23 replies to this topic

[WillieBrandt]

I have a good dozen or so stories of saying, "whoops" type things learning Spanish. They're funny. I'd love to share them with you but I want to hear your's too. This won't get us in trouble for fraternizing because we're talking about learning the Spanish language.

Whoops - is not a spanish word!!!

[Chandler]

harina, arena, orina

harina-flour

arena-sand

orina-urine

Well irolbackwards,

Before this goes too far, I wish to point out that the three words that you've cited are, in fact, pronounced distinctly; that is to say, differently.

Harina = a-RE-na

Arena = a-RAY-na

Orina = oh-RE-na

(Best I can do without some typical pronounciation symbols.)

Notwithstanding their different prounciations, consider a simple English example like:

To

Too

Two

These three words DO sound exactly alike, but the CONTEXT in which they are used does not create any confusion for the listener.

The simple truth of the matter is that Spanish vowels (the same ones that created the confusion you cited) are nearly always pronounced consistently. The few exceptions I believe are referred to as "dipthongs", when two vowels are next to each other they can make a different sound than the vowels do alone. I would not make the statement that Spanish is an easy language to learn, but the vowels certainly ARE.

I am making the assumption that your question was a serious one.

[sioux4noff]

I just had a "whoops" thing happen. We had our Mexican friends house sitting while we took a vacation. While talking to the husband on the phone after discussing some problems that had come up at the house (in Spanish) I was saying goodbye. I asked him to please give "saludos a las chuletas" when of course I meant "las chulitas" referring to his wife, daughter and baby-on-the-way. I was reliecved to hear they thought it was very funny.
Chuletas = chops, like pork chops
Chulitas = cuties or sweeties, more or less

[bobnliz]

Orina = oh-RE-na

Chandler_ I believe that ORINA is pronounced o-REE- na

The vowels en español are pronounced
a= ah
e= eh
i= ee, as in eek!
o= o as in Oh oh!
u= oo as in coop

[sioux4noff]

a= ah
e= eh
i= ee, as in eek!
o= o as in Oh oh!
u= oo as in coop

Followed by "el burro sabe mas que tu", just ask any Mexican primaria student.

[eslteacher]

Hi, this is my first post.
We will be moving to the Lakeside once our house sells. It is so exciting! I grew up in the United States and became a teacher. I taught English and Spanish to both adults and children. When I get to the lake I want to form a group of friends who want to learn Spanish and Mexican cooking. It would be like a cooking club with the host house rotating every month. We would cook, learn ingredients and converse all in Spanish!

eslteacher

esl: English as a Second Language
ssl: Spanish as a Second Language

[RVGRINGO]

Me parece que, "ssl," debe ser, "eis" ¿verdad?

[eslteacher]

RVGRINGO

SSL-es cómo se usa en las escuelas de los E.E.U.U.

ESL-sería en español- Español como Segunda Lengua. Pero se puede confundir con
ESL- English as a Second Language.

Pero como están en México, sí es correcto usar ESL.

Saludos,

eslteacher

[bobnliz]

a= ah
e= eh
i= ee, as in eek!
o= o as in Oh oh!
u= oo as in coop

Followed by "el burro sabe mas que tu", just ask any Mexican primaria student.

!Ah, que lastima! Todo el tiempo que fui en las calles y la primaria fue por nada. ¿Parese que el burro es un animal muy, muy inteligente, no?
Fíjate, este es un foro para aprender español. Si mi español fui perfecto, no hay nececidad de ser aqui.

There are no stupid questions...

[phxfunguy]

QUOTE (sioux4noff @ Aug 27 2007, 10:23 PM)

QUOTE
a= ah

e= eh
i= ee, as in eek!
o= o as in Oh oh!
u= oo as in coop

Followed by "el burro sabe mas que tu", just ask any Mexican primaria student.

!Ah, que lastima! Todo el tiempo que fui en las calles y la primaria fue por nada. ¿Parese que el burro es un animal muy, muy inteligente, no?
Fíjate, este es un foro para aprender español. Si mi español fui perfecto, no hay nececidad de ser aqui.

There are no stupid questions...

Shouldn't that last line be: "Si mi español fuera perfecto, no sería necesario de estar aquí..."? or something along those lines?

[mexicolindo]

You almost got it fun guy.. The verb forms correct! but, the preposition shouldn´t be there....
"Si mi español fuera perfecto, no sería necesario estar aquí."
Or, "Si mi español fuera perfecto no habría necesidad de estar aquí."

[More Liana]

Hi, this is my first post.
We will be moving to the Lakeside once our house sells. It is so exciting! I grew up in the United States and became a teacher. I taught English and Spanish to both adults and children. When I get to the lake I want to form a group of friends who want to learn Spanish and Mexican cooking. It would be like a cooking club with the host house rotating every month. We would cook, learn ingredients and converse all in Spanish!

eslteacher

esl: English as a Second Language
ssl: Spanish as a Second Language

Suena muy divertido. Suerte.

[BarbaraJ]

One Spanish instructor made sure us women did not the mistake of being hot, hacker hacker meaning you have hear Because if you say I am hot, it means you are turned on sexually. That brought a bunch of giggles.

[BarbaraJ]

My iPad is not working well, what I was trying to say I am hot, háce color, when you say I have heat it is different to say, I am hot, meaning sexually hot. Everyone did enjoy that one.

[doberwoman]

LOL !!!!

I can see that you get into the same situations I went to learn english.....LOL!