As the old song goes, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," in any language! That said, as there are an abundance of ways to describe the concept of "breaking up" in a relationship in Spanish, we thought we'd introduce you to several, many of which are featured in videos from our Yabla Spanish library.
Interestingly, many common verbs with different meanings in everyday use can also mean "to break up" in Spanish in certain contexts. The way one chooses to speak about "breaking up" in Spanish will depend upon both regional tendencies and personal preference. Let's take a look at some of them:
Starting with an example from our lesson on the verb acabar, literally meaning "to finish with," acabar con is one manner of saying "to break up" in Spanish:
Pienso acabar con mi novio.
I'm planning to break up with my boyfriend.
The Spanish verb terminar also means "to finish," but it can also mean "to break up." So, naturally, terminar a alguien (literally "to finish someone") means "to break up with" that person. We encounter these expressions a lot in Colombian series like Los Años Maravillosos and Confidencial: El rey de la estafa:
Van a terminar.
They're going to break up.
Caption 64, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 8
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Andrea, Andrea, no me diga que es en serio
Andrea, Andrea, don't tell me it's serious
que usted me va a terminar.
that you're going to break up with me.
Caption 47, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 3
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Literally meaning "to cut" or "cut off," cortar is yet another Spanish verb used to speak about "breaking up" with someone:
No está enamorado de Andrea
He's not in love with Andrea
y no sabe cómo cortarla.
and doesn't know how to break up with her.
Caption 89, Muñeca Brava - 48 - Soluciones
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The Spanish verb dejar means "to leave." Let's look at an example where the verb dejar in the preterite tense has been translated as "broke up with":
Salía con un chico,
She was dating a guy,
pero la dejó hace dos semanas.
but he broke up with her two weeks ago.
Captions 54-55, El Aula Azul - La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y persona ideal
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Although this sentence may alternatively have been translated as "he left her two weeks ago," the English expression "to leave someone" is arguably used more commonly to talk about abandoning a longer-term relationship. So, in this context, where someone appears to have been dating someone for a shorter time, "to break up with" serves as a viable translation for the verb dejar.
Although the Spanish verb pelearse typically means "to fight," "have an argument," or even "come to blows with," in certain countries like Argentina, it can also mean "to break up":
More, vos acabas de pelearte con Tomás,
More [Morena], you just broke up with Tomas,
Caption 49, Yago - 10 Enfrentamientos
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That said, should you hear se pelearon (literally "they fought") or están peleados (they're in a fight), additional clarification may be required. While in certain regions or contexts, these two utterances might simply describe people "in a fight" or "mad at each other," in others, they can mean "they broke up," "split up," or "are broken up" temporarily.
6. Romper con
The verb romper in Spanish can mean to "to break," as in an object, but when combined with the preposition con (with), it can additionally mean "to break up":
Ella rompió con su novio hace dos semanas.
She broke up with her boyfriend two weeks ago.
Of course, the verb romper could also be used to describe the "breaking" of one's heart following the breakup:
A las niñas,
Girls,
les rompen el corazón.
they get their hearts broken [literally, "they break their hearts"].
Captions 44-45, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 4
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Vamos a terminar ("Let's conclude," in this context) this lesson with two terms that should be easy to remember since they are very similar to their English counterparts:
The Spanish verb separarse means "to get separated":
Pasa que mis viejos se separaron, por eso.
It so happens that my parents got separated, that's why.
Caption 38, Muñeca Brava - 30 Revelaciones
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As you might guess, the Spanish verb divorciarse means "to get divorced":
Pero... como mis papás se divorciaron cuando yo tenía dos años
But... since my parents got divorced when I was two years old,
y mi mamá no se volvió a casar...
and my mother didn't remarry...
Captions 54-55, La Sub30 - Familias
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Now that we've provided you with a multitude of ways to say "to break up" in Spanish, te dejamos. But don't worry! We're not breaking up with you. We're just saying goodbye for today— and don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.
Do you know how to say goodbye in Spanish? Believe it or not, there are many different ways to say goodbye in Spanish. In this lesson, we will review some of the standard terms you can use as well as other alternative ways of saying goodbye in Spanish slang. Let's take a look.
If you want to know the most standard way of saying goodbye in Spanish, adiós is your go-to term. Let's hear how to pronounce it:
Adiós. -Adiós.
Goodbye. -Goodbye.
Caption 50, Cita médica - La cita médica de Cleer
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Bueno, mucho gusto, Ana. -Mucho gusto.
Well, nice to meet you, Ana. -Nice to meet you.
Adiós. -Adiós.
Goodbye. -Goodbye.
Captions 67-68, Conversaciones en el parque - Cap. 3: ¿De quién es esta mochila?
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The preposition hasta (usually translated as "until" or "even" in English) is quite useful when we want to say bye to someone. While the following expressions are not as literal as adiós, people use them often when they want to say goodbye in Spanish. The idea here is, "Let's meet at some point in the future." Let's take a look:
Así que, ¡nos vemos muy pronto!
So, see you very soon!
¡Hasta luego!
See you later!
Captions 83-84, Amaya - Mi burro Pepe
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¡Adiós, amigos de Yabla, hasta pronto!
Bye, friends of Yabla, see you soon!
Caption 51, Ariana - España
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Gracias por su atención y hasta la próxima.
Thank you for your attention, and see you next time.
Hasta luego.
See you later.
Captions 74-75, Carlos explica - Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para'
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Hasta mañana, Ivo. -Chau, mi amor. -Chau.
See you tomorrow, Ivo. -Bye, my love. -Bye.
Chau, papá. -Chau.
Bye, dad. -Bye.
Captions 79-80, Muñeca Brava - 43 La reunión
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Bueno, os esperamos por Madrid.
Well, we await you in Madrid.
¡Hasta la vista!
So long!
Captions 91-92, Marisa en Madrid - Parque de El Retiro
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Are you wondering how to say bye in Spanish in the shortest possible way? Look no further. These slang terms, taken from the standard Italian manner of saying goodbye (ciao), are the words you're looking for. Let's see how to pronounce chao and chau:
Bueno... Nos vemos en la casa, chao.
OK... See you at home, bye.
Caption 53, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 9
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...porque ahora tengo un compromiso. Claro.
...because now I have an appointment. [Is that] clear?
Chau, Andrea. -Chau.
Bye, Andrea. -Bye.
Captions 21-22, Muñeca Brava - 2 Venganza
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Ha sido un placer estar con vosotros.
It has been a pleasure being with you.
Nos vemos. Un saludo.
See you. A greeting.
