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…)
I study by myself.
Estudio por mi misma.
They are very tasty.
Son muy sabrosas.
not at all (express several ways)
para nada; en absoluto; de ninguna manera; de ningún modo.
No estoy cansado para nada. (I’m not tired at all.)
Eso no me preocupa para nada.
(That doesn’t worry me at all.)
No hay problema en absoluto.
(There’s no problem at all.)
No me gusta en lo absoluto.
(I don’t like it at all.)
No tiene sentido alguno.
(It doesn’t make any sense at all.)
No me importa ni un poco.
(I don’t care at all.)
“Para nada” is a common expression in Spanish that means “not at all” or “by no means.” While “no para nada” might be technically grammatically correct, it’s not a commonly used expression in Spanish. Typically, “para nada” is used on its own to convey the idea of “not at all.”
to spoil/go bad (food)
echarse a perder
(to run an) errand
To run an errand: hacer un mandado
mandado = errand or groceries
daily life
vida cotidiana/vida diaria
I appreciate that you help me.
Agradezco que me ayudes.
Agradecer (to appreciate, to be grateful)
Apreciar
Reflexive: No
Preposition: No direct preposition; use with que + subjunctive or algo/a alguien.
“Agradecer” is used for expressing thankfulness.
Aprecio que me ayudes.
“Apreciar” is about recognizing value or worth and can have broader applications.
recipes
las recetas
shortly
Dentro de poco
They spend more than they earn.
Ellos gastan más de lo que ganan.
Pattern (when followed by a verb):
más de lo que + verb
menos de lo que + verb
in advance
de antemano (most common - beforehand)
also: todo antes
anticipadamente
I’m worried that you won’t arrive on time.
Me preocupa que no llegues a tiempo. (I’m worried that you won’t arrive on time.)
Preocuparse (por o que): to worry about
Reflexive
Requires por before a noun/verb or que + subjunctive.
to return something
devolver (redundant le)
food trucks
puestos de comida
mindfulness
la atención plena
Sometimes people just adopt “mindfulness” as Spanish.
Plena/o is an adjective that means full.
opposing viewpoints
puntos de vista opuestos
lazy
flojo/a
perezoso/a
shredded chicken
pollo desmenuzado
to schedule
programar
at least
al menos
aging
envejecimiento
landscape
paisaje
over and over
una y otra vez
slices
In Mexican Spanish, the word for “slices” depends on what you are referring to:
“Rebanadas” – Used for slices of bread, cake, cheese, or cold cuts.
Ejemplo: “Quiero dos rebanadas de pan.” (I want two slices of bread.)
“Rodajas” – Used for round slices of things like fruits, vegetables, or cold cuts.
Ejemplo: “Corta unas rodajas de jitomate.” (Cut some slices of tomato.)
“Trozos” / “Pedazos” – Used for irregular pieces rather than even slices.
Ejemplo: “Partí el pastel en trozos.” (I cut the cake into pieces.)
This doesn’t taste like chicken.
Esto no sabe a pollo.
saber a
to taste like (noun)
It smells like fire.
Huele a fuego.
oler a : to smell like (something)
Remember oler is irregular:
yo huelo
tú hueles
ella / él / usted huele
nosotras / nosotros olemos
ellas / ellos / ustedes huelen
Preterite: regular (olí, oliste, olió, olimos, olieron)
What does it smell like?
A qué huele?
It seems like an excuse.
Sonar a = to seem like (don’t confuse with “sounds like” which is “sonar como”)
Parece una excusa.
Suena a excusa.
It sounds like Spanish.
Suena como español.
Sonar como = to sound like (something)
(Don’t confuse with sonar a which is seems like)
tastes like
smells like
sounds like
seems like
tastes like - saber a
smells like - oler a
sounds like - sonar como
seems like - sonar a
a translator (a person)
to translate
un traductor
traducir
classmates/partners
compañeras
I was born in New York, which is very far from where I live now.
Nací en Nueva York, que está muy lejos de donde vivo ahora.
She works part time and can take time off when we want to travel.
Ella trabaja a tiempo parcial y puede tomarse un tiempo libre cuando queremos viajar.
I live in a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of San Francisco.
Vivo en un barrio residencial en las afueras de San Francisco.
Also, there are many Spanish speakers who live near me and I want to talk to them.
Además, hay muchos hispanohablantes que viven cerca de mí y quiero hablar con ellos.
She helps immigrants obtain asylum.
Ella ayuda a (los) inmigrantes a obtener asilo.
She is a psychotherapist and her job is to interview inmigrants and write reports for the court to support their asylum.
Es psicoterapeuta y su trabajo consiste en entrevistar a inmigrantes y redactar informes para el tribunal en apoyo de su asilo.
I don’t know how to get better at speaking.
No sé cómo mejorar al hablar.
“al hablar” means “when speaking” or “upon speaking.”
This “al + infinitive” structure is common in Spanish and is used to indicate that one action happens at the same time as another or as a result of it. Here are a couple more examples:
“Al llegar a casa, me quité los zapatos.” → Upon arriving home, I took off my shoes.
“Se sorprendió al ver el regalo.” → He/She was surprised upon seeing the gift.
Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth about Your Weight
Salud en todas las tallas: la sorprendente verdad sobre su peso
My first book is well-known. The others don’t sell as well.
Mi primer libro es bien conocido. Los otros no se venden tan bien.
Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, and Just Plain Fail to Understand about Weight
Respeto al cuerpo: lo que los libros de salud convencionales se equivocan, dejan de lado y simplemente no entienden sobre el peso
I am mostly retired. But I am a writer and I am slowly writing another book.
