This, This one, Wherever you are/ Collect Vs Pay/ Call Vs Name/ Take out Vs Grab

In today’s subject we will to talk about 4 main questions that mostly foreign students have when they use the Spanish Language. The first one is “ESTE”.  The main question is about the accent, if it’s at the beginning or the end of the word.

In both cases, the word will have another meaning.

The second mistake is to look at any Spanish-Korean dictionary because you will find these verbs/words as synonyms and they’re not, like “Cobrar and Pagar” (Collect and Pay) are antonyms, and in the case of “Nombrar and Llamar” (Call and Name) the difference is how you do it (hacer), however with “Tomar and Sacar” (Take out and Grab) implies the place you do it. 

Let’s see some examples!!💪

Question No. 1

WORD “ESTE”:  with no accent, it has three different meanings:

The first one, with no accent, is a “DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE” and it refers to something close to the other person, it helps to mention this person, some place in time or space and it’s a word for male nouns. It’s also used to say something positive or negative about someone, or something happening near the person who is talking to you. In grammar this is a demonstrative adjective. 

It has no accent.

Examples:

1. Toma este vaso de leche/  Take this glass of milk. 

2. Me encantaron todos los suéteres, pero este suéter es el más abrigado. 

I loved all the sweaters, but this one is the most suited for cold weather.

3. En este mes del año se celebra Halloween. 

On this month, we celebrate Halloween.

4.  Este día es triste para mí, porque murió mi padre. 

5. This is a sad day because my father passed out.

6. De todos los restaurantes que he visitado, este es el más limpio. Of all the restaurants I’ve been in, this one is the cleanest of them all.

It also refers to a known interlocutor, and in this case, it’s scornful:

Examples:

7. Este se cree el más guapo de la fiesta.

This one thinks he’s gorgeous.

8. No puedo llevar todos los libros, sostén este por mí.

I can’t carry all the books, please hold this one for me

On the other hand, it can also refer to a masculine noun that is a cardinal point “Este” (East), where the sun comes out everyday. 

Examples:

1. En el lado este del parque, pueden verse hermosos pájaros posados sobre el césped.

You can see beautiful birds on the Grass on the East side of the park..

2. El sol sale por el este y se esconde por el oeste. 

The Sunrise begins on the East, and Dawns on the West. 

ÉSTE 

ÉSTE (This one) (It has an accent on the first E) is a demonstrative pronoun that was written without accent and this made people confuse. Nowadays RAE (Royal Academy of Spanish Language) says it’s not necessary to accent it either there’s confusion or not. In grammar, “ÉSTE” (This one) shouldn’t have accent because it’s a tonic word and it belongs to the group that shouldn’t have accent because this word is grave or llana and according to grammar rules these words only have accent if it ends in something different to vowel, N or S.  

Example:

1. Éste perro ganará el premio.

This dog will win the prize.

Este perro ganará el premio.

This dog will win the prize.

ESTÉ: This word belongs to verb “ESTAR” as something or someone in a certain place. In present subjective it can be applied to the pronouns: yo (I/Me), él (He), ella (She), usted (You). For Usted (You) it’s used in an imperative mode.  

QUESTION # 2:  

COBRAR – PAGAR (Collect – Pay)

1. Cobrar (Collect): 

I collected from Mr. Peterson the money for cutting his Grass. 

Yo cobré al señor Peterson el dinero para cortar su césped.

Pagar (Pay): Mr Peterson payed me for cutting his Grass. 

El señor Peterson me pagó por cortar su césped. 

Both verbs mean an Exchange. But the main difference is that "Cobrar" (collect) is receiving and " Pagar" (pay) is giving. A give and take relationship.

Both “cobrar” (collect) and “pagar” (pay) come from Latin. Collect comes from “recobrare or “recuperāre” as in recover, and Pagar (pay) comes from “Pacare” and it means soothe, calm. 

So. If you think in the verb  " Cobrar" (Collect) immediately should come to your head the verb " Pagar" (Pay) and get into action. 

Examples: 

1. Marina le cobra al panadero las 3 botellas de leche que rompió. Marina collects from the Baker the three bottles of milk he broke.

El panadero paga las 3 botellas de leche que rompió, de su sueldo mensual. 

