# Spanish that is not English



## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Ran across this on Facebook. A little different than English incorporated into Spanish but interesting. 

Top 21 False Spanish English Cognates We Use Everyday

Top 21 False Spanish English Cognates We Use Everyday


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

sparks said:


> Ran across this on Facebook. A little different than English incorporated into Spanish but interesting.
> 
> Top 21 False Spanish English Cognates We Use Everyday
> 
> Top 21 False Spanish English Cognates We Use Everyday


I used to work as an interpreter at a government agency and their mostly Mexican maintenance staff used "carpeta" for carpet all the time. They also used "lonche" and "lonchar" for lunch and several other "anglecismos". Most of them had been in the US since before Reagan's amnesty so they had really anglicized their Spanish quite a bit.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

circle110 said:


> I used to work as an interpreter at a government agency and their mostly Mexican maintenance staff used "carpeta" for carpet all the time. They also used "lonche" and "lonchar" for lunch and several other "anglecismos". Most of them had been in the US since before Reagan's amnesty so they had really anglicized their Spanish quite a bit.


In Guadalajara, "lonche" is a common term for a sandwich, made on a "birote", which itself is, I believe, a local term for what is called a "bolillo" in other parts of Mexico. The birotes in Jalisco reflect a French influence and have the texture of a French baguette. Whereas, in my experience the bolillos in other parts of Mexico have the texture of WonderBread (now owned by Bimbo),


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> In Guadalajara, "lonche" is a common term for a sandwich, made on a "birote", which itself is, I believe, a local term for what is called a "bolillo" in other parts of Mexico. The birotes in Jalisco reflect a French influence and have the texture of a French baguette. Whereas, in my experience the bolillos in other parts of Mexico have the texture of WonderBread (now owned by Bimbo),


In Mexicali buns are called "birotes" and they are similar in texture to a cruchy French roll. Here in SLP they are callled "bolillos" and most "panaderías" make them crunchy but not fluffy soft in the middle like a "birote". Some are made not crunchy and like you state the texture of a hamburger bun.

VIPS used to serve small crunchy French rolls in a basket that were outstanding. Now they serve pan estragal and pan panini in a basket. Decades ago in CDMX VIPS served warm deep fried wavy cut pan in a basket.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> In Guadalajara, "lonche" is a common term for a sandwich, made on a "birote", which itself is, I believe, a local term for what is called a "bolillo" in other parts of Mexico. The birotes in Jalisco reflect a French influence and have the texture of a French baguette. Whereas, in my experience the bolillos in other parts of Mexico have the texture of WonderBread (now owned by Bimbo),


Birotes, or something like them, are sold in other places, but what is classic tapatío and impossible to find anywhere else is birote salado. Bakers claim that the exact altitude and climate of Guadalajara is the reason why it can't be produced anywhere else. Seems like a fetch, but then I'm mediocre, at best, baking bread. IMO the closest thing to pan salado is San Francisco sourdough, another regional bread very hard to find in legitimate form outside its point of origin. Whenever we're in GDL, there's an obligatory stop at Mercado Atemajac so my wife can fill a gunny sack with pan salado (it freezes well) because the bread situation in Colima is so dismal the best bollillo available is sold at Kiosko,the local OXXO-like chain.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

sparks said:


> Ran across this on Facebook. A little different than English incorporated into Spanish but interesting.
> 
> Top 21 False Spanish English Cognates We Use Everyday
> 
> Top 21 False Spanish English Cognates We Use Everyday


Ah, yes, false cognates, the bane of all language teachers! Thanks for posting this article, sparks.


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## izzenhood (Jun 8, 2013)

perropedorro said:


> Birotes, or something like them, are sold in other places, but what is classic tapatío and impossible to find anywhere else is birote salado. Bakers claim that the exact altitude and climate of Guadalajara is the reason why it can't be produced anywhere else. Seems like a fetch, but then I'm mediocre, at best, baking bread. IMO the closest thing to pan salado is San Francisco sourdough, another regional bread very hard to find in legitimate form outside its point of origin. Whenever we're in GDL, there's an obligatory stop at Mercado Atemajac so my wife can fill a gunny sack with pan salado (it freezes well) because the bread situation in Colima is so dismal the best bollillo available is sold at Kiosko,the local OXXO-like chain.


At a Mega, or something similar, between PV and Salulita they sold something that sounds similar to a Birote, which they called Pan Campiseno I think. They were delicious, and I have had my share of Bimboesque bollillos. They were darker, with better texture, and probably a little more salty than a white bread bollillo. On a Guanajuato forum someone claimed that the best bollillos were at the Mega at Plaza Pozuelos so maybe its a Mega thing.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

Wow, I'm so proud of myself, I actually knew the correct translation of 18 of those false cognates. Must work on the others.

When I asked my worker to pass me the exacto knife, calling it a cuchillo, he informed me that it wasn't a cuchillo, it was a "cooter".


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

surabi said:


> Wow, I'm so proud of myself, I actually knew the correct translation of 18 of those false cognates. Must work on the others.
> 
> When I asked my worker to pass me the exacto knife, calling it a cuchillo, he informed me that it wasn't a cuchillo, it was a "cooter".


That's another real anglicism, "cutter" (from box cutter, pronounced "cooter"). I would call it a _navaja _. Amazon.com.mx calls them "navaja cutter", although some are called _cortadoras_.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Another false cognate is _condescendiente_. It means indulgent, obliging, affable, NOT condescending.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

wáter here means toilet but only in large plumbimg stores and architectural drawings etc. In everyday use they say taza de baño.


