With the college and possible NBA (labor dispute) basketball seasons around the corner, here are some useful words if you have to listen to a game in Spanish.
assist (noun) — la asistencia
backboard — el tablero
bank shot — el tiro a tabla
basket
Of cats and dogs
A gatas or gatear – to walk on all fours
A otro perro con ese hueso.- Literally means: To another dog with that bone. The English equivalent is: You’re pulling my leg.
Buscarle tres pies al gato – Literally means: To look for three feet on cat. The English equivalent is: To look for trouble.
Correr como gato por ascuas/brasas
Food Expressions
Al no haber pan, bastan las tortillas – When you are hungry anything is good
Amor con hambre no dura – Love with hunger doesn’t last
Comer como lima nueva – To eat a lot. Lima is a file (tool).
Comer como huérfano – To eat like an orphan or be very hungry.
Comer y tragar porque el mundo se va acabar – Enjoy food
Twisting and Turning
The verb torcer means to twist similar to our English word torsion which is the act of twisting or turning. Like many Spanish words torcer and its derivations are used in a variety of expressions.
Dar un giro – to take turn figuratively. Mi vida ha dado un giro de 360 grados. My life has turned around or changed completely.
Mother’s Day
Día de la Madre – Mother’s Day
Futura madre – an expectant mother
Lengua madre – mother tongue or first language
¡Madre de Dios¡ – Good heavens!
Madre patria – mother country
Madre política – mother-in-law. Suegra is more common.
Madre primeriza – first time mother
Madrear – to insult
