Spanish Matters - a blog in English and Spanish for those learning the language

My "Spanish" Journey

2026-03-11T08:39:21

"If you switched from French or German to Italian, Russian or Spanish, we could make you a lower offer." So started my "Spanish" journey aged 17 and which has still not come to an end 58 years later.

[Wikipedia]

I was at interview for a place at university to study languages when Professor Juan Sager made me this offer.

I chose Spanish and in that moment my journey commenced.

Off to university

I achieved the grades required and in October 1968 our crash course in Spanish began.

Designed to get us to A-level standard in a year, it was taught by Ken Mason, a grammar school teacher, "requisitioned" for that specific task.

Sadly, Sager and Mason are no longer with us and nor are some of my peers.

University of Salford [Wikipedia]

I floundered to start with. Eight classes a week, the pace was relentless and I struggled to keep up. Everybody else seemed much better than me (I later discovered that they were also finding it tough!)

In the Part One exams after a year I passed in Spanish but failed the Linguistics paper. I took a year off!

When I returned, having satisfied the powers-that-be regarding Linguistics, I was in year 2, but obviously with a different group of peers.

After two more terms of high-speed Spanish tuition it was time for our year abroad - Easter 1970 to San Sebastian, Spain.

Six months in Spain

We flew to Barcelona and stayed in the catalan capital for a couple of days and nights.

Well, what a shock! Blatant prostitution; everything at full pelt, including spoken Spanish; noisy and grubby; but ridiculously cheap and so, so exciting!

[YouTube]

After a road journey across northern Spain to San Sebastian, which took all day, we arrived in darkness and immediately found ourselves in-at-the-deep-end linguistically.

Thank God for Miss Pickering who had done A-level Spanish and was much better than the rest of us. She "picked up the baton" and sorted us all out with digs.

San Sebastian by night [Alamy]

Our stay in San Sebastian

The plan in San Seb was three months on a course at the university (EUTG), after which we were left to our own devices. Some went travelling, but a couple of us found jobs in the town.

As for the course, I found it enlightening and my Spanish started to improve.

[Civitatis]

My job was with a local tour operator, DORFE, which involved dealing with the company's various suppliers: coach company, drivers, excursions, hotels and their staff, etc. After a while I was promoted from the office to become a tour guide/rep which gave me even more opportunities to practice my Spanish.

In those three months my Spanish came on a treat, because, basically, it had to!

Back at university and off to college

After six months in Germany it was back to uni for four more terms before Finals.

Degree in hand, off I went to Sheffield City College (now Sheffield Hallam University) to do a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education).

[APS.org]

Career in Education

A year later (1976) I started my first teaching job as a Spanish Teacher.

Two schools later, having been appointed Head of Spanish in my second school and Head of Modern Languages in the third ..... I left the classroom for a career in the local education authority (LEA).

I worked for two Merseyside boroughs, first St Helens for six years and then Sefton for 10.

With responsibility for Modern Foreign Languages and Europe, I had plenty of opportunities to keep my hand in with Spanish.

[Alamy]

Highlights included EU-sponsored study visits to Jaca (Aragon), Oviedo (Asturias) and the European Parliament in Brussels, as well as working trips to set up and monitor a Work Experience project for post-16 students in El Prat de Llobregat (Barcelona).

On a personal level, the family were regular visitors to Spain and her islands for two decades. In 2000 my wife Jeryl and I celebrated our silver wedding anniversary with a parador tour of Andalucia. The following year we bought an apartment in Ronda (Malaga) and two years after that a house.

Early Retirement

In 2005 I and several other advisors were made redundant. Jeryl divorced me around the same time. I suffered a nervous breakdown (hardly surprising!)

After three years "in the wilderness" I emigrated to Spain to be with my new girlfriend, German Rita, who had moved to Spain a couple of years before.

Rita and I married in 2010 and I've now clocked up 18 years as a resident.

Wedding in Maulbronn, Germany [HMR]

I speak Spanish on a daily basis; read the Sunday papers in Spanish - AS, Malaga Hoy, SUR, XL Semanal; watch the Spanish news on TV every day; and listen to Spanish radio in the car.

I also dabble in translation and interpreting from Spanish into English. Yesterday I had an interpreting job from German into Spanish and back again.

[EL PAIS]

Endpiece

I reckon my Spanish is better now than when I sat for my degree finals, despite the shaky beginnings.

The important points for learning a language to a high standard are:

be in a conducive environment;
work at it every day;
do a course (face-to-face, not online);
seek contact with Spanish people - eg a coloquio or just in your local bar;
just have a go.

[Ideal]

¡Suerte!

© Paul Whitelock

Pictures:

Alamy, APS.org, Civitatis, EL PAIS, HMR, Ideal, Wikipedia, YouTube

Thanks:

Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia

Tags:

Alamy, Andalucia, APS.org, AS, Brussels, Civitatis, DORFE, EL PAIS, El Prat de Llobregat, EUTG, European Parliament, HMR, Ideal, Jaca, Jeryl, Juan Sager, Ken Mason, Malaga Hoy, Oviedo, parador, Paul Whitelock, PGCE, Ronda, St Helens, Sefton, Sheffield City College, silver wedding anniversary, Spanish, study languages, study visits, SUR, translation and interpreting, university, Wikipedia, Work Experience, XL Semanal, YouTube

Spanish surnames - apellidos

2025-11-26T08:07:06

Spanish surnames (apellidos - they have two, one from their father and another from their mother) can be classified into four main types.

Knowing about the past allows us to learn a bit more about ourselves, where our culture comes from, what our history is, what our families were like.

[Image courtesy of Wikipedia]

All this has been concentrated into our surnames, a link which informs us about our past.

In an article for AS, the Spanish sports daily, Marta Tejedor talks readers through the four categories.

***

I've edited Marta's article but left it in Spanish. Most of you diligent students of the language should be able to understand it. If not, when I find the time to translate it, I shall be posting an English version, here:

Puntos de vista - a personal Spain blog

¡Suerte!

Los apellidos españoles se dividen en cuatro tipos: comprueba a cuál pertenece el tuyo

Historia de Marta Tejedor

2 minutos de lectura

Según OK Diario, los expertos han creado cuatro tipos principales de apellidos españoles en los que se pueden clasificar. Según la categoría a la que pertenezcan, el apellido en cuestión puede dar una cierta información sobre su origen.

[ElPlural.com]

Entre estas categorías están los apellidos patronímicos, toponímicos, derivados de nombres comunes y derivados de oficios o profesiones.

¿A qué tipo de apellido pertenece el tuyo?

Patronímicos

Este tipo de apellidos indican el nombre del padre o antepasado del que se origina. Son muy comunes en España y en algunos países hispanohablantes. Entre ellos destacan algunos como Pérez, que significa “hijo de Pedro”; Sánchez, “hijo de Sancho”, o Fernández, “hijo de Fernando”.

Este tipo de apellidos suelen terminar en -ez, -az, -iz, -oz, -uz.

[Facebook]

Toponímicos

En esta categoría entran todos los apellidos cuyo significado indica el lugar de origen o de residencia del portador de sus antepasados, según informa YouTube. Curiosamente, algunos ejemplos de estos apellidos son Torres, Castellano o Castillo, todos ellos provenientes de Castilla. Otros ejemplos son Navarro y Navarrete, ambos provenientes de Navarra.

[Slideshare]

Derivados de nombres comunes

Muy parecidos a los patronímicos, esta categoría de apellidos se basa en algún rasgo físico, moral o religioso del portador o de sus antepasados. El apellido Rubio es un claro ejemplo de cómo un rasgo físico de un antepasado se ha quedado plasmado en sus descendientes. Otros ejemplos como Bravo eran motivos de un acto valeroso o de personas a las que se les consideraban valientes. Cruz, por ejemplo, puede significar “cruzado” o “devoto de la cruz”.

[Euribor hoy]

Derivados de oficios o profesiones

En esta categoría se encuentran todos los apellidos cuyo significado recae sobre la actividad laboral o social del portador o de sus antepasados. Algunos ejemplos son Tejedor, Pastor, Herrera o Molina, este último proveniente del trabajo de un molinero.

[Letra 15]

Pero no todo se reduce a estos cuatro tipos: también hay apellidos que proceden de apodos basados en el sobrenombre del portador, como pueden ser los casos de Gordo o Largo.

Largo [Cartoon courtesy of Dreamstime] Gordo [Cartoon courtesy of Freepik]

Una amiga mia en la universidad tenia el apellido Delgado ..... y lo era. Y tambien muy guapa.

Conclusion:

So, how was it for you? An English version is coming soon to the blog ..... Puntos de vista - a personal Spain blog

© Don Pablo

Images:

AS, Dreamstime, ElPlural.com, Euribo hoy, Facebook, Freepik, Letra 15, Slideshare, Wikipedia, YouTube,

Acknowledgements:

Don Pablo, Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia

Tags:

apellido, Castellano, Castilla, Castillo, “cruzado”, Bravo, Cruz, Delgado, “devoto de la cruz”, English, Fernández, Gordo, Herrera, “hijo de Fernando”, “hijo de Pedro”, “hijo de Sancho”, Largo, Marta Tejedor, Molina, molinero, Navarra, Navarrete, Navarro, OK Diario, Pastor, Pérez, Rubio, Sánchez, Spanish, "Spanish Matters", surname, Tejedor, Torres,

La Caña

2025-11-09T17:25:37

The word "la caña" has many meanings, which is why I decided to place this article in "Spanish Matters". I think it could be interesting for foreigners learning Spanish. I certainly found the research fascinating.

Sugar cane [EOS Data Analytics]

The article is in English, although some of the sources listed are in Spanish.

"La Caña"

I was inspired to write this piece the other day while I was enjoying a lunchtime beer and a couple of tapas in a fairly new bar in Ronda (Malaga) called "La Caña". It's been open just over two years.

I've been several times before and I like it. It's a great addition to the tapas scene in Ronda.

"La Caña", Ronda [Trip Advisor]

Why do I like it?

Well, I am always made to feel welcome by the staff, propietaria Laura and the real boss, apparently, cousin Maria. Sometimes Laura's dad, Maria's uncle, is there too.

He was the "brains" behind the conversion and the extant style, but he leaves his daughter and niece to run the place.

On this pàrticular day, Friday, I had just successfully sorted out a problem at the bank, so I was in a good mood, and thought I deserved a nice beer.

Maria and Laura, "La Caña" [Photo: PW]

And that's what I got at "La Caña", "Alcazar" from Jaen (Jaen), one of my favourite Spanish beers.

I was also a little "peckish" (no breakfast), so I ordered a couple of tapas.

I love "Alcazar" beer rajos un montadito

[All food photos by Don Pablo]

Other uses of "caña"

Caña de cerveza

una caña de Mahou [Mahou] Beer measures [Heraldo de Aragon]

Caña de azucar

[EOS Data Analytics] [Saveur]

Caña de pescar

[EL PAIS] [Asso Fishing Line]

Caña - reed in wind instruments

una caña [Top oboe reed shop] Reeds for different wind instruments [UNSW]

Caña - part of the leg between knee and ankle

[WikiHow] [nanodas.com]

Caña - a licor

Licor La Caña [proava]

© Don Pablo

Photos:

Asso Fishing Line, Don Pablo, EL PAIS, EOS Data Analytics, Heraldo de Aragon, Mahou, nanodas.com, PW, Paul Whitelock, proava, saveur, Top oboe reed shop, Trip Advisor, UNSW, WikiHow

Thanks:

Don Pablo, PW, Paul Whitelock,

Tags:

Alcazar, caña, caña de azucar, caña de pescar, caña licor, Don Pablo, La Caña, Laura, Maria, part of the leg between knee and ankle, PW, Paul Whitelock, The Guiri Gourmet, reed, wind instrument,

Y tú. ¿Cómo te llamas?

2025-09-16T16:36:01

Would you buy a Rolls-Royce Silver "Dung"? Or a Mazda "shitty"? Or even a Mitsubishi "Wanker"? What about an Opel "that doesn't work"? Or a Volkswagen "with a hole in the middle"?

[Plastmodel]

As for drinks, there are some wonderful products on sale:

Do you fancy a "Pschitt"?

Or a "Bite the wax tadpole" (Coca Cola in Japanese)?

What about washing your clothes in "Colón"?

[Wikipedia]

Note:

This post is in English.