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## dwwhiteside (Apr 17, 2013)

AlanMexicali said:


> wáter here means toilet but only in large plumbimg stores and architectural drawings etc. In everyday use they say taza de baño.


That's very interesting. I have never heard taza de baño used before. Generally, the plomeros I have worked with call the toilet the "WC" pronounced as _doe-blay-ue say_.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

AlanMexicali said:


> wáter here means toilet but only in large plumbimg stores and architectural drawings etc. In everyday use they say taza de baño.





dwwhiteside said:


> That's very interesting. I have never heard taza de baño used before. Generally, the plomeros I have worked with call the toilet the "WC" pronounced as _doe-blay-ue say_.


WC = water-closet, which is a British term for toilet or room containing a toilet. WC is also used on architectural drawings both in the US and Mexico. The architectural drawings code WC for toilet is where they got used to saying WC and using the word wáter for toilet possibly. They just dropped the closet part and added an accent on the a to á.

When I mentioned in everyday use taza de baño for toilet I wasn´t thinking of plumbers or construction workers, but people in general.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

dwwhiteside said:


> That's very interesting. I have never heard taza de baño used before. Generally, the plomeros I have worked with call the toilet the "WC" pronounced as _doe-blay-ue say_.


WC is easier to paint over the door. I do see it here sometimes. Still need Mujeres y Hombres. Not many unisex but a few


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

I'd never heard a toilet called _wáter_ before, although I'm definitely used to a washroom/bathroom being a WC. Interesting. 

When I first learned Spanish, I learned _inodoro_ as the word for toilet (literally "the odourless"), and this still is the term I tend to default to. _Sanitario_ is what I commonly hear in our part of Mexico, as well as _taza_ or _taza de baño_.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Another false cognate: _compromiso_

_Compromiso_ means a commitment, not a compromise in the English sense. It can also mean obligation, a duty, an engagement, both engagement to be married or engagement as an activity. For instance, if asked if I am available next Saturday and I have something already scheduled, I might say,_ "No, ya tengo otro compromiso el sábado." _

At a Mexican market you might hear invitations to view the wares_ "sin compromiso"_ - no obligation to buy.

It can also mean a sense of social duty:_ "¿Vas a la fiesta?" "Realmente no tengo muchas ganas de ir, pero voy por compromiso."_
"Are you going to the party?" "I don't much feel like going, but I'll go because I should."

So if _compromiso _isn't a compromise, how do you say "compromise" in Spanish? It's complicated. That will be another post, because I've got to run. _"Tengo muchos compromisos hoy."_


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Well, I just discovered that "el ranking" is officially included in the Spanish language, meaning the same as in English. I found it on a gob.mx website (arcane reading when you wake in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep...). The sentence was: _El ranking de países que realizan los autores..._. I checked on DRAE and, indeed, "ranking" is now included officially in the Spanish language. 

Two other words which have been ubiquitously incorporated into Spanish from English:

líder = leader (For years I was unaware that "líder" was not originally a Spanish word.)

mitin = meeting


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> Well, I just discovered that "el ranking" is officially included in the Spanish language, meaning the same as in English. I found it on a gob.mx website (arcane reading when you wake in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep...). The sentence was: _El ranking de países que realizan los autores..._. I checked on DRAE and, indeed, "ranking" is now included officially in the Spanish language.
> 
> Two other words which have been ubiquitously incorporated into Spanish from English:
> 
> ...


I think that "mítin" is a false cognate. It means a demonstration or rally. A "meeting" is "reunión".


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

The world of tech is replete with English words and phrases, but I suspect that's worldwide. They generally have a Spanish translation, but it's used interchangeably with _hard drive, flash, mouse, software_, etc. This comes to me from my computer guru known to his friends and family by his nickname: _Nerd_


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> I think that "mítin" is a false cognate. It means a demonstration or rally. A "meeting" is "reunión".


Thanks for the clarification, Isla, and I should have pointed that out. 

Ironically, "mitin" is a semi-false cognate that was incorporated into Spanish from the English word "meeting". A political rally is a type of "meeting", but it's not what most of us would think of when we hear the word meeting.

Here's the DRAE entry: http://dle.rae.es/?id=PQI3N5V

And a couple of links regarding how and when it got incorporated into Spanish: 

https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitin

MITIN


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> I think that "mítin" is a false cognate. It means a demonstration or rally. A "meeting" is "reunión".


"Demonstration" made me think of another word in which a common use in Spanish isn't used the same in English.

_Manifestación _ is the word commonly used for a political demonstration or protest march. 

But it's not a false cognate, as it can also be used similar to how it is used in English.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> "Demonstration" made me think of another word in which a common use in Spanish isn't used the same in English.
> 
> _Manifestación _ is the word commonly used for a political demonstration or protest march.
> 
> But it's not a false cognate, as it can also be used similar to how it is used in English.


You're right. It's a semi-false cognate.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Experiment and _experimentar_ are not false cognates if translating from English to Spanish, but they can be if going from Spanish to English. 

If you want to use the English verb "experiment" in Spanish, _experimentar_ is a perfectly fine translation. 

But how _experimentar _is commonly used in day to day Spanish often does not mean "experiment", it means "experience" (as a verb). "Quiero experimentar muchas cosas en la vida" = I want to experience many things in life."


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

*Discutir vs Discuss*

When I was first learning Spanish, I presumed _discutir / discusión _would be the same as discuss / discussion. 

In my first marriage, when any issue arose, I said we should "discutirlo", thinking I was saying we should discuss them, i.e. talk about it in a calm, rational manner. What I was actually saying was that we should argue about it.

