“It is with sadness that we report that since this blog was written, Gabriel Garcia Marquez passed away on 17 April 2014 after being in fragile health for some time. Many notable figures including presidents past and present paid tribute to the visionary author, who will be much missed, especially in his native Colombia and his adopted home, Mexico.” We will still using his novels for our Spanish lessons in London.
Things to avoid saying in Spanish
We normally encourage our students to have a go at using Spanish as often as possible. Your efforts will normally be appreciated, however, there are some Spanish phrases that you really should ditch and stick to what you learn in your Spanish lessons instead. Here are just a few:
- ¡Ay, caramba!
Best translated as ‘Oh my gosh!’ or similar, it’s quite outdated. Leave this one for Bart Simpson. - Hasta la vista
The Spanish equivalent of the French ‘au revoir’, it was popularised by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in Terminator, but it’s just too cheesy for most Spanish speakers nowadays. - Mi casa es su casa
- Literally meaning ‘My house is your house’, in other words, ‘Make yourself at home,’ but times have changed and this isn’t used seriously any more.
- Vale
Usually used in the same sense as ‘OK’ or ‘Sure’, this is a word that is used in different senses in different countries, and it can be inappropriate if used incorrectly, so it’s best avoided. - No Bueno
Most often used by non-Spanish speakers to mean ‘no good’, it’s very bad grammar and most Spanish speakers would feel silly saying it, so if you don’t want them to think you’re silly too, get it right (no es bueno=it’s not good) or leave it out. - Yo quiero Taco Bell
The slogan of the Taco Bell Chihuahua in a well-known advertising campaign, meaning ‘I want Taco Bell’, this really shouldn’t be attempted while you’re eating out in Spain! - Arriba!
In the sense of ‘Hurrah’ or ‘Come on!’ those old enough will remember it as part of the catchphrase of Looney Tunes cartoon mouse Speedy Gonzales. If you also recall his over-the-top Mexican accent, you’ll understand why this saying is not cool! - Muy caliente Often erroneously used as ‘hot’ in the sense of ‘attractive’, this actually means well, warm or hot (temperature). You wouldn’t describe an attractive person in English as ‘warm’, now would you?
What is Spanglish?
The custom of combining the names of two languages to describe the adoption of borrowed words is something most of us are familiar with. Most of us have heard, for example, of Franglais – a combination of Français and Anglais – in which English words are adopted into French grammar, le weekend being an oft-quoted example.
Similar examples exist all around the world, and Spanglish is just one such example, where English words have found their way into the Spanish language and subsequently become subject to Spanish grammar rules.
Spanglish tends to be more prevalent in the Americas, where the influence of English is so much stronger than in mainland Spain. Here, the use of verbs such as chequear (to check) is common, whilst the ‘standard’ versions (comprobar or verificar) are used in Spain. The use of English words for modern technological terms is also widespread in many languages, and this has given rise to ‘new’ Spanish verbs such as textear, meaning ‘to text’ and other similar verbs like emailear and even twitterear.
Basic nouns also frequently pass between languages – so the appearance of words like mañana, amigo and tortilla in English could also be classed as Spanglish, and likewise in the other direction, words like el sándwich and el mouse have passed into everyday Spanish.
In today’s increasingly globalised world, it seems certain that this flow of words between languages is going to increase. If you would like to learn more about new and ‘true’ Spanish, then our native tutors can offer Private Spanish Lessons throughout the London area.
Latin America: A world of opportunities for English speakers
When preparing for a move to a Spanish-speaking country, many people benefit from taking an Intensive Spanish course such as those we offer here at Lingua Clinic. Even if you are going to take up a position which will entail speaking mainly English at work, it will help you to adapt to your new location and go about your business outside of work if you have a good grounding in the language. Everyday things such as shopping, asking directions and socialising with your new friends and colleagues become so much easier when you can make yourself understood, and understand those responding to you, in Spanish.
There are opportunities throughout Latin America for English speakers in a wide variety of professions. It is perhaps not surprising that there is always demand for those qualified to teach English as a foreign language. However, it is not just in the education sector where English speakers are sought after. They are also often required in the tourist industry for their ability to deal with foreign visitors or operators’ international branches. In addition, large corporations are increasingly outsourcing business processes to South America for the cost benefits they can achieve. This means that there are also openings in technology, finance and many other business sectors for those with marketable skills. If you don’t see yourself as a corporate animal, then perhaps you may be interested in the wealth of voluntary positions which are available throughout the continent for those wanting to help emerging economics.