It is based on a much longer Spanish article which appeared in August in "Vida Económica", a free monthly magazine.

8,000 copies are distributed every month throughout the province.

[Front cover courtesy of Vida Economica]

Introduction

Seriously, the naming of products can be a nightmare.

Rolls-Royce, Mazda and Opel got their acts together, but Mitsubishi continue to sell the pajero model in Spanish-speaking markets, despite the fact that pajero means, honestly, "wanker".

Astonishing!

Mazda MR2 (emmerdeux) - I had one! [Clasicos y Usados]

VW perseveres with the Polo model and you can still wash your clothes in a product which means "arse".

Time has moved on

Nowadays companies give much more thought to the naming of their products.

John Pemberton, the inventor of Coca Cola, called his drink so in 1886 because of its ingredients: coca leaves and cola nuts. Despite its meaning in Japanese, Coca Cola won't be changing the name anytime soon.

Nike was born in 1971 when Blue Ribbon Sports changed its name to the Greek goddess of victory, to signify strength and triumph.

[Wikipedia] [Pinterest]

Steve Jobs chose the name Apple for his computer company in 1976 allegedly after a visit to an orchard.

The search engine Google arrived in 1997 with a variant of the mathematical term "googol" (the number 1 followed by 100 zeros) to express volume of information.

[Apple] [Google]

These days companies have quite sophisticated strategies in an effort to get the name right.

Patronímicos

Using the house name for the company

Roberto Martín, the founder of a national brand of sunglasses.

Casa Kiki, uses the childhood nickname of the founder, Isabel. Bakers and confectioners famous throughout Málaga.

[Facebook] [Casa Kiki]

Aceites El Niño, recalls the nickname of Francisco Rodríguez when he used to deliver oil by bicycle.

Los Mellizos was the nickname of the Montes brothers when they were young. Nowadays synonimous with good Andalusian cuisine.

[Facebook] [Los Mellizos]

Toponómicos

Using the name of a place as the brand name

Cervezas Victoria has Málaga's DNA. Founded in 1928, this beer's name is a homage to the patron saint of Málaga , la Virgen de la Victoria.

San Miguel, another brewer, with its home near Málaga airport, the origins of this beer are the Philippines. In 1890 Spanish entrepreneurs opened the first brewery in south-east Asia in Manila. They named their beer after the district of Manila called San Miguel. In 1966 the brand arrived in Málaga where it has been brewing beer continuously for almost 60 years. Now a national and international name.

Skandia, a seafood brand, has its origins in the fjords of Scandinavia. Famous particularly for its smoked salmon, the company has an international reach.

[Loopulo] [Facebook] [Skandia Ahumados]

Descriptivos

What you see is what you get

Sometimes the best strategy is transparency. If you sell apples, say so.

Todomanzana is the perfect example. It originated from the simple notion of bringing all Apple products and services under the same roof. Sale of computer hardware, software, accessories, repairs.

Maskom. The name of this regional supermarket chain sounds modern and commercial. The creators of the name felt it sounded strong with a touch of Málaga about it.

[Above photos courtesy of Cadena SER]

Alfanuméricos y acrónimos

Playing with letters and numbers

Bbou Hotels are a chain of "boutique" hotels. They decided to reinforce their exclusivity with a double "B", a way of underlining the detail, the unique experience and personal attention that these "iconic" hotels offer.

Ly Company is conceived in a declaration of love: "Love you". The company's founder Curro Rodríguez decided to let himself be led by what he felt, ie love for his company. LY's star product is Aqualy, a water brand which repeats the formula: "Love you, water".

[Above logos courtesy of Linked In]

Salliver is "Revillas" backwards. This is the name of a school which began by offering private classes and which now has thousands of pupils. The school is in Fuengirola.

OXO Museo del Videojuego

[Linked In] [La Proxima Parada]

Neológicos

Utter invention with a taste of brand

Harper & Neyer. "Who were they?" Nobody, they are invented names. The company's founder, Nabil Salah, wanted to create a fashion brand that sounded international, was elegant and had hints of Anglo-Saxon tradition. It seems to have worked.

Coonic is more subtle. This communications agency was inspired by the ultrasonic communication between whales. The double "O" is part of the visual symbol of the brand.

Opplus is not a Málaga company, yet everybody knows it has special ties to the city. The name signifies that their operations have a "plus" of quality, of promise and of excellence.

[Modaes] [Linked In] [La Opinion de Malaga]

Conceptuales

Names which tell a story or provoke an emotion

Owo is one of the shiniest jewels of Málaga's technological eco-system. Signifying a world that opens to a touch. The name, short, symmetrical and graphic, works in all languages.

Froged combines "frog" with "Ed", "frog" being the virtual companion to the consumer, an AI agent who guides the client in real time.

[Facebook] [El Correo de Andalucia]

Bumpers Brand has a conceptual almost poetic origin. The founders of the company, five friends, appropriated the Welsh word "pump", meaning five. From that they have developed a brand of clothing with a spirit of community.

El Pimpi. Originally the nickname of a "buscavidas" (hustler) from Málaga, half tourist guide, half raconteur. When the current owners of the bar bought the former night club, it bore the name "El Pimpi". They decided to keep it, aware that it was more than just a name, it had "soul".

Personal note:

I have been to El Pimpi umpteen times. I love the environment and the vibe, but, at certain times getting served can be a nightmare. Nevertheless, it's a great place to go!

[ViviMarbella] El Pimpi, Malaga [Gastroactitud]

Links:

Lost in translation? Marketing cock-ups and brand name howlers - Secret Serrania

‘What's in a Name?’: Definition, Meaning, and Examples - Writing Tips Institute

What’s in a name? Pedro y Pablo - Eye on Spain

'What's In A Name': Phrase Meaning & History✔️ No Sweat Shakespeare

© Don Pablo

Pictures:

Apple, Cadena SER, Casa Kiki, Clasicos y Usados, El Correo de Andalucia, Gastroactitud, Google, Los Mellizos, Pinterest, Plastmodel, Vida Economica, ViviMarbella, Wikipedia

With special thanks to:

David Delgado, Don Pablo, Vida Economica

Tags:

accessories, Aceites El Niño, Apple, Aqualy, Bbou Hotels, "Bite the wax tadpole", Bumpers Brand, buscavidas, Cadena SER, Casa Kiki, Clasicos y Usados, Coca Cola, "Colon", computer hardware, Coonic, Curro Rodriguez, David Delgado, Don Pablo, El Correo de Andalucia, El Pimpi, Eye on Spain, Facebook, Francisco Rodriguez, Froged, Gastroactitud, Google, googol, Harper & Neyer, hustler, John Pemberton, La Opinion de Malaga, La Proxima Parada, Linked In, Loopulo, Los Mellizos, Ly Company, Malaga, Maskom, Mazda "shitty", Mitsubishi "Wanker", Modaes, Nike, No Sweat Shakespeare, Opel "that doesn't work", Opplus, Owo, OXO Museo del Videojuego, Paul Whitelock, Pinterest, Plastmodel,"Pschitt", repairs, Roberto Martin, Rolls-Royce Silver "Dung", Salliver, Secret Serrania, Skandia Ahumados, software, Steve Jobs, Todomanzana, Vida Economica, ViviMarbella, Volkswagen "with a hole in the middle", Wikipedia, Writing Tips Institute

MALAGA - The best place in Spain to retire to

2025-05-22T08:59:52

Malaga? Better than Madrid or Barcelona? By a kilometre, according to the UK tabloid newspaper the Daily Mirror.

Well, I think they may have a point.

For a long time overlooked by foreigners who would fly into the airport and then head west to their hotel or holiday apartment.

[Image courtesy of The Guardian]

Why?

After several major facelifts, including the Roman amphitheatre, the development of the port, the sprucing up of the Old Town and the acquisition of a number of prestigious art galleries, such as the Picasso Museum and the Pompidou Centre.

Malaga port [Wikipedia] Roman amphitheatre [andalucia.org] Picasso Museum [Wikipedia]

I've always liked Malaga City, from the early days, 2000 onwards when we would often stay a night or two at the Parador de Gibralfaro.

The views are stunning, the rooms stylish with antique furniture and the food was good, I remember.

But the recent makeover has made the city even more enticing.

Parador de Gibralfaro [Paradores]

]***

Now it's time for some Spanish.

The following article is from the Cadena SER website.

I think the article is relatively straightforward for competent Spanish learners.

La ciudad española que los medios británicos recomiendan como "el mejor lugar" para retirarse

Historia de Cadena SER
2 minutos de lectura

El medio 'Mirror' ha asegurado que el destino destaca por su "estilo de vida relajado" y su "centro cultural".

No es sorprendente que el Reino Unido recomiende frecuentemente nuestro país como uno de los mejores destinos a los que su población puede acudir para una escapada vacacional. Las bellas playas, la buena comida o la vida relajada son algunos de los motivos más repetidos entre la prensa británica para animar a sus lectores a acudir a España si desean encontrar la tranquilidad.

Una recomendación que repite ahora el diario 'Mirror', que ha recomendado a su audiencia uno de los destinos españoles más visitados, pero en el que los turistas podrán disfrutar de "un estilo de vida relajado".

Y es que, además, el medio británico no solo recomienda visitar este lugar, sino que además lo ha destacado para aquellas personas que deseen retirarse fuera del Reino Unido.

Playas y buen tiempo

De esta forma, el 'Mirror' ha recomendado a los británicos la ciudad de Málaga, en Andalucía, donde animan a los 'brits' a visitar "este precioso lugar" que "supera a lugares como Barcelona o Madrid".

Son varios los motivos por los que el medio británico recomienda la ciudad andaluza, uno de los puntos de más interés turístico de España. " Las playas son el mayor atractivo de la región, con kilómetros y kilómetros de costas arenosas", se puede leer en el diario, que además destaca que en muchas de ellas se "admiten perros".

Y no solo eso, porque el 'Mirror' insiste en que el centro cultural de Málaga, destacado por su "ambiente cultural vivo", es otro de los atractivos por los que recomiendan a sus ciudadanos a plantearse una retirada allí.

"El tiempo y el transporte de Málaga, comparado con otros destinos españoles, son otros de los factores que la alzan en el ranking", concluye el medio británico.

[Source: La ciudad española que los medios británicos recomiendan como "el mejor lugar" para retirarse | Sociedad | Cadena SER]

You might also be interested in a couple of articles I have written about the city. Link here:

MALAGA CITY - Help me, Ronda

© don Pablo

Pictures:

Facebook, Karl Smallman, Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia

Acknowledgements:

Cadena SER, don Pablo, Wikipedia, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.secretserrania.com

Tags:

Barcelona, Cadena SER, Daily Mirror, development of the port, Facebook, Karl Smallman, Madrid, Malaga, Malaga City, Parador de Gibralfaro, Paul Whitelock, Picasso Museum, Pompidou Centre, prestigious art galleries, sprucing up of the Old Town, Wikipedia, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.secretserrania.com

A country divided

2025-04-18T16:48:46

Spain is a country divided by its regional languages and accents. Indeed, it was not until Fernando de Aragon and Isabel de Castilla "jumped the broom" and effectively united t country, what we now know as Spain was a collection of separate kingdoms and states, with their own languages, dialects and accents.

Nowadays, post-Franco Spain has six official languages.

They are: castellano (Castilian Spanish); asturiano; catalan; euskera (Basque); gallego; and valenciano.

The rest, such as andaluz, extremeño and murciano,. are merely dialects or accents.

Languages Map of Spain [courtesy of MosaLingua]

Is Spain divided?

There are separatist tendencies in some areas, mainly Cataluña and the Basque Country. The strongest movement is in Cataluña, of which Spain's second city Barcelona is the capital, although the Basques have long desired independence especially in the late 20th Century when the ETA terrorist movement was effectively at war with Spain (think IRA in Ireland).

[Photo: Grupo Prisa]

However, the Spanish central government has no desire to go down the independence route. In fact, it is unconstitutional. Plus opinion polls show that most Catalans are happy to remain as part of Spain.

As for rivalry between different regions, that's another matter. Andaluces hate Basques, Catalans and madrileños; Basques are aloof; Catalans hate everybody else; and the rest aren't bothered.

Flags of Andalucia, Pais Vasco and Cataluña all courtesy of Wikipedia

What about other countries?

They say that the USA and England/the UK are two countries divided by the same language.