_Discutir_ means argue. To indicate you want to calmly discuss something, you can use _hablar, platicar, conversar or charlar._ Not _discutir_.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

*Un rato is not a rat*

Despite what it sounds like, _un rato_ is not a rat, and _un ratito_ is not a little rat or mouse. _Rato_ is a period of time, usually a short period of time, but as language tends to not be completely logical, it can also mean an intermediate period or even a very long, indefinite period of time.

If someone tells you they'll be with you "en un ratito", it's the same as saying they'll be with you shortly. If you spent a pleasant, not too short, not too long, time visiting with someone, you might say, _"Pasamos un buen rato platicando." _ But to illustrate how the exact period of time indicated by _rato_ can vary, if you want to indicate something has been happening for a long time, you can also use _un buen rato_ - _"Ya tienen un buen rato de estar juntos"_ - "They've been together a pretty long time."

_Un mal rato_ means going through a bad stretch of time, for whatever reason. Again, how long the stretch is variable. 

_Hace rato_ means a while ago. Again very indefinite in terms of precise time frame. As a doctor, I often get people saying they've had certain symptoms, "Hace rato." I then have to get them to be more precise in terms of days, weeks or months.

To say something was more recent, such as within the past few hours, you would say _"Hace *un* rato"_ or _"Hace *un* ratito"_. The "un" usually indicates a more recent time frame than "_Hace rato."_

If you are going to lay down to rest, _Voy a descansar un rato._

If you are going to do something soon, _"Lo voy a hacer al rato."_ For instance, if my kids ask if I'm going to the store, I might answer, _"Sí, al rato." _

Sometimes _rato_ can imply that something is going to take a very long time to resolve (maybe never), e.g. _Ese asunto va para largo rato._

So, if you are in the early learning phases of learning Spanish, and wonder why there are so many references to rats, now you know. 

N.B. In the interest of completeness, the Real Academia Española dictionary does include "male rat" as a more uncommon meaning of rato. I have never heard it used that way. I've only heard _rata_ for rat and _ratón_ for mouse.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

"Un rato" is also not "rate". I was with a friend once who wanted to change some money in a bank. He asked about "el rato de cambio". When the teller said the hours were from 10:00 to 12:00, he tried several more times in a louder voice each time. Finally, someone at a nearby window told the teller he wanted to know "el tipo de cambio".


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

TundraGreen said:


> "Un rato" is also not "rate". I was with a friend once who wanted to change some money in a bank. He asked about "el rato de cambio". When the teller said the hours were from 10:00 to 12:00, he tried several more times in a louder voice each time. Finally, someone at a nearby window told the teller he wanted to know "el tipo de cambio".


That is so funny, especially the part about speaking louder and louder to make the other person understand. I've seen that happen a lot.

"Tasa de cambio" is also sometimes used for exchange rate.


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

*I've got one!!*

Oh, and who can forget that "grocerías" are NOT groceries but obscenities, offensive or "gross things"...? I've heard a few newbies make the mistake of saying they "...fueron a comprar grocerías..." to the amusement of other listeners.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Howler said:


> Oh, and who can forget that "grocerías" are NOT groceries but obscenities, offensive or "gross things"...? I've heard a few newbies make the mistake of saying they "...fueron a comprar grocerías..." to the amusement of other listeners.


By that way, that's spelled "gro*s*erías.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> By that way, that's spelled "gro*s*erías.


Probably a cognate of the English word "gross", as in "that is gross", i.e. "disgusting".


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> Probably a cognate of the English word "gross", as in "that is gross", i.e. "disgusting".


Here you go: grosero translation English | Spanish dictionary | Reverso

In my opinion, the current POTUS is "grosero".


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> Probably a cognate of the English word "gross", as in "that is gross", i.e. "disgusting".


I find that I'm fortunate that I'm a native French speaker because that makes learning Spanish so much easier and there aren't nearly as many false cognates. I would not have made the mistake of thinking that "grosero" means groceries because I would immediately recognise it as being related to "grossier," which is coarse, rude, uncouth, even obscene, as you all have pointed out.

But I have mixed up, among others, oso and hueso. Because bone in French is os. As in I asked for a bear for my dog. 

I think my favourite false cognate for both French and English has to be the verb to have a cold (estar constipado). One of my poor Spanish teachers, when learning English, would tell everyone she knew that she was "constipated" when she had a runny nose until someone took pity on her. :lol:

And let's all make sure not to tell anyone we're "pregnant" (embarazados) about our mistakes instead of "avergonzados"!


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

*...here's a few more*

Okay... it's "groserías" in Spanish that are not "groceries" in English. Yes, "grosero" is also a cognate related to the word "gross". 

As I was getting my veterans flag out to replace the Mexican one on my front porch (for the weekend)... it occurred to me that "bravo" (as in the Mexican perro at the door) is not the same as "brave" in English; and that :mad2: "coraje" doesn't not mean "courage" in English.
*
Are you getting ready for the quiz yet... class?* :eek2:

*Here's some extra credit:* 
How about "limones" and "limas" in Spanish being "limes"; and "lemons", respectively, in English...? 

(Sorry about the color change for the citrus, but I couldn't resist!)


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

My friends say "tengo gripa" when they have a cold and "me da pena" when they are embarrased..
which always leave me wondering if they have a cold or the flu or a cold.
I have not heard constipado here.. in Spain yes but not here. Is it used here? 
also I think they are in pain rather than embarrassed ..


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

citlali said:


> My friends say "tengo gripa" when they have a cold and "me da pena" when they are embarrased..
> which always leave me wondering if they have a cold or the flu or a cold.
> I have not heard constipado here.. in Spain yes but not here. Is it used here?
> also I think they are in pain rather than embarrassed ..