Captions 34-35, Azotea Del Círculo de Bellas Artes - Andrés nos enseña una nueva perspectiva
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Sobres, cuídate.
OK, take care.
Caption 7, El Puesto de Frutas de Javier - Haciendo una ensalada de frutas
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Solamente quería saber si usted estaba vivo todavía.
I just wanted to know if you were still alive.
Suerte, Magoo.
Good luck, Magoo.
Captions 36-37, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 1
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Let's talk about adverbs! In this lesson, we have a big match: afuera vs. fuera. Do you know the meaning of these two words? Let's explore how to use and pronounce these frequently used Spanish adverbs.
As an adverb, afuera refers to a place that is outside of where you are:
Todo lo malo me pasa dentro de esta casa, no afuera.
All the bad things happen to me inside this house, not outside.
Caption 20, Muñeca Brava - 18 - La Apuesta
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Similarly, the adverb fuera is used to talk about the exterior part of something:
Puedes ir a tomar café a una cafetería fuera de la escuela.
You can go to drink coffee at a cafe outside of the school.
Caption 17, El Aula Azul - Las actividades de la escuela
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If you want to indicate that someone is going outside, toward the exterior, or even abroad (with verbs of movement), you can use either afuera or fuera. Both forms are correct and are used indistinctly in both Spain and Latin America. Let's see some sentences:
Vení, vamos afuera.
Come, let's go outside.
Caption 28, Yago - 9 Recuperación
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Cuando los cuatro compañeros nos fuimos a estudiar fuera.
When we four friends went to study abroad.
Caption 7, Escuela de Pádel Albacete - Hablamos con José Luis
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When you want to indicate that someone or something is outside, or when you want to make a reference to the outside world, you use fuera in both Spain and Latin America. However, it is also very common to use afuera throughout the Americas. Let's hear the pronunciation of these two words one more time:
¡Qué lindo que está afuera! ¿No? El clima está divino.
How nice it is outside! No? The weather is divine.
Caption 15, Muñeca Brava - 1 Piloto
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Me doy una buena ducha aquí fuera.
I take a good shower here outside.
Caption 31, Amaya - "Mi camper van"
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Both afuera and fuera can be used as interjections. Generally speaking, you use these interjections when you ask someone to leave a place.
¡Suficiente, fuera de mi casa!
Enough, out of my house!
Caption 61, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 4
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There are several useful idiomatic expressions with the word fuera. Let's see some of them:
Este hombre vive fuera de la realidad, Señoría.
This man lives outside of reality, Your Honor.
Caption 36, Los casos de Yabla - Problemas de convivencia
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Su ropa está fuera de moda.
His clothes are out of fashion.
Caption 8, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 1 - La llegada de Sam
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No hay nada fuera de lo normal.
There isn't anything out of the ordinary.
Caption 38, Negocios - Empezar en un nuevo trabajo
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That's it for today. We hope this review helps you to use correctly the adverbs fuera and afuera. As you could see throughout this lesson, more than talking about afuera vs fuera, we should really treat this subject as afuera = fuera! Keep that in mind and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions.
Today, we'll share with you the meaning of the interjection hala, a short slang term that's typical of the kind of Spanish people speak in Spain. Let's look at the meaning, uses, and spelling of this interjection.
When it comes to its various meanings, hala can be used in the following ways:
1. To express encouragement or disbelief. It works like the English expression "come on":
Bueno, y si no puedes... ten cuidado.
Well, and if you can't... be careful.
Oh... No importa.
Oh... It doesn't matter.
¡Hala!, ¡hasta luego! -OK.
Come on! See you later! -OK.
Captions 55-58, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 2: Sam va de compras
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2. To express surprise, sort of like "Wow".
3. To get someone's attention, just like the English "Hey".
4. To express the regular, repetitive beat of a march. In this case, you need to repeat the interjection (hala, hala).
One of the easy things about this interjection is its spelling. In fact, the only thing you need to know is that you can use either hala, ala, or alá to express the things we mentioned above.
As you know, soccer/football is a big thing in Spain. Even if you aren't a soccer/football fan, you are probably familiar with the Real Madrid and Barcelona teams. But why are we mentioning this? Well, because one of the most common expressions you'll hear from Real Madrid fans is "hala Madrid," which means "let's go Madrid". In this case, hala conveys its meaning as an expression of encouragement.
Finally, it is worth saying that some people in Bogota, Colombia, tend to use the interjection ala when they want to get the attention of someone in a very nice way.
It can also be used to express surprise. In fact, one of the most typical expressions you can use in Bogota for indicating surprise is "Ala carachas," which is sort of saying "Wow". If you ever go to Bogota and use that expression among locals, you'll be sure to blow everyone away.
And that's it for this lesson. We hope you liked it and don’t forget to send us your feedback and suggestions.
Unlike other Latin American countries, Spanish in Argentina was heavily influenced by Portuguese and Italian languages (from the massive immigration at the beginning of the 20th century). With that being said, let's take a look at some of the most popular Argentine slang words and terms:
It’s a term that seems to come from wakcha in Quechua, the language spoken by the indigenous people in Cuzco, Perú. In Argentina and many other countries, it’s a derogatory word used to describe someone who has lost both their parents.
No, no, no, no tiene padres, es guacha. -¡Padre!
No no, no, she hasn't got parents, she's a bastard. -Father!
Caption 11, Muñeca Brava - 1 Piloto - Part 1
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The term comes from the old lunfardo [criminal slang tango composers used in many of their lyrics] and contrary to what most people think it’s not a derogatory term although it’s not a word you’d use in environments of respect such as your workplace, university or at a doctor’s office.
¿No viste esa mina?
Did you see that chick?
Caption 35, Muñeca Brava - 1 Piloto - Part 6
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The origin of the expression is unclear. The most widely accepted story is that comes from the 1920s in Argentina, when students playing hookey would go to the bars to play pool. Since most of them were new players, and the risk of them tearing the green felt surface of the pool table increased with every kid who arrived, the waiters were given the order “not to give them balls” which was also a way to “ignore” them. So today, used in its negative form, it means “to ignore” and used in its affirmative form it means just the opposite “to pay attention”.
Pero si a vos no te dio bola. ¿Qué te importa?
But she didn't even look at you. What do you care?
Caption 7, Muñeca Brava - 1 Piloto - Part 7
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Boludo is a former insult that has been misused so much that it has become something else. The origin of this word (that can be used as an adjective or noun) lies in the term bolas (balls) and yes, someone boludo is someone with big balls. It’s not clear why it has been used to describe a fool, though. However, in Argentina almost every informal sentence has the word boludo or boluda in it. It has become a way to address someone you are very, very familiar with.
