Spanish speakers tend to use lots of sayings and colloquial expressions when we talk. To make matters more interesting, many of the expressions we use may not mean what you think.

For example, when we say something related to colors, the words we use often lack a clear connection with the ideas we want to communicate.

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Let’s get started. Do you know what the difference is between making someone turn green and saying that someone is very green (poner verde a alguien vs. alguien está muy verde)?

Generally speaking, we tend to associate green with things that are good, healthy, pretty, etc. Nature is full of green, and vegetables taste better the greener they are, to name just a few examples. However, oddly enough, the color also has negative connotations. Things that are green are often poisonous, such as snakes and lizards, which play nefarious roles in many stories.

In literature the color green is frequently used to indicate hope, but Federico García Lorca has also used it to symbolize death.

Since it’s difficult to know when green is good and when it’s not, we’ll give you a rundown of these two Spanish expressions so you can learn how to use them in the right context.

When we make someone turn green (ponemos verde a alguien), we’re not dressing them up in green clothes or painting them with green paint. Not even close! What we’re actually doing is criticizing the person; we’re bad-mouthing or speaking badly about them, usually when they’re not around.

The origins of this expression are unclear. The most popular explanation is that it has to do with bruises.

When someone is hit by something or someone, a bruise usually appears. The bruise is purple at first, but as the days go by, it begins to take on a greenish hue. This explains the metaphorical relationship between physically hitting someone and attacking them verbally.

So, if someone makes you turn green (si alguien te pone verde), it means they’re talking trash about you, usually behind your back.

On the other hand, saying that someone is very green (está muy verde) has nothing to do with making them turn green.

When a piece of fruit hasn’t fully ripened, it often stays green for awhile before taking on its final color. That’s why when we say that a person is still very green (está aún muy verde), it means that the person is immature or lacking experience in some area.

For example, let’s say a person starts a new job. The first few days, the person normally doesn’t know where things are, how things are done, what they have to do, etc. We would say that this person aun está muy verde.

If you want to master more Spanish expressions with colors, pay close attention to the following video and you’ll learn everything you need to know.

Like many languages, Spanish is full of common expressions that talk about colors. We’re going to start with our favorite color here at don Quijote: red. Here are a couple of expressions that you’re sure to come across in your day-to-day life in any Spanish-speaking country.

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We say something está al rojo vivo when it’s at its most interesting or highest point of tension. Let’s look at some examples:

• With the score tied and just 10 minutes to go, the game está al rojo vivo and the two teams are giving it their all to win the title.
• After the spokesperson’s harsh words, the debate se puso al rojo vivo and unleashed a flood of accusations.

As you can see, estar al rojo vivo can refer to something exciting (and therefore something positive, if we’re talking about a sporting event or a movie), or it can be used in a negative way to refer to a tense situation.

So, where does this expression come from? Like many sayings we use today, it harks back to something that’s been around for centuries: the work of a blacksmith. To forge iron and other metals, blacksmiths first need to get the metal red-hot (al rojo vivo) by putting it in the fire until it reaches a high temperature and becomes soft enough to shape. When this happens, as you may have seen for yourself at some point, the metal takes on that intense, glowing red color that the saying refers to.

Of course, we all know that you shouldn’t touch red-hot metal if you don’t want to get burned — that’s what this fiery expression refers to. In a similar way, you can also say that an issue or situation está que arde (is burning) or is candente (red-hot or white-hot).

Another common expression you’ll hear anywhere Spanish is spoken is ponerse rojo or ponerse colorado. We're not talking about what happens to your skin if you stay out in the Spanish sun too long; it’s used when someone is blushing, usually because they feel embarrassed. You can use it in a lot of different situations, from the most mortifying, like when you make a mistake or something happens that makes you wish the earth would swallow you, to moments that fill your heart with joy, such as someone you like giving you a compliment.

