Expressions Using Parts of the Body: The Eyelash

As in English, many Spanish idioms and other expressions involve parts of the body. This example refers to the eyelash:

quemarse las pestañas or dejarse las pestañas (familiar)
literal translation: to burn the eyelashes
to work very hard, to study hard, to burn the midnight oil
e.g. Su marido se quemaba las pestañas: Her husband worked very hard.

The word pestañas can also mean stiff hairs that are placed on the edge of a surface.

---

Vocabulary Quiz (mouse over for answers)

pestaña

I had to get an eyelash out of my eye.

pestañas postizas

pestañear

sin pestañear

pestaña (of a Web page or computer screen)

pestaña (of a container)

pestaña (of a book)

pestaña (mechanical)

quemarse

pestaña (WordReference)

pestaña (en español, RAE)

pestaña (en español, informática)

Relative Pronouns: Que versus Quien

During your studies, you might come across quien and que used as relative pronouns referring to people as in the following sentences. Both are correct:

Los hombres que viste están en peligro.
The men that you saw are in danger.

Fue él quien me enseñó la casa.
He was the one who showed me the house.

---

Obviously, quien refers only to people. When referring to a thing, que is used:

El libro que le he prestado a Hector es extenso, no es corto.
The book that I lent to Hector is extensive. It's not short.

La casa que fue diseñado por el arquitecto mexicano es de color amarillo.
The house that was designed by the Mexican architect is yellow. (Remember that the true passive voice isn't used in Spanish as much as it is in English.)

---

When the person being referred to is the direct object, remember to use the personal a with quien:

La señora que conocí anoche es la madre de Julio.
La señora a quien conocí anoche es la madre de Julio.
The woman whom I met last night is Julio's mother.

---

Vocabulary of the Day

margarita daisy (the first thing that came to mind was Margarita, the drink, right?!

dar (o echar) margaritas a los cerdos (o puercos) means the same as to cast pearls before swine

deshojar la margarita means to play "she loves me, she loves me not." deshojar means to pull the petals off (or to rip the pages out of)

By the way, the word margarita is of Greek origin, via Latin and means pearl. Interesting article in Spanish on the etymology of the word.

Vocab 1-31-2010

bondad goodness, kindness

¿Tendría la bondad de cerrar la puerta?
Would you be so kind good as to close the door?
Note how the preposition de is used here.

Tengan la bondad de no fumar. (This is very formal language.)
Kindly refrain from smoking.

Tenga la bondad de pasar. (very polite)
Please be so kind as to come in.

Tuvo la bondad de llamarme.
He was kind enough to call me.

When speaking of the weather, bondad can also mean mildness.

bondadoso kind, kindhearted, kindly

bondadosamente kindly, kindheartedly

bondad (RAE)

Etimología de la palabra bondad.

---

confiado trusting

Están muy confiados en que vamos a llevarlos.
They are convinced that we are going to take them.
In this sense, confiados means sure.

Está confiada en que podrá cocinarlo.
She's confident that she will be able to cook it.
Note how the conjunction que is used here.

No estén tan confiados.
Don't get over-confident.

Con lo confiado que es le van a engañar muchas veces.
He's such an unsuspecting person that he'll often be misled.
This sentence demonstrates the use of the third person plural in Spanish to represent the figurative they. The literal translation would be He's such an unsuspecting person that they are going to mislead him many times. The practical translation for this common construction is He's such an unsuspecting person that he'll often be misled. Also observe from the previous two examples that the meaning of confiado, confident or trusting, must at times be contextually inferred.

---

soldadito toy soldiers

soldadito de plomo tin soldier

---

Quiz: Write the definition(s) for the following vocabulary words. Click the links for answers from WordReference:

amarillento
anudar
asomar
confiar
estremecerse
extrañeza
gorrión
harapo
pañuelo
piar
plomo
reja
sepultura
sien
soldado
soldar
travieso

The Subjunctive and Subordinated Adjective Clauses

Examples of the subjunctive with subordinated adjective clauses:

¿Hay una tienda cerca de aquí en que se vendan huevos?
Is there a store nearby that sells eggs?

The present subjunctive form of vender: vendan is used because the independent clause (Is there a store nearby) is in the present and the action in the dependent clause is not specifically prior to the action in the independent clause.

---

Prefieren amigos que sepan mucho de la política.
They prefer friends who know a lot about politics.

The present subjunctive form of saber: sepa is used because the independent clause (They prefer friends) is in the present and the action in the dependent clause is not specifically prior to the action in the independent clause.

---

Alejandro no pudo hallar una novia que se atreviera a casarse con él.
Alejandro could not find a girlfriend who would dare to marry him.

The imperfect subjunctive form of atreverse: se atreviera is used because the independent clause (Alejandro could not find) is in the preterit and the action in the dependent clause is not specifically prior to the action in the independent clause.