Sí, pero a veces se cae uno a la tierra, boludo, y camina.
Yes, but sometimes one falls to the earth, idiot, and walks.
Caption 39, Muñeca Brava - 48 - Soluciones - Part 4
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It’s an old term that has its origins in the 1920s. It's a derogative way to call women of lower classes and/or those women whose lack of manners make them look like someone from a lower class. There’s a Tango song called “Chirusa” about a poor woman who fell in love with a rich man who was only toying with her. In Muñeca Brava, Milagros is considered a chirusa because of her status as a maid at a manor full of rich people.
¿Qué es chirusa?
What is chirusa?
Y, se podría considerar una mujer vulgar.
And, it could be considered a vulgar woman.
Captions 45-46, Carlos y Cyndy - Comentario sobre Muñeca Brava
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The bailanta is a discotheque where they play cumbia, and other kinds of tropical music. In Argentina, people who go to the bailanta are considered of a lower class. As it happens in the episodes of Muñeca Brava, Mili goes to the bailanta because she likes the kind of popular music they play there and also the social environment of the place.
You can see that Ivo is disgusted by it because he comes from a wealthy family and probably goes dancing at other discotheques where they play electronic music or other kinds of tunes associated with a higher socio-cultural level.
Tranquilizate. Vamos a la bailanta, loco.
Calm down. Let's go the club, man.
Caption 71, Muñeca Brava - 18 - La Apuesta - Part 2
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The origin of the word colectivo comes from the early days of taxicabs. When, because of the economy, taxis became too expensive for a large portion of the population, they put in place a sort of carpooling service where two or more strangers would share the ride and split the cost. As more and more people began sharing the same taxi, transportation companies saw this trend as an opportunity and built larger taxicabs which they called colectivo coming from the word “collective” since they transported a group of people in them.
In Argentine slang, another way to refer to the colectivo is bondi. Since the colectivo is one of the least expensive ways to travel, a recently founded airline in Argentina named themselves “flybondi” and offer low-cost flights within Argentina.
No crea, ¿eh? En bondi, eh... en colectivo, llego al toque.
Not really, huh? By bondi [slang for "bus"], um... by bus, I get here in a jiffy.
Caption 32, Muñeca Brava - 47 Esperanzas - Part 6
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Argentinians use the word che in almost every sentence. It's an interjection with no specific meaning, used to get someone's attention. It is unclear where the word comes from, although there are several theories. Some people say it comes from the Mapuches indigenous people, in whose language che means “person”.
Another theory suggests it comes from the sound someone makes when they want to be heard, very similar to the “pstt” but more like “chh”. Che is used during conversations (never in formal speech) the same way you would use the word “hey!” or at the end of the sentence, as a tag, in a conversation.
Che boluda... ¿qué te pasa? Estás como loca hoy.
Hey silly [potentially insulting, not amongst close friends]... what's up? Today you're like crazy.
Caption 3, Cuatro Amigas - Piloto - Part 3
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Rajar connotes urgency. When people use rajar at the moment of firing an employee or when they ask somebody to leave, the idea is to do it “immediately.” Let's see an example:
"La voy a hacer rajar". "Rajar", ¿qué significa? Significa "la voy a hacer echar". -Mmm.
"La voy a hacer rajar." "Rajar," what does it mean? It means "I'm going to get her fired." -Mmm.
Captions 72-74, Carlos y Cyndy - Comentario sobre Muñeca Brava
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The term arrugar literally means “to wrinkle”. In the context of physical combat, when one of the fighters gets scared, insecure or for any reason doesn’t want to fight, you can easily compare their body language to the action of wrinkling. Today in Argentina the term is used for any situation, not only physical combat. It’s mostly used when somebody dares another person to do something and they agree at the beginning but change their minds at the last minute.
Vine porque tengo muchísimas ganas de cobrar mi apuesta. ¿Qué apuesta? ¿No me digas que arrugaste?
I came because I'm eager to collect my bet. What bet? Don't tell me you're backing out?
Captions 10-12, Verano Eterno - Fiesta Grande - Part 8
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With this last term, we have arrived to the end of this lesson about top Argentinian slang and idiomatic expressions. Now that you’re ready to walk around the streets of Buenos Aires we want to leave you with a final challenge. Do you understand the meaning of the following sentence?:
¡Che, boludo, ese colectivo nos lleva a la bailanta! No arrugues ahora, que vamos a conocer muchas minas.
We hope you enjoy this lesson and don’t forget to send us your feedback and suggestions.
Bravo/brava is an adjective with various meanings in Spanish. We use it when we want to say someone is brave or courageous. In some Spanish-speaking countries, however, bravo/brava is also used as a synonym for angry, mad or upset. This adjective can also help us describe the world around us by meaning rough or fierce. Finally, we also use bravo when we want to acknowledge someone's work in a positive way.
As mentioned above, bravo is synonym for brave or courageous. Let's take a look at the following sentence:
Siendo el más bravo de todos, Miguel fue el primero que saltó del trampolín.
Being the bravest of all, Miguel was the first to jump off the diving board.
In some countries such as, for example, Colombia, bravo/brava is used when we want to say that someone is angry or upset:
Kevin, su novia está muy brava. Deb'...
Kevin, your girlfriend is very mad. You nee'...
En este contexto, "brava" es sinónimo de enojada o enfadada.
In this context, "brava," is a synonym of mad or angry.
Captions 17-18, Carlos comenta - Los Años Maravillosos - Forma de hablar
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Bravo is also a very useful word for describing nature. For instance, bravo is a very common adjective when talking about a rough or choppy sea or river. Similarly, when talking about animals, bravo/brava can describe an animal that is fierce.
El agua estaba muy brava, y soplaba un viento muy fuerte.
The water was very choppy, and a very strong wind was blowing.
Captions 30-31, Guillermina y Candelario - Capitan Candelario
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Have you ever been in a theater where people shout "bravo" at the end of a play? Well, in Spanish we also use bravo the same way. However, we also say bravo/brava when we want to tell to someone they did something good, or did a good job. In other words, we use bravo/brava to say "well done" or "good for you."
Apart from that, we also use bravo/brava in various specific situations. For example, when you have to do something you don't want to do, you can say you did it "a la brava" (by force). We also use brava/bravo to express a very strong desire:
¡Oiga, que sed tan brava!
Hey, what a strong thirst!
