Español

Learn some español on my blog! As I continue to share my experiences, I will add to this page by including some Spanish words that I've come across and want to incorporate into this blog.

Nada: n. Nothing.

Tienda: n. Store/shop

Hasta pronto: See you soon

Bona nit: (catalan) for good night

Tapa: n. a small dish/snack/appetizer.

Patatas bravas: n. A catalan dish of fried potatoes, usually served with a garlic aioli sauce

Tortilla de patata: n. A catalan dish similar to an omelet or frittata. An egg dish mixed with onions and potatoes.

Pan con tomate: n. Literally bread with tomato. Another catalan tapa, it consists of toasted rustic bread, smeared with garlic, tomato, and olive oil. Simple, yet divine.

Arco iris: n. Rainbow

Ateneu Barcelones: (catalan) n. The Barcelona Athenaeum, or a place for literary learning (narratives, poetry, novels, etc.)

Socios: n. members

Menu del dia: n. The menu of the day. It consists of a first course, a second course, bread, dessert, and a drink. They can be expensive or inexpensive, but either way, you'll need to wear sweatpants afterwards.

Tía: n. Aunt.

Pollo: n. Chicken

Carne: n. Meat

Humita: n. Dough wrapped in corn husk, steamed, and usually prepared with corn, onions, eggs, and spices (if you're in Ecuador.)

Almuerzo: n. Lunch. Here, a typical almuerzo costs between $1.25-$2.50 and consists of juice, rice, some beans, meat, and a small dessert.

Gringo: n. A white person from North America (this can be used as an insult, but is usually used as a joke.)

Cuy: n. Guinea pig (a popular meat in Cuenca.)

Agua sin gas: n. Non-carbonated water, or what gringos should drink until they get used to the tap water abroad.

Cabina: n. A small phone booth where international phone calls can be made on the cheap.

Toalla pequena: n. Small towel

Joven: n. Youth

Paraiso: n. Paradise

Mercado: n. Market

Panaderia: n. Bakery

Arepa: n. A flatbread usually made of maize and topped with various ingredients (meat, vegetables, cheese, guacamole, etc.) A typical food of Colombia.

Te amo: I love you.

¿Donde estoy?: Where am I?

Parque: n. Park

Paraiso: n. Paradise

Futbol: Soccer

Farmacia: n. Pharmacy

Patacones: n. Fried/baked plantains (also called tostones in some Spanish-speaking countries.)

Mote: n. In Ecuador, mote are corn kernels that are boiled (so they're pretty big) and cooked. Doesn't sound like much, but they might be the best thing in Ecuador since sliced bread.

No pasa nada: Roughly: No big deal.

Ceviche: n. Fresh/raw fish marinated in citrus juices and usually served with onions and peppers. Think cold seafood soup!

Rico: n. A rich person. adj. Delicious.

Soy de Filadelfia, Estados Unidos: I am from Philadelphia, USA.

Sola: adj. Alone.

¿Viaja sola?: You travel alone?

Sombrero: n. Hat.

Ensalada de fruta: n. Fruit salad.

Machismo: n. The idea of men being superior to women. Very common in Latin American cultures.

La Feria Libre: n. The "free fair," or basically the place to find anything you could ever want (or not want) in Cuenca.

Nadar: v. To swim

Dia de Todos Santos: All Saints Day

Dia de los Difuntos: Day of the Dead (not as intense as in Mexico)

Horchata: n. A warm traditional drink made of many different herbs. It has a pinky color. Tastes kind of like warm lemonade...

Canelazo: n. A warm alcoholic beverage usually made of sugar-cane alcohol, sugar, and cinnamon.

Colada morada: n. A traditional Ecuadorian beverage made of black corn flour and various fruits. Poular during Dia de los Difuntos.

Guagua de pan: n. A sweet roll shaped and decorated in the form of a baby. Popular during Dia de los Difuntos.

Joyeria: n. Jewelry store.

Tortilla de choclo: n. A tortilla made out of choclo, large kernels of corn popular in Ecuador and Peru.

Empanada de queso: n. A fried dumpling-type food filled with cheese.

Morocho: n. A warm drink made of milk and ground-up choclo. Sounds gross, tastes great.

Buen trabajo: Good job!

Monedas: n. Coins.

Año Viejo: n. Literally, Old Year, this is a life-size dummy that is burned on New Year's Eve, usually to bring good luck.

Hasta luego: See you later.

Centro: n. Center, or what we call the Historic city-center of Cuenca.

Manaña: n. Tomorrow