Español for Gringos

Might be a good idea.

Thanks to Mason's enthusiasm for these sports names, we'll do some more team names, coming up.  But not professional basketball.

Although it's basketball season, we'll skip the NBA because that league uses Spanglish names on the player jerseys during its annual March promotion "Noche Latina."  For instance, they call the Chicago team "Los Bulls" instead of "Los Toros."

Opinions vary as to whether this practice demeans espanol or is just an accurate reflection of how ESL-speakers in the U.S. say the names.

cccmedia wrote:

Thanks to Mason's enthusiasm for these sports names, we'll do some more team names....

Major League Baseball -- original team names on the left:

The Royals                                                 Los Reales

The White Sox                               Las Medias Blancas

The Yankees                                              Los Yanquis

The Cubs                                                    Los Cachorros

The Cardinals                                             Los Cardinales

The Reds                                                    Los Rojos

The Pirates                                                  Los Piratas

And, of course, there's one MLB team that has had a Spanish-language team name from the start...

The Padres.

suefrankdahl wrote:

I love languages so this is not heavy lifting for me...

Overheard at the fruit "mercado":

Is this pineapple white or yellow....
"Es blanca o amarilla esta pina...."

Please provide me a small (plastic) bag to pick strawberries.
"Favor de proveerme una fundita para escoger frutillas...."

Are these melons still good....
"Todavia estan buenos estes melones...."

Are those oranges sweet...
"Son dulces esas naranjas...."

Where do these mangos come from....
"De donde vienen estes mangos...."

They're Peruvian.
"Son peruanos."

I only want half of those bananas.
"Solo quiero una mitad de esas bananas."

When will passion fruit be available...
"Cuando va a estar disponible maracuya..."

Tomorrow.
"Manana*."

(*Technically, "manana" means tomorrow.  In actual use, it often means "sometime after today.")

cccmedia in Quito

MByerly wrote:

please, don't confuse the already confused.

Some Gringos like to look for Spanish-language signs while walking around town or riding the bus.

Check out how many of these shop signs (below, on the left) you have seen or understand....

Taller                                                             Workshop

Libreria                                                          Bookstore*

Panaderia                                                      Bake shop

Sastreria                                                        Tailor shop

Floreria                                                          Florist**

Joyeria                                                          Jewelry shop

Modista                                                         Dressmaker

Frenos Y Parabrisas                       Brakes & Windshields

* Library is "biblioteca."

** Another word for "florist" is "florista."

cccmedia in Quito

Another sign you see when walking around is:

disfruta                 enjoy

Pero si tu disfruta demasiado, entonces tu son malcriado!!
       -->   But if you enjoy too much, then you are spoiled!!

MikeGB wrote:

Pero si tu disfruta demasiado, entonces tu son malcriado!!
       -->   But if you enjoy too much, then you are spoiled!!

I don't doubt Mike saw that exact sign, but whoever put it up messed up the conjugations.

Better:  "Pero si tu disfrutas* demasiado, entonces tu eres malcriado!!"

*"disfrutes" with an "e" could also be acceptable in this context.

This is on the borderline near Heavy Lifting, but I thought it might be useful to mention to avoid confusion for some.

cccmedia in Quito

cccmedia wrote:

I don't doubt Mike saw that exact sign, but whoever put it up messed up the conjugations.
Better:  "Pero si tu disfrutas* demasiado, entonces tu eres malcriado!!"

That was my conjugational mistake. Thank you for catching that. I keep forgetting to add the "s" for verbs that appear after "tu".  But you are right that is heavy lifting: I transgressed.

.                       12 Palabras de "Christmas"

Christmas                                           La Navidad

Friends and family                              Amigos y familia

Presents                                             Obsequios;  regalos

Christmas week                                 Semana Santa

Turkey with gravy                         Pavo con salsa espesa

Father Christmas                               Papa Noel

Fireplace or hearth                             Chimenea

Mistletoe                                             Muerdago             

Reindeer                                            Reno

(Snow) sled                                        Trineo

Little town of Bethlehem               Pueblito de Bethlehem

Prosperous New Year                        Prospero ano* nuevo

     *pronounced:  PROH-spero AHN-yoh)

cccmedia wrote:

(To the horse it all sounded the same.)

