Typing Spanish Accents - MAC

Here is the method for using Spanish accents without switching languages for your keyboard when using an MAC computer:

To get accents on the Mac, hold down the OPTION key, and while holding it down, type the letter e; then release those keys and type the letter that you want the accent to appear on:

• á = Opt + e, then a


• é = Opt + e, then e


• í = Opt + e, then i


• ó = Opt + e, then o


• ú = Opt + e, then u

For the ñ, hold down the Option key while you type the n; release and type n again.
ñ = Opt + n, then n
To make inverted punctuation marks do the following:
¡ = Opt + 1
¿ Opt + shift + ?

Expresiones de Tiempo

Often we want to describe an action that began in the past and is still occuring. "I have been doing somthing for...". To do this in Spanish the following constuctions can be used:

1. Hace + the period of time + que + verb
   Hace tres años que vivo en La Paz.


2. Verb + hace + period of time
   Vivo en La Paz hace tres años.


3. Verb + desde hace + period of time
   Vivo en La Paz desde hace tres años.

Each of these can mean "I've been living in La Paz for three years." In English we call this the present perfect tense - note that in Spanish the present tense is used. Each of these variations answers the question :

¿Cuánto tiempo hace que + verb? ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que vives en La Paz?

In order to express the concept of since we construct as follows:

¿Desde cuándo + verb? ¿Desde cuándo vives en La Paz?
Since when have you been iving in La Paz.

Verb + desde + past time reference
Vivo en La Paz desde abril
I have been living in La PAz since April.

To add extra emphasis you can place the verb into the present progressive to stress a continuation:
Estoy esperando desde las dos - I have been waiting since two o'clock.

Cuál or Qué - Which or What to use?

At times another difficult pair to choose from - which (cuál?) or what (qué?) to user. Well it's much like English, but then again it's not.

First of all is to notice whether either word is accented - if they have accents, then they are undoubtably being used in questions and are not connecting words, where their meaning is different. When used in this manner their formally referred to as "Interrogatory Pronouns". Go that? They can refer to people (either gender) or things, and in the plural cuál becomes cuáles. As indicated above, qué generally indicates what and cuál which. Here's a some examples that might make it simpler to understand when (cuando) to use each.

Cuál usually is used before es and other forms of ser when not seeking a definition:

• ¿Cuál es el problema? What is the problem?
• ¿Cuáles son las ciudades más grandes en Peru? What are the biggest cities in Peru?
• ¿Cuál es su dirección? What is your address?

To use Cuál is to suggest a selection or choice from among a group:

• ¿Cuál miras? Which one are you looking at? However to be less specific you might say, ¿Qué miras? What are you looking at?
• ¿Cuál prefieres? Which one do you prefer? But generally speaking, ¿Qué prefieres? What do you prefer?
• ¿Cuáles quieres? Which ones do you want? Or, ¿Qué quieres? What do you want?
• ¿Cuál es el más caro? Which is the most expensive? or plurally, ¿Cuáles son los más caros? Which are the most expensive?

Qué is used when asking a definition.

• ¿Qué hace un pescador? What does a fisherman do?
• ¿Qué es una ferreteriá? What is a hardware store?
• ¿Qué significa "vaquero"? What does "vaquero" mean?

Normally Qué is most often used before nouns (however cuál isn't necessarily wrong and you'll hear it sometimes used to mean "which"):

• ¿Qué revista leíste? Which magazine did you read?
• ¿De qué color es la falda? What color is the skirt?
• ¿Qué cuarto prefieres? Which room do you prefer?

Common idiomatic uses of Qué are:

• ¿Qué hora es? What time is it?
• ¡Qué lástima! What a shame!
• ¡Qué día más horrible! What a horrible day!
• ¡Qué susto! What a fright!
• ¡Qué hermoso! How beautiful!
• ¡Qué bonito! How pretty!
• ¿Qué tanto? How much?
• ¿Y qué? ¿Y a mí qué? So what?
• ¿Para qué? ¿Por qué? Why?

Learn more

Lejos y Largo

These are two words that I got mixed up about and/or use incorrectly in the past but I finally have gotten them straightened out - I think.

Largo is especially tricky as it’s one of those false cognates that can trip you so easily in Spanish – the tendency is to access the English side of your brain when you see this word and think LARGE! – No so, it means long in Spanish – and here's what helps me know it a different way – I think of the Florida Keys, and the island called Key Largo (made more famous from the Bogart/Bacall film of the same name). Key comes from the Spanish cayo, meaning islet, and of course, largo, meaning long and Key Largo is the longest of the keys at 33 miles.