Gripa is like in French where we colloquially don't differentiate between grippe (flu) and rhume (cold). Pena is related to "peine" (sadness). Me da pena is literally "it makes me sad" and can also be interpreted to mean "I'm sorry."

I have no idea if constipado is used her or not -- probably not! Thanks for pointing that out! I studied European Spanish for more than 20 years and now I'm learning Mexican. It can be confusing! :help: I've learned not to ask here for, among others, a ducha, melocotones, zumo, batatas, and el aseo and instead have learned regadera, duraznos, jugo, camotes, and el baño or los servicios if I want to be fancy. 

@Howler -- coraje does not mean courage in Mexican Spanish?! Mind blown if that's the case! What, praytell, does it mean here then?!


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

*Hmmmm.... (I stand corrected?)*



travelingrae said:


> @Howler -- coraje does not mean courage in Mexican Spanish?! Mind blown if that's the case! What, praytell, does it mean here then?!


Hello Rae!

Although I just looked it up online to find it listed as a true cognate of "courage" (surprise to me!), I have always heard "coraje" defined & used in Mexico to describe an intense "anger" or "furor". The common expression I've always heard used for courage is "valor" (Spanish) - which is a true cognate, also, of the English "valor"... as in "valoroso" = "valorous".

This is fun... keep it goin' !! :typing:


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

Howler said:


> I have always heard "coraje" defined & used in Mexico to describe an intense "anger" or "furor".


And that's where we get into idiomatic phrases!

I can't get over how different Mexican Spanish is from European -- it's just like comparing UK and Canadian/American English. One of the big ones is that I've learned not to use "coger" here, but in Spain, I would have been looked at strange if I'd use "tomar" in terms of taking the bus. And I had to get used here to tomar meaning the same as beber!

There is an English influence on Mexican Spanish. Mexico is the only Spanish speaking country to use "rentar" for "to rent." It's also one of the few countries that uses "carro" for "car." But, strangely enough, they use estacionamiento here and parking in Spain! 

I'm learning a lot from this thread. Thank you to everyone for the knowledge you're imparting!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

The fun part is that the vocabulary changes as you go from country to country in Latin America...
When I was in Peru last year my mind went blank when I started reading the menus at restaurants..so many words were different.. You pick it up quickly but for the first week.. it was a challenge..


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

citlali said:


> The fun part is that the vocabulary changes as you go from country to country in Latin America...
> When I was in Peru last year my mind went blank when I started reading the menus at restaurants..so many words were different.. You pick it up quickly but for the first week.. it was a challenge..


Menus vary greatly even within the same country! A gordita in Mazatlán is not a gordita in any other part of the country I've visited. And Yucatán cuisine is a thing unto itself. I still haven't figured out the menus, like salbute and panucho (which both sound very similar...).

And let's not get into the tomate and jitomate debacle, which I wrote about on my blog (link goes directly to the article).


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

travelingrae said:


> But I have mixed up, among others, oso and hueso. Because bone in French is os. As in I asked for a bear for my dog.


That makes me think of the poor young lady in one of my early immersion classes in Mexico that confused caballo with caballero. She asked a group of Mexicans, "Hay un caballero por aquí que puedo montar?".


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

circle110 said:


> That makes me think of the poor young lady in one of my early immersion classes in Mexico that confused caballo with caballero. She asked a group of Mexicans, "Hay un caballero por aquí que puedo montar?".


:lol:

Back in the early early days, I ordered a jabón sandwich instead of jamón. In my defence, ham has both the m and the b in French (jambon)!

These might not sound that similar, but I'm apparently not the first or last person to have ordered cojone instead of conejo. I'm just glad I didn't get some prairie oysters.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

not long ago I was with 2 shy indigenous women from Chiapas and I would looking for a small comb, we walked in in this small old fashion store where the owner was this very formal old lady and I told her I wanted a small pene rather than peine...my 2 friends died laughing, the old lady kept a straight face and I realized what I had said so I say to the woman "a moreno will do" and she died laughing.. I got a brown comb for that one..on the house..


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

*más... (whew!!)*

I've been going over the years I've spent as a missionary, husband & father in a Mexican-American family, in the military and as a Spanish teacher - and of all the mistakes I made or heard others make, especially with false cognates. Here are are few of them, which I'm sure will bring to mind some humorous memories of your own involving some of these same terms:

Interesting how "grabar" in Mexico is not to "grab" anything but to engrave or record; and that "recordar" ('remember' in English) does not mean to "record"... can anyone says "Malapropism"?

"pegar" - to hit or strike, not (to) "pay" (one of my very first mistakes I made in Mexico in a restaurant); leading me to learn that "delito" is not "delight", but crime... although some twisted people do delight in their crimes.

Also, you could go right over the "cataratas" (waterfall) if you have "cataracts" in your eyes.

"educado" - is used to mean polite or well-mannered, not "educated"; in college I also learned that a "lectura" is (a) reading, not a "lecture".

As I anticipated getting out of the Army many would ask me about my "jubilación" (retirement); "Of course," I'd answer - I felt a lot of "jubilation" or happiness about it... It always made sense to me that a retired person in Mexico would feel or be "jubilated" (or joyful) when they were described to me as being "jubilado/a". As you can imagine, my wife could get very amused or annoyed with me - take your pick!

She (my wife) used to call or refer to me as "gracioso"... to which I replied "muchos me dicen 'gracias' for being such a "gracious" person" - *NOT!!* Yeah, more annoyance (for her). Once, when I was really on a roll I almost got offended when she called me an "as" (in Spanish) meaning 'ace'... I thought she was uncharacteristically calling me an "ass".