How Deke Castleman finds $1.75 espanol lessons in Cuenca...

Several years ago, travel writer Deke moved to Cuenca.

A linguist at heart, he determined to learn Spanish, enrolled in an immersion language school, and spent 250 hours in the classroom, plus countless more during and since, practicing with everyone he comes in contact with, especially, he says, cab drivers.

"The transportation system here is great -- frequent buses that go all over the city and suburbs -- for a total fare of 25 cents.  Thousands of taxis also run around town and take you anywhere for $2.  Being a frugal-traveler type, if I'm spending an extra $1.75 for a ride, I'm damn sure I'm getting a one-on-one language lesson out of it."

-- From Question of the Day in the Las Vegas Advisor (which normally advises Vegas gamblers how to get the most for their money), Deke's longtime employer before he moved to Cuenca and became a "jefe" at GringoTree

A fun thread, this. Permit me to share some pitfalls to avoid with Spanish.
Once, in a cab, the taxista asked what I did for a living before retiring. I said that I was employed in "la empresa de pulpo y papel", clear enough for me that I had worked in pulp and paper...however, my friend with me in the cab was quick to point out that pulpo means octopus. Hilarity ensued.
And be careful to avoid what are common false friends. For example, embarazada is not embarrassed but pregnant,oficio is not office but trade/occupation, rato is not rat but while,remover is not remove but stir/to turn over, constipado is not constipated but. estar constipado means to have a cold.
Caveat emptor

pensionado wrote:

oficio is not office but trade/occupation, rato is not rat but while (as in "back in a while"), remover is not remove but stir/to turn over.

Good stuff, Pensionado.  I especially like the part about the octopus factory.

The correct word for office is "oficina" or "despacho."

Rat is "la rata."  Mouse is "el raton."

To remove is "quitar."

Of course, "mano" doesn't mean man.  It means hand.  Feminine, by the way:  "la mano."

cccmedia in Quito

...one word
Pimsleur
Por los que tienen miedo....

In 2013, Simon & Schuster re-issued Dr. Paul Pimsleur's out-of-print book, How to Learn a Foreign Language, in hardcover and eBook, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first language course.  -- Wikipedia

The eBook can be ordered instantly at Amason (Kindle) to avoid EC postal tariffs and Correos's poor delivery service.

MP3 downloads of the Pimsleur Spanish language course may be available at www.pimsleur.com

pensionado wrote:

I said that I was employed in "la empresa de pulpo y papel", clear enough for me that I had worked in pulp and paper...however, my friend was quick to point out that pulpo means octopus. Hilarity ensued.

Pensionado wasn't really that far off.

Pulp, in espanol, is "pulpa."

Ipso facto:

     pulp and paper = pulpa y papel



                                                                               .

cccmedia wrote:

By the time the Kid could spit out the phrase "manos arriba" -- stick 'em up -- Butch Cassidy pointed out:  "They GOT 'em up.  Skip on down (the card)"...

Sundance Kid:  "Todos ustedes arrismense.*"

Butch Cassidy:  "They're against the wall already."

Sundance Kid:  "Ah, you're so smart, you read it."

Brad Pitt demonstrated that sometimes all you need is one word in espanol to get results in a Spanish-only environment.

Playing a clueless (and at that moment, penniless) bagman in the 2001 movie "The Mexican," he was hitchhiking when he encountered a small truck filled with chickens, and three locals in sombreros up front.

Brad Pitt as Bagman: "I need..a lift..in your el-truck-o..to the next town-o..um, village-o..uh, uh, uh, pueblo."

Camionero:  "Ah, pueblo!....OK!"




