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Idiomatic Uses of Spanish Verbs

Idiomatic Uses of Spanish Verbs

SoundCaer has several idiomatic uses:

  • Este vestido le cae bien.
    This dress fits her well.

  • Caer en gracia.
    To fall into the good graces of one.

  • La puerta cae á oriente.
    The door is on the east side.

  • Ya caigo, ya caigo en ello.
    Now I understand.

  • Caerse redondo.
    To fall flat.

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Vocabulary

Business

Soundinformes financieros - financial reports
Sounddestajista - contractor


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Spanish Idioms

Idiomatic Expressions

An idiom is a word or expression whose meaning cannot be completely understood solely from the words used. Attempting to translate an idiomatic expression word for word will result in confusion. For example:


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Time Expressions using Hacer

verb_hacer

More on Verb Hacer

Related Resources

When discussing an event, English speakers often ask, "How long has it been?" Spanish speakers ask, "How long does it make?" There are two ways to structure this type of expression. See the examples provided below.


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The Pronouns Nos and Vos

Nos and Vos

The pronouns Nos and Vos are used for the 1st and 2nd person singular, respectively, in poetry and high-flown prose.

Nos is used in Royal decrees; and Vos often to translate the French "vous" and English "you" in novels. They require the verb in the plural and any occurring adjective in the singular, masculine or feminine according to the sex represented:

  • Nos el Rey somos justo: We the King are just.
  • Vos Doña Catalina sois generosa: You, Lady Catherine, are generous.

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    Vocabulary

    Soundjefe del despacho - manager


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    More on Verbs

    More on Verbs


    A verb is transitive when its action passes from the subject of the action to the object.

    Intransitive verbs express a state, as "to live," "to sleep," or an action that does not go beyond the doer, as "to go," "to walk."


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    Computer Vocabulary

    Palabra Significado
    :-) Este extraño símbolo es una de las diversas formas en que una persona puede mostrar su estado de ánimo en un medio "frío" como es el ordenador. Representa un "rostro sonriente" y es una forma de "metacomunicación" de las centenares que existen y que van de lo obvio a lo críptico. Este símbolo expresa en concreto "felicidad", pero también "broma" o "sarcasmo". Si no lo ve, gire su cabeza noventa grados a la izquierda. [Fuente: ZEN]
    A A nivel de A escala de, en el ámbito, en el medio, en el contexto (o simplemente en)
    Absolutely not En absoluto
    Abstract Resumen


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    Spanish for Lawyers



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    The Spanish Preposition

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    The Spanish Preposition
    One word should not be used in Spanish governed by two different prepositions, as:

    • He is an admirer of and a contributor to the "Times": Es admirador del "Times" y colabora en ese periódico.
    • The man I spoke with and wrote to: El hombre con quien hablé y al cual escribí.

    However, we find the same construction as in English in cases of antithesis, as:

    • Con ó sin él: With or without him.
    • El billete cuesta 20 pesetas desde ó hasta Madrid: The ticket is 20 ptas. from or to Madrid.

    The Spanish Academy condemns this use, however.


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    The Spanish Adverb

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    The Spanish Adverb
    The natural position of the adverb is after the verb, as:

    • El convendría de muy buena gana: He would willingly consent.

    But a great liberty is allowed in this respect, as:

    • Seguramente firmaría el endoso: He would certainly sign the endorsement.
    • Siempre se lo voy repitiendo: I keep always repeating it to him.

    Mucho is the only adverb which does not generally admit of "very" for the superlative; it takes ísimo instead. However "muy mucho" is found, especially when used jocularly.


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    The Spanish Verb - Part 5

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    The Spanish Verb - Part 5
    The English verbs "shall," "will," "should," "would," "may," "might," when used as auxiliary verbs (viz., as mere signs of the future tense, conditional or subjunctive moods respectively) are rendered by the corresponding terminations of the Spanish verb[1]:

    • I shall go: Iré.
    • Thou wilt go: Irás.
    • We should go: Iríamos.
    • You would go: Vs. irían.
    • I hope he may succeed: Deseo que tenga buen éxito.
    • I wished he might come: Deseaba que viniese.
    Footnote 1: "Shall," "should," "will," "would," are also rendered by the Subjunctive Mood when according to the Spanish rules the verb should be Subjunctive. Example:

    • It is (was) possible that he will (would) have to work late: Es (era) posible que tenga (tuviese) que trabajar tarde.
    When they are used as principal verbs they are translated by Deber (shall, should), Querer (will and would), and Poder (may and might), as:

    • You shall go: V. debe ir.
    • You may speak: V. puede hablar.
    • I will not buy more: No quiero comprar más.
    • You should accept our terms: Vs. deberían[2] aceptar nuestras condiciones.
    • We would willingly see that done: Quisiéramos mucho verlo hacer.
    Footnote 2: The Imperfect Indicative debía, podía, quería, is often used for "debería," "podría," and "querría." This occurs also with other verbs, colloquially: Yo se lo daba si estuviese aquí for Yo selo daría si estuviese aquí.
    "Can" is translated by the pres. or future of Poder:

    • I can do it now: Puedo hacerlo ahora.
    • I can do it next month: Puedo or Podré hacerlo el mes próximo.

    "Could" is translated by the imperfect indicative or the conditional mood of Poder:

    • I did it whenever I could: Lo hacía siempre que podía.
    • I could do it if I had the necessary means: Podría hacerlo si tuviese los medics necesarios.

    "Would," meaning "used to," is, of course, translated by the imperfect indicative:

    • When he was in Paris he would sit in the cafés for hours: Cuando estaba en Paris se pasaba horas enteras en los cafés.

    "Should he do," etc., is translated "if he should do," etc. (si lo hiciese).[3]


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