Of Christian origin, Easter, or Pascua in Spanish, is celebrated by many around the world, including in Spanish-speaking countries. Regardless of religion, however, Easter has evolved into many fun traditions that may be observed by Christians and non-Christians alike. Let's talk about some religious and non-religious Easter customs in the Spanish-speaking world and beyond, along with some Spanish vocabulary to describe them.
Holy Week, or Semana Santa, is an important festive period for many Catholics and other Christians worldwide that commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Cristo (Jesus Christ) and is celebrated with particular fervor in Spain and Latin America. While there are variations among the different countries' festivities, common costumbres (customs) include attending church, the sharing of special foods, the blessing and distribution of palm leaves and days of elaborate procesiones with special floats and statues, as we can hear about and catch a glimpse of in the following clips:
más de cincuenta mil personas se visten de nazarenos para desfilar por las calles y para acompañar a las figuras religiosas.
more than fifty thousand people dress as Nazarenes to parade through the streets and to accompany the religious figures.
Captions 41-44, Raquel Fiestas de España
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Todo esto sin olvidar el sentimiento religioso; la Semana Santa de Málaga es la particular forma de los malagueños de vivir su fe.
All of this without forgetting the religious sentiment; Málaga's Holy Week is the people from Málaga's particular way of living their faith.
Captions 33-35, Málaga Semana Santa
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Now let's look at a list of useful Spanish vocabulary related to some of the days and customs of the Semana Santa season:
la Cuaresma: Lent
el Domingo de Ramos: Palm Sunday
el Miércoles de Ceniza: Ash Wednesday
el Miércoles Santo: Spy Wednesday
el Jueves Santo: Maundy Thursday
el Viernes Santo: Good Friday
El Domingo de Pascua/de Resurección/de Gloria: Easter Sunday
El Lunes de Pascua/de Resurección: Easter Monday
bendecir: to bless
los católicos: the Catholics
los cristianos: the Christians
el día de ayuno: the fasting day
las hojas de palmera: the palm leaves
la iglesia: the church
la imagen/el paso: the statue
el trono: the float/throne
Let's hear a couple of these pronounced:
Y el tambor se toca desde Miércoles Santo a las cuatro de la tarde hasta Domingo de Resurrección
And the drum is played from Holy Wednesday at four o'clock in the afternoon until Easter Sunday
Captions 48-49, Francisco Javier de España Su trabajo y su ciudad en La Mancha
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Interestingly, many of the non-religious Easter symbols and traditions that are celebrated around the world actually have religious origins. For example, eggs, chickens and rabbits are symbols of fertility, rebirth and new life that many associate with Jesus' resurrection. However, for many others, these objects and activities are merely fun and festive annual traditions. Let's learn some Spanish vocabulary to describe some of them:
la búsqueda/la caza de huevos de Pascua: the Easter egg hunt
la cesta de Pascua: the Easter basket
el chocolate: the chocolate
el conejo de Pascua: the Easter Bunny
el cordero: the lamb
las flores: the flowers
el huevo de Pascua: the Easter egg
el pollito: the chick
la primavera: the spring
el sombrero de primavera: the Easter bonnet
teñir/pintar huevos: to dye/color eggs
We can hear many of these together in Yabla's video on basic Easter vocabulary, some captions from which we can hear below:
Cinco, caza del huevo de Pascua.
Five, Easter egg hunt.
Caption 9, Vocabulario básico Feliz Pascua
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Uno, el conejo de Pascua.
One, the Easter Bunny.
Caption 5, Vocabulario básico Feliz Pascua
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Dos, la cesta de Pascua.
Two, the Easter basket.
Caption 6, Vocabulario básico Feliz Pascua
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To conclude this lesson, it would be behoove us to know how to wish someone a "Happy Easter" in Spanish:
"Felices fiestas" o "Felices Pascuas".
"Happy Holidays" or "Happy Easter."
Caption 13, Aprendiendo con Silvia Felicitar y expresar buenos deseos - Part 2
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Do you know the names of the months in Spanish? Believe it or not, the names of the months in Spanish are quite similar to their English equivalents. Let's look at how to write and pronounce the months of the year in Spanish language.
The answer is mes. If you want to use the plural form, you need to use the term meses. Also, when talking about months in Spanish keep in mind the following:
One month: Un mes
Two months: Dos meses
Last month: El mes pasado
Next month: El próximo mes
Before we hear how to pronounce the names of the 12 months in Spanish, let's take a look at the following list featuring the months in Spanish and English:
January: enero
February: febrero
March: marzo
April: abril
May: mayo
June: junio
July: julio
August: agosto
September: septiembre
October: octubre
November: noviembre
December: diciembre
Let's hear the following sentences so you can practice the pronunciation of the 12 months in Spanish.
Estos son los meses del año. Enero.
