Spanish bird-related phrases (1 Viewer)

[njlarsen]

Hi All,
as someone who is using a regular Spanish course, that seems to do fine with teaching me how to ask for the library, but not with some specific words and sentences for birding. As I am also aware that Spanish is a variable language, phrase recommendations probably would benefit if you describe where you have heard it used. Initially, I will be going to Costa Rica, but other variations will also be welcome.

So a couple of specific ones I have wondered about:

"I am watching birds" ("Aves" seems not to be widely used where I have traveled before)

"Can I enter your land to watch birds"

"Binoculars" and "telescope" are another couple of words I have not come across.

Any other ones you have found useful?

thanks
Niels

 

[Motmot]

1 Estoy observando (viendo) los pájaros (aves)
2 ¿Puedo entrar en su propiedad para ver pájaros?
3 Binoculares (prismáticos) and telescopio
Any other request pm me
Good luck Niels

 

[Apodemus]

Hi Motmot

Which term is used more - gemelos or binoculares?

Gracias

Mike

 

[louisfh]

One potentially catastrophic mistake a Spanish speaking family member of mine (she's Bolivian but I think its the same in Spanish everywhere) is to not mix up the word 'Pajaro' which means bird, with the word 'Pajero' which means something distinctly different. Urban dictionary it if you want to know!

 

[Motmot]

Hi Motmot

Which term is used more - gemelos or binoculares?

Gracias

Mike

Gemelos (at least in Spain) sounds a bit 'old' but can be used, never heard it in Costa Rica though. The word they normally use in that country is 'binóculos', a term not used in Spain but fully acceptable.

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks to everyone for the help so far :t:

One potentially catastrophic mistake a Spanish speaking family member of mine (she's Bolivian but I think its the same in Spanish everywhere) is to not mix up the word 'Pajaro' which means bird, with the word 'Pajero' which means something distinctly different. Urban dictionary it if you want to know!

Mitsubishi cannot have been too happy when they figured that one out :-O :-O

Niels

 

[Motmot]

Thanks to everyone for the help so far :t:



Mitsubishi cannot have been too happy when they figured that one out :-O :-O

Niels

In spanish speaking countries they changed the name to Montero to avoid confusions...

 

[Apodemus]

In spanish speaking countries they changed the name to Montero to avoid confusions...

I bet you don't see many of these in Spain either....

(It's a transport company in Northern England)

 

[Fritz73]

For 1. I would say also 'Estoy mirando pájaros'
For 2. you could also say 'Podría pasar a su propiedad para mirar (observar) pájaros?

 

[nickderry]

I bet you don't see many of these in Spain either....

(It's a transport company in Northern England)

and there are no Vauxhall Novas either!

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you all!

I had heard about the Nova (no va ) but in context of Chevrolet on the American side of the Atlantic.

Niels

 

[Stoggler]

The Nova car story is an urban myth I'm afraid. Loads of the Chevrolet Novas were sold in Latin America:

http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp

 

[njlarsen]

Nice story. I only knew about the little front wheel drive version mentioned in passing, and from the one car I test drove assumed the story to be correct: it was not a very nice car to drive no matter where you lived.

Niels

 

[tomjenner]

Double entendres are very common in Spanish and vary from country to country, so you have to be careful how you use many words and phrases. Pajarear (to bird) or pajareando (birding) are terms that are starting to be used more now among spanish speaking birders. In El Salvador these terms also mean to idle about or dilly-dally (while you whistle idly like a bird), but in Cuba they mean to hang around waiting to pick up a gay lover.

Tom

 

[nickderry]

The Nova car story is an urban myth I'm afraid. Loads of the Chevrolet Novas were sold in Latin America:

http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp

oh no! I loved the myth and find no pleasure in being enlightened. :-C

 

[dalat]

Double entendres are very common in Spanish and vary from country to country, so you have to be careful how you use many words and phrases.

I started my first entry into latin america with one of those. Well also paired with poor spanish. Before arriving at the airport in Nicaragua, I emailed the people there to pick me up at the airport by using the word "coger" for "pick up", which is harmless (not totally correct though, should be recoger) in spain but not so over there...

 

[Apodemus]

F... me at the airport!

Very nice.

 

[willito]

Well, nowadays us Latin Americans have got used to hear and well understand "funny" expressions from tourists, so you don't need to rack your brain. The people in Costa Rica are extremely polite, they will certainly not make you shame yourself if your Spanish is not very good. They are more likely to excuse themselves for not speaking English, trust me.
But if you do mind, allow me a couple of "polite" advices:
- Use "aves" rather than "pájaros" when meaning birds. The latter one could raise a subtle smile in some countries, especially in combination with "ver"
- Use "observar" instead of "mirar" or "ver". It better conveys the idea of being observing birds, their features and behaviour, not "just" looking at them, especially when talking to people that may well ignore what "birdwatching" is.

Nice trip!

 

[Vectis Birder]

Well, nowadays us Latin Americans have got used to hear and well understand "funny" expressions from tourists, so you don't need to rack your brain. The people in Costa Rica are extremely polite, they will certainly not make you shame yourself if your Spanish is not very good. They are more likely to excuse themselves for not speaking English, trust me.
But if you do mind, allow me a couple of "polite" advices:
- Use "aves" rather than "pájaros" when meaning birds. The latter one could raise a subtle smile in some countries, especially in combination with "ver"
- Use "observar" instead of "mirar" or "ver". It better conveys the idea of being observing birds, their features and behaviour, not "just" looking at them, especially when talking to people that may well ignore what "birdwatching" is.

Nice trip!

Good advice. I am pretty certain that I accidentally referred to w**ker-watching rather than bird watching when I was in Ecuador a few years ago... :-O

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks for the additional thoughts!

Niels