Thursday, October 30, 2014

Henchir and hinchar

The meanings of these two verbs are similar. Henchir means "to fill" as in henchir de gratitude, "to fill with gratitude." Hinchar means "to inflate" as in hinchar una administración, "to inflate the bureaucracy."

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Fundir and fundar

Fundar means "to found" and fundir means "to smelt." Funda means "he founds" or "Smelt!"

Can you see it?

Ven can mean "they see" (from ver) or be a command to a child to "Come!" (from venir).

An odd state of affairs

Estado translates in the dictionary as "state" and several other nouns. But it is the past participle of estar, "been." He estado rico y he estado pobre.

A suit of clothes

Traje translates in the dictionary as "suit of clothes." But it is also the pretérito of the verb traer, to bring. Traje un traje (por si refresca). "I brought a suit of clothes (in case it gets chilly)."

¡No te sientes!

¡No te sientes! can mean "You don't feel!" or "Don't sit down!" Both are second person singular.

Una.

Is una always "a" or "one"? Not when it is the imperative of the verb unir, to unite (third person singular). "Unite!"

Asiste. Is its meaning obvious?

The meaning of asiste is "obvious" is it not? "He attends" obviously. Not so fast. It can also be the pretérito of the verb asir, to grasp (second person singular). "You grasped."

Creer and crear

Creer, to believe, and crear, to create, are so close that many of their verb conjugations overlap. Creemos can mean "we believe" or "Let's create!" Creamos can mean "we create" or "Let's believe!" There are many more. Crea can mean "he creates" or it can demand of an adult "Believe!" Cree can mean "he believes" or demand of an adult "Create!" And never mind the subjunctive conjugations.

Paro. I stop? Or not.

Paro can be the first person singular of parar, to stop, or of parir, to give birth. Probably the latter results from failing to do the former. Paramos means "we stop" and also "Let's give birth!" Pare is a command to an adult, "Stop!", or "she gives birth."

Vino. What does it mean?

A student of Spanish comes across the word vino in a reading, but the translation "wine" does not make sense in the context. What is it? It is the pretérito of the verb venir (third person singular). Vino con vino. "She came with wine."