Wicked SpanishFrom the sneakily successful travel series with over 1 million copies in print, Wicked Spanish (over 250,000 copies in print) is the devilishly funny pocket-sized guide to language and culture in the land of manana. From managing epic taxi rides (The Old Man and the Chevy) to Perfecting the Haggle to Tipping the Police, Wicked Spanish anticipates and prepares norteamericanos for a wide range of exotic Latin customs and conditions-also know as que sera, sera. Explain to your innkeeper that you'd rather have private accommodations: Pero you prefiero un cuarto sin escorpiones. ("But I'd prefer a room without scorpions."). Politely ask your waiter what you're eating: QuS hace immovil dentro del mole? (What lies motionless under the spicy chocolate sauce?). And Mi abuelo perteneci. a un sindicato obrero ("My grandfather belonged to a labor union") may be just the ticket for kidnap victims of revolutionaries. Once acclimated, you'll make clever cockfight conversation, understand Zapotec Basketball, and even enjoy a cold cerveza with your wife in a friendly men's bar: No la mires. No le hables. No la toques. ("Do not stare at her. Do not address her. Do not touch her."). Above all, you'll learn the real meaning of Vaya con Dios. |
Common terms and phrases
Acaso Ah-CAH-soh Ah-KEE Ah-OR-ah ahora años armadillo baño bee-EN bien Brooks Brothers Bueno BULLFIGHTS BWAY-noh Cancún centavos cerveza COCKFIGHTS COH-moh CULTURE DAILY day la dead derecha DESTINATIONS Dios drinking EAT AND RUN EH-soh ehs oon EHS-toh empanada esposa Ess-TOY están esto Estoy favor GETTING GOOS-tah Gracias GRAH-see-ahs gringo Guadalajara Gucci gusta habitación Hernández honor izquierda Kay ehs Kee-see-AIR-ah Key-AIR-oh kilos KWAL Latin Lost Luggage Machismo Mañana maracas MARIACHI mejor mescal mesero Mexican MODEL GUEST MOO-ee mozzarella muerte MWER-tay nay-say necesito Oh-hah-LAH kay Ojalá okay oos-TED PAIR-oh PAR-ah Pepto Bismol pesos phrases Pohr fah-VOAR POLICEMEN Qué Quiero Quisiera realidad see-ah seen-YOHR Seguro señor siesta siete so-loh sohn Spanish SUSTENANCE tah-see-OHN TAH-vohs tahl tahn Tee-EN-ay THANK-YOU NOTE ventanilla waiters ZAPOTEC