¿Cuanto le debo?

Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew when I study Spanish. It can be a good idea when you're learning something to do it that way, just dive in and get on with it. But there is also a time for breaking it down and practicing, and that is best done one bite at a time.

Watching some Destinos today (it's amazing how much more I understand after a year), and I heard Arturo use the phrase "¿Cuanto le debo?" which means "How much do I owe you?" I am going to try to remember that whenever I'm somewhere and about to pay for something. At least in my mind, I need to say "¿Cuanto le debo?" even if it is English that comes out of my mouth. So that is the homework I am giving myself. Hopefully I can remember! Espero que pueda recordar. Vamos a ver.

Sometimes you feel like a preposition, sometimes you don't.

I need to cut this out and paste it to my fridge, but even if I did, alas, I would not learn it by memorizing it.
Preposition use with verbs
It's still REALLY good and clears up a lot of confusion for me.

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to...the word for catching a ball

Plaza Seasamo me esta ayudando mucho. Hoy miré un parte en cual aprendí la palabra que significa "catch", como "to catch a baseball". Usaron la palabra atrapar. Habia mas, pero yo olvido.

Reflexiones y practicando la escritura

Pues, mi meditacíon este mañana fue sobre cuidando las viudas. Me hace pensar. Porque es nuestro trabajo. Y, quiza no tiene que ser en la forma de empleado profesional. Pero, justo haciendo lo que puedo. Y ese, puedo hacer. A veces me pongo confusa, pero la voz de Dios es claro, si escucharé y si tengo orejas para oír. A menudo, no las tengo. Las hago cosas demasiado complicadas. Hoy, mi meta es para vivir mas simplemente y oir.

Ok, entonces, este escribí sin consultando google translate. Voy a hacerlo mas en el futuro. Ahora, voy a verificar a ver mis errores.

¡Caramba! Elmo has a Mexican Dad, and his singing voice is groovy (mid-video).

Because it is more important to know how to say pee, poo, and diaper than most anything else in Spanish. Yep. Besides, what could be cuter than baby Elmo giggling while sitting on the potty seat?

Porque es mas importante saber cómo decir pi, po, y pañal de que cualquier otra cosa en Español. Claro. ¿Qúe podría ser mas precioso de que Elmocito riendo mientras sentiendo en el bañito?

Encontré una página web nueva

Esta mañana estaba buscando por un explicación de por qué a veces se usa la palabra "de" y no se usa "que" para expresar "than" (de nuevo), justo ser seguro. Y, google me mostró esta página. Parece una buena herramienta para aprender. Cualquier cosa para ayúdame.

This morning I was looking for an explanation of why you use "de" instead of "que" to express "than" (again), just to be sure. And google shows me this website. It seems like a good learning tool. Anything to help me.

Let's see what we can learn today

A new word.

grato/grata/gratos/gratas - pleasant

Usar: to use (in a sentence)

Aunque el atesorar recuerdos gratos del pasado no es malo, podemos olvidar lo que queda atrás y dirigirnos hacia adelante.

Even though treasuring pleasant memories is not bad, we can forget what is behind and move forward.

And one more: a phrase this time.

por medio de - by means of, through

Puedo atravesar el bosque por medio de las piernas fuertes.

I can cross the forest by means of my strong legs. (Like, I would say that in English?)

5 Ways To Craft Brilliant Travel Blog Headlines

5 Ways To Craft Brilliant Travel Blog Headlines Acaso este me ayudará. Necesito titulos mejores.

hoy estoy muy aburrida

Este blog es muy aburrido. Lo siento que tu tengas que leerlo. Yo ponía un translator aqui para que tu puedes leerlo tambien. Quiero escribir mas y mas en Español a medida que yo aprendo. Y acaso tu no poderás entenderlo.

Than = que. But it could also = de.

So learned something new this morning, and I figured I better type it in this blog so I can go back and remember when I forget it. Well, they do say that you remember (what is it?) 90% of what you say. So, I figure typing it here is pretty close to saying it.

I always thought that to express the word "than" in Spanish, you use the word "que". However, I came across this line in my devotional this morning, "Nuestro Salvador está más cerca de nosotros de lo que cualquier persona en este mundo pudiera estar." What's the deal with the "de"?! Shouldn't it be "que"? Well, apparently not, because when it comes to amounts, quantities, or numbers, you use "de" instead of "que". I'm thinking here that the writer or translator used "de" because the sentence refers to the amount of closeness we experience in relationship. That makes sense. At least some sense. Mas sentido de lo que era antes.

No commas after Hola

Learned something new today: En Español, se usa dos puntos, y no se usa una coma, despues de "Hola".

Por ejemplo:

Hola a todos: Esta es correcta.

Hola a todos, Esta no es correcta.

Interaction

The other day when I went grocery shopping, I ran into a Mexican friend. It really reinforced the idea that I need more interaction with native Spanish speakers because it's much easier to learn correct speech this way. I know a lot in my head, but I forget it when I have to speak. For instance, this guy asks me what I'm doing.