Caption 52, Kikirikí - Agua - Part 1
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Bravo/brava is also used in the context of sports:
- Barra brava or barrabrava (a group of hooligans in football/soccer)
- "Hacer barra" (to cheer up someone or a team)
That's all for today. We hope this lesson helped you to expand your vocabulary. And don’t forget to send us your feedback and suggestions.
We use idiomatic expressions all the time in our conversations. However, learning to use idiomatic expressions in a foreign language is something that most students find particularly challenging. Let’s find out how to say “a piece of cake,” “raining buckets,” “get away with it,” and “feel like” in Spanish.
In English, when something is extremely easy to do we say that it"s “a piece of cake.” In Spanish, the equivalent expression is pan comido (eaten bread):
porque componer para mí es pan comido.
because for me composing is a piece of cake.
Caption 80, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso - Part 9
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In English, there’re several expressions that can be used to express that it’s raining heavily, for example “to rain buckets” or “to rain cats and dogs.” If we want to express the same idea in Spanish we must use the expression llover a cántaros [literally "to rain jugs"]:
Sí, llueve a cántaros.
Yes, it's raining buckets.
Caption 45, Español para principiantes - Saludos y encuentros
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In English, when someone manages to do something bad without being punished or criticized for it, we say that he/she “gets away with it.” In Spanish, the phrase used to express the same idea is salirse con la suya:
Yo no pienso dejar que esa sifrina se salga con la suya.
I don't plan to let that snob get away with it.
Caption 79, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso - Part 10
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Finally, when we want to say that someone has the desire to do something, we use the expression “to feel like.” In Spanish people use the phrase tener ganas de:
Si tienes ganas de más aventuras,
If you feel like more adventures,
Caption 20, Marta - Los Modos de Transporte
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¿Tienes ganas de practicar más? [Do you feel like practicing more?]. Try finding more idiomatic expressions in our catalog of videos! And don’t forget to send your feedback and suggestions to newsletter@yabla.com.
In this lesson, we will review some very useful idioms and expressions with the verb tener (to have).
Very often, we use idiomatic expressions with tener in the present so let’s review the conjugation of this verb in the present tense:
Yo tengo | I have
Tú tienes | You have
Él/Ella tiene | He/She has
Nosotros tenemos | We have
Vosotros tenéis | You have
Ellos tienen | They have
There are many idiomatic expressions with the verb tener that Spanish speakers use to express physical sensations. These include expressions like tener frío/calor (to be cold/hot), tener hambre (to be hungry) and tener sueño (to be sleepy):
Bueno, pero tengo frío.
Well, but I'm cold.
Caption 31, Natalia de Ecuador - Palabras de uso básico
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Y más que tenemos hambre ya a esta hora.
And plus, we're already hungry at this hour.
Caption 106, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa
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Tenemos sueño.
We are sleepy.
Caption 38, El Aula Azul - Estados de ánimo
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Apart from physical sensations, we can also use the verb tener to express other more psychological states such as tener miedo (to be afraid), tener ganas (to want/to desire), tener prisa (to be in a hurry) and tener vergüenza (to be ashamed):
¡Tengo miedo, tengo miedo, tengo miedo!
I'm afraid, I'm afraid, I'm afraid!
Caption 42, Muñeca Brava - 43 La reunión
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Siento que te cansaste y tienes ganas
I feel that you got tired and you want
Caption 4, Circo - Velocidades luz
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La gente parece que siempre tiene prisa...
People seem to always be in a hurry...
Caption 38, Maestra en Madrid - Nuria y amigo
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En este momento duda porque tiene vergüenza de ir a la escuela.
At this moment she hesitates because she's ashamed to go to school.
Caption 49, Con ánimo de lucro - Cortometraje
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And finally, don’t forget that you also need to use an idiomatic expression with the verb tener when you talk about age:
Tengo veintiún años y soy estudiante de negocios internacionales.
I'm twenty-one years old and I'm a student of international business.
Caption 2, Amigos D.F. - Consejos para la calle
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That's all for now. We challenge you to try finding more idiomatic expressions with the verb tener in our catalog of videos! And don’t forget to send your feedback and suggestions to newsletter@yabla.com.
Let's continue learning idiomatic expressions that use names of body parts. This lesson focuses on the word boca (mouth).
The expression llevarse algo a la boca (literally "to put something in one's mouth") means "to eat." You can see an example in the following quote from our catalog of videos:
que te lleves algo a la boca. -¡Hombre, algo a la barriga!
you put something in your mouth. -Man, something to put into my belly!
Caption 88, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa - Part 10
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Somewhat similar is the expression no tener nada que llevarse a la boca (literally, "to lack something to put in one's mouth"), which basically means "to be very poor."
Two very useful phrases using the word boca (mouth) are boca arriba (face up) and boca abajo (face down):
Túmbese, boca arriba.
Lay down, face up.
Caption 34, Club de las ideas - Técnico en imagen para diagnóstico
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The expression abrir la boca (to open one's mouth) means "to speak out," "to confess or reveal a secret," or "to spill a gossip," depending on the context:
Eso sí, miralo y no abras la boca hasta que volvamos a hablar vos y yo, ¿eh?
Mind you, watch it and don't open your mouth until we speak again, you and I, OK?
Caption 6, Muñeca Brava - 9 Engaños - Part 8
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Also similar is irse de boca (literally "to go mouth on"), that is "to run off at the mouth" or simply "to be indiscreet":
No te habrás ido de boca diciéndole la verdad a ese Sirenio, ¿no?
You wouldn't have been indiscreet by telling that Sirenio guy the truth, right?
Caption 52, Yago - 9 Recuperación - Part 12
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El presidente se fue de boca otra vez.
The president ran his mouth off again.
Finally, keep in mind that irse de boca is also a synonym phrase of caerse de boca (to go headlong, to fall flat on your face). This is a very colloquial expression that you probably won't use in a formal situation:
Se fue de boca y se fracturó la nariz.
He went headlong and fractured his nose.
That's all for now. We challenge you to try finding more expressions using the word boca in our catalog of videos! And don’t forget to send your feedback and suggestions to newsletter@yabla.com.
Let's continue learning idiomatic expressions in Spanish that use body parts. This lesson focuses on the word mano (hand).
The expressions echar una mano (to throw a hand) or dar una mano (to give a hand) mean "to help." Frequently, people use this expression with negation in the interrogative form: ¿no me echas una mano? or ¿no me das una mano? are common ways to ask for help in Spanish:
¿No me das una manita con Pablo?
Won't you give me a little hand with Pablo?
