# Spanish terminology



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

What does NIE, PSOE and ONG mean???
Here's the answer!
Freelance Spain - Spanish Abbreviations and Acronyms


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> What does NIE, PSOE and ONG mean???
> Here's the answer!
> Freelance Spain - Spanish Abbreviations and Acronyms


Very useful - I was wondering what a Pyme was !!

I want to put the record straight with this entry though: _ "CCOO, Comisiones Obreras = Communist trade union" _
Although the Comisiones Obreras (workers' commissions) were founded by the Spanish communist party to try and organise labour rights under Franco, today it is Spain's biggest union with over a million members, and no longer has a communist affiliation.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Spanish terminology
 I thought it may be useful to have some explanations on the forum of some Spanish terminology which the people who live here typically use in their Spanish form as there isn't really an English equivalent or it's a concept we're not so familiar with in the UK. I mean terms like _*gestor*_ which I gave an explanation for in a recent thread.-
 _A gestor/a is a term that doesn't really have an equivalent in British English (nor American I think) basically because there's not so much paperwork involved in our set ups. It's an agent or agency who obtains official documents on clients' behalf. It's money that people often don't want to shell out because it's money that is not often needed in the UK, but it's an essential step for many immigrants who don't know the language and perhaps more importantly, don't know the ropes. The time that these people can save you is incredible, and don't forget the stress and in the end they save you money too! Huge numbers of Spanish people use a gestor as well and there must be a reason for that. _ 
 Is that a reasonable definition??
 

Any other terms that you came across which you found confusing at first?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; } Spanish terminology
> I thought it may be useful to have some explanations on the forum of some Spanish terminology which the people who live here typically use in their Spanish form as there isn't really an English equivalent or it's a concept we're not so familiar with in the UK. I mean terms like _*gestor*_ which I gave an explanation for in a recent thread.-
> _A gestor/a is a term that doesn't really have an equivalent in British English (nor American I think) basically because there's not so much paperwork involved in our set ups. It's an agent or agency who obtains official documents on clients' behalf. It's money that people often don't want to shell out because it's money that is not often needed in the UK, but it's an essential step for many immigrants who don't know the language and perhaps more importantly, don't know the ropes. The time that these people can save you is incredible, and don't forget the stress and in the end they save you money too! Huge numbers of Spanish people use a gestor as well and there must be a reason for that. _
> Is that a reasonable definition??
> ...


actually that's a great idea for a sticky - but what the heck have you done to the font


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

*Tapas, pinchos, pintxos, raciones*

Tapas may be free. If they are, they're usually fairly simple like peanuts or a dish of olives, but not always! There's a bar in Plaza Mayor in Madrid that gives you a smallish serving of paella on a Sunday for example, to accompany your wine or beer. Or you may be given a little sausage on a piece of bread, or a cube of tortilla.
The more elaborate creations are usually paid for and this in my experience could be either a tapa or a pincho. In the Basque country they are called pintxos. Here are some examples of some great pintxos.











In the Basque country there is a long history of pintxos. In other parts of Spain there isn't. Sometimes it just depends on the bar. These snacks are usually inexpensive and can be really really good, but not always... In most bars they are a mid morning, before lunch thing and they are not so usual in the evening.
In the evening (and during the morning) you can often order raciones. These are often similar to tapas or pinchos, but are normally bigger. It could be a plate of cheese or a plate of Iberian ham or some squid, or some chips with sauces...

Does this info coincide with your region of Spain???


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> actually that's a great idea for a sticky - but what the heck have you done to the font


Did I fix it???


