www.CostaRicaTicas.com

OK, I'm relatively new to Spanish. I'm trying to learn and have a thousand different things people have suggested, but the one thing that has helped me the MOST so far is a cheat sheet I bought full of useful Spanish words. But even thought it's great, it's still full of words like giraffe, stork, headlight, cauliflower, and wild boar. I mean seriously, WTF? Who cares? And I can assure you that suck, and ass are nowhere to be found (sorry for the juxtaposition of those too--just an example).

So I decided to make a cheat sheet of my own. Hopefully one that could be printed on two pages both front and back. Here are 626 words I highlighted from my Spanish dictionary and decided I needed to learn.

But since I'm a newbie to Spanish, I could use some suggestions from the mongering community. What should be added, what's wrong, and any other suggestions you have. I also intend to include numbers obviously and probably a list of very common phrases. This isn't intended to be exhaustive or even totally accurate, just a rough guide to get guys a good list of words to start learning, relevant vocabulary.

I intend to make the finished product available to all VIP members.

Your help and suggestions would be appreciated.

Unfortunately the columns wont carry over into the post.

ability habilidad
able habil
about mas o menos
above encima de
actual real, verdad
adventure aventura
adventurous intrepida
after despues
afternoon tarde
again otra vez
against contra
agree acordar
airport aeropuerto
allow permitir
almost casi
alone solo, solamente
already ya
also tambien
always siempre
amaze asombrar
angry enojado
another otro
answer responder
apartment el apartmento
April abril
area area, zona
arrive llegar
as tan, tanto
ask preguntar
ass culo
at a
attitude actitude
attract atraer
August agosto
aunt tia
avenue avenida
avoid evitar
bad malo
bacon tocino
bank banco
basic basico
bath bano
be (being) estar
be (condition) hacer
beautiful hermosa
beauty belleza
because porque
bed cama
bedroom dormitorio
beef la carne
beer cerveza
before antes
behind detras
believe creer
below debajo de
beside al lado de
best mejor
better mejor
between entre, en medio
big grande
bill, check la cuenta
black negro
blonde rubio
blue azul
bored aburrido
boy chico
boyfriend novio
bread pan
breakfast el desayuno
brief breve
broken roto
brother hermano
brown moreno
building edificio
business empresa
businessman empresario
busy ocupado
but pero
buy comprar
by cerca de
call llamar
can (able) saber
can (possib) poder
candid franco
careful cuidado
cause causa
cellular celular
center centro
certain cierto
chair le silla
change cambio
cheap barato
chicken pollo
Ch*ld N*no, N*na
city cuidad
clean limpio
clear claro
close cerrar
closed cerrado
coffee el café
come venir
complicated complicado
condom condon
confirm confirmar
constant constante
contact contacto
continue continuar
convenient conveniente
cool fresco
Costa Rican costarricense
country (natl) paisa
country (-side) campo
cousin el primo
cover cubrir
crazy loco
create crear
curious curioso
cute mona
dad papa
danger peligro
darling querido
daughter hija
day dia
dead muerto
December diciembre
decide decidir
depends (it --) eso dependo
describe describir
deserve merecer
desperate desperado
destination destino
develop desarrollar
die morir
different diferente, distinto
difficult dificil
dinner la cena
dirty sucio
discreet discreto
discuss discutir, hablar de
distance distancia
do hacer
door puerta
down hacia
drink (a) bebida
drink (to) beber
drunk borracho
dry seco
each cada
early temprano
east este
easy facil
eat comer
economy economia
eggs huevos
either cualquiera
emergency emergencia
empty vacio
end fin
English ingles
enough bastante, suficiente
enter, to entrar
entire entero
entrance entrada
equal igual
erotic erotico
establish establecer
exact exacto, preciso
example ejemplo
exceed execeder
except excepto
exit la salida
expactation esperanza
expect esperar
expensive caro
experience experiencia
eye ojo
false falso
family familia
famous famoso
far lejos
fast rapido
fat gordo
father padre
fear temer
February febrero
feel siento
fire fuego
first primero
first (--time) primera vez
fish pescado
flat plano
flavor gusto
flaw defecto
flower flor
foe enemigo
food comida
foot pie
for para, por
force fuerza
forever siempre
forget olvidar
forgive perdonar
forgot, I se mi olvido
fortunate afortunado
free libre
free (no charge) gratis
frequent frecuentar
frequently frecuentamente
fresh fresca
Friday viernes
friend amigo
friendship amistad
from de
front delantera
fruit fruta
full lleno
fun diversion
fun, have divertirse
funny comico, humoroso
gate la puerta
gentle tierno
girl chica
girlfriend novia
give dar
glass, a el vaso
go ir
good bueno
gorgeous magnifico
great grande
green verde
gun arma de fuego
hair pelo
half mitad
ham jamon
hand mano
handsome guapo
happy feliz
hard duro
hate odio
have tener
he el
head cabeza
heart corazon
heat calor
heavy pesado
hello hola
help ayudar
her ella
here aqui
high alto
home casa
honest honrado
hope espero
hot caliente
house casa
husband esposo
ice hielo
if si
ill enfermo
import importar
impossible imposible
in en
inconvenient inconveniente
