Spanish
Vocab Builder for commonly used words in Spanish.
ser de familia trabajadora
The Spanish phrase 'ser de familia trabajadora' translates to 'to be from a working family' in English. This phrase describes the socioeconomic status and work ethics of a family. It often reflects a family where all capable members participate in any kind of work, job or profession, to contribute to the total income of the household. This can be the result of necessity due to the family's financial state or can simply be part of the family values and traditions. This phrase can be a statement of pride in the family's hardwork and self-sufficiency.
ser de Laos
The Spanish phrase 'ser de Laos' translates to 'Being from Laos' in English. This phrase is used to express nationalities, suggesting that the person is originally from the Southeast Asian country of Laos. In Spanish, nationality and origin are commonly expressed with the verb 'ser', followed by 'de' and then the country name.
ser de mal comer
The Spanish phrase 'ser de mal comer' does not directly translate to 'being bad to eat' in English. Instead, it is an idiomatic expression that describes a person who is a picky or fussy eater. It's often used to refer to someone who has specific, limited, or particular tastes in food, making it difficult for them to enjoy a variety of dishes or foods.
ser de Mozambique
The Spanish phrase 'ser de Mozambique' translates to 'being from Mozambique' in English. This phrase indicates a person's origin or nationality, specifically relating to the southeastern African country of Mozambique. This is often used to express someone's identity or cultural background in the Spanish-speaking context.
ser de origen africano
The Spanish phrase 'ser de origen africano' translates to English as 'to be of African origin'. This is an expression used to denote that a person, object, or cultural aspect has its roots or originates from the African continent. It provides information about the history and background. The Spanish term 'ser' denotes being, 'de' indicates 'of', 'origen' means origin, and 'africano' translates as African. The expression can be utilized in various contexts whenever there is a need to indicate African origins or influences.
ser de origen francés
The phrase 'ser de origen francés' in Spanish translates to 'to be of French origin' in English. This phrase can be used to describe a person, place, or thing that originates from France. Typically, it indicates a deep cultural, historical, or genealogical connection to the country of France. This phrase is used to establish an essential characteristic or inherent quality related to French nationality or origin.
ser de origen oriental
The phrase 'ser de origen oriental' translated from Spanish to English means 'to be of eastern origin'. This refers to something or someone originating from the eastern parts of the world, such as Asia. The direct translation of each word is 'to be', 'of', 'origin', 'eastern'. It's a common idiom used in Spanish language conversations or writings to describe the origins of an individual, cuisine, tradition, or any aspect attributable to eastern regions.
ser de origen peruano
The term 'ser de origen peruano' in Spanish translates to 'being of Peruvian origin' in English. This phrase is often used to describe someone's heritage, particularly in context to their birth, ancestry or their cultural background being from Peru. It does not necessarily mean the person currently resides in Peru, rather their familial or ancestral roots are traced back to this South American country.
ser de un equipo
The Spanish phrase 'ser de un equipo' translates directly to 'being of a team' in English. However, in a more natural English phrase context, the meaning of 'ser de un equipo' represents the idea of 'belonging to a team' or 'being a member of a team'. This phrase is commonly used in Spanish to refer to someone's participation or involvement in a specific team, such as in sports or work environments. This phrase implies a sense of belonging and identity within the context of a team.
ser de un partido político
The Spanish phrase 'ser de un partido político' translates to 'being of a political party' in English. It is used to denote the affiliation or the act of belonging to a specific political party. This can be used in various contexts, such as discussing one's political identification or describing someone else's political allegiance. In a sentence, you might say 'Yo soy de un partido político' which means 'I am of a political party'.
Example sentences with ser de un partido político →ser delgado
'Ser delgado' is a Spanish phrase that translates to 'be thin' in English. It can be used to describe a person, object or situation that has a slim, slender or lean appearance or constitution. The phrase utilises the verb 'ser' which indicates a permanent or long-term state, implying that the thinness is not a temporary condition or subject to change. Please note, Spanish is a contextual language, the meaning can slightly vary based on the context where it is used.
ser desagradable
The Spanish phrase 'ser desagradable' translates to 'to be unpleasant' in English. This is used to describe someone or something that is not pleasing or agreeable, either in a physical sense (taste, smell, look) or in a behavioral sense (rude, annoying, disrespectful). It is a subjective term, as what might be considered unpleasant can greatly vary from individual to individual.
ser despedido
The Spanish term 'ser despedido' translates to 'to be fired' in English. This phrase is commonly used in professional or employment contexts where an individual's formal relationship with a job or organization is terminated. It implies a certain level of permanence, often used when someone loses their job due to reasons that may include a lack of performance, economic difficulties of the company, or restructuring of positions. It's crucial to understand regional differences in language usage, however, as different Spanish-speaking regions may have varying colloquial expressions for job termination.
ser doctor en Empresariales
The phrase 'ser doctor en Empresariales' in Spanish translates to 'be a doctor in Business' in English. This typically refers to someone who has achieved the highest academic degree in Business, commonly known as a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in the English-speaking world. The phrase could also be used in a broader context to simply mean someone who is very knowledgeable or an expert in the field of business.
ser doctor en Filología
The Spanish phrase 'ser doctor en Filología' translates to 'be a doctor in Philology' in English. This implies having a doctorate degree or being a scholar in Philology, which is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.
ser educado
The phrase 'ser educado' in Spanish translates to 'to be polite' in English. This term refers to demonstrating good manners and respect for others. It entails behaving in a courteous and considerate manner, according to the standards and customs of a particular culture or society. It includes being courteous, respectful, and considerate to everyone you interact with.
