How to find the definitions of Spanish idioms and expressions
How many times have you heard or read a Spanish expression and then consulted a dictionary for its meaning and turned up empty? Maybe you found the answer right away. But perhaps there have been a few occasions where it took a little bit of digging to find the definition.
There is an easy way to uncover the meanings of Spanish idioms and expressions and you can do it by using a monolingual (Spanish-only) dictionary. Here’s how:
Always look up the meaning of an expression by checking the dictionary entry for the first noun mentioned in the expression. The reason? A Spanish verb is more likely than a Spanish noun to be used in multiple expressions. For example, the verbs dar, estar, ir, tener, are used in plenty of Spanish phrases and expressions. An excellent Spanish dictionary will list expressions that contain those verbs, but if there are numerous expressions, most dictionaries usually only list the most commonly-used ones. That’s why you’re better off looking for the definition of a Spanish expression by first checking the entry for the main noun mentioned.
Spanish expressions (frases hechas) are combinations of words whose meaning adds up to something very different from their individual parts.
Take, for example, an expression like “ir al grano.” The verb ir means “to go” while the noun grano can be a seed, a grain of sand or a pimple on somebody’s face. But when ir is added to grano (ir al grano) the meaning changes from a literal translation to a figurative one.
When I checked the dictionary under “IR” there was no definition for the expression. But when I checked “GRANO”, there was the expression with its meaning. Ir al grano means “to get to the point.”
So, to recap, here’s a step-by-step process you can use to find the definition of a Spanish expression.
Step 1: First, look up the primary NOUN
Step 2: If there is no noun, look up the VERB.
Step 3: If there is no verb, look up the ADJECTIVE.
Step 4: If there is no adjective, look up the PRONOUN.
Most of the time, you won’t have to go down that entire scale. You will usually find your definition by first looking up the noun or the verb. Usually the first two steps (checking the noun or the verb listed in the expression) is enough.
By the way, I strongly believe that once you reach an intermediate-level of Spanish, you should start using a Spanish-only dictionary. Why? A monolingual dictionary usually gives a more comprehensive definition. A good monolingual dictionary will also give you examples as well as multiple definitions. The average bilingual dictionary, because it contains two different languages, generally does not have the space, if it is in book form, to offer the same level of detail.
Of course, there are some electronic or online bilingual dictionaries which are excellent, but another advantage to using a monolingual dictionary is that it forces you to think in Spanish. That means less translating in your head, which is a good thing.
Check out: “How to use a Spanish-English Dictionary”
This is the first time I’ve seen anyone tackle this topic. Great!
Very good explanation, I checked it out on a dictionary I have and in most cases it worked.
Saludos Eleena, attractive topic indeed. The use of expressions during verbal exchanges is what gives the spoken language its ‘resalto’ or vivacity. Since you suggest using Spanish-only resources for better immersion, here’s a site that I’ve personally gotten a kick out of and perhaps will amuse you as well:
http://bit.ly/9ziTrz
Hope this can be of use to the Spanish-learners that attend your website!
On a related note, I came across this the other day:
http://cvc.cervantes.es/lengua/refranero/
Cool! Thanks for the links!
I like this approach you have come up with. It is reasonable, logical and should lead to the idioms one is looking for.
I can appreciate your suggesting that intermediate students only use a Spanish-only dictionary. I need to make this leap. I haven’t up to this point because Spanish-only definitions in the last led me to a whole new set of vocabulary I didn’t know and had to look up – on to infinity. However, your advice is good and I need to take the jump.
A great site I have some across is http://www.wordreference.com. It is an online dictionary that is especially strong in Spanish-English and vice versa. The great part about it is if you search for an idiom, you will see related dictionary words and then after that you will see forum entries specifically related to the phrase you entered. These forums have many many people participating from all Spanish speaking countries, many of whom are either instructors or translators or both.
When you have native English or Spanish speakers coming to a consensus about what an idiom or phrase means, you have the opportunity to get several highly accurate versions of the idiom in the other language, valid at the present date. This site has helped me immeasurably in writing Spanish papers in my Spanish literature classes. It might be the best of its kind. I highly recommend it.
MIke,
Yes, Word Reference.com is a great resource and its Spanish-English forum is a lifesaver! Thanks for your comment!