Islander 302 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 I would like to find out what would Mexican national say to get the right meaning of "be good !". Thank you. Link to post Share on other sites
RVGRINGO 2,085 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Portarse bien. (to a stranger/adult) Portate bien. (to an intimate or a child) Link to post Share on other sites
Intercasa 1,075 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Portate bien y si no, me invitas! Link to post Share on other sites
ela 0 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Portate bien y si no, me invitas! ¡Viejo verde! Pues, no eres viejo... sonrisas... ¡Híjole! Link to post Share on other sites
willieboy 3 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Portarse bien. (to a stranger/adult) Portate bien. (to an intimate or a child) Just one quibble, RV. Pórtese - the usted form requires changing the ending of the verb Link to post Share on other sites
Islander 302 Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 So,... Portese bien (for the usted form) and Portate bien (for the kids)? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites
willieboy 3 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 So,... Portese bien (for the usted form) and Portate bien (for the kids)? Thanks Right. (Tú) Pórtate bien, por favor. (Usted) Pórtese bien, por favor (Ustedes) Pórtense bien, por favor. (Nosotros) Portémonos bien, por favor. Link to post Share on other sites
Islander 302 Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Right. (Tú) Pórtate bien, por favor. (Usted) Pórtese bien, por favor (Ustedes) Pórtense bien, por favor. (Nosotros) Pórtemonos bien, por favor. - Thank you Link to post Share on other sites
willieboy 3 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 - Thank you Sorry, that should have been "portémonos bien" for the nosotros form. I changed it in my post above. Link to post Share on other sites
Islander 302 Posted March 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 Right. (Tú) Pórtate bien, por favor. (Usted) Pórtese bien, por favor (Ustedes) Pórtense bien, por favor. (Nosotros) Portémonos bien, por favor. - Would it be same for "be nice" ?.......which has slightly different meaning than "be good". Thanks again. Link to post Share on other sites
willieboy 3 Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 - Would it be same for "be nice" ?.......which has slightly different meaning than "be good". Thanks again. You could use "sé buena gente" or "sé amable" However, I've never heard commands used this way here (maybe I wasn't paying attention, or just missed it). But I have heard commands with "ser" in the negative: "No seas malo" or "No seas sangrón". Maybe a native speaker, or someone more proficient in the language can help us out here Link to post Share on other sites
willieboy 3 Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 I asked this on another web-board and here's the answer (from a Spanish speaker from Spain). I don't know in Mexico, but in Spain it's very used by mothers :-) : Sé bueno. If we have a date and you had been late other times, I may probably say: Nos vemos a las ocho. Por favor, sé puntual. Another example, if my husband hates my sister and she is coming today for lunch, I can say to him: Por favor, sé amable con ella. I guess the reason I hear the "no seas....." all of the time is because people are always telling me not to be such a pain in the a**:>) Link to post Share on other sites
willieboy 3 Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Here's another response I received from a woman who lives in D.F. "I think you're right. Imperative can be heard more easily from people with a higher education background, and still they might prefer the colloquial change for a negative command... I think it has to do with our "slight phobia" for sounding rude at using imperative. You might also have noticed we often change it for questions. Much people prefers "¿me da un refresco?" instead of "déme un refresco" (even saying "por favor")." Link to post Share on other sites
Islander 302 Posted March 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Here's another response I received from a woman who lives in D.F. "I think you're right. Imperative can be heard more easily from people with a higher education background, and still they might prefer the colloquial change for a negative command... I think it has to do with our "slight phobia" for sounding rude at using imperative. You might also have noticed we often change it for questions. Much people prefers "¿me da un refresco?" instead of "déme un refresco" (even saying "por favor")." - Thanks Willieboy.....most informative. Link to post Share on other sites
raqueteer 4 Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Seas buena gente Link to post Share on other sites
raqueteer 4 Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 I asked this on another web-board and here's the answer (from a Spanish speaker from Spain). I don't know in Mexico, but in Spain it's very used by mothers :-) : Sé bueno. If we have a date and you had been late other times, I may probably say: Nos vemos a las ocho. Por favor, sé puntual. Another example, if my husband hates my sister and she is coming today for lunch, I can say to him: Por favor, sé amable con ella. I guess the reason I hear the "no seas....." all of the time is because people are always telling me not to be such a pain in the a**:>) Word of caution, in Mexico NEVER use soy bueno or buena. Very embarrassing to yourself and the listener. Means I'm good in the sack. Buena gente would be the way to put it. Link to post Share on other sites
Intercasa 1,075 Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 But what if you are good in the sack? Do you say soy bien dotado y vas a gustar mamacita o? Link to post Share on other sites
raqueteer 4 Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 But what if you are good in the sack? Do you say soy bien dotado y vas a gustar mamacita o? ¡Una advertencia! Si mamacita tiene un novio, peudas estar muerto, y pronto. Si el hermano de mamacita esta cerca, egual. Si el padre de mamacita esta cerca, hijole, esfumate, muy rapido. Link to post Share on other sites
gloryforixseal 0 Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 Thanks so much for the info, Christina. That sounds like exactly what I was looking for. Im gonna check it out, and hopefully sign up for a few. Good luck with your own classes, and thanks again. gsulliv4 Link to post Share on other sites
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