Las palabras problemáticas
To be cold (stating that a person feels cold)
Tener frío, sentir frío
To be cold (the characteristic nature of either a thing or a person)
Ser frío
To be cold (a cold state or condition)
Estar frío
To be cold (a statement about the weather)
Hacer frío
Cold (illness)
El catarro, el resfriado, constipado(a)
To catch a cold
Constiparse, coger un resfriado
Hot (in most cases)
Caliente
Hot (humid)
Cálido
Hot (heated)
Acalorado
Hot (spicy)
Picante
To be hot (weather)
Hacer calor
To be hot (a person feels hot)
Tener calor
To keep (retaining something in one’s possession)
Quedarse con
To keep (to store, to hold onto something, or to put something away for safekeeping)
Guardar
To keep (to have or possess)
Tener
To keep (maintain something in a certain state)
Mantener
To keep on
Seguir (+ gerundio)
To keep from (prevent)
Impedir
To keep up (maintain something in a certain state)
Mantener
To keep something occurring
Que siga(n) + present participle + object
To keep in shape (good physical shape)
Mantenerse en forma
To keep up with (keep up with the news)
Estar al corriente, quedar al corriente
To keep up with or to keep together (keep pace)
Mantenerse al ritmo de
To keep something from someone
Esconder, Ocultar
To keep quiet
Callarse, guardar silencio
To keep in mind
Tener en cuenta
To keep in touch
Mantenerse en contacto
Season (four seasons of the year)
La estación
Season (a span of time during which a specific activity transpires)
La temporada
To season (to add spices)
Sazonar
To be in season (time when food is ripe and available)
Estar . . .en sazón, temporada
Quiet (making no noise or not speaking)
Callado(a)
Quiet (still, calm, or unmoving)
Quieto(a)
Quiet (free of turmoil)
Tranquilo(a)
Quiet (not given to speaking- characteristic of person)
Poco hablador(a), de pocas palabras, callado(a)
In a quiet voice (hushed or low)
En voz baja
To save (to rescue)
Salvar
To save (to save money, to avoid waste)
ahorrar
To save (to store)
Guardar
To save time
Ahorrar tiempo
Save (except for)
Salvo, sino, excepto, a excepción de
To act (to perform)
Actuar
To act (to pretend)
Fingir
To act the role of
Hacer el papel de, desemplear el papel de
To act (in good or bad behavior, dealing with children)
Portarse
To act (in good or bad behavior, formal connotation)
Comportarse
To fail (not to succeed)
Fracasar
To fail (to fail a course or exam)
No pasar, perder, salir mal en
To fail (to fail someone in a course or exam)
Reprobar, dejar
To fail (to stop running or functioning suddenly)
Fallar
To fail (to do something)
No + verb
About (approximately and refers to clock time)
A eso de, sobre
About (approximately and comes before numbers other than time)
unos/unas
About (used with numbers and when no specific number is given; or when the notion of quantity is not at issue)
Más o menos
About (concerning)
Sobre, acerca de, de
Ask ( ask means inquire)
Preguntar
Ask for, to make a request
Pedir
Ask about
Preguntar por
Ask a question
Hacer una pregunta
Become (emphasis is on an active and deliberate effort)
Hacerse
Become (something which occurs in a normal and natural sequence over the course of time)
Llegar a ser
Become (largely unexpected nature of the change)
Convertirse en
Become (the change involves a relatively fast change in emotional or physical state)
Ponerse (+ adj)
Become (change is one in personality)
Volverse
Become (as a result of an event or action))
Quedar(se)
Become
Reflexive verb
Fine (fancy)
Fino(a)
Fine (payment)
La multa
Fine (delicate, subtle)
Sutil
Expensive ( price is too high)
Caro(a)
Expensive (price is high but it is with the expense)
Costoso(a)
Expensive (use in the sense of an arm and a leg to emphasize exactly how expensive something is)
Costar(le) un ojo de la cara
Country (nation)
El país
Country (fatherland, evoke a sense of patriotism)
La patria
Country (native land or area)
La tierra
Country (rural area)
El campo
Because (used when connecting two clauses)
Porque
Because (used to introduce a second clause when at the beginning of the sentence)
Como
Because (used when it is a preposition)
A causa de, por