To some extent that's true: trunk v boot (automobile/car); hood v bonnet (ditto); john v toilet/wc; movie v film and so it goes on.

In such a big country there is also a wide range of accents.

The national languages spoken in the USA are English, Spanish and French. The Amish community speak a form of German.

[Courtesy of The Sheffield Star newspaper]

All countries have their regional accents. In the UK Glaswegians are unintelligible to most other speakers of English from other areas, especially "darn sarf" (down south).

Many English southerners have problems with "scouse", "geordie" and the Welsh and Northern Ireland accents. The reverse also applies. My pal at university, Mel from Belfast (NI), spent a week with me and my family in Devon, back in the 1970s, and he didn't understand a word the entire time, he told me afterwards.

In Germany I defy a Hochdeutschsprecher from Hanover to understand a fellow German from Baden-Wuerttemberg where Badisch and Schwabisch rule. As for a fluent German-speaker like I am, well, no chance!

The Bavarian accent is also demanding, but if you cross the southern border into Austria or Switzerland, forget it! Swiss German (Switzerdeutsch) is not generally understood by most Germans, and the Austrian accent also presents its challenges (cf. Adolf Hitler's speeches at rallies in the run-up to World War II).

In my own case, an honours graduate in German and Spanish, I ended up in later life living in Andalucia married to a German lady from Lippe (North Rhine Westphalia). Most of her family live in Baden-Wuerttemberg and we visit frequently. To begin with whenever we were there I couldn't understand a word!!!

There is a wide range of different accents in Central and South America.

In many countries of the region, such as Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay, the castellano spoken by the conquistadores has largely survived albeit in an antiquated form.

In other countries the Spanish has been influenced greatly by the indigenous languages of the indios (original inhabitants).

Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, for example, speak a form of Spanish which is remarkably different from the castellano of 500 years ago.

[Map courtesy of Pinterest]

Endword

Because the dominant and most successful colonialists of the 15th and 16th centuries were the English and the Spanish, if you speak both English and Spanish well, you can get by in most of the world. French, Dutch and German also help in certain areas where they acquired colonies, but less so.

On a personal level, with my German and Spanish plus French to A-Level, I can get by in most of the world.

I would struggle in China, North Korea and Russia, but I have no intention of visiting any of those places anytime soon. I am linguistically content.

When all is said and done, we're all human beings and if we wish to communicate with speakers of other languages, we manage, don't we?

As Rita my German wife says "mit Handen und Fussen" (lit. with hands and feet, ie by the use of gestures).

[Image courtesy of Amazon.de]

© don Pablo

Photos and images:

Amazon.de, Grupo Prisa, MosaLingua, Pinterest, Sheffield Star

Acknowledgements:

don Pablo, Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia

Tags:

Amazon.de, don Pablo, Grupo Prisa, MosaLingua, Paul Whitelock, Pinterest, Sheffield Star, Wikipedia

"Roses are red, violets are blue ....."

2025-03-17T08:00:06

Red is rojo and blue is verde - ¿Qué?

Our "Spanish Matters" topic today revolves around colours.

Both English and Spanish are very "colourful" languages which use metaphors, similes and symbolism to great effect.

But they do not often correspond in the two languages.

[Image courtesy of Wild Lark]

Colours are used to describe, well, the colour of things. But they are also used figuratively to convey other meanings.

For example, Peter is green with envy; Mary is feeling blue (sad); It was a black day for Liverpool (the "Reds") when they lost the Carabao Cup Final to Newcastle United on 16 March 2025; yellow = cowardly; and so on.

But are they used consistently in this way in English and Spanish? "No way, José!"

[Image courtesy of Amazon]

red/rojo

Expressions in English like "red mist", "red lines" and a "red-eye" flight do not have Spanish equivalents using the adjective rojo.

Others

For him it's like a red rag to a bull = es lo que más le saca de quicio

to go into the red = contraer deudas

to go as red as a beetroot = ponerse como un tomate

reds under the bed = la amenaza comunista

caught red-handed = pillado con las manos en la masa

[Cartoon courtesy of LinkedIn]

blue/azul

Lots of terms and expressions in English, such as blue-jeans, blue joke, and blue-collar worker, do not have equivalents in Spanish using azul.

Others

a blue film = una película porno

His death came out of the blue = Su muerte cayó como una bomba

He's got the blues = Está deprimido

once in a blue moon = de Pascuas a Ramos

you can shout till you're blue in the face = puedes gritar hasta hartarte

[Image courtesy of US Adult Literacy]

yellow/amarillo

Expressions using yellow are commonly translateable between English and Spanish.

However, the yellow press is la prensa sensacionalista and he has a yellow streak (ie is a coward) is translated as es un poco gallina (chicken) or miédica.

[Image: Adobe Stock]

green/verde

In English green often has the sense of naive or inexperienced (except in the context of gardening, eg green-fingered), whereas in Spanish it is often a pejorative adjective for a person or a thing that is sexually "dodgy".

Others:

Paqui was very green when it came to relationships with men = Paqui era muy naive .....

un viejo verde = a dirty old man

una revista verde = a porn mag

una película verde = a "skin flick" or pornographic movie

[Cartoon courtesy of Facebook]

Acknowledgements:

Adobe Stock, Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, US Adult Literacy, Wild Lark

© don Pablo

Tags:

16 March 2025, Adobe Stock, Amazon, as red as a beetroot, azul, black day, blue, blue-collar worker, blue film, blue in the face, blue-jeans, blue joke, Carabao Cup Final, colours, cowardly, don Pablo, English, Facebook, feeling blue, go into the red, green with envy, LinkedIn, Liverpool, metaphors, Newcastle United, "No way, José!", once in a blue moon, out of the blue, red, "red-eye" flight, "red lines", "red mist", red rag to a bull, "Reds", reds under the bed, rojo, similes, Spanish, "Spanish Matters", symbolism, the blues, US Adult Literacy, verde, Wild Lark, yellow,

áéíóú

Moving to Spain from another country

2025-03-13T14:17:56

Spain is now home to several million foreigners. Whether refugees from conflict zones or hostile regimes, economic migrants or as a lifestyle choice. The largest group of immigrants are the British, followed by Moroccans, Romanians, German, Dutch and French. Increasingly Americans are opting to get out of Trump’s chaotic USA and moving to Europe, in particular Spain.

[Map courtesy of CaixaBank Research]

Introduction

Don Pablo came across this article about a young Californian lady, whom he actually met two days ago.

Shawna Lum moved to Spain in 2015 and has lived in Bilbao, Barcelona and now has her eyes on the Ronda area.

View of Barcelona with Gaudí's Sagrada Familia [Barceló]

Don Pablo has left the article in its original Spanish. Many of you who are learning Spanish should be able to understand it. If not, there’s always Google Translate and at some point soon the article will be posted in English on another blog.

Una estadounidense se muda a España y señala lo que menos le gusta de nuestro país: “Nada es perfecto”

Beto V. Álvarez

Shawna Lum pasó muchos años en Estados Unidos, pero se sentía frustrada con su trabajo, por lo que decidió mudarse a Barcelona y comenzar una nueva vida.

Mudarse a otro país nunca es sencillo. Acostumbrados a un estilo de vida y a unas condiciones muy concretas, ir a vivir a otro país nos obliga a adaptarnos a una cultura ajena y a una forma de comprender la vida distinta.

Así le ha ocurrido a la estadounidense Shawna Lum. Nacida y criada en Los Ángeles, la joven se mudó en el año 2015 a Bilbao, y ha notado algunas cosas de España que no le gustan, como bien ha explicado a través de su cuenta de Instagram, @shawnalumm.

Shawna Lum [Foto: MSN]

Si bien ella está muy satisfecha con Bilbao, la vida en España tiene algunas particularidades que pueden ser muy molestas para los extranjeros. Como la falta de “infraestructuras de calidad”.

La joven, de 31 años, asegura que en nuestro país hay muchos edificios antiguos que tienen una infraestructura “pobre”, lo que provoca, por ejemplo, muy poco aislamiento frente al frío o frente al ruido de la calle.

Al vivir en Bilbao, el tiempo también le ha jugado una mala pasada. Acostumbrada al clima soleado de Los Ángeles, a Shawna no le gusta el clima extremo que azota al País Vasco durante el invierno, marcado por un “frio gélido”.

“Esto es típicamente más complicado para las chicas que les gusta los climas cálidos, como a mí”, confiesa la joven.

Pese a ser mundialmente famosos por nuestra gastronomía, el sector de la hostelería presenta muchas deficiencias. O así lo considera Shawna, que asegura que los camareros a veces “no prestan atención a los clientes, dejando platos en la mesa o contestándote de mala manera cuando pides demasiado”.

Por último, la falta de puntualidad del transporte público es un problema muy frecuente en la vida de Shawna, y “pone a prueba tu paciencia” todos los días.

Una gran calidad de vida

Pese a todo, Shawna admite que la vida en España es mucho mejor que la vida que tenía cuando vivía en Los Ángeles.

Para ella, “lo bueno supera a lo malo”, y su vida en España le ha ayudado a mejorar su vida y reducir significativamente “su estrés”.

“Nada es perfecto. Sigo recomendando mudarse a Madrid. Mi vida es muchísimo mejor”, confiensa la joven.

Shawna Lum settled in Spain [@shawnalumm]

© don Pablo

Fotos:

@shawnalumm, Barceló, CaixaBank Research, MSN

Gracias a:

AS, Beto V Álvarez, Paul Whitelock

Tags:

@shawnalumm, acostumbrada al clima soleado, Americans, another blog, AS, Barceló, Barcelona, Beto V Álvarez, Bilbao, British, CaixaBank Research, calidad de vida, California, conflict zones, don Pablo, Dutch, economic migrants, edificios antiguos, el clima extremo, España, estadounidense, estilo de vida, estrés, extranjeros, falta de puntualidad del transporte público, French, frente al ruido de la calle, Germans, Google Translate, hostile regimes, in English, “infraestructuras de calidad”, Instagram, ir a vivir a otro país, la hostelería presenta muchas deficiencias, largest group of immigrants, la vida en España, la vida en España es mucho mejor, lifestyle choice, “lo bueno supera a lo malo”, Los Ángeles, MSN, Moroccans, moving to Europe, moving to Spain, mudarse a otro país, mudarse a Madrid, muy poco aislamiento frente al frío, “nada es perfecto", “no prestan atención a los clientes, nuestra gastronomía, País Vasco, Paul Whitelock, “pone a prueba tu paciencia”, refugees, Romanians, Ronda, se mudó a Bilbao, several million foreigners, Shawna Lum, Spain, Trump’s chaotic USA, una infraestructura “pobre”, una mala pasada, una nueva vida, un “frio gélido”, Vizcaya

áéíóú

A country divided by its accents

2025-03-11T17:08:04

Which country am I talking about? Spain, France, Germany, the UK?

Well, all four of them, in fact.

Let's take a look:

[Map courtesy of Wikipedia]

USA v UK

They say that the USA and the UK are two countries divided by the same language. To some extent that’s true, particularly when it comes to vocabulary, eg hood v bonnet; trunk v boot; john v toilet. But we get by.

Americans from different parts of that huge country sometimes also have problems understanding each other.

[Image courtesy of X]

Other countries have accents too.

In the UK, Glaswegians are incomprehensible to all but other Glaswegians!

Southerners have difficulties with Scouse (Liverpool) and Geordie (Newcastle-upon-Tyne).

When we were students back in the 1970s my pal Mel from Belfast spent some time with me and my family in Devon. He didn’t understand a word all week!

On top of that the revival in interest in Celtic languages, like Scots Gaelic, Welsh and Manx (Isle of Man), means that there are areas of Scotland and Wales where the language of instruction in schools is their version of Celtic.

[Map courtesy of SB Language Maps]

Spain

No Spaniard understands an andaluz.

Because there has been a revival of several regional languages, that can also be a problem.

Many catalanes refuse to speak castellano to Spaniards from elsewhere.

The Basque language euskera is incomprehensible to a Spanish-speaker.

Other approved regional languages such as gallego, asturiano, valenciano and balear (both dialects of catalán) are also anathema to Castilian-speakers.

[Linguistic map of Spain courtesy of Maps Spain]

Germany

In the third-largest western European country (after France and Spain) I defy a speaker of Hochdeutsch from Hanover to understand an inhabitant of Baden-Württemberg, where Badisch and Schwäbisch rule the roost.

