Spanish Word of the Day: Peligro (danger)

An important word to understand the meaning of if you come across it on a sign or label is peligro. Peligro is the Spanish word for danger, hazard, threat, peril or risk. It comes from the Latin pericŭlum which in turn came from the Proto-Germanic *feraną, the Proto-Indo-European *bʰowHéyeti and the Proto-Indo-European *per meaning around …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Silla (chair)

The chair, known as silla in Spanish, has been in use since Ancient Egypt and has been prevalent in the Western world since the time of the Greeks and Romans. Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Silla is derived from the Old Spanish siella, which originates from Latin sella meaning seat. It is ultimately derived from …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Tierra (earth)

The Spanish word for earth is tierra, from the Latin terra meaning earth or land. Tierra derives from Terra (or Tellus) Mater (Mother Earth), the Roman primordial goddess of planet Earth. The Earth or la Tierra is the third (la tercera) planet from the sun (el sol) and the only planet in our solar system where …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Oso (bear)

The word for bear in Spanish is oso and it is derived from the Latin word ursus. Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation It is a masculine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles: However, if you are referring specifically to a female bear, you can use the feminine equivalent osa. Here are the articles it takes: Sadly, only …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Mariposa (butterfly)

The word Mariposa, meaning butterfly in English, is a neologism. It is composed of two Spanish words. The first one is Mari, which is a nickname derived from the common Spanish name Maria. The second word is taken from the verb posar which means to pose. The two words combined say mari poses, or mari posa.  …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Mano (hand)

Mano is the word for hand in Spanish. It has its origins in the Latin word manus, which also means hand. Because of the important role the hand plays in our lives, it’s used in numerous Spanish expressions. Learning these common phrases will help you understand and communicate more fluently. Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Most …

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