Lost in translation into English
There are words that I cannot translate because they either dont have an equivalent that means the same in the other language, or because theres something special about their sound. Most of them are in Spanish:
Chulo: How can you say in English that someone is arrogant with a very colloquial word? Neither cheeky or arrogant imply overconfident. There is simply no way to say in English es que tú eres más chula que nadie.
Merienda: If you have dinner at ten, like everyone does in Spain, you need a snack at six. Afternoon tea, as a meal, not as a drink, is the closest. But thats as if you loved nice big breakfasts, and found a language that calls any type of breakfast coffee.
Avíos: Ingredients, or the set of tools for a task. Aviárselas: to make do with a substitute, especially one of inferior quality. To cope. Very colloquial and very local.
Desavío: What happens when you have put water to boil, made the pasta sauce, open the pantry door and see the spaghetti jar is empty. Lacking an essential tool for the task. Also, a convenience store!
Pesado: the word that means heavy used for a person who either talks too much or insists too much on one thing; a pest, someone that tires you.
Jartible: a pest, a pester, someone you are sick of. Extremely local.
Moña: An effeminate homosexual, but also a coward, acts of cowardice, anything half-hearted or wishy-washy. It does not imply homophobia on the part of the speaker (I use this one even when I speak in English).
Afú: Not a real word. Meaningless expression, to express annoyance or tiredness. I was very surprised when some Catalan friends found it funny and weird, so I guess it must be local too.
Saborío, esaborío. Sabor means flavour, and therefore this word would mean bland, flavourless. It applies to a person who is either unfriendly or boring, charmless.
Chulo: How can you say in English that someone is arrogant with a very colloquial word? Neither cheeky or arrogant imply overconfident. There is simply no way to say in English es que tú eres más chula que nadie.
Merienda: If you have dinner at ten, like everyone does in Spain, you need a snack at six. Afternoon tea, as a meal, not as a drink, is the closest. But thats as if you loved nice big breakfasts, and found a language that calls any type of breakfast coffee.
Avíos: Ingredients, or the set of tools for a task. Aviárselas: to make do with a substitute, especially one of inferior quality. To cope. Very colloquial and very local.
Desavío: What happens when you have put water to boil, made the pasta sauce, open the pantry door and see the spaghetti jar is empty. Lacking an essential tool for the task. Also, a convenience store!
Pesado: the word that means heavy used for a person who either talks too much or insists too much on one thing; a pest, someone that tires you.
Jartible: a pest, a pester, someone you are sick of. Extremely local.
Moña: An effeminate homosexual, but also a coward, acts of cowardice, anything half-hearted or wishy-washy. It does not imply homophobia on the part of the speaker (I use this one even when I speak in English).
Afú: Not a real word. Meaningless expression, to express annoyance or tiredness. I was very surprised when some Catalan friends found it funny and weird, so I guess it must be local too.
Saborío, esaborío. Sabor means flavour, and therefore this word would mean bland, flavourless. It applies to a person who is either unfriendly or boring, charmless.
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