Spanish Word of the Day

Fecha: 3-11-12
Palabra: Taimarse

Today's SWD means to be sly. A related is taimada, which means sly as an adjective.

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast taimada y astuta.

Ejemplo time.

Ginger siempre consigue lo que quiere porque ella es muy taimada. = Ginger always gets what she wants because she is very sly.

Quote: Wizard

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast taimada y astuta.

Simple. "Astuta" is used an easily understood by everyone. "Taimada" is something taken out of the word museum or something ;)

Quote: Nareed

Simple. "Astuta" is used an easily understood by everyone. "Taimada" is something taken out of the word museum or something ;)

Taimarse, Taimada, and Taima are words you are more likely to hear in Bolivia and Chile. They are based on Portuguese words.

In general, if you look up a word and it was adopted into Spanish from a French, Catalan, Galician, Italian, Portuguese, or in rare cases a German or English word, very often Nareed uses a synonym. If a Spanish word comes from an Arab word, then it was adopted into Spanish pre-conquest, and is usually used in Mexico.

When I say that a word was "adopted" I mean it is taken wholesale into the language. Words like "pajama" (AmE), "pyjama" (BrE), and "pijama" (Spanish) are not really adopted into the language. They are just each language or dialect changing the verb pronunciation of an Indian word (India, like the country India).

Quote: Wizard

Father, do you think the bishop above you would permit you to take some time to take up the language? I'm sure knowing it would be a useful talent for you to have.

Are you kidding? The Archbishop would love it if I could learn Spanish and it would be a big help to my ministry and to the Archdiocese. That is why I am closly following the SWD this time :)

I would appreciate any advice about how to best learn Spanish even if I am the pastor of a fairly busy parish.

Quote: FrGamble

I would appreciate any advice about how to best learn Spanish even if I am the pastor of a fairly busy parish.

There are three things you need to do in order to learn any language:

1) Practice

2) Practice

3) Practice

Quote: FrGamble

I would appreciate any advice about how to best learn Spanish even if I am the pastor of a fairly busy parish.

Maybe I'm not qualified to answer this, but my philosophy is to keep it natural and fun. The way not to do it is with long memorization lists.

What I do is take any children's book that I liked in English, buy the Spanish translation, and read the Spanish version. If I see a word or phrase I don't know then I check the English version or a dictionary.

This thread helps too, as well as a weekly tutor I see.

Quote: Wizard

Maybe I'm not qualified to answer this, but my philosophy is to keep it natural and fun. The way not to do it is with long memorization lists.

What I do is take any children's book that I liked in English, buy the Spanish translation, and read the Spanish version. If I see a word or phrase I don't know then I check the English version or a dictionary.

This thread helps too, as well as a weekly tutor I see.

Also, stay in the room when your kids are watching Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street. You'll pick up only a little bit, but basic nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

Okay, so that wouldn't help a Father; just a father!

Fecha: 3-11-12
Palabra: Canapé

Today's SWD is a type of finger food, like a little pastry. There is no English equivalent that I know, except to use the Spanish word.

Ejemplo time.

Me gusta cuando Mary Ann hace canapés de plátano. = I like it when Mary Ann makes banana capapes.

Quote: Wizard

There is no English equivalent that I know, except to use the Spanish word.

Actually it's French.

Quote: Nareed

Actually it's French.

zoot alore! c'est vrai!