Published Monthly

Volume I Number 2                                                                           January 2007

!Bienvenidos! and welcome!

Ok. Bien.

Here we are in our second edition of learn to speak Spanish at any cost even-if-it-makes- you-look-like-a-madman newsletter. Remember Salvador Dali’s famous quote” ¡Yo no soy loco!” (I am not crazy!). That’s one you may find use for…

So. Pues.

I wanted to explain a little about saying you’re sorry. Different occasions require different approaches. When you step on someone’s foot, or spill a drink on someone, you say, “Lo siento”. But if you want them to believe your sincerity you say, “¡Ay! ¡ Lo siento!”. The more you use “¡Ay!”, the more sincere you appear to be. So, “¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Lo siento!” is much better, depending on the seriousness of the social breach. And keep in mind this phrase turns into the one you commonly hear in songs that sounds like “!Eye-yai-yai-yai!”

Now. Ahora.

If your faux pas (there I go again, all these latin languages get mixed up!) is more serious, you might want to add a “¡Perdóname, porfavor!” which means please forgive me. You can add an “¡Ay!” or two also, as needed. So a serious apology might sound like, “¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Ay!¡ Lo siento! ¡Ay! ¡Perdóname, por favor!”

Then. Entonces.

Don’t get confused between these two aforementioned phrases which are used when you are culpable (it’s a cognate, same word exactly in English & Spanish) for the action you’re apologizing for, and the other one I have mentioned in the first newsletter, ¡Ay, qué pena!” This is used as an expression of sympathy when some calamity has occurred (other than one perpetrated by you). In other words, its more like, “Oh, I’m so sorry for you.”

One of my clients recently fell next to the stove and burned her arm; this was part of the appropriate response to the news.

Now then. Ya.

Another way to ask for forgiveness is “¡Disculpe!” Or “¡Discúlpeme!” Kinda’ like “Forgiveness!” or “Forgive me!” (either one is okay, although the former may sound weird in English, but it’s acceptable in Spanish). Also used in some cultures is “¡Dispénseme!” The clue as to which phrase to use may be to see what people respond to best, or what they use when speaking.

All righty then. Pues bien.

A warning to all you errant Spanish speakers. You are on a most noble quest not unlike the veritable (venerable?) Don Quijote. Don’t give up! So you learn to apologize 50 ways…Good! And, while you’re humbly apologizing some wiseacre Spanish-speaker you don’t even know, or maybe your know-it-all in-laws, are going to tell you you’re doing it wrong.

So what? (¿Pues qué?) They all think that the way they learned it is the way it is. Smile. Act surprised and humbled. Listen to what they have to say. Repeat it. Nod your head and say thank you. Throw a couple a ¡Ay’s! at them and go on your merry way. I assure you there is more than one way to do it!

Finally. Al fin.

When funny things happen, like some perfect stranger telling you you're doing it all wrong, or you have any  story concerning learning , using or fumbling Spanish, send it to us. I'll put it a newsletter. It's a great way for us all to keep learning. Just click here to share your stories.

¡Gracias!

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Sherri Brownkatz

Certified Teacher

(863) 533-9161 (home)

(813) 763-6333 (cell)

SherriBrownkatz@Verizon.net

www.Brownkatz.com