The Spanish you hear on TV in the US is full of expressions that sound confusing for students because their literal meaning has little to do with the real intention. Sometimes these are very colorful, sometimes strong, sometimes playful. They are used every day, and even though they look difficult, once you know them, they […] More
In Spanish, nouns have a gender: masculine or feminine. For students, it can be strange when animals are sometimes “he” or “she” by default. For example, in English we say the spider, and it can be male or female, but in Spanish it is always la araña (feminine). On the other hand, el pez, el […] More
OVNI looks strange at first sight, but it’s one of those acronyms that became a normal everyday word. In Spanish, OVNI stands for Objeto Volador No Identificado — literally Unidentified Flying Object (UFO in English). What’s interesting is that Spanish isn’t the only language to use OVNI. French, Italian, Portuguese, and Catalán all built the […] More
This is an updated and expanded version of an older spanishNY.com post. If you’re learning Spanish, it helps to know both the formal profession names (doctor, abogado) and the local, informal words you’ll hear on the street, in markets, or at small businesses. Below is a large table with many job names, some of […] More
Spanish is full of phrases that don’t make sense if you just translate them word by word. Some are playful, some sarcastic, and some show everyday culture. Here is another batch of ten expressions with their real meaning in context. Spanish Expression Literal Translation Real Meaning Ahí muere (MX) There it dies “Let’s leave it […] More
When Spanish learners hear the expression llevar algo al Monte de Piedad, it can sound poetic, even mysterious. Literally, it means “to take something to the Mount of Mercy,” but in everyday Spanish it simply refers to pawning an item. This expression has deep roots, going all the way back to Renaissance Italy and the […] More
Back in 2006, spanishNY.com published a small post about an interesting language phenomenon: Spanish and English often use the same pair of words — but in reverse order. Now, almost 20 years later, here’s a remake. Some of these pairs are so common we barely notice them anymore. Others are fun little surprises. Either way, […] More
Here is another batch of ten colloquial Spanish language expressions, their literal meaning, and their closest equivalent in English. Some are humorous, others are very informal, and a few can sound rude or pejorative — so learn them, but use them carefully or just recognize them when you hear them. Spanish Expression Literal Translation Natural […] More
If you have ever studied Spanish and thought you were starting to understand it, a little word like pues probably appeared and ruined your confidence. Dictionaries will tell you that pues means “since,” or “because,” or “then,” or “so,” and they are not wrong — but they are not fully right either. The truth is […] More
Spanish speakers love to stretch meanings, and animal names are a favorite starting point. Over time, many animal words have spawned new meanings, tools, nicknames, or even insults. They often confuse students because they don’t refer to the actual animal anymore. These are the most obvious examples, but I am sure there are many […] More
Everyday phrases that don’t translate directly Spanish is full of expressions that confuse students because the literal meaning does not match the actual usage. Some of them are playful, others are pejorative (so they are better learned than repeated), and a few are just Mexican. Here is a batch of ten more examples. Spanish expression […] More
Notario Público When Spanish-speaking students first come across the term Notario Público, they are often tempted to translate it directly as Notary Public. After all, the words look the same, and in both cases we are talking about someone who signs and stamps legal documents. But the truth is that the role of a Notario […] More
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