The Baker payed the 3 bottles of milk from his monthly salary.

2. Este año la universidad me cobró la matricula por 3 millones de pesos. 

This year School collected from me 3 million pesos.

Mañana pagaré la matrícula de la universidad por 3 millones de pesos.  

Tomorrow i will pay the enrollment fee for 3 million pesos.  

QUESTION # 3: LLAMAR- NOMBRAR (Call – Name)

The main mistake some students make is because both of these words are used to talk or appoint something about something or someone. A native speaker understands each term, but for a foreign student both words are practically the same.

According to the dictionary, the definition of these terms is: 

LLAMAR (Call): Say an animal´s or a person’s name, yell, make any gesture, noise or signal so they can tell you are calling them or indicating them some direction.   

To appoint with a word, a name or last name someone, or an animal or a thing.

NOMBRAR (Name): When you choose someone to fill a position.  When you give a name to someone or something.  

Example 1:

Compré un perro y lo llamé Toby. 

I bought a dog and I called it Toby)

Compré un perro y lo nombré Toby.

I bought a dog and named it Toby)

In Colombia, these words can be replaced with “poner” (put) a name to someone or something. Its isn’t very common tos ay you named a dog “Toby”. Naming is more for honor, for hiring someone. 

Example 2:

Llamé a mi padre muerto, en sueños. 

I called my late father in dreams.

Here we see action. Not that this person called on the pone his dad, but like if this person invoked his dad with his (or her) mind. Llamar becomes an action. 

Nombré a mí padre muerto, en sueños. 

I named my late father in dreams.

In this example, the verb "Nombrar" doesn’t necessarily means an action. So, the fact this person names his (or her) father is something that comes from sadness and desire.

However, "Llamar" is an oral action, either with sound or noise, to get someone’s attention. This communication needs the two people have will.  This verb comes from Latin “Clamare” that means Yelling.  In the other hand, “Nombrar” is like mentioning someone, a reference, a memory of someone or something. This term comes from the noun“nombre” (name)and the suffix “ar” that shows the verb in its indicative form. It comes from latin “nomināre” or “ Nomen”.

QUESTION # 4: SACAR – TOMAR (Take – Grab)

Example:

- Él sacó una fruta de la nevera.

He took a fruit from the fridge.

“Sacar” implies something is kept somewhere. So, if I take it, it will be outside.  Inside the fridge, and then outside the fridge.

- Él tomó una manzana de la nevera.

 He grabbed an apple from the fridge. 

Here, “tomar” (grab) means he took the fruit somewhere from the fridge: inside, under, on top, etc. 

 “Sacar y tomar” (Take and Grab) both come from German people, leaded by Gothic and Ostrogoths and the late influence of Latin in the Late Roman Empire where the main Language was Gothic Latin. This is why the origin of “sacar” comes from Goth “sakan”. And the verb “tomar” comes from the German root “tômjan” or the onomatopoeia (imitation) of the sound of something falling.   

Some scholars affirm this could also have a Latin root coming from “autumare”, that means que significa 'afirmar' (affirm), 'creer' (believe), but this theory isn’t valid at all.

I hope this was useful!!👀

See you soon!😊

Written by Adriana Martinez Castro.
Literary Studies Proffesional.
Especialized in Pedagogy.
Master in Writing.
Spanish as a Second Language Teacher

SUBJUNCTIVE: 11 TIPS ON USING THIS VERBAL MODE

For students of Spanish as a second Language, the subjunctive mode is usually a headache.

But Why?

Well, there are many mainly reasons why the we understand the subjunctive is difficult to learn and to use, for example:

This mood doesn’t exist in your native language. You can’t establish a relation with anything because you lack of reference from your language. I suggest you engage “the universal language” (emotions) with Spanish language. Each emotion has a subjunctive function. Sadness, anger, happiness, at the same time and fear correspond to several functions in this way. Try to think of your experience of them as the basis of your subjunctive expression, when you speak in Spanish. Forget the base of your language to practice these aspects, because it does not work for you. "There is no emotion in the subordinate when speaking in Spanish." Send this message to your mind: it will be useful to place a good part of the subjunctive functions, as well as for the points of meaning.

