Having spent the past week in two small towns - Valdepenas and Peguerinos - I spoke only Spanish. In Madrid, I can slip by speaking English sometimes, but in these small cities and towns (the latter has only 300 inhabitants...), Spanish was the only language spoken. Aside from a few phrases in English to teach my friends, the week was 100% Spanish. Let's just say I learned a lot! Here are some of my favorites:
Frases:
patas de gallo = wrinkles near the eyes (literally: crow/rooster's feet)
Ay, madre mia! Mira las patas de gallo que tengo!
--> "Oh my gosh! Look at the wrinkles that I have!"
tener un aire = to look like ...
Tienes un aire a Johnny Depp!
--> "You look like Johnny Depp!"
Hay que tener amigos hasta en el infierno = One must have friends even in Hell (because you'll never know when you may need them!)
una tabla de chocolate = a six-pack [as in, chiseled abs] (literally: a chocolate bar)
Ay! Mira que guapo es! Tiene tabla de chocolate.
--> "Ay! Look at how handsome he is! He has a six-pack."
Hecha la ley, hecha la trampa = To beat the system/find the loophole
Cuando el rio suena, agua lleva = with rumors, if people start to talk, it usually means that it's true! (literally: when you hear the river, water is coming!)
Has oido de Beyonce y Jay-Z? No lo creo.... -- Pues, cuano el rio suena, agua lleva!
--> "Have you heard about Beyonce and Jay-Z? I don't believe it...' 'Well, when you hear the river, water is coming!")
La unica cosa parecida es en el blanco de los ojos = The only resemblance [between two people] is the whites of their eyes!
Vocabulario:
acicalarse = to get ready/tidied up
Acicalate! Nos vamos en unos minutos.
--> "Get ready! We are leaving in a few minutes."
un cotarro = a riotous group of people
Has visto el cotarro enfrente del bar despues del Mundial? Madre mia!
--> "Have you seen the crazy group of people in front of the bar after the World Cup? My gosh!"
cachas = muscular/hunky
borrowed from WordReference.com: Has visto lo cachas que estan los chicos de natacion?
--> "Have you seen how hunky/muscular the swim team is?"
una colleja = a slap on the back of the neck
Mi hermano me dio una colleja cuando le dije lo que habia hecho.
--> "My brother gave me a slap on the back of the neck when I told him what I had done."
bloqueado/a = frozen [as in, a computer]
Ay! Mi ordenador siempre esta bloqueado! Necesito comprar otro!
--> "Ugh! My laptop is always frozen! I need to buy another one."
chorrear = to be really wet/soaked
Mis pantalones cortos estaban chorreados despues de sentarme en el agua.
--> "My shorts were soaked after I sat in the water."
un ramo de flores = a bouquet of flowers
Le compre un ramo de flores para mi novia.
--> "I bought a bouquet of flowers for my girlfriend."
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