53 Sundays: Spanish study pack

tontolabadimwit / fool (affectionate-dismissive)

colloquial

A softened, almost affectionate insult used between people who know each other well. Less harsh than stronger insults, often carrying an undertone of fond exasperation rather than genuine contempt.

Venga, tontolaba, que llevas diez minutos buscando las llaves y las tienes en la mano.Come on, you muppet, you've been looking for your keys for ten minutes and they're in your hand.

ponerle los cuernosto cheat on someone / to be unfaithful

colloquial

Standard colloquial expression for infidelity. Widely understood and not considered especially vulgar.

Se enteró de que le ponían los cuernos y lo dejó esa misma noche.She found out she was being cheated on and ended it that very night.

tocar las pelotasto annoy / to bug someone

vulgar

Very common in everyday speech despite its anatomical origin. The strength of its vulgarity has softened considerably through frequency of use, though it remains inappropriate in formal contexts.

Deja de tocarme las pelotas con el mismo tema todos los días.Stop bugging me with the same subject every single day.

quiero y no puedosomeone who aspires to more than they can afford or manage / social climber

colloquial

A fixed noun phrase describing a person whose lifestyle ambitions outrun their actual means or abilities. Mildly disparaging.

Con ese coche de segunda mano pero esa actitud de rico, es un quiero y no puedo.With that second-hand car but that wealthy attitude, he's all pretence and no substance.

a día de hoyto this day / even now / as of today

A fixed temporal phrase meaning 'still' or 'even now', often used to underline that something surprising or problematic persists. Very common in both spoken and written registers.

A día de hoy nadie sabe quién dejó la nota en la puerta.To this day nobody knows who left the note on the door.

por si fuera pocoas if that weren't enough / on top of that

A fixed phrase used to pile on additional information, often something impressive or burdensome. Can be sincere or ironic depending on context.

Llegó tarde, y por si fuera poco, se había olvidado los documentos.She arrived late, and as if that weren't enough, she had forgotten the documents.

ya se sabeas everyone knows / that's just how it is / naturally

colloquial

An impersonal filler phrase used to invoke shared knowledge or common sense, sometimes ironically to poke fun at a cliché or stereotype.

Los vuelos de madrugada siempre son más baratos, ya se sabe.Late-night flights are always cheaper, everyone knows that.

53 Sundays

Expressions to listen for

Key vocabulary