Spellings and Pronunciations for Spanish Words in Recent Posts

[More Liana]

In the last few days there have been some posts on another thread related to a very special 15th birthday party in Ajijic. A couple of the Spanish words used in the post are common, and are commonly misspelled in the thread.

--quinceañera (keen-seh-ah-NYEH-rah)...a girl's 15th birthday party, or the 15-year-old girl herself.

--cohete (koh-EH-teh)...a sky rocket, commonly used in Mexican celebratory events.

Pa'que sepan...

[howardF]

In the last few days there have been some posts on another thread related to a very special 15th birthday party in Ajijic. A couple of the Spanish words used in the post are common, and are commonly misspelled in the thread.

--quinceañera (keen-seh-ah-NYEH-rah)...a girl's 15th birthday party, or the 15-year-old girl herself.

--cohete (koh-EH-teh)...a sky rocket, commonly used in Mexican celebratory events.

Pa'que sepan...

Thank you for the clarification of spelling. A Google search, however shows both spellings, quinceañera and quinciñera as being in commpn usage. As for cohete, you're right on.

[More Liana]

Thank you for the clarification of spelling. A Google search, however shows both spellings, quinceañera and quinciñera as being in commpn usage. As for cohete, you're right on.

Google is useful, although not always 100% correct. I've lived in Mexico for 30 years, speak native-level fluent Spanish, and have never seen the alternate spelling you suggest (quinciñera). I checked with Google and discovered that word in several posts from non-Spanish speakers, but nothing that would indicate that quinciñera is in fact a true spelling of the word.

Word Reference dictionary does not list quinciñera, nor does the all-encompassing Diccionario del español usual en México. I wouldn't use your alternate spelling in Mexico, regardless of Google's mention. It's an error.