B2 - Upper Intermediate Spanish
Students at the Upper Intermediate B2 level can defend their positions in a debate, and explore opposing views on different topics.
At this level, most students can converse with native speakers naturally and fluently.
tener un buen servicio
having a good service
The Spanish phrase 'tener un buen servicio' translates to 'having a good service' in English. It can be used in various contexts such as dining in a restaurant, staying in a hotel, or any situation where customer service is involved. The verb 'tener' literally means 'to have', 'un' means 'a', 'buen' means 'good' and 'servicio' means 'service'. Therefore, when combined, they form the phrase 'tener un buen servicio'.
tener un calor espantoso
be terribly hot
'Tener un calor espantoso' in Spanish can be translated to 'be terribly hot' in English. This phrase is often used to express extreme heat, typically related to weather conditions. It may not necessarily refer to the temperature of a particular object or person, but rather it indicates a general feeling of overwhelming heat in the surrounding environment. Metaphorically, it can also be used to express a strong emotion or situation that is hard to bear due to its intensity.
tener un calor horrible
have horrible heat
The Spanish phrase 'tener un calor horrible' translates to 'have horrible heat' in English. It is usually used to express the feeling of enduring excessive or unbearable heat. Even though it may seem like a direct reference to the weather condition, it can also metaphorically refer to a difficult or stressful situation. For instance, in English, one might say, 'It's hot as hell in here,' to express discomfort due to high temperature or a tense environment.
tener un carácter brusco
to have a brute character
The phrase 'tener un carácter brusco' in Spanish translates into English as 'to have a brute character'. This refers to someone who is often frank, direct, or unyielding in nature, potentially to the point of rudeness or lack of tact. They might be blunt, straightforward and it sometimes may seem they lack courtesy or politeness. This phrase isn't describing a physical characteristic, instead it focuses on a persona or temperament.
tener un carácter serio
having a serious character
The phrase 'tener un carácter serio' in Spanish translates to 'having a serious character' in English. It could signify a person who is solemn, earnest, or not given to frivolity or levity. It can also refer to a situation, idea, or entity having a weighty or important nature. The context will usually determine the precise meaning.
tener un carácter tranquilo
have a calm character
The Spanish phrase 'tener un carácter tranquilo' translates to 'have a calm character' in English. This phrase may be used to describe someone who is typically calm, collected, or peaceful in their demeanor. Character refers to an individual's qualities or traits, and tranquil refers to a state of peace or calm. Therefore, someone with a 'tranquil character' would be someone who generally exhibits a peaceful, calm disposition.
tener un cargo de responsabilidad
a responsibility post
The term 'tener un cargo de responsabilidad' in Spanish translates to 'to have a post of responsibility' in English. This typically implies taking on a role or a job with substantial decision-making responsibilities. It can be related to any field such as business, government, education etc., where certain responsibilities and duties need to be fulfilled. The role may require the individual to handle important tasks, manage people, or make critical decisions, thereby carrying a significant degree of responsibility.
tener un cargo público
holding a public office
The Spanish phrase 'tener un cargo público' translates to 'holding a public office' in English. This phrase is often used in the context of someone performing a duty in a role that serves the community or nation, such as a mayor, senator, or president. These roles often require election or appointment and involve responsibilities such as making decisions, creating laws, or implementing policies for the public's interest.
tener un comportamiento adecuado
having proper behavior
The Spanish phrase 'tener un comportamiento adecuado' is translated to English as 'having proper behavior'. This phrase is commonly used by Spanish speaking individuals wishing to express the importance of behaving appropriately or correctly in a given situation. It may be used in various contexts such as in a school, at home, or in a social gathering.
Example sentences with tener un comportamiento adecuado →tener un comportamiento injusto
having unjust behavior
The Spanish phrase 'tener un comportamiento injusto' translates to 'having unjust behavior' in English. This expression is generally used to describe someone intentionally behaving unfairly or unjustly. In a broader context, it can be applied to actions or activities that don't promote fairness or impartiality. The translation is quite literal where 'tener' means 'to have', 'un comportamiento' translates to 'a behavior', and 'injusto' translates to 'unjust'.