Example sentences with ser educado →ser el alma de la fiesta
The Spanish phrase 'ser el alma de la fiesta' translates to 'to be the soul of the party' in English. Within the context of the phrase, it's used to describe a person who is lively, entertaining, and essential to the party, similar to how one might think of a soul being crucial to a person's identity or life. The phrase is a metaphor,” it doesn't mean someone is literally the soul of an actual party, but rather that their presence greatly enhances the enjoyment and energy level at a social event.
ser el cabeza de familia
The Spanish expression 'ser el cabeza de familia' translates to 'being the head of the family' in English. It implies one being in charge, responsible for the wellbeing and affairs of a family unit. The phrase can encompass a wide variety of roles, such as making key decisions, providing financial support, and setting the family direction. Often, but not always, this role may be assumed by the oldest male in a household; however, modern interpretations of 'head of the family' can extend beyond gender and age-based norms. It's a term that encompasses a role of significant importance and leadership within a family structure.
ser el centro de la fiesta
The Spanish phrase 'ser el centro de la fiesta' translates to 'be the center of the party' in English. This phrase is used to describe a person who is the focus or main attraction at a social gathering or event. If you 'are the center of the party', it means people's attention is directed towards you, and you are probably engaging, entertaining, or interesting in some manner that draws people in.
ser el rey
The Spanish phrase 'ser el rey' translates to 'to be the king' in English. This expression can be used literally to mean a ruling monarch, but it can also be used figuratively to refer to someone who is at the top or the best in a particular field or area. For example, to say 'he is the king of music' would mean that person is exceptionally good or recognized in the field of music.
ser fascinante
The Spanish phrase 'ser fascinante' translates to 'to be fascinating' in English. It can be used in various contexts to describe people, objects, or situations that are very interesting or captivating. For example, you might use it to describe a fascinating book or a fascinating person. It's a very versatile phrase in Spanish language.
ser feo
The Spanish phrase 'ser feo' translates to 'to be ugly' in English. It is often used to describe someone's unpleasant or unattractive appearance. However, it can also be used metaphorically to describe undesirable or unappealing situations or things. It should be noted that, as in English, the usage of the phrase can be seen as rude or harsh and should be used with discretion.
ser gafe
The Spanish phrase 'ser gafe' translates to 'be jinxed' in English. It is usually used to describe someone who brings bad luck or has a tendency to cause or attract misfortune. This phrase might be used in both casual and formal situations. Being a common expression in Spanish, individuals can often find it in spoken language, movies, literature, and social media posts. Understanding and using such phrases could help in achieving a more native-like fluency in Spanish.
Example sentences with ser gafe →ser gordo
The Spanish term 'ser gordo' translates to 'be fat' in English. It's an expression that refers to an individual's physical appearance, specifically indicating that a person has excess weight or body fat. This term carries a similar connotation as it would in English-speaking cultures, often used in a derogatory or negative manner. However, it is essential to be respectful and mindful of cultural norms and individual sensitivities when using this phrase or similar expressions.
ser gratis
The Spanish phrase 'ser gratis' translates to 'be free' in English. This phrase often refers to something being without cost or charge. For instance, if you go to a museum and there's no entrance fee, in Spanish, you might say 'El museo es gratis.' Which translates to 'The museum is free.' It's important to note that 'ser gratis' may also imply certain liberties or freedoms in certain contexts, but it's predominantly used to denote the absence of a financial cost.
Example sentences with ser gratis →ser guapo
'Ser guapo' is a Spanish phrase that translates to 'to be handsome' in English. It is commonly used to compliment someone on their physical appearance. The verb 'ser' is a form of 'to be' used for permanent or long-lasting characteristics, indicating that the beauty is seen as inherent and long-lasting. The adjective 'guapo' directly translates to 'handsome' however it can also mean 'good-looking' or 'attractive' depending on the context. Despite referring often to physical beauty, 'ser guapo' can also describe someone's pleasing or attractive personality traits, not only their looks.
ser idénticos
The Spanish phrase 'ser idénticos' translates to 'be identical' in English. This phrase is often used to denote that two or more objects, people, or concepts share an exact likeness or similarity in some or all aspects. The verb 'ser' depicts permanence, equating to the English 'be', and 'idénticos' translates directly to 'identical'. Therefore, the phrase implies a permanent or inherent similarity or sameness.
ser indigesto
The Spanish phrase 'ser indigesto' does not translate directly to 'to be unworthy' in English. Rather it carries a literal translation of 'to be indigestible.' It's a term typically used to indicate that something is hard to accept or understand, quite like a food that's hard to digest.
ser ingeniero
The term 'ser ingeniero' translates directly to 'to be an engineer' in English. The phrase 'ser' means 'to be', indicating a state, profession, or characteristic, and 'ingeniero' is a noun meaning 'engineer'. So 'ser ingeniero' essentially refers to the profession or state of being an engineer. It could be used in various contexts such as expressing one's profession (Soy ingeniero - I am an engineer), expressing a desire, a goal (Quiero ser ingeniero - I want to be an engineer) or even in a hypothetical situation (Si fuera ingeniero - If I were an engineer).
ser justo
The Spanish phrase 'ser justo' translates to 'be just' in English. This phrase is used to express fairness or justice in actions or decisions. For instance, it can be utilized in a context where someone is being encouraged or expected to make a decision that is fair and balanced, or to behave in an ethically upright manner. Its usage is broad and can apply in diverse situations where fairness, justice, or equality must be underscored.
Example sentences with ser justo →