People on holiday in Spain could find themselves embarrassed
People heading to Spain this summer are being urged to avoid a seemingly innocent two-word phrase. The European country has long been the favourite for Brits jetting off abroad, with millions from the UK visiting Spain each year.
And with industry experts predicting one of the busiest summers on record for international travel, it’s anticipated that many, many UK holidaymakers will be heading to Spain over the coming months. Before going abroad, some holidaymakers like to brush up on a few word, so they can speak to the locals in their own language.
But people are being warned over a simple phrase. City Lit’s Head of School Culture and Communication, Claudio Guasti, has highlighted some of the most common Spanish language mistakes Brits make when travelling.
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Firstly, he warns people may accidentally tell others they are aroused, when they really just mean they’re warm. He explained: “Using ‘Estoy caliente’ as a literal translation of ‘I am hot’ in English may cause you some embarrassment, as this phrase means ‘I am aroused’.
“Instead, you should say ‘tengo calor’ (I have heat). Avoid using ‘soy cálida/cálido’ (I am warm). In this context, it refers more to someone’s personality, like being a warm or kind person, rather than physical temperature.”
It is fine to use the word caliente in other contexts, he added, for example “me gustaría un té caliente”, meaning “I would like a hot tea”, is appropriate. Similarly saying something like “el café está muy caliente”, meaning “the coffee is very hot”, is also okay.
People may also accidentally say they are pregnant instead of embarrassed, Claudio added. He said: “Lots of Spanish words sound very similar to their English translation, for example, café for coffee, tren for train, or plato for plate.
“It can be easy when following this pattern to assume the word ’embarazada’ might mean ’embarrassed’, but it actually means ‘pregnant’, which could raise a few eyebrows and cause a few smirks if used in the wrong context. To really say you are feeling embarrassed or sheepish, say ‘estoy avergonzado/a’.”
Finally, he says a phrase made popular by a 90s film, because nobody really says it. Translated “until I see you (again)”, “hasta la vista” became iconic after being uttered by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in Terminator 2.
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But, Claudio says, it’s not a phrase Spanish people would use when saying goodbye. He added: “Instead, try saying the much more commonly used ‘hasta luego’ or ‘adiós’ instead, which mean ‘see you later’ and ‘goodbye’ respectively.”
If you do make a mistake, don’t let this put you off
Most importantly, laugh it off and still feel proud for trying. Most people you speak to will greatly respect your attempts to speak their native tongue, and will be kind about any errors.