These are the months of the year. January.
Captions 1-2, El Aula Azul - Estaciones y Meses
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Diecinueve de febrero.
February nineteenth.
-¡Oh! ¿Diecinueve de febrero?
-Oh! February nineteenth?
Captions 13-14, Extr@: Extra en español - Ep. 1 - La llegada de Sam
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Las Fallas son unas fiestas que se celebran en Valencia durante el mes de marzo.
The Fallas is a festival celebrated in Valencia during the month of March.
Caption 25, Raquel - Fiestas de España
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Me gustaría reservar una cabaña para la primera semana de abril.
I would like to reserve a cabin for the first week of April.
Caption 4, Cleer y Lida - Reservando una habitación
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En mayo, salen las flores.
In May, the flowers come out.
Caption 18, El Aula Azul - Estaciones y Meses
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En junio, empieza el verano.
In June, the summer starts.
Caption 19, El Aula Azul - Estaciones y Meses
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En julio. Vendría el mes de julio entero.
In July. He'd come for the whole month of July.
Caption 27, El Aula Azul - Conversación: Los cursos de español
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En agosto, miles de voluntarios vienen a este sitio.
In August, thousands of volunteers come to this site.
Caption 53, Rosa - Laguna Fuente de Piedra
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Por ejemplo, durante el Festival de Cine
For example, during the Film Festival
que se celebra en San Sebastián en el mes de septiembre.
that is held in San Sebastian in the month of September.
Captions 13-14, San Sebastián - Palacio de Miramar
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Desde octubre se comienza la venta de los monigotes.
From October the selling of the dolls begins.
Caption 55, Otavalo - Artesano de monigotes de Año Viejo
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Fue inaugurado el treinta de noviembre de mil novecientos noventa y cuatro.
It was opened on November thirtieth nineteen ninety-four.
Caption 5, Paseando con Karen Monterrey - Museo de Historia Mexicana
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Normalmente, suele nevar en diciembre.
Normally, it typically snows in December.
Caption 69, Clara y Cristina - Hablan de actividades
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Finally, did you notice anything in particular in the previous sentences regarding the spelling of the names of the months in Spanish? Unlike English, in Spanish the names of the months don't have to be capitalized.
That's it for today. Try to write a couple of sentences with the months in Spanish and read them aloud so you can practice their pronunciation. And don’t forget to send us your feedback and suggestions.
Let's study a special type of Spanish plurals along with some idiomatic expressions in which they are used. In Spanish, there are nouns that can be used either in singular or plural to designate a single object that is constituted by symmetrical parts. That's the case of nouns such las tijeras (scissors), pantalones (pants), tenazas (tongs), gafas (glasses), calzones (underwear), etc. As in English, these Spanish nouns are normally used in the plural form. For example:
Estos pantalones, por ejemplo, son rosas
These pants, for example, are pink
Caption 56, Marta de Madrid - Prendas de ropa
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Se recomienda el uso de guantes y de gafas protectoras.
The use of gloves and protective goggles is recommended.
Caption 56, Raquel - Fiestas de España
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Que estoy viendo ahí unas pinzas muy curiosas.
'Cause I am seeing there some very strange pincers.
Caption 84, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa
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However, for many of these it's also valid, but much less common, to use the singular form:
Este pantalón, por ejemplo, es rosa
These pants, for example, are pink
Que estoy viendo ahí una pinza muy curiosa.
Cause I am seeing there some very strange pincers.
For gafas it would be even less common, so we are not including an example. But let's see some examples from our catalog. Garments such as pantalones (pants) are also used in singular:
¿Cuánto te cuesta un pantalón aquí?
How much does a pair of pants cost you here?
Caption 1, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos
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The noun falda (skirt) is also used both in plural and singular:
Esta falda, por ejemplo, tiene una goma elástica.
This skirt, for example, has an elastic rubber band.
Caption 69, Marta de Madrid - Prendas de ropa
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Another example. It would be much more common to say con las tijeras (with the scissors) but the use of the singular form is also correct:
¿Los rulos los hacés vos?
Do you do the curls yourself?
-Sí, con la tijera.
Yes, with the scissors.
Captions 68-69, Muñeca Brava - 8 Trampas
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There are other cases in which Spanish prefers the use of singular and reserves the plural for expressive uses of the words. This is the case for el bigote (the mustache) and la nariz (the nose):
También en el caso de los hombres tienen bigote.
Also, in the case of men, they have a mustache.
Caption 77, Marta de Madrid - El cuerpo - La cabeza
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Tiene la nariz roja y normalmente la cara blanca.
Has a red nose and normally (has) a white face.
Caption 52, El Aula Azul - Las Profesiones
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For emphatic purposes we can use the plural forms bigotes and narices:
¡Límpiate las narices y atúsate los bigotes!