Caption 44, Muñeca Brava - 30 Revelaciones - Part 4
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See? You can even throw in a diminutive like manita (little hand)! Native Spanish speakers use diminutives a lot, so you can use this truquito (little trick) to make your Spanish sound more natural.
Now, dar una mano (to give a hand, to help) is different from dar la mano (literally, "to give the hand"), which means "to shake hands" or "to hold hands." Usually the verb dar (to give) is used with a pronoun in these expressions. So you can say: le doy la mano (I shake his/her/your hand), nos damos la mano (we shake hands, we shake each other's hands). In other cases the pronoun can be added to the verb dar as a suffix, for example: ¡dame la mano! (shake my hand!), or:
En ocasiones más formales también podemos darnos la mano.
For more formal occasions, we can also shake each other's hands.
Captions 11-12, Raquel Presentaciones
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Slightly different is tomar la mano de alguien (to take somebody's hand):
Bachué se despidió llorando y tomó la mano de su esposo.
Bachué said goodbye crying and took her husband's hand.
Caption 49, Aprendiendo con Carlos - América precolombina - El mito de Bachué
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If you add the preposition de (by) you get the expression de la mano (by the hand, holdings hands). Tomar de la mano is "to hold by the hand," estar de la mano is "to be holding hands," cruzar la calle de la mano de tu mamá means "to cross the street holding your mom's hand," and caminar de la mano con tu novia means "to walk with your girlfriend holding hands". Here's one more example:
Un helado, un paseo, tomados de la mano
An ice cream, a stroll, holding hands
Caption 4, Alberto Jiménez - Causalidad - Part 2
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On the other hand, estar a mano (literally, “to be at hand") means "to be even:"
Estaríamos a mano. ¿Eh?
We would be even. Huh?
Caption 30, Muñeca Brava - 2 Venganza - Part 6
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The expression hecho a mano means "made by hand." And the phrase a mano can either mean "by hand":
Los que se pueden coger con la mano desde abajo, se cogen a mano.
The ones that can be picked by hand from below are picked by hand.
Captions 88-89, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa - Part 16
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or "at hand," which can also be spelled a la mano:
Ponte lo que tengas a [la] mano.
Wear whatever you have at hand.
To do something mano a mano (hand in hand) means to do something together:
Los investigadores trabajan con los pescadores mano a mano.
The researchers work with the fishermen hand in hand.
In Mexico, Dominican Republic, and other Spanish speaking countries, people use mano to shorten hermano/a (brother, sister), just like “bro” and “sis” in English. For example: No, mano, así no se hace (No, bro, that's not how you do it), Oye, mana, vámonos a casa (Hey, sis, let's go home).
And that's all for this lesson! Don’t forget to send your feedback and suggestions to newsletter@yabla.com.
The word in Spanish for empathy is empatía, and the word for sympathy is simpatía. You can combine either noun with verbs like tener (to have), mostrar (to show), or expresar (to express), among others:
La gente le tendría simpatía y admiración al mismo tiempo. Y hasta lástima.
People would feel sympathy and admiration for you at the same time. And even pity.
Captions 72-73, Muñeca Brava - 43 La reunión - Part 3
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To use the verbs mostrar and expresar instead of tener, you might say:
La gente le mostraría simpatía | People would show sympathy for you.
La gente le expresaría simpatía | People would express sympathy to you.
But how can you directly express your sympathy to a person? The expressions te tengo simpatía ("I sympathize with you" but also "I like you" in some contexts) and soy empático contigo (I'm empathetic toward you) are correct but not very colloquial. You can use other expressions instead, for example, estoy contigo (I'm with you):
¿Confías en mí? -Sí. Yo estoy contigo.
Do you trust me? -Yes. I'm with you.
Another good way to show support is by simply saying te apoyo (I support you):
Ay, amigui, yo te apoyo.
Oh, friend, I support you.
Caption 8, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso - Part 11
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In the case of more serious situations, for example, when receiving bad news about something, the most common way to show your support is by saying lo siento mucho (I'm very sorry), or the more emphatic cuánto lo siento (literally "how sorry I am"). There are different ways to use these phrases, depending on what you want to say. For example:
Mi papá está muy enfermo. -Oh, lo siento mucho.
My dad is very sick. -Oh, I'm so sorry.
Siento mucho que no puedas visitar a tu familia ahora.
I'm very sorry that you can't visit your family right now.
¡Cuánto lo siento que tuvieras que pasar por eso tú sola!
I'm so, so sorry that you had to go through that all by yourself.
Just pay close attention to the context and tone because, like in English, lo siento is also used commonly in less serious situations:
Lo siento, pequeña, pero aquí las cosas hay que ganárselas.
I'm sorry, little one, but here things have to be earned.
Captions 30-31, NPS No puede ser 1 - El concurso - Part 5
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You can also use lo siento mucho to offer your condolences. Altenatives include te ofrezco mis condolencias (I offer you my condolences) or recibe mis condolencias (receive my condolences), expressions that many people shorten to just mis condolencias (my condolences), or mis más sentidas condolencias (my heartfelt condolences):
Mis condolencias, Sr. Gutiérrez. -Gracias.
My condolences, Mr. Gutierrez. -Thank you.
Finally, showing support is also about extending a helping hand, right? In Spanish you can use expressions such as ¿en qué te puedo ayudar? (how can I help you?), ¿te puedo ayudar en algo? (can I help you with something?), cuenta conmigo (you can count on me), estoy para lo que necesites (I'm here for whatever you need), among others. A very colloquial expression is echar una mano (to lend a hand):
...para echarle una mano a la familia.
...to lend a hand to the family.
Caption 61, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa - Part 5
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We hope you've enjoyed this lesson, and don't forget to leave us your comments and suggestions.
In the first installment of Tu Voz Estéreo, our brand new series from Colombia, we hear a conversation between two not very pleasant characters who are planning to steal a guide dog (ಠ_ಠ!) from his blind owner:
Ay, pero ¿cómo y de cuándo acá nos gustan tanto los perros?
Oh, but how and since when do we like dogs so much?
Caption 9, Tu Voz Estéreo - Laura - Part 1
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The idiom de cuándo acá (since when) is a rhetorical question. In Spanish, asking ¿Desde cuándo te gustan los perros? is not the same as saying ¿De cuándo acá te gustan los perros? The first one is a simple question, while the second one is asked in order to create a dramatic effect of surprise, outrage, disbelief, or disapproval:
¿Y de cuándo acá eres mi juez?
And since when are you my judge?
Órale, ¿de cuándo acá tan bien vestidos? ¿Dónde es la fiesta?
