expressions files - Luis Vives Spanish School

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Hello, #Vivers! One of the things that students who come to our school like to learn most about Spanish is the fact that we have many different ways of expressing the same thing. In our entry today we are going to discover other different ways to show that you don't care about something or care very little about it.

I don't mind. Spanish academy for foreigners

1. I don't give a damn

It is said that this expression has its origin in the XNUMXth century, a time in which artists, specifically painters, in search of achieving perfection and the greatest virtuosity in their works, tried to recreate with the greatest reality the composition and texture of the objects that appeared in their still lifes and still lifes*.

For this reason, painters preferred to use pomegranates, lemons and other fruits that were a real challenge for them to draw with the greatest fidelity. However, peppers were one of the vegetables that did not involve much difficulty. The smooth, shiny, and almost completely monochrome surface of peppers offered no appeal to still life painters, who rarely included them in their paintings. That is why in this union the expression "I don't give a damn" began to be used, due to the "uselessness" of the vegetable for their creations.

2. I don't give a damn

When we say that we don't give a damn about something, we are making it very clear that we don't care at all, that is, that we don't give it the slightest importance. The origin of this phrase lies in the little value given to pigweed, a vegetable that does not have much flavor and therefore has never been highly appreciated in gastronomy.

3. I don't give a damn

There are several theories regarding the origin of this expression, but one of the most widespread says that may come from military language, since the "pito" was the name given to the boy who played said instrument in the army. Apparently this young man was not very respected and was not taken into account very much, so his salary was very low. This would be the reason why this popular expression would have emerged, meaning that little value is given to an issue.

4. I don't give a damn

This is another way of expressing that we care little about something or think it is unimportant. The origin of this expression comes from France in the 1800s, where cumin was considered a pest that was of no use. Hence the character of the expression.

Learn other expressions in Spanish that mean the same thing

As you can see, there are many ways to express that you don't care about something or don't care about something. Also with the same meaning it can be said that something:

5. I don't give a damn
6. I don't give a damn
7. I hate it.

In all these cases the meaning is the same, saying that it has no value for me. The last of the expressions, “I hate it,” It is very common in youth slang, but it is a vulgar expression.

If you want to learn many other Spanish expressions that serve to say the same thing, in our spanish courses, we can teach them to you. Luis Vives Spanish School The best option to learn Spanish in Madrid!

*Still lifes and still lifes: work of art depicting animals, flowers and other objects, which may be natural (fruits, food, plants, rocks or shells) or man-made (kitchen, table or household utensils, antiques, books, jewelry, coins , pipes, etc.) in a given space. These types of works were very popular during the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries.

Expressions related to sports

By Administrator

March 16th, 2023

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Hello #Vivers! Unfortunately, summer is coming to an end and vacations are over. However, in our Spanish school we return with batteries full of energy to continue teaching. We return with a new entry in Luis Vives' Spanish Blog. This time we leave you this video of Luis Vives TV in which our beloved teacher Daniel Agudo will explain some colloquial expressions to us.

These are everyday expressions that have their origin in the world of sports. If you want to see it, you just have to click and hit "play". If you like it, don't forget to "like" it and share it with your friends...

We hope you liked it and you know, if you are looking for a Spanish course in Madrid to learn to speak Spanish fluently and improve grammar, stop by Luis Vives Spanish School and take a look at the Spanish classes what we offer. They will surely adapt perfectly to your needs. Luis Vives Spanish School, the best option to learn Spanish in the heart of Madrid!

Did you know?: The origin of the word "spam"

By Administrator

February 25

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Hello #Vivers! Surely you are tired of deleting advertising or commercial emails that you have never requested, junk emails or more generally known as "spam". Sometimes it becomes an annoying task to which we must dedicate a few minutes a day or at certain intervals. For our part, you can rest assured, since we do not send emails with information about our courses to learn Spanish. Have you ever thought about the true origin of this word? Today in a new entry in our section, did you know what? we tell you...

The word "spam", which does not appear in the DRAE (Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy), arose from the need to give some name to the large amount of spam we often receive over the Internet.

