Spanish word of the day

Quote: Wizard

How about the suffix "dad?" I'm not sure what that means, but if nareed can't help, Paco is seldom stumped.

Spanish doesn't do much with prefixes and suffixes anyway. I can tell you verdad is descended from the Latin veritas, past that, as the old Spanish saying has it, ni p**** idea (don't try that with your tutor)

Quote:

One thing I do know is that Spanish words ending in the suffix 'dad' have in common is that they are all feminine words.

Really? I dind't knwo that. Mostly you memorize such things through repeated sue. Of course, I started some decades before you did...

Quote:

Tal vez ella fue bromas.

I'm afraid you're slipping. that phrase doesn't make sense. literally you said "Maybe she was jokes."

Assuming you wanted to say "Maybe she was kidding," then "tal vez ella bromeaba," or "Tal vez estaba bromeando."

You think nouns are hard, just wait til you hit conjugation.

Quote:

Tú no habias afrontar la verdad. = You can't handle the truth.

Tu no puedes afrontar la verdad, o tu no puedes manejar la verdad.

Thanks to Nareed for the corrections and to Paco for the song. By the way, I don't want you guys to feel I'm abusing your help. I owe both of you a favor, and I consider the meter to still be running on that.

That said, here is my stab at translating Paco's song. I really enjoyed the video, by the way.

Español	Ingles
Tengo que confesar que a veces,	I have to confess that at times,
no me gusta tu forma de ser,	I don't like the form you take,
luego te me desapareces	later you disappear on me,
y no entiendo muy bien porque,	and I don't understand very well because,
no dices nada romantico	you don't say anything romantic
cuando llega el atardecer,	when the sunset arrives,
te pones de un humor extraño	you put on a strange mood
con cada luna llena al mes.	when each full moon arrives.
Pero a todo lo demás,	But all the rest,
le gana lo bueno que me das,	is beaten by the good you give me,
solo tenerte cerca,	only to have you arround
siento que vuelvo a empezar.	I feel I turn to begin
Chorus
Yo te quiero con limon y sal,	I want you with lemon and salt,
yo te quiero tal y como estas,	I want you so and how you are,
no hace falta cambiarte nada,	It's not your fault change nothing,
yo te quiero si vienes o si vas,	I want you if you come or if you go,
si subes y bajas y no estas	If you rise up and if you don't.
seguro de lo que sientes.	It is secure where you sit.
Tengo que confesarte ahora,	I have to confess now,
nunca creí en la felicidad,	never believed in happiness,
a veces algo se le parece,	at times all seems,
pero es pura casualidad,	but it is a pure coincidence,
Luego me vengo a encontrar	Later I come to find
con tus ojos me dan algo mas,	with you eyes give me something more
solo tenerte cerca,	only to have you around
siento que vuelvo a empezar.	I feel I'm turning to begin
Chorus x 2
Solo tenerte cerca	only to have you around
siento que vuelvo a empezar.	I feel I'm turning to begin

Quote: Wizard

That said, here is my stab at translating Paco's song. I really enjoyed the video, by the way.

Someone else's translation

Siento que vuelvo a empezar <==> me siento que puedo empezar de nuevo
I feel like I can start again.

Julieta is from Tijuana, and has lived in California for a while. She is a pop singer that doesn't always use a huge range. I thought if you can sing you might try the chorus. It would really impress your Spanish teacher.


From the same album (this one really has an easy chorus):
Me Voy
Porque no supiste entender a mi corazón
lo que había en el porque no tuviste el valor de ver quien soy
porque no escuchas lo que esta tan cerca de ti
sólo el ruido de afuera y yo
que estoy a un lado desaparezco para ti

No voy a llorar y decir que no merezco esto
porque es probable que lo merezco pero no lo quiero
por eso me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios me despedio de ti

Porque se que me espera algo mejor
alguien que sepa darme amor
de ese que endulza la sal y hace que salga el sol
yo que pense nunca me iría de ti
que es amor del bueno de toda la vida
pero hoy entendí que no hay suficiente para los dos

No voy a llorar y decir que no merezco esto
porque es probable que lo merezco pero no lo quiero
por eso me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios me despedio de ti

Me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti
me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti
me voy

Thanks again for turning me onto Julieta Venegas. I'll have to get some of her discos.

Okay, here is one of many verses I got wrong:

yo te quiero si vienes o si vas,

I translated quiero to "I like."

It is hard to break the habit of knowing querer only as to want, but I recognize that it also means to love. My question is, how do you know whether someone is saying they want something or love something. I could imagine huge misunderstandings around this. Even in this particular verse, how do you know?

Quote: pacomartin

Someone else's translation

A bad one.

