27 Aun Más Still Even Yet More Fun Things This American Has Learned About The Spanish Language

I think we all know the drill by now. If not, you should check out the other installments of this post:

Part one - New to Spanish
Part two - Getting the hang of it
Part three - Hitting my stride
Part four - Finding myself in native territory
Part five - Feel like a native for two minutes before reality hits
Part six - Realizing that I'm nowhere near native
Part eight - Still learning even though I'm not in Spain 

En arroz y habichuelas (Puerto Rican spanish = meat and potatoes)

As you see in the heading, there are many differences between Spain Spanish (SPA) and Latin American Spanish (LAS). I don't know from which part of Latin America you can find these expressions, so that is why they are lumped into one me-being-very-lazy-category. This list is inexhaustible, but here are a few that resonate with me:

1. Carro de bebes (cart of babies) vs. el coche de niños (car for children). Now it makes sense why in North America, you often see children up to 5 years old in them.

2. Zumo vs. jugo (juice). But in Spain jugoso [not zumoso] means "juicy".

3. Coger (to take/grab) vs. (to f*#$). Wow, that is not a slight difference, but a huge, potentially disastrous difference! This is not something you want to confuse. Imagine cogiendo su abuelo (his/her grandfather)... or maybe better not to imagine it.

False acquaintances

4. Ultramarino - sounds like some sort of super sailor or Popeye on steroid-laced spinach, but it is actually what they called a small store that sold a bit of everything. Similar to what we used to call a General Store in USA.

5. Sobremesa - sounds like a centerpiece or tablecloth, but it actually refers to the conversation that Spanish people have during and after meals.

Words that make you go "hmm"

6. Nini - ni trabajo, ni estudio - someone who doesn't work nor goes to school. A bum.

7. Americanada - typical American saying or behavior, or an American movie. Not "America nothing".

8. Ininterrumpidamente - without interruption. It's just a really long and difficult word to say.

9. Fulano - "so and so" or "what's-his-name".

10. Cojear - to be flawed / un cojo - someone with a limp or messed up walk. Not to be confused with (yo) cojo, which means "I take".

11. Tiovivo - a carrousel, not a "lively uncle".

12. Ganaría - just say it out loud. It means "I/he/she/it would win" but it sounds like "gonorrhea". 

Many meanings of dar

13. Dar - to give 
+ hambre = to make hungry
+ miedo = to scare
+ de comer = to feed
+ pena = to feel sorry for
+ las gracias = to give thanks
+ risa = to make someone laugh
+ pie = to give cause for
+ alcance = to catch up with 

I (don't) get paid to tell jokes

14. What did one spanish chair say to the other when it was leaving? Silla! - see ya - (chair)

15. What did the irritated young man say to the girl that thought he was a girl too? Me voy - me boy - (I'm leaving)

16. The frightened woman asked the Spanish cruise ship captain on the sinking ship, "I should call for help right?" And he replied, "Eso es." - SOS - (SOS)

Things that I just figured out I've been saying wrong

17. Asparagus = espárrago, but I've been saying "asparagos"

18. 700 / 900 = Sete cientos / nova cientos, but I've been saying "siete cientos / nueve cientos"

19. European = europeo, but I've been saying "europeano"

20. Sugus is a brand in Spain for fruit-flavored candied squares (what we call Starburst). I remember kids saying this when I was a teacher, but I thought they were just miss pronouncing "sugars" as a way to say candy, until I recently saw these Sugus in the store.

Errors that I can't seem to stop making

21. Gracias para should be gracias por - "thank you for"

22. Has caído algo should be se te ha caido - "You dropped..."

23. La -ema (sistema, tema, lema) should be El -ema

24. Confusing the following: esfuerzo (effort) vs esfuerza (s/he strains) vs esforzarse (to make an effort) vs fuerzo (I force) vs fuerza (strength) vs forzarse (doesn't mean anything)

25. Uno = one, but with time, el uno should be la una - "one o'clock"

26. Confusing the following: amanecer (to begin to get light) vs almacenar (to store something)

27. En seguido should be en seguida - "right away"

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading. Check out the rest of the series:

Part one - New to Spanish
Part two - Getting the hang of it
Part three - Hitting my stride
Part four - Finding myself in native territory
Part five - Feel like a native for two minutes before reality hits
Part six - Realizing that I'm nowhere near native
Part eight - Still learning even though I'm not in Spain

And check out the rest of my adventures in Spain!