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Did I fix it???


that's better:clap2:


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

*Banking terms*

Useful list of banking terminology here:

Glossary of Spanish Banking & Finance Terms - AngloINFO


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

COMUNIDAD


Spain is made up of _comunidades autónomos_

these are autonomous 'communities'

Autonomous communities of Spain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


here's a map of them


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Spanish computing terms:

http://www.braser.com/spanish-basic-vocabulary/spanish-computer-terms.html


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Cookery and culinary terminology:

Spanish For Cooking


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## Sandy Tall (Oct 27, 2010)

I think Saboy is different from aldabis. With aldabis, you start striking from one side of the body and and end up on another side while with saboy, your hand returns where it started...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Cookery and culinary terminology:
> 
> Spanish For Cooking


Lots of useful stuff, but be careful - it's based around Puerto Rican cooking so for example the definitions for hojaldre and bacalao are fine but cafe tinta doesn't exist here, at least in the mainland, and molleja is mollejas and it's a different thing.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

ITV - Is the equivelant of the MOT, but you can't get it done in a garage. You have to go to a special centre which is usually located in the outskirts of the largest local town. Here you can find a list of ITV centres. Look at the menu on the left hand side
ITV Madrid y toda la provincia

Urbanización - Is a residential area, a group of houses built by the same developer. You'll probably have some expenses which are shared by people living with in the same housing development (upkeep of gardens, pool, roads if they are private...)

Ayuntamiento, padron, via de servicio... anyone??


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> ITV - Is the equivelant of the MOT, but you can't get it done in a garage. You have to go to a special centre which is usually located in the outskirts of the largest local town. Here you can find a list of ITV centres. Look at the menu on the left hand side
> ITV Madrid y toda la provincia
> 
> Urbanización - Is a residential area, a group of houses built by the same developer. You'll probably have some expenses which are shared by people living with in the same housing development (upkeep of gardens, pool, roads if they are private...)
> ...


*Ayuntamiento* - local council 


*padron* - there really isn't an equivalent in the UK is there?

at least you don't have to go to register when you move into an area

here is some info http://www.residenteseuropeos.com/pdf/padron_en.pdf

and our own thread here http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/7560-padron.html


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> *padron* - there really isn't an equivalent in the UK is there?


Exactly, which is why I thought an _explanation_ of what it is might come in handy for the uninitiated. 
As for ayuntamiento, we have an equivalent as in there's a translation, but I think the importance is much greater here. Doesn't it have different functions here. I never went to the town hall in the UK. I go three or four times a year here!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Exactly, which is why I thought an _explanation_ of what it is might come in handy for the uninitiated.
> As for ayuntamiento, we have an equivalent as in there's a translation, but I think the importance is much greater here. Doesn't it have different functions here. I never went to the town hall in the UK. I go three or four times a year here!


I think the function of the Ayuntamiento/Ajuntament is pretty much the same as the council offices in the UK

the Spanish love of paperwork maybe means more trips here


actually I've only been to the Ayuntamiento here once - they have moved a lot of the functions (padron, planning, education etc.) to separate offices dotted around the town now


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> I think the function of the Ayuntamiento/Ajuntament is pretty much the same as the council offices in the UK
> 
> the Spanish love of paperwork maybe means more trips here


That must be it.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

INEM - Instituto Nacional de Empleo. The Job Centre
Often mentioned on the forum. You need to go here to be officially registered as unemployed and if you think you are eligible for unemployment benefit. You can also get *Una hoja de vida laboral* which will show all the places you have worked in legally in Spain and what you have paid into the system, and you'll need to go there if you want to be
Autónomo = self employed


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> *padron* - there really isn't an equivalent in the UK is there?
> 
> at least you don't have to go to register when you move into an area


The closest term in the UK is the voters roll: you don't go anywhere to register in the UK but they send the forms by post and it is compulsory to fill and send back, even if you are not eligible to vote in the country.


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## Donna773 (Dec 12, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Spanish terminology
> I thought it may be useful to have some explanations on the forum of some Spanish terminology which the people who live here typically use in their Spanish form as there isn't really an English equivalent or it's a concept we're not so familiar with in the UK. I mean terms like _*gestor*_ which I gave an explanation for in a recent thread.-
> _A gestor/a is a term that doesn't really have an equivalent in British English (nor American I think) basically because there's not so much paperwork involved in our set ups. It's an agent or agency who obtains official documents on clients' behalf. It's money that people often don't want to shell out because it's money that is not often needed in the UK, but it's an essential step for many immigrants who don't know the language and perhaps more importantly, don't know the ropes. The time that these people can save you is incredible, and don't forget the stress and in the end they save you money too! Huge numbers of Spanish people use a gestor as well and there must be a reason for that. _
> Is that a reasonable definition??
> ...


