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Thursday, May 30, 2024

Learning languages on Duolingo for your holiday hiking in Spain

The Spanish Flag. From Wikipedia.

I am learning Spanish for a hiking holiday in Spain. Last time I went away with the same group, which meets every year in Europe for a week of hiking, 

German

I learned German which was the language of the man organizing the group. Despite finsihing the entire German course, I could not follow his instrucitions to the group in German and had to wait for the translation into English. Since the germans spoke fluent English, I felt a bit behind them in my efforts to learn a froeign language.\

Why Learn Spanish? -  Is It Essential?

It turned out that my main problem in understanding hiders' conversation was technical (hiking) vocabulary. I had not learned specialised words for a hiking trip. 

Solution So Specialised Languge in Spain

This time I have given up on the German and tried to learn Spanish, so that if I get left behind, or turn back, on a hike, I can read the local signs. 

Print Words & Maps

I shall print out my words, and maps, so that if my phone has no conncection, or the battery fails, or it needs charging, I have a printed backup of maps and words.

Word List

For my own benefit I have made a list which I am sharing with you.  

Popular Pilgrimage

The most popular hike, the msot well known, is the old pilgrimage route, Camino to Santiago.


Wikipedia map of the route across northern Spain.

Camino translates as path or way or road. Sant is Saint. Iago is Jacob or James. (John is Juan, pronounced Who-Ann or Who won?) 

Other trails include the Picos de Europa.

 I have made a list of useful words, using Translate Google and other sources.

ENGLISH (alphabetically) - SPANISH 


DRIVING DIRECTIONS

north - norte

south-  sur

East - este

West  - Oeste

centro de la ciudad - city centre


A-D

and - y

Bar - bar

blocked / obstructed - obstruido

bridge - puente

car park / parking lot -  estacionamiento

church - iglesia

closed - cerrado

coffee - café 

cul de sac - callejón sin salida

danger - peligro

detour - desvio

do not drink - no bebas

drinking water - agua potable


E-K

easy - facil

fire danger - peligro de incendio

free - gratis

free parking - estacionamiento gratis

gate - puerta

green - verde

hard - duro

harbour - puerto

help - ayuda

hiking - senderismo (my memory aid is sending someobdy hiking!)\

hill - colina

hike - la caminata

hiking - senderismo

hostel - refugio (might be dormitory accommodation, booked, or priority given to those registered on the route)

house - casa

I need - necesito


L-R

local trails - senderos locales

mountain - montaña

no smoking - no fumar

no entry - no hay entrada

no exit - sin salida

no left turn - sin giro a la izquierda - (like French gauche for left)

no right turn - sin giro a la derecha

no swimming - no nadar

one way - un camino

open - abierto

over here - por aqui

path - camino

peak - cima

port / harbour - puerto

railway - ferrocarril

residents only - solo residentes

restaurant - restaurante

river - rio

road - camino

roundabout - rotonda


S-Z

sandwiches - bocadillos

sea - mar (like the French mer)

shop - tienda

short - corto

snacks - snacks

toilet - baño 

trail - camino

watch out! - cuidado!

waterfall - cascada

where - donde

..........

COLORS

black - negro

green - verde

red - rojo

......................


SPANISH - ENGLISH

A-D

abierto - open

aqui - here

agua potable - drinking water

aperitivos - appetizers

ayuda - help

baño - toilet

bar - bar

barra de café - coffee bar

café - coffee

callejón sin salida - no exit

camino - path, road, route, way

casa - house

cascada - waterfall

cerrado - closed

cima - peak

comercio - shop

corto - short

senderismo

Ciudad - city

cuidado - watch out

Desvio - detour

dónde - where

Duro - hard


E- K

empinado -

estacionamiento -  car park/parking lot

estacionamiento gratis - free parking

fácil - easy

ferrocarril - railway

gratis - free

hostal - hostel

iglesia  church

inundable - floodable


COLORS

negro - black

rojo - red

verde - green


L-R

mar - sea

montaña - mountain

Necesito - I need

no bebas - not drinking water / do not drink

no fumar - no smoking

No hay entrada - no entry

no nadar - no swimming

obstruido - blocked (obstructed)

peligro - danger

peligro de incendio - fire danger

por aqui! - over here!

pueblo - town

puente - bridge

puerta (feminine) - gate

puerto (masculine) - port / harbour

refugio / hostal - hostel

restaurante - restaurant

río - river

rotonda - roundabout


S-Z

sándwich - sandwich

senderismo - hiking

sin giro a la derecha - no right turn

sin giro a la izquierda - no left turn (like French gauche for left)

Sin salida - no exit

solo residentes - residents only

tienda - shop

tienda de comestibles - grocery shop

un camino - one way

y - and


Useful Websites

Duolingo.com

Translate Google

https://translate.google.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago

https://www.walksinspain.org/wordpress/guidance/

Please share links to your favourite posts.

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