The accent in Bavaria is also demanding, but if you cross the border into Austria or Switzerland, you will have even bigger problems.

Swiss German is generally not understood by Germans.

Austrian German also presents some challenges.

[Map courtesy of Instagram]

France

The biggest and most populous western European country also has regional accents, as you would expect.

In Brittany the locals speak a form of Gaelic, which has nothing in common with French.

Southern French (spoken in le midi) is markedly different to Parisan French.

In Alsace, German is still spoken by older inhabitants, as this region has switched back and forth between France and Germany throughout history. It switched back to France after the Second World War.

The area known as the Languedoc, has a very strong accent, la langue d’Oc.

[Regional dialects/languages of France: Wikipedia]

A personal view

A language is for communication at a higher level than our nearest animal cousins, gorillas, are able to manage.

If the language/accent varies a bit from region to region, that’s logical, but we should be able to overcome that.

I studied Spanish and German to Honours degree level. I was a languages teacher for 15 years. After that I was a local authority languages adviser and OFSTED inspector.

When I moved to Spain, to Andalucia, I wondered what I’d let myself in for, since andaluz bears little resemblance to the castellano I had learned.

When I visit Germany with my German wife, we invariably go to Baden-Württemberg, where both Badisch and Schwäbisch are totally different to the Hochdeutsch I had learned.

[Photo courtesy of The Guardian]

16 years on and I have gotten used to both andaluz and Schwäbisch, although Swiss German remains a mystery.

Conclusion

I cannot stress how important it is make the effort to learn some of the language of the country you emigrate to. The quality of your life will only be enhanced.

And, in terms of travel, because I speak fluently the languages of the two greatest colonial nations, namely England and Spain, that gives me access to most of the world. German helps a lot in Eastern Europe and French is still spoken around the world.

[Image courtesy of News-Medical]

I don’t speak Russian, Korean nor Chinese, but as I don’t plan to go to any of those countries, I should be alright linguistically.

© don Pablo

Images:

Instagram, Maps Spain, News-Medical, SB Language Maps, The Guardian, Wikipedia, X

Acknowledgements:

don Pablo, Instituto Cervantes, Paul Whitelock, "Spanish Matters"

Tags:

a country divided by its accents, Alsace, American, Andalucia, andaluz, asturiano, Austria, Austrian German, Baden-Württemberg, Badisch, balear, Basque, Bavaria, Belfast, Brittany, castellano, Castilian-speakers, catalanes, Celtic, Celtic languages, Chinese, colonial nation, communication, Devon, don Pablo, Eastern Europe, English, euskera, French, Gaelic, gallego, Geordie, German, German wife, Germany, Glaswegian, gorillas, Hanover, he didn’t understand a word all week, Hochdeutsch, Honours degree level, hood v bonnet, Instagram, Instituto Cervantes, Isle of Man, john v toilet, Korean, la langue d’Oc, language, language of instruction in schools, languages teacher, Languedoc, le midi, Liverpool, local authority languages adviser, Manx, Maps Spain, Mel, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, News-Medical, OFSTED inspector, Parisan French, Paul Whitelock, regional languages, Russian, SB Language Maps, Scotland, Scots Gaelic, Scouse, Spain, Spaniard, Spanish, "Spanish Matters", Spanish-speaker, Schwäbisch, Second World War, Southerners, strong accent, Swiss German remains a mystery, Switzerland, The Guardian, the USA and the UK are two countries divided by the same language, trunk v boot, UK, USA, valenciano, Wales, Welsh, Wikipedia, X

áäéíóöúüàçèê

Spain features in the Top 10 most visited cities in the world

2025-01-09T19:18:10

Spain is riding the crest of a wave at the moment. According to The Economist, Spain has the second most vibrant economy in the world after Japan. And according to a recent survey, Spain has three cities in the the top ten most visited in the world.

This article in Spanish gives all the details. It should be accessible to those of you learning Spanish in a serious way.

Ni Barcelona ni Sevilla: la mejor ciudad de España para hacer turismo en 2025 es también la segunda del mundo

Historia de Alicia Alarcón (redactada)

Las mejores ciudades para visitar en 2025

Los expertos de ‘Euromonitor International’ han publicado la lista de las mejores ciudades para visitar a nivel mundial en 2025.

Este año, la medalla de oro ha sido para la conocida ‘ciudad del amor’ o ‘ciudad de la luz’.

París se ha convertido en el lugar preferido por los expertos en viajes y, de hecho, ha registrado un aumento de visitantes superior al 34% respecto al año anterior. En total, han sido más 70 millones de turistas internacionales los que han pasado por la destacada ciudad.

La Torre Eiffel, el museo del Louvre, el Arco del Triunfo o la Basílica del Sacré Coeur entre otros han sido los lugares más visitados como cada año en la ciudad.

Según el estudio ‘Top 100 destinos que han dado forma al turismo urbano en 2024’, la medalla de plata es para una ciudad de España. Más allá del encanto de Sevilla o Barcelona, Madrid se ha posicionado en segundo lugar como una de las mejores ciudades del mundo para hacer turismo.

Este año, la capital ha escalado una posición respecto a 2023. Según los expertos, el primero de los motivos por el que la capital española ha conquistado a los jueces es su “robusta estrategia en sostenibilidad”.

La medalla de bronce es para una ciudad asiática

Según la lista publicada por ‘Euromonitor International’, la mejor ciudad del mundo en tercera posición para hacer turismo se encuentra fuera de Europa.

Según los expertos en turismo internacional, Tokio es una de las mejores ciudades del mundo para visitar, al menos, una vez en la vida.

Por detrás de París y de Madrid, esta ciudad asiática destaca por ser “una opción atractiva para celebrar eventos del sector corporativo”.

Lo cierto es que la capital de Japón ofrece en la actualidad múltiples ventajas económicas gracias a la bajada de su moneda, el yen.

Es por este motivo por el que millones de turistas también han apostado en el último año por la ciudad para viajar.

Hablamos de España

El turismo en España ha registrado en el último año los datos más alentadores desde que estalló la pandemia de la COVID-19.

Según los últimos datos, 2024 se ha posicionado como el segundo producto inmobiliario más atractivo de España.

Tras este, los expertos del sector terciario esperan que 2025 sea otro año afortunado para la hostelería y el turismo.

Además, gracias a la última lista publicada sobre las mejores ciudades para visitar en el mundo, España podría tener de nuevo una gran acogida a nivel internacional.

Además, su impresionante infraestructura es un imán para todos los europeos y americanos que desean conocer lugares atractivos y nuevos.

Y, ¿los demás?

Tras el podio se encuentran dos ciudades italianas. La cuarta posición del ranking es para Roma y la quinta para Milán. Ambas son dos opciones ideales muy cercanas entre sí para disfrutar de una experiencia gastronómica única a la vez que cultural.

La sexta posición según los expertos es para la conocida ‘ciudad que nunca duerme’. Nueva York se ha colado un año más en la lista de las mejores ciudades del mundo para hacer turismo.

A la cola del ranking se sitúan Sídney, Singapur y otra ciudad española con la décima posición. Barcelona es considerada por los expertos una de las principales ciudades para visitar en 2025.

El Consejo General del Consorcio de Turismo de Barcelona ha señalado que cada visitante ha gastado de media en la capital unos 100 euros al día, lo que supone un aumento del 21,12% respecto al año anterior.

España está de suerte y todo señala que 2024 ha sido una gran fecha para el sector turístico y hostelero. Los expertos esperan ahora que el nuevo año sea tan próspero como el anterior.

Más allá de estas ciudades protagonistas, el informe ha destacado la presencia de Estados Unidos, Turquía y China en el panorama turístico ante un importante aumento de llegadas internacionales desde este año hasta 2030.

Epilogue

How did you get on? I don't think it was too difficult.

¿Enhorabuena!

© Don Pablo

Links:

Photos:

Best Diplomats, El Confidencial, Wikipedia

Tags:

Alicia Alarcón, Arco del Triunfo, aumento de llegadas internacionales, Barcelona, Basílica del Sacré Coeur, Best Diplomats, capital española, China, ‘ciudad de la luz’, ‘ciudad del amor’, ‘ciudad que nunca duerme’, Consejo General del Consorcio de Turismo de Barcelona, Don Pablo, El Confidencial, Estados Unidos, ‘Euromonitor International’, experiencia gastronómica, Japan, la mejor ciudad de España para hacer turismo, las mejores ciudades para visitar a nivel mundial, las mejores ciudades para visitar en 2025, Madrid, medalla de oro, medalla de plata, Milán, museo del Louvre, Nueva York, París, “robusta estrategia en sostenibilidad”, Roma, sector turístico y hostelero, Sevilla, sexta posición, Sídney, Singapur, The Economist, ‘Top 100 destinos que han dado forma al turismo urbano en 2024’, Top 10 most visited cities in the world, Torre Eiffel, Turquía, Wikipedia,

Spanish taxman issues warning to pensioners

2024-11-20T08:00:08

By Pablo de Ronda

I’d always thought that one of the many advantages of getting older in Spain, in addition to retirement, grandchildren, mortgage paid off and time to travel, was significant tax breaks for over 65s.

An alarming report in one of the free English-language newspapers down here in southern Spain – the Euro Weekly News - seems to indicate that may not be the case.

Selling your property

The Spanish tax office, Hacienda, has issued a reminder to homeowners over 65 about the dos and don’ts of selling property, warning they could have problems with the taxman if they’re not careful.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom – some golden exemptions could save savvy pensioners from paying a fortune in taxes.

Tax in general

A third of your income in Spain goes on taxes. A new study reveals that the average Spanish household spends between 31% and 35% of its income on taxes.

Valentí Pich, of Spain’s General Council of Economists, has called the findings “eye-opening,” pointing out that whether it’s council tax (IBI), vehicle duty, electricity levies, or IVA (VAT), families are feeling the squeeze.

Are pensioners in property paradise?

When it comes to selling your house, Hacienda has laid down the law. Homeowners must reconcile taxes on the profits from their property sale. This includes:

Capital gains tax (included in IRPF - Impuesto de la Renta sobre las Personas Físicas) on any profit made. But who makes a profit these days? When I sold a property in 2019 and made a small capital gain, the notary in Ronda remarked that mine was the first property sold in years in the town that had shown a capital gain.

Municipal tax (plusvalía) on the rise in the value of the property.

Pro-rated IBI - This form of council tax is payable on a yearly basis. This is up for negotiation between seller and purchaser. When I sold the apartment referred to above, the IBI had just fallen due. We negotiated and the buyers agreed to take it on. Later in the year and that would be unlikely to happen, although a pro-rata arrangement sometimes works.

But here’s the silver lining for the silver generation. If you’re over 65 and selling your primary residence, or suffering from severe dependency, you should be able to dodge this tax bullet altogether.

‘Golden get-out clauses’ for those in their golden years

Hacienda provides generous exemptions for pensioners over 65 who sell their primary residence, helping them avoid hefty capital gains tax. Here’s how it works:

If you sell your home and receive payment as a lump sum or a lifetime annuity, any capital gains from the sale are exempt from taxation.

You can also sell the ownership rights (nuda propiedad) of your home while keeping the right to live there for life. This is called usufruct.

In this case, the sale qualifies for the exemption because the ownership transfer happens as part of the sale process.

What’s the catch?

The rules change if the property’s ownership is already split between two parties. For example, if one person owns the property (nudo propietario) and another person has the right to live there (usufructuario), neither party can claim the exemption, even if the property is their primary home.

This is a complex matter, so seek professional advice if you are in that situation. The best and cheapest option is the notary.

Note on “usufruct”:

Because I wholly own our domicilio (primary residence), my Spanish will states that my widow, although she has no financial interest in our home, would benefit from usufruct and could continue living there until she too dies or decides to leave. My heirs, my children, cannot force her to leave.

Watch out for unfair charges by Hacienda

Spanish homeowners were handed a lifeline by the courts in a trio of rulings that blew the lid off unfair plusvalía municipal charges.

In 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled (Sentencia 59/2017) that taxing a property sale with no profit – or even a loss – is unreasonable, allowing homeowners to challenge such demands.

Two years later, the court struck again (Sentencia 126/2019), declaring the tax unconstitutional if it exceeds the profit made from the sale, branding it ‘confiscatory.’