I still giggle at the abbreviation of ''hasta luego'' to what sounds like ''oohgoh'' and the contraction of ''Buenos dias'' to plain ''Buenos''. But although we would never say in English ''Good'' when we mean ''Good morning'', we do tend to say just ''Morning'', so there's a parallel there. I often wonder what Spanish people think when they are greeted with expressions like ''Yore-write'', which seems to be the in-expression in Manchester, where most of my family live. You're right there, did I hear someone say?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Donna773 said:


> I still giggle at the abbreviation of ''hasta luego'' to what sounds like ''oohgoh'' and the contraction of ''Buenos dias'' to plain ''Buenos''. But although we would never say in English ''Good'' when we mean ''Good morning'', we do tend to say just ''Morning'', so there's a parallel there. I often wonder what Spanish people think when they are greeted with expressions like ''Yore-write'', which seems to be the in-expression in Manchester, where most of my family live. You're right there, did I hear someone say?


Anyone learning a language in order to live in a country has to learn dialect words and expressions. Fortunately it's easier than the grammar, because you are hearing it all round you. 

Many of the expressions for "hello, how are you" that I learned in GCSE Spanish before moving here are not actually used; I have never been asked "_¿Como estás?_" for example, here they say "¿_Qué hay?_" or "_¿Qué tal?_" They say _adios_ for hello and _´ta ´hora_ (short for _hasta ahora_) for goodbye. In shops they say _¿Qué te pongo?_.

In English we have lots of contracted expressions and greetings. Bye, ta-rah, ta-ta, cheerio, see ya, 'owzit going, hiya ... not to mention the ubiquitous innit, dunnit, dinnit, wonnit ... all part of the rich tapestry of language!


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Anyone learning a language in order to live in a country has to learn dialect words and expressions. Fortunately it's easier than the grammar, because you are hearing it all round you.
> 
> Many of the expressions for "hello, how are you" that I learned in GCSE Spanish before moving here are not actually used; I have never been asked "_¿Como estás?_" for example, here they say "¿_Qué hay?_" or "_¿Qué tal?_" They say _adios_ for hello and _´ta ´hora_ (short for _hasta ahora_) for goodbye. In shops they say _¿Qué te pongo?_.
> 
> In English we have lots of contracted expressions and greetings. Bye, ta-rah, ta-ta, cheerio, see ya, 'owzit going, hiya ... not to mention the ubiquitous innit, dunnit, dinnit, wonnit ... all part of the rich tapestry of language!


Here ¿Qué tal ? is used as a greeting & if ¿como estás? is used then you or they are expected to fill them on on everything since you last met ! Mostly here all you get though is ¿Qué? Which threw me when I 1st heard it until I realised that my neighbour scouldn't be bothered to say the rest ! ¿Que dice? is another one used infrequently though, shortened from ¿Qué dice el hombre ? Another one for when someone hasn't seen you for ages. Adios is used by everyone here to say hello , only when they have no time to stop & chat.


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## SheilaTranslate (Dec 31, 2010)

*Gestor*



Pesky Wesky said:


> Spanish terminology
> I thought it may be useful to have some explanations on the forum of some Spanish terminology which the people who live here typically use in their Spanish form as there isn't really an English equivalent or it's a concept we're not so familiar with in the UK. I mean terms like _*gestor*_ which I gave an explanation for in a recent thread.-
> _A gestor/a is a term that doesn't really have an equivalent in British English (nor American I think) basically because there's not so much paperwork involved in our set ups. It's an agent or agency who obtains official documents on clients' behalf. It's money that people often don't want to shell out because it's money that is not often needed in the UK, but it's an essential step for many immigrants who don't know the language and perhaps more importantly, don't know the ropes. The time that these people can save you is incredible, and don't forget the stress and in the end they save you money too! Huge numbers of Spanish people use a gestor as well and there must be a reason for that. _
> Is that a reasonable definition??
> ...



That's a really good description. They also do accounting, particularly for freelancers.


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

*Gestor*

I always understood that gestors were created in Franco's time so that those who couldn't read (the peasants) as they were described , could undertake the necessary paperwork so that the taxes were paid.


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