大咖福利影院

False friends.

hilo

What a Gringo thinks it means... a city in Hawaii.

What it really means... thread.

hilo dental = dental floss.

EE-loh

salvaje

What a Gringo thinks it means... to save something of value.

What it really means... wild, savage.

sahl-BAH-hay

papaleo

What a Gringo thinks it means... lion king.

What it really means... paperwork.

pah-pah-LAY-oh

What's the difference?

What's the difference between cuarta, cuarenta y cuartito?

una cuarta is one fourth of something.

Ponme una cuarta de esa pizza.
Give me a quarter of that pizza.

cuarenta is the number 40.

cuartito is a small room.

Masaje est谩 disponible en un cuartito por detr谩s de esa peluquer铆a.
Massage is available in a little room behind that hair salon.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between bata, cata y lata?

una bata is a robe or housecoat.

una cata is a taste or tasting.

una lata is a can.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between pata, rata y azafata?

una pata is an animal's leg.
una pierna is a human leg.

una rata is a rat.
un rat贸n is a mouse.

azafata is a flight attendant.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between huevo, hueso y hueco?
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un huevo is an egg.听

un hueso is a bone.

un hueco is a hole.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between jugo, juego y juguete?
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jugo means juice.听 HOO-goh

juego means game.

un juguete is a toy.听 hoo-GET-ay

What's the difference?

What's the difference between coste帽o, costado y costoso?
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肠辞蝉迟别帽辞: coastal, of or from the coast.

costado:聽 side.
No Estacione En Este Costado = Do Not Park On This Side

costoso:聽 costly or difficult.

滨诲颈辞尘:听 costarse mucho = to be difficult (for someone)
Me cuesta mucho llegar a tiempo a las ocho y media de la ma帽ana.
It's hard for me to arrive at 8:30 a.m.

False friends.

colegio

What a Gringo thinks it means... college.

What it really means... high school (or school).

蹿谩产谤颈肠补

What a Gringo thinks it means... fabric.

What it really means... factory.

suceso

What a Gringo thinks it means... success.

What it really means... an event.

A word for "success" is 茅虫颈迟辞 (another false friend).

False friends.

disponible

What a Gringo thinks it means... disposable.

What it really means... available.

Pronounced diss-poh-NEE-blay.

factura

What a Gringo thinks it means... factory.

What it really means... invoice, bill or receipt.

postre

What a Gringo thinks it means... poster.

What it really means... dessert.

A word for "poster" is cartel.听

Pronounce it POCE-tray.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between a perdedor, a pescador and a pecador?
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perdedor is a loser.

pescador is a fisherman.

pecador is a sinner.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between the verbs enfriar, freir y farrear?

enfriar is to cool or chill.

freir means "to fry."

farrear means "to party."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between foto, loto y moto?

foto is a photograph.听 (It is feminine:聽 la foto.)

loto is lotus, such as the flower or fragrance.

moto means motorcycle.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between boto, noto y roto?

boto means "I bounce" or "I throw out."聽 From the root verb botar.
No botar铆a demasiadas de estes antiguos vestidos.聽 I wouldn't throw out too many of these old dresses.

noto means "I notice."聽 From the verb notar.

roto means "broken."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between boca, beca y barca?

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boca means mouth.

beca means scholarship.

barca is a small boat or rowboat.

Name that t'ing.

How many of these ten animals and insects do you know?

gato聽 rana聽 caballo聽 oso聽 lobo聽 carnero聽 hormiga聽 perro聽 mosca聽 loro
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gato...聽 cat

rana...聽 frog

caballo...听 horse

oso...聽 bear

lobo... wolf

carnero... ram

hormiga...聽 聽ant

perro...听 dog

mosca...聽 fly

loro...聽 parrot

What's the difference?

What's the difference between descanso, descalzo y alcanzar?
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un descanso is a work-break or a rest.

descalzo is an adjective meaning barefoot.听 The feminine form is descalza.
descalzarse is a verb meaning "to take off one's shoes."

alcanzar is a verb that means "to reach."