There’s another saying with a similar meaning that also uses colors: me han subido los colores. You can use this expression when someone scolds you for something you’ve done (or haven’t done, if your Spanish teacher is admonishing you for not having finished your homework) or when someone flatters you and makes you ponerte rojo (blush).

Now that you know the meaning of these expressions with the color red, would you like to see more Spanish sayings that use different colors? We made a video to help you learn them:

One of the "tricky" questions related to Spanish culture is about Spanish names; along with all of the history and tradition involved in Spanish name culture. Imagine you’ve just arrived in Spain; now, imagine you’re introduced to someone named "Pepe García Paredes." You might think his name, based on the order it comes in, is: first name, Pepe; middle name, García; last name, Paredes. But after a week or so in Spain, you will have discovered that García is not his middle name at all, but rather part of his last name. Then you might think, "ok, his name is Pepe and his last name is García-Paredes," (one of those curious hyphenated last names). But no, after another week or so you realize that they are actually two different last names: one is García and the other, Paredes. And then, to complicate things even further, after another week in Spain, you realize that his given name is actually not Pepe, but rather José.

So what on earth is going on here? And are Spanish names really so complicated? The answer, lucky, is no. And actually, once you see what's behind it all, it will be easy to understand the Spanish name system.

Read the Spanish version

Two Last Names?

Let's start with the matter of the two last names. Spaniards have two last names: the first is our father's first last name and the second is our mother's. In Spanish speaking countries, women don't lose their maiden names; they continue using them for all legal purposes even after they're married.

Does that mean Spaniards collect a bunch of different last names? No. The first last name is passed on from generation to generation but the second is lost. Take a look at a practical example: José García Paredes marries María López Garrido; they have a daughter named Rocío, whose last names would be García and López. When Rocío García López has a son with Ricardo Benítez Gomez, named Manuel, his full name is Manuel Benitez García, or Manolo to his friends.

Spanish Nicknames and Diminutives: Pepe, Paco, Lola…

That last example brings us to the question of Spanish nicknames and diminutives. It seems almost everyone in Spain has a nickname, or a “short for” name. The most well known nickname in Spanish is for people named José; the nickname is Pepe, which comes from the abbreviation of the old form of José: "Josepe."  Another strange case is the case of Paco, Curro and Pancho, which are all short for Francisco. When it comes to Paco the name supposedly comes from the abbreviation of "Pater Comunitatis," the title given to San Francisco de Asís, the founder of the Franciscan religious order. Curro may come from the abbreviation of Pacurro since "-urro" is a diminutive suffix that's rarely used anymore. Another diminutive that many people think is a proper name, is the legendary Lola. In reality, Lola is just a loving way to call someone named Dolores. From Dolores comes Loles and from Loles, Lola.

Some nicknames or diminutives are simply abbreviations of compound names in an attempt to make these solemn names a little more comfortable to use and lively. Chema, for example, is actually José María; Juancar is actually Juan Carlos; and Juanra is actually Juan Ramón. These kinds of nicknames are especially common with women's names. For example, Rosario becomes Charo; Chelo is Consuelo; Maite is for María Teresa; and María Isabel becomes Merichel.

Some of these nicknames are given for more childish reasons, or to make a very serious name sound more endearing for a child. For example, Goyo is the familiar name used for Gregorio and Chayo for the more serious name Rosario.

And Names that Seem Like Nicknames!

On the other hand, sometimes confusion can happen in reverse; and we may think a given name is actually a nickname. Take the names Paloma, Henar, Pino, Montaña and Pilar for example. These names have nothing to do with birds (paloma means dove), or a place where hay grows (henar is hayfield or meadow), or with an evergreen tree (pino means pine tree), a landform (montaña means mountain) or a structural support (pilar is pillar). They are simply names inspired by religion; namesakes to virgins and the places where they were found or they are used to tell these stories.

That may be enough for now, we wouldn't want to make things too confusing... But, we also want to tell you not to worry if Spanish names seem just a little too complicated! You can't imagine the number of Spaniards who for example, don't know that John and Jack can be the same person, or that their Russian friend called Pasha is actually named Pavel!

