SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T KNOW

I bet (=apuesto que) you didn't know that your teacher is an awesome(=excelente) football player. On May 23rd I'll be playing a football match against Ajax FC.

I'm not pulling your legs(=no os estoy tomando el pelo),this is 100% true.The match will be held (=tendrá lugar) in Amsterdam.The head of studies (=el jefe de estudios) knows that I'm an excellent player, so he has allowed me to (=me ha dado permiso) take a few days off (=tomarme unos días libre). I'll tell you about the match when I'm back (=cuando vuelva).I'll take pictures and post them in this blog. Needless to say (=sobra decir) that I expect you to show your best behaviour with whoever(=con quienquiera) comes to replace me.

LUCHA DE GIGANTES

Antonio Vega,one of the best Spanish singers ever,and one of my favourites ever, passed away (=died) this morning.You're too young to know who he was,but you must have heard (=seguro que habreis oído) some of his songs,especially "chica de ayer".My favourite,though,was "lucha de gigantes", one of my favourite songs ever.I highly recommend that you listen to it,guys.Here's my tribute.

SMART INVENTION

hi,(un)dear students!!!I can't believe my ears!!!(=no puedo creer lo que oigo),I have heard that someone has come up with (=se le ha ocurrido) a device (=un aparato) where you can look up (=buscar) the meaning of an English word!!!Amazing, isn't it??? All you have to do is go to a bookshop (=librería) and ask for: "un diccionario,por favor").They'll give you a thick book. Such a device (=dicho armatoste) comes in handy (=viene que ni al pelo) when you don't know how to say a word in English.I already bought one and it's true!!!I looked up(=busqué) the word "sobaco" and the translation given was "armpit". It all comes in alphabetical order. For those of you who still have trouble with(=les cuesta) the alphabet, I will remind you the order to use such a complex device:

A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N.O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V.W,X,Y,Z

ALFRESCO!!!

Did you guys know that Spain once was in control of part of today's USA?One of the consequences was the introduction of Spanish words into the language.Americans adapted the Spanish vocabulary to their phonetic system,resulting in funny examples.One of them is the word 'alfresco',meaning "in the open air", as in: "We had an alfresco dinner".Words like 'parasol' , an umbrella used to give shade, or other funny examples like the word 'hoosegow', a phonetic adaptation of the Spanish word "juzgado", meaning "prison". Another funny example is the word 'lasso', another phonetic adaptation of the Spanish word "lazo", a rope(=soga) with a noose(=nudo corredizo) at one end(=cabo), used to catch cattle(=ganado). But Americans have also influenced our vocabulary greatly, introducing words in our vocabulary...but we will deal with that phenomenon some other day.

QUIM,THE PAINTER

Hi,guys. Today I want to talk to you about Quim, my neighbour.He's a painter,yet (=aunque) he's not a famous painter.Actually, (=de hecho) nobody knows him. He barely makes a living out of art (=se gana malamente la vida con el arte), but he keeps on believing(=sigue creyendo) in his dream.He doesn't want to make a fortune (=hacer una fortuna),he doesn't want to be famous.What he really wants is recognition. He wants the world to get to know (=conozca) his paintings,he wants the world to admire his paintings. I talk to him everyday after dinner,and yesterday evening he asked me an interesting question: "Do your students prefer recognition,medals(=medallas) or the cash?" (=la pasta). I didn't know what to answer.In this world,some people look for medals (=algunas personas buscan medallas),other people look for cash (=otros pasta), and other people just enjoy life.What's your main concern? (=¿qué te interesa más?).

GO FOR IT!!!

Here I am again,guys.This post is aimed at reminding you (=está dirigido a recordaros) that the end of this course is around the corner. I know you're all looking forward to it (=esperándolo con ansiedad) and I guess (=supongo) that you're already thinking about your summer.Nevertheless(=de todos modos) I hereby (=por la presente) encourage you (=os animo) to make one last effort. If you make an effort,It'll pay off (=si hacéis un esfuerzo,será recompensado) in time. You won't be able to have lots of fun unless you really study hard now (=no podreis divertiros a menos que estudiéis duro ahora). If you do well in your exams, you'll see your grades look up (=si se os da bien en los exámenes,veréis cómo mejoran vuestras notas). If I come up with more examples of conditional sentences, I'll let you know (=si se me ocurren más ejemplos de frases condicionales, os lo haré saber)