Dangerously Daring: The Spanish Edition

[holdouttrout]

Languages are always important for a dangerously daring person to know. For instance, it is vitally important that, should you travel to a foreign country, you can ask where the bathroom is, and also be able to tell someone you love them. Everything else can be covered with pointing and charades.

Now, the boy's book has Latin phrases, which are interesting, but not terribly useful. And the girl's book has Spanish phrases, which are useful but not particularly interesting--except for the Spanish equivalent of "The real McCoy," which makes me crack up. So I went with Spanish and decided to do a (very little) bit more research.

Oh, yes. I'm sure you're thinking to yourself: She is going to talk about Spanish vocab words, which I have no use for at all. Why bother clicking on the cut?

Because I'm going to give you some unusual Spanish phrases, that's why.

English Equivalent	Literal English	Spanish
The real McCoy	The real, real potato seller	El mero, mero patatero
I don't get it!	It doesn't fit in my head!	¡No me cabe en la cabeza!
He's so old he can barely walk.	He's falling of age.	Se cae de viejo.
To get goose bumps	lit. "the flesh of a hen"	ponerse la carne de gallina

Other useful phrases to know (taken from "Wicked Spanish for the Traveler"* are:

English	Spanish
When did the brakes go out?	?Cuando se fueron los frenos?
You make me hot, my chili pepper.	Me calientas mucho, chilito mio.

Because you can never know when super brake-cutting spies or love will strike.

*Please, don't attempt to use any of the phrases from this book. They are, usually, Really Bad Spanish and also can be very culturally insensitive. Not to mention difficult to remember.



In the comments, if you have unusual phrases you think everyone should know, you should share them.

Comments

[knightedrogue.livejournal.com]

The Russian word 'громко' (transposed 'gromka') does NOT equal 'holla' (transposed 'holla back youngin').

Do not use in this context while in St. Petersberg. Even if you are dangerously daring and young and ... American. ;)

*life experience*

And you're telling me you had to LOOK UP 'you make me hot my chili pepper'? YOU? I thought you were all kinds of daring while living in Spain. Le sigh.

[spiletta42.livejournal.com]

I was warned against using "calientas" in that context, unless referring to animals in heat.

[supplyship.livejournal.com]

No orine aquí.

That is, "Don't urinate here." which I saw on signs, in several places in Lima. Evidently, that's a problem?

[shutthef-up.livejournal.com]

OMG! I *adore* foreign language phrase books! I got one by a guy named Steve (James? Don't remember, but I've *got* to find that book now!)

The Italian phrase book had winners like:

"There are mice in my room." (I remember the word for 'mice' is 'tipi')

"If you don't slow down, I'm going to vomit!" (always helpful and gets the point across nicely)

And, of course, knowing me...

"Do you have a condom?" (Of *course* I remember that the word for 'condom' is 'protectivo'!)

[la-tante.livejournal.com]

i have a couple for you. well a few (french teacher here) if you say: je suis chaud(e) i am hot--it is a sexual thing. not to be done. same for je suis plein(e) i am full would be i am pregnant. also to be avoided. and my favorite idiomatic phrase en français of all time is il pleut comme une vach qui pisse: it's raining like a pissing cow. hmm and just in my travels be careful of asking for a ride in the uk. you'd be better off asking for a lift. oh i love language!

[stargazercmc.livejournal.com]

Well, to add some French to the mix, my teacher was always big on throwing this one out for us NOT to say to anyone in Spain:

Tu es une vache espagnol.

(Translation: You are a Spanish cow.)

I learned some more... um... adult-oriented phrases in my college courses, but I wasn't sure what the rating in your post was. :)

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

Ack. I think I have the French edition of that book (Wicked French), but I can't find it. However, from a quick scan on Amazon -

Sans vous je ne suis qu'un ver de terre - Without you I am nothing but an earthworm.

Ces truffes puantes sont surfaites - These stinking truffles are overrated.

Ne te rue pas sur mon jupon, Luc, espèce de rustaud brutal! - Stop at my petticoat, Luc, you beastly peasant!

Ce brugnon est très dur - This nectarine is very hard.

All very useful, I'm sure you'll agree...