feo – ugly
frecuentemente decimos – we frequently say
que pueden ser – that can be
pueden ser – they can be
un ejemplo es – one example is
el año pasado – last year
y otras frases similares – and other similar phrases
fuerte – strong
ahora – now
vamos a ver – let’s look at (see)
en ceirtas circunstancias – in certain circumstances
generalmente usada/o – generally used
apariencia – appearance
a menos que – unless
ofenderles – to offend them
significado – meaning
muy negativo – very negative
también se usa – it is also used
aquí hay dos ejemplos – here are two examples
abajo – below
un amigo latino – a Latin friend
él estaba conversando con – he was conversing with
ellos estaban hablando – they were talking
acerca de – about
feos – ugly (plural)
lo miraban – they looked at him
bonito – pretty
comida fea – ugly food
dicen – they say
el cual significa – which means
aquí hay otro – here is another
hace unos meses – a few months ago
de vacaciones – on vacation
estaba detrás de mí – was behind me
y entonces – and then
la gente piensa – people think
de una frase – of a phrase
ella estaba hablando – she was talking
un idioma diferente – a different language
de otro modo – otherwise
mucha confusión – a lot of confusion
In the English language frecuentemente decimos particular words que pueden ser very intense when spoken in Spanish. These are words that really should be steered clear of because pueden ser offensive. Un ejemplo es the word “stupid” that we discussed in a previous newsletter el año pasado. In English, some people regularly say, “that was stupid” y otras frases similares. The word “stupid” in Spanish is “estúpido” [es-too-pea-though]; it is exceptionally fuerte and should be avoided in Spanish speech. (more…)
aquí en los Estados Unidos – Here in the U.S.
huelgas – strikes
en las noticias – in the news
hay una huelga de – there’s a strike from
en el periódico – in the newspaper
huelgas laborales – labor strikes
universidades – universities
muchos de ellos – many of them
esto puede ser muy difícil – this can be very difficult
su título – their degree
personalmente – personally
seis años – six years
un negocio – a business
esposo – husband
y – and
padre – father
me sacó una foto – took a picture of me
en cada brazo – in each arm
puede tomar – it can take
todas las huelgas – all the strikes
cuestan mucho más – (they) cost a lot more
algunas universidades – some universities
Consejo General de Huelgas – General Council on Strikes
las huelgas – the strikes
disponible a los estudiantes – available to students
historia – story
es bueno aprender – it’s good to learn
las situaciones – the situations
que enfrentan – (that) they have to deal with (face)
amigos internacionales – international friends
un tema interesante de conversación – an interesting topic of conversation
si tienen más información – if you have more information
hánannos saber – let us know (command form)
en sus países – in your countries
Aquí en los Estados Unidos, you hear about huelgas every once and a while en las noticias. Every couple of years hay una huelga de professional baseball or basketball players. Occasionally en el periódico, you hear about other types of huelgas laborales; however, they are nothing compared to the amount of huelgas found in certain regions of Latin America. (more…)
como he mencionado – as I have mentioned
una de las mejores maneras – one of the best ways
sugerir – to suggest
manera – way
amigos – friends
no sabe mucho inglés – doesn’t know much English
¿Qué debe hacer? – What should you do?
vecindario – neighborhood
un evento latino – a Latin event
mejorar – to improve
música – music
baile – dance
disponible – available
por la primera vez – for the first time
hemos creado – we have created
aquí – here
cuándo – when
qui én va a asistir – who is going to attend
dónde – where
¿Cómo lo hago? – how do I do it?
reglas – rules
por favor – please
también – also
comunicación – communication
al público en general – to the general public
algunas frases – some phrases
me gustaría compartir – I’d like to share
nota cultural – cultural note
generalmente – generally
prioridad – priority
hay muchas excepciones – there are a lot of exceptions
en su país – in your country
información – information
Como he mencionado from previous newsletters, una de las mejores maneras to improve your Spanish, apart from a course like ours, is to converse with native Spanish speakers. Now I would like to sugerir that an even better manera to learn Spanish is to become amigos with native Spanish speakers – especially one that no sabe mucho inglés. (more…)
With the New Year’s Celebration only a few days away, I have decided to forego our regularly scheduled topic and share some information about New Years culture and baile (dance) among the Latin people. I want you to learn Spanish and learn about the amazing Spanish culture.
