frases o refranes
If you have time and what to learn some phrases that are used in places that you travel to (so that you translate a few more phrases in their actual instead of literal way). or if you want to look these over. just say hi for some rep points.
Here are some phrases, I was wondering if you have ever used them? What do these phrases mean to you? How do you use them? With what frequency do you use them? Who taught them to you? What nationality are you or where did you learn spanish? What's your favorite one? Ever come across words that lose their value and meaning in translation? Which loss in translation is most diffciult to overcome for you? I find that complex (like complejo is difficult because though it has the meaning in english few English speakers where I live use it- New England states in USA).
Requete is used before an adjective to mean very or extremely. Here are the examples I had listed: requetebien (very good or well), requetegrande (very big or gigantic), requetemal (very bad or terrible), requeteloca (extremely crazy or insane), requetecansada (extremely tired or exhausted).
Tengo la curiosidad de saber que rayo ustedes estan haciendo means I have the curiosity of knowing what on earth (literally: what ray) you are doing. It is used to express utter disbelief or wonder. Parents use this phrase often when they find their children doing things that are "strange" to them or different from what they would expect their children to do.
Ya, ya! Niños, me van a volver loca! Though I know you said you know this one, its complete meaning is Enough, enough! Children, you are going to drive me insane!
These are Spanglish words used between people who are bilingual in spanish and english. They show a clear understanding of the languages if used in a bilingial home; however, they are not proper. Bipear (to call or beep on a beeper) faxear (to fax), shipear (to ship), textear (to text message), zippear (to zipper), or taipear (to type) [or these: "bipeame, faxeame, shipeame, textame, zippeame and taipeame" which act like regular verbs and mean the verb plus the reflexive pronoun "me" meaning to me].
Le ronca el mango literally means it snores the mango. It is used to display dismay, You say this phrase when you can't believe something or something is ridiculous!
Sangwich is an easy one to remember, it means sandwich and is basically an essential word to the world of food.
Tomate un te de tilo y cálmate/ tranquilízate/ que seguro que tiene solución/ relájate. These phrases are used to recommend or command someone to relax or calm down. Tomate un te de tilo means drink a cup of linden leaf tea. Linden leaf tea (te de tilo) is used for relaxation, to calm down and reduce stress. Cálmate means calm yourself. Tranquilízate means tranquilize yourself. Que estoy seguro que tiene solución means that I am sure that this has a solution (this is used after a previous [phrase; however, if the que is removed it can be used alone). Relájate means relax yourself. These all mean relax and calm down and are used often in many areas of life, between friends, between family even to tell kids to stop throwing fits.
¡No me digas! literally means don't tell me. Its the opposite of dime (which means tell me). It is often used to mean no way, or I don't believe it, or don't tell me (as in tell me already!), or there is no possible way that is true.
¡Para de chivar! means stop busting my chops.
¡Qué paqueté'! or qué guayaba means what a lie or what a pack of lies.The word lie in Spanish is mentira and someone who lies is called mentirosa or mentiroso. Mentira itself is used as an expression of disbelief, like saying that has to be a lie.
¡Qué relajo! means what a mess.
Asere/compay/consorte/socio, ¿Qué bolá? means hey, friend, what's up. Asere/compay/consorte/socio means friend, buddy, dude, man or any other word like that. ¿Qué bolá? means what's up and is similar and interchangeable to ¿Qué pasa? which means what's going on.
Vamos echar un pie. means let's dance until we drop (because of exhaistion). Its literal meaning is let's put forth a foot.
Esa calle tiene un elemento malo means this street has a bad element which means there is something fishy (or wrong) with this scene. This phrase loses a lot of meaning in its translation.
Tremendo embarque means tremendous embarkation means and me embarquaron means they embarked me. These phrases trully loss their meaning in translation. They mean something along the lines of they asked me (or forced me) to go with them and I had a blast or what an idea of a chance of having a good time.
Guagua means bus. It is used instead of autobus. It is used like this yo cogi la Guagua para Nueva York which means I caught the bus to New York.
Ya cambiame el disco literally means change the disc (like an old record). Its exact meaning here is already change for me the record. It means here change the subject already.
Circula literally means circulate. It is used to mean get out of here. ¡Arranca! is another word used to mean get out of here, which has a literal meaning of crank or start (as in arranca el carro which means start the car).
Eres como el arroz blanco literally means you are like white rice but it actually means you are everywhere.
Por si las moscas literally means for if the flies (like the bug) but is a phrase equivilant to just in case.
PS: I am Cuban and they may have slightly different meanings in other parts of the world. Thanks/gracias. Que Dios te bendiga (That G*d blesses you).
2 Answers
In Argentina:
Le ronca el mango = Le chifla el moño (he/she is ridiculous!!)
¡Qué paqueté'! or qué guayaba = Qué bolazo!!
¡Qué relajo! = Qué quilombo!! (slang)
¿Qué bolá? = Qué onda?
Guagua = Bondi, cole
So does "tremendo embarque" mean that someone made you come even though you didn´t want to, and then you had a good time?
I think in English you could say "I was shanghaied" or "They made me (relax, party whatever) in spite of myself". But it does sound better in Spanish.