Juan alcanz贸 la rama m谩s alta del enorme 谩rbol.
Juan reached the tallest branch of the huge tree.

descanso, descalzo y alcanzar - some usages

The expression fuera de (mi) alcance:
Mantenga fuera del alcance de los ni帽os - Keep (it) out of the reach of children
Oh, esta casa de lujo es fuera de mi alcance - Oh, that deluxe/luxury house is out of my reach

And since descalzo is barefoot, then calzado means wearing shoes, and/or footwear:
Ojal谩 que encontramos una tienda de calzados, mis pies duelen por estos zapatos apretados - I hope we find a shoe store, my feet hurt from these tight shoes

Some phrases relating to descanso:
En la tumba habr谩 mucho tiempo para descansar - There'll be plenty of time to rest in the grave (my late Grandmother Hope, God rest her soul, used to always say this)
La pereza no es m谩s que el h谩bito de descansar antes de estar cansado - Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired
隆Qu茅 ganas de trabajar que tengo! Voy a descansar un rato a ver si se me pasa - What a desire I have to work!聽 I'm going to rest a bit and see if it passes

News Headlines -- Wednesday, May 17, 2017....

U.S. Justice Department Names Independent Special Counsel to Investigate Russiagate

Departamento de Justicia EEUU Nombra a Independente Abogado Especial Para Investigar 'Russiagate'

New Counsel is Robert Mueller, Who Was FBI Director 2001-2013 and Is Ex-Boss of Fired FBI Chief James Comey

Nuevo Abogado Es Robert Mueller, Ex Director del FBI (2001-2013) y Ex Jefe de Director Despedido James Comey

Wall Street: Dow's Biggest One-Day Drop Since the 2016 Election -- Over 370 Points

Wall Street:聽 P茅rdida la M谩s Grande en Promedio Dow Desde la Elecci贸n de 2016 -- M谩s Que 370 Puntos

What's the difference?

What's the difference between picar, pitar y pisar?
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picar means "to sting."

pitar means "to whistle" or "to honk" (with a car horn).

pisar means "to step on."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between especial, espacial y esparcir?

especial means "special."

espacial is an adjective meaning "having to do with space."
traje espacial = space suit.

esparcir is a verb meaning "to spread" or "to scatter."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between hogar, ahogar y ahorcar?

hogar means home.听

ahogar means to choke or strangle or drown.

ahorcar means to hang (execute by hanging).

Note that the 'h' is silent in the above Spanish words.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between the verbs amar, asar, atar y averiguar?
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amar means "to love."

asar is "to grill."
Pollo asado = grilled chicken.

atar means "to tie" or "to tie together."

averiguar means "to find out" or "to determine" or "to figure out."

What's the difference?

What's the difference between ala, 补濒濒谩, ola y olla?
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An ala is a wing.

补濒濒谩 means "over there."
Mi caballo est谩 补濒濒谩.聽 My horse is over there

An ola is a wave as in ocean waves.

An olla is a pot as in pots and pans.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between aguja, agujero y agua?
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aguja means needle.
aguja y hilo = needle and thread.


agujero is a hole.
El perro excav贸 un agujero para enterrar su hueso. The dog dug a hole to bury his bone.


agua means water.听 Note that it is feminine although it takes the article el:
El agua est谩 fr铆a.聽 The water is cold.

What's the Difference?

What's the difference between 尘铆辞, 濒铆辞 y 迟铆辞?
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尘铆辞 means mine, as in Eso es 尘铆辞... That is mine.听 惭铆补 is the feminine version, for instance, a woman saying Esa cosa es m铆a... That thing is mine.

The word for the noun "mine" as is gold mine is mina.

濒铆辞 means mess, as in Este cuarto es un 濒铆辞... This room is a mess.

迟铆辞 means uncle.听 Aunt is 迟铆补.

