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Now that you’ve a strong intermediate stage of Spanish talking, it’s time to take your Spanish to the following stage with superior phrases.
Specializing in fascinating or unusual vocabulary is a good way to make the leap from intermediate to superior Spanish.
On this submit, we are going to train you 12 superior Spanish phrases which is not going to solely assist your comprehension but in addition make you sound like a local speaker.
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That means: It appears
Widespread phrase to switch: Parece
I couldn’t let you know why the phrase pinta—which suggests “pint” and “he/she paints”—additionally means “side” or “look.” Oh, nicely—languages are simply difficult like that.
You might have heard somebody say “tiene buena pinta” (it appears nice) to explain meals, a good suggestion and even a lovely individual. However the phrase pinta can really be used with many adjectives, not simply buena or its reverse, mala (unhealthy).
As an alternative of utilizing the verb parecer (to appear, to seem), attempt throwing within the phrase tiene pinta de ser plus the adjective of your alternative. It has virtually the identical which means, and it’ll enable you range your speech and sound extra colloquial.
Ese restaurante tiene pinta de ser muy caro.
(That restaurant appears actually costly.)
That means: Very
Widespread phrase to switch: Muy
Spanish unfavorable phrases might be difficult for native English audio system to get the dangle of. On this case, nada (nothing) features just like the English phrase “something.” So, this phrase means “Extra [adjective] than something.”
Use this phrase so as to add emphasis when describing one thing. As a result of why say “superb” time and again, when sometimes you may throw in “That is the most effective factor ever”?
El chocolate es más rico que nada.
(Chocolate is essentially the most scrumptious factor on the planet.)
That means: Get indignant
Widespread phrase to switch: Enfadarse, enojarse
Perder los estribos (lose the stirrups) shouldn’t be an ideal synonym for enfadarse, but it surely’s an amazing phrase to explain a particular sort of anger.
To perder los estribos means to lose one’s head, get irrationally indignant or discuss with out sense or cause resulting from anger. The phrase particularly refers to short-tempered folks or these with little persistence who tend to blow their high on the slightest provocation.
El niño no dejaba de gimotear, y al closing su madre perdió los estribos.
(The boy wouldn’t cease whining, and at last his mom misplaced her mood.)
That means: Normally
Widespread phrase to switch: Normalmente, usualmente
Usualmente (normally) and normalmente (usually) work simply fantastic to precise recurring actions. Nonetheless, for a extra colloquial and literary strategy to specific the identical idea, attempt en mi día a día. It’s an amazing phrase to explain actions which are a part of your on a regular basis routine.
Intento comer sano en mi día a día, pero de vez en cuando me apetece una pizza o una hamburguesa.
(I attempt to eat wholesome on a day-to-day foundation, however from time to time I’m within the temper for a pizza or a hamburger.)
That means: Distinctive
Widespread phrase to switch: Único
“Distinctive” is a type of fascinating phrases that may be optimistic, impartial or unfavorable relying on context. For that cause, it’s a really helpful phrase and is useful in many various conditions.
As an alternative of único, attempt utilizing como ningún otro (like no person/nothing else). Do not forget that if you happen to’re referring to a feminine or to a feminine-gendered object, you’ll want to alter the phrase to como ninguna otra.
You should use this phrase in two alternative ways. First, you should use it by itself as a synonym for único.
Ella siempre se viste bien. Tiene un estilo como ninguna otra.
(She’s all the time well-dressed. She has a unique model.)
It’s also possible to use como ningún otro with a noun on the finish, to say that one thing is “like no different _____.”
París es increíble. Es como ningún otro lugar en el mundo.
(Paris is unbelievable. It’s like no different place on the planet.)
That means: Ignore
Widespread phrase to switch: Ignorar
Ignorar (to disregard) is a pleasant, helpful cognate to have in your vocabulary arsenal. Nonetheless, in sure conditions, you may substitute it for the extra thrilling and colourful phrase hacer la vista gorda.
So what does it imply to “make the fats look” in Spanish? This phrase refers to consciously ignoring one thing you’d fairly not see, just like the English “to show a blind eye” or “to look the opposite method.”
