Post: #1

Drix`s Spanish Language

Seeing Vinny`s thread relate to russian, I am creating this thread to receive questions and help you to understand and even learn in a good way my native language. I won`t post resources, books or another material, there are already 2 good threads, Americas` Spanish and Spanish Resources.

The goal of this thread is to practice expressions, phrases and create a useful vocabulary. In Peru, We use to call "TALLER", It means that We come here to do a practical part. Any question, Feel free to ask and Yeah similar with Vinny, I spend a good time in my office. I also encourage other spanish speakers from Spain or other latin countries to give their opinions and help.

Greetings, Drix

Post: #2

I did mention that I would like for someone to start a similar thread in Spanish, but did not expect such a prompt reply.
Thanks.

Just finished my duolingo for Spanish yesterday. Spoofed my tinder to Colombia again a week ago, took some numbers. Chatting with girls in Spanish now to practice.
Using google translate a lot, but sometimes some of the girls just don't seem to understand what am I saying.

Here is an example:
Wanted to ask a chick: Are you just walking (as in are you simply walking) google translate came up with - "Usted apenas esta caminando?"
She could not understand. I came up with this "caminarse ahora" - probably also wrong as she still could not understand "sigo sin entender". So I continued in English.
What is wrong with this phrase? And how do you actually say it?

Post: #3

(10-24-2016 12:29 PM)Vinny Wrote:  Here is an example:
Wanted to ask a chick: Are you just walking (as in are you simply walking) google translate came up with - "Usted apenas esta caminando?"
She could not understand. I came up with this "caminarse ahora" - probably also wrong as she still could not understand "sigo sin entender". So I continued in English.
What is wrong with this phrase? And how do you actually say it?

The mistake is That In the first expression ¿Usted esta apenas caminando? doesn´t have a meaning. It is like You are talking with a little child if He can walk or not.

In the second," Caminarse" doesn`t exist in spanish and Instead of a question, it seems that you are giving an order.

*The correct expression is ¿Estás solo caminando? because In Spanish is not necessary to mention the subject (El,ellos,ella, nosotros,ustedes) in many cases. She already knows that you are asking If she is just doing this action.

Examples:

*Are you eating? ¿EstáS comiendo?
*What are You doing? ¿Qué estás haciendo?
*Are they studying? ¿EstáN estudiando?

As You see, the subject is tacit. Maybe In english you change the subject, but In spanish just the verbs change.

Hope It helps and Yes this thread is a good idea.

Post: #4

(10-24-2016 12:49 PM)Drix Wrote:  In the second," Caminarse" doesn`t exist in spanish and Instead of a question, it seems that you are giving an order.

This made me laugh out loud. I just ordered a girl on the other side of the globe, who I have never met before, to go for a walk

Thanks. I get it now.

Post: #5

(10-24-2016 12:29 PM)Vinny Wrote:  Wanted to ask a chick: Are you just walking (as in are you simply walking) google translate came up with - "Usted apenas esta caminando?"

You've discovered that Google Translate does not work for conversational language. My advice: stop using it. This kind of 'social' language is best learned by watching telenovelas -- the closest you can often get to observing authentic conversation. It's time-consuming but pays off after a few months. Don't look for specific expressions. Just observe what you hear and add that to your repertoire.

By the way, APENAS is a bit hard to translate reliably, but it often works for 'just' when the context is time. (for 'just + action', use 'acabar'.) For the other meaning of 'just' (only), you'd need something else, for example, 'nada más' or 'sólo'.

Keep in mind that she might not have understood you because she is not expecting someone to express that idea. Where I live (Mexico City), it would be highly confusing for a stranger to come up and say "Just out for a walk?" (¿Dando una vuelta?) You may need to make some adjustments for the cultural context. Asking a specific pet-shop-type question may get better results.

I've often recommended the book Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish. It's a good as reference as any for intermediate conversational Spanish. (It tends to emphasize Latin American Spanish, especially Mexican.)

Good luck with your Spanish. (Certified Spanish teacher here, C2 level 'near native', a decade of in-country living)

Post: #6

(10-24-2016 01:09 PM)ElFlaco Wrote:  

(10-24-2016 12:29 PM)Vinny Wrote:  Wanted to ask a chick: Are you just walking (as in are you simply walking) google translate came up with - "Usted apenas esta caminando?"