---

José busca una camioneta que no use mucha gasolina.
José is looking for a pick-up truck that doesn't use much gasoline.

The present subjunctive form of user: use is used because the independent clause (Jose is looking for) is in the present indicative tense and the action in the dependent clause is not specifically prior to the action in the independent clause.

---

Deseaban hallar un hotel que tuviera una piscina.
They wanted to find a hotel that had a pool.

The imperfect subjunctive form of tener: tuviera is used because the independent clause (They wanted to find a hotel) is in the imperfect and the action in the dependent clause is not specifically prior to the action in the independent clause.

---

Necesito recuperarme en un lugar que haga buen tiempo.
I need to recover in a place with nice weather.

The present subjunctive of hace: haga is used because the independent clause (I need to recover) is in the present tense and the action in the dependent clause is not specifically prior to the action in the independent clause.

---

Teníamos un perro que tenía ojos de color verde.
We used to have a dog who had green eyes.

This example is not a candidate for the subjunctive. The dependent clause (who had green eyes) refers to a specific dog that certainly existed.

---

Buscaron al periodista que escribió ese articuló.
They looked for the reporter who wrote that article.

This example is not a candidate for the subjunctive. Someone looked for a specific reporter who certainly existed, the reporter who wrote that article.

---

Los Marino tenían un retrato que era de sus bisabuelos.
The Marinos had a portrait of their great-grandparents.

This example is not a candidate for the subjunctive. The Marinos had a specific portrait that certainly existed.

Noche Buena #5

In our most recent post, we were discussing a SpanishPod conversation that takes place between a Cuban-American couple in Miami on their way to pick up food and supplies for a Christmas Eve party.

---

The next sentence we'll go over is:

Ojalá y nos alcance la comida, siempre me parece poco.
Literally: I hope and for us achieve the food, always to me it seems little.
I hope it's enough food - I always feel like there's not enough.

This is one of those culturally-influenced sentences that you will learn to understand when you hear it before you will be able to speak it like a true hispanoparlante. The word ojalá is of Arabic origin: law šá lláh means if God wants. For practical purposes, it translates to I wish, or, as in this example to I hope. The word alcanzar is used frequently in Spanish. It means to achieve or to reach. In this case, it means "I hope the food makes it," or "I hope the food lasts," sort of a wish that the food lasts until everyone's hunger is satisfied. Parecer means to seem.

---

alcanzar
to achieve, to reach (as in a goal, a milestone, or a place), to catch up with homework or studies.

From Oxford Language Dictionaries:

Synonyms: pillar, agarrar.

A este paso no los vamos a alcanzar nunca.
At this rate we'll never catch up with them. Note that the use of double negatives is correct Spanish grammar.

¡A que no me alcanzas!
Bet you can't catch me!

Empecé después que tú y ya te alcancé.
I started after you and I've caught up with you already. Note the past tense of empezar and alcanzar.

¡Qué alto está! Cualquier día alcanzará a su hermano.
Look how tall he's getting! He'll be catching up with his brother soon! Note the future tense of alcanzar and the personal a before hermano.

Los bomberos habían logrado alcanzar el segundo piso. Note the use of lograr, to achieve.
The firemen had managed to reach the second floor.

A propósito, he encontrado algo interesante acerca de la etymología de la palabra "alcanzar": El verbo alcanzar - hay variantes primitivas acalçar y alcalçar - tiene como étimo la voz latina calx, calcis talón. De un sentido inicial de ir tras sus talones se pasaría a perseguir, alcanzar, llegar hasta algo. Es muy común también la expresión dar alcance a. La raíz latina calx, calcis ha sido muy productiva en derivados: calcar, recalcar, coz, calzar, calcáneo, calzón, etc. Los cambios del verbo desde el primitivo acalçar hasta alcanzar no están del todo explicados: se habla de metátesis de consonantes y hasta de influjo árabe por el al- inicial. Las distintas hipótesis están recogidas por Corominas. La voz existe también en portugués: alcançar. - Pedro Menoyo Bárcena

---

So far we've covered:

Ya son las 11 de la mañana, ¡ya nos cogió tarde!
It's already 11; we're running late.

Sí, nos confiamos, suerte que Okeechobee está ahí mismo. Vamos, nos tomamos una colada por el camino. 
Yes, we got overconfident, we're lucky that Okeechobee is right over there. Let's go - we can drink a colada on the way.

Tremenda cola debe de haber, todos los años es lo mismo para la Noche Buena. Pero esta vez sin excesos, sólo un puerco de 60 libras, con la canasta de yuca y plátano para los tostones, ¿ok? ¡Que te conozco! 
There will be a long line; every year it's the same thing on Christmas Eve. But this time, let's not over do it, with only one 60 pounds of pork and a basket of yucca and plantains for the tostones. Ok? I know how you are.

