Hola!

Well folks, I asked you to share a Spanish word or phrase that you keep in your Spanish survival kit, makes you smile or makes you laugh, means something special to you, or was the first Spanish word you ever learned…

What an awesome response! With hundreds of Rocket Spanish Competition entries on facebook, twitter, and here on the Rocket Spanish Blog over the last 10 days, it was seriously hard work choosing the winners.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.. and learn something new along the way!

Jerry Funk
My phrase is both helpful and meaningful to me.

On my second trip to Mexico I read of some new archeological excavation in the area I was traveling through. It was fairly remote and after two days I had found the closest small village but speaking no Spanish I could get no further. On the third day I looked in my dictionary and came up with the phrase “Estamos buscando”, meaning “We’re looking for”. I asked in the village, “Estamos buscando las piedras”, meaning “We’re looking for the stones”, and we were then led across the fields and streams of an Ejido by an old man who led us into a large canyon whose walls were covered with about two hundred of the most beautiful petroglyphs I’ve ever seen. There were also several small shrines with articles left by villagers. I also saw my first Cotamundi in that canyon. We never did find that site we first set out to find! Since that time I have used this phrase many times to find anything I’m looking for.

Tony Dix
My favourite word is mañana. It means tomorrow, but here in Panama its meaning is different: probably not tomorrow ,perhaps tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, possibly tomorrow…

Ken Armstrong
When you’re learning Spanish and you are traveling in a Spanish-speaking country, your attempt to speak Spanish is always appreciated by the locals and they will try to help you.

The most helpful phrase is “como se dice,” which means, “How do you say…” which gives you time to think of the word you want, and can be repeated adding the equivalent English word at the end, e.g. “Como se dice… train station?” or “Como se dice… nightclub?”

This phrase lets the person you are talking to know that you are trying to think of the Spanish word and invites the person to pitch in to help you. Try it when you can’t think of the Spanish word. It’s very useful and it makes you sound more friendly and conversational.

Anthony Snider
My first word that I can really remember is Bienvenidos a mi país – Welcome to my country.

Bill Glass
Tengo Hambre – Who doesn’t need to know how to say they are hungry ?!

Frank Bayer
Rocket Spanish has propelled me into the language at break neck speed, for which I am grateful because I want to speak Spanish with Angeline Imari, my 3 year old great granddaughter, who lives 1.800 miles away in Arizona.

I love the word “¡fantástico!” (fantastic) because it just rolls off the tongue in Spanish, yet it is so strong and emotes such enthusiasm. I suppose “fantastic” is a great word in any language but it sounds so much more interesting in Spanish.

The other evening when the waiter brought my take out order at the local Mexican restaurant he said in Spanish, “Here is your supper, señor – Enjoy!” I looked at him and said, “¡Fantástico – Gracias!” – I wish you could have seen his eyes light up. It was worth every minute of study.

Robert Poggi
I love to use the phrase: “Es muy amable”. It means You’re very kind (Lesson 1.4) and always brings a smile of appreciation when used.

Brian Prosser
The phase I use quite a lot when I feel I need to slow down the conversation to a easier level is this: Estoy aprendiendo español, pero no hablo bien español en este momento. Necesito practicar más. This means I am learning Spanish but I don’t speak Spanish very well at the moment, I need to practice more. This phrase is always well received and I always get good feedback and help with more learning.

Lee Allen
“nunca diga nunca” – the first saying I learnt in Spanish. Never say never…very apt for learning a language!

Nadine Ireland
In Australia, when it rains heavily, we say:

“It’s raining cats and dogs.”

While living In Panamá I learnt that the Panameños say:

“Está lloviendo mesas y sillas”.

(“It’s raining tables and chairs.”)

When I lived in Uruguay I was bemused to learn that the Uruguayos say:

“Está lloviendo pingüinos a punto”.

(“It’s raining to the point of penguins.” ¡Mas or menos!)

Just because the competition is over, doesn’t mean you have to stop sharing such great stuff! Feel free to add more helpful  Spanish words and phrases (and their English translation) as replies on the blog posts any time you like!

Best wishes,

Mauricio E.