The complication with the subjunctive is that you believe that all functions follow the same criteria to answer each subordinate phrase. But no. Not all communication functions serve the subjunctive, therefore, the same criteria are not followed.

The problem with the subjunctive is that the useless, the useless, the tenants and the counts of 30% of the conjugations. If it becomes a real headache.

Also, the disadvantage with the subjunctive is that in its mother tongue this mode has fewer functions than in Spanish.

Cheer up! Remember that everything is in the practice💪

SUBJUNTIVE: 

11 CLUES TO USE THIS VERBAL MODE

1.  The subjunctive is used when the subject of the main sentence would be different from the subordinate sentence.

2.  Subjunctive is used in most verbs related to likings, emotions, feelings, assessments, for example: Being fed up, liking, cheering, bothering, annoy, amaze, hate, love, please, worry, etc.

3. Remember that you use the subjunctive after impersonal expressions, so that (para qué), before (antes de), doubt that (dudar de qué), wishes, advice, requests, etc.

4.Use the subjunctive with the negative imperative:
Do not talk to neighbors ( ¡No hables con los vecinos!).

5. To express something: 
have a nice day! ( ¡ que tengas un buen día).
 I wish I was famous! ( ojala fuera famoso).

6.  You use it with probabilities:
Maybe it Will rain tomorrow ( probablemente mañana llueva).
I may possibly pass the term ( posiblemente pase el semestre). Maybe I’ll change my job next year ( Tal vez cambie de trabajo el próximo año).
Maybe I’ll go to the gym ( Quizás vaya al gimnasio).

 7.  It is used with verbs that generate an influence in us, as, for example: want, say, advise. for example:
I want you to go to the party with her (Quiero que vayas a la fiesta con ella).
I advise you to follow the rules in the class ( Te aconsejo que cumplas las reglas en la clase).
I will tell my mother to miss the appointment because of the rain
(Le digo a mi madre que falte a la cita por la lluvia).

8. Verbs related to the brain or the head: to think, to give an opinion, to believe. For example:
I do not think it's good to eat carbs at night (No creo que sea bueno comer harinas en la noche).
It does not say that it’s unhealthy (No dice que haga daño a la salud).
I don’t see that you write so bad ( No veo que escribas tan mal).

9. Verbs related to language such as: Say, affirm, exclaim.

10. Verbs where you use the senses: hearing, realizing, feeling, seeing, etc.

11.  when we use connectors with subjunctives, we have the casual ones: When, as soon as, as early as. The concessive ones: Although, despite, for more than, alas. The final ones: in spite of, in order to, because. Conditional connectors: Provided that, like, if, such as. To finish the relative represented in the form of "Que".

💖💖I hope this short post was useful 💖😎

Written by Adriana Martinez Castro.
Literary Studies Proffesional.
Especialized in Pedagogy.
Master in Writing.
Spanish as a Second Language Teacher.

MOTHERS: CELEBRATION DAY, ICONIC THINGS, NICKNAMES, PROVERBS AND SAYINGS IN THE LATIN AMERICAN WAY OF THINKING.

Last Weekend we celebrated Mother’s Day. This celebration is very common in all around the world in different dates. We honor our mothers, because they gave us life. For this matter I decided to write this post. You may think of a great diversity of origins, some cultural events we Latin Americans prepare for this day. Mom’s iconic things, the different ways to call her, her endless complaining, mom’s usual sayings, and some details from childhood. And I’ll finish this article with some proverbs either used by them, or alluding them. 

                  HISTORY  AND CELEBRATION  MOTHER´S DAY

Some of the History of Mother’s Day: The first celebrations were by the Greek to the Goddess “Rhea”. This is not directly related to the many traditional celebrations of mothers and motherhood that have existed throughout the world over thousands of years, such as the Greek cult to Cybele. But Greeks weren’t the only ones. In Latin America, Aztecs celebrated to Goddess “Coatlicue”, Mayans to Goddess “Ixchel” and the Incans to Goddess “Pachamama”. Only Incans descendant who live at the Cono Sur celebrate Mother’s Day on august 1^st in commemoration of Mother Goddess Pachamama.

