Spanish Phrases For Dummies

Susana Wald is a translator, teacher, writer, and publisher.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Conventions Used in This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 3Where to Go from Here 4Chapter 1: I Say It How? Speaking Spanish 5You Already Know Some Spanish 6Beware of false friends 6Some crossover influence 7Reciting Your ABC’s 8Consonants 9Vowels 16The diphthongs 18Pronunciation and Stress 19Looking for stress, normally 20Looking for accented vowels 20Understanding accents on diphthongs 21¡Punctuation Plus! 21Some Basic Phrases to Know 21Chapter 2: Grammar on a Diet: Just the Basics. 23Sentence Construction 23Verbs 24Regular verbs 24Irregular verbs 26Extra verbs charts 27Forming Questions 31Pronouns in Hiding 32That Whole Gender Thing 33Make It Two (or More): Plurals 35Telling Tales with Adjectives 36It’s You, You Know: The Tú/Usted Issue 36Chapter 3: Numerical Gumbo: Counting of All Kinds 391, 2, 3: Cardinal Numbers 39Discovering Ordinal Numbers 41Telling Time 42You can tell time 42But are you on time? 44Days, Months, Seasons 45What day is it? 45Living month to month 47Counting Your Money 48Carrying cash 48ATMs 49Credit cards 51Exchanging your dollars 52Chapter 4: Making New Friends and Enjoying Small Talk 55Hello! Greetings and Introductions 55Formal introductions 55Informal introductions 57Small-Talk Verbs 58Llamarse: Calling 58Ser: Being 59Estar: The second being 62Hablar: Speaking 64Trabajar: Working 67Entender: Understanding 67Vivir: Living 68Small-talk apologies 69Grand Inquisitor: Questions 70A Rainy Day: Talking Weather 72How Is Your Family? 73Chapter 5: Enjoying a Drink and a Snack (or Meal!) 75Getting the Table and Meal Basics 75Three Verbs Used at the Table 76To take and to drink: The verb tomar 77For drinking only: The verb beber 77For eating: The verb comer 78At the Restaurant 79What’s on the Menu? 81The Bill, Please 85Chapter 6: Shop ’Til You Drop 87Heading Out on the Town 87Browsing around 87Getting around the store 88Requesting color and size 89Getting the right fit 91Using the shopping verb: Comprar 92Wearing and taking: The verb llevar 93Shopping the Traditional Market 94Shopping for food 94Scoping out special items 98Visiting the Supermarket 100Bartering for Your Goods 100Getting the Right Quantity 102Comparing Better or Best 102Chapter 7: Making Leisure a Top Priority. 105Having a Good Time 105Using the inviting verb invitar 106Using the dancing verb bailar 107Having a Good Time at Shows and Events 108Screening the cinema 109Enjoying a concert 109Enjoying the Outdoors 111Taking a walk 111Watching the animals 112Sports, Sports, Sports 114The most popular ball game: Fútbol 114Béisbol: #2 116The playing verb: Jugar 117Chapter 8: When You Gotta Work 119Picking Up the Phone 119Opening lines 119Leaving messages 121Making a collect call 123Outside the Office 123Inside the Office 125Getting a job 126Scheduling and conducting a meeting 128Using emplear: The hiring verb 131Hacer: The doing, making verb 131Packing a PC 133Chapter 9: I Get Around: Transportation 135On the Go: Transportation 135Boarding the train 135Hailing a taxi 137Hopping a bus 137Renting a car 138Passing Passport Control 141Transportation Verbs 146The outgoing verb: Salir 146Using the waiting verb: Esperar 147Asking for Directions 148¿Adónde vamos? Where do we go? 148Mapping the place 149Getting directions from locals 150Understanding spatial directions 152Here, there, and everywhere 153Chapter 10: Laying Down Your Weary Head: House or Hotel? 155Speaking of Houses 155Some rental wisdom 156Furnishing your house 159Scoping Out the Hotel 160Registering for a Room 164Dormir: The Sleeping Verb 167Despertar: The Waking Up Verb 169Chapter 11: Dealing with Emergencies 171Shouting for Help 171Handling Health Problems 172Helping out 173Painful phrases for when it hurts 174Telling where it hurts 176Describing symptoms 177Talking to the doctor 179Visiting the dentist 180Ensuring that you get your money back 182Getting Help with Legal Problems 182Being under arrest 183Stick ’em up: Words to know when you’re robbed 183Reporting to the police 184Dealing with Car Emergencies 185Chapter 12: Favorite Spanish Expressions. 189¿Qué tal? 189¿Quiubo? 189¿Qué pasó? 190¿Cómo van las cosas? 190¡Del uno! 190¿Cuánto cuesta? 191¿A cuánto? 191¡Un asalto! 191¡Una ganga! 191¡Buen provecho! 192¡Salud! 192¡Buen viaje! 192Chapter 13: Phrases That Make You Sound Like a Local 193¡Esta es la mía! 193¿Y eso con qué se come? 194Voy a ir de farra 194Caer fatal 194Nos divertimos en grande 195Ver negro para 195Pasó sin pena ni gloria 195¡Así a secas! 196¡La cosa va viento en popa! 196Index 197

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