- Thread starter mkohn
- Start date
Embarrasing Spanish-speaking moments in the DR
no ice
My first trip I wanted to make sure I avioded subjecting my system to the water so I made sure to tell all waitresses/bartenders not to put ice in my drink.Only problem is I thought the spanish word for ice was "huevos" instead of "hielo".So I kept asking for "un pepsi sin huevos".
Larry
My first trip I wanted to make sure I avioded subjecting my system to the water so I made sure to tell all waitresses/bartenders not to put ice in my drink.Only problem is I thought the spanish word for ice was "huevos" instead of "hielo".So I kept asking for "un pepsi sin huevos".
Larry
Larry.....hahha
My friend went on a missions trip and invited everyone over to the iglesia for a cerveza (she thought she was saying servicio)....
My friend went on a missions trip and invited everyone over to the iglesia for a cerveza (she thought she was saying servicio)....
I do not speak spanish but would really like to learn. I do have friends here in Canada however that I asked what I could say to the "agressive" hotel workers in the DR on my last trip that would discourage them. They taught me a phrase and told me it meant I was an old maid.
I did make several friends outside the resort and when asked why I was not married I was very proud to tell them in spanish I was an old maid. It wasn't until they started to laugh that I realised my friends had set me up. It turns our I was telling them I was a virgin forever.
I did make several friends outside the resort and when asked why I was not married I was very proud to tell them in spanish I was an old maid. It wasn't until they started to laugh that I realised my friends had set me up. It turns our I was telling them I was a virgin forever.
We were putting a new roof on an orphanage in Savana Perdida
We were up on the roof hammering the wood rafters in place.Our Dominican "Helpers"("Watchers!") were on the ground.Each time we needed another rafter,I asked the "helpers" for,"Mas "mierda' por favor"!CRISccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc
We were up on the roof hammering the wood rafters in place.Our Dominican "Helpers"("Watchers!") were on the ground.Each time we needed another rafter,I asked the "helpers" for,"Mas "mierda' por favor"!CRISccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc
This is too funny! I couldn't even start to tell the mistakes I've made...live and learn, but you don't generally make the same mistake twice!
I seem to have problems getting straight:
huele, hiele, hielo
When I moved to Sosua, I was using a Spanish dictionary for reference, and when motos would ask me if I wanted a ride, I used to say, "no...me gusta andar"...they were a little confused...
I seem to have problems getting straight:
huele, hiele, hielo
When I moved to Sosua, I was using a Spanish dictionary for reference, and when motos would ask me if I wanted a ride, I used to say, "no...me gusta andar"...they were a little confused...
a friend of mine was on a mission in the DR. she was talking during a church service and wanted to say she was embarrassed and it was the bishops fault for asking her to talk. She said
Estoy embarassada y es por falta del obispo.
lol
Estoy embarassada y es por falta del obispo.
lol
clown bin
How about the time I tried to attract a waiter's attention by exclaiming "Camerone" (shrimp) instead of camarero, or when a friend ordered "Lamb" by requesting "Lambi" (conch). In Italy I asked for "spaghetti con carabineri" (Spaghetti with a policeman) instead of "carbonara" (meat sauce) Very embarrasing! Canadian Bob.
How about the time I tried to attract a waiter's attention by exclaiming "Camerone" (shrimp) instead of camarero, or when a friend ordered "Lamb" by requesting "Lambi" (conch). In Italy I asked for "spaghetti con carabineri" (Spaghetti with a policeman) instead of "carbonara" (meat sauce) Very embarrasing! Canadian Bob.
Hee, Anna, that's funny - I think I may have said "sintigo" at one time or another...
OK. Toty was painting my apartment and he told me "Ve a la ferreter?a, y compra dos pintura de lata". Now, I didn't know that a "lata" was a tin, so I thought "pintura delata" was, like, pintura acrilica, or some such thing, and for some reason, I thought this was a very important detail.
So I go down to the hardware store, choose my 2 cans of paint and I'm thinking to myself, I better make sure these are "delata".
Me, holding 2 tins of paint: Excusame, por favor, esta pintura es de lata?
Clerk, eying me suspiciously: Ehhhhh, claro que s?.
Me, doubtful: Est?s SEGURO que es de lata?
Clerk: S?......
Me, holding the tins closer to his face for inspection: Porque si no es de lata, no lo quiero!
It was weeks later when I heard someone ask for a lata of beans at the colmado that I realized what a dimwit I was!
OK. Toty was painting my apartment and he told me "Ve a la ferreter?a, y compra dos pintura de lata". Now, I didn't know that a "lata" was a tin, so I thought "pintura delata" was, like, pintura acrilica, or some such thing, and for some reason, I thought this was a very important detail.
So I go down to the hardware store, choose my 2 cans of paint and I'm thinking to myself, I better make sure these are "delata".
Me, holding 2 tins of paint: Excusame, por favor, esta pintura es de lata?
