How do we say “confidence” in Spanish? Is it “confianza” or “confidencia”? Well, it depends on what we mean to say; both words have very different meanings. Let’s take a look: Confianza: We use this word to talk about our trust or belief in ourselves or someone else, or
If el gato is a male cat and la gata is a female cat, what would be the word for a male rat since la rata is the word for a female rat. El rato? No quite so! La rata applies to both the male and female rat: Hoy vi una
Always say “cambiar de idea” o “cambiar de opinion”. When we talk about altering one’s opinions or decisions, the correct equivalents are “cambiar de idea” and “cambiar de opinión”. “Cambiar de mente” is a literal translation from the English expression “to change one’s mind” that would only make sense in
“Aggressive means agresivo, right?” Well, yes and no. When we use this adjective to describe a violent situation or someone who is hostile and always ready to pick a fight or an argument, agresivo is the correct equivalent. Su comportamiento reciente es muy agresivo; sus padres están preocupados por él.
When we talk about these verbs the difference is not really in their meaning, but in their structure. Sentir + nouns: we use it to express feelings and sensations. It answers the question: ¿Qué sientes? (What are you feeling?) Siento una gran felicidad por la graduación de mi hijo. I
“Creo que…” and “no creo que..” are used to express our opinion or certainty regarding an idea or given fact. In this sense, they correspond to the English structures “I believe /think that…” and “I don’t believe/think that…” When using these structures, the main verb (verbo de opinión) can be
If both “saber” and “conocer” can be translated as “to know”, can I use them interchangeably? No, we can’t; both verbs express two kinds of knowledge. Generally, we use “saber” to talk about a more intellectual knowledge; in order to know something or someone we have to read, listen, watch,
When you first see or hear the Spanish word “severo” you immediately think to yourself “oh, it must mean “severe”! They are spelled and pronounced almost identically.” Well, in fact that’s where the similarities stop; their meanings are quite different. “Severo” is an adjective that we use to describe the
Are “actual” (in English) and “actual” (in Spanish) the same thing? How about “actually” and “actualmente”? No, they are quite different. Let’s take a look at each pair: The word “actual” in Spanish means “current”, “present”, “contemporary”. Las condiciones climáticas actuales no son favorables; creo que debemos cancelar la feria.
Do you ever wonder where do adjectives go en español? Before or after nouns? Traditionally in Spanish adjectives go after nouns (the opposite of English); particularly when these adjectives are used to qualify or describe the attributes of that noun: Mi casa es grande y luminosa. My house is big