Then, in 2021, the Constitutional Court delivered another decisive ruling (Sentencia 182/2021), declaring that the method used to calculate the plusvalía municipal was fundamentally flawed.

The court found that it did not accurately measure the real increase – or lack thereof – in property value. As a result, the tax was suspended temporarily, forcing authorities to create a new and fairer calculation method before it could be reinstated.

The bottom line

If you’re over 65 or struggling to make ends meet, the rules might work in your favour.

But beware – there’s no room for mistakes. Mis-steps could see the taxman chasing you.

Once again, use the notary. Don’t waste money on expensive, and sometimes slapdash, lawyers.

And don't believe everything you read in the Euro Weekly News!

Pablo, Rita and their kitten Paulinchen

© Pablo de Ronda

Further reading:

Foreigners who pay tax in Spain stand to cash in from next year

HOW TO ….. do your Spanish INCOME TAX return?

N.B. Notary Bene

N.B. Nota(ry) bene - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Where there’s a WILL … the process in Spain - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Photos and images:

Premier Consultants

Shutterstock

Symbolic

TeleAdhesivo

URBGIS

YouTube

Acknowledgements:

Euro Weekly News

Eye on Spain

Marc Menéndez-Roche

Notaria Isabel Colominas Rivas

Secret Serrania

Tags:

capital gain, capital gains tax, Constitutional Court, council tax, dos and don’ts of selling property, electricity levies, English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News, exempt from taxation, Eye on Spain, General Council of Economists, ‘golden get-out clause’, grandchildren, Hacienda, IBI, IRPF, IVA, Isabel Colominas Rivas, lifetime annuity, lump sum, Marc Menéndez-Roche , mortgage paid off, municipal tax, Notaria, nuda propiedad, ownership rights, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, pensioners over 65, plusvalía, plusvalía municipal, Premier Consultants, primary residence, professional advice, retirement, Secret Serrania, selling your property, Shutterstock, silver generation, silver lining, Spanish taxman issues warning to pensioners, Symbolic, tax breaks, TeleAdhesivo, time to travel, URBGIS, usufruct, usufructario, Valentí Pich, VAT, vehicle duty, YouTube

“Nero fiddled while Rome burned”

2024-11-16T07:32:21

Nero fiddling ... [Photo courtesy of Reddit]

By Don Pablo

In a similar manner, “Mazón lunched while Valencia flooded”.

The British daily ‘The Financial Times' has accused the president of the Generalitat Valenciana of being responsible for failing to manage the catastrophic impact of la DANA last week.

Mazón lunching with a female journalist? [Photo courtesy of Facebook]

In an article in Spanish published by the HuffPost on 14 November 2024, journalist Rodrigo Carretero highlights the main points of the FT article.

It makes interesting reading.

What follows is an abridged version. Spanish-learners should be able to read and understand it, perhaps with the help of a dictionary or Google Translate.

Good luck!

***

El 'Financial Times' señala sin dudar al "responsable" del "fracaso" de la gestión de la DANA

[Photo copyright GETTY Images]

El periódico económico británico Financial Times ha señalado el "largo almuerzo" de Carlos Mazón, presidente de la Generalitat Valenciana, como el "responsable del fracaso de la alerta de inundaciones en España".

El texto alerta de que "las devastadoras inundaciones que mataron a más de 220 personas en España han sido una dura advertencia sobre cómo los errores oficiales pueden provocar el fracaso de los sistemas de alerta de desastres en una era de catástrofes difíciles de predecir".

[Photo courtesy of The Evening Standard]

Mazón no envió una alerta de emergencia a los teléfonos móviles hasta después de las 18h00 del primer día, casi 13 horas después de que la agencia meteorológica estatal advirtiera de lluvias “muy intensas".

"Gran parte de la ira de los supervivientes se ha dirigido contra Carlos Mazón, el conservador jefe del Gobierno regional. El día de las inundaciones, Mazón mantuvo un almuerzo de tres horas con una periodista que, según los medios locales, no terminó hasta las seis de la tarde, cuando algunas localidades ya estaban inundadas y habían llegado las primeras noticias de personas desaparecidas", dice el texto.

Anti-Mazón demo in Valencia City [Photo: Europa Press]

El FT avisa de que "los expertos en desastres dicen que el trauma de España contiene lecciones para otros países, incluidos los del Mediterráneo, donde el cambio climático está creando nuevas amenazas que son tan peligrosas como difíciles de predecir".

"La lentitud de la respuesta indicó que algunos encargados de tomar decisiones no comprendían bien el fenómeno meteorológico extremo y tuvieron dificultades para evaluar la magnitud de la amenaza y decidir qué hacer, dijeron los expertos", avisa el diario inglés.

^{Devastation caused by la DANA in Valencia [Diario Publico]}

How did you get on?

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:

Financial Times

Diario Publico

Getty Images

HuffPost

Rodrigo Carretero

Tags:
almuerzo de tres horas, cambio climático, Carlos Mazón, Diario Publico, Don Pablo, fenómeno meteorológico, FT, Financial Times, "fracaso", Generalitat Valenciana, gestión, Getty Images, HuffPost, ira de los supervivientes, la DANA, lecciones para otros países, Mediterráneo, Nero fiddled while Rome burned, periódico económico británico, "responsable", Rodrigo Carretero, trauma

Weather forecast

2024-11-15T16:36:43

By Spanish Matters

In an article in Spanish published online the other night by 20 Minutos, there was a weather warning for seven Spanish provinces for yesterday Friday 15 November 2024.

Weather map of Spain [Courtesy of The Olive Press]

Apart from bringing us important news, it strikes me that this text is an ideal one for Spanish-learners to get their teeth into.

You should be able to read and understand it, perhaps with a little bit of help from a dictionary or Google Translate.

¡Buena suerte!

[Image courtesy of Wikipedia]

UNA BORRASCA FRÍA TRAERÁ LLUVIAS, TORMENTAS Y OLEAJE ESTE VIERNES A GRAN PARTE DE ESPAÑA: HAY SIETE PROVINCIAS EN ALERTA
AGENCIAS

Flooding in Valencia [Photo courtesy of YouTube]

Más detalles
Una borrasca fría aislada traerá este viernes precipitaciones fuertes y persistentes en el Sistema Central occidental y Extremadura, que vendrán acompañadas de tormenta en Huelva y en el litoral de Cádiz. En este sentido, las intensas lluvias, tormentas y oleaje pondrán en aviso a siete provincias, según la predicción de la Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (Aemet).

Devastation [Photo courtesy of El Periodico Mediterraneo]

En lo que se refiere a las temperaturas, la predicción recoge un predominio de ascensos térmicos. El incremento de las máximas será más acusado en el sudoeste, donde el aumento puede ser notable, así como en el Cantábrico interior.

Por lo demás, los valores del mercurio descenderán en el alto Ebro, Ibérica sur y en el sur del Pirineo y en el Pirineo se registrarán heladas débiles.

Las capitales de provincia que registrarán valores más altos serán Santa Cruz de Tenerife con 25 grados centígrados; Granada y Málaga con 24; y Almería, Córdoba, Melilla, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria y Sevilla con 23.

Predominarán los vientos del este y sureste en la Península y Baleares, con intervalos de fuertes y rachas muy fuertes en los litorales de Andalucía y del sureste, que no se descartan en los litorales gallegos, mientras que en Canarias soplarán de componente oeste. Asimismo, la Aemet ha indicado que continuará la entrada de calima en la Península y se prevén brumas y bancos de niebla matinales en zonas montañosas.

[Image courtesy of Farmers' Almanac]

***

How did you get on?

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:

20 Minutos

Photos:

Facebook

Farmers' Almanac

The Olive Press

Wikipedia

YouTube

Tags:

20 Minutos, Aemet, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Almería, alto Ebro, Andalucía, Baleares, borrasca, Cádiz, calima, Canarias, Cantábrico, Córdoba, dictionary, Don Pablo, Extremadura, Facebook, Farmers' Almanac, Google Translate, Granada, Huelva, Ibérica sur, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, litorales gallegos, lluvias, Málaga, Melilla, oleaje, Península, Pirineo, precipitaciones, rachas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Sevilla, Sistema Central occidental, Spanish Matters, sudoeste, The Olive Press, tormentas, vientos del este y sureste, weather warning, Wikipedia, YouTube, zonas montañosas

More Autumn Discounts in Montejaque (Malaga)

2024-10-22T21:20:27

We are now well into Autumn in Spain. In Andalucia pupils started school on 15 September, public swimming pools closed, the temperature dropped, and much-needed rains came.

Puente Nuevo, Ronda

After the August/September holiday period life has returned to normal, with shops opening for more hours and businesses and companies working longer. On 27 October the clocks go back one hour.

Autumn in the Serranía de Ronda

It’s now an ideal time for those who are retired, have no children in school and who enjoy walking, cycling, bird-watching and other country pursuits.

So, why not come to Montejaque?

There is lots of accommodation available: some small for two people, others larger sleeping six or more; some at the top of the village where no car can reach, others well-located; some pretty basic, others well-renovated and well-equipped; some without adequate heating, some with pellet stoves and open fires; some accommodation is cheap, other places are more expensive; some with no outside space, others with patios and terraces; some noisy, others peaceful and quiet.

Montejaque [Photo: Karl Smallman]

Casa Real

This recently completed village house meets the second of all the above criteria.

Casa Real sleeps six plus a child in three double bedrooms.

Casa Real is well-located, half a minute from the village square, yet with stunning views all round.

Casa Real has been renovated and equipped to a high standard, with all new beds, new towels and bedding, etc. The kitchen and laundry room have all new appliances.

Casa Real has a new pellet burner plus several oil-filled electric radiators.

Casa Real’s prices reflect what is offered and the quality of the accommodation. HOWEVER, generous autumn discounts are available if you book directly with the owner (see below).

Casa Real has an internal patio and a huge roof terrace. There is also a sitting area to the side of the house.

Casa Real is very tranquil. There is no noisy bar nearby and the main house is double-glazed.

Guest Reviews

Casa Real has proved popular with guests from many countries and nationalities.

To date guests from Albania, Britain, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, South Africa, Ukraine, USA and from various parts of Spain, including Alicante, Bilbao, Extremadura, Jimera de Libar, Madrid and Ubrique.

Autumn/Winter 2024

I am able to offer a generous discount of 20 per cent per night, if you book direct with me. With booking.com, AirBnb, VRBO and the rest you will pay even more than my normal price, to allow for the fees I have to pay them.

As of today my prices are as follows:

Up to 6 nights 80€ per night.

At least 7 nights, one night is free.

Over 14 nights, two nights free.

Please note that for Christmas and New Year, prices return to the normal 100€ per night.

All prices are fully inclusive. There are no extra charges for electricity, gas, and water; pellets; cleaning; welcome pack.

Breakages are chargeable if significant.

How to book:

By phone: (+34) 636 52 75 16

By email: paulwhitelock@hotmail.com

Via WhatsApp: (+34) 636 52 75 16

Further information:

www.help-me-ronda.com

www.simplyowners.net

Photos:

AirBnb

Ayuntamiento de Montejaque

Facebook

Paul Whitelock

Secret Serrania

thinkSPAIN

Tags:

Albania, Alicante, Ayuntamiento de Montejaque, Bilbao, Britain, Casa Real, Croatia, Denmark, Extremadura, Facebook, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Jimera de Libar, Joe King, Karl Smallman, Madrid, Málaga, Montejaque, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, Paul Darwent, Paul Whitelock, pueblos blancos, Secret Serrania, Serrania de Ronda, Simply Owners, South Africa, Spain, thinkSPAIN, Travelnest, Ubrique, Ukraine, USA, www.help-me-ronda.com, www.simplyowners.net

Good weather has arrived at last - it's pouring down

2024-10-15T04:29:51

They say that the English love to talk about the weather. Well, after 15 years as a resident of Spain Don Pablo can confirm that the Spanish are just as bad ... or good ... at it!

Photo courtesy of Benito Link

Drought

After three years of near drought in Andalucia, water is back on the agenda in a big way. The remains of Hurricane Leslie and Storm Berenice have brought much needed rain to Spain, causing flooding and damage but, more importantly, starting to fill the reservoirs again, especially in Andalucia and Murcia.

Here are several links in the Press which give an up-to-date overview of the current situation.

Three articles are in the original Spanish yet should be accessible to those readers who are learning or have learned some castellano. The other two are in English.