incorrect incorrecto
inside dentro de
instead en cambio
intend ser para
intent intencion
interest interes
interesting interesante
irritate irritar
it el, ella
January enero
joke chiste, broma
July julio
June junio
kind tipo, clase
kiss beso
kitchen la cocina
know saber
lake el lago
land tierra
last ultimo
late tarde
latter ultimo
learn aprender
least menor
leave dejar, irse
left izquierdo
less menos
liar mentiroso
lick tamer
life vida
light luz
light (not dark) claro
light (not heavy) ligero
like gustarle
like (as) como
limit limite
listen escuchar
little (amount) poco
little (small) pequeno
long largo
look mirar
look (for) buscar
loud ruidoso
love amor
low bajo
lunch el almuerzo
mail correo
man hombre
many muchos
map el mapa
March marzo
market mercado
massage masaje
May mayo
maybe quizas, tal vez
me me
mean mezuino
milk leche
mine mio
minor menor
minus menos
minute minuto
misunderstand entender mal
moist humedo
Monday lunes
money dinero
month mes
more mas
morning manana
most la mayoria de
mother madre
mountain montana
mouth boca
much mucho
music musica
my mi
name nombre
narrow estrecho
near cerca
necessary necesario
need necesidad
nephew sobrino
never nunca, jamas
new nuevo
next proximo
nice agradable, amable
niece sobrina
night noche
no no
no one nadie
none ninguno
normal normal
north norte
not no
nothing nada
November noviembre
now ahora
nude desnudo
number numero
October octubre
odd extrano
off apagar
office oficina
often muchas veces
old viejo
old viejo
older mayor
on en
on (turn -) encender
once una vez
one uno
only solo
open abierto
option opcion
or o
oranga naranja
order, to pedir
orgasm orgasmo
other otro
our nuestro
out fuera
outside afuera de
own propia
pack fardo
pain dolor
pants pantalones
paper papel
parents los padres
part pieza
past pasado
pay pagar
penetration penetracion
people personas
pepper pimienta
percent por ciento
perfect perfecto
person persona
phone number numero de telefono
photo foto
photograph fotografia
pick escoger
plain sincillo
plane avion
plate plato
play juego
point punto
position posicion
practice practicar
prefer preferir
pretty bonita
prior previo
problem problema
promise promesa
prove probar
public publico
pull tirar de
pure puro
push empujar
quarter cuarto
question pregunta
quickly rapidamente
quiet silencio
quit parar
rain lluvia
ready preparado
real verdadero, real
rear parte de atras
reason razon
red rojo
relax relajar
remember recordar
reply responder
respect respeto
rest descanso
restaurant restaurante
return regresar
reverse inverso, contrario
rich rico
right (correct) correcto
right (just) bueno
right (side) derecha
river el rio
roll rollo
room habitacion
round redondo
rude grosero
sad triste
safe seguro
sale venta
sale (for) se vende
satisfaction satisfaccion
Saturday sabado
say decir
sea mar
second segundo
secret secreto
security seguridad
see ver
seek buscar
seem parecer
September septiembre
service servicio
several varios
sex sexo
share compartir
she ella
shirt camisa
short corto, bajo
show mostrar
shower, to ducharse
shrimp el camaron
shy timido
sick enfermo
silence silencio
similar similar
simple simple
since desde
sister hermana
skinny flaca
sleep (go to) dormirse
slow lento
slowly despacio
smart inteligente, listo
smooth suave
so (likewise) tambien
so (therefore) por lo tanto
soft blando
soft blando
some algo de
something algo
sometimes a veces
son hijo
south sur
Spanish espanole
speak hablar
special especial
specific escpecifico
speed velocidad
spicy picante
sport deporte
start empezar
state estato
stay quedarse
still todavia
stop cesar
store tienda
straight (ahead) derecho
stream arroyo
street calle
strength fuerza
stress tension
strong fuerte
student estudiante
study estudio
style estilo
subject sujeto
submissive sumiso
success exito
successfully con exito
such tal
such as como
suck chupar
sun sol
Sunday domingo
sure seguro
sweet dulce
sweetheart carina
table mesa
tact discreto
tactless indiscreto
take tomar
talk hablar
tall alto
tea el te
tea, iced te frio
teach ensenar
teacher profesor
tell decir
that ese, esa
their su, sus
then entonces
there alli
they ellos
thin delgado
think pensar
this esta
Thursday jueves
time tiempo
time (at this) en este momento
timid timido
tired cansado
to a
today hoy
together juntos
tomorrow manana
tonight esta noche
too demasiado
toward hacia
tranquil tranquilo
translate traducir
travel viajar
true verdadero
trust confianza
try tratar
Tuesday martes
turn doblar
type tipo
ugly feo
ultimate maximo
uncertain incierto
uncle tio
under debajo
understand entender
United States los Estados Unidos
university universidad
upwards hacia arriba
us nosotros
vacation vacaciones
very muy
wait esperar
walk caminar
want querer
warm caliente
wash lavarse
water agua
way camino
we nosotros
weak debil
Wednesday miercoles
week semana
well bien
west oeste
wet mojado
what que
when cuando
where donde
which que, cual
white blanco
who quien
why porque
wide ancho
wide ancho
wife esposa
wish desear
with con
woman mujer
work trabajo
world mundo
worry preocupar
worse peor
write escribir
wrong falso, incorrecto
year ano
yellow amarillo
yes si
yesterday ayer
yet aun, todavia
you tu
young joven
younger menor
your tu
yours tuyos
yourself te, se