As a result of it has such a particular which means, hacer la vista gorda can’t be immediately substituted for ignorar in all contexts, however you should use it to convey a extra nuanced which means to readers or listeners in sure conditions.
La profesora sabía que sus estudiantes habían copiado durante el examen, pero hizo la vista gorda.
(The professor knew that her college students had copied off of one another in the course of the examination, however she appeared the opposite method.)
That means: In fact
Widespread phrase to switch: Claro, por supuesto
The phrases claro and por supuesto are extremely helpful in colloquial Spanish—you should use them to precise settlement, pleasure and even indignation, relying on the context.
Personally, I discover myself fully overusing the phrase claro, so it’s good to have a substitute to make use of from time to time! That’s the place desde luego is available in.
Actually translated as “since then,” this phrase is a superb stand-in for claro. It’s also possible to say desde luego que sí (in fact), which suggests kind of the identical factor as desde luego. To specific the alternative—“in fact not”—use desde luego que no.
A: ¿Vas a venir a mi fiesta de cumpleaños?
B: Hombre, ¡desde luego que sí! ¡Nos vemos allí!
(A: Are you going to come back to my birthday celebration?
B: Dude, in fact I’ll! I’ll see you there!)
That means: Work
Widespread phrase to switch: Trabajar
In Spanish, ganarse la vida (literal translation: earn your self the life) is roughly equal to the English phrases “to earn a dwelling” or “to make a dwelling.”
As in English, you should use the phrase to particularly discuss concerning the cash you make out of your work. Nonetheless, it’s also possible to use it in lots of circumstances as an alternative choice to the phrase trabajar (to work).
It’s a extra playful and figurative strategy to speak about your job, and it sounds extra fascinating than simply saying yo trabajo on a regular basis. Consider it as much like the English phrase “I do _____ for a dwelling.”
Grammatically, you should use the phrase in two alternative ways.
First, you should use ganarse la vida + [gerund].
Me gano la vida escribiendo poesía.
(I make a dwelling writing poetry.)
Second, you should use ganarse la vida + como + [a profession].
Me gano la vida como poeta.
(I make my dwelling as a poet.)
That means: To not point out…
Widespread phrase to switch: Además…
Por otra parte is a considerably complicated phrase as a result of it has two seemingly contradictory meanings.
First, it may be used to introduce additional info on a subject or supporting particulars, such because the English “to not point out…” or “moreover…”
Me encanta Grecia. La comida allí es estupenda. Por otra parte, la arquitectura es bellísima.
(I like Greece. The meals there may be stupendous. Moreover, the structure is gorgeous.)
However por otra parte will also be used to introduce conflicting or contradictory info, just like the English “However…”
No me gusta Nueva York porque me agobia. Pero por otra parte, también es una ciudad con mucha cultura.
(I don’t like New York as a result of it’s overwhelming. However then again, it’s additionally a metropolis with a number of tradition.)
That means: Assume over
Widespread phrase to switch: Pensar
The phrase dar la vuelta can imply to make a flip, both actually or figurative. And while you dar vueltas a one thing, it implies that you’re going over it endlessly in your thoughts.
As with many different examples on this submit, dar vueltas a shouldn’t be an actual synonym of pensar, and you can not substitute the 2 phrases in any context. Use dar vueltas a to particularly speak about one thing that’s actually been troubling you, that you simply preserve going backwards and forwards on in your thoughts. When used accurately, this flip of phrase can actually add a figurative, virtually poetic contact to your speech.
Hemos pasado mucho tiempo dando vueltas a la concept, deberíamos tomar una decisión ya.
(We’ve spent a number of time pondering the thought over, we must always decide already.)
That means: Trick
Widespread phrase to switch: Engañar
The Spanish phrase dar gato por liebre (actually: to offer a cat for a hare) means to trick somebody, and particularly to move off a poor merchandise or service for one thing of upper high quality. Supposedly, it originates from an outdated customized of butchers giving unsuspecting clients cat meat as an alternative of hare meat to save cash. Gross!
