Español for Gringos

False friends.

enviar

What a Gringo thinks it means... to envy.

What it really means... to send.

How to say the verb "to envy" in Spanish:  envidiar.

parada

What a Gringo thinks it means... parade.

What it really means... the noun stop, as in bus stop.

How to say the noun "parade" in Spanish: (el) desfile -- dess-FEE-lay.

ultimamente

What a Gringo thinks it means... finally.

What it really means... lately.

How to say "finally" in Spanish:  por fin or al fin.

False friends.

hilo

What a Gringo thinks it means... a city in Hawaii.

What it really means... thread.

hilo dental = dental floss.

EE-loh

salvaje

What a Gringo thinks it means... to save something of value.

What it really means... wild, savage.

sahl-BAH-hay

papaleo

What a Gringo thinks it means... lion king.

What it really means... paperwork.

pah-pah-LAY-oh

What's the difference?

What's the difference between cuarta, cuarenta y cuartito?

una cuarta is one fourth of something.

Ponme una cuarta de esa pizza.
Give me a quarter of that pizza.

cuarenta is the number 40.

cuartito is a small room.

Masaje está disponible en un cuartito por detrás de esa peluquería.
Massage is available in a little room behind that hair salon.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between bata, cata y lata?

una bata is a robe or housecoat.

una cata is a taste or tasting.

una lata is a can.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between pata, rata y azafata?

una pata is an animal's leg.
una pierna is a human leg.

una rata is a rat.
un ratón is a mouse.

azafata is a flight attendant.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between huevo, hueso y hueco?
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un huevo is an egg. 

un hueso is a bone.

un hueco is a hole.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between jugo, juego y juguete?
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jugo means juice.  HOO-goh

juego means game.

un juguete is a toy.  hoo-GET-ay

What's the difference?

What's the difference between costeño, costado y costoso?
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costeño: coastal, of or from the coast.

costado:  side.
No Estacione En Este Costado = Do Not Park On This Side

costoso:  costly or difficult.

Idiom:  costarse mucho = to be difficult (for someone)
Me cuesta mucho llegar a tiempo a las ocho y media de la mañana.
It's hard for me to arrive at 8:30 a.m.

False friends.

colegio

What a Gringo thinks it means... college.

What it really means... high school (or school).

fábrica

What a Gringo thinks it means... fabric.

What it really means... factory.

suceso

What a Gringo thinks it means... success.

What it really means... an event.

A word for "success" is éxito (another false friend).

False friends.

disponible

What a Gringo thinks it means... disposable.

What it really means... available.

Pronounced diss-poh-NEE-blay.

factura

What a Gringo thinks it means... factory.

What it really means... invoice, bill or receipt.

postre

What a Gringo thinks it means... poster.

What it really means... dessert.

A word for "poster" is cartel. 

Pronounce it POCE-tray.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between a perdedor, a pescador and a pecador?
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perdedor is a loser.

pescador is a fisherman.

pecador is a sinner.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between the verbs enfriar, freir y farrear?

enfriar is to cool or chill.

freir means "to fry."

farrear means "to party."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between foto, loto y moto?

foto is a photograph.  (It is feminine:  la foto.)

loto is lotus, such as the flower or fragrance.

moto means motorcycle.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between boto, noto y roto?

boto means "I bounce" or "I throw out."  From the root verb botar.
No botaría demasiadas de estes antiguos vestidos.  I wouldn't throw out too many of these old dresses.

noto means "I notice."  From the verb notar.

roto means "broken."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between boca, beca y barca?

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boca means mouth.

beca means scholarship.

barca is a small boat or rowboat.

Name that t'ing.

How many of these ten animals and insects do you know?

gato  rana  caballo  oso  lobo  carnero  hormiga  perro  mosca  loro
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gato...  cat

rana...  frog

caballo...  horse

oso...  bear

lobo... wolf

carnero... ram

hormiga...   ant

perro...  dog

mosca...  fly

loro...  parrot

What's the difference?

What's the difference between descanso, descalzo y alcanzar?
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un descanso is a work-break or a rest.

descalzo is an adjective meaning barefoot.  The feminine form is descalza.
descalzarse is a verb meaning "to take off one's shoes."

alcanzar is a verb that means "to reach."

Juan alcanzó la rama más alta del enorme árbol.
Juan reached the tallest branch of the huge tree.

descanso, descalzo y alcanzar - some usages

The expression fuera de (mi) alcance:
Mantenga fuera del alcance de los niños - Keep (it) out of the reach of children
Oh, esta casa de lujo es fuera de mi alcance - Oh, that deluxe/luxury house is out of my reach

And since descalzo is barefoot, then calzado means wearing shoes, and/or footwear:
Ojalá que encontramos una tienda de calzados, mis pies duelen por estos zapatos apretados - I hope we find a shoe store, my feet hurt from these tight shoes

Some phrases relating to descanso:
En la tumba habrá mucho tiempo para descansar - There'll be plenty of time to rest in the grave (my late Grandmother Hope, God rest her soul, used to always say this)
La pereza no es más que el hábito de descansar antes de estar cansado - Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired
¡Qué ganas de trabajar que tengo! Voy a descansar un rato a ver si se me pasa - What a desire I have to work!  I'm going to rest a bit and see if it passes

News Headlines -- Wednesday, May 17, 2017....

