I’m currently taking classes at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and for the first time in my life I’m learning Spanish from a native speaker… it only took me seven teachers to get it right. Linda is an adorable 30-something from Barcelona who begins every class with a curious, ¿Saliste anoche? (Did you go out last night?) I’ve decided I’m leaving all of my clothes here in Spain so I can put her in my suitcase and bring her back to the States.
What I love about learning Spanish from Linda is the way she’s teaching us to speak Spanish like Spaniards. Our first vocabulary list was all about dating and relationships, and I realized I’d be selfish not to pass along some of the important phrases I learned. Here are some of my favorites from the lesson:
Ligar means to pick up, and un ligue is a hook-up buddy. Echar una cana al aire means to have a one night stand. Tener una aventura does too! (I love that…. Let’s have an adventure ;)!!)
Besar is to kiss, and morrear is to make out. If you’re feeling a little more innocent, dar un pico is to give a little peck :-*
We learned several different ways to say, “have sex,” from the passionate, to the casual, to the downright dirty. Hacer el amor is to make love, echar un polvo is to do it, and joder is… well you can probably guess that one.
My favorite is the phrase for friends with benefits: amigos con derecho a roce. It literally translates to “friends with the right to rub”… this one obviously had me giggling. There are posters for the Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis movie all over the city!
It’s been so much fun practicing Spanish here. Our friends at my favorite bakery are always happy to help us practice Spanish, and they’re so patient despite my limited vocabulary. That may have something to do with how much money I spend there, but who can resist the perfect chocolate croissant? That’s “Mora”, by the way. You absolutely have to visit that bakery if you’re ever in this city.
We’re off to Amsterdam this weekend to meet up with a bunch of Blue Devils… I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
Besos from Barca,
Ashley