Speaking of asses, I've heard other poor unfortunates think that being called (a) "c%lo" meant they were "cool". Boy, were they the 'butt(hole)' of the joke! (Mexico & Honduras)

Upon finally retiring from the Army, I had to remember that I wasn't going to a "colegio" (private or day school) to get my "bachillerato" (HS diploma or specialization certificate); by then I had to go to "college" to get my "bachelor" degree.

In the classroom, "contestar" meant to answer a question, but could also mean to 'argue' or 'debate' something; all of that instead of having a "contest"... (although to argue can be a contest of wills or opinions)

When I became a teacher, of course I encouraged my middle & high school students to do their best & go to college so they could have a lot of "éxito" (meaning success); others saw only the word "exit" as in 'get myself out the nearest door as soon as the bell rings!'... For those so inclined, I had to tell them the "salida" sign above the door meant 'exit' and had nothing to do with "salad" for lunch. Many got hungry thinking "buffet" in English when their Spanish vocabulary included "bufete" (law office or firm).

One of the first things my students learned was that putting their "nombre" at the top of the paper meant putting their name there, instead of their student "number". Of course I encouraged them to study often in the "library"... not the "librería" (bookstore). They'd have to leave the school to find a Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble or B. Dalton's near us. Not permitted during school hours!

Sometimes, I'd have those kids that would mess up or want to do their own thing... yep - I had to send them to the "office", not the "oficio" (official); for the curious I explained that the word "principal" in Mexico means chief or main (as in 'la cosa principal') - still spelled the same; and that a "principal" was called a 'director' (same spelling as "director" in English), in Spanish. For that matter, "principio" (principle) did not mean "prince", either.

When we discussed eating & meals, there was confusion sometimes with the Spanish words "vaso" (drinking glass), "copa" (cup), "pan" (bread) and "receta" (recipe) sounding respectively like the English words "vase", "cope" (as in to cope with something), "pan" (or skillet) and "receipt".

In numbers, at times I had to correct the pronunciation for "once" (eleven) in Spanish from how they read it as "once" in English. As an aside, I once gave a clue to one of my students on a quiz, who was having trouble with large numbers in Spanish. I told him that "...the blind man doesn't see hundreds..." It took him a moment, then he laughed & got the correct answer: 900 (as in 'novecientos'... [no - ve - cientos]). Did you get it?

At daily roll call "presente" (present, here) was an acceptable answer - no, I didn't give a gift or "present" just for being there. Conference times meant that I met with my students' "parents" (English) - not their "parientes" (extended family & relations). The correct term in Spanish was to meet with their "padres" (parents or plural for 'fathers'). Imagine the mental awkwardness of dealing with a pair of lesbian parents... "madres" or still "padres"??

Some other tidbits include "efectivo" (cash or in the present, now)... not "effective"; "raro" (strange or unusual), not "rare" - although seeing something unusual could be a rare experience; "red" (network or internet) does not mean the color "red"; "ropa" (clothing), not "rope"; and "sano" means clean, healthy or fit in Spanish - not "sane".

Okay, here comes the último (last, or latest), not the "ultimate" round: Once I was talking about how "excitado" I was to be in Mexico, and I also told them on that night that "yo soy muy 'caliente'"... Imagine my embarrassment when everyone howled with laughter as my fellow missionaries took me aside to explain how I had just announced how sexually aroused & horny I was to EVERYONE - not "excited" (in the otherwise unexciting way). To that end, remember that "sensible" (sensitive) is not the same in the English "sensible" (as in smart or intelligent)... which I wasn't that evening.

Funny how "listo" (ready or smart) does not mean not "list" - yet this 'lista' can go on & on... Go figure!


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

That was _brilliant_. Thank you! It really gave me an insight into why native English speakers have difficulties learning Spanish. The only one in your list that really threw me off for a while is "ropa." I would always get that one confused with "vestido" (dress) because a dress is a "robe" in French and clothes are "vêtements." We all have our own little quirks.

My word of day is jubilación. I'll never get that one now!


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## xolo (May 25, 2014)

Those are great vocabulary words, as are the other examples that have been given. But, although vocabulary _is_ a hurdle for English speakers, it is not _the_ hurdle. That _great_ hurdle, at least in my opinion, would be _communicative competence._ That is not grammar rules per se, it is the language as a whole, but in terms of grammar it is the unconscious correct use of the pronoun _se_, gender and number agreement, sentence structure, and many others. That is based on my personal experience, experience in the university classroom, and research.


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

xolo said:


> That is not grammar rules per se, it is the language as a whole, but in terms of grammar it is the unconscious correct use of the pronoun _se_, gender and number agreement, sentence structure, and many others.


I agree with you on that. I have lots of friends who are native English speakers who have an impressive Spanish vocabulary, but who cannot combine them into sentences. This is where I, as a native French speaker, have an enormous advantage since French and Spanish have very similar genders, pronouns, sentence structure, and verb conjugation, never mind that so much of the vocabulary is so close.

I am in absolute awe of English speakers who manage to acquire even a rudimentary amount of Spanish, especially when they start later in life, because language acquisition gets harder and harder as you get older. I hope that all of you who are struggling are being patient with and proud of yourselves. :clap2:


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

I don't go on the forum for a couple of days, and I miss all the fun! 

