‘Buen día’ [Good day] at any time of the day (it can be used on writing too, as an introduction for all kinds of e-mail, formal or not)

If you don´t want to sound that formal, you can say the colloquial that locals use: ‘buenas’. They say it at any time of day, but mostly to their acquaintances

Example:

Buen día tengan todos ustedes

Translation:

Good day you all

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Spanish Interjecciones (Interjection): ¡Ah!, ¡Eh!, ¡Ojalá!

Pronunciation: Ah, Ayh, Ohhah-lah

Translation: Interjections ¡Ah!, ¡Eh!, ¡God willing!

Function: Interjection

Interjections in Spanish, as in English, are used to show surprise, disagreement, even pain. Generally speaking, you can use ‘Ojalá’ and all the vowels: ah, eh, i, oh, uh (although ‘i’ is not an official one, but is used to show disbelief, just the same as English ‘So?’)

‘Ojalá’ is pretty much used as ‘god willing’ is used in English, but it lacks the religious feeling of its English counterpart. The vowels are followed by an ‘h’ when written: ‘ah’, ‘eh’, ‘oh’ and ‘uh’; they show surprise, estrangement, shock and disbelief, respectively (if you want to sound Caribbean and show an interested surprise, say the one Bart Simpson uses: ¡Caramba!)

Example:

¡Ojalá esté aquí en el verano’

Translation:

God willing, he´ll be here in summer

Tags: learn spanish grammar, spanish, spanish interjection, ¡Ah!, ¡Eh!, ¡Ojalá!
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Spanish Title:Don, Doña

Pronunciation:Dohn, Donya

Translation:Don, Madam

Function:Title

You will find these courtesy titles almost paired to “Sir” and “Lady”, although you can still find ‘Señor Don” and ‘Señora Doña’ used in Spain… which falls short of queen itself. You will see it used in most written invitations.

You will also find a college degree used instead of “señor” [Mr.] or “señora” [Lady] as in ‘doctor’ [doctor] or ‘ingeniero´[engineer]. If you don’t know whether somebody has a degree or not, be on the safe side and use “Don” freely, as it works both in formal and important occasions.

Example:Sra. Doña Fe Roa Paz

Translation:Madam Fe Roa Paz

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Spanish verb: Recordar, acordar

Pronunciation:Reh-kohr-dahr, ah-kohr-dahr

Translation:Remember

Function:verb

Is it ‘Yo recordé’ or ‘Yo me acordé’? [I remembered] When it comes to remembering, you use the first form if you remembered something willingfully, or the second one if you didn´t mean it, and just came to you because you saw something or it came to your mind by itself.

The pronominal form ‘me recuerdo’ is never to be used, except if you are remembering yourself in some situation, as in ‘me recuerdo en los brazos de mi madre’ [I remember myself in my mother's arms]

Example:Recordar es vivir

Translation:Remembering is living

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Spanish verb: Gana  

Pronunciation:Gah-nah

Translation:Makes

Function:verb

‘Gana’ [wins | makes | will ] is most used when talking about winning: ‘El estudiante más rápido gana’ [The fastest student wins] It is also used in the sense of making money: “Gana doce mil al año” [makes twelve thousand a year]

Yet another meaning for this word is will to do something: ‘lo hizo sin gana’ [he did it unwillingly], in this same context, ‘gana’ can be used as a noun: ‘échale más ganas’ [put more will into it]

Example:Los dos ganan lo mismo

Translation:Both of them make the same

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Spanish Phrase: Frase nominal

Pronunciation:Frah-say noh-mee-nahl

Translation:Noun phrase

Function:Phrase

The rule of thumb calls for putting the words right to left when it comes to a string of adjectives, like in ‘el coche nuevo azul marino’ [the ocean blue new car]. But that’s not the case always, as in the example below.

It is because “freshly” clearly refers to “ground” first than to the noun “pepper”, that the order is not quite from right to left, as it would have been the case if “freshly” had been “fresh” as in: “ground black fresh pepper”

Example:pimienta negra recién molida

Translation:freshly ground black pepper

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Spanish Noun:Baño, servicios

Pronunciation:Bah-nyohs

Translation:Bathroom, services

Function:Noun
It all depends which country you are, so will the local words for bathroom be. ’sanitario’ [sanitary] being the most universal but perhaps too formal. ‘Servicios’ is very much preferred in Spain, but it is rather incomplete, don’t use it in America as most locals will ask ‘¿qué clase de servicios?’ [what kind of services are you looking for?]