You've discovered that Google Translate does not work for conversational language. My advice: stop using it. This kind of 'social' language is best learned by watching telenovelas -- the closest you can often get to observing authentic conversation. It's time-consuming but pays off after a few months. Don't look for specific expressions. Just observe what you hear and add that to your repertoire.

By the way, APENAS is a bit hard to translate reliably, but it often works for 'just' when the context is time. (for 'just + action', use 'acabar'.) For the other meaning of 'just' (only), you'd need something else, for example, 'nada más' or 'sólo'.

Keep in mind that she might not have understood you because she is not expecting someone to express that idea. Where I live (Mexico City), it would be highly confusing for a stranger to come up and say "Just out for a walk?" (¿Dando una vuelta?) You may need to make some adjustments for the cultural context. Asking a specific pet-shop-type question may get better results.

I've often recommended the book Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish. It's a good as reference as any for intermediate conversational Spanish. (It tends to emphasize Latin American Spanish, especially Mexican.)

Good luck with your Spanish. (Certified Spanish teacher here, C2 level 'near native', a decade of in-country living)

Google translate is golden. I am using speech function. It is amazing. Out of 50 translation it fails few times only.

What I do when I am not sure how to say a certain phrase. I google translate it, analyze it with my rudimentary Spanish skills and then type it in to whats app. Not just copy. This way I learn. I learn from the answers girls give me too.

Recently I learned that "chevere" means cool

Glad to see a Spanish teacher on the thread!

Post: #7

Wouldn't a simple 'estas caminando?' with rising intonation suffice?

Post: #8

(10-24-2016 01:24 PM)Vinny Wrote:  Google translate is golden. I am using speech function. It is amazing. Out of 50 translation it fails few times only.

Google Translate (and 'machine translation' in general) is good at helping you get the gist of a news article. It is still objectively poor at the kind of language used in social communication. I don't mean slang specifically, but simple things used in everyday conversations. Out of curiosity, I just checked one thing: 'What do you do?' (= What is your job?) Google Translate gives ¿Qué haces?, a possible but uncommon way of saying this, too vague to be understood out of context. If you walked up to someone and said ¿Qué haces?, you would almost certainly be understood to be asking about their immediate activity (also: ¿Qué estás haciendo?) The standard translation for 'What do you do?' is ¿A qué te dedicas? This is covered near the beginning of every Spanish 101 course, but Google Translate is not sophisticated enough to prioritize the most common meaning in its results.

Quote:Recently I learned that "chevere" means cool

¡Qué chévere! That's regional, not universal. Say in the wrong place and you'll sound as foolish as a visitor to the USA who exclaims 'Bollocks!'

Post: #9

I am refreshing a lesson on Flirting in Duolingo now. It is hilarious.
I will list some of the phrases from there here.

Drix can you tell me how does it sound to a native Spanish ear? Are any of these being used?
Maybe you could add some compliments and flirting lines that are common in Latin America.

Me gustas mucho.
¿Me das tu número?
¿Quieres bailar conmigo?
¿Eres modelo?
No estoy borracho, sólo intoxicado por ti. - jajaja
¿Te perdiste? El cielo está muy lejos de aquí. - lol
Hola, preciosa.
Hola, bonita.
Tienes una sonrisa muy bonita.
¿Te dolió cuando te caíste del cielo? - rofl
¿Puedo ofrecerte una copa? - obviously duolingo guys suck at dating
Te pareces a mi siguiente novia - that seems like a line I could use
Cuando Dios inventó la belleza se inspiró en ti. - my god that is lame.
¿Vienes aquí a menudo?
Si ser sexy fuese un delito, te pasarías la vida en la cárcel.
Estoy enamorado de ti.
¿Quieres ser mi novia? - never said that in my life.
Tienes un novio?
¡No necesito leer tus términos y condiciones para aceptarte!

Post: #10

(10-26-2016 02:36 PM)Vinny Wrote:  I am refreshing a lesson on Flirting in Duolingo now. It is hilarious.
I will list some of the phrases from there here.

Drix can you tell me how does it sound to a native Spanish ear? Are any of these being used?
Maybe you could add some compliments and flirting lines that are common in Latin America.