In the Actuality  “Mother’s Day” comes from England. Then the United States establishes it and it expands to Latin America. Although, in some countries, because of historical or religious events, they celebrate this day on another date. In Bolivia they celebrate on May 27^th because that is the date when the Battle of Coronilla took place in Cochabamba. The date commemorates the Battle of La Coronilla, which took place on May 27^th, 1812, during the Bolivian War of Independence, in what is now the city of Cochabamba. In this battle, women fighting for the country's independence were slaughtered by the Spanish army. It is not a public holiday, but all schools hold activities and festivities throughout the day.

The feast for celebrating Mothers, Grandmothers and Aunts may change in every country. Usual things as take them to dinner, gifts, Mariachi serenade, music groups like Bolero, Andean or marimba, are common in most Spanish Speaking countries. Every region has its own traditions. In Guatemalan schools they make handmade crafts and activities to celebrate Mothers. They are Catholic, so they offer masses, blessings, prayers, etc. In Cuba they deliver Moher’s Day postcards. Many grew up seeing how their family made a list of known Mothers: aunts, cousins, neighbors and Friends, so they could sum how many postcards to choose the prettier ones and add a loving message. In Colombia its very common to give Mothers red flowers (roses, petunias, chrysanthemum, etc.), and go out on a road trip. If she deceased, we visit her grave and we put white or pastel colored flower arrangements and we offer a mass in her memory. 

NICKNAMES

The love to our Mothers is also expressed in how we call her: Madrecita (mummy), jefecita/jefa (boss) in Mexico, vieja (old lady) in Argentina, Cucha (old lady for low status people or joking), ma, mami (mummy), mamasaurius (joking with elder moms), La ley  "the law" (when mom is a little too bossy). We also have sweet names for our grandmas: Mama grande (Big mama), abebita (like in baby language), lita, or mama and her name (mamá Juana), baba, nona, abue, momo, nonita, tita, abuelinda (grandma-pretty), mita, buela, buelita, ita, mima or like in Cuba, mamuma.

In Latin America, the term “Mother”, either mine or someone else´s, usually has more value than “Father” because she always there for us, educate us, and teach us.The violence and wars in our countries made women widows or orphans and they became homes's heads, and they provide food and teach their children. They fight to mantain their families. There's a saying for this: Thank God for Mothers!. It's pejorative for men.

 ICONIC THINGS

With time, there are three things that identify a Mother: “la Chancla”  or “ Chancleta” ( The sandal), El cinturon, la correa o el cinto  (The belt)  and  " La cantaleta" ( Mom’s nagging).  These bring us memories about education, and Latin American Mother’s temper. There are a lot of posts where we joke about them.

1. The chancleta or chancla:   It’s a sandal made of rubber that holds the foot with a piece of cloth or a lace that grabs the big toe. “Chancleta” is more like a diminutive of “chancla”, and the cloth or lace work as a sash to hold the foot.  The may differ in the shape, both are used for the same thing: hit kids, adolescents and adults who don’t obey their parents or make something silly. The hitting is mostly on the legs and buttocks either with or without clothes. Some times in other body parts, if Mother has a good aim. There are three types of maternal hitting: 

Flying chancleta (sandal): This is when mom is far from her child, and she has a good aim, she will hit the child hardly and right on target.

3000 chancleta (sandal): A sandal trained to Dodge any obstacle between Mother and the child’s back or buttocks. Hits the target most of the time. 

Common chancletazo (sandal hitting): This is when our beloved Mother takes her sandal off and hit us wherever she can and she isn’t going to reason in any way.

2. The Cinturon, correa or cinto (the belt):  A band made of cloth, leather, rope or any flexible material you wear to hold your pants or a skirt. In one end it has a buckle (it’s usually metallic) and in the other it has holes to close the belt. Many of us were educated with a belt hit for saying bad words, swearing or cursing, being impolite to our parents or relatives, mocking people, being goofy, and so on, so we could become good-mannered and polite people.  

3.   The"Cantaleta":  Mom’s nagging (kind of a verbal diarrhea) where she expresses her anger to her children/husband/any human being. She may say something like: 

           OTHER EXAMPLES 

While I’m in this house, you will do as I say. 
  (Everyone in the house shall do what they are told to do, and they must obey Mother’s rules, if you disagree, you may leave).

·You are not the boss here, when you get a job and have your own house we’ll see. 