That's what trips me up, I can BS through some Espanol, but I don't understand numbers greater than ten other than cien = evil and never to be paid.

That's a pretty exhaustive list of words! One thing to be careful of is the verb "to be". You have "hacer" listed as condition and "estar" listed as being, which is incorrect. Hacer means "to do" or "to make", but not "to be".

For "to be", Ser is the verb to use for things that do not change (i.e. names, job titles, colors, nationalities, etc.). Estar is the verb to use for conditions (i.e. emotions, locations, health, etc.).

Examples:

Ser - Jim, Steve, Gringo, Norteamericano, Tico, Doctor, Abogado, blanco, negro, etc.

Estar - triste, enfermo, bien, contento, en el parque, en la casa, etc.

Hopefully that makes sense. You will probably use these two words more than any others, so it is good to lean the conjugations as well.

Archie,

Nice list. You might include the other form of 'to be,' which is Haber (there is, there are), which is usually conjugated in the present tense as Hay: "Hay mucho dinero en el banco," or "Hay muchas arboles afuera."


Ciaociao

quote="Klockman"]

That's what trips me up, I can BS through some Espanol, but I don't understand numbers greater than ten other than cien = evil and never to be paid.[/quote]

That is all you need to know! Seriously, if you can count to ten that will work.It is more common in many situations to read off the numbers individually.Especially if you are on the phone or in a noisy location, and you want to make sure you are understood. For example, your favorita is staying in room 183. You call the operator in her apartments or hotel. Rather than saying habitacion cien ochenta trace, por favor, you could try habitacion uno ocho trace, por favor. Both will work and with the latter there will be less chance of misunderstanding.

