la pataleta = tantrum
el berrinche = tantrum
en absoluto = not at all, under no circumstances
[it's a very strict negation; which can be confusing for English-speakers because it looks like "absolutely" but it's "absolutely not"]
la misa = mass (at a church)
el arendajo (azul) = bluejay
el aire = air
al aire = out in the open, exposed / "willy nilly"
al aire libre = "outside", "outdoors", "open-air"
tomar el aire = "to get some air", to take a break
frustrar = to thwart, to obstruct, to get in the way
[also "to frustrate"]
el remolino = whirlwind / whirlpool
[any kind of "swirling" motion; the root word is el molino which is "windmill", or a "mill" where the wheel goes around to grind flour]
el torbellino = whirl, swirling wind / "a whirlwind", "a rush of emotion/excitement"
somnífero/a = causing sleep, causing drowsiness
el somnífero = sleeping pill
congelar = to freeze
[also helar; they're largely the same]
la congelación = freezing, the act of freezing / frostbite
la lata = can or tin (of food)
[the element "tin" is el estaño which is why the element is Sn; la hojalata is "tinplate" - literally "sheet of tin", so la lata refers to a thin sheet of metal or "tin", usually used in canning, hence the name...... also the "Tin Man" in the Wizard of Oz is el hombre de hojalata]
atrasar = to delay, to run behind
atrasado/a = delayed / running slow (clocks)
adelantar = to progress, to get better / to pass (cars), to overtake / to gain on (someone) / to give an advance (money)
adelantado/a = ahead, early / running fast (clocks)
(de ahora) en adelante = "from here on out", "moving forward", "from now on"
la pantalla = screen (movies, computers, TVs etc)
la pantalla de humo = smokescreen
el rencor = grudge, spite
la langosta = lobster
[also the word for "locust" - don't think about it]
el ademán = gesture, sign, signal / "a look"
[generally it's any kind of body language; the verb is hacer (el/un) ademán]
el amago = a feint (in sports) / gesture, a sign
amagar / hacer un amago = to make as if to, to indicate by movement / to make a gesture / to show signs of
[also "to feint" especially in football/soccer]
el ala = wing
[technically feminine; takes masculine articles in singular]
el camelo = sweet talk, lies to sell you something, "lies"
la rabia = anger, rage / rabies (the disease)
el empujón = a push, a shove
la pereza = laziness / sloth (the sin)
perezoso/a = lazy
el perezoso = sloth (animal)
la indolencia = laziness, indolence [more formal]
la fiera = fiend / beast, wild animal
el lobezno, la lobezna = wolf cub
el mercurio = mercury [element (Hg) and planet Mercury is Mercurio]
el azogue = quicksilver [the old alchemical word for mercury]
la cola = tail / line, queue
la coleta = ponytail, pigtail
[usually la coleta is a singular "ponytail", and if you see las coletas plural it's usually "pigtails", but la coleta refers to any gathering of hair into a kind of "tail"]
el gemelo, la gemela = twin (identical)
[gemelo/a is also the general term for something that "looks alike", literally it is "twin" but there are times when you'll see it mean "similar" or "kindred" - (el) alma gemela - which is feminine - means "kindred spirit" or sometimes "soulmate"]
el mellizo, la melliza = twin (fraternal)
a bocajarro = point-blank, at point-blank range, up close
el bienestar = wellbeing, welfare
espabilar(se), despabilar(se) = to wake up, to perk up / to come to one's senses
igual = the same, alike
igualmente = likewise
ser igual = to be the same
estar igual / estar igualito/a = to look alike
igualar = to make equal, to equalize
alocado/a = hasty / irrational, "crazy"
precipitado/a = hasty, rash
precipitar = to hasten, to accelerate
precipitar(se) = to fall, to plummet / to rush
propio/a = belonging to, "one's own" / appropriate
[related to "property" and "propriety"]
el bicho = bug, insect, "critter"
[in some places el bicho can be another word for "penis" but it's generally used for insects]
saldar = to pay off a debt, to settle (money matters)
restar = to subtract, to reduce
[la resta is the "remainder", but also "sum" in mathematics; restar means "to take away" or "to subtract"]
testarudo/a = stubborn, hard-headed
[la testa is the root here - it's another word for "head"]
atestado/a = crowded, packed, full of people
la multitud = a crowd / multitude
el vendaval = windstorm, strong wind, gale
condenar = to condemn / to doom, to damn
condenado/a = damned, doomed
la perdición = doom, ruin, downfall, damnation
el halago / los halagos = praise / flattery
el elogio = praise, kind words, compliment
[also in some cases it can be "eulogy" in that it's literally "kind words" or "good words"... the funerary kind are sometimes called la elegía which is sometimes a poem or "elegy" which has a very distinct funerary sense, while el elogio is just a normal "praise/compliment"]
la lisonja = flattery (in a negative sense)
el acoso = harassment, bullying
[in some case people say el bullying for "bullying" - el acoso is any kind of harassment as a general term, so it has been used for "bullying", "harassment" or el acoso sexual "sexual harassment", or even "stalking" in some cases - el acoso is the default Spanish word particularly if you were trying not to use an English loanword]
(un) sinfín = an endless number/amount
[lit. "without-end"; un sinfín de algo is "an endless number of (something)"]
hacer hincapié (en) = to emphasize, to stress, to insist
[lit. hincapié is "sink-foot", the idea is like digging in one's heels]
atreverse (de) = to dare, to be bold enough to (do something)
atrevido/a = bold, daring
osado/a = daring, brave / cheeky, bold, shameless
la humareda = plume of smoke, a lot of smoke
la jarana = roughhousing, horseplay / partying / chaos, tumult
el bullicio = "hustle and bustle", lively activity
la baba = drool, slobber, spittle / slime
baboso/a = slobbering, covered in drool / "brat", "snot-nosed kid" / slimy, covered in goo
la babosa = a slug
la babosa de mar = sea slug
el erizo = hedgehog
el erizo de mar = sea urchin
erizar(se) = to bristle, for hair to stand on end / to raise one's hackles
el caballo = horse
el caballo de mar = seahorse
el anglicismo = a word derived from English
[from anglo- meaning "English-speaking" or "Anglo/Anglican"]
el galicismo = a word derived from French
[from Galia the word for "Gaul", the older term for what is now France]
la sentencia = judgment, sentence or sentencing, decision (from a court)
[this is a legal term; la sentencia refers to the "sentence" handed down by a judge or court... the general word for "sentence" like a written/spoken thing is la oración (which also means "prayer") or la frase (which also means "phrase"); but again, la sentencia or its verb sentenciar are legal terms]
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