Spanish Word of the Day

No clue. It sounds like South American slang.

Oh, it depends on context, but likely "tío" means "guy" or "person" rather than "uncle."

Quote: Wizard

What does the word pelota mean in this context:

¿A que Lockhart es el tío más pelota que has conocido en tu vida?

I think it means something equivalent to "Doesn't Lockhart have the biggest brass ones, that you've ever seen in your life? It's consistent with his character in the book and movies, as he was extremely vain and self assured.

Presumably it is a European idiomnatic expression. It may be translating a British idiom to begin with. Do you have the Harry Potter book in English? What was the original quote?

Urban Dictionary: "Tio" Spain, slang for friend, mate, or buddy. "Que pasa tio!"

I think this phrase is equivalent "He who has the biggest balls, gets the ball"

Quote: Pacomartin

I think it means something equivalent to "Doesn't Lockhart have the biggest brass ones, that you've ever seen in your life? It's consistent with his character in the book and movies, as he was extremely vain and self assured.

The English says, "Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" -- Chamber of Secrets pg. 228, paperback.

I had to look up smarmy in the dictionary. It said "excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile,"

It seems ones of those words they say in the U.K. a lot, but almost never here.

Quote: Wizard

The English says, "Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" -- Chamber of Secrets pg. 228, paperback.

I had to look up smarmy in the dictionary. It said "excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile,"

Well Google translate uses "el tío" for "bloke" .

Word Reference translates cobista as smarmy, greasy or as a noun: a bootlicker or a toady.

I think the translator took some liberties here. Rather than go for a literal translation, he chose another phrase. I get the impression that the phrase in Spanish means a kind of macho, but in a repulsive sort of way. Like Bluto impersonating a zit being popped in Animal House.

Fecha: 15-6-13
Palabra: Arpa

Today's SWD means harp. It makes me wonder what happened to the H. Also, what does the root arp mean, common to both the English and Spanish words for harp. Also, it is el arpa. Why isn't it la arpa?

Ejemplo time.

Dejé mi arpa en la discoteca de Sam Almeja. = I left my harp in Sam Clam's disco.

Quote: Wizard

Fecha: 15-6-13
Palabra: Arpa

Today's SWD means harp. It makes me wonder what happened to the H. Also, what does the root arp mean, common to both the English and Spanish words for harp. Also, it is el arpa. Why isn't it la arpa?

Ejemplo time.

Dejé mi arpa en la discoteca de Sam Almeja. = I left my harp in Sam Clam's disco.

Sometimes Masculine, Sometimes Feminine=Some Nouns Are of Ambiguous Gender

Etymogically, it is one of those rare words that went from Germanic to Latin between the years 200 and 600. So the English words is from Old English's ancestor, but the Spanish word comes from the same source. These words are pretty rare.

Possibly the source explains the puzzling gender. It is masculine in the singular, but feminine in plural and if an adjective is also used.

Quote: Wizard

Why isn't it la arpa?

We've been through this, I'm sure. You do not use "la" for words starting with an "a" in Spanish. Therefore El arpa, El agua, etc. In plural you do use "las" for feminine nouns: las arpaS, las aguaS, etc.

Quote: Pacomartin

It is masculine in the singular, but feminine in plural and if an adjective is also used.

Geez. I see you're right that one harp is masculine, but two or more are feminine. When I put in "the red harp" into Reverso I got el arpa roja. I'm not sure if that is masculine or feminine because the article is masculine, but the adjective and noun are feminine.

If the Academia Real is monitoring this thread ... WTF? Why does it have to be so hard an illogical?

On a lighter subject, I like how they managed to rhyme this poem/song in Harry Potter

Quote: English

His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,
His hair is as dark as a blackboard.
I wish he was mine, he's really divine,
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord.

Quote: Spanish

Tiene los ojos verdes como un sapo en escabeche
y el pelo negro como una pizarra cuando anoche.
Quisiera que fuera mío, porque es glorioso,
el héroe que venció al señor Tenebroso.

Quote: Nareed

Quote: Wizard

Why isn't it la arpa?

We've been through this, I'm sure. You do not use "la" for words starting with an "a" in Spanish. Therefore El arpa, El agua, etc. In plural you do use "las" for feminine nouns: las arpaS, las aguaS, etc.

As I understand the rule, the noun must begin with an 'a', and the 'a' must also be stressed (which it frequently is).

Wizard
Sorry, about not shortening the rule. The noun must have an adjective, and the adjective is in-between the article and the noun. At this point you revert to 'la'. In most cases the adjective is placed after the noun.

Reference Spanish Adjective Can Come Before or After the Noun, Depending on Its Purpose

As to your plea to the grammar gods, some of these rules may have arisen just because things sounded funny. But french just drops the first a as in l'atelier when faced with the same problem.

I saw this sentence on a forum.

Como un bromista, le sugiero que se comunique con el soporte técnico y obtener un número de caso.


The phrase "Como un bromista" does not seem to mean what the dictionary says it mean. A "bromista" is a little joke. But the writer seems to be using it in a different sense. From the context, it sounds more like "to get the ball rolling", or a similar idiom.

The latter part of the sentence is not funny at all. "I suggest that you communicate with technical support and obtain a case number."

Is this a Mexican idiom?