Spanish Word of the Day

Quote: Wizard

In the Harry Potter usage of the word it meant "perch."

One thing you need to realize is that vocabulary in books varies widely from every day usage by people in conversation. Translations of popular books may also aim for several markets, all with their own variant of Spanish, meaning they reflect current usage not at all regardless of the country involved.

The value of reading in the language you're trying to learn is to get used to syntax, conjugations, tenses, etc. Vocabulary should be a secondary consideration.

And when I tell you "this word is not used in every day speech," I mean in Mexico City, mostly, and you can take my word for it. ;)

Quote: Nareed

Translations of popular books may also aim for several markets, all with their own variant of Spanish, meaning they reflect current usage not at all regardless of the country involved.

I will be going to the Dominican Republic soon. I am open to any suggestions for books to buy there written originally in Spanish. Nothing too heavy or old. I prefer fiction and science fiction.

Quote: Wizard

I will be going to the Dominican Republic soon.

I spent a weekend in the Hodelpa Gran Almirante Hotel & Casino in Santiago, and I highly recommend it. I would be very surprised if you are going to Santiago, as most of the tourists are German.

Quote: Pacomartin

I spent a weekend in the Hodelpa Gran Almirante Hotel & Casino in Santiago, and I highly recommend it.

Thanks, but I'll be in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana only.

Quote: Wizard

I will be going to the Dominican Republic soon. I am open to any suggestions for books to buy there written originally in Spanish. Nothing too heavy or old. I prefer fiction and science fiction.

I don't really know of any. I certainly don't know any SF written in Spanish. There must be some, I just never came across any of it. Fiction I mostly read for school, too long ago to want to remember, and it was mostly pre-1950s stuff. Sorry.

Just go to a bookstore and browse around.

Quote: Wizard

Thanks, but I'll be in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana only.

Learn to say Repítelo más despacio, por favor as their delivery is very rapid.

Quote: Pacomartin

Learn to say Repítelo más despacio, por favor

I prefer "Mas lento, por favor." Said very slowly, for effect. At this point the speaker will usually switch to English.

Fecha: 10-3-14
Palabra: Albergar

Today's SWD means to host/harbor. A related word is albergue, which means hostel.

I recently finished the book The Best Way: El Camino Santiago. The book had the word albergue numerous times, untranslated into English. These are the places that "pilgrims" stay at along the way in big arrays of bunk beds. Based on his horror stories of bed bugs, disease, and especially other people snoring, I think I'll try to avoid them when I do the Camino and just look for a park or a field somewhere.



The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast albergar y alohar.

Ejemplo time.

Debemos hacer una mas cabana para albergamos nuestros huéspedes. = We should make one more hut to lodge our guests.

Quote: Wizard

Today's SWD means to host/harbor. A related word is albergue, which means hostel.

Today it also means "to house." Which itself is pretty funny when you think of it.

Quote:

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast albergar y alohar.

AloJar.

Quote:

Debemos hacer una mas cabana para albergamos nuestros huéspedes. = We should make one more hut to lodge our guests.

I cannot possibly explain what's wrong with your sentence in Spanish without turning it back into English. I really can't. I can point out the correct sentence, which would be "Deberíamos construir una cabaña más para albergar a nuestros huespedes."

We should make one more hut to lodge our guests.
Debemos hacer una mas cabana para albergamos nuestros huéspedes. : Incorrect
Deberíamos construir una cabaña más para albergar a nuestros huéspedes. : Correct


#1) Change "deber" from indicative to conditional mood
#2) Use "to construct" instead of "to make"
#3) Place adjective after the noun
#4) Use infinitive for "to lodge"
#5) Spanish preposition "a" often translates English preposition "to." But also as "on," "at," "from," "by" or "in" — or various other prepositions. And in many cases it is not translated at all.

OTHER EXAMPLES
animar a (algo) - encourage to
ayudar a (algo) - help to
condenar a (algo) - condemn to
comenzar a - begin to
contribuir a (algo) - contribute to
empezar a - begin to
forzar a - force to
desafiar a (algo) - challenge to
impulsar a - urge on to
enseñar a - show how to; teach to
llevar a - lead to
incitar a (algo) - incite to
invitar a - invite to
obligar a (algo) - oblige to
mandar a - send to
pasar a - go on to
persuadir a (algo) - persuade to

Quote: Nareed

Deberíamos construir una cabaña más para albergar a nuestros huespedes.

At least I didn't use por, which I considered doing.