Here's mine:


Tengo que confesar que a veces,
I have to confess sometimes
no me gusta tu forma de ser,
I don't like the way you are
luego te me desapareces
Then you disappear
y no entiendo muy bien porque,
And Y don't understand why
no dices nada romantico
cuando llega el atardecer,
You don't say anything romantic
when dusk comes
te pones de un humor extraño
You get into a strange mood
con cada luna llena al mes.
with every full moon each month

Pero a todo lo demás,
But everything else
le gana lo bueno que me das,
is beaten by the good you give me
solo tenerte cerca,
just having you close
siento que vuelvo a empezar.
makes me feels I'm starting again

Chorus
Yo te quiero con limon y sal,
I want you with lime and salt
yo te quiero tal y como estas,
I want you hust the way you are
no hace falta cambiarte nada,
There's no need to change anything
yo te quiero si vienes o si vas,
I want you if you come or go
si subes y bajas y no estas
if you go up or down and when you're not here
seguro de lo que sientes.
sure that you feel it

Tengo que confesarte ahora,
I ahve to confess now
nunca creí en la felicidad,
I never believed in happiness
a veces algo se le parece,
sometimes something is like it
pero es pura casualidad,
but it's just a coincidence
Luego me vengo a encontrar
Then I come to find
con tus ojos me dan algo mas,
Your eyes give me something more
solo tenerte cerca,
Just having you close
siento que vuelvo a empezar.
Makes me feel I'm starting again.

Quote: Wizard

It is hard to break the habit of knowing querer only as to want, but I recognize that it also means to love. My question is, how do you know whether someone is saying they want something or love something. I could imagine huge misunderstandings around this. Even in this particular verse, how do you know?

Context.

In a love song, though, want and love work about as well.

Anyway, love doesn't apply when talking about things or actions. So anyone saying "quiero comer," "quiero ir al cine," "quiero un vestido," means want in every case.

You can say you love something. If you wanted to say "I love this dress," you'd say "Amo este vestido." Though you'd more likely say "adoro este vestido," or "me encanta este vestido (BTW I'm doing some shopping in another browser window...)

Quote: Nareed's translation

Yo te quiero con limon y sal,
I want you with lime and salt

Thank you for the translation. As I wrote before, I'm not just humoring you with this stuff, but am really trying to get better. I definitely owe you a favor for your help.

So, your translation of quiero illustrates my point about the problem with querer. You used want, but the online translation, which I know you don't like, went with love. Why did you choose to go with want? In English there is a huge difference between those two words. It is a big deal to say "I love you" here, especially for women, and if you used a word that could mean want or love, the person on the receiving end would wonder which one you meant.

Quote: Wizard

Thank you for the translation. As I wrote before, I'm not just humoring you with this stuff, but am really trying to get better. I definitely owe you a favor for your help.

So, your translation of quiero illustrates my point about the problem with querer. You used want, but the online translation, which I know you don't like, went with love. Why did you choose to go with want? In English there is a huge difference between those two words. It is a big deal to say "I love you" here, especially for women, and if you used a word that could mean want or love, the person on the receiving end would wonder which one you meant.

Perhaps it is because I studied ancient Greek and Latin decades ago, but I always look at etymology.

Love is based in Old English, Want is based in Old Norse. Generally, I find that English words based on Old Norse have often the most non-subtle meanings (think Viking invasions). "Want" originally meant "to lack something" which you struggle to "get" (another Old Norse verb).

The Latin verb quaerō, (first person) means: I seek, I seek to obtain, I strive for, I endeavor, I miss, I lack, I desire, I question, I inquire, and I require.

The Latin word is carried down into English in words like quest, query, and question. In particular quest is to fulfill a lack or desire. With prefixes the verb becomes require, acquire,inquire, conquest, and exquisite. All words are variations on the same concept of seeking for something of value.

Perhaps Nareed has more insight, but usually I just try to tell from overall context if you the mild want translation is required for a simple need (like the Taco Bell commercials), or if you want that person from the depth of your soul.

Since Spanish started out basically a regional dialect of Latin, it tends to keep the range of meanings. All of the Latin vocabulary was shoved into English, but not always in a way that is obvious. In addition the words that are most commonly used in English are not the ones based on Latin.

Quote: Wizard

So, your translation of quiero illustrates my point about the problem with querer. You used want, but the online translation, which I know you don't like, went with love. Why did you choose to go with want?

Want expresses a desire while love expresses a feeling. The song feels more like desire than feelings.

Though maybe it's other musical influences. one of my all-time favorite songs in Olivia Newton John's "Make a move on me." The chorus goes

"I'm the one you want
that's all I gotta be.
So come on, baby,
Make a move on me"

BTW, here's a word to give you headaches: despensa

There are at least three possible usages, exemplified as follows:

1) Mete la mostaza a la despensa

2) Me pagarón parte de mi sueldo con vales de despensa

3) Recibí una despensa del gobierno estatal.

Now I'll go laugh maniacally like a cheap B-movie villain.