When you first come to Spain you have good intentions of learning some Spanish, don´t you?
You may have even taken a course in the UK to “get ready” for the move.
However, I don’t think anything prepares you for the real thing!
I was lucky, I landed in Granada and you HAVE to speak Spanish there. It´s a case of sink or swim. I took about 6 months to get to grips with the accent – the disappearing “s” at the end of words for example.
I managed to find some really good Spanish friends (and a boyfriend) and they made all the difference. Speaking the “lingo” is not impossible, there is hope for us Brits living out here.
I have had some hilarious moments with the language and made some cracking mistakes along the way. Ever thought that seafood (mariscos) and homosexuals (maricones) have something in common?
Well I did and in front of a large group of new Spanish friends I announced that I LOVED eating maricones …mmmm! They all fell about laughing.
A friend of mine here on the coast constantly mixes up his albóndigas (meatballs) with his abogados (lawyers). Not good when he works in the real estate business and is in constant contact with “meatballs.”
Or the slightly embarrassing use of the word constipado. Sounds to us English speakers like a well-known bowel problem. However, this is the Spanish word for the common cold (or also resfriado)! Best to know the difference before you head off to the chemist for any over-the-counter remedy.
And when you come to refurbish your house beware of those things that you put on the sofa.
A friend of mine went into a shop all ready to buy 4 lovely pink cojines (cushions) and came out red-faced when she realised she asked the male assistant for cojones (testicles)!!!! Then again, you may be looking for a cabinet with cajones (drawers).
Easy mistakes to make.
In turn this embarrassing situation for her could have been understood by a Spanish speaker as a joyous moment! Ladies take care when you want to say “It was so embarrassing” (embarazoso)…..you could well be telling everyone that you´re pregnant (embarazada)
All in all, these awkward moments with the Spanish “lingo” make us learn from our mistakes….and I can guarantee you that it´s one of the best ways to get to grips with the language.