Wow, since when you dress so well? Where's the party?
There are different ways to translate the English expression "how come?" into Spanish. As a standalone expression, you can use questions such as ¿cómo es eso? (literally "how is that"), ¿cómo así? (literally "how this way"), ¿cómo? (how), or ¿por qué? (why). It's important to add a special emphasis to the way you pronounce these questions:
No había nada interesante que hacer. ¿Cómo?
There was nothing interesting to do. - How come?
Captions 38-39, Guillermina y Candelario - Una aventura extrema - Part 1
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But when the expression is part of a sentence (for example, "How come you don't know that?") you can use the idiom cómo que (literally "how that") or cómo es que (how is that):
¿Cómo es que no sabes eso!
How come you don't know that?!
¿Cómo que no trajiste nada de dinero?
How come you didn't bring any money?
You could say that by using this phrase cómo que we're simply omitting the verb decir (to say), as shown in this example:
¿Cómo (dices) que te echaron?
How come (you say) they fired you?
Caption 8, Verano Eterno - Fiesta Grande - Part 5
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In Colombia and other Latin American countries, some people add the word así after que:
¿Cómo así que chucho?
How come it's the chucho?
Caption 33, Festivaliando - Mono Núñez - Part 4
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Thank you for reading!
Let's learn a few abbreviated expressions and words in Spanish. They are really useful to make your Spanish sound more natural:
Entre nos comes from entre nosotros (between us). It's used to indicate that what you are about to say should not be shared with anyone else, it's between you and your interlocutor:
Aquí entre nos, quien sí me importa es Leo.
Between you and me, the one that does matter to me is Leo.
Instead of por favor, you can simply say porfa:
Tranquilo, tranquilo.
Calm down, calm down.
-Tranquilo, pibe, tranquilo. -Gardel, porfa... -Pero...
-Calm down, boy, calm down. -Gardel, please... -But...
Caption 55, Yago - 11 Prisión
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Some people prefer to use porfis for a more playful or silly tone:
Porfis, porfis, reporfis.
Pretty please, pretty please, extra pretty please.
Caption 58, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso
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As in English, there are many words that are usually abbreviated in Spanish. For example most people say bici instead of bicicleta (bicycle), moto instead of motocicleta (motorcycle), refri instead of refrigerador (fridge), conge instead of congelador (freezer), compa instead of compadre (buddy), depa instead of departamento (apartment), or peli instead of película (movie).
A mí que ni me busquen, compa
For me, don't even look, buddy
Caption 51, DJ Bitman - El Diablo
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y ahí nos mo'... nos movíamos en bici,
and from there we mo'... we would move around by bike,
Caption 4, Blanca y Mariona - Proyectos para el verano
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Another classic example of an abbreviated expression in Spanish is the use of buenas as a greeting instead of buenas tardes, buenas noches, or buenos días:
¡Muy buenas, Mar! -Encantada. -Soy de 75 Minutos.
Very good afternoon, Mar! -Delighted. -I'm from 75 Minutes.
Caption 5, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos
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It's also common to use abbreviated versions of names and titles. For example you can use abue instead of abuela (grandmother), ma or pa instead of mamá (mother) and papá (father), poli instead of policía (police, cop), profe instead of profesor (teacher), secre instead of secretaria (secretary), dire instead of director (principal), ñor and ñora instead of señor (sir) and señora (madam) [or seño instead of both], peques instead of pequeños (the little ones, kids), etc.
Felipe López. -Yo lo planché ahorita. -Acá, profe.
Felipe Lopez. -I'll iron it right now. -Here, Teach.
Caption 43, Misión Chef - 2 - Pruebas
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The present subjunctive of the verb ser (to be) is the same in both the first- and third-person singular: sea. This little word is used profusely in Spanish for the most varied purposes. Let's explore and learn a few.
The first person yo (I) uses sea. You can use it to express other people's wishes or expectations placed on you:
Quieres que [yo] sea cuidadosa
You want me to be cautious
or to deny hypothetic situations or conditions:
No es que yo sea mala...
It's not that I'm bad...
The third person (he, she, it) also uses sea. Here are examples using sea to talk about people (he, she). The tricky part is that Spanish usually gets rid of the pronouns él or ella, so you will only hear or see the verb sea.
No importa que sea morena, blanca, rubia o canela
It doesn't matter if she is dark-skinned, white, blonde or brown
Caption 52, Alberto Barros - Mano a mano
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¿Cómo me voy a andar fijando en él por más simpático...
How am I going to go around thinking about him no matter how nice...
alto, caballero y bello que sea?
tall, gentlemanly and handsome he might be?
Captions 74-75, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso
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It's the same when you use sea to, for example, talk about a poisonous mushroom:
Por tocarlo no pasa nada.
Nothing happens by touching it.
Aunque sea mortal.
Even though it's lethal.
Captions 114-115, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa
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However, the use of sea extends far beyond that in Spanish. Many idiomatic expressions use it. For example, the expression sea lo que is used to express fatalistic sentiments. Use this model phrase to learn it: sea + lo que dios mande (literally, let it be what God commands). Note that it uses subjunctive plus subjunctive:
Que sea lo que dios mande
Let it be God's will.
Of course, it's possible to get rid of the pronoun que (that) and combine the phrase with a different verb, like querer (to want):
Sea lo que Dios quiera.
Let it be God's will.
Caption 9, Baile Folklórico de Puerto Rico - Los Bailarines
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But there's also the expression sea lo que sea, literally meaning "let it be whatever it might be," or more simply put: "whatever it may be."
Sea lo que sea, quiero saber la verdad.
I want to know the truth, whatever that may be.
The shorter expression lo que sea (whatever) is even more common:
No es solamente utilizar una moneda local o lo que sea.
It's not just to use a local coin or whatever.
Caption 67, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 4
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...sea hombre, mujer, o lo que sea.
...whether it's a man, a woman or whatever.
Caption 60, Arume - Barcelona
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The clause para que sea (for it to be, so that it is) is also a great addition to your Spanish vocabulary:
Entonces, para que sea una sorpresa también.
So, for it to be a surprise also.
Caption 12, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 10
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Para que sea más fácil, le cortáis por la mitad.
So that it is easier, you cut it in half.
Caption 49, Cómetelo - Crema de brócoli
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Finally, don't forget the expression o sea (I mean, meaning):
¡O sea, esto es más de lo que cualquier chica popular puede soportar!
I mean, this is more than any popular girl could bear!
