The Spanish adjective real has several meanings. Don Pablo, our resident linguist, explains.
We come across the Spanish adjective real quite frequently; eg Real Madrid, la familia real, Real Ronda, Teatro Real.
Mostly it means royal, eg la familia real (the royal family), Real Madrid CF , Real Automóvil Club de Espana, el Teatro Real, Ciudad Real.
Its second meaning is real, as in Real Ronda, la vida real etc
Real is also a fairly common last name in Spain.
My house in Montejaque I’ve called Casa Real in honour of the family I bought the house from. Their surname is Real. The house has been in their family for three generations, since it was built, in fact, until 2020 when I bought it from them.
When I told the four siblings of my plan to name the house where they had been born and raised in their honour, the odd tear of joy was shed.
Armando Real, the younger of the brothers, runs my favourite bar in Montejaque (Málaga). I first met Armando in December 2008 when I moved to the village to live with my girlfriend Rita, now my wife of 12 years' standing. I regularly showed Armando photos of the work in progress as we went about "reforming" his former home. He was fascinated.
Older brother Pepe Real, Armando's best customer after me, visited a couple of times during the building work and liked what he saw. He lives just around the corner.
Paca Real, their sister, was tickled pink by what I'd done to her bedroom and loved the new black bathroom I created where their old-fashioned one - lead pipes and all - had been.
The fourth sibling, Cristóbal Real, lives at the other end of the village and we don't see him much.
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Footnote: Casa Real currently has its first paying guests for the Easter "puente". Google Casa Real Montejaque for more information.
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Tags: montejaque, paul whitelock, real, Real Madrid, ronda, casa real