Idiomatic Anecdotes

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So, of course, I´m running into some linguistic surprises, and I´d like to start collecting them here for posterity. Some are ironic, some are just ridiculous, and some are phrases you may never hear in Spanish 101. I´ll update it periodically. Keep in mind that several of these come straight from the mouths of babes, as I live with an 11 year old and a 7 year old. Feel free to add others that you´ve come across in the comments section!

Joyeria: no, they don´t sell joy, they sell jewellery, but I suppose that to some women, that´s the same thing (remember Adebola?)

¨¡Picale en las pelotas!¨: a phrase I hope never to have to use (I learned it watching the aforementioned Vin Diesel movie).

¨Tengo que hacer caca.¨ thank you for telling me, Pedrito.

El cancer de las tetones: this will get you strange looks at the dinner table. I´m not sure quite how bad it was, but it´s something like saying boob cancer or tit cancer.

¨Tengo mierdo.¨ be careful with this. Instead say ¨Tengo miedo.¨ It´s an important distinction.

101 ways to insult your brother or sister:
¨(insert offending sibling´s name here) es tonto.¨
¨(insert offending sibling´s name here) es idiota.¨

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Comments

[Auds]

'embarrassing' phrases
Here's one I learned the hard way: If you want to say your embarrassed, DON'T say "Estoy embarazada", which means "I'm pregnant". "Tengo verguenza" is more appropriate! Oh yeah - here's a weird one. As far as I know, there's not a separate word for "borrow" in Spanish. To lend is 'prestar' and to borrow is 'tomar prestado'.

[cisco]

good words everyone should know
Hey, I'm glad that insults in spain are virually identical to mexico. Your pictures look great and I hope you continue to have fun. Dont forget to talk to the local boys and teach them some palabras cochinas en Ingles. I'll keep check in on you from time to time dog. See you later Michellio

[Todd]

Oops!
I bet you Tenga Verguenza depuis saying that "Yo estoy embarazada." I've made the mistake myself in Portugues - except you get even stranger looks when you say this as a guy! Cheers Chellio!