Example sentences with tener un comportamiento injusto →tener un día libre
having a day off
The Spanish phrase 'tener un día libre' translates to 'having a day off' in English. It is commonly used when referring to a day where one is free from obligations, such as work or school, and can rest or do leisure activities instead.
tener un doctorado
have a doctorate
The Spanish phrase 'tener un doctorado' translates to 'have a doctorate' in English. It is used to express the possession of a high level of academic degree, also known as a doctorate, which is granted by universities. This phrase signifies having achieved this degree from an educational institution. It denotes a level of study or research that is higher than a master's degree. Therefore, someone who 'tiene un doctorado' is someone who has achieved the highest level of academic study in a particular field.
tener un dolor espantoso
having a terrible pain
The phrase 'tener un dolor espantoso' in Spanish translates to 'having a terrible pain' in English. This could be used in different contexts to talk about both physical and emotional pain that is particularly strong or unbearable. It is a phrase often used to emphasize the severity of the discomfort or suffering someone is going through.
tener un dolor horrible
having a horrible pain
The phrase 'tener un dolor horrible' in Spanish translates to 'having a horrible pain' in English. It's often used to describe a severe physical discomfort or distress, for instance due to injury or illness. Please note that the verb 'tener' is used in this context to express 'having'. Also, as in English, in Spanish too, the adjective 'horrible' corresponds to 'horrible' and 'dolor' corresponds to 'pain'. Thus, grammatically, 'tener un dolor horrible' is a common phrase in Spanish expressing the state of enduring a severe pain.
tener un empleo en la Administración
employment in the Administration
The Spanish phrase 'tener un empleo en la Administración' translates to 'employment in the Administration' in English. This phrase could be used in the context of discussing one's job or career, particularly within a government or bureaucratic setting. The verb 'tener' means 'to have', 'un empleo' translates to 'a job', 'en' means 'in', and 'la Administración' refers to 'the Administration'. Therefore the phrase is literally stating 'to have a job in the Administration'.
tener un empleo en una multinacional
having a job in a multinational
The Spanish phrase 'tener un empleo en una multinacional' translates to 'having a job in a multinational' in English. This phrase could be used in a variety of contexts, but is most commonly found in professional and business environments. 'Tener' means 'to have', 'un empleo' refers to 'a job', 'en' translates to 'in', and 'una multinacional' is 'a multinational'. Therefore, putting all the words together gives the meaning of working in a multinational company or corporation.
tener un frío espantoso
having a terrible cold
The Spanish phrase 'tener un frío espantoso' translates to 'having a terrible cold' in English. It can be used to describe a severe chilliness that you are experiencing, derived from either actual low temperatures or from not feeling well due to a health condition such as a cold or flu. While 'frío' on its own means 'cold', 'espantoso' augments it to express a level of intensity, becoming 'terrible' or 'dreadful' in English. This phrase is subjective and could mean different things to different people, based on their personal tolerance to cold.
tener un frío horrible
having a horrible cold
The phrase 'tener un frío horrible' originates from Spanish and translates to 'having a horrible cold' in English. This phrase is typically used to describe an uncomfortable condition where one is feeling extremely cold, similar to experiencing chills due to illness or bad weather conditions. It's an idiomatic expression, meaning the words together have a different meaning from the literal translation of each individual word.
tener un interés del + [número cardinal] + por ciento
have an interest of + [ cardinal number] + percent
The Spanish phrase 'tener un interés del + [número cardinal] + por ciento' literally translates to 'to have an interest of + [cardinal number] + percent' in English. This phrase is typically used in financial, business, or investment contexts to denote a certain amount of financial interest or stake someone has in a particular venture, investment or project. For example, 'tener un interés del 30 por ciento' means to have a 30 percent interest.
tener un ligue
have a flirt
'Tener un ligue' in Spanish translates to 'have a flirt' in English. It is a colloquial phrase used in Spain to express the action of flirtatiously interacting with someone, or having a short romantic or sexual relationship. It often connotes a casual and non-committed nature of the relationship. The verb 'tener' means 'to have', and 'un ligue' means a flirt or a casual love affair. The phrase is typically used in informal and casual contexts.
tener un lío
having trouble
'Tener un lío' is a Spanish phrase that typically translates into English as 'having trouble'. This phrase is often used in Spanish-speaking countries to express a sense of difficulty, complication, or dilemma in a certain situation. It can refer to a personal problem, a messy situation, or a challenging task or issue in the literal or figurative sense. Note that the actual meaning may slightly vary depending on the context.
tener un mal expediente
having a bad record.
