So here is yet another post about Spanish that I hope you all langblrs will like. I present to you 10 words that exist in Spanish but don’t exist in English.
Knowing and using them in your vocabulary shows how fluent you actually are so hopefully this will help you.
1. Chueco/a:
This can be roughly be translated as “not straight” BUT NOT IN THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION KIND OF WAY. It literally means not being able to do something in a straight line.
For example: Not able to draw a straight line? You draw chueco/a. Tried kicking a soccer ball in a straight line but it ended up in the far left side of the court? You kick chueco/a.
2. Empalagado/a:
This is what happens when you eat too much sugar.
For example: You know that feeling of nausea and awkward fullness after you have eaten like five cupcakes, two chocolate bars and three bottles of soda? THEN is when you feel empalagado/a.
3. Despistado/a:
So I Google-translated this word and it came out as “lackadaisical”. I don’t think anyone actually uses that word. SO, it means someone who doesn’t pay attention to anything and daydreams most of the time. It is not a permanent feature tho, you can be despistado/a just during your math class.
For example: If someone asks you a question and you don’t answer because you were too busy thinking about Zac Efron, then you are despistado/a.
4. Tocayo/a:
It refers to someone who shares name with you.
For example: Let’s imagine your name is Hermione and suddenly you meet someone whose name is ALSO Hermione. Voilá! That person is now your tocayo/a.
5. Buen provecho: This is not a word but a phrase. It means something like “have a good meal”, it is kinda close to saying “bon appettit” in French. It is frequently used before you start a meal but also as a sign of respect when you run into someone who is currently eating. Also, it is not a phrase used only for “fancy” situations, it actually works whenever someone is eating.
For example: If you are eating at a restaurant with a group, you say buen provecho before you start eating, but also let’s imagine you are walking around the city and see your boss eating tacos from a food truck, then you also say buen provecho. Freaking good manners.
6. Desgraciado/a: Oh this is a funny one. You might think, at first sight, that this word refers to someone who is not very graceful. WRONG. If you Google-translate the word, it may drive you to think it means “unfortunate”. ALSO WRONG. This is what you call someone who has been a jerk. Someone who didn’t treat you right. Like honestly, someone you really hate.
For example: Your boyfriend just dumped you on your birthday? He is a desgraciado. Your group-project colleague disappeared during the whole process and just showed up to put her name on the project? She is a desgraciada. It is such a powerful word, I love it.
7. Llorón/Llorona: It refers to someone who cries A LOT. It doesn’t necessarily mean someone who cries but also someone who is very sensitive and gets sad about a lot of things, especially if those things aren’t really important.
For example: Your sister just cried because she saw a very cute dog? She is a llorona. Your best friend just got VERY upset because he got a 99/100 on a test? He is a llorón (das me tho).
8. Te quiero: This is probably one of the phrases native Spanish speakers miss the most when they start speaking English. This is what you say to someone (and by someone it means a romantic partner most of the time) when you start getting feelings for them but you don’t love them just yet. If you did love them tho you would say “te amo”.
For example: You have been dating someone for a while now and you know they are amazing but you are not in the “love” point just yet, then you say te quiero to them. No commitment, you guys.
9. Desvelado/a: It refers to someone that hasn’t slept for a while.
For example: When you pull an all-nighter and show up to class late, with huge bags under your eyes and basically just feeling like a living-dead, you are desvelado/a.
10. Lampiño/a: It literally refers to someone that doesn’t have facial/body hair.
For example: If you are trying to grow a beard but just can’t seem to grow any hair on your face you are a lampiño/a. Also, if you do not have to shave your legs at all for the summer because you have been blessed with the lack of body hair, then you are lampiño/a.