There is a version of the origin of "spam" that suggests that it comes from the acronym for "Short, Pointless, and Annoying Messages."

But the most reliable origin of "spam" is related to the abbreviation of the name of a pork luncheon meat that has been sold by the Hormel company since 1937, SPiced hAM (seasoned or spiced ham).

Popularization of the use of the word

The success of the meaning of the term "spam" became popular with a Monty Python sketch broadcast on his Flying Circus program. In it, a couple enters a cheap restaurant and asks the waitress what dishes are on the menu. The waitress responds “spam with egg, spam with sausage, spam with egg and sausage, spam, spam with canned egg, spam with canned sausage…”, and so on a long succession of combinations. This mechanical repetition of the term "spam" was the inspiration for computer scientists to give this name to this type of computer garbage.

Curious, right? Well, if you are interested in knowing more curiosities like this, be sure to read the Luis Vives' Spanish Blog.

And if you are looking for a course to learn to speak Spanish fluently like a native and improve your grammar, stop by Luis Vives Spanish School and take a look at the Spanish classes what we offer. They will surely adapt perfectly to your needs. Luis Vives Spanish School The best option to learn Spanish in the heart of Madrid!

Spanish academies in Madrid - The Spanish blog - Dar pumpkins

give someone pumpkins

By Administrator

January 19, 2023

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Hello #Vivers! Have you ever heard this expression? Have they given you pumpkins or have you ever given pumpkins to someone? The students in our Spanish classes for foreigners find this a very curious expression. If you want to know more about this expression, in our new article we explain its meaning and origin.

This expression means "to reject someone lovingly." In the 1780 edition of the Academy's Dictionary, this meaning is found for the first time, specifically defined as "women rejecting a boyfriend's proposal."

Gonzalo Correas, in his «Vocabulary of sayings and proverbial phrases«, suggests that it has its origins a few centuries ago. At that time, those who learned to swim used gourds (as floats, under their arms) that they abandoned or "threw aside" when they were already able to move in the water without them.

To explain the relationship between love rejection and pumpkins, there are those who allude to the anti-aphrodisiac character attributed to them by the ancient Greeks, so that giving pumpkins would be an invitation to abandon love affairs.

In monasteries of the Middle Ages, pumpkin seeds were used in rosary beads to ward off lascivious thoughts. Furthermore, the pumpkin is a fruit that is very apparent on the outside but not very dense and not very tasty. In that sense it is usually contrasted with the melon, which is the symbol of fertility, abundance and luxury.

And you, have you given pumpkins or have they ever given you pumpkins? If you want to learn many more expressions like this, come to the Luis Vives Spanish School and take a look at the Spanish classes for foreigners that we offer. They are sure to adapt perfectly to your needs. Luis Vives Spanish School The best option to learn Spanish in Madrid!

Spanish academies in Madrid - The Spanish blog - Not knowing or J

Not knowing a damn thing

By Administrator

January 16, 2023

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Hello #Vivers! Have you ever heard the expression “not even knowing J”? It is an expression widely used in Spain but normally students who come to our courses to learn Spanish in Madrid find it a bit strange.

We usually use this expression, “I don't know a thing” or “I don't understand a thing,” when someone has no idea about something, doesn't know about a certain topic or doesn't understand it, but what is the origin of this expression?

The letter 'j' comes from primitive Middle Eastern languages such as Hebrew, Chaldean and Syriac. The predecessors of this letter were the Greek iota and the Hebrew yod. These were the smallest of the 22 letters used in those languages. Furthermore, in the case of Hebrew, the yod was the beginning or the first feature of each of the letters of the alphabet.

Therefore, to say that someone 'does not know a thing' means that he does not know or know the smallest letter, nor the most insignificant thing; In short, he is ignorant.

If you like the Spanish language and you don't want to be one of those people who doesn't know a thing about our language, you are surely looking for Spanish courses in Madrid to learn to speak Spanish fluently like a native, and improve your grammar. Pass by the Luis Vives Spanish School and take a look at the Spanish classes what we offer. They will surely adapt perfectly to your needs. Luis Vives Spanish School, the best option to learn Spanish in the heart of Madrid!