If you turn on the television in the United States on New Year’s Eve, you’ll probably see Dick Clark, the Apple dropping in New York, hoards of people in time square making as much noise as possible, famous singers, and even some people dancing. (more…)
noventa y cinco porciento – 95%
es Católico – is Catholic
una mayoría – a majority
durante el verano – during the summer
más tarde – later
primero vamos a hablar – first let’s talk
acerca de – about
Navidad – Christmas
Noche Buena – Christmas Eve
tan pronto como – as soon as
termina de hablar – finishes speaking
medianoche – midnight
para la familia – for the family
ayudante – helper
ya que – since
la cena Navideña – the Christmas dinner
es un pavo tradicional – is a traditional turkey
el dinero suficiente – enough money
dinero – money
pollo – chicken
juegan con sus regalos – play with their gifts
generalmente duermen tarde – generally they sleep in
para la Nochevieja – for New Year’s Eve
y como la Navidad – and like Christmas
una muñeca grande – a large doll
ropa vieja – old clothes
muñecas grandes – large dolls
en las calles – in the streets
y las queman – and they burn them
para mucha gente – for many people
la persona vieja – the old person
una persona nueva – a new person
cualquier parte del mundo – any part of the world
familia a familia – family to family
región a región – region to region
como regalo de Navidad – as a Christmas gift
si ordenan antes de las 2:00 – if you order before 2:00
para nuestra oferta actual – for our current sale
Because about noventa y cinco porciento of Latin America es Católico, Christmas is as widely or even more widely celebrated than in the United States. Also, because una mayoría of Latin Americans live south of the equator, for them Christmas is actually durante el verano. As you will see más tarde, these influence some of their holiday traditions. (more…)
cuando sacamos fotos – when we take photos
la persona que saca la foto – the person that takes the photo
no tengo idea – I have no idea
la palabra – the word
es una tradición – it’s a tradition
personalmente – personally
no hay – there’s not
en sus fotos – in their photos
en sus caras – on their faces
para fotos – for photos
a la historia – at history
gente aquí en – people here in
cuando miro fotos de – when I look at pictures of
de un grupo tan serio – from such a serious group
h ace años – years ago
abierta – open
era difícil – it was difficult
con la tecnología – with technology
licencias de conducir – driver’s licenses
amigos latinos – Latin friends
me dijeron – they told me
una persona seria – a serious person
una multa – a ticket
en vez de – instead of
la próxima vez que – the next time that
una persona latina – a Latin person
hay que darse cuenta – it’s necessary to realize
antes de dejar – before leaving
en ciertas regiones de – in certain regions of
mucha gente – many people
en las paredes de sus casas – on the walls of their homes
muchas fotos – many photos
mucha gente – many people
en vez de tener – instead of having
pinturas – paintings
si alguien tiene – if anyone has
háganos saber de eso – let us know about it (command form)
como siempre – as always
diferencias culturales – cultural di fferences
a veces – sometimes
una explicación lógica – a logical explanation
su cultura – their culture
es importante – it’s important
Here in the United States, cuando sacamos fotos, whether informally or at a photo studio, la persona que saca la foto usually exclaims, “Say Cheese!” This is supposed to make us smile until the photograph can be taken. No tengo idea as to why we actually say la palabra “cheese” except that es una tradición to get people to smile. Personalmente, when I think about a piece of cheese, it makes me rather hungry, not want to smile.
In Latin America, no hay “cheese” en sus fotos. When pictures are taken, Latin Americans usually have a somewhat serious look en sus caras. They don’t often smile para fotos like we do here in the U.S.
A brief look a la historia
If you look at fotos taken around say 150 years ago, gente aquí en the U.S. didn’t smile much either. Cuando miro fotos de my ancestors, I wonder how I could have evolved de un grupo tan serio. It’s been explained to me that they frowned, or looked serious, en fotos hace años because the camera aperture had to be abierta for such a long time to take a foto; era difícil for them to hold a smile that long – so they frowned.
