Learning Spanish language is incomplete without knowing some words or phrases that you can use in many situations you encounter in life. These are usually small words, or short phrases composed of few words, which help you survive in a country full of speakers of the language you are learning, in our case, Spanish speakers. Some of these phrases are so powerful that they can unlock possibilities for you to be able successfully get your message across. Take for example the simple and indispensable Spanish question: ¿Cómo se dice [English word] en español? Without knowing how to ask this to a native 'hispanohablante' when you encounter a difficult English word to translate in Spanish, you will be stuck in a deadend!!! And all your conversation will be stuck, too! Of course, you want to avoid this at all costs, right?
Alright then! Now it's the reason that it'll do you good to learn useful Spanish phrases! Oh, and don't forget: commit them to memory, so you won't have a hard time saying that word at the tip of your tongue!!! :)
Below are a couple of them! Good luck...
¡Hola! - Hello!
Buenos días - Good morning
Buenas tardes - Good afternoon, Good evening
Buenas noches - Good night
Perdone/Perdón - Excuse me (when calling the attention of somebody)
Lo siento - Sorry (when apologizing)
Señor/Señora/Señorita - Mister/Missus/Miss
¡Adiós! - Goodbye
Hasta luego - See you later
Gracias - Thank you
Muchas gracias - Thank you very much
De nada - You're welcome
Necesito información sobre... - I need information about...
¿Me puede decir dónde puedo...? - Could you tell me where I can...?
¿Dónde hay...? - Where is there ...?
Sí - Yes
No - No
¿Tiene hora? / ¿Qué hora es? - What time is it?
Estoy perdido - I'm lost (when the speaker is a man)
Estoy perdida - I'm lost (for woman)
So, that's it! I hope you enjoyed the list of some useful Spanish phrases, and that you can use them in your travel or stay in a Spanish-speaking country...
¡Adiós, hasta luego!
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Attempt at translating a fable by Aesop
Hello, guys! On this post I will show you my translation of an Aesop fable. I've been translating for years now and this is one of the translation practice sessions I do to keep my translation skills "fit". I hope you like it and as always you comments are welcome!
Source text in English:
The Woodman and the Serpent
One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came closer he saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but thc Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to sting the child to death. So the Woodman seized his axe, and with one stroke cut the Serpent in two. ‘Ah,’ said he,
‘No gratitude from the wicked.’
My translation in Spanish: (I know this isn't perfect, so please help me correct it! thanks :)
El leñador y la serpiente
Un día invernal un leñador iba de trabajo a casa casi marchando cuando vio algo negro tumbado en el suelo cubierto de nieve. Al acercarse vio que era una serpiente que por lo visto estaba muerta. No obstante la recogió y la puso contra su pecho para darle calor mientras de prisa caminó para su casa. En cuanto llegó y entró a su casa reposó la serpiente sobre el suelo junto a la chimenea. Los niños fueron a mirarla y la vieron resucitar lentamente. Luego uno de ellos se inclinó a tocarla pero esta se elevó la cabeza y mostró los colmillos - estaba lista a pegarle al niño una mordedura mortal. Entonces el leñador cogió su hacha y de un golpe partió la serpiente en dos. -Ay-, dijo él -no hay gratitud desde los malvados.
FIN
Thanks for taking a time to read this article. See you next! :D
Source text in English:
The Woodman and the Serpent
One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came closer he saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but thc Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to sting the child to death. So the Woodman seized his axe, and with one stroke cut the Serpent in two. ‘Ah,’ said he,
‘No gratitude from the wicked.’
My translation in Spanish: (I know this isn't perfect, so please help me correct it! thanks :)
El leñador y la serpiente
Un día invernal un leñador iba de trabajo a casa casi marchando cuando vio algo negro tumbado en el suelo cubierto de nieve. Al acercarse vio que era una serpiente que por lo visto estaba muerta. No obstante la recogió y la puso contra su pecho para darle calor mientras de prisa caminó para su casa. En cuanto llegó y entró a su casa reposó la serpiente sobre el suelo junto a la chimenea. Los niños fueron a mirarla y la vieron resucitar lentamente. Luego uno de ellos se inclinó a tocarla pero esta se elevó la cabeza y mostró los colmillos - estaba lista a pegarle al niño una mordedura mortal. Entonces el leñador cogió su hacha y de un golpe partió la serpiente en dos. -Ay-, dijo él -no hay gratitud desde los malvados.
FIN
Thanks for taking a time to read this article. See you next! :D
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