     (When we live   with our parents we shall obey their rules).

·Don’t look at me like that and you lower your voice!!

      (It’s used in a discussion when they are   shouting and moving their hands quickly or opening widely the eyes). 

·What do you think this is, a hotel? 

     (Mom says that when everyone goes to eat and sleep but there’s no family time).    

·If you keep crying I’ll hit  you so you have a motive. 

     (When mother finds out her children have done something bad and they know it was wrong and they start to cry before Mother says anything, so she throws this menace to stop the crying).

·If you keep talking back to me I’ll put your mouth front to back. 

     (We shouldn’t talk back, and if we do, she’ll slap us so hard on the cheek).  


                 PROVERBS AND SAYINGS IN THE LATIN AMERICAN WAY OF THINKING.  

Finishing this edition, I’ll leave some proverbs mostly used by our mothers, and some that come from them. 

1. MOTHER’S PROVERBS:

    ¡Al que madruga Dios le ayuda! is similar to "The early bird catches the worm":We should seize the day and grab the opportunities on time. Also, we must be cautious so we can make our goals. Always remember life is moving fast, so we shall move with it. 

     ¡Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente! is similar to “You snooze, you lose”: Don’t be lazy, it brings consequences. Life will not stop, so seize it.

     ¡ Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo! is similar to “There’s no substitute for experience”: We get a lot of experience and knowledge through the years. 

2. PROVERBS AND SAYINGS ABOUT THE MOTHER:

-  "Casa sin madre, río sin cause" is  House with no Mother, Boat in river with no paddle: Mothers are the base of the family. 

- "La madre y el delantal tapan mucho mal" is Mother and Apron cover lots of bad: it’s of great concern in view of the fact that a mother's level of education has a great influence on her children's education and the well-being of the household.

-" Madre holgazana cría hija cortesana" is Lazy Mother breeds prostitute daughter: It regards the bad ways of a Mother and how it shows on the daughters.

   SOME MEMES  ABOUT  " LA CHANCLA": 

     

WRITTEN BY ADRIANA MARTINEZ

     

TOP 40: CURIOSITIES OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE ( PART 2)

Today I’ll continue with more of the Top 40: Curiosities of the Spanish Language that I started on April 23rd, remembering Spanish Language day.

Enjoy Reading!

No. 20: The letters “E – A -  O -  L -  S” are the most used by Spanish Speakers every day. The leader is letter E with "A" (16,78%), next is letter "O" (11,96%), "L" (8, 69%) and “S” (7,88%). The less used is W (0,01%).

No. 21: The letter “ñ” belongs to Spanish Language and other Languages as  Aragonese, Galician, Basque (Between Spain and France), Aymara (Indigenous Language spoken in Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile). 

No. 22: The virguilla (~) the “ñ” has comes from another “n” and it was use on top of the biggest one, like an abbreviation. After some time, it flattens and ~ is and it becomes one of the biggest distinctive of Spanish Language.  

No. 23: “CH” (che) and “LL” (elle) were eliminated from the abecedary since 1994 by the Real Academy of Spanish Language. 

No. 24: Numbers in Spanish have either “O” or “E”, except for  "MIL" (thousand)   is the only one that doesn´t.

No. 25: There are four words with four consonants in line: Transplant ( Transplantar) , subtract ( Sustraer) , abstract ( abstracto), abstraction ( abstracción).

No. 26: The only Word with 5 “R” is: ferrocarrilero (railroader).

No. 27: The longest words in Spanish are: sternocleidomastoid (esternocleidomastoideo) an electroencephalography ( electroencefalografía)

No. 28: Spanish Language was official in many regions in all five continents. Many people think it is only spoken in the Americas (North, Central and South) and Europe.  It is also spoken in African Equatorial Guinea. In Philippines was the official Languages until 1950s. (Philippines was Spanish island territory from 1565 to 1898). Besides, in Easter Island Spanish is the official Language as it is in Oceania.

No. 29: Spanish Language has more than 350.000 words or terms, although the Real Academy of Language only accepts 88.000.

No. 30: A Spanish speaker usually employs an average of 300 words daily. A well-educated person knows more terms and employs 500 words daily. A journalist or a writer, may employ 3000 words. 