Con la tecnología being up to date, people still sometimes frown or look serious para fotos in Latin America – especially on licencias de conducir. I questioned a few amigos latinos about this and here’s what me dijeron. They said that on licencias de conducir, you want to look like una persona seria so if the police stop you, they will not think you’re a goof-off or a trouble-maker and give you una multa. In portraits, it was similarly explained that you want to be viewed as a persona seria en vez de a joker.
La próxima vez que you see a portrait of una persona latina, before you pass judgment thinking they must be a very serious, non-funloving person, hay que darse cuenta that it is part of their culture to look serio en fotos, and don’t judge a book by its cover.
Antes de dejar this theme, another interesting thing I have noticed en ciertas regiones de Latin America is that mucha gente, en vez de tener a wedding photo, would have a wedding painting hung en las paredes de sus casas. I didn’t see muchas fotos hanging up in people’s homes, but there were ample amounts of pinturas.
Si alguien tiene any other interesting information about fotos in Latin America , Please visit our blog to share your thoughts! Click here! We would love to hear your feedback. Also, como siempre, I would love to hear from our international subscribers about diferencias culturales with fotos in from your countries.
Moral of the Story: A veces people do things differently than Americans, and there may not always be una explicación lógica for it other than it’s part of su cultura. Also, es importante not to take ourselves too seriously. We can do this by learning to have a laugh at some of our own diferencias culturales.
Sneak peek at next week: “Amigo Week!”
¡Hasta luego! (“Until later”)
If you would like to learn Spanish, click here!
David S. Clark — President / Director
The Spanish word “tacaño” translates to “tightwad” or “cheapskate”. This is one of my very favorite gestures used in the Spanish language. Maybe it is because I grew up in a financially tight home and I can easily relate to it. When I was growing up, because of income, my parents would often take my five sisters and me, I didn’t have any brothers, to McDonald’s only two or three times a year. We usually only had enough money to perhaps get a half a hamburger each if we were lucky. We never had enough money for fries or a soda. I also walked uphill both ways to school barefoot in the snow during a blizzard (just kidding about the school and barefoot part). (more…)
como mencioné – as I mentioned
se saludan – greet each other
es importante saber – it’s important to know
diferencia cultural – cultural difference
saludos – greetings
mujeres – women
mejilla – cheek
hombres – men
un abrazo – a hug
diferentes saludos – different greetings
cuando se saludan (a) – when they greet
¿qué pasa cuando – what happens when
pero la mujer – but the woman
brazos – arms
frecuentemente – frequently
ha sido creado – has been created
la respuesta correcta – the correct answer
es – is
tan común – so common
parecía – it seemed
casi diario – almost daily
más tarde – later on
unas pulgadas – a few inches
el codo – the elbow
dedos – fingers
por arriba y abajo – up and down
fuerte – strong
movimientos – movements
cargando – carrying
la primera vez – the first time (more…)
Last time we took a look at first names in Spanish – “nombres de pila”. For this week we’re going to learn about Spanish surnames (last names) – “apellidos”. There’s a verb in Spanish that is used to ask someone’s last name. It’s”apellidarse”. This is a verb that does not exist or translate directly into English language. For example, if I asked “¿Cómo se apellida?” [co-mow say ah-peh-ye-thaw], it would literally translate to “What is he (or she) last named”. If I said, “Me apellido Clark” [may ah-peh-ye-though Clark], it would become “I am last named Clark”. (more…)
I have heard it said that of all the words in a language, our own first name is one of our most favorite and pleasant words to hear. We all enjoy being called by our first name. Using first names is an unwritten necessity of becoming good friends with someone. One of the most uncomfortable situations for me was when I when to my ten-year high school reunion and I couldn’t remember the first names of people I had been acquaintances with. It was also uncomfortable for them when they couldn’t recall my name.
According to the National Public Registry of a Latin American country, the names “María” and “José” are the most common first names in Spanish. They’re followed by “Luz” (female name) and “Juan”. It is thought that these names are the most common due to the religious nature of Latin Americans; both names are very prominent in the Bible. (more…)