                                                                                .

cccmedia wrote:

Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) pointed out:  "They GOT 'em up.  Skip on down (the card)"...

Sundance Kid:  "Todos ustedes arrismense.*"

Butch Cassidy:  "They're against the wall already."

Sundance Kid:  "Ah, you're so smart, you read it."


*There is no such word as "arrismense," "arrismar" or any verb close to that at wordreference.com ...

It's six weeks later and I finally came across the elusive verb:  arrimarse, which can mean "to put against."  The Sundance Kid's incorrect addition of a middle "s" made it hard to find earlier at wordreference.com  ...

Example:
"Arrimense contra la pared, malditos."
Up against the wall, m***********s.

That's not the only way to use "arrimarse."

I actually came across this verb while watching a Spanish-subtitled episode of "Rules of Engagement."  David Spade's character enters a diner and tells his friend already seated at a table:  "Move over.  Scooch."

Which three English words were condensed and subtitled thusly:  "Arrimate."

cccmedia in Quito

cccmedia wrote:

David Spade's character enters a diner and (says) "Scooch."

Which brings us to:   

          The Top Ten Ways to Say Thank You in espanol

10.  Gracias                                         Thanks

9.  Muy amable                                    Very kind

8.  Muy provechoso                              Very helpful

7.  Le agradecimos.                  We are thankful (to you).

6.  Le aprecio.                                        I appreciate it.

5.  Gracias a Dios.                                 Thanks be to God.

4.  Mil gracias.                                        A thousand thanks.

3.  Muchisimas gracias.                         The most thanks.

2.  Fue tan genial que mandare a mis amigos.

     It was so great that I will send my friends.

And the number one way to say thanks in espanol:

1.  Muy bondadoso.                               Very kind.

--

Bonus note:

De nada  =  You're welcome.  (Literally, "of nothing," as in "it was nothing.")

cccmedia in Quito

CCCmedia
Good summary, excellent Spanish hints: don't forget, if the waiter asks how dinner is going/went
'Sabroso!' (Tasty!)

Salud

pensionado wrote:

If the waiter asks how dinner is going/went,
'Sabroso!' (Tasty!)

While waiting for a combo dinner order, I was checking out the signage at a KFC at Quito's Megamaxi mall on Seis de Diciembre.

Which prompted me to expand on Pensionado's comment...

Top Ways to Tell Your Host (anfitrion, -ona) The Meal Was Tasty:

Fue sabroso.

Fue delicioso.

Fue rico.

Fue riquisimo (ree-KEE-see-moh).    It was the tastiest.

Se chupa los dedos.                          Finger lickin' good.


cccmedia in Quito

pensionado wrote:

A fun thread, this.

Spice up your espanol next week with these three goodies...


No sooner said than done.            Dicho y hecho.

Absolutely not.                               Rotundamente no.

For Pete's sake.                             Por amor a Elvis.


cccmedia in Quito

...add to the list of new learnings
Dios mio=my God
Que hubo?= what's up
Hasta la proxima= until next time

Ten Words That Sound Better in espanol Than English

10.  fastidiar  --  to annoy

9.  calefon  --  water heater

8.  tugurio  -- joint, dive

7.  facturacion  --  invoicing

6.  jinete  (hin-EH-tay)  --  rider

5.  incorrectamente  --  incorrectly

4.  vaquerita --  little cowgirl

3.  carinoso (kah-reen-YOH-soh)  --  caring

2.  generalmente  --  usually

And today's #1 word that sounds better in espanol:

1.  mantequilla  --  butter


                                                                             .

pensionado wrote:

Good summary, excellent Spanish hints...don't forget, if the waiter asks how dinner is going....
'Sabroso!' (Tasty!)

Do y'all know the difference between "lema" and "tema"....Lema = a slogan or motto, and tema = a subject or theme.  Today's topic is Ecuadorian "lemas" -- specifically slogans EC companies employ.

See how close you can come to translating the "lemas" from the original espanol (on the left, below)...

