Essentials Flashcards
narrowing down to just things I talk about all the time, no new info. Repeats from other decks.
I have written three books.
He escrito tres libros.
Two of them are about body weight and health.
Dos de ellos tratan sobre el peso corporal y la salud. (most natural)
Dos de ellos se refieren al peso corporal y la salud.
(If it’s about reference, not theme)
Referirse a (pronominal verb) = to refer to something
Always requires “a” because it indicates reference to something.
Here, “referirse a” is used in the sense of “to refer to,” so the pronoun “se” is required. Without it, the verb would mean “to tell” or “to recount,” which wouldn’t make sense in this context.
In contrast, Referir (transitive verb) = to tell, to recount, to report
Needs a direct object (what is being told or reported).
Example:
El testigo refirió los hechos con detalle. (The witness recounted the events in detail.)
The last one is called Radical Belonging: How to Survive and Thrive in an Unjust World.
El último se titula Pertenencia Radical: Cómo sobrevivir y prosperar en un mundo injusto.
I traveled around the world giving talks.
Viajé por el mundo dando charlas (pláticas).
When expressing traveling around/throughout the world, the correct phrase is “por el mundo” - not alrededor.
Does it go well for you?
(Does it work well for you?
Does it suit you?)
¿Te va bien?
I’m coming.
Voy.
Ya voy. (I’m coming right away)
Ahorita voy. (I’m coming right now - or sometimes can mean “in a bit”.)
How about you?
(give 3 ways)
¿Y tú?
The most common and simple way to ask.
¿Qué hay de ti?
Literally, “What about you?”
¿Cómo te va a ti?
“How’s it going for you?”
What do you enjoy the most about… (your job?)
¿Qué es lo que más disfrutas de (tu trabajo)?
“Más” before the verb → Used for emphasis on quantity or degree, most common.
After the verb (“disfrutas más”) → When comparing different aspects of enjoyment.
Both are correct, but “lo que más disfrutas” is more idiomatic when asking about someone’s favorite part of something.
I found out that…
(Ana is pregnant)
Me enteré de que Ana está embarazada.
Enterarse de
“De” focuses on what is being informed about or discovered.
Summary: enterar de = informing someone; enterarse de = finding out about
Enterar de: Active action of informing someone else.
Someone (subject) informs another person (object).
Ejemplo: La policía enteró a los familiares del accidente.
(The police informed the family members about the accident.)
Enterarse de: Focuses on the act of acquiring knowledge, often passively or by chance.
The subject (yourself) becomes aware of something.
Ejemplo: Se enteraron de que había una fiesta.
(They found out there was a party.)
How have you been lately?
¿Cómo has estado últimamente?
I hope it goes well.
Ojalá que salga bien.
Espero que te vaya bien.
Remember that it is “irse” not “ir”.
What time works for you?
What day works for you?
What date works for you?
¿Qué hora te sirve?
¿Qué día te sirve?
¿Qué fecha te sirve?
What do you mean?
(say it 3 ways)
. ¿Qué quieres decir?
¿Cómo así?
¿A qué te refieres (con eso)?
I wish you to be very happy.
Deseo que seas muy feliz.
Ser feliz: Refers to a deeper, long-term state of happiness or contentment.
Estar feliz: Refers to a temporary feeling of happiness.
Translation of the sentence:
“Deseo que seas muy feliz” = “I wish that you are very happy” (as a lasting state).
I’m leaving.
Me voy.
Ya me voy.
Verb: Irse. In constrast to “ir,” it’s the best option when the focus is on the going, when there is no destination mentioned.
Voy saliendo: Used when you want to emphasize that you’re just starting to leave.
That’s it.
(or: There you go.)
Ya está.
I have nothing to say.
No tengo nada que decir.
common structure:
No tengo nada que + infinitive
Tengo algo que + infinitive.
I am glad you are here.
1) Me alegra que estés aquí.
2) Me alegro de que estés aquí.
1-Me alegra uses the verb alegrar in its impersonal form, meaning “to make happy.” Acts like gustar. The subject is que estés aquí, which is a subordinate clause.
Focus: The emphasis is on the situation or action that brings joy (in this case, “that you are here”).
2-alegrarse (to be glad) de que.
Triggers the subjunctive.
Indicates the reason or cause for the emotion.
Focus: The emphasis is on your personal emotional reaction to the situation (“I am glad”).
I’m on my way.
Voy en camino
Espérame 10 minutos más, voy en
camino.
You look good.
Te ves bien.
“Verse” means “to look” or “to appear” in the sense of how someone seems visually.
It’s reflexive because the subject (you) is both seeing and being seen.
literally means “You see yourself well.” but is best translated as “You look good.”
What are you wearing?
Qué llevas puesto?
(llevar has many meanings; this phrase is idiomatic.)
Sentence Breakdown
“¿Qué” → Interrogative pronoun, meaning “What.”
“Llevas” → Second-person singular conjugation of “llevar” (you wear).
“Puesto” → Past participle/adjective, meaning “on” or “worn.”
Meaning
“¿Qué llevas puesto?” literally translates to “What do you carry on?” or “What do you have on?”, but in everyday conversation, it means “What are you wearing?”
I’m about to leave the house.
To be about to do something.
Estoy a punto de salir de casa.
Estar a punto de…
Literal translation: To be at the point of.
Idiomatic meaning: To be about to do something.
Example:
somewhere
en alguna parte
en algún lugar
It’s been a long time since…
Ha pasado mucho tiempo desde que…
(Literally, a long time has passed since that…)