Los servicios sanitarios’ would be the whole, but kilometric form. If you are with family or friends you can always use ‘baño’ [bathroom], which can also has the verbal form ‘bañar’ [to bath], used when talking about some thing being covered with a substance, as in “baño de azúcar” [sugar bath] used in cooking recipes.

Example:¿Sabe dónde están el sanitario?

Translation:Do you know where the sanitary is?

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Spanish:Pronombres al mínimo

Pronunciation:Proh-nohm-brays ahl mee-nee-moh

Translation:Minimize pronouns

Function:Usage

“Keep the pronouns at a minimum” is a golden rule for foreigners talking or writing in Spanish. Remember that most of the time the verb is enough to tell male from female and plural from singular.

If the subject has been mentioned keep all pronouns and references to it out, until another subject comes around. You just don’t need it and keeps the phrasing from being unnecessarily repetitive.

Example:Gaia, la pequeña niñera, entró en el cuarto con paso ágil, haciendo sonar sus sandalias. Era casi una niña, como atestiguaba su pelo castaño claro y su alegre carita.
Translation:Gaia, the little nursemaid, came briskly into the nursery, her sandals clattering on the floor. She was hardly more than a child, with her light brown hair and merry face.

Tags: learn spanish, Pronombres al mínimo, Spanish Usage
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Spanish:Síncope

Pronunciation:Seen-koh-pay

Translation:Syncope

Function:Usage

You can make your writing and talk sound more “Hispanic” by joining the typical (and correct) English short sentences with a conjunction, preposition or, like in the example below, with a mere replacement of a period with a comma.

Ritmo con síncopes’ [syncopated rhythm] is the formal description of English writing, where short sentences are not the exception but the rule. Spanish way is just the opposite around: as long as sentences have something in common. On the other side, Spanish is called “a language with runaway paragraphs” by foreigners.
Example:Cuando lo necesite, tome la bolsa entre sus manos y rómpala, la piel entrará en contacto con la crema y así obtendrá el agua que necesita.

Translation:When in need you can take the bag with your hands and break it. The skin will make contact with the cream and will get the water it needs.

Tags: learn spanish, Síncope, Spanish Usage
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Spanish Salutation:Querida

Pronunciation:Keh-ree-dah

Translation:Dear (female), mistress

Function:Salutation

Querida has several connotations, some of them very different from one another: it is used frequently as an introduction in personal letters written to female members of the family, i.e. ‘Querida madre’ [Dear mother], but when used as a noun, it means “mistress”.

Querida’ (or masculine Querido) can also be used in the middle of the sentence, just as any other adjective: ‘Es una muy querida amiga’ [She is a very dear friend] “Siempre fue un hijo muy querido” [He was always a very beloved son]

Example:Querida doña Olga Ruiz

Translation:Dear Mrs. Olga Ruiz

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Spanish Title:Doña

Pronunciation:Doh-nya

Translation:Mrs.

Function:Title

Just to be on the safe side, you can use this word when talking to -or about- a lady. It works for all-kinds of situations, formal or informal. It is almost like using “madam”.

If you know the marital status, then you can use ’señora’ for the married woman and ’señorita’ for the unmarried. ‘Muchacha’ is used only for acquaintances. ‘Nena’ [baby] is supposed just for small female children, younger than a ‘niña’ [girl].

Example:Doña Lydia vendrá a la fiesta

Translation:Mrs. Lydia will come to the party

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Spanish Noun:Gringo

Pronunciation:Green-goh

Translation:Gringo

Function:noun

Used in Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Perú, this refers to an “all-american” individual. Usage is no longer pejorative in most countries, but just a shorter word than ‘estadounidense’

Negro’ [Black] is not a pejorative either. It is even used to show affection or love. Every country has such local terms to refer to aliens.

Example:El gringo que vino del norte

Translation:The gringo that came from the north

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