SuperMaxi (food and home supplies supermarkets)
 
  "El Placer de Comprar"                       The Pleasure of Buying

Movistar (cell phone service and Internet)

  "Compartida, La Vida Es Mas"            A Life Shared is More

Mister Bagel Coffee Shop

   "Buenos Dias"                                    Good morning!

Banco de Guayaquil

    "Lo Mejor Esta Por Venir"                 The Best Is Yet to Come

Subway (sandwich shops)

    "Mas Sabor, Menos Remordimiento"   More Taste, Less Regret

Stav Pollo (chicken franchise)

    "El Mejor Pollo Horneado, Los Mejores Acompanantes"

                    The Best Oven-Cooked Chicken, The Best Companions

Sabroso!


                                                                          .

"Ever talked to a Jamaican or a Cockney Brit and have no idea what they're saying?.... Same thing in Spanish. Any time I go to any Spanish speaking country it usually takes me a little while to understand and comprehend anything but basic simple phrases."
  -- Brandon BP

The ability to speak a second language has benefits beyond the obvious one of being understood by the locals.

Here are four, as reported by an ESL lecturer* in the British publication "The Telegraph"....

  --  Improves your ability to multi-task.  You develop a "juggling" skill that enables you better to switch back and forth between structures, according to a Pennsylvania State University study.

  -- Delays the onset of Alzheimer's Disease or dementia.  Studies consistently show that the first signs of dementia present at about age 71 for monolingual persons and age 75 for bilinguals.

  --  Improves memory.  Learning a second language requires memorization of rules and vocabulary, strengthening the memory "muscle."

  -- Improves your English or other first language.  Focusing on the mechanics of language, such as grammar and sentence structure, makes you overall a better communicator.

*source: Anne Merritt, lecturer in English as a Second Language, in The Telegraph

suefrankdahl wrote:

Muchas gracias.  Is this lesson #1?

Not exactly.  Try to keep up.

How many of these similarly-spelled words do you know....

lobo, loco, lodo, logo, lomo, loro, loto


lobo                    wolf

loco                    crazy

lodo                    mud

logo                    logo

lomo                   filet;  back, lower back

loro                     parrot (noun)

loto                     lotus


                                                                                  .

BobH wrote:

The most valuable phrase I learned in my first weeks in Quito was: "Repite, por favor -- mas despacio." Which means, "Say it again, please -- more slowly."

Which brings us to 'Spanish sayings'....

1.  A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan.
   
     To a good listener, a few words are enough.

     Gringo translation:  A word to the wise is sufficient.

2.  Mucho ruido, y pocas nueces.

     Literally:  a lot of noise, and few nuts.  (as in walnuts)

     Figuratively:  a lot of noise and little substance.

     Texas translation:  Big hat, no cattle.

3.  Muchos hombres fuman, pero pocos hombres mastican.

     Many men smoke, but Fumanchu.




Source (#1 & 2) :  spanish-learning-corner.com

suefrankdahl wrote:

Another thing I have discovered is if you start typing in a foreign language, the computer will start putting in the correct accent marks for you.

Actually, that doesn't seem to be true on all computers, especially when I type the word "manana" (mahn-YAH-nah) which is supposed to have a tilde over the first 'n.'

(Note from cccmedia... for the rest of this post, I have added Spanish marks at a later time, although I am at a loss as to how to produce the upside-down question mark that normally precedes preguntas, at my present keyboard.)

Anyway, I was in a pulpería (small mom 'n' pop grocery store) in Gringolandia yesterday, buying a few pieces of fruit.  It was at a place where I have rarely shopped.

I picked out a few apples and a carrot.  Then I mentioned potatoes.  The middle-aged frutera pointed to a container of small 'taters on the floor.

She asked me:  "Quantas libras quiere?...." -- how many pounds do you want?....

"Veintidos," I responded.  22.

I told her I was kidding, but by then she had already handed her keys to the joven and he was entering the bodega (storage room).