In Spanish, we can say “mantenerse en sus trece” which translates literally to “keep to one’s thirteen”. Yet this isn’t talking about a thirteen-year-old who doesn’t want to grow any more. Far from it.

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If someone “keeps to their thirteen,” it means something like they stand firm on a position about whatever subject, and nothing will make them change their mind. And this Spanish way of saying “standing one’s ground,” in fact, has a special nuance. Someone who holds their thirteen won’t change their mind, even when the opposing ideas are correct, or even indisputable.

One example of this common saying goes something like this:

• Although he knew he was not right, Juan kept to his thirteen and did not change his mind.

So, as it is an idiom with such a marked meaning, we will investigate its origin and how it got to us.

After checking various sources, we found that it has two possible and very striking origins.

On the one hand, it is said it might come from a card game from the Middle Ages in which the goal was to reach fifteen points, without going over, adding up the value of each card. The player who got closest to those points won, and so, anyone who reached thirteen points held their cards, taking no more, as it would have been easy to go over fifteen with only one more card.

As such, keeping to one’s thirteen, with all its variants, might very well have originated from this ancient card game.

On the other hand, it is said that it might come from the times of Pope Luna, also known as Pope Benedict XIII.

They say that after the division of the Church in the districts of Avignon and Rome, this Pope was chosen as the representative of the French see.

Shortly after the appointment of Pope Benedict XIII, France withdrew its support and he was forced to go live in the Peniscola Castle in Spain, stripped of his power.

As he found it unjust, he relocated with the few people who still considered him Pope to the Castle, although he had the habit of shouting "I am Pope Benedict XIII!" constantly. That is why, after repeated it so many times, it began to be taken as an expression leading to the one we know today. Others say that what he shouted was "I am Pope ... and thirteen!", which also would have given rise to our saying. Whatever the real origin of this expression, if someone “keeps to their thirteen” it is synonymous with being a bit hard-headed.

When you arrive at a new place, or are introduced a large group of people, one of the first things you need to do (without anyone noticing, of course) is to find out who corta el bacalao (cuts the cod).

But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that, upon arriving, you have to sit at the table and try this delicious fish. Not even close. Knowing who “cuts the cod”, as heard in Spanish, is a saying that refers to the fact that there’s always someone in charge, who makes the most important decisions.

Read the spanish version

This adage originated in the 16^th century, when refrigerators, as we know them, didn’t exist. To conserve food and be able to take it on long journeys, meats and fish were heavily salted, kept as cool as possible and then desalted when it was time to cook.

Around the same time, in Spain cod was becoming more and more popular. As meats were scarce, this fish was one of the few that was abundant enough to be normally available in the marketplaces. Thus, little by little, it began to be taken to the colonies in the Americas by boat from Spain.

In these areas, pieces of cod were given out to the slaves as they finished their hard day of work. So, when they finished the last of the many tasks they had for the day, they stood in a long line before the foreman or the leader of the group. He was the boss and decided how much each one ate, and was the one who would cut the cod in strips to hand out to the slaves. And, if someone got on his bad side, he risked receiving the worst part of the fish, a smaller portion, or even going without.

So, over time, referring to a person as one who cuts the cod means this is the person who calls the shots.

Another explanation for this same expression points to the old grocery stores of yesteryear. Cod was common fare in these shops, but it only the boss or shop owner would cut it for the customers, because he was the one with the proper knife skills.

In any case, be it the foremen in the Spanish colonies or the shop owners, it has always been important to have the person who corta el bacalao on your side.

‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.’ - Nelson Mandela. 

Over 400 million native Spanish speakers world-wide would probably agree that Spanish is the best! We think so too, and here are a few reasons why you should learn Spanish as your second language.

1. It’s a global language.

If you want to visit beautiful destinations and understand the culture on a deeper level, Spanish will give you that ability in at least 21 countries where it is the official language. Imagine traveling to Ecuador or Mexico or even Spain, and being able to get around and meet local residence on your own, without a guide!