Great post, Howler. I'm counting the days (which sadly are still years) _hasta que me pueda jubilar._ When that day arrives, there will be much jubilation, not because I don't love my job, but because I will then be able to spend much of the year in Mexico. I must have looked up the etymology of _jubilación/ jubilarse_ years ago, because in my brain I've long associated it with the Biblical concept of "Jubilee" year, which occurred every 50 years, when slaves and prisoners were set free and debts were forgiven - the idea being that after several decades of hard work, employees are "set free" "jubilados". And indeed, according to the RAE http://dle.rae.es/?id=MZ6ZvZa that is the origin of the word.

A couple of side notes, which stood out to me as I use Spanish in a medical context on a daily basis:

In addition to _catarata_ meaning waterfall, it DOES also mean "cataract". So it's a true cognate - even more so because "cataract" in English can also refer to a waterfall, although we don't much hear it used that way in common use, at least not on this side of the pond.

_Receta_ also means "prescription". _Recetar_ is "to prescribe". 
I have heard Spanish speaking patients in Canada refer to a prescription as a "recipe" when speaking English. And of course, the shorthand for prescription is Rx, shorthand for the Latin "recipe". What I didn't realize until now is that in the past "recipe" was a term used in English in reference to a prescription! 
In Spanish, you can also use _prescripción_, although I find _receta_ is more commonly used in Mexico and Central America. 

In terms of _constipado_ I have heard it used in reference to nasal congestion/ runny nose by Mexicans, but generally in reference to a cold I hear, "Estoy agripado/a" or "Estoy acatarrado/a", or "Tengo gripe", "Tengo gripa" (either _la gripe _ or _la gripa_ can be used), or "Tengo catarro". 

And of course the way to say you are constipated is "Estoy estreñido/a". The word for constipation is "estreñimiento". Just in case someone has to visit a doctor in Mexico with such a problem, now you have this in your vocabulary.


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

*The fun continues!*



xolo said:


> ...although vocabulary _is_ a hurdle for English speakers, it is not _the_ hurdle. That _great_ hurdle, at least in my opinion, would be _communicative competence._ That is not grammar rules per se, it is the language as a whole, but in terms of grammar it is the unconscious correct use of the pronoun _se_, gender and number agreement, sentence structure, and many others...


AGREED! When I first started out, I was being 'taught' with a lot of rote memorization of vocabulary words, which sometimes drove me nuts. One day, out of boredom, I looked in the front part of my trusty "501 Spanish Verbs" and it opened up a whole new world for me to learning the language... particularly by understanding & learning the verb tenses. Then I could connect up all the vocabulary I learned & put it into a proper place & time. Everyday was a new challenge to go out & listen for a particular verb tense, or for how a certain pronoun & gender agreement or irregularity would be used... then to somehow use it, too. I grew to have a great love for the language & the people who spoke it - who, in turn, graciously helped me learn it through all my mistakes & flubs. Even now, I still enjoy hearing or learning something new about the language.

It was great fun teaching, because I knew where most of the mistakes would be made - because I made them before. It also gave me some great stories to tell as a means to loosen up the classes and not have them feel so self-conscious - as they were wont to do at that age. I sort of back-doored my way into Spanish having an introduction to the formal Castilian form, then having to adapt that to living & speaking in Mexico. Later I used it throughout my home life & military career and continued to learn & refine my knowledge & use of the language until I finally got to college. I tested out on all that they would allow me, then took the rest of the courses required for the degree. I'm so glad that I had the practical experience with Spanish before getting into the classroom with it... it made it so much easier for me - and I'd say also for my students. As you can tell, I still miss teaching so much!



ojosazules11 said:


> I don't go on the forum for a couple of days, and I miss all the fun!


No - you just added to it when you got back! 

A couple of thoughts: About the etymology of "jubilation" relating to the 50 year "jubilee" concept in the Bible... Hmmmm - it takes most people about 50 years to retire once they start working, especially if they start right out of high school. Maybe there's something to that...? For some, it must feel like more than 50 years to finally retire. Still, the feeling must be the same whenever that blessed day finally comes!

About those cataratas... you're correct, the word can be a true cognate for those who know of "cataract" as a synonym for waterfall. What brought me back to this one was remembering another word, "cascadas" (as in 'cascades') that I used to mess up badly with the word "cáscaras" (fruit or vegetable peels... and shells & helmets). It took me several false starts to get it straight, to amusement of those around me. (Imagine swimming in a banana peel or sports helmet?) 

Finally, on the subject of constipation - I'm not sure if it has already been mentioned before, but the expression I hear commonly used for it is "tapado/a"... as in "capped" or "sealed off". Regarding the word "estriñido" in Spanish - it took me awhile to figure out that it was not "*re-*estriñido" because of how some areas will add that re- prefix to indicate an extreme or pronounced situation. Understandable for anyone suffering from the condition!

This has been so fun!!!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

A rather minor contribution to this fascinating discussion: "sopa" is not "soap", but rather "soup", though at least in Mexico "chicken soup" is "caldo de pollo" not "sopa de pollo".


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

Isla Verde said:


> A rather minor contribution to this fascinating discussion: "sopa" is not "soap", but rather "soup", though at least in Mexico "chicken soup" is "caldo de pollo" not "sopa de pollo".


Caldo is broth/bouillon/stock/consommé. Using that instead of "soup" seems less strange to me than the fact that they call the shower a watering can (regadera) here! 

I'm just glad that here orange as in both the colour and the fruit is "naranja." Because trying saying "anaranjado" (for the colour) three times fast!


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

I'm working on the imperfect tense these days and I'm once again struck by just how much easier English verb conjugations were to learn.