He emerged with a whole tray full of papas.

Just to be amiable, I picked out one small potato from the tray and added it to two others that I had already selected from the container.

Then I pointed to the tray still full of potatoes and said to her: Mañana.

The frutera got a good chuckle out of that...because then SHE knew...that I knew...both meanings of mañana.

That while it technically means "tomorrow"...in Ecuador and other places, the more common meaning is a polite version of "sometime, but not today."

cccmedia in Quito

MByerly wrote:

My old brain can handle only so much....please, don't confuse the already confused....definite and indefinite articles?  Yikes!

Most Gringos don't know ANY of the "ozo" words:

mozo                                 young man, porter, waiter

gozo                                  a pleasure

pozo                                  a well

trozo                                  a piece

calabozo                            a dungeon

Keltic Tom wrote:

"espanol for Gringos (No Heavy Lifting)"
Is the sentence English or Español? Majority rules so we will consider it to be English and therefore English rules shall apply. Why does gringos have a cap " G "? Why does espanol have an " e "

Keltic Tom has fallen off the Expat.com Ecuador radar since last year.  But he gave us some classic moments in 2014 so we remember him with an excerpt here.

Which brings us to today's practicum:  a few phrases that can aid a Gringo in certain situations....

The clerk at SuperMaxi asks if you want a "consumidor final" (type of receipt).  You're not sure what different kinds of receipts are available, so you answer:

"Algo sencillo."                    Something simple.

The taxista seems confused about where to stop so you can get out.  You want to give him an answer that is brief, pleasant and to the point.

"Aqui mismo, por favor."      Right here, please.

You have to leave some groceries with the doorman-security guard, and you want him to know it's just for the moment.

"Vuelvo enseguida."            I'll be right back.

You need a small plastic bag at the fruteria, and want to tell the "tendera" what you're going to use it for so that she understands which bag to give you.

"Por favor, una bolsita para hasta quince (KEEN-say) frutillas."
                                 Please, a small bag for up to 15 strawberries.


cccmedia in Quito

pensionado wrote:

A fun thread, this....
Once, in a cab...I said that I was employed in "la empresa de pulpo y papel", clear enough for me that I had worked in pulp and paper...however, my friend with me in the cab was quick to point out that pulpo means octopus. Hilarity ensued.

Let's move from sea creatures to "seres humanos" -- human beings...

....and say hello now to the kids of Ecuador.  Although infrequently mentioned on this blog, there are a lot of them and they are typically "lindos" (plural for cute).

They go by many names:

Ninos (NEEN-yohs)      Children

Crios (CREE-ohs)         Kids

Escolares                      School children

and my personal favorite...

Vaqueritos                     Little cowboys

Remember that the singular feminine form is:  nina, cria, escolar and vaquerita.  If it's a mixed group -- boys and girls -- use the masculine plural, i.e. vaqueritos.

See how their faces light up when you suggest an activity:

"Quisiera fotografiarles corriendo con los monos a Parque la Carolina.  Cuando seria posible eso...."
I'd like to photograph y'all running with the monkeys at Parque la Carolina.  When would that be possible....

Naturally, nobody takes such a suggestion seriously.

cccmedia in Quito

j600rr wrote:

Lol, that was so cheesy it was funny.

EC arrivals are starting a new life, and meeting people all the time.

Typically, it's appropriate to use formal espanol to acknowledge the new folks ("Usted" instead of "tu," for instance.)  Formal espanol is for addressing most new acquaintances, and non-family persons of high status:  your boss, your fellow workers, your bus driver, "mayores" (older folks).

Some phrases to show you appreciate meeting someone:

"Mucho gusto a conocerle."
Much pleasure to meet you.

"Me agrada a encontrarle."
It pleases me to meet you.

"Que genial a conocerle."
How great to meet you.

"Fue un placer a conocerle."
It was a pleasure to meet you.

And my personal favorite (in this case, using informal espanol)....

