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Spanish from real-life situations
Hay que pagar en la caja
Jul 12th
LA CAJA
En Chile, la caja no solo significa que es un recipiente de diferentes tamaños que sirve para guardar cosas, sino que también, es el nombre que se da al lugar en el que pagas algo que compras o pagas tu cuenta directamente.
Quizás el nombre que se atribuye a la caja viene del significado original “sirve para guardar algo” que en este caso es dinero o “la plata”.
En la foto por ejemplo, si compras un kilo de longanizas (tipo de salchicha), las pides en el mostrador y las pagas en la caja.
Hay que pagar en la caja (You have to pay in More >
El Parque estará cerrado
Jun 28th
Vecino: Comunicamos a Ud. que por trabajos de mantención, el parque estará cerrado los días lunes. Rogamos disculpar las molestias.
VOCABULARIO – VOCABULARY
Vecino: Neighbour Comunicar: to communicate, to convey, to tell Ud.: Abbreviation of usted. Trabajo: work Mantención: Maintenance. Parque: Park Cerrado: Closed Día: Days Lunes: Monday Rogar: to beg, to ask for (plead) Disculpar: to forgive Molestia: inconvenience
Note: Mantención is sometimes written as Manutención.
What does the sign mean?
That they are letting the local community know that the park will be closed on Mondays for maintenance work (and sorry for any bother / inconvenience this may incur).
LECTURA – READING
Se utiliza este cartel para indicar que no está permitido el acceso al More >
Playa no apta para el baño
Jun 21st
Playa no apta para el baño
This sign was found at one of the beaches in Viña del Mar, Chile.
VOCABULARIO – VOCABULARY
La playa = the beach Apta = Apt, suitable El baño = bathing, toilet Normally el baño means the toilet, but in this context it refers to bathing as in swimming in the ocean.
Basically the sign says Beach not apt for swimming or No Swimming here!
Some more vocabulary for the text below: El riesgo = the risk La marejada = heavy sea, swell, undercurrent El Salvavidas = lifeguard Peligroso = dangerous Tomar sol = to sunbathe Advertir = to warn La bandera = the flag Aconsejar = to advise
LECTURA – More >
How to have a hangover in Spanish
Jun 16th
How to be Hungover … in Spanish
There are many ways of saying you are hungover in Spanish and today we are going learn some as well as some other useful phrases for the morning after a night on the town.
Kiddies… don’t try this at home …go to a friend’s house instead.
You will need to conjugate (change) the following verbs depending on whether you are hungover, I am hungover, we are hungover, the hairy Hungarian guys in the corner are hungover etc.
TO BE HUNGOVER
Tener una resaca Andar con el hachazo Estar con el hacha (de uso poco común) Andar con More >
Horario de la dirección de tránsito
Jun 14th
Horario de la dirección de tránsito
A photo we took of a road sign at an intersection in Santiago, Chile.
VOCABULARYHorario= schedule, timetable Dirección= direction Tránsito = traffic, transit Símbolo = symbol Rojo = red Línea = line Flecha = arroz Indicar = to indicate, to show, to point to Doblar = to turn, to fold Norma = Norm, rule Regir = to rule, to be in operation, to apply (a law) Izquierda = left Derecha = right Señalización = road sign Festivos = public holidays
Days of the week in Spanish: lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes, sábado, domingo Note that the days of the week in Spanish do NOT More >
No Estacionar Toda La Cuadra
Jun 7th
No Estacionar – Toda La Cuadra Ambos Costados
I found this sign on a post on the side of the road in Santiago, Chile.
The symbol of a red circle with a red diagonal line crossing it universally known as NO (insert thing or activity you aren’t supposed to do)
Notice how there is the letter E instead of a P (for Parking): That is because the E is for Estacionar which means To Park So the sign is saying No Estacionar or No Parking
VOCABULARY Estacionar = To Park Todo = All (the entire) La Cuadra = the block (refering to streets) Ambos = Both Costados = Sides
Be careful not to confuse Cuadra and Cuadro
La More >
Learn something new every day
May 30th
Learn something new in Spanish every day
One of the most important things about learning Spanish (or any language) is to be consistent.
It is best to learn a little every day than try and learn a lot in one day and nothing over the next ones.
The more frequently you have contact with Spanish, the quicker you will learn.
To help you keep in touch with Spanish every day, we have created a Learn Spanish Blog as a part of this site to help you improve your Spanish.
As of Monday 6th of June 2011 we have been publishing the following:
Monday: Spanish Proverbs & More >
