Vocabulary
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in Spanish, Translation, VocabularyPasado Mañana: When “Past” Actually Means the Future
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For many English speakers learning Spanish, the phrase pasado mañana is one of those expressions that makes them stop and think: “Wait a second, why does it mean the day after tomorrow if pasado usually means past?” It looks like it should refer to something that already happened, but in Spanish it actually points to […] More
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in Mexico, Spanish, Table of Expressions, Translation, Vocabulary10 Expressions That Are Not Easy to Figure Out. El Torito.
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One of the most confusing but also most fun parts of learning Spanish is discovering expressions that don’t make sense when you try to translate them word for word. Mexican Spanish in particular has many colloquial sayings that students hear in daily on TV show conversations but that are not easy to figure out at […] More
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in Culture, Funny, Spanish, VocabularyFulano, Mengano and Zutano: The Mysterious and Funny Names of Nobody
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If you study Spanish long enough, sooner or later you will hear the words Fulano, Mengano and Zutano. These names don’t really belong to anybody, but they are used to talk about a person without saying the real name, or when the name is not important. For example, someone can say “Fulano me dijo que…” […] More
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in Grammar, Mexico, Spanish, Table of Expressions, Translation, VocabularyCarrazo 2.0: Spanish words that end with -azo
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Almost 20 years ago we posted about -azo / -aza on SpanishNY. This is the updated version. In Spanish, this ending can mean bigger/awesome, or it can mean a hit/blow with something. There isn’t a perfect one-word match in English, so the best way is to learn it by examples. “Bigger / awesome” uses Spanish […] More
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in Funny, Mexico, News, Translation, VocabularyDecoding Governor Newsom’s Tweet: “Vete a la Chingada” Explained
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Students of Spanish often encounter phrases that carry a much deeper meaning than their literal translation, and Governor Newsom’s recent tweet, “Vete a la Chingada,” is a good example. While it is a highly offensive expression in many contexts, its use in this particular political situation takes on a nuanced, “playful trolling” tone, which is […] More
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in Grammar, Mexico, Video, VocabularyMaría Inés, a famous telenovela character
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A Little Background on Mirada de Mujer Mirada de Mujer is one of those Mexican telenovelas that really changed the way people looked at the genre. It aired from 1997 to 1998 on TV Azteca and was produced by Argos Televisión. With Angélica Aragón in the role of María Inés, it became an unforgettable story. […] More
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in Culture, Spanish, Translation, VocabularyTocayo, tocaya: More Than Just Sharing a Name
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In Spanish, tocayo is a warm and friendly word you use when someone has the same first name as you. It’s like saying “name twin” in English, but with more charm. If your name is Carlos and you meet another Carlos, you can greet him with “¡Hola, tocayo!” and maybe even smile like you’ve known […] More
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in Grammar, Spanish, Translation, VocabularySer and Estar: Your Essential Spanish Guide
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Learning Spanish can be a wonderful and challenging task. One of the most common difficulties for students is knowing when to use the verbs Ser and Estar. Both translate to “to be” in English, but they have very different uses in Spanish. Don’t worry, by the end of this post, you’ll have a clearer idea! […] More
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in Culture, Grammar, Spanish, Translation, VocabularyMadrugar — and the Beautiful Word Madrugada
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In Spanish, madrugar means “to wake up very early in the morning.” At first, it sounds simple — just wake up early, right? But this word is more than a clock time. It carries a cultural feeling: starting your day before most people are even thinking about coffee. The word comes from madrugada, which is […] More
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in Culture, Funny, Grammar, Spanish, VocabularySpanish Suffixes: re-, rete-, requete- to Exaggerate
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In Spanish, we can exaggerate meaning by adding special prefixes to adjectives and adverbs.The most common ones are: re- rete- requete- They all mean very, super, extremely — but in a more informal or playful way.Sometimes they are used in everyday speech, sometimes in children’s books, and sometimes just for fun. re- This is the […] More
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in Grammar, VocabularyMandatos / comandos Irregulares de “Tú” con Pronombres (RID)
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Irregular tú Commands Infinitive Affirmative Command Negative Command decir (to say, tell) di no digas hacer (to make, do) haz no hagas ir (to go) ve no vayas poner (to put) pon no pongas salir (to leave) sal no salgas ser (to be) sé no seas tener (to have) ten no tengas venir (to come) […] More
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in Culture, Mexico, Spanish, VocabularyItalian Fregare and Mexican Spanish Fregar
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If someone in Rome says “Mi hai fregato!” or in Mexico City you hear “¡Me fregaste!”, they’re both saying “You tricked me!” or “You screwed me up!” These phrases, built on the verbs fregare (Italian) and fregar (Mexican Spanish), show a surprising link between two languages. Let’s break it down, with a peek at Rome’s […] More