"Muy encantador a conocerte."
Very delightful to meet you.

cccmedia in Quito

cccmedia wrote:

Sundance Kid:  "Todos ustedes arrismense.*"

Butch Cassidy:  "They're against the wall already."

*There is no such word as "arrismense," "arrismar" or any verb close to that at wordreference.com ...

Well, it turns out "arrimar" is a real verb and Sundance, reading off a card in a movie hold-up, would have used it correctly if not for the extra "s."

In his case, it meant "move over" (against the wall).

A much more common word Expats get confused about is "nomas" (no-MAHS), which means "just" (not "no more").

The TWO words "no mas" mean "no more."

Here's how "nomas" usually is used in Ecuador...

"Pase nomas."

Just go ahead.

"Siga nomas."

Just go ahead, or just keep going forward.

cccmedia in Quito

"Sponsored" by Larousse Gran Diccionario

1. déjelo ahí nomás just leave it there
2. ¡pase nomás! come right in!;
3. ¿me presta su teléfono? - llame nomás can I borrow your phone? - be my guest;
4. ¿hay algo de comer? - sírvase nomás is there anything to eat? - go ahead and help yourself

These phrases "pase nomas" and "siga nomas" come up frequently in Ecuador when two people in a store or on the street are practically occupying the same space for a brief moment.

Here are a few alternate phrases in such a situation:

"Perdoname."                Pardon me.

"Con permiso."              <loosely translated as 'excuse me.'>
   
"Lo siento.  Avance."     I'm sorry.  Go ahead.

"Adelante."                     Go ahead.

For the last two, you can add "por favor" at the end to be extra polite.


cccmedia in Quito

cccmedia wrote:

These phrases "pase nomas" and "siga nomas" come up frequently in Ecuador when two people in a store or on the street are practically occupying the same space for a brief moment.

Here are a few alternate phrases in such a situation:

"Perdoname."                Pardon me.

"Con permiso."              <loosely translated as 'excuse me.'>

I would say "con permiso" loosely translates to "get the hell out of my way"

Nards Barley wrote:

I would say "con permiso" loosely translates to "get the hell out of my way"

Thanks to Nards and the gang over at the unofficial Cuenca pages, I navigated over to the Cuenca High Life site where they've just published a survey titled "The importance of being earnest about Spanish."

Here are some of the Expat comments and recommendations from that survey about learning espanol:

"Ecuadorians are so polite that they're extremely reluctant about correcting you.  But ask to be corrected:  'Corrijame (kaw-REE-hah-may), por favor....Corrija mi espanol."

"Don't stop at basic grammar.  Dive into history and literature.  You'd be amazed at how fast you learn when you have something to apply your lessons to."  (This goes for movies and programs on TV with subtitles in espanol, too.)

"This isn't a 1, 2 or 3-year project.  It will take years to go from zero to fluent.  Accept it as part of the adventure."

cuencahighlife.com

Nards Barley wrote:

sírvase nomás - go ahead and help yourself

Now, the best of the rest from the Expats discussing espanol-learning at the Cuenca High Life survey:

"It's great for the over-50 brain, so while trying to learn it, remember that you're also exercising your mind, an additional benefit."

"You're missing out so much by not having local language skills."

"Just use what you know every day.  Be patient with yourself and others.  Don't be afraid to ask others to repeat themselves more slowly and clearly.  And laugh when you make mistakes."

"There is no press-2 for English."

pensionado wrote:

my friend with me in the cab was quick to point out that pulpo means octopus. Hilarity ensued.

Here's a typical negotiation with a taxista, with el cliente speaking first...

Hola.

Buenas tardes.

La direccion es Garcia Moreno y Oriente.  Suelo pagar dos dolares en la lluvia.
(Going to Garcia Moreno y Oriente.  I usually pay two dollars if it's raining.)

(Taxista holding up three fingers)  Tres.

Todo el mundo sabe que dos y medio es justo.
(Everybody knows that 2-and-a-half is fair.)

O.K.