July 1, 2010

horchata

Meaning: A refreshing drink made of rice, cinnamon, sugar, and sometimes a little diced fruit.

July 2, 2010

a fuerzas

Meaning: obligatory, without other options, must

Example: Tuve a fuerzas que traer a mi hermanito. De otra manera, mi mamá no me hubiera permitido venir. (I had no choice but to bring my little brother. Otherwise my mom wouldn’t have let me come.)

July 3, 2010

tener flojera

Meaning: to feel lazy, bored, uninterested or unenergetic

Example: Tengo flojera. No tengo ganas ni de ir al cine. (I feel so lazy, I don’t even feel like going to the movies.)

July 4, 2010

graffitear

Meaning: to graffiti, to deface with graffiti

Example: En la zona arqueológico Los Toriles, vi un letrero que dice, entre otras cosas: ‘No excavar ni graffitear.” (At Los Toriles archaeological site, I saw a sign that said, among other things, “No excavating or graffiti.”)

July 5, 2010

Una sopa de tu propio chocolate

Literal Meaning: A soup of your own chocolate

Meaning: A taste of your own medicine

Example: Susana trata muy mal a sus muchachas pero cuando doña Socorro ganó la lotería, le dio una sopa de su propio chocolate. (Susana treats her maids really badly, but when doña Socorro won the lottery, she gave her a taste of her own medicine.)

July 6, 2010

niño maravilla

Meaning: boy wonder

Example: Todo lo hace bien este chavo; es un verdadero niño maravilla. (That boy does everything well; he’s a regular boy wonder.)

July 7, 2010

Se cree la mamá de Tarzán

Literal Meaning: She thinks she’s Tarzan’s mother.

Meaning: She thinks she’s hot stuff.

Example: Desde que ganó el concurso de belleza, Anita se cree la mamá de Tarzán. (Ever since she won the beauty contest, Ana thinks she’s hot stuff.)

July 8, 2010

Se siente parido por el Rey León.

Literal Meaning: He feels he is the offspring of the Lion King.

Meaning: He thinks he’s the king of the jungle.

Example: Antonio es un sabelotodo insorportable. Se siente parido por el Rey León. (Antonio is an insufferable know-it-all. He thinks he’s the king of the jungle.)

July 9, 2010

Se cree la última Coca-Cola en el desierto.

Literal Meaning: He thinks he’s the last Coca-Cola in the desert.

Meaning: He thinks he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Example: Emilio es tan creido. Se cree la última Coca-Cola en el desierto. (Emilio is so stuck up. He thinks he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.

July 10, 2010

por fin

Meaning: finally

Example: ¡Por fin llegaron! ¿Qué les pasó? (You finally arrived. What happened to you?)

July 11, 2010

¿Por qué tanto brinco estando el suelo tan parejo?

Literal Meaning: Why so much jumping when the ground is flat?

Meaning: Why are you making a mountain out of a mole hill?

July 12, 2010

¡Fuera de mi camino!

Literal Meaning: Get out of my path!

Meaning: Get out of my way!

Example: ¡Te voy a dejar, idiota! ¡Fuera de mi camino! (I’m leaving you, you idiot! Get out of my way!)

July 13, 2010

Si no le gusta, que se aguante.

Meaning: If he doesn’t like it, too bad.

Example: Todos estamos en la misma situación. Si a Ernesto no le gusta, que se aguante. (We’re all in the same situation. If Ernesto doesn’t like it, too bad.)

July 14, 2010

Se cree la octava maravilla.

Meaning: He thinks he’s the eight wonder [of the world].

Example: Don Pedro es un fanfarrón. Se cree la octava maravilla. (Don Pedro is a peacock. He thinks he’s the eighth wonder of the world.)

July 15, 2010

agua de sabor

Literal Meaning: Flavored water

Meaning: fresh fruit water

Example: El agua de sabor (también se le llama agua fresca) se hace con agua purificada, fruta de la temporada, y azúcar. (Fresh fruit water is made from purified water, seasonal fruit, and sugar.)

