We checked into a parador, one of those wonderful historic hotels in Spain. Next morning we went down to breakfast. We went to reception. We did not know the Spanish word for breakfast. The receptionist knew no English. I tried asking in French. She did not understand. My husband tried German. She did not understand.
I had to go all the way back to the bedroom and hunt through my suitcase until I found my small Spanish dictionary. Desayuno.
The receptionist then reached under the reception desk. She revealed that she had a four-language booking form which included most of the words one might need in a hotel.
I now know the word for breakfast in Spanish. I also know that the word for restaurant is similar in both languages. I could also mime or draw. However, I try to learn a few words of Spanish every day. Finding a link between the letters or ideas is helpful.
In addition to the word for breakfast, it is handy to understand the words for toilet, or ladies and gentlemen.
My late father made a mistake when he was in the Spanish restaurant, La Giralda, in Pinner Green, London. He went to the toilets and saw the sign Senoras. He assumed that was plural for senor. So he pushed open the door. The lady inside was washing her hands. She was outraged. She complained to the management. The restaurant owner came over to ask us, "A lady customer has just complained that your father walked into the ladies toilet. Can you please explain why?"
When my father explained, we all rolled around in hysterical laughter. The moral is, a little learning is a dangerous thing. Once you have started, keep on learning.
Spanish - English
amo - I love
aires - airs
barato - cheap - (sounds like bargain)
Buenos - good ones (sounds like beautiful and beneficial)
caro - expensive (my image is the cost of a car)
centro comercial - shopping mall
comprar - to buy
desayuno - breakfast (sounds like day starts, you know)
hotel - hotel
ir - to go
me gusta - I like (sounds like I eat with gusto)
para ver - to see
restaurante - restaurant
sandalias - sandals
sombrero - hat
vino blanco - white wine (sounds like a blank colour, colourless wine)
vino tinto - red wine (sounds like tinted)
visitar - to visit
English - Spanish
airs - aires
breakfast - desayuno
gentlemen - caballeros
good ones - buenos
hat - sombrero
hotel - hotel
I like - me gusta
I love - amo (sounds like amorous)
I want - quiero (looks like my quest)
I want to buy - quiero comprar
ladies - señoras
restaurant - restaurante
to visit - visitar
red wine - vino tinto
sandals - sandalias
shopping mall - centro comercial
toilet/bathroom - baño (sounds like 'in the bathroom, you know')
white wine - vino blanco
Useful Websites
No comments:
Post a Comment