Largo is used thusly:
• ¿Cómo es de largo? - How long is it?
• Estarle largo a alguien - to be too long for.
• Él estuvo enfermo un largo tiempo - he was sick a long time.
• Media hora largo - a good half hour.
• Pasar de largo - to pass by

Lejos means far away or distant and is commonly used in these ways:
• A lo lejos - At a distance.
• ¿Está lejos? Is it Far?
• ¡Eso queda muy lojos - That's a long way away!
• ¡Eso queda ya lojos - That happened a long time ago!
• Vivo lejos del centro - I live far away from downtown.
• Lejos de mejorar - Far from getter better.

Saber or Conocer

This is another tough concept for a gringo to get his arms around, not to mention his ears and mind - it ranks right up there with ser and estar in comprehension difficulty. These are a couple of verbs that will show native speakers if you really know your Spanish (and if you thought, "Yo se español", then you do know!).

SABER

• To know something by heart:
  Yo sé un poema de Octavio Paz.


• To know a fact:
  Ella sabe que San José es la ciudad más grande en Costa Rica.


• To know how to do something:
  Yo sé concinar frijoles.

CONOCER

• To be familiar or acquainted with someone:
  Nosotros conocemos Juan Garciá.


• To be acquainted with a place:
  Ellos conocen Cuba bien.


• To acquainted with an artist or writer's work:
  ¿Tu conoces la poesiá de Octavio Paz?

Expresiones con los Sentidos (Expressions with the Senses)

Echar un ojo: (to keep an eye on something/someone)
Vigilar: "Echa un ojo al niño, que está en el jardín sólo."
To keep watch of, to guard: "Keep an eye on the kid, he's alone in the garden."

Ser todo oídos:(to be all ears)
Estar dispuesto a escuchar a alguien: "Cuéntame lo que ha pasado. Soy todo oídos.
To be willing to listen to someone: "Tell me what happened, I'm all ears."

A vista de pájaro: (a bird's eye view)
Ver algo desde una perspectiva a?rea: "Tengo una foto de Salamanca a vista de pájaro."
See something from an aerial perspective: "I have a picture from a bird's eye view of Salamanca."

No tener tacto: (to be untactful, tactless)
No ser delicado a la hora de hablar: "Luis no tiene tacto. Le dijo a María que había engordado."
To be undelicate in speaking or dealing with others: "Luis has no tact. He told Maria she had gotten fat."

Echar un vistazo: (to take a look)
Mirar algo sin detenimiento: "Echa un vistazo al informe, a ver si te gusta."
Glance at something without looking at it carefully: "Take a quick look at this report to see if you like it."

No tener pelos en la lengua: Decir la verdad sin ser delicado: "María le dijo a Luis lo que pensaba. Ya sabes que no tiene pelos en la lengua."
To speak the truth without being delicate or without restriction. To be straight-forward: "Maria told Luis what she thought. You know she doesn't bite her tongue"

Courtesy of Don Quijote Spanish Lesson of the Week

Romancing in Spanish

So you're single and traveling in Mexico or Latin America, perhaps alone - really the better way to absorb the language and culture of a country. So what happens if/when a potential romantic situation presents itself. Few, if any, high school or college Spanish courses even get near that subject, even the basics, such as the use of quiero can mean love in intimate situations/relationships. So one way you can find out is the tried and true trial and error method (el metod), but why bumble your way when a little study can improve your chances of getting to first base (and beyond). I'd like to give credit to the Lonely Planet's Mexican Spanish phrasebook, from which many of these expression come - it's entertaining, it's the right size, it has phonetic pronunciations and it has very few errors - and it's a bargain @ $7.99. Perhaps the only drawback is that many of the phrases are Aussie! So let's get on with it...and start with some classic pick-up lines (you're on your own for something better).

Would you like to have a drink? ¿Te invitio una copa?
Do you have a light? ¿Tienes fósforo? or ¿Tienes encendedor?
What's your sign? ¿Cuál es tu signo? (since you're obviously trying to become familiar here, you can shortcut the more formal su)
Would you like to do something tonight? ¿Quisera hacer algo anoche?
Yes, I'd love to Sí, me encantaria
Of course, what took you so long? ¿Claro, qué le tomó tan mucho tiempo?
or perhaps the reply might be a disappointing
Not if you were the last person on earth! ¡Ni nunque fueras la última persona en e mundo!
Other rejections might be more straight forward, such as
Sorry, but I have a boyfriend/girlfriend Siento, pero tengo un novio/una novia or
No thanks, I'm not interested No gracias, no estoy interestante or even something as harsh as
Get lost, you loser! ¡Ser perdidos, tu eres un perdedo!