2. Spanish opens a whole world of interesting activities.

It is the root of many beautiful dances like tango, salsa and flamenco, all of which have their own specific Spanish music and associated unique instruments. Learning the language will help you understand their meaning, cultural roots and historic background. Equally fascinating are the classic Spanish writers like Cervantes, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Federico Garcia Lorca and Pablo Neruda. All of a sudden, you have new literature to read, Spanish blogs to discover, news with different perspectives to read and great songs to sing.

3. Spanish is ranked #1 on Britain’s Languages For the Future report.

This report was specifically created to rank the most important languages for UK citizens to learn after English, but the information is universal – Spanish is the language of the future! Spanish is indispensable for any global business and opens many doors for workers across all industries.

4. It's one of the most spoken languages in the world, as well as the most used on the Internet.

There are more than 400 million native Spanish speakers worldwide and many more who speak Spanish as a second language. Although there is some argument, Spanish is largely regarded as the third most used language on the Internet.

5. Spanish is closely linked with other Romance languages like French, Italian and Portuguese.

That means that once you have some knowledge of Spanish, you will most likely find that learning another Romance language is much easier. For example, Spanish and Portuguese have 89% lexical similarity and according to a study, it is possible to a certain extent to understand each other.

6. Spanish is 100% phonetic.

Compared to many other languages, Spanish is quite easy to learn! It follows rules for the most part, it sounds like it is written and written how it’s pronounced. That’s a relief!

7. Spanish will open doors for you academically and professionally.

Spanish is an official language of the United Nations, International Criminal Court, World Trade Organization, International Labor Organization, International Telecommunications Union, Latin Union, African Union, Central American Common Market, European Union, Mercosur, North American Free Trade Agreement, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Organization of American States  and the Union of South American Nations.
 

One of the most curious phenomena of the Spanish language – and one that causes plenty of headaches for its students – is that our words have genders. As we know, masculine words tend to end in –o, and feminine words in –a (although there are plenty of exceptions to this rule!). Many times, the masculine or feminine character of a word is reflected by the actual gender of the person or animal; they are words that are within the same semantic category. For example chico vs. chica (boy vs. girl), toro vs. vaca (bull vs. cow) or caballo vs. yegua (horse vs. mare).  However, there is another phenomenon regarding the variation of gender between words that isn't related to the masculine or feminine quality of the object. In fact, in changing the gender of the word, it actually takes on a completely different meaning.   We'll give you some examples:

1. Caballo vs. caballa: yes, caballa does exist but, contrary to what you might think, it's not a female horse.  A caballa is a very popular type of fish in Spain (“mackerel”).

2. Trapo vs. trapa: a trapo is a piece of fabric used for cleaning purposes (“rag”), while a trapa is a system of rigs and holds used in sailing. 

3. Suelo vs. suela: the suelo is the ground or the floor, while the suela is the bottom, or sole, of a shoe. 

4. Bola vs. bolo: a bola can be anything that has a spherical shape, like a ball or a scoop of ice cream, yet a bolo is what we knock down during a game of bowling (“bowling pin”)!  Bolo can be easily confused with the ball used to play soccer, which is called a balón.

5. Río vs. ría: this pair is a bit more complicated. While a río is a wide current that flows into the sea or ocean (“river”), a ría is the body of water where the river meets the sea (“estuary”).  For example, in Spain the rías gallegas are very famous, and beautiful.  

A nice example, The ría of Vigo.

6. Huerto vs. huerta: this one is tricky, even for native Spanish speakers. A huerto is a small and enclosed area of crops, like a garden; in contrast, a huerta refers to a much larger area, such as an orchard or a field.  It's often the case that a huerta is comprised of various small huertos.

7. Velo vs. vela: a velo is an article of light fabric used to cover the head or face (“veil”), but a vela can be a candle or the sail of a sailboat.