Clean your nose and smooth down your mustache!
There are many expressions in Spanish that use these nouns. They are usually expresiones fijas (fixed expressions) or expresiones idiomáticas (idioms) that are used as a standard way of expressing a concept or idea. In these kinds of expressions the use of plural is predominant. Some of them also exist in English; others are easy to interpret. Let's learn a few.
Y aunque exista algún respeto,
And even though there exists some respect,
no metamos las narices.
let's not stick our noses [into it].
Caption 3, Molotov - Frijolero
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...o el Valle de Lecrín a las faldas de Sierra Nevada.
...or the Lecrin Valley on the skirts of the Sierra Nevada.
Caption 25, Tecnópolis - Viaje por la red
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Finally, expressions using the plural pantalones (pants) are very common as well:
...y que nadie ha tenido los pantalones para hablar.
...and that nobody has had the guts to speak.
Caption 2, Andrés Manuel López Obrador - En campaña
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Porque vos en esa casa no llevás los pantalones.
Because you don't wear the pants in that house.
Caption 64, Muñeca Brava - 41 La Fiesta
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In one of our latest videos, Raquel tells us about a very traditional festival in Spain: The "Fallas." When she explains what these "Fallas" are, she uses an expression that is worth exploring:
Se trata de unas figuras de gran tamaño
It's about some large-sized figures
hechas de cartón y de madera.
made of cardboard and wood.
Captions 26-27, Raquel - Fiestas de España
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The verb tratar means "to treat," "to try" or "attempt," but also "to deal with" and, like in the previous example, "to be about." Let's review some examples to master this useful verb.
When tratar means "to treat," is used the same way as in English:
¿Podrías tratarlo un poco mejor a tu hijo, no?
You could treat your son a little better, no?
Caption 31, Muñeca Brava - 1 Piloto
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In Spanish, however, this verb has many different applications. For example:
Necesitamos tratarnos.
We need to get to know each other.
Caption 18, El Ausente - Acto 3
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Bueno, a Felipe he tenido el privilegio de tratarlo.
Well, I have had the privilege to know Felipe.
Caption 38, Felipe Calderón - Publicidad
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Encerrarlos y maltratarlos es una cosa muy cruel.
To lock them up and abuse them is a very cruel thing.
Caption 33, Kikirikí - Animales
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Para tratar a alguien de "tú",
To address someone with "tú,"
tienes que tener una cierta cercanía...
you have to have a certain closeness...
Captions 22-23, Fundamentos del Español - 6 - Tú y Usted
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Me gusta tratar con... con el público,
I like dealing with... with the public,
con las personas que vienen.
with the people who come.
Captions 22-23, El Instituto Cervantes - Jefa de biblioteca
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Just as, in English, you can't use the verb "to treat" to translate the previous examples, in Spanish you can't use the verb tratar to express an idea such as "to treat someone to something." Instead you have to use the verbs invitar or convidar (to invite, to share):
Ni siquiera te convidé un café.
I didn't even treat you to a cup of coffee.
Caption 55, Muñeca Brava - 7 El poema
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Additionally, tratar can also mean "to try or attempt":
Pero en Andalucía varias iniciativas tratan de protegerlo.
But in Andalucia several initiatives attempt to protect it.
Caption 26, Club de las ideas - Batería de breves
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But don't ever try to use the verb tratar in the same way we use "to try" in expressions such as "try the food" or "try on the jeans." For that, Spanish uses another verb: probar. So, you must say prueba el pastel ("try the cake"), and me probé los pantalones ("I tried on the jeans") but never ever: trata el pastel or me traté los pantalones.
Tratar de (to try to) looks like tratarse de (to be about) but has a different meaning and it's not reflexive. Here is another example of tratarse de, using negation:
Ya ves que el juego no se trata de vestir mejor
You see that this game is not about dressing better
Caption 24, Hector Montaner - Apariencias
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These two examples are interesting. The same expression is used in Spanish, but English requires the use of different wording:
Es posible que alguna vez haya pensado usted,
It's possible that some time you have thought,
al escuchar el nombre del famoso arqueólogo
when hearing the name of the famous archeologist
Federico Kauffman Doig,
Federico Kauffman Doig,
que se trata de un investigador extranjero.
that he is a foreign researcher.
Captions 9-11, Federico Kauffman Doig - Arqueólogo
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Y más aún si se trata de ti
And even more so when it's related to you
Caption 7, Gloria Trevi - Cinco minutos
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Do you want to find more examples of the verb tratar in our catalog? You can use the search tool at the top of the screen in the Videos tab of our site to do so. Maybe you can find a use of tratar that we haven't discussed here. ¡Todo se trata de tratar, verdad?! (It's all about trying, right?). If you find some, tweet us @yabla or share them with us at support@yabla.com.
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