Diseño del blog

3 noviembre 2021

Ana del Río

How do you say 'OIL' in Spanish?

 Have you ever wondered why some words are so different in Spanish? 
Here you have an example:



The Spanish word aceite comes from the Hispanic Arab -azzáyt-, this from the Classic Arab -azzayt- and this from the Aramaic -zaytā-.


That's the reason why is so different from other languages, as you can see in the picture above, in which the word in question comes from the Latin -oleum-.


To understand the appearance of arabic words in the Spanish language we should go back in time and remember one of the most important periods of the Spanish History: The Muslim ruled in the Iberian Peninsula between 711 and 1492. Almost eight centuries of Arabic presence in what today we call Spain and Portugal!

 

Now you understand the Arabic influence on the Spanish language and why we have a close cultural relation: the food, the architecture, the music, the dance and of course, the language. There are more than four thousand Spanish words with an Arabic origin, which means that 8% of the Spanish dictionary are arabisms. 


Some other examples: alquilar (to rent), azúcar (sugar), algodón (cotton), zanahoria (carrot)…


In our school, we encourage our students to go into detail in the origin of the words and their evolution.

To know more about the incorporation and use of foreign words in Spanish, check out our last teaching materials:





Explore our shop for many other teaching materials:




Now, it's your turn:

How do you say 'oil' in your language?

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Barcelona, the vibrant Catalan city, is known for its impressive architecture, sunny beaches, and lively nightlife. However, it's also important to be aware of a problem that affects many residents and visitors: mobile phone theft. In this bustling metropolis, pickpockets -carteristas- lurk in crowded places, ready to take advantage of any lapse in attention...

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Spanish slang about love. Girl with heart

Spanish slang about love

By Ana Del Rio Zolle • 10 Oct, 2022
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Expressions about work in Spanish

By Ana Del Rio Zolle • 18 Feb, 2022
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Spanish expressions about being late

By Ana Del Rio Zolle • 22 Jan, 2022
There is a great debate on the issue facing those who defend the veracity of the stereotype, with those who defend themselves as Spaniards and punctual. What is clear is that the Spanish language has several expressions related to punctuality and our goal at Río Spanish School - Malta is for our students to know, understand and use them in their daily lives.

Are Spaniards always late?

By Ana Del Rio Zolle • 12 Jan, 2022
In every group of friends there is someone who is always late, and if there isn't in yours, then it's you. Someone said there are two types of people: those who are late and those who are unhappy. This is because the first are more optimistic and think that they will have time to arrive on time.
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