8. Higo vs. higa: higo is the tasty fruit of a fig tree (“fig”). Higa is something quite different: it can be an amulet in the shape of a closed fist, often given as gifts to children, or even an offensive hand gesture. 

9. Brazo vs. braza: we all know that the brazo is the arm; a braza, however, is a measure of length used for water depth (the equivalent of about 6 feet), known as a fathom.

10. Bando vs. banda: while a bando is any type of proclamation or public announcement, a banda can have various meanings such as: a group of people (including, yes, a musical band), a type of belt or sash, or one of the longer sides of a sports field.

There you have it, more proof of how curious Spanish vocabulary can be. There are always surprises and new meanings to be discovered! By the way, do you know of any other examples?

All is well and good with speaking real proper Spanish. That’s true of any language. But what happens when you get out into the street in Madrid and suddenly you can’t understand a word anyone is saying because the Spanish they’re using is as far from text-book Spanish as you can get. Or maybe you’re Spanish is so good that you could pass for a native… almost… if only you could only drop those little giveaways that let everyone know you’re a foreigner and add some authentic Spanish tricks to your repertoire. Check out this list of little nuances (well, actually, some of them aren’t really so nuanced) you’ll need to know if you want to sound like a true Spaniard.

1. Don’t be afraid to put your tongue between your teeth (and other key pronunciation tricks in Spain):

These are all a little tricky – different aspects of them for people from different countries and native languages (one of these pronunciation keys is actually considered a speech impediment in the English language for example). So let’s jump right in.

“D”s sound like “TH” – Yep it’s true (even if it is sort of subtle). You won’t find one madrileño out there who doesn’t say something that sounds similar to “MaTHriZ” (although the “Z” sound at the end sometimes drops off and is not enunciated very clearly) or “MaTHri” (without the last D at all), when they’re saying what you or I might call “MaDriD.” The “D” sound in Spain is never a hard “D” like it is in English, it is a softer, subtler sound.

“C”s and “Z”s sounds like “TH” – When “C”s sound like “S”s in Spanish (that is to say when they come after an “e” or an “i”) they are pronounced as “TH”; the same goes for “Z”s (this is known as distinción, or distinction, in linguistics). This one is a real toughie for native English speakers – no, not all Spaniards have a speech impediment – this lisp sound is actually on purpose. So if you want to sound like a real Spaniard get used to going to “THaragoTHa” (instead of “Zaragoza”) and asking for a “THerBeTHa” (instead of a “Cerveza”) at the bar (note: the “V” sound is a cross between the “V” and “B” in Spanish – it falls somewhere in the middle).

The “-ADO” suffix sounds like “-OW” – You may wonder what a “hela-OW” is when what you’ve learned to ask for in Spanish class is a “hel-ADO” (an ice-cream). But get used to it. This is a relaxation of correct pronunciation that is omnipresent in Spain. And if you’re not aware that this is a common way to sling together the very common “–ADO” suffix you may get hung up when trying to understand just about everyone in Spain (and some in Latin America too).

2. Say “vale” a lot:

If you ever listen to Spaniards speaking on the phone you’ll have heard them say, “vale, vale, vale” about a million times. You may try to make sense of the word, but if you’ve never been taught this most basic word in previous Spanish classes, it will be quite difficult. In reality it couldn’t be simpler. It simply means “ok.” Once you get used to it, you’ll see this one really rolls off the tongue, and is particularly sounds nice in threes: “vale, vale, vale.”  This is a must to pass as a true Spaniard; “OK,” just won’t do on the Iberian Peninsula (although everyone there will understand what it means). ¿Vale?