Some English equivalents are “to drag the wool over your eyes,” “to drag a quick one” or “to swindle.”
Esa tienda tiene muy mala fama. Ten cuidado que no te den gato por liebre!
That retailer has a extremely unhealthy fame. Watch out that they don’t pull a quick one on you!
That means: Start
Widespread phrase to switch: Empezar, comenzar
When speaking about one thing starting, you’ll normally use the phrase empezar or comenzar. Nonetheless, in some circumstances you should use the extra fascinating phrase poner en marcha, which is analogous to the English “put into motion.”
Grammatically, you should use this phrase in two methods:
poner en marcha + [noun].
Hoy voy a poner en marcha el proyecto.
(Right now I’m going to start the venture.)
poner + [noun] + en marcha.
Hoy voy a poner el proyecto en marcha.
(Right now I’m going to start the venture.)
How one can Diversify Your Spanish Vocabulary
With a view to make the bounce from being an intermediate to a complicated Spanish speaker, it’s essential to develop a large and various vocabulary.
Understanding learn how to say issues not just one method however two or three alternative ways not less than, will enable you converse like a local speaker and—simply as importantly—perceive different native audio system once they talk with you! Listed below are some techniques to actively work on bettering your vocabulary.
Put aside a time every day to jot down or assume in Spanish.
One of many largest advantages of studying by immersion is that you simply’re pressured to study the vocabulary to navigate tons of various on a regular basis conditions in Spanish. However if you happen to can’t study by immersion resulting from lack of time, funds or need, you may replicate this expertise by setting apart time to jot down or assume in Spanish daily.
Both give your self a subject or just begin writing/internal-monologuing and see the place you go. Throughout this time, if you happen to hit a phrase or phrase that you simply don’t know learn how to specific in Spanish, make a remark of it.
On the finish of your time, search for these downside phrases and write down their right translations. This stream-of-consciousness writing or pondering train will enable you establish the gaps in your vocabulary.
Look again at outdated belongings you’ve written in Spanish.
Taking a look at belongings you wrote prior to now might be a good way to measure your progress! For this train, although, your earlier Spanish writings have a unique use. Look again on the textual content, and problem your self to jot down a brand new textual content—one which has the identical which means however makes use of totally different, extra fascinating vocabulary phrases and phrases.
This can power you to study synonyms for widespread phrases and get out of the sample of utilizing the identical phrases time and again. In a number of months, you would possibly even pull out your rewritten textual content and attempt to rewrite it once more!
Devour native Spanish content material.
One other nice strategy to diversify your Spanish is to eat genuine media so you may see how the language is utilized by native audio system. There are a lot of methods you are able to do this, reminiscent of by watching content material in Spanish on YouTube, listening to Spanish music or attempting a language immersion program like FluentU.
FluentU makes use of genuine movies like film clips and provoking talks to immerse you within the language. Every video options interactive subtitles which you’ll hover over for extra details about the vocabulary used. You may even add vocabulary to your personal personalised flashcard deck.
You may entry FluentU in your browser or by downloading the iOS or Android app.
By seeing native audio system converse, you’ll have the ability to choose up superior vocabulary and begin utilizing it in your personal conversations!
Hunt down fascinating vocabulary on-line.
Many web sites provide a “phrase of the day” service—some examples are SpanishDict and DonQuijote. For advanced-level observe, attempt to use every phrase of the day in your allotted writing/talking time for that day. You by no means know the place it’d take your ideas or your writing!
Studying enjoyable and fascinating vocabulary will make sure that the brand new phrases stick in your head—all it’s important to do is make certain to make use of them each now and again to strengthen your data!
These phrases are a superb start line, however they’re simply the tip of the iceberg on the subject of studying superior Spanish phrases.
Making the bounce from being an intermediate to a complicated speaker can require an actual funding of time, but it surely’s value it to have the ability to converse in Spanish on a near-native stage.
Preserve looking for out new Spanish vocabulary—it may be some of the fulfilling components of language studying!
Obtain:
This weblog submit is offered as a handy and transportable PDF that you simply
can take wherever.
Click on right here to get a duplicate. (Obtain)
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