Latin America is home to some of the most vibrant cities in the world, and with a relatively low cost of living, it’s a great choice for those looking to embark on a life-changing experience, so why not check out the prospects available to you?
Traditional paper dictionaries vs Spanish apps
There’s an app for literally everything these days and Spanish dictionaries are no exception. But how do today’s apps measure up against the long-established paper dictionary that has been the language students’ trusty companion for generations? We examine the pros and cons of each.
The app wins hands down on portability and convenience. With no books to carry around and a large vocabulary at your fingertips, the Spanish app is certainly a very useful tool for anyone learning the language. They’re great for speedily looking up the odd word that you might have forgotten while you’re on the go, and they’re invaluable when you’re travelling to a Spanish-speaking country and don’t want to use up your baggage allowance with heavy reference books.
Some apps even include a voice recognition feature, which can be handy when you don’t know how to spell a word or you’re trying to have a conversation with someone and are struggling to understand something they are saying. However, these features don’t always accurately capture the words being spoken, particularly if there is a lot of background noise.
We do find though that most apps can’t yet compete with the breadth and depth of information contained in a paper dictionary, and the traditional dictionary tends to fare much better when it comes to giving in-depth definitions and examples of the usage of words in different contexts. Apps are developing all the time and have some exciting capabilities which are sure to get even better in the future, and in our opinion every tool that can help in any small way when you are learning Spanish is a force for good, so our advice is make the most of them, but don’t throw your dictionaries away just yet.
Don’t try to explain Spanish with English grammar rules!
As we grow up, we’re constantly having our grammar corrected by our parents and teachers until the rules become completely ingrained. It’s understandable then that when we start to learn another language, we try to apply the rules we already know to it. This doesn’t work though, as we frequently (but patiently!) have to explain to students.
With Indo-European roots, English and Spanish grammar has similarities in places, but there are also significant differences. One of the first things you have to come to grips with as a beginner is gender. As English doesn’t assign a gender to inanimate things, this is often a source of confusion early on for learners. Agreement – changing adjectives to match the nouns they describe – is still more difficult, especially in the early days when just one form can be a struggle to recall. Word order differs in many cases too. Taking once again the simple example of a noun and an adjective, the phrase “the tall man” would translate as “el hombre alto”; as you see, the adjective comes after the noun, whereas it is the opposite in English.
Verb conjugations and word endings can also be challenging for English speakers who have not been exposed to other languages, but these basic examples illustrate the danger of trying to apply your native grammar rules to a foreign language. Difficult though it can be at times, the best approach is simply to absorb and accept the rules of Spanish and forget about trying to make sense of them in the framework of English grammar. Don’t feel daunted though; the rules are not complex – simply different to English – and your native Spanish tutor will be there to help you every step of the way.
Celia Cruz
Legendary Cuban singer Celia Cruz, known as the Queen of Salsa (La Reina de la Salsa) was one of the most successful exponents of Latin music of the 20th century, earning twenty-three gold albums during the course of a long and illustrious career. She was born in Havana in 1925 and was the second child of Simon Cruz and Catalina Alfonso.
Cruz got her first break way back in 1950 when she was called upon to fill in as lead singer for a popular Cuban orchestra. For fifteen years she toured all over Latin America with the band, who adopted the name ‘Café con Leche’ (Coffee with Milk). However, after the Cuban revolution, she opted not to return home and became a US citizen. She continued recording and performing, also appearing in a number of films, until shortly before her death, from brain cancer, in 2003.
Listening to music is a great way to keep in touch with the language between Private Spanish Lessons. It can help you to pick up new vocabulary as well as reinforce the words you already know by repetition. Think about how we learn our own language growing up: we’re surrounded by stimuli of all different kinds, picking up words from music, television and those around us, not just in the formal setting of the classroom. If you’re not already familiar with her work, why not listen to some of the songs from Celia Cruz’ back catalogue and see how much you can learn from them. Once you get to know the tunes, singing along can help you to improve your pronunciation too!