Spanish: Comía, comías, comía, comíamos, comíais, comían

English: Ate, ate, ate, ate, ate, ate :lol:


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

travelingrae said:


> I'm working on the imperfect tense these days and I'm once again struck by just how much easier English verb conjugations were to learn.
> 
> Spanish: Comía, comías, comía, comíamos, comíais, comían
> 
> English: Ate, ate, ate, ate, ate, ate :lol:


I would recommend skipping "comíais", unless you plan to spend time in Spain. The "vosotros" form is never used in Mexico!


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## travelingrae (Dec 9, 2016)

Isla Verde said:


> I would recommend skipping "comíais", unless you plan to spend time in Spain. The "vosotros" form is never used in Mexico!


Yeah, I know, but the apps I use include it and I can't get through the lessons without it.  But that said, when I was in Spain, I was glad that I know vosotros because they really do use it there.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> A rather minor contribution to this fascinating discussion: "sopa" is not "soap", but rather "soup", though at least in Mexico "chicken soup" is "caldo de pollo" not "sopa de pollo".


In Puebla, "sopa" is used for pasta dishes - technically they are referred to as "sopa seca" (dry soup), but my Poblana daughter-in-law and her family just call a pasta dish "sopa". I remember being really confused when my daughter-in-law said she was bringing "sopa" to a picnic. I thought it was pretty impractical - and potentially messy - to bring soup to a picnic. It was actually a macaroni salad. 

I don't know how widespread this particular use of _sopa_ is in Mexico, or if it's primarily used this way in Puebla. 




travelingrae said:


> Caldo is broth/bouillon/stock/consommé. Using that instead of "soup" seems less strange to me than the fact that they call the shower a watering can (regadera) here!
> 
> I'm just glad that here orange as in both the colour and the fruit is "naranja." Because trying saying "anaranjado" (for the colour) three times fast!


_Regadera_ was the word I first learned for shower, but _ducha_ is also understood and easier to say.  I also learned "anaranjado" as the colour orange, and it's what I still use.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

*"Propio" as reply to "Con permiso"*

I've been speaking Spanish as part of my daily life for over 30 years. While I have friends from all over Latin America, my Spanish has mostly been learned from and influenced by Central Americans, Guatemalans in particular, and by Mexicans. 

So I was surprised when I recently heard a phrase used in a context which I had never taken note of before. Maybe because I heard it twice within about an hour, and then again a week later, it kind of stood out and I took note.

The first time was in the central market in Guatemala City. I said "Con permiso" as I squeezed passed someone who was partially blocking the passage way, and he replied, "Propio". Then when I got back to the house where I was staying, I said, "Con permiso" as I entered, and the woman who was doing the cleaning responded, "Es propio." 

So I asked my friends about using "Propio" or "Es propio" in response to "Con permiso". They said it is mostly used by older people, and in particular people from small villages, who may speak in more of an old-fashioned way. It essentially means that when one requests permission to pass, "es propio" - "It is yours". 

I thought maybe this was more of a Guatemalan thing, but then I was back in Mexico, at our next-door neighbours. My husband said, "Con permiso" as he was leaving and my neighbour (who is only in her 30's) said, "Propio". So I guess it is used in Mexico as well. 

Are others familiar with this use of "Propio"?


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

well it is sopa de tortilla and not caldo de tortilla.. so they are not interchangeable.. The caldo de pollo is a broth that cooked the chiken when caldo de pollo is used to make sopa de tortilla..


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

citlali said:


> well it is sopa de tortilla and not caldo de tortilla.. so they are not interchangeable.. The caldo de pollo is a broth that cooked the chiken when caldo de pollo is used to make sopa de tortilla..


I've always used _sopa_ as a kind of soup, only heard it in reference to pasta dishes / macaroni salads in Puebla. When I've asked friends from other parts of Mexico about this they say that would be a _sopa seca _ (dry soup).

But you are right that _sopa _and _caldo_ are not interchangeable, even when both refer to a kind of liquid soup. And _caldo de pollo_ or _caldo de res_ can refer to just the broth, which is then used as the base for something else, or as the chicken or beef soup itself, with the meat, vegetables, etc. In our family _caldo de res_ tends to be a Sunday tradition. But I hear both _caldo de mariscos _and _sopa de mariscos_. One _sopa de mariscos_ recipe I recently read uses _caldo de jitomate_ as the base. I also read something which suggested that _sopas _ tend to have a carbohydrate in them, e.g. noodles, rice, tortilla, etc.

When I was in Guatemala recently, my friend asked if I wanted "sopa de tortilla". Thinking of _sopa azteca _, I said it was one of my favourites. But how she made it was with day old tortillas, torn in pieces, lightly sautéed, then chicken broth poured over it, which the tortillas absorbed. No tomatoes, no avocado. It wasn't liquidy at all, but was moist and tasty. Completely different than _sopa de tortilla_ in Mexico.

Consomé is the pure broth, in my experience usually way to salty for me, but a good choice if Moctezuma has extracted his revenge. Then there are the _cremas_, the cream soups, such as cream of broccoli, of spinach, asparagus, carrot etc.

In the end, I don't care so much what it's called, but how it tastes!


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

*How about 'sopas'...?*

Hmmm... good posts, Ojitos y Citlali! My 2 centavos worth:

1) I've heard "(Es) propio" often through the years as a response to "Con permiso" or "Pásele"... or it is interchangeable with "Con confianza". Although I couldn't make sense of why they used that choice of words in those responses, but it was unusual enough (in my mind) that it was easy for me to remember & use like everybody else.