Está bien, seremos 15 para comer, ya Pucha puso los frijoles a ablandar para el congrí.
It'll be fine, there will be 15 of us for dinner. Plus, Pucha already put the beans on the stove for the congri.

¡¿Tan temprano?!
So early?

Sí, acuérdate que hay que tenerlo casi listo para rellenar el puerco y asarlo todo junto. Ojalá y nos alcance la comida, siempre me parece poco.
Yes, remember that we need to have everything ready to stuff and roast the pork. I hope it's enough food - I always feel like there's not enough.

Ojalá y nos alcance la comida, siempre me parece poco.
Literally: I hope and for us achieve the food, always to me it seems little.
I hope it's enough food - I always feel like there's not enough.

Noche Buena #4

We've been discussing a SpanishPod conversation that takes place between a Cuban-American couple in Miami on their way to pick up food and supplies for a Christmas Eve party. So far we've covered:

Ya son las 11 de la mañana, ¡ya nos cogió tarde!
It's already 11; we're running late.

Sí, nos confiamos, suerte que Okeechobee está ahí mismo. Vamos, nos tomamos una colada por el camino. 
Yes, we got overconfident, we're lucky that Okeechobee is right over there. Let's go - we can drink a colada on the way.

Tremenda cola debe de haber, todos los años es lo mismo para la Noche Buena. Pero esta vez sin excesos, sólo un puerco de 60 libras, con la canasta de yuca y plátano para los tostones, ¿ok? ¡Que te conozco! 
There will be a long line; every year it's the same thing on Christmas Eve. But this time, let's not over do it, with only one 60 pounds of pork and a basket of yucca and plantains for the tostones. Ok? I know how you are.

Today I'll parse the next few sentences:

Está bien, seremos 15 para comer, ya Pucha puso los frijoles a ablandar para el congrí.
It'll be fine, there will be 15 of us for dinner. Plus, Pucha already put the beans on the stove for the congri.

Here we have the verb ser in the future tense. Literally: It is fine. There will be 15 [people] for to eat. Again, it's important to be comfortable with Spanish prepositions and when to use them. Proficiency comes naturally with much study and repetition.

Pucha is a nickname, an apodo. Literally: Already Pucha put the beans to soften for the congrí. Arroz congrí is a Cuban dish with black beans, white rice, onions, and garlic.

¡¿Tan temprano?!
So early?

Sí, acuérdate que hay que tenerlo casi listo para rellenar el puerco y asarlo todo junto. Ojalá y nos alcance la comida, siempre me parece poco.
Yes, remember that we need to have everything ready to stuff and roast the pork. I hope it's enough food - I always feel like there's not enough.

Literally, this translates as Yes, remember that one must to have it almost ready for to fill the pig and to roast it all together. Acuérdate is the informal command form of the verb acordarse: to remember.

hay que is the present tense form of the construction [haber que + infinitive], which expresses necessity, obligation, or convenience. In this case it means it is necessary to. Other examples from WordReference:

Habrá que ir.
We will have to go.

Habría que pintar el salón.
We should paint the living room.

Hay que hacerlo.
You must do it.

tenerlo (the verb tener + lo) means to have + it: to have it.
casi means almost.
listo means ready.
rellenar means to stuff (re + llenar).
el puerco means the pig.
asarlo means to roast it.
And junto means together.

In my next post, we'll go over this interesting sentence: Ojalá y nos alcance la comida, siempre me parece poco!

El verbo «tender»

The verb tender comes from the Latin tendĕre. There are multiple definitions:

1. to unfold, open up, or spread out; particularly something that is folded, wrinkled, or piled up.

Tendió el mantel sobre la mesa: She spread the tablecloth over the table.

2. to lay a person or animal over a surface.

Se tendió en el sofá: He spread out on the sofa.

3. to hang wet clothes out to dry. to spread wet clothes out in the open air, in the sun, or in front of a fire to dry.

Tender la ropa: to hang out the laundry.
Antiguamente se subía a tender a la azotea: She used to go up to the roof to hang the laundry.

4. to suspend, place, or construct something that is supported by two or more points.

Tender el puente: To suspend the bridge.
Tender una cuerda: To suspend a rope.

5. to demonstrate a tendency toward something.

Tiende a ensimismarse: He tends to get lost in thought.

6. to approach a certain quality or characteristic.

Un amaraillo que tiende a dorado: A yellow that approaches a gold color.

7. to knock someone or something to the ground with a blow.

8. to throw something to the ground, scattering it.

9. to extend something, drawing it near to someone or to something else.

10. to prepare a trap or a trick against someone.

Le tendió una emboscada. They set him up for an ambush.

definition (English, WordReference)
conjugation (WordReference)
definition (Spanish, WordReference)

(RAE)