3. Swear a lot (joder, it’s just not that big of a deal here)

In other languages swear words are usually considered vulgar and used with care (at least in settings like the work place or at the university). Not in Spain however. No need to hold ‘em in here; let those four letters fly. There are a few words in Spanish that can be translated to truly offensive swears in English, but which have become completely innocuous in Spain. The best example is “joder” (which translates to F*** in English) one of the rudest and most shocking of words in English. In Spain, however, it is just another way to punctuate a sentence. We won’t go so far as to say it is used in very formal settings, because it is not, but hearing people calmly add “joder” to the beginning, middle or end of a sentence on a lunch date or in an office meeting certainly wouldn’t raise any eyebrows here.

Looking for more naughty words that aren’t so naughty in Spain? Try out “La madre que lo parió," more or less “damn” or “what the hell” to express surprise; "Cabrón," more or less “bastard” or “asshole” but again, can be used in a completely inoffensive way; or "Gilipollas," also translated to “asshole” more or less. But the list goes on and on… 

Other markers are also used very commonly in colloquial speech in Spain. Although they are not swears you’ll hear just about all young people talking to friends punctuate with “tío” or “tía” (literally “uncle” and “aunt” but used in Spain as an American would use “man” or “dude”); “chaval” (“little guy”/“kid”) or “coleguis” (“friend”/“buddy”).

¡So get to it chaval, joder!

4. Use diminutives and augmentatives.

You’ll probably have heard the use of the diminutive suffix “-ITA” to make Spanish words small and cute. But what about “-ICO/-ICA” “-INO-/INA” “-ETE/-ETA” or “ÍN/-IÑA”? All of these different regional uses of the diminutive accomplish the same thing: “pequeñito” (small, little thing) is the same as “pequeñino,” “pequeñete,” and “pequeñín.” And if you want to make something extra-large, add an augmentative like a good Spaniard would: “-AZO/-AZA,” “-ÓN/-ONA,” “-OTE/-OTA,” “-UDO/-UDA.” Go from being “grande” when you speak Spanish to “un grandote,” drink an enormous “copazo,” or go home to your really nice “casona.”

5. Give orders. It’s not rude, we promise!

The way Spanish people order at bars, or make simple requests can be a little shocking for people from other countries at times. It can be hard to jump right in like a Spaniard and yell to the bartender “ponme un café” (literally “give me a coffee”). In a lot of cultures this would be rude, but no worries, it’s not in Spain! It’s just the way you order (that goes for beer, bread, or really anything else you get standing at a counter). You may feel temped to timidly ask, “¿Me pondrías un café, por favor?” (“Could I have coffee please?”) and although the barkeep will understand you, he may find it strange or you could even come off as a little condescending or sarcastic, as if you’ve been waiting for long time, since this overtly polite manner is simply not the cultural norm. Orders are also given in many other contexts (such as at the dinner table, in the street and in other service sectors). So don’t worry and order away, if you feel rude, just make sure to punctuate with a big smile!

Put these five easy steps into practice and you’ll be speaking like a Spaniard in no time. Better yet, come to Spain, experience them all for yourself and blend right in as just another español in the crowd. 

Travel to Spain

One of the best travel opportunities you can have as a tourist is coming to a country like Spain and living in a house or flat just like a typical Spaniard. This kind of experience is unique and incredibly gratifying since you get a perspective that a regular tourist can only dream of. Not living in a hotel means that you’ll have the chance to go to the different neighborhood stores to buy your meat, produce, bread and groceries. You’ll meet and talk to people from the neighborhood in the corner bar while you’re having a coffee and churro for breakfast. But not all is sidewalk cafes and roses…there is a downside to all of this greatness (as there usually is). One day you will have to use the oven, dishwasher or washing machine. It’s then when things start to get a little sketchy and you'll begin to question the wiseness of not staying in that 4 star cubicle.

Los Animales

Discover “Los Animales”- Animal names in Spanish. The following infographic is the ideal tool for learning Spanish animal names. It can be used by teachers in classrooms, as a poster in your office, or to teach children the names of animals in Spanish.  Use this tool to help you memorize all of the most important animals in Spanish. Each animal is accompanied by an image that will make it easier to remember the animal names and memorize them. Within a few days you will be an expert at the most common Spanish animal names!