Clerk, eying me suspiciously: Ehhhhh, claro que s?.
Me, doubtful: Est?s SEGURO que es de lata?
Clerk: S?......
Me, holding the tins closer to his face for inspection: Porque si no es de lata, no lo quiero!
It was weeks later when I heard someone ask for a lata of beans at the colmado that I realized what a dimwit I was!
I'm laughing so hard I'm almost crying here, Jane...I knew you'd come through for us with a good one! I know that had it been me, I would've been saying, that it couldn't be "de lata" because it doesn't say it's "de lata" on the can, then I probably would've thrown a fit, because he was obviously trying to sucker me into buying something I didn't want: (I'd say in my terrible Spanish
"Yo no estoy estupida! Yo soy locale...Yo voy a mandar mi esposo aqui, y tu puedes intentar a vendir esta "pintura de lata" a el! El es Dominicano, y tu puedes explicar a el como esta pintura es delata, pero no dices que es "de lata" on la can !"
"Yo no estoy estupida! Yo soy locale...Yo voy a mandar mi esposo aqui, y tu puedes intentar a vendir esta "pintura de lata" a el! El es Dominicano, y tu puedes explicar a el como esta pintura es delata, pero no dices que es "de lata" on la can !"
Last edited:
There used to be this friend of the family that came over whenever he had time. He drove a Honda p-50, I think. It was like a moto concho (sic), but it had pedals.
We always referred to it as a "motorcycle" in English, but it usually sounded like "moro seco." My friend Nancy always looked at me like I was crazy.
Were we referring to Jose Ma. as a "dry Moor?"
me
We always referred to it as a "motorcycle" in English, but it usually sounded like "moro seco." My friend Nancy always looked at me like I was crazy.
Were we referring to Jose Ma. as a "dry Moor?"
me
so embarrassing...
The first time I went to the Dominican Republic with my husband, his family asked me if I liked tje country when we returned.
I was so excited that I picked up a few Spanish words (in addition to my stale high school Spanish), told my husband's family, "Oh yes, I had a great time, I loved seeing the "marycone" !(should have said malecon). :surprised:
The first time I went to the Dominican Republic with my husband, his family asked me if I liked tje country when we returned.
I was so excited that I picked up a few Spanish words (in addition to my stale high school Spanish), told my husband's family, "Oh yes, I had a great time, I loved seeing the "marycone" !(should have said malecon). :surprised:
Too funny, Anna! That reminds me...
Before I went to the DR, a Spanish friend told me of a great phrase to use on men: "Tu eres muy guapo"...In Spain and most other Spanish-speaking countries, guapo means good-looking...guapo, in the DR, means upset or mad...took me a long time to figure out why I wasn't getting the response I wanted out of that phrase!
Before I went to the DR, a Spanish friend told me of a great phrase to use on men: "Tu eres muy guapo"...In Spain and most other Spanish-speaking countries, guapo means good-looking...guapo, in the DR, means upset or mad...took me a long time to figure out why I wasn't getting the response I wanted out of that phrase!
Here Co?o, here Co?o, here boy.
I had just moved here and didn't know any Spanish beyond "cerveza" and "hasta", etc. - or any Dominicanish for that matter.
One of my neighbors - who reminded me of someone who came in third for the casting of Cheech and Chong - his limited English sounded like someone who is American but is trying to talk with a Latin accent. Like an East LA Latin.
Anyway, he was always yelling at his dog to sit, stay, go, get away, stop doing that, etc. The first and last word out of his mouth was always co?o.
Naturally, I figured the dog's name was "Co?o".
Fast forward a couple weeks and I'm asked over to the house for something and I go to greet and pet the dog when I reach the yard and I'm whistling and doing the normal googoo gagga (baby like) hello to a dog....
"Co?o, Co?o, here boy, ..... hey Co?o, what a good boy Co?o........"
Needless to say the look on the neighbors face was "precious".
Wife to husband "el gringo es loco"
The learning began right there and then.
I had just moved here and didn't know any Spanish beyond "cerveza" and "hasta", etc. - or any Dominicanish for that matter.
One of my neighbors - who reminded me of someone who came in third for the casting of Cheech and Chong - his limited English sounded like someone who is American but is trying to talk with a Latin accent. Like an East LA Latin.
Anyway, he was always yelling at his dog to sit, stay, go, get away, stop doing that, etc. The first and last word out of his mouth was always co?o.
Naturally, I figured the dog's name was "Co?o".
Fast forward a couple weeks and I'm asked over to the house for something and I go to greet and pet the dog when I reach the yard and I'm whistling and doing the normal googoo gagga (baby like) hello to a dog....
"Co?o, Co?o, here boy, ..... hey Co?o, what a good boy Co?o........"
Needless to say the look on the neighbors face was "precious".
Wife to husband "el gringo es loco"
The learning began right there and then.