Me gustas mucho.
¿Me das tu número?
¿Quieres bailar conmigo?
¿Eres modelo?
No estoy borracho, sólo intoxicado por ti. - jajaja
¿Te perdiste? El cielo está muy lejos de aquí. - lol
Hola, preciosa.
Hola, bonita.
Tienes una sonrisa muy bonita.
¿Te dolió cuando te caíste del cielo? - rofl
¿Puedo ofrecerte una copa? - obviously duolingo guys suck at dating
Te pareces a mi siguiente novia - that seems like a line I could use
Cuando Dios inventó la belleza se inspiró en ti. - my god that is lame.
¿Vienes aquí a menudo?
Si ser sexy fuese un delito, te pasarías la vida en la cárcel.
Estoy enamorado de ti.
¿Quieres ser mi novia? - never said that in my life.
Tienes un novio?
¡No necesito leer tus términos y condiciones para aceptarte!

I am a native spanish speaker and i will not use any of those mainly because it doesnt work.You can say instead:

Chiquilla , por tu amor me comería un kilo de clavos(this is a funny one) or quisiera ser tablero de ajedrez para que tu fueras mi reina(silly but funny as well).

It will also healp you to learn same slang of the country or region that are planing to visit so your spanish will not sound that dry.

and i think "bacano" is cool in colombia also they say "parcero" but not sure what that means.

Post: #11

Where you going/headed to? -- donde andas
Parcero-- buddy, friend etc

Post: #12

(10-26-2016 03:16 PM)brat Wrote:  It will also healp you to learn same slang of the country or region that are planing to visit so your spanish will not sound that dry.

This.

Post: #13

Apenas could be translated to "barely" or "roughly".

Post: #14

Jaja Vinny, You surprise me, all of these expressions sounds too much,but tons of latinos still use it. Good Job!

Just the expression: Tienes un novio? Should be: Tienes novio?

This is my list for some extra expressions:

Romantic:

* No creía en los ángeles hasta que te vi. I didn't believe in angels until i see you.
* No hay forma ¿Cómo puedes ser tan hermosa? No Way, How can you be so beautiful
* A mi no me engañas, Eres una princesa. Don't lie me, You are a princess
* Te quiero con todo mi corazón. Toca para que lo sientas. I love you with all my heart, touch to feel it
* Te robaré unos cuantos besos y luego tendremos muchos bebés, ya verás. I will steal you some kisses, and then let's have many babies, You will see.

Sexual

*Eres una mamacita/preciosura/ricura/diosa. When she is hot
*Tienes tremendo. Means that She has a big ass
*Te haré mía. I will make you mine.(I teach this expression to all my tourist chicks and they love it a lot)
* Solo déjate llevar. It means just follow your impulses.
* Estás bien apretadita, como me gusta. When she is wearing sexy clothes.

Remember that Many latinas love so much Drama, And Even if they say to hate the Machism latins, they love to give everything to for their men.

Vinny, Then i will explain a little more of the intonation and How to add or quit letters in words to make you sound more sexual or romantic. This is the most amazing thing of spanish, If you learn more expressions and you know how to pronounce correctly, latinas will like it. I also found that sexual spanish lines works really well with tourist chicks, that's my case.

I agree with some members that You have to use the codes or expressions from different regions, But i disagree that these lines don't work. Maybe For a latino, telling this to a latina, sounds so repetitive. At least in Peru, Foreigners still call attention with some of these expressions.

If Your spanish improve more, You can use Piropos(more creative lines in latin style)

Post: #15

(10-26-2016 03:25 PM)tomtud Wrote:  Donde andas parcero

Planeando un viaje grande de América del Sur. Voy a empezar en Colombia.
Probablemente voy a quedar en Colombia pocos meses, si es tan bueno como dicen.

Does that make any sense? How do you say few months? Unos meses o pocos meses?

(10-26-2016 04:08 PM)Drix Wrote:  Just the expression: Tienes un novio? Should be: Tienes novio?

I use this question very rarely but it is good to know.

Some solid advice on this thread. I am literally taking notes

(10-26-2016 04:08 PM)Drix Wrote:  Sexual
*Eres una mamacita/preciosura/ricura/diosa. When she is hot
*Tienes tremendo. Means that She has a big ass
*Te haré mía. I will make you mine.(I teach this expression to all my tourist chicks and they love it a lot)
* Solo déjate llevar. It means just follow your impulses.
* Estás bien apretadita, como me gusta. When she is wearing sexy clothes.

This is golden. I feel like I am finally learning the useful Spanish.

Te quiero literally means I want you, but translates as I love you? This is confusing to me as in Russian I want you means I want sexually not romantically.

Eres una mamacita - does mamacita not mean mommy? It is funny that how is SA you sexualize mothers and fathers - papi and mamacita

Post: #16

The question about "are you just walking?" sounds a little vague in English, even.