Caption 1, NPS No puede ser - 1 - El concurso
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We have a gem and we want to share it with you. It's a little slip of the tongue that Rosie, one of the girls in the NPS series, makes while being introduced to a handsome new sports instructor:
Ay, a mí me encanta el deporte y más si el "teacher" está así de bueno.
Oh, I love sports and even more if the teacher is so good-looking.
Rosie's subconscious betrayed her for a moment there, because that's apparently not what she wanted to say, as she immediately corrects her blunder:
Ah, ay, digo, digo si es tan bueno.
Uh, oh, I mean, I mean if he's so good.
The difference between estar bueno (to be good-looking*) vs ser bueno (to be good) is the classic example used to explain the proper way to combine the verbs estar and ser (both meaning "to be") with adjectives, and to understand the sometimes not-so-subtle difference in meaning that results from it: if you use ser, the adjective is a fundamental characteristic of the person or thing you are describing, whereas if you use estar, it's a description of a mood or appearance, something less intrinsic or something not permanent. Having the chance to learn this rule with a pun is priceless, don't you think?
There are many interesting examples of adjectives that change meaning when they are combined with the Spanish verbs ser and estar to describe people. For example, the adjective frío, which means "cold."
You can use this adjective with the verb ser to describe a fundamental characteristic of a person or group of persons:
Lo siento. Pero acá la gente es fría y distante, es una... -¡Mentira!
Sorry. But here the people are cold and distant, it's a... -Lie!
Caption 73, Yago - 10 Enfrentamientos
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But if you say that someone está frío, that can only mean that the person('s body) is actually cold. Here is a grim example:
Está en la cama, muerto. Está frío y azul.
He's on the bed, dead. He’s cold and blue.
That's why, in fact, the combination of the verb estar with the adjective frío is much more commonly used to describe objects, concepts, and beings regarded as inanimate: la noche está fría (the night is cold), la champaña está fría (the champagne is cold), etc. But careful: that doesn't mean that you can't use ser + an adjective to describe such things. You can, especially with concepts and abstract ideas. For example:
...si la temperatura exterior es más fría que la interior
...or if the temperature outside is colder than the inside [temperature]
Captions 58-59, Tecnópolis - El Coronil
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En Buenos Aires las noches están frías.
In Buenos Aires nights are cold.
Yet that doesn't mean that you can't say en Buenos Aires las noches están frías. It's just definitely less common and actually incorrect if what you mean is that all nights in Buenos Aires are generally cold. So, if you ever find or hear such an assertion using the verb estar instead of ser, it would probably be accompanied by certain implicit or explicit clues that would tell you that the adjective frías (cold) is being used to describe a temporary situation. For example:
En Buenos Aires las noches están frías, por ahora.
In Buenos Aires nights are cold, for now.
No salgas, está frío afuera.
Don't go out, it's cold outside.
So, you may be wondering: how do I say in Spanish that someone is cold, meaning that the person feels cold? Well, you have to use a different verb instead: tener (to have). Have you ever heard a Spanish native speaker say "I have cold" by mistake? That's why.
...y yo nada más tengo frío y hambre y no sé qué hacer.
...and I'm just cold and I'm hungry and I don't know what to do.
Caption 23, Yago - 6 Mentiras
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So, unless you are a zombie or another kind of undead creature, don't ever say estoy frío.
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*Just so you know, the adjective bueno in estar bueno is actually closer to "yummy" or "hot" than to "good-looking."
Did you know that the Spanish words sí (which usually means "yes") and si (which typically means "if") can also serve to make utterances more emphatic? Today's lesson will explore this topic.
Like English words such as "do" or did," "really," or "indeed," the Spanish word sí (yes) can be employed to add emphasis. For example, when someone says you didn't do something, you might reply in English, "I did do it," "I really did it," or "I did it indeed." Similarly, in Spanish, you can use the word sí (with an accent) to retort: Yo sí lo hice (I did do it).
Like the aforementioned words, this use of sí has a purely emphatic effect. While you could say simply Yo lo hice (I did it), Spanish speakers commonly add this sí to emphasize that fact. Let's look at some additional examples:
Ah claro, ahora sí lo entiendo hija, ¡qué torpe soy!
Oh, of course, now I do understand it, girl. How clumsy I am!
Caption 57, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa - Part 7
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Uy, si piensan arreglar con ese tipo, la cosa sí va a estar dura.
Oh, if you're thinking of settling with that guy, the matter's really going to be tough.
Caption 11, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 8
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¡Guau! Eso sí que era divertido
Wow! That was fun indeed,
Caption 36, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 2
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Note that, as in the last example, this emphatic sí is often accompanied by the word que.
The Spanish word si, without the accent, which usually means "if," can also be used at the beginning of a phrase to give extra emphasis or oomph to assertions or expressions of doubt. This emphatic si is a bit less intuitive for English speakers because, as it does not introduce a conditional clause like si and "if" typically do, translating it as "if" would simply not make sense in most cases. For this reason, this emphatic si is often not reflected in translations at all. Let's look at a couple of examples.
No, si yo ya sé que Nicolás de eso no va a ver ni un peso.
No, I already know that Nicolás is not going to see even one peso out of that.
Caption 21, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 11
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Andrea... Andrea, si vos sabés que yo soy fiel a muerte.
Andrea... Andrea, you know that I am faithful to death.
Caption 67, Muñeca Brava 45 El secreto - Part 4
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Since the word "but" can also serve to add emphasis in English in similar utterances, translators sometimes opt to translate the emphatic si with that word, like in the following example:
Si yo lo estoy diciendo hace rato ya, hombre.
But I've been saying it for a while already, man.
Caption 71, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa - Part 4
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That said, as the word "but" won't always seem "just right" in sentences that include the emphatic si, the most important thing is to remember is that its function is to add this emphatic feeling, even when there is no tangible translation.
While it might seem initially confusing, we hope that this lesson has helped you to understand how the words sí and si can occasionally depart from their traditional meanings in order to add emphasis to certain phrases. Having said that, sí que pueden escribirnos con sus dudas y comentarios (you can definitely write us with your questions and comments)!
Do you know how to say "cool" in Spanish as in, "That video is so cool!"? What is the best equivalent of this slangy English word that can have such meanings as "good," "nice," "great," "OK," or "in fashion"? Let's find out.
Any translator knows well that translating the word "cool" into Spanish poses a big challenge. In fact, there are many Spanish words for "cool" depending upon the speaker's country or origin. In the following sections, we'll provide you with some of those terms.
In Mexico, many people use padre and chido. While the use of padre is more generalized, chido is typically more popular among younger generations:
Y, y en cuanto la vi... No, ésta tiene que ser mía.