No. 31: Cervantes called Father of the Spanish Language, allegedly used 8000 different words in his Books.

No. 32: People in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile usually call someone "vos" (instead of you). This is also used in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, St. Salvador, Honduras and in some Colombian regions such as Antioquia, Risaralda and Valle del Cauca.  

No. 33: These are some verbs with little use in Spanish: “Aupar”, it means to lift something, “Amustiar” is the same as “be sad, wither, languish” and “ralentizar” means go slower. 

No. 34: Translation to Spanish Language have 20% more words tan translations to English Language. 

No. 35: The term “HAIGA” does exist, but it doesn’t replace "HAYA" (from the verb Haber in english " to have"). According to Real Academy of Spanish Language it’s an ironic name for a big flamboyant car (you don’t hear it in daily language). 

No. 36: The word “AYA” exists. It doesn´t replace “ALLÁ” (there). "Aya" means slave or nursemaid. It is best known as Nanny or governess.

No. 37: The term ceviche/ cebiche/ sebiche (dish made with marinated fish meat or seafood): According to the Real Academy of spanish Language, they are all correct, but its preferable to use “Cebiche” because it comes from the persian “Sirk” that means vinegar, then the medieval Arabic ﺳكباج (sikbāǧ) that means “acid meat”. Although there is another origin that comes from quechua (Incan Language) and it os called “siwichi” that means “fresh and tender fish”. And another posible origin comes from the Muisca Civilization where “Viche” means “Tender Fish”. 

No. 38: Spoken Spanish Language is the fastest because the number of syllables a person can pronounce per second.

No. 39: An anagram is a word, phrase, or name formed by rearranging the letters of another, such as spar, formed from rasp. Spanish examples: Ecuatorianos and Aeronáuticos;  Irónicamente and Renacimiento;  Cleopatra and  Aceptarlo (same letters in different order). 

No. 40: Palindromes are words or phrases that can be read from left to right as in right to left. One  examplesin english:  Madam, Im Adam. Now  Some examples in Spanish:

Reconocer (to recognize) , acurruca (snuggles), somos ( we are), arenera (vessel for sand) o sometemos (we submit) . Also, some palindrome phrases: “la ruta natural” (the natural route) , “Anita lava la tina (Anita washes the tub) ”, “Yo hago yoga hoy” (I do yoga today).

   

Written by Adriana Martinez

TOP 40: CURIOSITIES OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE (PART 1)

April 23 is around the corner and it is one of the happiest days of the year for me as a Spanish as a Foreign Language Teacher. Any guesses about this date? Is the Spanish Language Day! This year will be the anniversary #402.

Today we celebrate Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra who contributed to the Spanish Language with his masterpiece: “The Ingenious Nobleman Sir Quixote of la Mancha”. This novel was Published in two volumes, in 1605 and 1615, and consolidated our Language. The author is well known around the world Literature, sharing honors with Homer (Greek writer who wrote The Iliad and the Odyssey), Dante (in Italy) and Shakespeare (England). Cervantes died in Madrid, on April 23^rd, 1616. Every year and every Spanish Speaking country on this date celebrate “Language Day”.

To celebrate this important day, for Spanish as a Foreign Language students, I have written this article with the 40 curiosities of the Spanish Language. This publication is the first part of 19 curiosities, the others will come in a second part.

Enjoy the reading, as much as I have writing it!!

ONE: Have You noticed this language is called both Spanish and Castilian? Are both names correct? Well, according to the Royal Spanish Academy, the most commonly used is SPANISH, the reason is because this name was attributed to the unification with the SPANISH Crown and by this name the term it was established in Hispano-America, and the term “Castilian” is only used for the language used in the Realm of Castile. On the other hand, we have the synonyms. Sometimes, when you have used all demonstrative pronouns in a paragraph, you might appeal to use Castilian as a synonym for “Spanish”, and vice-versa, avoiding repeating the same words.   

TWO: Spanish is the modern sequel of vulgar Latin and other ancient languages, but only after the third century and after the fall of the Roman Empire, vulgar Latin and some of its extended variants from all the territory, the Romance Languages. For this reason, Spanish belongs to the same linguistic family as Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, French, Occitan and last, but not least, Romanian. Actually, there are some Romance Languages as Sardinian, Friulan and Retroromance, and some other. 