U.S. Justice Department Names Independent Special Counsel to Investigate Russiagate

Departamento de Justicia EEUU Nombra a Independente Abogado Especial Para Investigar 'Russiagate'

New Counsel is Robert Mueller, Who Was FBI Director 2001-2013 and Is Ex-Boss of Fired FBI Chief James Comey

Nuevo Abogado Es Robert Mueller, Ex Director del FBI (2001-2013) y Ex Jefe de Director Despedido James Comey

Wall Street: Dow's Biggest One-Day Drop Since the 2016 Election -- Over 370 Points

Wall Street:  Pérdida la Más Grande en Promedio Dow Desde la Elección de 2016 -- Más Que 370 Puntos

What's the difference?

What's the difference between picar, pitar y pisar?
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picar means "to sting."

pitar means "to whistle" or "to honk" (with a car horn).

pisar means "to step on."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between especial, espacial y esparcir?

especial means "special."

espacial is an adjective meaning "having to do with space."
traje espacial = space suit.

esparcir is a verb meaning "to spread" or "to scatter."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between hogar, ahogar y ahorcar?

hogar means home. 

ahogar means to choke or strangle or drown.

ahorcar means to hang (execute by hanging).

Note that the 'h' is silent in the above Spanish words.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between the verbs amar, asar, atar y averiguar?
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amar means "to love."

asar is "to grill."
Pollo asado = grilled chicken.

atar means "to tie" or "to tie together."

averiguar means "to find out" or "to determine" or "to figure out."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between ala, allá, ola y olla?
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An ala is a wing.

allá means "over there."
Mi caballo está allá.  My horse is over there

An ola is a wave as in ocean waves.

An olla is a pot as in pots and pans.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between aguja, agujero y agua?
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aguja means needle.
aguja y hilo = needle and thread.


agujero is a hole.
El perro excavó un agujero para enterrar su hueso. The dog dug a hole to bury his bone.


agua means water.  Note that it is feminine although it takes the article el:
El agua está fría.  The water is cold.

What's the Difference?

What's the difference between mío, lío y tío?
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mío means mine, as in Eso es mío... That is mine.  Mía is the feminine version, for instance, a woman saying Esa cosa es mía... That thing is mine.

The word for the noun "mine" as is gold mine is mina.

lío means mess, as in Este cuarto es un lío... This room is a mess.

tío means uncle.  Aunt is tía.

What's the Difference?

What's the difference between quisquilla, rosquilla y mantequilla?
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quisquilla is a triviality or matter of little importance.

rosquilla is a donut, also called dona.

mantequilla is butter, sometimes called manteca.

False friends.

colorado

What a Gringo thinks it means ... best skiing in North America.

What it means in Spanish... red.

nevada

What a Gringo thinks it means... birthplace of North American casino gambling.

What it means in Spanish...snowfall.

montaña

What a Gringo thinks it means... a Western state bordering on Canada.

What it really means... mountain.

False friends.

decepcionado

What a Gringo thinks it means... deceived.

What it really means... disappointed, from the verb decepcionar, to disappoint.

Cuando llegaste tarde por una hora, me estaba decepcionado.
When you arrived an hour late, I was disappointed.


saber

What a Gringo thinks it means... a sword.

What it means in Spanish... to know (something). 

Me gustaría saber donde vives.  I would like to know where you live.

Another verb, conocer, means "to know" in the sense of "to be familiar (with)."


abrumador

What a Gringo thinks it means... a guy with a broom.

What it really means... overwhelming.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between cuna, cana y caña?

cuna = crib or cradle.

cana = white hair.

caña = cane (for walking) or rod (fishing).  The word bastón also means this type of cane.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between imprimir, deprimir y exprimir?

imprimir = to print

deprimir = to depress

exprimir = to squander or squeeze

What's the difference?

What's the difference between casa, casada y cansada?

casa = house or home

casada means married (female, singular).

cansada means tired or exhausted (also female singular).

Male versions:

Los dos hombres allá son casados a amigas miyas.  The two men over there are married to (female) friends of mine.

Me siento cansado tras mover mis muebles a mi nueva casa.  I feel tired after moving my furniture to my new home.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between mensaje, masaje y musgo?

mensaje is a message.

masaje is a massage.

musgo means moss.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between costa, costar y acostar?

la costa  = the coast

costar = to cost
Cuesta dos dólares.  It costs two dollars.

Also, the idiom costarse mucho, to be difficult.
Los cuesta mucho caminar tal distancia. It's difficult for them to walk such a distance.

acostar = to lie down.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between araña, arañar y arancel?
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araña = spider

arañar = to scratch or scrape

arancel = a tariff or duty

Pero a ella no le importo un bledo
Not Pero a ella no la importo un bledo.
Practice makes perfect!
You're getting there though.

Agujero means a small hole. Not proper or large enough for the bone. A needle has an agujero.
El perro enterró el hueso en el hueco.
The dog buried the bone in the hole.

norviato1 wrote:

Pero a ella no le importo un bledo
Not Pero a ella no la importo un bledo.
Practice makes perfect!
You're getting there though.

Well, as long as we're correcting things, it is actually

Pero a ella no le importa un bledo

or you could also say, past tense,

Pero a ella no le importó un bledo

Bravo, you even used the accents on it. Excellent!
Now, we won't have excuses on how Spanish is impossible to learn for
"miembros de la tecera edad" or is it "cuarta" In their case ☹️