Lunes de lenguaje!

One of the main reasons I decided to live in Madrid this summer was to improve my Spanish - sure, I know "text book" Spanish, but I would love to sound more native and use phrases that Spaniards use in every day conversation. Luckily, the couple I'm living with and all of the friends that I've made here have been really helpful in teaching me some new phrases and vocabulary!

Here are some of my favorites so far:

Frases:
quedar = to meet up 
Quedamos en la estatua en la plaza. 
-->  "We'll meet up at the statue in the plaza."


flipar = to flip out/go crazy/freak out
Estoy flipando porque acabo de ver a un actor famoso! 
-->  "I'm freaking out because I just saw a famous actor!"

"Es una locura." = that's/it's crazy!
La educacion cuesta muchisimo en EEUU. Es una locura! 
--> "Education costs a lot in the US. It's crazy!"

"No cuentes conmigo." = Don't count on me!
--Quieres ir al cine con nosotros?  -Ay, no se. No cuentes conmigo. 
--> "Do you want to go to the movies with us? -- Ay, I don't know. Don't count on me."

"amar con locura." = To love something A LOT! (literally "with craziness," like obsessively)
Juley, el gato, ama el raton con locura. Lo ama muchisimo. 
--> "Juley, the cat, loves the rat A LOT.  She loves it so much."

 "Me meto contigo." = I'm messing with you.
Tu eres muy feo. Ay! Me meto contigo ;)  
--> "You are very ugly. Oh I'm just messing with you!!

Vocabulario:
la cuna = the wedge (of cheese, women's high heels, doorstop, etc.)
Le pedi una cuna de queso manchego.  
--> "I ordered a wedge of Manchego cheese."

el pomo = the doorknob
Cada puerta tiene pomo.
--> "Each door has a doorknob."


la banderilla = a sort of tapa, on a toothpick (like a mini shish kebab)
Mi tapa favorita es una banderilla de cebollas, aceitunas, pimientos y atun. 
--> "My favorite tapa is a banderilla of onions, green olives, peppers, and tuna."

la chuleta = the cheatsheet
Ay no recuerdo mucho de este barrio. Necesito escribir una chuleta. 
--> [On a walking tour] "Ay, I don't remember much about this neighborhood.  I need a cheatsheet."

castizo = old, untainted, antique, genuine (mainly culture-based)
Este barrio es lo mas castizo de Madrid - mira las calles de guijarros y la iglesia bonita. 
--> "This neighborhood is the oldest/most genuine in Madrid - look at the cobblestone streets and the pretty church."

el chulapo/la chulapa = the traditional garb of Madrid
Durante las celebraciones, muchos madrilenos llevan los chulapos y las chulapas. 
--> "During the celebrations, many people from Madrid where chulapas."

photo credit: http://www.travelnauta.com/san-isidro-en-madrid-feria-romeria-y-chotis/

Hasta luego!!