Here’s a very quick quiz,
Warning: It’s not as easy as it looks.
In fact, if you get more than 5 out of ten correct, you’ll be doing well.
How many of these very common Spanish phrases do you know? Grab a pen and translate these ten phrases:
- cuando mucho
- quiere decir
- más bien
- cómo no
- más allá
- no tiene que ver
- todo el mundo
- cuanto antes
- costar mucho trabajo
- de nuevo
It’s a good bet that you know every individual word on the list, but the meanings of the phrases will surprise you
Let’s see how you did?
Remember your target is to get more than five out of ten correct.
So, if you get 6 or more correct, bien hecho (well done).
Ok, you didn’t peek right?
Here are the answers:
- at the most
- it means
- rather
- of course
- beyond
- it’s got nothing to do with
- everyone
- As soon as possible
- to be hard to do
- once again
Sure, in context, literal translations will work. But the translations I just gave you are the ones you’ll hear the most.
You’ll hear them, when you chat with your Spanish speaking friends, go to shops or
talk to the locals when you travel.
But it’s not casual Spanish or a slang Spanish or regional Spanish.
This is just as real as any Spanish you’ll find in a dictionary. From the man in the local store to the president, from a farm worker to a PHD graduate, they’ll all use these phrases.
And they use them very often. Very often!
It’s everyday Spanish
Yet, there it’s rarely taught.
A while back I started tracking the use of these types of phrases. It was part of my research for the Spanish Ear Training Masterclass series. You see, even if I train your ears, it won’t do you much good if you don’t understand what people are saying anyway.
If you’d like to give your Spanish a boost, I’ve made a mini dictionary of the 99 most essential Spanish collocations. It’s full of common, useful everyday language that goes más allá del dictionary beyond the dictionary.
So, that’s why I called it Más Allá Del Dicionario Español, (Beyond The Spanish Dictionary). To get the mini dictionary FREE, just enter your name and email below and I’ll email it to you right away.
Hola,Senior Marcus?
Como esta?
I am filipina,with spanish vlood.. want to learn more
spanish,mi habla espaniol(a bit)..haha
trying hard.
Thank you. Very useful. I knew one!
No puedo recibir bastante. Pienso que este curso es el mayor del mundo.
muchisimas graciac
Very informative
Bought Synergy Spanish a few months ago ..
More, pls
ESTOY INTERESADA EN APRENDER
I am really enjoying your lessons…estudiar!
Super dooper, thank you that’l be a quick help for the common usage, thanks again,
could you develop a program to teach French?
I hope to some time in the future but I am very busy creating Spanish training for the moment.
good phrases more please!!!
I would Love to have!
I would love to have it and this is my email address. That I have started using currently.
Cant wait
Thanks for the help in speaking espanol in Spain.
Almost completed the Bola de Nieve course. Will be going on to the advanced next so this mini dictionary will come in very useful as an addition. Brilliant courses, my Spanish has come on in leaps & bounds. Muchas Gracias Marcus.
I’ll look forward to using the dictionary on a trip to Chile next month. Thanks in advance
Thank you, gracias.
Please send me a copy of your Más Allá Del Diccionario Español. You have mastered the art of teaching Spanish to get by for foreigners. Best regards
Useful phrases
I am really enjoying learning Spanish using your teaching methods. They get straight to the point. I look forward to learning more in 2018. Thank you Marcus
I look forward to your emails!
Very interesting and useful.
Thank you very much for your information and happy holiday.
Thank you for your commitment to teaching everyday Spanish. I learn something every time I use your training.
Más Allá Del Dicionario Español please
Thank you. Please your free list of 99 coolocatiins.
Would love your mini dictionary to carry around with me – particularly when I’m in Andalusia!
Very helpful!!!
Very informative! I like your style .
No endless grammar and construction.
Thank you for making Spanish “come to life”.
The course I bought is good have lost track where I am with it.the App s could be expanded easier than digging thru emails.
please send, this looks very interesting
it has helped me
Thank you so much
Thank you
Very informative ! alot of helpful hints.
Looking forward to it!
J’aime beaucoup apprendre avec vous, merci!
Great course !
Great to know these expressions. Their meaning sure isn’t obvious. I only knew one (I should’ve peeked). Enjoying the course which I’ve only just started.
Great idea! Thanks
I am a painter and a jewler – I spend the winter in Mexico creating. I left my formal Spanish classes to work with your online courses. I have learned far more,, more quickly in a more sensible fashion. Thank you!!!
Thanks keep up your work helping us.
Great post!!! I didn’t get most of them…in fact, I flunked!
I am enjoying learning from your e-mails, I can keep going over them and can use them.
Thanks for this! Fun way of teaching.
An absolute great course Marcus! Thank you.
Muy interesante – mucho gracias!