Flooded Ronda [Photos: La Sexta] The A7 near Marbella [Photos: The Olive Press]

Aemet eleva a naranja el aviso por fuertes lluvias en toda Málaga: hasta 50 litros en una hora (malagahoy.es)

Downpours have already left more than 130mm of rain in Malaga province and they will continue until Thursday | Sur in English

Estas son las horas y municipios en los que más lluvia se espera en Málaga (malagahoy.es)

Las lluvias ya dejan más de 100 l/m2 en la provincia de Málaga y seguirán hasta el jueves | Diario Sur

Watch: Roads flood on Spain's Costa del Sol as Storm Berenice lashes Andalucia with rain - before ex-hurricane Leslie arrives tomorrow - Olive Press News Spain (theolivepress.es)

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:

AEMET

Benito Link

Conchi Garcia (Malaga Hoy)

Diario Sur

Ignacio Lillo (Diario Sur)

Laurence Dollimore (The Olive Press)

Luis Vertedor (Malaga Hoy)

Malaga Hoy

SUR in English

The Olive Press

Tags:

AEMET, Benito Link, Berenice, Conchi Garcia, Diario Sur, Hurricane Leslie, Ignacio Lillo, La Sexta, Laurence Dollimore, Leslie, Luis Vertedor, Malaga, Malaga Hoy, Ronda, Storm Berenice, SUR in English, The Olive Press

SEMANA SANTA (Holy Week)

2024-03-24T19:18:09

One of Spain's most important religious festivals begins today with the start of Holy Week (Semana Santa). Lasting a week until next Sunday, Easter Sunday (Domingo de Resurrección), the week continues through Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo) and Good Friday (Viernes Santo).

A major feature of Semana Santa in Spain are the processions. Each church has its own cofradía which parades its trono depicting the Virgin Mary or Christ through the streets of most towns and cities in Spain. The processions in Andalucía are amongst the most spectacular.

This article in Spanish should be accessible to most learners of Spanish, maybe with a little help from Google Translate.

Enjoy!

SEMANA SANTA

La Semana Santa en España se celebra con la salida a la calle de las procesiones organizadas por hermandades y cofradías. Las manifestaciones de fe están influidas por la tradición, que a su vez está vinculada con las costumbres de cada pueblo.

La Semana Santa coincide con la última semana de Cuaresma del calendario católico. Está situada entre el Domingo de Ramos y el Domingo de Resurrección.

Las procesiones hasta el Sábado Santo reciben el nombre de estación de penitencia. Las procesiones que tienen lugar el Domingo de Resurrección no son de penitencia, sino de gloria.

El cortejo cuenta con unas andas, llamadas pasos - en algunas localidades llamadas "tronos" - , sobre las que procesionan esculturas con los personajes evangélicos relacionados con la detención, muerte y resurrección de Cristo.

Los hermanos de las cofradías que participan en el cortejo lo suelen hacer ataviados con túnicas y gorros cónicos forrados con una tela que les sirve de antifaz. Estos hermanos suelen conocerse como cofrades, nazarenos o penitentes.

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:

National Geographic

Slidesgo

The Culture Vulture

Wikipedia

YouTube

Tags:

Christ, cofrades, cofradía, Cristo, Cuaresma, Domingo de Ramos, Domingo de Resurrección, Don Pablo, Easter Sunday, estación de penitencia, Good Friday, Holy Week, Jueves Santo, Maundy Thursday, National Geographic, gorros cónicos, manifestaciones de fe, nazareno, paso, penitente, procesiones, Sábado Santo, Semana Santa, Slidesgo, trono, túnicas, Viernes Santo, Virgin Mary, Wikipedia, YouTube

Ronda, Happiest Town in Spain

2024-03-21T12:13:03

By Don Pablo

Here’s an article from yesterday’s Diario Ronda telling us that Ronda is the happiest town in Spain, heading a list that includes other favourites of mine, such as Nerja (2^nd), Chipiona (3rd), Tarifa (4^th), Santillana del Mar (6^th), San Vicente de la Barquera (7^th), Ribadesella (9th) and Zahara de los Atunes (10^th).

The other two on the list are Peñíscola and Sanxenxo, which I have not visited. They have been added to my bucket list for later this year.

There are other great places, such as Arcos de la Frontera, Frigiliana, Montejaque, Setenil de las Bodegas and Zahara de la Sierra, but maybe the inhabitants of these villages are not HAPPY!

I have published the article in the original Spanish version. It should be accessible to most of you.

Enjoy the read:

Ronda es la ciudad más feliz de España, según un estudio

La compañía Azucarera ha llevado a cabo un análisis, junto con la consultora YouGov, en el que se presenta a los pueblos más alegres del país, y la Ciudad del Tajo está a la cabeza.

DIARIO RONDA

20 de marzo de 2024

Hoy, 20 de marzo, se ha celebrado el Día Internacional de la Felicidad, como proclamó la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas en 2013.

Y con motivo de esta efeméride, cada año se presenta el ranking internacional de los países más felices del mundo, en el que tradicionalmente España no sale nada bien parada.

Para ayudar a España a mejorar su puesto en el índice Mundial de Felicidad, Azucarera ha llevado a cabo un estudio, junto con la consultora YouGov, en el que descubre cuáles son los pueblos más felices de España y por qué. Para su elaboración, han participado más de 1.000 habitantes que con su voto han elegido los 35 pueblos más felices de España, y el resultado ha sido, por este orden: Ronda, Nerja, Chipiona, Tarifa, Peñíscola, Santillana del Mar, San Vicente de la Barquera, Sanxenxo, Ribadesella y Zahara de los Atunes, seguidos por otros 25 municipios.

El estudio concluye que, a pesar de sus diferencias, en todas estas localidades se dan unas condiciones concretas que favorecen el bienestar de sus vecinos, entre las que destacan un ambiente afectuoso y cordial, un ritmo lento y tranquilo, libre de estrés, el disfrute al aire libre, una cocina de proximidad…

Un Recetario para elevar a España en el índice Mundial de la Felicidad

Una vez realizado dicho estudio, cuyo ranking incluye hasta 35 poblaciones, Azucarera ha dado voz a los maestros de la felicidad cotidiana, a través de los fogones y el arte de vivir, y ha recogido tanto sus consejos de vida como sus recetas de repostería, que son algunas de sus claves para ser más felices.

Todo ello se ha incluido en el Recetario de los pueblos más felices de España (Plataforma Editorial), coescrito por el experto en bienestar emocional Francesc Miralles, junto con los vecinos de los municipios que, a partir de hoy, 20 de marzo, estará en todas las librerías, a un precio de 12€ (disponible en e-book por 5,99€). También se podrá adquirir accediendo a la web www.recetariopueblosfelices.es . Los beneficios de su venta se destinarán a la Fundación Grandes Amigos, que lucha contra la soledad de las personas mayores.

Como el propio Francesc Miralles afirma, “no hay nada que nos dé más felicidad que estar con otras personas y compartir lo mejor de la vida con ellas, y así lo demuestra un estudio de Harvard, realizado a lo largo de 80 años”. Según el escritor, “los motivos de que España no esté más arriba en los índices de felicidad pueden ser socioeconómicos, ya que hay más desempleo que en otros países, pero lo compensamos con una vida social mucho más rica y con más actividad al aire libre, por lo que España tiene el potencial incluso de ser el país número uno en el ranking mundial”.

Con este recetario, Azucarera quiere poner en valor la sabiduría popular como fuente de bienestar emocional y ofrecer consejos para ayudar a que los españoles sean más felices. En este libro, Miralles recuerda que “existe una relación directa entre el propósito y la realización personal que lleva a la alegría de vivir y que, cuando identificas el motivo por el que te levantas de la cama, los días adquieren sentido y encuentras placer en tus actividades cotidianas”. Para el autor, tres de las actitudes fundamentales para llevar una vida feliz son mantenerse activo, tomarse las cosas con calma y rodearse de buenos amigos.

Como explica la responsable de Comunicación de Azucarera, Alejandra Hernández, “la repostería de toda la vida contribuye a la felicidad. Sabemos que hacer repostería tiene efectos terapéuticos: nos ayuda a conectarnos con nosotros mismos y a desestresarnos. Y si son recetas de toda la vida, que hacemos pensando en nuestros seres queridos para disfrutarlas y compartirlas juntos, no hay nada mejor”.

El Recetario de los pueblos más felices de España incluye desde recetas tradicionales de los municipios más felices del país, como las Yemas del Tajo, de Ronda; el Pastisset, de Peñíscola; la Bica Gallega, de Sanxenxo; o la Garlanda, de Sitges, hasta la valiosísima sabiduría popular de Eloísa, de Santillana del Mar (Cantabria), quien nos invita a “practicar la gratitud y valorar las cosas buenas que te da la vida” o de Josetxo y José Ramón, de Aínsa (Huesca), entre otros vecinos, que afirman que la felicidad se encuentra en “el sol, las actividades en la naturaleza, las tradiciones o unas tapas en la terraza del casco antiguo”.

Yemas del Tajo

Acknowledgements:

Diario Ronda

EuroWeekly News

Instagram

Paul Whitelock

Tags:

Arcos de la Frontera, Chipiona, Diario Ronda, Don Pablo, Frigiliana, índice Mundial de la Felicidad, Instagram, Montejaque, Nerja, Paul Whitelock, Peñíscola, Ribadesella, Ronda, Santillana del Mar, San Vicente de la Barquera, Sanxenxo, Setenil de las Bodegas, Spanish Matters, Tarifa, Zahara de la Sierra, Zahara de los Atunes

¿TÚ or USTED?

2024-02-11T17:05:37

Most Western European languages have two ways of saying "you". A formal/polite way and an informal/familiar mode. This happens with all of the so-called Romance languages, ie those derived from Latin and spread across Europe by the Roman legions during their long-standing eponymous empire. This occurs in French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and, of course, Spanish. It also happens in the Germanic languages, ie German, Dutch and Flemish, but strangely NOT in English.

So, what are the rules?

In my experience, which only extends to Dutch, French, German and Spanish, the "rules" are different. In France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, you'd better stick to "vous" and "Sie" until such time as you come to an agreement to switch to "tú" and "du" and their equivalents.

Oddly, though, abroad, eg here in Spain, Germans are happy to go striaight for "du" and "ihr". Not the French, though.

Many years ago I had a professional friendship for many years with French counterparts from Chalon-sur Saone (Burgundy). It was the twin town link with St Helens (Merseyside) where I was in charge of educational and work experience exchanges for students.

When, after some time, I had the temerity to suggest we dropped the formality and used Christian names and the familiar form, you could have heard a pin drop!

Nevertheless, we did try it from that point on, but one lady, my main contact, Marguerite Ligier (Guite) occasionally called me Monsieur Whitelock and used "vous". She found it really hard to maintain the switch.

España es diferente

The situation in Spain is totally different, particularly since the death of the dictator Franco in 1975 and Spain's return to democracy.

Here, it's mostly "tú" and "vosotros", although, as I get older, I am more often addressed as "usted". I hate that. When I ask my interlocutors why they don't use "tú", I am told the use of "usted" is a mark of respect for an older person (I am 73).

My strategy for years has been to only use the familiar form. Well, most people are younger than me, so that's ok, according to the "rules of the game".

What to do, then?

My colleague, Peter Edgerton, a long-time Spanish resident, runs a bar, The Shakespeare, in Malaga City (see below), as well as being a columnist for SUR in English. He's just published an article (09/02/2024) that tackles the problem in an amusing manner.

Here's a link to his piece: Peter Edgerton: To use 'tú' or not to use 'tú' | Sur in English

What more can I say? A great article. Thanks, Peter.

The Shakespeare

C/ Muro de Puerta Nueva, 5, Distrito Centro, 29005 Málaga

English-style pub in the heart of Malaga, The Shakespeare is a hub for expat activity. Run by Peter Edgerton, musician and writer, there is a strong sense of community here.

Right in the centre of Malaga, just off Plaza de la Constitución, there is always something going on with a full itinerary of events each week (follow The Shakespeare on Facebook for events). They include live music (with weekly ‘open mic’ nights), bilingual pub quizzes and language exchanges.

Major live football and rugby are also shown on the two screens.

With a selection of beers, both bottled and on tap, and spirits, your more international tastes are catered for here.