Keep on going with the numbers and you will get there.I started picking up spanish from bar girls in Tijuana.They were always excited to teach me
more spanish.In between turns on the stripper pole they would group around me four or five at a time and argue about the proper way to teach me a particular word or phrase.Be it tica, nica or Mexicana, they all love to share thier language with you.So do not hesitate to ask a bartender, masera, or favorite chica mp or bar.They will enjoy giving you a lesson.

The problem is that most Costa Ricans don't go digit by digit. For example, a phone number may be 8824-4051, they will say ochenta ocho, veintecuatro, cuarenta, cincuenta uno. I still get confused when they say the telephone number fast.

You should know the numbers to 100, and then it repeats, except that you say "ciento", instead of "cien" for all numbers over 100.

Good start Archie-

This reminds me of my recent trip when the Mexican Chino, Pac, and I went to some great place for brunch. When it came for my turn to order I wanted beans with my rice.

Puerto Ricans generally will say beans as habichuelas. The girl taking my order seemed not to understand me making me wonder how buzzed I really was

When the chino reordered for me he said frijoles which I generally regarded as Mexican, especially since he says that

After she left we talked about it and I was surprised he has never heard of the word and apparently neither did she. Having a word for word translation is great, but remember, there are different ways to say things and many words are ambiguous just like in English.


Cujo

_________________
"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

I remember that. The look on 'Cujo's face when the gringo Mexichino corrected his Spanish was priceless. Yeah, we were a little buzzed....

_________________
"Your love gives me such a thrill
but your love don't pay my bills,
I NEED THE MONEY!" - John Lee Hooker

Disclaimer: The above is merely the opinion of the author unless specific scientific data is included.
Your mileage may vary. https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewto ... 978#206978

Oops...got a "Debug fault" when I sent and it looks like it took it twice. My bad...

_________________
"Your love gives me such a thrill
but your love don't pay my bills,
I NEED THE MONEY!" - John Lee Hooker

Disclaimer: The above is merely the opinion of the author unless specific scientific data is included.
Your mileage may vary. https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewto ... 978#206978

WOW!
That's more a dictionary than a list!

Keep in mind that many of the verbs that are listed are in infinitive form (-ar, -er, -ir). To use them for "I", "you", "we", "them", etc. the verb will need to be conjugated. That's where the fun begins! Then there is present tense, past tense (imperfect, imperitive, etc...) and future tense!

But hey, if you can get the present tense down you can usually get your point across even if you are not completely correct. They call it "Spanglish"!

_________________
Women are like beers. I've never had one that I didn't like. Just some that I like more than others! --Western

Spanglish as I know it is having a conversation both in Spanish and English. Intermittently switching languages in the middle of a sentence.

Cujo

_________________
"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

Yeah, I don't really care about tenses and conjugation at this point. It's more important to build the base vocabulary. Getting it all exactly right can come far later.

They know what you mean, which is what's important.

I do need to get a better handle on what Ciao and Sandino are talking about though, that sounds useful.

Arch mi amigo,

With all due respect, if you're still relying on something like this with an MDE trip right around the corner, you've got some work to do. You aren't gonna find a lot of Andreas or their like there who you can converse with confortably in English. Acquire Pimsleur pronto and start hitting it hard (2-3 lessons per day if you aren't already). Get all the way through Level III if at all possible before MDE.



Slight correction - "imperative" is not actually a "tense" but rather a mode - as opposed to the indicative and subjunctive modes. And especially to get to the next level, you need to get comfortable with and start using subjunctive mode (expressing will, desire, etc.) which is SO important in Spanish. Highly recommend "Learning Spanish Like Crazy" for this - Level II gets heavily into subjunctive mode, which Pimsleur even at Level III barely touches on.

Awesome list Arch, thanks for the effort, Its greatly appreciated, many words I need practice in that list and all useful. THANKS again


a question for the experts...

Why in some forms of the word "Bacon" do you see "Tocino" and in other "Tocineta"

I say it beicon..

Cujo

_________________
"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...