Pick an Idiom

Idiomatic expressions are specially useful when you wish to convey very specific ideas that would seem otherwise impossible to put in words. Some of them are of more colloquial use than others, although you can feel comfortable about using the following ones socially - or even during business.

*Note: Idioms contain verbs, thus are subject to conjugation!


Look at these:



Tener prisa: to be in a rush.

No puedo verte ahorita, voy al doctor, tengo mucha prisa.
I can´t see you right now, I´m goint to see the doctor, I´m in a rush.

¿Tienes prisa? ¿Me puedes llevar a mi casa?


Caerse bien/mal: to be (or not) fond of somebody / to like (or not)somebody

¡Tu amiga Julia me cayó muy bien! Es una persona carismática.
I liked your friend Julia very much! She is a charismatic person.

Los papás de su esposo no nos caen bien.


Perder un avión/vuelo: to miss a plane/flight

Cuando fuimos a Barcelona, perdimos el avión de regreso a Roma.
We missed the plane back to Rome when we went to Barcelona.

Nunca he perdido un vuelo en mi vida. Siempre soy muy puntual.


Tomar vacaciones: take a vacation

Hace mucho que no tomo vacaciones.
It´s been long since I haven´t taken a vacation.

Laura y Javier van a tomar vacaciones en diciembre.


Echar(se) una copa: to go for/have a drink

¿Nos echamos una copa? ¡Tenemos que celebrar!
Shall we go for a drink? We have to celebrate!

Es muy tradicional echarse una copa con los amigos en Año Nuevo.


Dar mordida: to bribe

No les des mordida a los policias cuando te paren.
Don´t bribe police officers when they pull you over.

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Breaking the Ice

Admit it, you´re the social type!

Here are some quicky ice-breakers to get basic info from people. Try them out next time you go to an opening or business meeting.

If you need the name...¿Como te llamas?

(What´s your name?)

business card...¿Tienes una tarjeta?

(Do you have a business card?)

or phone...¿Cual es tu teléfono?

(What´s your phone number?)

Check this out:

One of our first experiences in Spanish is introducing to other people.

Read the following conversation between Carlos and Silvia. Notice the answers they give.

Carlos: Hola, ¿como te llamas?

(Hi, what´s your name?)

Silvia: ¡Que tal! Soy Silvia, ¿y tu?

(Hello! I am Silvia, and you?)

Carlos: Me llamo Carlos. Carlos Peña. Mucho gusto.

(My name is Carlos. Carlos Peña. Nice to meet you)

Silvia: Igualmente. ¿De dónde eres?

(Me too! Where are you from?)

Carlos: Soy de Guadalajara. ¿Tu eres mexicana?

(I´m from Guadalajara. Are you Mexican?)

Silvia: No, soy de Costa Rica.

(No, I am from Costa Rica.)

Carlos: ¿A que te dedicas? Yo soy estudiante.

(What do you do? I am a student.)

Silvia: Soy abogada.

(I´m a lawyer.)

Here are some more...

Where are you from? ...¿De dónde eres?
How much time do you have in Cabo? ...¿Cuanto tiempo tienes en Los Cabos?
What´s your e-mail? ...¿Cuál es tu correo electrónico?

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Changing Money

Need to change good ol´Dollars into Pesos?

Ok... Now that you are already at your nearest bank or money exchange office, what shall you do?

¡Es muy fácil! Approach the teller (cajero) and calmly say:

You: Quiero cambiar estos dólares a pesos, por favor.

Cajero: Por supuesto. ¿Cuántos dólares son?

You: Son 50 dólares. ¿A cuanto está el tipo de cambio?

Cajero: Está a 11 pesos. Serían 550 pesos. ¿Está bién?

You: Si, muchas gracias.

Here are the phrases in English. Can you match them to their equivalent in Spanish from the conversation above?

1. What is the exchange rate?
2. Is that OK?
3. I would like to change dollars into pesos, please.
4. Certainly, how many dollars?

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Eating Out

Try this!

You are at a Mexican restaurant. There is a lot of delicious food you´ve never tried but would like to, looks so good! You definitely have to taste it.

What to say ...

¿Puedo probar esto?
(Can I try this?)

¿Esta picoso?
(Is it spicy hot?)

¿Me da (un sope*) por favor?
(Can I have a sope, please?)

¿De que son los tamales?
(What kind of tamales do you have?)

Una cerveza bien fría por favor.
(A cold beer please.)

Quiero (una coca) con hielo.

(I would like a coke and some ice.)

*A Sope is a fried round corn-based dish (similar to a tortilla although smaller and much thicker) served with a spread of frijoles and on top -queso, crema, lechuga, chorizo or carne and salsa.

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Getting Pulled Over

Your license, please?

One of your most terrifying nemesis is standing right at your window. Speeding? Wrong way? ...A red light? I guess Cabo isn´t as sunny today, huh?

Just be calm, hear what the man has to say listening for key words in his conversation:

Important Key Words:

Semáforo Stoplight Coche Car Calle Street Licencia Driver´s License Seguro Insurance Cinturón de Seguridad Seatbelt Multa Fine Infracción Traffic Ticket Patrulla Patrol Car La Policia The Police Camioneta SUV/PickUp Camión Bus El Alto the Red Light Tarjeta de Circulación Registration Sheet Placas Plates El Oficial Police Officer Choque Crash Accidente Accident Mordida Bribe Ambulancia Ambulance

Ready?

A ver...

►Sus documentos, por favor.
Your documents, please (license, car registration, insurance..)
►¿Tiene licencia?
Do you have a license?
►Si, tengo seguro contra accidentes.
Yes, I´ve got collision insurance.
►¿Donde saco las placas?
Where do I get plates?
►Voy a levantarle una infracción.
I´m going to give you a ticket.
►Necesita pagar una multa.
You need to pay a fine.
►¿Donde esta las oficinas de Tránsito?
Where is the Traffic Office?
►Este es mi carro.
This is my car.
►¿Es usted el conductor?
Are you the driver?
►No trae puesto el cinturón de seguridad.
You are not using your seatbelt.

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Asking Prices

Everything was going well at the supermarket until suddenly you run into a little more than a bumer. What to ask when an item doesn´t have a price tag?Two expressions are used in Spanish to help you out on this one.

Try this:

• If you want to know the price of something, use this formula:

¿Cuanto cuesta + the name of the item?

That is .... ¿Cuanto cuesta la camisa?

How much is the shirt?

• If you want to ask how much something was, such as a taxi ride, the sum of several items to be purchased or after receiving a service, you say:

¿Cuanto es de + the name of the service?

That is .... ¿Cuanto es de los tacos?

How much is for the tacos?

¿Cuanto es del taxi?

¿Cuanto es de estas cosas?

¿Cuanto es del lavado del coche?

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