Datos personales

Mi foto
I am a secondary teacher of English in Southern Spain. I studied MFL in Jaén and I got a DPSI certificate in Law in England. I started my teaching career in Newcastle back in 2000, where I lived for 3 years. Once I returned home, I taught in a public school and got ready to sit the "oposiciones" exam, which I passed!!! Currently, I am teaching in Spain, which has become my definite residence in since 2004.

jueves, 15 de mayo de 2014

"El ciento y la madre" = The hundred and the mother*

The world and its wife. Everyone and their mother. Near synonyms and synonym expression, Cool, huh? Yet, we Spaniards can go much further than that and include the grandmother in the picture by using this quite common expression too: "Éramos pocos y parió la abuela" by emphasising the excessive amount of people involved in an activity.
"Lo sabe el ciento y la madre".
"No se podía andar por la tienda. Estaba comprando el ciento y la madre allí".
"Antes de que te des cuenta ya lo sabrá todo el ciento y la madre".

"Chupar del bote" = To suck from the bottle*

To line one's own pocket, to feather one's own nest. This is a particularly funny expression given that whereas in Spanish, we immediatly think of a plastic container, the word "bottle" in English has a double meaning: plastic or glass container or baby bottle (to feed the baby with a teat / niple). So! In this particular ocassion, the English translation turns out to be more graphic and effective than the actual Spanish one. Ha! 
  1. "Algunas personas sólo saben chupar del bote como medio de vida".
  2. "Ya está bien de tanto chupar del bote. Toca ganarse las cosas con esfuerzo"
  3. "Si quieres chupar del bote, se dice que la política es el campo perfecto para ello".

domingo, 11 de mayo de 2014

"De casta le viene al galgo"= Thoroughbred is the hound*


A chip off the old block.
"¿Has visto que bien lo hago? Si es que de casta le viene al galgo".
"No esperaba nada diferente de ellos. De casta le viene al galgo".
"Dicen que de casta le viene al galgo, pero no siempre se cumple".


sábado, 10 de mayo de 2014

"No todo el monte es orégano" = Not all the hill is oregano*

This is a very common expression to convey the idea that things are not always easy, i.e. it's not all plain sailing.
"Hay que hacer las cosas mejor si no quieres problemas. Si piensas que todo el monte es orégano, estás equivocado."
"Debes esforzarte más. No todo el monte es orégano"
"Ésta se piensa que todo el montes es orégano y las cosas no funcionan así."

viernes, 9 de mayo de 2014

"Como agua de Mayo" = Like May's water*

Extremely necessary and very much welcomed.
"Ese dinero extra me viene como agua de mayo"
"Un poco más de tiempo en el plazo de entrega vendría como agua de mayo"
"Su ayuda nos viene como agua de mayo"