What's the Difference?

What's the difference between quisquilla, rosquilla y mantequilla?
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quisquilla is a triviality or matter of little importance.

rosquilla is a donut, also called dona.

mantequilla is butter, sometimes called manteca.

False friends.

colorado

What a Gringo thinks it means ... best skiing in North America.

What it means in Spanish... red.

nevada

What a Gringo thinks it means... birthplace of North American casino gambling.

What it means in Spanish...snowfall.

尘辞苍迟补帽补

What a Gringo thinks it means... a Western state bordering on Canada.

What it really means... mountain.

False friends.

decepcionado

What a Gringo thinks it means... deceived.

What it really means... disappointed, from the verb decepcionar, to disappoint.

Cuando llegaste tarde por una hora, me estaba decepcionado.
When you arrived an hour late, I was disappointed.


saber

What a Gringo thinks it means... a sword.

What it means in Spanish... to know (something).听

Me gustar铆a saber donde vives.聽 I would like to know where you live.

Another verb, conocer, means "to know" in the sense of "to be familiar (with)."


abrumador

What a Gringo thinks it means... a guy with a broom.

What it really means... overwhelming.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between cuna, cana y 肠补帽补?

cuna = crib or cradle.

cana = white hair.

肠补帽补 = cane (for walking) or rod (fishing).听 The word 产补蝉迟贸苍 also means this type of cane.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between imprimir, deprimir y exprimir?

imprimir = to print

deprimir = to depress

exprimir = to squander or squeeze

What's the difference?

What's the difference between casa, casada y cansada?

casa = house or home

casada means married (female, singular).

cansada means tired or exhausted (also female singular).

Male versions:

Los dos hombres 补濒濒谩 son casados a amigas miyas.聽 The two men over there are married to (female) friends of mine.

Me siento cansado tras mover mis muebles a mi nueva casa.聽 I feel tired after moving my furniture to my new home.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between mensaje, masaje y musgo?

mensaje is a message.

masaje is a massage.

musgo means moss.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between costa, costar y acostar?

la costa聽 = the coast

costar = to cost
Cuesta dos d贸lares.聽 It costs two dollars.

Also, the idiom costarse mucho, to be difficult.
Los cuesta mucho caminar tal distancia. It's difficult for them to walk such a distance.

acostar = to lie down.

What's the difference?

What's the difference between 补谤补帽补, 补谤补帽补r y arancel?
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补谤补帽补 = spider

补谤补帽补r = to scratch or scrape

arancel = a tariff or duty

Pero a ella no le importo un bledo
Not Pero a ella no la importo un bledo.
Practice makes perfect!
You're getting there though.

Agujero means a small hole. Not proper or large enough for the bone. A needle has an agujero.
El perro enterr贸 el hueso en el hueco.
The dog buried the bone in the hole.

Bravo, you even used the accents on it. Excellent!
Now, we won't have excuses on how Spanish is impossible to learn for
"miembros de la tecera edad" or is it "cuarta" In their case 鈽癸笍

I do largely agree with you - but I also recognize that everyone has a different capacity for learning language, and that often the earlier one starts the more successful one can be.听 However even though I was bilingual in German and English by the age of 4, I do not now retain any German.听 However I'm told I have a good accent when I try to speak a very few phrases.听 Noch ein Bier, bitte.听 Andere M眉tter haben auch sch枚ne T枚chter.

But I was fortunate to begin to learn Spanish at the age of 11 in Ecuador.听 Certainly that has helped me a lot.听 But also in life I have had to learn and re-learn many things all the way along the journey.听 Others perhaps traveling more comfortably have not been forced to do so like I have.

So we all have many factors in play - youth, necessity, innate capacity for languages - and I have learned, mostly due to my deficiencies in so many areas, not to be harsh or so critical of others when they struggle with something that I find easy - and vice versa.

Instruye al ni帽o en su camino,
Y aun cuando fuere viejo no se apartar谩 de 茅l.