I'd probably say it as: Que haces? Andando por la ciudad?

Andando can mean getting around in general. Walking a bit, taking a bus somewhere, whatever.

To say "a few months", I'd probably use: por varios meses.

Pocos meses I would understand to mean closer to "not many months".

Post: #17

In Your first expression can be:

Planeando un gran viaje por toda América del Sur(Sudamérica), empezaré en Colombia y probablemente me quedaré unos cuantos meses, si es tan bueno como dicen.

Your text was good, i just fixed it. Few can be translated to Pocos, but In your previous expression is contradictory that You use Pocos because You are giving the meaning that You will leave soon even if You like Colombia.

In my fixed text, the girl will understand that You will be a couple or some months in Colombia If you Find Colombia amazing as you have heard.

Jaja Yeah Some people are giving nice advices.

Yeah Mamacita, Mami or Papi can be used For parents(innocent) or in a dirty way. Latins like to talk in double meaning(doble sentido), sexualize a lot. I think this is the strongest point of LINUX, He is super agressive amd destroyed Colombia.

Another expression that I love to use are:

*Asu todo eso es tuyo. (Wow All of these is yours)
* Te voy a Destozar. (I will destroy you, fuck you)
* In Peru, We say Cake or Paneton to refer ass. And we can build the next expressions:
Quiero probar tu Queque or Paneton. I want to try your Cake(ass)
Miércoles, Tus padres deben de ser reposteros, que buen Queque tienes. Wednesday, Your parents should be cookers, You have a good cake.
Wow Que buen queque te manejas. What a Cake you drive? Jajaja

There are thousand of expressions, sexual and romantic that You can create and People will understand you, that's why i love Spanish.

Post: #18

Each country has different slang (modismos)

For Colombia, in Medellin using (gerundio) -ando etc is used plenty.
For example,,, if I am in Centro by junin (parque bolivar, close to the botero statues I would say Estoy juniniando. Or to go,,,voy a juniniar.
callejando -- walking around....when immersed in the culture you will pick up the slang.

Post: #19

Great thread. I apologize for this 'downer' post, but it's based on a lot of experience both as a learner and teacher of foreign languages, and also based on an understanding of how natives tend to view foreigners learning and speaking their language. This isn't directly specifically at the OP, but rather at the endless stream of language learners who want to master slang.

It's a common mistake to jump right to learning (and using) slang. This is dangerous because unless you already have a very solid base in the language (are making very few mistakes in general, can follow most conversations easily), it is almost a certainty that you'll screw up the slang, either getting the form wrong or using it with not quite the right meaning or in the wrong situation. Making mistakes is a normal part of the language learning process but when you do so with slang, this often provokes laughter (at you, not with you). This is doubly true for 'piropos' (cat calls). If you are trying to get laughed at (and that might work for some, the 'goofy, foreigner clown'), then go for it, but anticipate the kind of reaction it is likely to provoke.

There is no shortage of books on learning Spanish slang: Dirty Spanish, Street Spanish, Red Hot Spanish, ad infinitum. I've owned a bookshelf of them. It's a popular category, because everyone wants to sound cool and fit in as soon as possible. That makes sense, but there really isn't a shortcut to getting there. If you're learning something out of a typical book or an internet forum, it's almost certainly insufficiently tailored to the situation you're going to be in, when it comes to slang.

Instead, you need to find a way to put yourself around native speakers and observe (later, imitate) what they say. Although it can be hard work (and sometimes boring), it usually make sense to focus more on building your general base in the language. That will pay off in the long run, not just for gaming, but for all sorts of situations.

An exception to this recommendation would be the very common slang/informal words that you'll run into over and over. You won't need to study up on these. You'll find it impossible to avoid them because they'll come up in conversation after conversation. In Mexico, I'm referring to words like chaparro (short) and ligar (hit on) -- which arguably aren't slang so much as merely informal -- as well as fresa, naco and (more recently) Godínez.

¡A bailar!

Post: #20

Each country has different slang (modismos)

For Colombia, in Medellin using (gerundio) -ando etc is used plenty.
For example,,, if I am in Centro by junin (parque bolivar, close to the botero statues I would say Estoy juniniando. Or to go,,,voy a juniniar.
callejando -- walking around....when immersed in the culture you will pick up the slang.

