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October 22 , 2007: Idiomatic Expressions

Good afternoon and welcome to Say It in Spanish.
Buenas tardes y bienvenidos a Dígelo en Español.

Here with me today are ------. 
Aqui conmigo hoy estan ----------.

Today we’re going to spend some time on idiomatic expressions, the kinds of things we all say that don’t translate precisely to another language but are a standard part of the way we speak.

For instance: por ejemplo

Vez means time, occasion.  It is pronounced like face. The plural is veces, like faces. Here is a way it can be used in a sentence.

Sometimes I like to smoke a cigar.
A veces me gusta fumar un cigarro.

From time to time I like to smoke a cigar.
De vez en cuando me gusta fumar un cigarro.

You don’t say!
¡No me diga!

Really?
¿De véras?

I was kidding. (or) I was joking.
Lo decía en broma.

I’m not in the mood for jokes.
No estoy para bromas.

Don’t worry.
No se preocupe.

Instead of cigars, I like to eat chocolate.
En vez de cigarros, me gusta comer chocolate.

Me too. (or) Same here.  I agree.
Igualmente.  De acuerdo.

Do you like chocolate?
¿Te gusta chocolate?

Of course!
¡Claro que si!  ¡Por supuesto!

Here are some of the many ways vez can be used in an expression:

 

a la vez                                   at the same time
a veces                                  sometimes
cada vez                                every time
cada vez más                        more and more, increasingly
de una vez                             once and for all
de vez en cuando                 from time to time
una vez                                  once
dos veces                             twice
dos veces tanto                    twice as much
en vez de                               instead of
muchas veces                      often
pocas veces                         seldom
rara vez                                 seldom
otra vez                                 again
tal vez                                    perhaps, maybe

Some of the other expressions we used were:

You don't say!
Really?
Don't worry.
Me too, or same here.
I agree.
Of course!
I was kidding. (or) I was joking.
I'm not in the mood for jokes.

¡No me diga!
¿De véras?
No se preocupe.
Igualmente. 
De acuerdo.
¡Claro que si!  ¡Por supuesto!
Lo decía en broma.
No estoy para bromas.

Here are some more:

It's better this way.
better...than
Better late than never.
Better a bird in the hand than a hundred flying.
Better porridge with smiles than chocolate with tears.

 

Más vale así.    
más vale…que
Más vale tarde que nunca.
Más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando.

Más vale alote con risas que chocolate con lagrimas.

                                  
Some other useful expressions are:

¿Por que no?                                       Why not?
mientras tanto                                      meanwhile
más o menos                                       more or less
ponte al tanto                                       pay attention
cuida-te                                                 be careful
seguro                                                   sure
No vale la pena.                                   It’s not worth the trouble.
musica para mis oidos                       music to my ears
muchas gracias                                   thank you very much
de nada, no hay de que                      you’re welcome
¿qué tal?                                              how’s it going?
está bien                                              all right
Te toca a ti.                                          It’s your turn.