How a Spanish Translator Can Help You with Words That Have No Direct Translation

Given how much Spanish is spoken in the United States, one may not realize that in some ways, it’s quite different from English. In fact, there are some Spanish words which have no direct equivalent in English, a fact that a good Spanish translator should be aware of. These words go to show the subtle cultural differences between Spanish speakers and English speakers. So if you’re getting a Spanish translator for your business needs and you want to find out if they’re really as good as they say, you can ask them the meanings of the following Spanish words!

Sobremesa. You know when you go to a dinner party and you and your friends just sit around the dinner table even after the meal has been consumed, just because you’re enjoying each other’s company and the conversation is flowing well? Well, it turns out that the Spanish have a word for this; they call it “sobremesa.” Perhaps the fact that Spanish speakers have a separate word for this goes to show that this type of after-dinner interaction occurs more often for them and is a part of their culture.

Estrenar. We all love new things but maybe Spanish speakers love them more than English speakers because they have a separate word for it: “estrenar.” So whether it’s a new dress, a pair of shoes or that blender that you just got for the kitchen, you can enjoy the first time you use it with gusto by taking a tip from Spanish speakers.

Pena Ajena/Verguenza Ajena. You know how you felt when your best friend got a little too drunk and started hitting on a girl at the bar? You just knew that he was going to make a fool of himself because he always does when he’s had one too many. You could only hope that the girl wouldn’t take offense. Well, Spanish speakers have a word for this feeling. “Pena ajena/Verguenza ajena” refers to being embarrassed for someone else, whether or not they feel the same way.

Tuerto. Do Spanish speakers have an abundance of men with only one eye? There’s really no way to know. But for some reason, they do have a word for this phenomenon: “tuerto.”

Friolento/Friolero. We know that Spanish is spoken in many parts of the world. However, some of the major places where it is the lingua franca include Spain, South America and Mexico—places which are often quite warm, with pockets of cold. No wonder they have a word for people who are very sensitive to cold i.e., “friolento/friolero.”

At Teck Language Solutions, you can rest assured that all our translators are aware of the delicate nuances in language and will take them into account when providing translation services. Contact us for more information.