Using verbs in Spanish

Question

Hi everyone

I guess in every language they have many kind of different way to say thing even when we don't use the verb properly. For example: I can say " I start picking up Spanish " in stead of " I start learning Spanish " and people still understand what do I mean. I realize you only know these way of saying when you live in the country where people speak that language so you can hear and get familiar with the way they speak.

I am wondering if I can apply the same way of expression in English for Spanish in some way, like can I use the verb Recoger (pick up) in Spanish to express that I am learning Spanish ??

Gracias

Answer 1

Not really.

" I start picking up Spanish "

To pick up here is a phrasal verb.

Phrasal verbs can mean many things and are not easily expressed in a similar way in Spanish.

Here are some examples:

Pick up

Improve

Learn quickly

Collect

Receive (a broadcast)

Collect (a person).

This differs from the 'collect a thing' meaning as that means 'collect and bring back' whereas this means either (i) 'collect and drop off on your way' or (ii) 'collect and bring to the same destination'.

Pick up after

Tidy a mess someone else has made

Pick up on

Correct someone when they say something wrong

Notice something that most people don't

React to something

Comment on something said earlier in a conversation

Pick yourself up

Recover from a fall or problem

Theses phrasal verbs are usually totally different in another language. French and Spanish although similar have very very different phrasal verbs. - Daniela2041, Aug 12, 2016

Answer 2

Well, it wouldn't sound idiomatic. It's only a thing that makes it understandable for English speakers.

Trying to put an expression like I start picking up Spanish on empiezo a recoger el Español, okay, I can understand that, but it's completely undiomatic to me. By brain would try, anyhow, to process the sentence like he starts learning Spanish, and make perfect sense to me.

I think you can, for certain expressions though, but I wouldn't suggest doing so if you want to make yourself understood to Spanish speakers.

ah okay, fair enough, gracias amigo - danghuynh, Aug 12, 2016

Answer 3

Not really. "pick up" in this case is American English slang. and slang usually doesn't translate word for word across languages.

A common greeting among Mexicans is "¿Qué onda?" ( what wave) for "how are you?"

If you say to an English Speaker "What wave?" They will think you're crazy.

In the picture below, the cat is saying "Qué onda güey" Now "güey' mean "ox" a large animal like a bull. But Mexicans use that word for "good friend" "buddy" or "mate."

Don't call any English speaker "Ox." He will really think you're crazy.

Oh thank you, so I guess we have to really listen to the Spanish conversation to get familiar with the usage - danghuynh, Aug 12, 2016

I am wondering if we use a lot of phrasal verb in Spanish like English ? Can you give a link to some common Spanish phrasal verbs - danghuynh, Aug 12, 2016

Go to Google, and type in "phrasal verbs Spanish" and you will get many many lists. - Daniela2041, Aug 12, 2016

:) - ian-hill, Aug 12, 2016