I know that to say, "I'm going shopping" (What does it look like I'm doing? I'm at Publix. Anyway...) you use some form of the verb ir + comprar. But I forgot the "de". I would say "Voy de compras." Or, me voy de compras. I really would like to get to the point in which I could just say what I am doing when someone asks me in Spanish! But now, (at least when someone asks me at the grocery store) I've got it!

Also, we got into a short conversation about Spanish movies. I told him about Pan's Labyrinth which he has not seen, and I wanted to say, "Next time (I see you), I will ask you about it." I think I said something like, "El proximo vez, lo te preguntará." (which took me like, two whole minutes to spit out)

It was very nice to get instant correction! I should have said (correct if I'm wrong): "La proxima vez que te veo, te lo preguntará." or maybe better: "La próxima vez que te veo, te preguntará sobre (o acerca de) ella (la película).

The instant feedback is so helpful to learning to speak (vs. learning to read).

Martes trece = Friday the 13th

I am reading a young adult fiction book en Español, and I ran across the sentence, "me sale con un martes trece." Come to find out, in Spanish cultures, this is considered to be their day of bad luck like our Friday the 13th would be. Eh, in any culture superstition is for the superstitious.

But the sentence above makes little sense out of context. I think in the story, the characters were trying to figure out a schedule or when to do something, and the only day available was a Tuesday the 13th. So in context the translation would be something like, "Let's see, which day can I do it. Hmm, I'm busy on Monday and Wednesday. That leaves me with Tuesday the 13th." Martes TRECE. dundundun.

Breve escala

I visited the Destinos website today, and all of the sudden (de repente), I find that they've improved it! They've added closed captioning, and the video quality is wildly improved. I clicked on the video where Raquel goes to Argentina (the first Argentine video), and came across the phrase "breve escala". The term was used when describing Raquel's flight from Spain to Argentina. So, I put the phrase in the translator at Spanishdict.com to find out what it means. Only I typed it, "breva escala" which means "fig scale". What? Why are they talking about fig scale? Did Raquel eat a bad meal on the plane or something? Then it dawned on me. Check the spelling. So, "Breve escala" with an "e" on the end of "Brev" means "short stop". Like, a brief layover on a flight! What a difference a letter can make.

Ganar

I was thinking about how to translate the sentence, "Too much ambiguity makes me want to quit my studies." Google translate is very helpful, but not in this case. Translators are often wrong, especially with the grammar, which is why I love the Spanishdict website because I can ask questions there.

The sentence translated on Goggle as "demasiada ambiguidad me dan ganas de dejar mis estudios." This seemed weird. The word dan is a form of dar- to give. It also seemed like google gave me a form of ganar- to win. However, "ganas" here is a plural feminine verb meaning desire or inclination. So I asked on Spanishdict. The correct translation would be, "Demasiada ambiguidad me da ganas de dejar mis estudios." Which translates as, "Too much ambiguity gives me the desire to quit my studies." And I would use the da instead of dan because ambiguity is singular. OK then.

Gana = desire, wish
Ganas de = desires to, inclinations to
"me dan ganas de llorar" -> I feel like crying

Comfort with ambiguity

I'm reading a facebook discussion page for teachers of foreign languages using the TPRS method.  One comment read, "comfort with ambiguity is a very important life skill."  Qué verdad.  But too much ambiguity makes me want to quit my studies.

Che está muerte

Ok, so I borrowed the title from a facebook friend, and when I read this, his status update, I was like, what?  Isn't the verb "estar" supposed to be used to signify something temporary?  So, this would mean Che is dead, but only for now?

Apparently I was taught wrong.  It's more like this- the verb "ser" is used only for defining the essence of something.  Like, if you said, "Che es muerte," it would mean Che is brain dead, or has no personality, his essence.  I guess.  So, the verb "estar" would be used when you say someone has died because well, that's their condition.  I guess.

Oh, and I learned a handy Mexican cuss word.  Pinche, which is pretty much the Mexican equivalent for the F bomb.  So, I'll be sure to pepper that one into a few Spanish conversations real soon.

Soler

So, I have a lot of what I call "learning tools" to self study Spanish.  I listen to CDs and digital downloads and podcasts, like Learn in your car Spanish.  I have worked through the entire Destinos series, which was incredibly cheesy.  Now, I'm working through Sueños, and I just listened to the Daily Routine clip.  I learned a new word: soler- to be used to.  You can use it when you say what you do "normalmente".  "Normalmente trabajo"  = I normally work = "suelo trabajar".  At least, that's what I'm thinking!

At a hotel in San Pedro Sula

A photo from my recent trip to Honduras.  Una foto de mi viaje reciente a Honduras.  OK, yo cuidaré bien las plantas.  OKAY, I will take good care of the plants!                                      

The conditional: Había vs. habría

What a difference that little "r" makes!

Yo había llegado = I had arrived
Yo habría llegado = I would have arrived  (conditional)