***

Acknowledgements:

Peter Edgerton

SUR in English

The Shakespeare

Photos:

Facebook

InfoAlemania

Interlenguas

Nathalie FLE

Skapago

Wikipedia

YouTube

Tags:

Austria, Belgium, Chalon-sur-Saône, Don Pablo, du, Dutch, English, Facebook, Flemish, Franco, French, German, Germanic, Germany, Guite, Interlenguas, Italian, Marguerite Ligier, Netherlands, Peter Edgerton, Portuguese, Roman, Romance, Romanian, St Helens, Sie, Spanish, SUR in English, Switzerland, tu, tú, ud, usted, vosotros, vous, Whitelock, Wikipedia

"YO SOY TEATRO" - Book review

2023-09-22T04:33:09

Friday, September 22, 2023 @ 06:35 AM

This is a review, in Spanish, of a recent book published by Ronda residents and actors Charo Carrasco and Emma Cherry. It should be accessible to intermediate students of Spanish. Good luck!

Reseña de un nuevo libro concebido y nacido en Ronda: “Yo soy teatro”

Review by The Culture Vulture

Yo conocí a Charo Carrasco y a Emma Cherry cuando empecé a asistir a un curso teatral en Ronda durante la pandemia de Coronavirus. El curso se realizó en la Pequeña Compañía de Proyecto Platea bajo la dirección de actor profesional rondeño Marcos Marcell.

Emma, inglesa y también actor profesional, y su buena amiga Charo, mujer de negocios de Ronda, colaboran durante un par de años en escribir obras de teatro. Una de las primeras, “Novias”, vi yo tres veces en dos años en tres distintos espacios: en el Convento de Ronda, al aire libre en Atajate y en el Pequeño Teatro de Proyecto Platea de Ronda. Es una obra muy entretenida con música y humor.

Ahora acaban de publicar estas amantes del teatro un libro, “Yo soy teatro”, que es una antología de obras de pequeño, mediano y gran formato que han escrito juntas estas dos mujeres talentadas. Emma y Charo son dos mujeres independientes con el deseo de contar historias en la que sus personajes siempre tienen algo que decir.

Según Charo Carrasco: “Tras más de cinco años de colaboración, mi compañera Emma Cherry y yo presentamos esta recopilación de algunas de las obras de teatro que hemos escrito juntas.

“Con toda la ilusión del mundo y recién salida del horno, este libro representa la pasión, el esfuerzo, el amor y nuestra pasión infinita por el teatro.”

“Yo soy Teatro” está disponible ya en AMAZON.

Otros comentarios:

Marta Pérez Tirado:

“Mis queridas Charo Carrasco García y Emma Cherry Rolf acaban de estrenar su primera obra. Si sois amantes del teatro no os la podéis perder y si nunca habéis leído teatro tampoco porque descubriréis un mundo maravilloso. ¡¡Yo ya tengo la mía!!

“Estoy orgullosa de vosotras, chicas.”

Jose Antonio Rios:

“Maravilla teatral. Una visión de futuro a las artes escénicas.

“Quizás no sea nuevo pensar en una antología de microteatros, pero sí muy novedosa la apuesta de estas dos actrices en la escena literaria.

“Son obras inclusivas, desde punto de vista humano y personal. A través de sus microteatros y sus personajes, estas actrices, ahora en el papel de dos escritoras independientes, nos muestran una visión de la vida y las relaciones humanas muy especial. Personajes, cada uno con su complejidad e historia y que conviven armónicamente en esta antología preciosa, lista para disfrutar e interpretar. “Ahora, YO también SOY TEATRO, gracias a ellas. Felicidades por esta apuesta y por mostrarnos vuestro arte convertido en un libro. What's next?”

Emma Cherry Rolf:

"¡Número uno en nuestra categoría!

"¡Inesperado y muy agradecido!

"¡Gracias a todos!

Click here

Note: This article was first published on the website www.help-me-ronda.com on 20 September 2023 and on the same date by The Culture Vulture on www.eyeonspain.com

Tags: Charo Carrasco, Emma Cherry, Marcos Marcell, Novias, Proyecto Platea, Ronda, Yo soy teatro

20 Countries Divided by the Same Language

2023-04-02T04:48:13

You’ve heard the one about the United Kingdom and the United States – two countries divided by the same language. That’s good; witty but true. Not only is the pronunciation quite different, but so is the spelling sometimes (, eg colour v color, honour v honor) and usage. The two versions of English, commonly known as Oxford (or BBC) English and American English, often have different words for the same thing, eg bonnet (of a car) v hood; boot v trunk; curtains v drapes; wardrobe v closet.

They say the same about Portuguese from Portugal and Portuguese in Brazil; also French and Canadian French or Quebequois.

Well, I have to tell you that it’s also similar in the Spanish-speaking world. There are 20 countries or territories around the world where Spanish is the official or de facto language, testament to the success of Spain as a colonial power.

Pronunciation usage and vocabulary vary from country to country. In many isolated areas, the Spanish spoken is closer to the original Spanish spoken by the conquistadores than to modern-day castellano. In others, local languages have had a direct influence on the Spanish they inherited from the colonial invaders.

One word which highlights this difference rather well is tortilla. In Spain this is an omelette; in Central America and Mexico it’s a flat maize pancake. In colloquial usage it can mean lesbian sex and a prostitute.

Countries Where Spanish is an Official Language

There are 19 countries other than Spain where Spanish is an official or de facto language. In fact, Spanish has the largest number of native speakers besides Mandarin Chinese. With 380 million native speakers, Spanish surprisingly surpasses even English for the number of native speakers, to the tune of over 100 million.

Background

Spain sought to expand its influence into the New World after Christopher Columbus discovered it in 1492. The conquistadores headed to America, as did the other great colonial nations of the time, like the Dutch, English and Portuguese. But Spain was more successful, which is why all but five countries in South and Central America speak Spanish, the exceptions being Belize (English), Brazil (Portuguese), French Guinea (French), Guyana (English) and Surinam (Dutch).

The 20 countries

Let’s take a look at the 20 countries that have Spanish as an official or de facto language. They are organised by continents and regions.

Africa

Equatorial Guinea- a small country in central Africa, this country is named for its location on the Equator.

Caribbean Sea

Cuba - island that sits where the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean meet.

Dominican Republic - on an island shared with Haiti (French-speaking).The original name of the island was Hispaniola.

Puerto Rico - territory owned by the United States, both English and Spanish are official languages.

Central America

Costa Rica - means "rich coast" due to the amount of gold jewellery worn by the natives when discovered by Christopher Columbus.

El Salvador - means "the Saviour”, ie Jesus Christ.

Guatemala - largest population in Central America.

Honduras - means "depths". The country has a high poverty index.

Nicaragua - Spanish is the de facto language. It is the largest Central American country by area.

Panamá - bridge between Central and South America, broke away from Colombia with the help of the United States Army, which then oversaw the completion of the Panama Canal.

Belize - formerly British Honduras, does not recognise Spanish as its official language, yet it is the de facto language, but it is not officially recognized by the government as the official language of Belize, which remains English.

Europe

Spain - country where Spanish originated that colonised all other future Spanish-speaking countries

North America

Mexico - the 13th largest country in the world by area, has over 126 million inhabitants, Spanish is the de facto language.

South America

Argentina - Spanish is the de facto language. It is the largest Spanish-speaking country by area.

Bolivia - has two capitals, a constitutional one (Sucre) and an executive one (La Paz).

Chile - Spanish is the de facto language. It is a long strip of land with the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Colombia - second only to Brazil in its level of biodiversity, it is categorised as a "megadiverse" country due to so much biodiversity.

Ecuador - named for its location on the Equator.

Paraguay - 90% of the population also speaks a dialect of Guaraní in addition to Spanish.

Perú - considered a megadiverse (biodiversity) country.

Uruguay - Spanish is the de facto language. Despite territorial disputes involving Spain and Portugal and Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay has remained independent.

Venezuela - one of the first countries to declare independence from Spain. Named after Venice in Italy.

***

There are a few other places where Spanish holds significant influence, such as Andorra in the Pyrenees between Spain and France, Gibraltar, on the southern tip of Spain, which belongs to the United Kingdom, and the United States, which is second only to Mexico when it comes to the number of native Spanish speakers.

A word or two on the Philippines, which was a Spanish colony for some four centuries. Spanish was the official language of the archipelago from the beginning of Spanish rule in the late 16th century, through the Philippine–American War (1899-1902) and subsequent colonisation by the USA and remained co-official after independence in 1946, along with Filipino and English, until 1973. Its status was initially removed in 1973 by a constitutional change, but after a few months it was re-designated an official language again by a presidential decree. Under the current constitution, Spanish is designated as an auxiliary or "optional and voluntary language".

They used to say that the sun never set on the Spanish Empire. Now that it's empire is long gone, you could say that the sun never sets on a Spanish speaker.

Additional material courtesy of corelanguages.com, geology.com, Pinterest, Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia, and World Maps.

False friends in Spanish and English

2023-01-19T08:27:12

By Don Pablo

Languages are categorised into families, depending on their origen. Romance languages, those descended from the Latin spoken by Roman legionaires during the Roman conquest and occupation of much of southern Europe, include Spanish, as well as French, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian.

The Germanic family includes Dutch, Flemish, German and English, although English has many Latin-origin words as a result of the Norman (French) conquest of England in 1066 and the subsequent repopulation of many areas by Normans.

As a result there are many words in English and Spanish which are the same or similar. These are called cognates.

The problem is not all cognates have the same meaning. These are called false cognates or, more commonly, false friends or falsos amigos.

Cognates

Spanish and English have literally thousands of cognates, words that are basically the same in both languages, having the same etymology and similar meanings. 30% to 40% of all vocabulary in English have related words in Spanish.

Perfect Cognates

These are words which are spelt exactly the same in two languages and have the same meaning. Be careful – although the spelling may be the same, the pronunciation is often different.

Examples in English and Spanish include:

animal – animal
chocolate – chocolate
hotel – hotel
simple – simple

Near Perfect Cognates

These are words which are very similar and have the same meaning, but the spelling is slightly different.

Examples in English and Spanish include:

attention – atención
public – público
religious – religioso
delicious – delicioso

False Cognates/False Friends

There are, however, many word pairs that look like they might mean the same thing but don't. They can be confusing, and if you make the mistake of using them wrongly in speech or writing you're likely to be misunderstood.

Following is a list of some of the most common false friends — some of the ones you're most likely to come across when reading or listening to Spanish:

