In this episode we look at 9 words that don’t have direct translations in English.

Listener Feedback: Javier from Tolasa
What’s the difference between ‘life expectation’ and ‘life expectancy’ (and also ‘life span’)?

Life expectancy usually refers to the amount of years left in one’s life based on the person’s current age.
Life span refers to the average total duration of a lifetime within specific groups

9 Spanish Words We Need in English 

1.GUIRI – a foreigner, usually a tourist, who happens to be in Spain and stands out as being pretty obviously not a local. (GRINGO in Central/South America)

Do you wear sandals and socks? Walk on the sunny side of the street in August?
“Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun!”

2. ESTRENAR – to wear or use something for the first time.

Wear for the first time
Make a debut in a job or in a new post or position
(Films in the cinema) Premiere, release a film, to perform for the first time.

3. ESPABILAR – To liven up, to hurry up, to get one’s act together, to wake up, to get a move on, move yourself!
¡Espabila o el banco estará cerrado! – Get your arse in gear or the bank will be closed!

4. CACHONDEO – Messing and joking around
cachondearse = laugh at, (slang – take the mickey), (formal – to mock, ridicule) – “No te enfades, que estoy de cachondeo, no lo digo en serio.”
(falta de seriedad) – a joke a laugh “Esto es un cachondeo, aquí nadie hace lo que debe hacer.”

5. AUTÓNOMO – A registered self-employed person, independent, self-sufficient. The word also refers to freelancers and contractors.
“Es una mujer autónoma que vive independiente.” – She’s a self-sufficient woman who lives independently.

Improve your speaking with an italki teacher

6. PAGAFANTAS – ‘Fanta buyer’, it usually refers to guys who buy drinks for girls and treat them nicely, but never actually get anywhere in the relationship. (a mug, chump)
eg. Reza, quite often!

7. FUNCIONARIO – clerk, civil servant, official (oposiciones)
“La ambición de mi primo es ser funcionario.”

8. ALTA/BAJA (These words have multiple meanings) – sign on/off the dole (el paro) or social security or many other things, register/unregister (something), statement of fitness for work/sick line
DAR DE ALTA: to be discharged from hospital / to join an organization, to register
DAR DE BAJA: to unsubscribe

9. YA (Reza both loves and hates this word in equal measure because its shortness can be very useful or very sarcastic) – “Yes”, “That’s right”, “Told you (so)”, “I see (what you mean)”, “Stop (talking)”, “Yes, I already know (that)”, “Yes, I’ve already done that”, “About time/At last”, “That’s quite enough”, “Is that it/all?”

Ahora mismo (now): “Quiero que entres en casa ya.” – I want you to go into the house now. / “Ya se acabó” – it’s all over now

Anteriormente (already): “La policía ya había detenido al ladrón en dos ocasiones.” – The police had already detained the thief on two occasions.

¡Basta ya! – Stop it already!, Enough already!, Enough!, Knock it off!

ya entiendo – I see
¡ya lo sé! – I know!
ya, pero … – yes, but …
¡ya, ya! – yes, yes!, oh, yes!, oh, sure! (irony)
ya, y luego viste un burro volando – ¿no? sure, and pigs might fly! (irony)
esto ya es un robo – this really is robbery

GOING FORWARD  – a poem by Reza Shah

As a valued literary stakeholder all are
Welcome to this key verse
In which you can decide how we
Will go forward together into the future.

A future full, so full,
Of a raft of broad-ranging initiatives
In which we must all pool resources
By supporting this latest proposal, going forward.

Due to present unavoidable circumstances
Words must be properly managed
And targeted primarily only to
Those most in need of them.

Should any mistruth occur, per se,
In accordance with best practice
It will be swiftly dealt with
And those responsible will be held accountable.

In terms of teamwork and leadership
Verbal synergy will be the
Benchmark and core competency
In the most encompassing global sense.

In the face of growing misconception
It now only remains for me
To tender my resignation in a
Bid to quell mounting concern that
These lines are not fit for purpose

Reza Shah

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English. Do you have a question for us or an idea for a future episode?
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Send us an email with a comment or question to [email protected] or [email protected].

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On next week’s episode: Vague Language (sort of, kind of, type of thing)

The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’