July 16, 2010

tuna

Meaning: fruit of the nopal (prickly pear cactus)

Example: Me encanta el agua de tuna y los nieves de tuna. La temporada de las tunas es el verano. (I love the fruit of the nopal cactus as a fresh fruit drink or a sorbet. They are in season in summertime.)

July 17, 2010

atrevido/a

Meaning: bold, insolent, daring

Example: Esa niña es muy atrevida; como no hay equipo feminino, juega futból con los chavos. (That girl is bold; as there’s no girls’ team, she plays soccer with the boys.)

July 18, 2010

¿Cómo se atreve?

Meaning: How dare you? [How dares s/he?]

Example: ¿Cómo se atreve a pedirme dinero, Pablo? Ud. es un piedrólogo y un degenerado. How dare you ask me for money, Pablo? You are a crackhead and a degenerate.)

July 19, 2010

chapulines

Meaning: grasshoppers

Example: Los chapulines se preparan asados o ligeramente fritos con sal, chile, y limón. Este antojito es muy típico de Oaxaca. (Grasshoppers are prepared grilled or lightly fried with salt, chile, and lime. This appetizer is very typical of Oaxaca.)

July 20, 2010

fuera de juego

Meaning: out of bounds

Example: Las mexicanas no pudieron controlar la pelota. Quedó fuera de juego y la meterá las inglesas. (The Mexicans couldn’t control the ball. It went out of bounds and the English team will throw it in.)

July 21, 2010

sin fines de lucro

Meaning: not for profit, non-profit

Example: SEVA es una organización sin fines de lucro que entre otras actividades, ofrece cirugía de los ojos en Tibet, Nepal, y otras poblaciones para restaurar la vista. (SEVA is a not-for-profit organization that, among other activities, offers eye surgery in Tibet, Nepal, and other places to restore eyesight.)

July 22, 2010

volada

Meaning: coin toss

Example: En fin, los dos tienen derecho al billete de cien pesos que encontraron. Vamos a decir quién lo lleva con una volada. (Well, both of you have a right to the hundred peso note you found. Let’s decide with a coin toss who gets it.)

July 23, 2010

rompecabezas

Literal Meaning: head-breaker

Meaning: puzzle, jigsaw puzzle

Example: Para mi hacer un rompecabezas es relajante. Los hago con mi hija en la noche después del trabajo. (For me, working a jigsaw puzzle is relaxing. I do them with my daughter in the evening after work.)

July 24, 2010

Dumbo

Meaning: Dumbo

Example: Oye, Dumbo, ¿qué tan lejos puedes volar con estas orejas gigantes que tienes? (Hey, Dumbo, how far can you fly with those enormous ears of yours?)

July 25, 2010

¿Aguila o sol?

Literal Meaning: Eagle or sun?

Meaning: Heads or tails?

Example: El capitán de cada equipo escoge aguila o sol para decidir quién controla la pelota al comenzar el partido. (The captain of each team chooses heads or tails to see who will control the ball at the start of the game.)

July 26, 2010

huelemoles

Literal Meaning: Someone who can smell the mole sauce [cooking]

Meaning: party crasher, busybody, gate crasher

Example: Samuel es un huelemoles. Siempre que alguien trae donas, o hay chisme interesante, él aparece luego luego. (Samuel is a busybody. Every time someone brings donuts, or there is some interesting gossip, he shows up right away.)

July 27, 2010

talón de Aquiles

Meaning: Aquilles' heel

Example: Aron sobresale en todas las disciplinas de su trabajo menos el arte. Es su talón de Aquiles. (Aron excells at all aspects of his work except art. That's his Achilles' heel.)

July 28, 2010

tapa de rosca

Meaning: screw top

Example: Compra el vino con tapa de rosca, pues no tenemos destapador. (Buy the wine with the screw top, since we don't have a wine opener.)

July 29, 2010

refrigerio

Meaning: snack

Example: Algunos aerolineas mexicanos todavía proporcionan un pequeño refrigerio. (Some Mexican airlines still provide a small snack.)

July 30, 2010

bolillo

Meaning: bread roll

Example: Una torta se hace con un bolillo. Un sandwich se hace con pan de molde. (A torta is made on a bread roll. A sandwich is made on sliced, packaged bread.)