Foreign Native

An exercise by BBC Mundo showed the most annoying expression across the Spanish speaking world is “me entiendes?” - do you understand me? - which certain speakers will inject into their conversation when trying to make a point.
The article, reported on by a local newspaper, drew a rush of web postings sympathetic to the findings of the survey, and […]

A notable thing about Mexico is the great variety of foods and dishes that can be easily identified with the country. Most of the traditional foods are available all year round, although certain dates and holidays are associated with particular dishes.
September, the Mes de la Patria because of the Independence Day, brings chiles en nogada, hot green peppers filled with walnuts and […]

The Mexican government has been getting a head start on celebrations of the bicentennial anniversary of the Independence from Spain, and the centennial anniversary of the 1910-1917 Revolution. Preparations are already under way for major events next year.
Among them is the construction of the Bicentennial Monument which began this week with the ceremonial laying of […]

Among the many versatilities of the Spanish language is the use of adjectives as nouns. By adding “el,” “los,” “la,” or “las” before an adjective or past participle of a verb, you get a descriptive noun referring to a person, place or thing.
El veloz - “the speedy” one
La Ventosa - “the windy” place
Los desesperados - […]

A weekend walk from the Palacio de Bellas Artes to the Zócalo in Mexico City has become easier as Av. Madero is has been closed to vehicles. The decision came somewhat out of the blue, although with the levels of traffic downtown it’s improbable that advance warning would have led  motorists to queue up for “one […]

One of the most difficult things for Spanish speakers to master when learning English is when to use “in” and when to use “on.” Except in obvious cases, such as “on the table” or “in the box,” mistakes are about as frequent as correct uses.
Spanish prepositions are generally less troublesome (no phrasal verbs), although there […]

The Mexico City government got a head start celebrating the bicentennial anniversary (2010) of Mexico’s Independence with the launch of a new fleet of buses serving Paseo de la Reforma, the thoroughfare that runs right through the capital’s main tourist areas.  The 173 new buses replace more than 300 old buses, most of them the green and white […]

In winning the 2009 Gold Cup,  Mexico’s national football team did more than lift an official FIFA trophy for the first time in years. “El Tri” as the team of the green, white and red strip is known, ended a decade-long drought in which it was unable to beat the U.S. away from home , with […]

A versatile phrase making the rounds uses the title of a book by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez  - “Crónica de una Muerte Anunciada,” or “Chronicle of a Death Foretold.”
Often when something happens that was or might have been predicted, a commentator, writer, or speaker somewhere will refer to their version of the event as “the […]

Some people have an annoying habit of resettling already settled matters through the use of unnecessary analogies.
This isn’t limited to politicians  and conference speakers, just about anyone, having explained a situation in perfectly clear terms, and their case being, a priori, incontestable, will suddenly launch into “it’s as if your neighbor had a dog and […]