I’ve jotted down bits and pieces of Spanish from the news, telenovelas, etc.
Cabos Sueltos
In a notebook I saw random phrases/words that I’d written down. Before I get into that, how does one say ‘bits and pieces’ or ‘odds and ends’ in Spanish? ‘Cosas’ or ‘objetos’ seem to plain or basic.
- cabos sueltos? {loose ends}
- chucherías? {trinkets, knick knacks}
- baratijas? {knick knacks}
I find it so interesting to discover words, phrases, etc in another language.
Vocabulary
I’d better list the vocab now before I spend hours exploring more phrases online (Una cosa lleva a la otra).
+por el contrario {on the contrary, on the other hand}
+ya era pensionada {he was already a pensioner}
+ya estaba jubilado {he was already retired}
+yo tengo pendiente
+no he escrito ni una palabra {I have not written a word}
+fecha límite {deadline}
+políglota {polyglot, multilingual}
+es lo que se viene {that is what is coming}
+que sea inspirador {that is inspiring -or depending on context- let it be inspiring}
+hay gente que no se da cuenta {there are people who do not realize}
+muy de calle {I could not find a good translation. Maybe 'slang' or 'informal'? Context: something one would say in the street}
+sonido de fondo {background sound}
+podía haber dicho esto mejor {I could have said this better}
+el sentido que le quieras dar a la oración {the meaning you want to give to the sentence}
+buen equilibrio {good balance}
+me saca de la rutina {it takes me out of the routine}
+...no debía haber... {there shouldn't be / I shouldn't have}
+una voz extraña {a strange voice}
+hoja de cálculo {spreadsheet}
+el tiempo es un recurso no renovable {Time is a nonrenewable resource}
+yo prefiero que alguien me diga que no sabe a que me diga que sabe y no sepa {I prefer someone to tell me that they do not know than to tell me that they know and do not know}
+hay que estar bien pendientes {you have to be well aware / or maybe 'alert'?}
+Dejaron libre al hombre por falta de pruebas {The man was released for lack of evidence}
+algo debe de haber {there must be something}
+Que ni se le ocurre acercarselo {That does not even occur to him}
+tenemos que respetarlos {we have to respect them}
+No creo que sea buena idea {I don't think it would be a good idea}
+ojalá sigamos así {I hope we continue like this}
+me quedan nada más dos materias {I only have two classes left}
+a mi solo se me ocurra pensar que {I only think that}
+que emocion que estes aqui {what a thrill you're here / I'm so happy that you're here}
+si tal vez tengas razón {yes maybe you are right}
+si vas a hacer berrinches {if you are going to throw tantrums/fits}
+pero para que eso suceda {but for that to happen}
+sin lugar a dudas {without a doubt}
+no exageres {do not exaggerate}
+No era necesario que tu vinieras por mi {It was not necessary for you to come for me}
+Ya sé que hubieras preferido que Rafael viniera por ti {I know that you would have preferred that Rafael come for you}
+paulatino (formal...used more in writing) {gradual}
+tres días feriados {three days of holidays}
+uso cotidiano {everyday use / daily use}
+Me desprendo de las cosas materiales {I detach myself from material things}
+ánimo {see below}
+aguante {endurance, stamina, grit}
+Ella es una persona de mucha aguante {She is a person of great endurance}
+Nunca se da por vencida {he/she never gives up}
+El esta cojeando {He is limping}
+Hasta donde yo sé {as far as I know}
+Que sepa yo {as far as I know}
+aguinaldo {Christmas bonus}
+a su manera {in their own way}
+al contado {cash / cash down}
+Andamos muy apenados los dos {?}
+me da pena {I'm ashamed / I feel sorry)
+estoy avergonzado {I am ashamed}
(challenging to translate these two exactly)
+de ahí y adelante {from there and forward / or maybe 'going forward'}
+para que no se extendiera {so that it did not spread}
+al final del día estaba exhausto {at the end of the day I was exhausted}
+un español más rebuscado {a more elaborate Spanish}
+rebuscado {elaborate / far-fetched}
+los números si subieron un poco {the numbers did go up a bit}
+inmunidad de masa {mass immunity / herd immunity}
+pedacito {small piece / bit}
?Sentence or Prayer?
I’d forgotten that sentence and prayer both translate to ‘oración’: el sentido que le quieras dar a la oración
- google translate: the meaning you want to give to the sentence
- spanishdict.com: the meaning you want to give to prayer
Very different meanings! A prayer can be a sentence but a sentence is often not a prayer. Only the context clarifies.
Ánimo & Animarse
This is an interesting word that’s used in Mexico. It can be used as a noun or verb. Challenging to translate.
ánimo {cheer up! Courage!} but in English I can’t think of a single word to say like ánimo in Spanish.
animarse por fin esta fiesta está empezando a animarse {liven/heat up}.
Él estaba tan asustado y no podía animarse {He was so scared and couldn’t be cheered up}