The Spanish phrase 'tener un mal expediente' translates to 'having a bad record' in English. It is often used in context such as work, school, or legal settings where an individual's history of behavior or performance is being evaluated. Having a 'mal expediente' suggests that this history or record is unsatisfactory or has negative aspects. Just like in English, this phrase can be used in a variety of ways depending on context, ranging from serious (such as a criminal record) to more casual or less severe situations (like having a record of being frequently late).
tener un mal servicio
having a bad service
The Spanish phrase 'tener un mal servicio' directly translates in English to 'having a bad service'. It is commonly used to express dissatisfaction with a service provided, such as in a restaurant, a hotel, or any other service-based industry. It might imply that the service received was not up to the expected standards or was disappointing in some way. This phrase can be used in various contexts where the quality of service is being commented upon or discussed.
tener un pinchazo
Have a puncture.
The Spanish phrase 'tener un pinchazo' translates to 'have a puncture' in English. The verb 'tener' is 'to have' in English, 'un' means 'a', and 'pinchazo' refers to a puncture, puncture wound or stab. Therefore, the phrase is commonly used in scenarios involving tires, like cars or bikes, where a puncture might occur, or to refer to a sharp, sudden pain, like a 'stab of pain' in a body part.
Example sentences with tener un pinchazo →tener un seguro
have insurance
The Spanish phrase 'tener un seguro' translates to 'have insurance' in English. It is commonly used in conversations related to healthcare, auto, home, life, and other types of insurance coverage. An individual might use this phrase when talking about the insurance they have for their health, car, home, etc. Therefore, it is an essential phrase to understand and use correctly in such contexts.
Example sentences with tener un seguro →tener un sueño espantoso
having a dreadful dream
The Spanish phrase 'tener un sueño espantoso' translates to 'having a dreadful dream' in English. It is often used to describe a bad or scary dream experience. The word 'tener' is a commonly used verb in Spanish that means 'to have'. 'Un sueño' means 'a dream' and the adjective 'espantoso' means 'dreadful' or 'horrible'. Altogether, 'tener un sueño espantoso' evokes a strong, negative emotional response, similar to the English expression.
tener un sueño horrible
having a horrible dream
The Spanish phrase 'tener un sueño horrible' directly translates to 'having a horrible dream' in English. This phrase can be broken down into three words - 'tener', 'un', and 'sueño horrible'. 'Tener', a verb, means 'to have' in English. 'Un' is a singular, masculine indefinite article that translates to 'a'. Finally, 'sueño horrible' means 'horrible dream'. So, when you say 'tener un sueño horrible', you're saying that you're experiencing a particularly bad dream.
tener un tirón
Have a shred
The Spanish phrase 'tener un tirón' is often used to depict a situation in English where someone might 'have a shred'. In much more common terms, it might be used to indicate that someone has a minor advantage or marginally better position than others in a certain situation. It can also refer to having a small piece of chance or opportunity that can be exploited for benefit. Nevertheless, the complexity of idiomatic expressions means the exact meaning can heavily depend on context.
Example sentences with tener un tirón →tener un valor sentimental
having a sentimental value
The Spanish phrase 'tener un valor sentimental' translates into English as 'having a sentimental value'. It is often used to describe an object or thought that holds special importance on a personal, emotional level rather than material value. It can also refer to something that evokes a sense of nostalgia or triggers specific emotions, attaching special meaning to the object or idea.
tener una actitud adecuado
having an appropriate attitude
The Spanish phrase 'tener una actitud adecuado' translates to 'having an appropriate attitude' in English. You would use this phrase when speaking about ones disposition or demeanor in a given situation. It suggests the kind of behavior, approach, or response that is considered suitable or proper in that context. This phrase can be used in various contexts, such as social, professional, or personal situations where an individual's attitude plays a crucial role.
Example sentences with tener una actitud adecuado →