THREE: The Spanish, in its beginnings had two accents: Acute that we use nowadays, and the Circumflex accent that remains in other Romance Languages like French (for more details, please read the article form  April 20^th of this blog).

FOUR: In relation with Castilian, in former days it was known as “Christian” because the Moor (an Arabic and Muslim community that invaded Spain from the eighth century to the fifteenth century) used this word to establish a difference between those who spoke Castilian, and those who spoke Arabic Language. 

FIVE: It is believed that the first written Spanish document was written between 974 and 978 in an abbey in Leon, Spain, where a monk wrote a kitchen list of expenses. The text was named “Nodicia de Kesos” and listed mainly the use of cheese used by the monks. 

SIX: Spanish language has about 70% words in Latin, although more than the 85% everyday language has a Latin origin.

SEVEN: Spanish lexical originated from Vulgar Latin, and it has some influences from other languages such as Greek (used mostly in scientific and mathematic and prefixes for medicine and jurisprudence) Arabic, Gothic, Romance Languages, Náhuatl (language the Aztecs ),  Quechua (language of the Incas) English and others.

 EIGHT: More than 4000 words in Spanish come from Arabic domination. Approximately this would be an eight percent of the actual vocabulary.

NINE: In the History of our Language, from Proto-Romance to Proto-Castilian, most of the word “loans” for the Pseudo-Spanish came from Germanic Languages mostly from a variation of the Goth Language called Visigoth (a branch of Germans who came to Spain between 200 and 700 A.D) This “loans” included verbs, names (Ricardo, Alberto, Rodrigo, Guzmán, Alvarado, Guerra o Guerrero, Estrada, some became Last Names), colors white  (blanco), war terms (such as spurs, guard, helmet).

TEN: When most medieval texts appear, it was easy to see a huge influence of the Arabic Language and related with new technologies (Algorithm, logarithm, Zenith, Nadir, Azimuth), government terms (Governor, bailiff, executor, almojarife). Commercial terms (store, carat, at weight, hundredweight), and at the same time the last names ending in “EZ” mean “son of” Like Martínez that means “Son of Martin”.

ELEVEN: With America’s Discovery, appeared new terms coming from Indian tribes. These are: Tomato, cocoa, tobacco, maize (or corn), ceiba trees, rubber, canoe, hammock, hurricane. After the black slaves from Congo (Africa) to Latin America. other words appeared like: banana, marimba (musical percussion instrument), fatmouth (Bemba), guineo (a kind of plantain), guaro (alcohol obtained from sugar cane), motete (a bundle).

TWELVE: Spanish Language acquired some terms from Italian. During the Golden Age we get a lot of words related with music (sonnet, piano, baton). 

THIRTEEN: At the end of the Medieval Ages (1700) and the Illustration (1800), Spanish Language takes from French Language terms related to fashion: (Tisu, corset, toupee), gastronomy (bonbon, restaurant and Foie gras (liver spread) …), and management (desk, ID card).

FOURTEEN: "Satisfy” comes from Latin “Satis” that means quite or enough.  

FIFTEEN: Most words that start with H, in Latin, were written with "F". Is the case :filius (son/ hijo) o filu (/ thread/hilo) ferro (iron/hierro).

SIXTEEN: Many word in Spanish that have the “MBR” particle, come from Latin words with -MIN-, like hunger (faminem), female (feminam), hombre (hominem), light (luminem), wire (amarinem) or hill (culminem).

SEVENTEEN: Huge Tome (“Mamotreto”) is something very heavy or thick. This term comes from Greek “μαμμοθρεπτος” (mammothreptos) and Late Latin “mammothreptus”.

EIGHTEEN: “Miss you” comes from the Portuguese expression “achar menos” where “Achar” means “look for”.

NINETEEN: Those who have suffered with the “subjunctive mode” are very familiar with this two words: Maybe ( quizas/quiza) and Hopefully ( ójala). The adverb maybe (quizás/quizá) comes from the Latin expression “qui sapit” and it means “who knows”. On the other hand, “hopefully” comes from the Arabic Word لو شاء الله (law sha'a Allah) and it means “God may”.

Written By Adriana Martinez