2) Yeah, I've heard "sopa" & "caldo" used interchangeably, too... but not for a pasta salad or dish. Keep in mind that my in-country Spanish-speaking experience has centered chiefly around the Veracruz & gulf coast area over the last 30 years - but also with Mexican "ex-pats" from all over Mexico up here NOB. Technically speaking, I think "sopa" is a (thinner) soup dish; while "caldo" is more of a thick, broth-based concoction full of meat and/or vegetables.

Here's one for you: I've often heard the word "sopas" (used in plural) to describe a blow as in being knocked in the head or unexpectedly. An example would be something like: "Ellos estaban discutiendo cuando <¡sopas!> empezaron a pegarse..." (Kind of like "pow", upside the head 'Batman' style.) I'd usually laugh at the image of someone hitting the other other with a bowl of soup, kind of like the cream pie fights we saw on TV in our younger years. Anyone else heard of the same use for the word?

It's good to keep hearing from y'all!!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Yes I love the caldo de rez with mint and dried smoked beef..that is my favorite dish in Zinnacantan..


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

citlali said:


> Yes I love the caldo de rez with mint and dried smoked beef..that is my favorite dish in Zinnacantan..


¡Sopas! Sounds tasty to me!!


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Here's a link to a recipe for a type of _sopa seca_ (pasta dish). The website reminded me that soupy _sopa_ can be referred to as a _sopa aguada_ to differentiate it from a _sopa seca_.

Sopa seca de fideo, entrañable plato casero mexicano


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Howler said:


> Hmmm... good posts, Ojitos y Citlali! My 2 centavos worth:
> 
> 1) I've heard "(Es) propio" often through the years as a response to "Con permiso" or "Pásele"... or it is interchangeable with "Con confianza". Although I couldn't make sense of why they used that choice of words in those responses, but it was unusual enough (in my mind) that it was easy for me to remember & use like everybody else.
> 
> ...


I've always heard (and use) "Pase", "Pase Ud", "Pasa adelante", "Adelante", "Pásele" etc. in response to "Con permiso." I can't imagine that I had not heard "Propio" as a response in over 34 years and then suddenly I heard it 3 times in one week. I haven't heard it since, but now that I'm attuned to it, I'll see how often it pops up, and in what context.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> Here's a link to a recipe for a type of _sopa seca_ (pasta dish). The website reminded me that soupy _sopa_ can be referred to as a _sopa aguada_ to differentiate it from a _sopa seca_.
> 
> Sopa seca de fideo, entraÃ±able plato casero mexicano


Here any small pasta noodles in watery tomato based dishes are called sopa. Large pasta noodles in any type of sauce is called pasta. If you add blenderized to liquid tomatoes and a few vegtables, which is very common here, it is also called sopa [sopa seca but they don´t call it that] and do not call it arroz.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

AlanMexicali said:


> Here any small pasta noodles in watery tomato based dishes are called sopa. Large pasta noodles in any type of sauce is called pasta. If you add blenderized to liquid tomatoes and a few vegtables, which is very common here, it is also called sopa [sopa seca but they don´t call it that] and do not call it arroz.


I've learned to ask my daughter-in-law when she says she is making "sopa" if she means "sopa aguada" or "sopa seca" - or as I tease her "La sopa que en realidad es pasta." She just laughs.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> I've learned to ask my daughter-in-law when she says she is making "sopa" if she means "sopa aguada" or "sopa seca" - or as I tease her "La sopa que en realidad es pasta." She just laughs.


" If you add blenderized to liquid tomatoes and a few vegtables to rice, which is very common here, it is also called sopa [sopa seca but they don´t call it that] and do not call it arroz."

I left out rice in my post above your post. So sopa can be a rice dish for you also - correct?


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

AlanMexicali said:


> " If you add blenderized to liquid tomatoes and a few vegtables to rice, which is very common here, it is also called sopa [sopa seca but they don´t call it that] and do not call it arroz."
> 
> I left out rice in my post above your post. So sopa can be a rice dish for you also - correct?


I hadn't heard of rice also being called _sopa_, but I'll take your word for it. I think there must be regional variations. I make my rice with tomato and vegetables sauteed into it - and often some _achiote_ (annatto) to give it a nice yellow-orange colour. I call it _arroz mexicano_, or just plain _arroz_. It is even tastier if, instead of water, you cook it in _caldo de pollo_ - does adding the _caldo_ make it a _sopa_? (Joking...) 

Alan, is the consistency of this dish somewhat more liquidy than a regular rice dish? Is that why they call it a _sopa_? Also, is this in your current region in San Luis Potosi, or was it also called _sopa_ in Mexicali?


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> I hadn't heard of rice also being called _sopa_, but I'll take your word for it. I think there must be regional variations. I make my rice with tomato and vegetables sauteed into it - and often some _achiote_ (annatto) to give it a nice yellow-orange colour. I call it _arroz mexicano_, or just plain _arroz_. It is even tastier if, instead of water, you cook it in _caldo de pollo_ - does adding the _caldo_ make it a _sopa_? (Joking...)
> 
> Alan, is the consistency of this dish somewhat more liquidy than a regular rice dish? Is that why they call it a _sopa_? Also, is this in your current region in San Luis Potosi, or was it also called _sopa_ in Mexicali?


Here in SLP. First you fry the 1/2 kilo rice in oil a bit while stirring it, then add a bit of wáter and the puree of several tomates, some corn, peas and carrots from a can of Herdez ensalada de vegetales, not much, 2 or 3 tablespoons of Knorr chicken consume. This is a big pot of rice. Then bring it to a boil and simmer it for 20 minutes or until done. It is not fluffy rice because it was fried first, it is kind of stiff and semi fluffy at the same time. It is called sopa.


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