Estoy mayoritariamente jubilado. Pero soy escritora y poco a poco estoy escribiendo otro libro.
What I liked most about my work was giving talks and connecting with the audience.
Lo que más me gustaba de mi trabajo era dar charlas y conectar con el público.
I gave scientific and motivational talks about weight, health, and body acceptance.
Ofrecí conferencias científicas y motivacionales sobre el peso, la salud y la aceptación del cuerpo.
I gave talks on health, body acceptance and the value of appreciating our bodies as they are.
Di charlas/pláticas sobre salud, aceptación corporal y el valor de apreciar nuestros cuerpos tal como son.
I gave talks about health, body acceptance and the importance of loving ourselves as we are.
“Di pláticas/charlas sobre salud, aceptación corporal y la importancia de querernos como somos.”
Of everything I did, what I enjoyed the most was giving lectures.
De todo lo que hacía, lo que más disfrutaba era dar conferencias.
Of all my activities, the one I was most passionate about was being a speaker.
De todas mis actividades, la que más me apasionaba era ser oradora.
My most recent book is called…
Mi libro más reciente se llama…
Llamarse is more casual and a better fit than titularse, although that would also be correct.
The title of my first book is…
El título de mi primer libro es…
self-esteem
autoestima
self-love
Amor propio
Sleeping well and eating well is a form of self-care.
Dormir bien y alimentarte bien es una forma de autocuidado.
I feel frustrated.
Me siento frustrada.
Me frustra.
self-acceptance
autoaceptación
I pulled my calf muscle.
The most common way to say “I pulled my calf muscle” in Mexican Spanish is:
“Me jalé el músculo de la pantorrilla.”
Other natural variations include:
“Me lastimé el músculo de la pantorrilla.” (I hurt my calf muscle.)
“Me desgarré el músculo de la pantorrilla.” (I tore my calf muscle—more severe.)
“Me estiré de más la pantorrilla.” (I overstretched my calf.)
“Jalarse un músculo” is a common way to refer to pulling a muscle in everyday speech.
desgarrarse
I want to be sure that…
Quiero asegurarme de que…
I continue making mistakes.
Sigo cometiendo errores.
Seguir + gerund = continue doing something.
It would be good (nice).
Estaría bien.
In the early afternoon…
Al inicio de la tarde…
A primera hora de la tarde…
I’m going to meet up with my friend.
Me voy a juntar con mi amiga.
Or: Voy a juntarme con mi amigo/amiga.
The verb “juntarse” is commonly used in Mexico to mean getting together or hanging out with someone.
You could also say:
“Me voy a ver con mi amigo/amiga.” (More neutral, means “I’m going to see my friend.”)
Encontrarse is grammatically correct and understandable, but it sounds a bit more formal or neutral compared to “juntarse.” It’s often used when referring to planned meetups, like when you’re meeting at a specific location. If you want to emphasize casually hanging out, “juntarse” is the better choice in Mexican Spanish.
Let’s meet at a cafe.
For everyday conversation, “Nos vemos en el café” or “Vamos a juntarnos en el café” would be the most natural in Mexico.
We’re going to get takeaway food and watch a tennis match.
Vamos a comprar comida para llevar y veremos un partido de tenis.
I don’t know what I’m craving for lunch.
No sé qué se me antoja para comer.
In daily Mexican Spanish, the “se me antoja” structure is the most natural way to talk about cravings or being in the mood for something.
- The Verb: “Antojarse” (Pronominal)
“Antojarse” is a pronominal verb, meaning it always comes with reflexive pronouns (like se in this case) and behaves similarly to verbs like gustar.
It expresses a craving or desire for something, but the thing being craved is actually the subject of the sentence.
- The Structure:
✅ Se + indirect object pronoun (me/te/le/nos/les) + verb (3rd person) + subject (thing desired)
For example:
Se me antoja un café. → A coffee is appetizing to me / I feel like having a coffee.
Se te antojan unas enchiladas. → Some enchiladas sound good to you.
Se nos antoja un helado. → We feel like having an ice cream.
- Breaking It Down:
“Se” → Impersonal pronoun used with verbs like antojarse (similar to gustar).
“Me” → Indirect object pronoun indicating who experiences the craving.
“Antoja” → Third-person singular verb (because the subject is singular: un café).
“Un café” → The real subject of the sentence.
If the thing you crave is plural, the verb changes accordingly:
✅ Se me antojan unos tacos. (Tacos = plural, so “antojan” is plural.)
Instead of “se me antoja”, you could say:
✅ “Tengo antojo de un café.” (I have a craving for a coffee.)
But in Mexico, “se me antoja” is far more commonly used.
It’s early, it’s not even 8:00 yet.
“Es temprano, todavía no son las 8:00 am.” (It’s early, it’s not even 8:00 yet.) → This is the most common way to say it.
✅ “Todavía ni son las 8:00.” (Very natural and conversational.)
The keyboard
el teclado
the touchscreen
la pantalla táctil
by themselves
Programs open by themselves.
por sí solos
Los programas se abren por sí solos.
to pay
to earn
to spend
pagar: to pay
ganar: to earn
gastar: to spend
to earn
ganar
to spend
gastar
to fall asleep
Quedarse dormido
What does she dream about?
What do you think she dreams about?
¿Qué soñará?
Sometimes we use the future tense in a question, but it doesn’t mean the future. We use it to speculate or try to guess what’s happening in the present.
It is worth mentioning that
Cabe mencionar
more literally: It is fit to mention (that)
To be familiarized with
Estar familiarizado con
That sucks!
¡Qué feo!
Income
Ingreso
To stay/remain
To belong
Permanecer
Pertenecer