Post: #21

I agree with the above comments. People will use the different regional slam when They spend some time in the place. When i started this thread, i said That i wanted to help people even with the basic things and Answer questions.

Vinny asked about specific lines and He clearly knows some spanish, that's why it will be helpful for him or other intermediate spanish speakers to learn some of these lines. Peru, Colombia, Argentina and the rest Of LATAM have different accents and slams, but some are universal. One of the goals of this thread can be create a vocabulary of the different regions.

To solve your missunderstand, Te quiero or Te amo means I love you. When you want to express in a sexual way that you want this girl: You can say Te deseo.

Post: #22

It should be noted in my experience "te quiero" also has a lot less meaning than "te amo."

Me gustas < te quiero < te amo.

Post: #23

(10-28-2016 03:16 PM)Road_Less_Taken Wrote:  It should be noted in my experience "te quiero" also has a lot less meaning than "te amo."

Me gustas < te quiero < te amo.

Good topic. These should probably be regarded as almost untranslatable. 'Me gustas' usually implies some kind of physical attraction, not necessarily accompanied by feelings. You wouldn't use it with family members, for example. (Exception: for a favorite actor or musician, you could use 'gustar' to mean: I like their acting, their music.) 'Te quiero' is rather less strong than 'I love you' in English and is used more freely in Spanish. TQM = text abbreviation for 'te quiero mucho'. Don't take it too literally if you receive it in a text message. It is probably not a declaration of love in the English sense of the word. It's closer to 'I miss you' in terms of force. In a relationship, you might progress over time from 'te quiero' to 'te amo'. Again, the difference is not really translatable into English. In real life, no one says 'I adore you' in English.

When I was learning Spanish, we were taught not to use 'gustar' with people (indirect object). That's probably good advice for beginners, who are likely to jump from 'me gusta nadar', I like to swim, to 'me gusta mi abuela', I like my grandmother (sexually), not their intended meaning. But it's a lie to say that 'gustar' isn't used with people. It constantly is, once you leave the Spanish classroom and talk about things that real people care about. You cannot do without it.

'Mamá, hay un chico en la escuela que me gusta'. There's a boy at school that I like.

In Mexico, we sometimes say 'quiero con ella' (note: preposition 'con'), meaning: I'd like to date her, to 'get with her', to sleep with her, something along those lines.

Post: #24

(10-28-2016 03:16 PM)Road_Less_Taken Wrote:  It should be noted in my experience "te quiero" also has a lot less meaning than "te amo."

Me gustas < te quiero < te amo.

I saw this today on Twitter and thought of this thread:

Post: #25

(10-24-2016 01:09 PM)ElFlaco Wrote:  

(10-24-2016 12:29 PM)Vinny Wrote:  Wanted to ask a chick: Are you just walking (as in are you simply walking) google translate came up with - "Usted apenas esta caminando?"

You've discovered that Google Translate does not work for conversational language. My advice: stop using it. This kind of 'social' language is best learned by watching telenovelas -- the closest you can often get to observing authentic conversation. It's time-consuming but pays off after a few months. Don't look for specific expressions. Just observe what you hear and add that to your repertoire.

By the way, APENAS is a bit hard to translate reliably, but it often works for 'just' when the context is time. (for 'just + action', use 'acabar'.) For the other meaning of 'just' (only), you'd need something else, for example, 'nada más' or 'sólo'.

Keep in mind that she might not have understood you because she is not expecting someone to express that idea. Where I live (Mexico City), it would be highly confusing for a stranger to come up and say "Just out for a walk?" (¿Dando una vuelta?) You may need to make some adjustments for the cultural context. Asking a specific pet-shop-type question may get better results.

I've often recommended the book Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish. It's a good as reference as any for intermediate conversational Spanish. (It tends to emphasize Latin American Spanish, especially Mexican.)

Good luck with your Spanish. (Certified Spanish teacher here, C2 level 'near native', a decade of in-country living)

How difficult was getting to C1 and C2? And do you have any recommendations on what common errors (e.g. por vs para) to address in reaching the C levels?

I took classes while in Colombia up to level B2, and I've just been trying to solo the rest of the way. Now I'd like to take at least C1 certification and put it on my resume.

I can listen and read pretty well.. I think I have at least a C1 level for that. But it's all these little errors I've accumulated that show up when I'm writing and speaking that are holding me back. The errors that I know exist aren't too bad, as I can fix them. The problem is the errors I can't identify. So if you have any pro tips, it would be greatly appreciated!