Gloria Estefan
There can be few people with knowledge of contemporary music who are unfamiliar with the name Gloria Estefan. She’s the most successful crossover Latin musician ever, with seven Grammy awards and 100 million record sales to her name. Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan was born in September 1957 in Havana, Cuba. Have you ever wondered at the lengthy names quoted in our biographical blogs? These follow Spanish naming customs where the paternal name (Fajardo) is given first and the maternal family name (Garcia) second. ‘de Estefan’ was added after her marriage in 1978 to Emilio Estefan.
Aside from a musical career spanning over four decades, Estefan is perhaps best known for her courage and determination in recovering from a fractured spine after her tour bus was involved in a crash in March 1990. There was speculation that she may never walk again and she endured a great deal of pain, once saying, “There were times when the pain was so bad I prayed I’d pass out”, yet she committed herself fully to intensive rehabilitation therapy and resumed touring and singing after just 10 months.
More recently, Estefan has diversified into children’s literature, writing two successful books, The Magically Mysterious Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog and its follow-up, Noelle’s Treasure Tale. Both are available in Spanish language versions entitled Las Magicas y Misteriosas Aventuras de una Bulldog Llamada Noelle and El Tesoro do Noelle: Una Nueva Magica y Misteriosa Aventura respectively. Reading children’s books is a great way to complement your Private Spanish Lessons and expand your knowledge of the language. The simpler language of children’s literature is more manageable for learners and you can gradually increase the difficulty of your reading as your skills improve – just as we do when learning our native languages.
Frida Kahlo
Painter Frida Kahlo was born in Mexico City in 1907. Thanks largely to a traffic accident in her teens, Kahlo suffered lifelong health problems, and these contributed to the “pain and passion” she displayed in her works. She is probably best known for her self-portraits, a result of the isolation enforced on her by her poor health. As she herself said, “I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best”. Though she is sometimes referred to as a surrealist painter, Kahlo refuted this, saying, “They thought I was a surrealist, but I wasn’t. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality”.
Though she is celebrated mainly for her art, Frida Kahlo possessed an acerbic wit and was an eloquent speaker and writer as well as an artist. A collection of letters, poems and other writings have been gathered together in the book ‘Frida by Frida’ by art critic Rachel Tibol, who describes her as using “unreserved, imaginative language”. Her illustrated diary, published in 2005, more than fifty years after her death, charts the last ten years of her life and provides further examples of her incisive wit and dark humour as she reflects on her childhood, her politics and her stormy marriage to fellow Mexican artist, Diego Rivera.
Kahlo’s art has become iconic, but the legacy she left in her spoken and written words is equally fascinating. As Martha Zamora, the translator of her Cartas Apasionadas (Passionate Letters), said, Frida wrote “honestly and without reserve, employing all the vocabulary at her disposal to convey her thoughts and emotions”.
If you’re looking to improve your own Spanish vocabulary, our Intensive Spanish Courses could be just what you need.
Gabriel García Márquez
This week we look at the language and influence of another contemporary giant in the world of literature, Gabriel García Márquez. Born in Aracataca, Colombia in March 1927, his full name is Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez, though he is known throughout the Latin American world simply as ‘Gabo’, a mark of the great affection in which he is held.
Márquez began his writing career as a journalist and went on to pen a number of acclaimed short stories and non-fiction works. He is, however, best known for his novels. His first full-length novel, ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ (Cien años de soledad), won him international recognition when it was published in 1967 and popularised the literary style known as ‘magical realism’, which blends supernatural elements with events and experiences in the natural, everyday world.
Márquez went on to write several 20th-century classics in the same genre, employing his vivid imagination, great storytelling prowess and again combining the fantastical with the mundane. His stories often centre on a dead, dying or about to die character, such as in ‘Autumn of the Patriarch’ (El otoño del patriarca), which studies the character, corruption and tyranny of an archetypal dictator as he faces his impending death.
Márquez was recognised with the Nobel Prize for Literature 1982. Very sadly, it was announced in 2012 that his writing career was effectively at an end after the onset of dementia. He leaves a fine body of work for future generations to enjoy, including ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ and ‘Chronicle of a Death Foretold’ amongst his best-known novels. He also leaves several titles which, to date, are only published in Spanish. Our Private Spanish Lessons could equip you with the skills you need to discover them.
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