actual: This adjective (or its corresponding adverb, actualmente) indicates that something is current, at the present time. Thus, the day's hot topic might be referred to as un tema actual. If you wish to say something is “actual” (as opposed to imaginary), use real (which also can mean "royal") or verdadero.
asistir: Means to attend or to be present. Asisto a la oficina cada día, I go to the office daily. To say "to assist," use ayudar, to help.
atender: Means to serve or to take care of, to attend to. If you're talking about attending a meeting or a class, use asistir.
boda: Means a wedding or wedding reception. A body (as of a person or animal) is most often cuerpo or tronco.
campo: Means a field or the country(side). If you're going camping, you'll stay in a campamento or a camping.
carpeta: Means a file folder (including on a computer) or a briefcase. "Carpet" is most often alfombra.
compromiso: Meaning a promise, obligation, or commitment, it does not usually convey the sense that one has given up something to reach an agreement. There is no good noun equivalent in Spanish of "compromise".
constiparse, constipación: In verb form, it means to catch a cold, while una constipación means a cold. Someone who is constipated is estreñido.
contestar: It's a very common verb meaning to answer. To contest something, use contender.
corresponder: Yes, it does mean to correspond, but only in the sense of to match. If you're talking about corresponding with someone, use a form of escribir con or mantener correspondencia.
decepción, decepcionar: Means disappointment or to disappoint. To deceive someone is engañar a alguién. Something deceptive is engañoso.
delito: This is an offence or a minor crime. The feeling of delight can be un deleite, while the object that causes it is un encanto or una delicia.
desgracia: In Spanish, this is little more than a mistake or misfortune. Something shameful is una vergüenza .
despertar: This verb is usually used in the reflexive form, meaning to wake up (me despierto a las siete, I wake up at seven). If you're desperate, there's a true cognate you can use: desesperado.
disgusto: Derived from the prefix dis- (meaning "not") and the root word gusto (meaning pleasure), this word refers simply to displeasure or misfortune. If you need to use a much stronger term akin to disgust, use asco.
embarazada: Means pregnant, so be careful. Someone who feels embarrassed tiene vergüenza or se siente avergonzado.
emocionante: Used to describe something that's thrilling or emotionally moving. To say emotional, the cognate emocional will do fine.
en absoluto: This phrase means the opposite of what you think it might, meaning not at all or absolutely not. To say absolutely, use the cognate totalmente or completamente.
éxito: Means a hit or a success. If you're looking for a way out, look for una salida.
fábrica: That's a place where they fabricate items, namely a factory. Words for cloth include tejido and tela.
insulación: This isn't even a word in Spanish (although you may hear it in Spanglish). If you want to say insulation, use aislamiento.
ganga: It's a bargain. A gang is una pandilla.
inconsecuente: This adjective refers to something that is contradictory. Something inconsequential is de poca importancia.
introducir: This isn't truly a false cognate, for it can be translated as, among other things, to introduce in the sense of to bring in, to begin, to put, or to place. For example, se introdujo la ley en 1998, the law was introduced (put in effect) in 1998. But it's not the verb to use to introduce someone. Use presentar.
largo: When referring to size, it means long. Large, ie big, is grande.
minorista: Means retail (adjective) or retailer. A minority is una minoría.
molestar: The verb doesn't have sexual connotations in Spanish. It means simply to bother or to annoy. For the sexual meaning of to molest in English, use abusar sexualmente or some phrase that says more precisely what you mean.
once: If you can count past 10, you know that once is the word for eleven. If something happens once, it happens una vez. By the way, la ONCE is the Spanish National Organisation for the Blind, which runs a daily lottery to raise funds.
pretender: The Spanish verb doesn't have anything to do with faking it, only to try. To pretend, use fingir or simular.
realizar, realizacón: realizar can be used reflexively to indicate something becoming real or becoming completed: Se realizó el rascacielos, the skyscraper was built. To realise as a mental event can be translated using darse cuenta (to realise), comprender (to understand) or saber (to know), among other possibilities, depending on the context.
recordar: Means to remember or to remind. The verb to use when recording something depends on what you're recording. Possibilities include anotar or tomar nota for writing something down, or grabar for making an audio or video recording.
revolver: As its form suggests, this is a verb, in this case meaning to turn over, to revolve, or otherwise to cause disorder. The Spanish word for a revolver is similar, but pronounced differently: un revólver.
ropa: clothing, not rope. Rope is cuerda.
sano: Usually means healthy. Someone who is sane or in his right mind is en su juicio.
sensible: Usually means sensitive or capable of feeling. A sensible person or idea can be referred to as sensato or razonable.
sopa: Soup, not soap. Soap is jabón.
suceso: Merely an event or happening. A success is un éxito.
tuna: Order this at a desert restaurant and you'll get edible cactus. The fish is atún.

For a complete list of false friends, click here.

Phew! Got all that?

The chances are you'll make a few mistakes, but just have a laugh about them and remember for the next time.

Acknowledgements:

www.letsspeakspanish.com

www.oxfordhousebcn.com

www.thoughtco.com

Tags: cognate, Don Pablo, Dutch, English, etymology, false cognate, false friend, falso amigo, Flemish, French, German, Germanic, Italian, language family, Latin, Near Perfect Cognate, perfect cognate, Portuguese, Roman, Romance Language, Romanian, Spanish, Spanish Matters

SER and ESTAR – a short follow-up

2023-01-01T08:42:04

By Don Pablo

As a follow-up to my recent post about SER and ESTAR, consider these uses of both verbs with the same adjectives and how they differ in meaning:

SER ESTAR

bueno – to be good (by nature) bueno – to be well (ie in good health)

malo – to be bad (by nature) malo – to be ill

muerto – to be killed muerto – to be dead

vivo – to be lively (by nature) vivo – to be alive

aburrido – to be boring (by nature) aburrido – to be bored

cansado – to be tiresome cansado – to be tired

divertido – to beamusing divertido – to be amused

guapo – to be good-looking (inherently) guapo – to look good (today)

listo – to be clever listo – to be ready

Acknowledgement:

Advanced Spanish Course, K Mason (Pergamon 1967)

© Don Pablo

About Don Pablo

Don Pablo is a former languages teacher, schools adviser and OfSTED inspector in the UK.

In days gone by in Spain, as a mark of respect teachers were addresed as don or doña plus their forename, eg Doña Isabel, Don Pablo.

Tags: aburrido, alive, amused, amusing, bad, bored, boring, Bueno, cansado, clever, dead, divertido, good, good health, good-looking, guapo, ill, killed, listo, lively, malo, muerto, tired, tiresome, vivo, well,

"To be or not to be? That is the question". 2. SER or ESTAR

2022-12-23T20:15:35

Indeed. SER or ESTAR? Which to use? And when?

In the second in his series of articles about particular difficulties encountered by English-speaking learners of Spanish, Don Pablo tackles the problem that is the verb "to be".

2. SER or ESTAR

The two verbs for TO BE in Spanish are not interchangeable. So, when do you use SER and when ESTAR?

As a broad general rule, SER is used to describe permanent or inherent characteristics, whereas ESTAR is used to indicate a temporary, transient or accidental state and position or location.

Let’s be more specific and look at some examples:

El hielo es frío.

El azúcar es dulce.

Ese hombre es muy grande.

Estas flores son muy bonitas.

BUT

Esta sopa está muy fría.

Mi café está muy dulce.

Las patatas fritas están muy calientes.

Compare:

La chica es muy guapa.

La chica está muy guapa hoy.

SER is also used:

a) to denote origin, ownership or the material from which something is made:

Sus padres son de Ronda.

El coche es suyo.

La silla es de madera.

b) to indicate nationality, religion, rank and profession:

Es inglés.

Ella es católica.

Rubén es capitán.

Paco es carpintero.

c) when the predicate is a noun, pronoun or infinitive:

Mañana será otro día.

Algo es algo.

Trabajar bien es lo que importa.

d) with past participles to form the passive:

ser quemado vivo

ser declarado vencedor

El asesino fue condenado a muerte.

e) in impersonal expressions and expressions of time:

Es lógico que .....

Es evidente que .....

Ya son las once.

Es hora de cenar.

ESTAR is also used:

f) to indicate position:

Madrid está en el centro de España.

Tus amigos están en la playa.

"Estuvimos en el Bar Encuentro."

g) to form continuous tenses:

Está lloviendo a cántaros.

Los jóvenes están bailando.

h) some idiomatic expressions:

estar de acuerdo

Está bien.

¿A cuánto están las fresas?

***

Phew! Did you get all that?

¡Suerte!

© Don Pablo

Acknowledgements:

A Manual of Modern Spanish, Harmer & Norton (UTP 1935)

Advanced Spanish Course, K Mason (Pergamon 1967)

www.donquijote.org

Tags: accidental, Don Pablo, donquijote.com, estar, expression, Harmer, idiomatic, impersonal, inherent, location, Mason, Norton, not to be, permanent, position, question, Spanish, Spanish Matters, temporarary, time, to be, to be or not to be, transient

The Languages of Spain

2022-12-16T10:41:44

By Don Pablo

You may think that the language of Spain is Spanish. Well, it is of course. Officially known as castellano, Castilian Spanish, it is the equivalent of Oxford or BBC English in the UK or Hochdeutsch in Germany, ie the official, pure form of the language. In some countries this is “protected” by a body, eg the Real Academia Española in Spain, the Académie Française in France and Duden in Germany.

But, whilst castellano is the official language of Spain, there are other official languages too. Four in fact, although another two claim similar status. The four other official languages are regional languages, viz catalán, euskera (Basque), gallego and valenciano.

Their use banned during the 40-year dictatorship of General Franco, since his death in 1975 and the subsequent and rapid democratisation of the country under Franco’s protégé, the now disgraced Juan Carlos I, the prohibited regional languages have been allowed to flourish. Euskera and catalán are the languages of officialdom and of instruction in schools in their regions. Basques and Catalans speak it as their mother tongue, only switching to castellano with reluctance. Catalunya wants to secede from Spain; the Basque country wants more independence. Valencia and Galicia are less “independista”.

Facts and figures

99 per cent of Spaniards speak castellano as their first or second language. Of the rest, eight percent of the population claim their first language to be catalán, four per cent valenciano, three per cent gallego and one per cent euskera.

There are also dialects like andaluz, aragonés and zaragozano.

What is the difference between a language and a dialect? It’s difficult to define, but usually a language boasts its own body of literature. One commentator suggested a language is the speech of a country with an army, which isn’t strictly accurate, but you get the idea.

Scouse, Geordie and West Country are dialects or accents in the UK; Welsh, Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic are languages.

Which to learn?

If you’re a foreigner who lives in Spain or visits regularly, I would always recommend learning castellano, except maybe in Catalunya. However, catalán is not spoken widely throughout the world, whereas Spanish is a truly global language, nearly as important as English in world terms. With English and Spanish you can communicate pretty much everywhere on the planet.

Obviously, depending on where you live, you will inevitably pick up dialect words and phrases and to some extent pronunciation and intonation. But, that’s OK.

The important thing to realise is that you are extremely unlikely to pick up Spanish by osmosis. Of the very good foreign Spanish speakers I know around here, most have a degree in Spanish, were born here, have a Spanish parent, married a Spaniard, have a Spanish lover, or have lived here for a very long time. The rest need to work at it. And although it may sometimes seem like a struggle, it’ll be worth it in the end.See my top ten tips for learning Spanish here.

Castellano or andaluz?

Andaluz has to be the worst dialect in Spain.

Even though I have an honours degree in Spanish (castellano), and have lived in the country for the best part of a decade and a half, I still struggle with the Andalusian dialect.

Mind you, I have a similar problem when I visit Baden-Württemberg in Germany with my German wife. Schwäbisch is arguably the most impenetrable of the German regional dialects.

I have an honours degree in German also, but in the country villages of this southern German Land (state), that’s not a help.

What to do? In Spain, I put myself about in local bars, I watch CanalSur or AndaluciaTV and listen to Radio Andalucía in the car. It helps ….. I’m getting there!

Tags: Académie Française, Andalucía, AndaluciaTV, Andalusia, andaluz, aragonés, Baden- Württemberg, Basque, BBC English, CanalSur, castellano, Catalan, catalán, degree, Don Pablo, Duden, euskera, France, Gaelic, gallego, General Franco, Geordie, German, German, Hochdeutsch, Irish Gaelic, Juan Carlos I, Oxford English, Radio Andalucía, Real Academia Española Schwäbisch, Scots Gaelic, Scouse, Spain, Spanish, valenciano, Welsh, West Country, zaragozano

The Three Big Problems in Learning Spanish 1. POR or PARA

2022-11-29T06:46:49

By Don Pablo

When I was studying for my degree in Spanish back in the late 1960s/early 1970s we were made aware of three quite major problems for English-speaking learners of this most widespread language in the world.

Later, during my Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course in 1973-4, I naturally had lectures in Spanish pedagogy, ie HOW to teach Spanish.

The professor focused on the same three areas of usage which are deemed to be a problem for school pupils and students.

What are these three issues?

POR or PARA; SER or ESTAR; and PRETERITE or IMPERFECT.

Over the next few weeks, in a series of separate articles, I shall tackle each in turn and hope that my thoughts are helpful.

1. POR or PARA

First up is POR or PARA. Both can mean "for", although they also have other meanings.

In the "Old Testament" of Spanish learning, A MANUAL OF MODERN SPANISH by Harmer and Norton (UTP 1935) the authors devote a whole 18 pages to the matter.

The "New Testament", AN ESSENTIAL COURSE IN MODERN SPANISH by H Ramsden (Chambers Harrap 1959) takes a similar amount of space.

My own university lecturer, Ken Mason, published his ADVANCED SPANISH COURSE (Pergamon 1967), in which he needs six and a half pages.

But the best analysis I have seen is by fellow Eye On Spain blogger, mac75.

Therefore, I shan't attempt to better what mac75 wrote recently; I shall simply refer you to his article here:

https://www.eyeonspain.com/blogs/whosaidthat/22232/por-or-para.aspx

Keep listening and learning!

Tags: degree, Don Pablo, English-speaking, estar, Harmer, imperfect, mac75, Mason, Norton, para, personal 'a', por, Postgraduate Certificate in Education, PGCE, preterite, Ramsden, ser, Spanish