Can anyone guess the word in Spanish that has no equal translation to English? It's a common Spanish word and I was quite surprised when I found out.
2007-03-06 02:24:35 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
There are many words that don't have an exact translation (besides the ones that name typically Spanish things). I don't know which one you are thinking about...
It could be "ojalá" = I wish
GrahamH is right except for one little thing. There is one word in Spanish for "to miss" = extrañar.
2007-03-06 06:53:33 · answer #1 · answered by ahcgr32 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Graham H is right. Two more commonly known Spanish words which also have no exact English translations are siesta (usually translated as "nap") and macho (ususally translated as "manly" or "male chauvinist"). However these English translations are only approximate and do not quite capture the Spanish meanings of the words.
Conversely, some English words like "blue collar worker," "sugar daddy, " "wildlife" and "weird" have no precise Spanish equivalents. It's no wonder that Puerto Rican Spanish has words like jonrón conflei and lonchera for "home run, cornflakes and lunchbox."
2007-03-06 13:57:37 · answer #2 · answered by Brennus 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are a multitude of words that have no exact translation from Spanish to English and vice versa.
A few Spanish words: añoranza, soler, ojalá, churro, paella, sereno (as a noun), bulerÃas, the verbs amanecer atardecer and anochecer, madrugada, flamenco (the music/dance), hidalgo, etc are just a few words I have plucked out of the air that have no single word translation in English or where the Spanish word is used unchanged.
From English to Spanish: to get, cricket, borrow, to mind, fond, haggis, to miss (in the sense of wishing someone or something had not gone away), etc are just a few words that cannot be translated by a single word in Spanish or where the English word is used unchanged.
Also, many words denoting abuse: jilipollas, cabrón, etc in Spanish; bugger, bloody, hell of a (helluva) etc in English.
2007-03-06 11:51:23 · answer #3 · answered by GrahamH 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Compadre
2007-03-06 11:14:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ojala (means something like "let's hope" I think) ?
2007-03-06 10:32:38 · answer #5 · answered by Steven Z 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Dabuti , it means something like cool!
2007-03-06 10:44:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
puta madre
2007-03-06 10:32:28 · answer #7 · answered by Vlado 4 · 1⤊ 5⤋