And, and as soon as I saw it... No, this one has to be mine.
-¡Qué padre!
-How cool!
Caption 34, Sergio en Monterrey - El ámbar mexicano
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Muy padre, porque la escalera viene así,
Very cool, because the staircase comes down like this,
después tiene un descanso.
afterwards it has a landing.
Caption 50, El teatro. - Conversación con un doble de acción.
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...que está chido que estemos en Estados Unidos.
...it's cool that we're in the United States.
Caption 47, Belanova - Entrevista
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Of course, since Mexico has such diverse people living across a vast territory, you'll find other, similar expressions as well. Conmadre (literally, "with mother") and suave (smooth) are good examples. You can hear suave in one of our videos from Monterrey, Mexico. However, it is worth noting that this expression is not very common in that particular city, and the student who utilizes it is from another state.
Aunque a veces sí está pesado,
Although sometimes it is hard,
está muy suave porque se te van volando.
it's very cool because they go flying by for you.
Captions 28-29, Yo estudio en el Tec - de Monterrey
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Many people in countries like Colombia, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador use the word chévere:
¡Súper chévere que la... el hijo de uno diga
Very cool for one's child to say,
"No, mi mamá es una chef"!
"No, my mom is a chef!"
Caption 13, Misión Chef - 2 - Pruebas
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In Colombia, a newer alternative to chévere is bacano (and bacán in Cuba, Peru, and Chile):
Mi papá era un médico muy bacano, muy interesante.
My father was a very cool doctor, very interesting.
Caption 13, La Sub30 - Familias
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In Argentina, people tend to use words like copado, masa, and groso:
Podemos sacar algo copado esta noche.
We can get something cool tonight.
Caption 87, Muñeca Brava - 7 El poema - Part 3
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¡Soy una masa!
I'm so cool!
Caption 69, Muñeca Brava - 7 El poema - Part 1
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In Spain, you'll often hear guay:
Y realmente la improvisación fue... fue la clave. Era muy guay.
And really the improvisation was... was the key. It was very cool.
Captions 31-32, Blanca y Mariona - Proyectos para el verano
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Sam, tengo esta ropa para ti. Vas a estar guay.
Sam, I have these clothes for you. You're going to look cool.
Caption 23, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 2 - Sam va de compras
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In the following clip, Carlos (from Colombia) and Xavi (from Spain) talk about how they say the word "cool" in their countries. You will see that the word chulo is used in Spain as an alternative term for the more common guay:
¿Qué significa guay?
What does "guay" mean?
Guay es bueno, chulo, divertido.
"Guay" is good, cool, fun.
OK. En Colombia nosotros diríamos chévere o bacano.
OK. In Colombia, we'd say "chévere" or "bacano."
Captions 39-41, Carlos y Xavi - Part 2 Ustedes y Vosotros
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While the multitude of terms we've provided as equivalents for "cool" by no means constitute an exhaustive list, they should definitely get you started on your journey to express or understand this idea in many Spanish-speaking countries.
We want to remind you that, regardless of the culture, country, or language, slang words are inextricably linked to the cultural or individual identity of the people who use them, and one can never be too respectful of this. In that spirit, it's always wise to learn more "neutral" alternatives to slang. Genial, estupendo, and, to a certain extent, bárbaro are a good fit to express the idea of "cool" or its equivalents (and be cool in Spanish as well!).
¿Te parece que tus patrones se enojarán? -¡No, está bárbaro!
Do you think that your bosses would get mad? -No, it's cool!
Caption 16, Muñeca Brava - 30 Revelaciones
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¡Este grupo está genial!
This group is great!
Caption 27, Raquel - Expresiones para un festival de música.
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¡Muy bien, estupendo!
Very good, great!
Caption 11, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 1 - La llegada de Sam
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The superlative of bueno (good), buenísimo, is also a good alternative:
Bueno, buenísimo, como anillo al dedo.
Well, very good, it fits like a glove [literally: like a ring to a finger].
Caption 69, Muñeca Brava - 9 Engaños
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In other contexts, the non-slang expression, está bien, might be used in a case in which an English speaker might say "that's fine" or "that's cool," while está de moda might be used to indicate that a certain trend, for example, is currently "cool" or in fashion.
By the way, unless you're a purist, you could even go with "cool" in English as many Spanish speakers do frequently these days:
El estilo es súper vanguardista. Un estilo muy cool.
The style is super avant-garde. A very cool style.
Captions 12-13, Arume - Barcelona
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Las chicas visten cool para impresionar
The girls dress cool to impress
Caption 25, Dhira - La Noche
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That's all for for today. We hope you've enjoyed this lesson, and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions. And of course, stay cool!
Should Milagros walk the streets dressed like THAT? In one of the episodes of Muñeca Brava, our long-legged heroine gets all dolled up in a tight outfit to go dancing. Sister Cachetes isn't so sure about this. She says:
Pero igual me voy a quedar rezando para que no te pase nada, ¡y ojo!
But I'll nonetheless stay here praying that nothing happens to you, and careful!
Captions 15-16, Muñeca Brava - 18 - La Apuesta
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Mili replies:
Ah, ¿sí? ¿Ojo con qué? ¿Ojo con qué? No me va a pasar nada.
Oh, yeah? Careful of what? Careful of what? Nothing is going to happen to me.
Captions 17-18, Muñeca Brava - 18 - La Apuesta
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In case you didn't realize that "ojo" literally means "eye," the good nun points to her eye as she speaks. In Argentina, this is a very common gesture that means, "careful!" or "watch out!".
In fact, you can silently point to your eye without saying a word and still be understood to be issuing a warning. Outside of Argentina, throughout Latin America and in Spain, the exclamation "¡Ojo!" is used and understood as well.
Note that Mili responds "¿Ojo con qué?" ("Careful of what?"). If you want to warn someone to be careful of something or someone in particular, use the preposition "con." Here are a few examples:
¡Ojo con los perros!
Careful of the dogs!
¡Ojo con los niños!
Watch out for the boys!
¡Ojo con los verbos irregulares en español!
Watch out for irregular verbs in Spanish!
Ojo could be replaced by guarda, and the meaning would be much the same.
¡Guarda con el escalón, te vas a tropezar!
Watch out for the step, you´re going to trip!
If you want to be more formal, you would go with cuidado. For example, you will often see this used on signs:
Cuidado con el perro
Beware of the dog
Here is another example of cuidado:
Pero cuidado con la máquina, ¿eh?
But, careful with the machine, OK?
Caption 12, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa - Part 7
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