Replies

1. 
   mikerooney | Aug 29, 2004 06:23pm | #1

   Find the guy who speaks the best English, and make him your asst.

   Take night class in Espanol.

    

1. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 29, 2004 06:44pm | #2

   Night class good idea but takes a long time.  Finding which of the latinos speaks the most english - good idea.

   Also - go pick up an english/spanish dictionary so he can learn the spanish version of some key words; and have it at the jobsite with ya.   Some basics, for e.g.  "no" is "no"..."yes" is "si"   LOL!  In truth, the workers would probably notice and appreciate seeing him making the effort to communicate and some who actually know more english than they're letting on; would come around and try a bit more from their side.

   If there's a school teacher nearby who teaches spanish, could have them craft ya the spanish version of some key concepts and phrases also.

1. 
   twomoons | Aug 29, 2004 07:51pm | #3

   Just logged back in. Thanks for the tips. I like the idea for the teacher. I will use that. As for the night classes, I barely have any night left after the twelve to fifteen hour days. I have been sitting at the table with the plans trying to schedule the next week for about 5 hours now. Thanks Again

1. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 29, 2004 09:23pm | #9

   Hey Mike:

   Few other thoughts to share with ya, now that have seen SamT input etc.

   Key phrases:

   Good morning/day:  buenos dias  (bwen noz dee ahs)

   Good nite:  buenos noches (bwen noz no chez)

   thank you:  gracias (grah see az)

   How do you say....in english?: como se dice?  (ko moh say dee say? en ang lay?)

   I don't understand...:  yo no comprendo (yoh no kum pren doh)

   please:  por favor (pour fah vore)

   much:  muy  (moo eee) or mucho (moo choh)  as in "Muchos gracias"

   Also:

   There are volunteer translators on the http://www.virtualtourist.com website; in case getting in touch w/a spanish teacher not easy for ya to do what with your current work hours.  If ya go to the VT website: free signup, and ck around the site - you'll find they have a lot of spanish translators there that could give you some spanish translation for stock phrases, also.

   Well I'm headed to Bolivia next weekend so we'll see how well my limited espanol serves me...

1. 
   mikerooney | Aug 29, 2004 09:59pm | #10

   Ahora piensa emboracharme. 

2. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 29, 2004 11:09pm | #12

   Ya think it's time to get intoxicated? Bueno... muy cervezas fria!

   Hasta Luego (see ya later)!

3. 
   WorkshopJon | Aug 29, 2004 11:18pm | #13

   Bueno... muy cervezas fria!"

   What, not Margarita Grande'???  Wimp.

   WSJ

4. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 30, 2004 12:55am | #18

   nope...tehkillya kicks my azzzzzz.

5. 
   mikerooney | Aug 29, 2004 11:29pm | #14

   Dos Equis con limon, por favor. 

2. 
   rjw | Aug 30, 2004 03:33am | #27

   And be real careful with "Chinga (sp?) se tu madre"

   "It is as hard for the good to suspect evil, as it is for the bad to suspect good."

   -- Marcus Tullius Cicero, statesman, orator, writer (106-43 BCE)

1. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 30, 2004 03:45am | #28

   Bob, IIRC, you 'bout got that right...it's "chinga su madre" - real fightin' words if used in tense situation. 

   "chingar" is the root verb: "to F*ck"

   so the expression: chinga su madre is telling someone "F... yer mother"

   Ya never insult a latino's mother unless yer ready to rumble...but sounds like you knew that Bob! (DO tell!) 

1. 
   CapnMac | Aug 30, 2004 07:38pm | #37

   Ya never insult a latino's mother unless yer ready to rumble

   If you add leche tu madre in there, it's the no-jury-will-convict-me (as in "fighting words") phrase in Mexico.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

2. 
   SamT | Aug 29, 2004 07:52pm | #4

   This is crude, but it gets me appreciated and more work outa them.

   Kay Thee-say Ess-tah? How do you say this? (point to object)
   Kay-thee-say (english word)? How do you say (english word)?

   Ooh-no 1
   Dose 2
   Trace 3
   Kwa-tro 4
   Sink-oh 5
   Sase 6
   See-eh-tay 7
   Oh-cho 8
   New-eh-Vay 9
   Dee-ess 10
   Dose-say 12
   Kah-tore-say 14
   Dee-ess-ee-sase 16

   Kla-Vo Nail
   Kla-vo day Oh-cho 8d nail
   Kla-vo day dee-ess ee sase 16d nail

   Dose ee Kwa-tro 2x4
   Kwa-tro ee Dee-ess ee sase 4x16 (say Dee-ess-ee-sase fast, as one word)
   Dose ee kwah-tro day dose-say 2x4x12
   Mace inch
   Pull-gah-though foot

   Ee and
   Ell him/the
   Two you
   Yo me/I
   Heh-fay Boss
   Heh-fay Gran-day Big boss
   Trah-bah-hoe work/job
   Pork-kay why/because
   Way-no good
   Mal bad
   Pree-may-tha first
   Say-goon-doh second

   Ell (architect/engineer/superintendant) ess (oon/uno) heh-fay gran-day The architect is a big boss
   Ell no goose-toe He doesn't like (it/this)
   Ell Heh-fay no goose-toe The Boss doesn't like (it/this)
   Vah-ma-nose(rhymes with dose) ah trah-bah-hoe Let's go to work.
   Ess-tah ess no way-no This is no good
   Way-no Trah-bah-hoe! Good job!
   Ess Sir-vay-sa ee meh-thia It's beer:thirty!

   Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it. Andy Engel

1. 
   Sphere | Aug 29, 2004 11:29pm | #15

   ya forgot ...

   Pen-day ho

   man yana

   fre-o/ caliente

   and most important

   Cervasa 

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

1. 
   Sancho | Aug 29, 2004 11:59pm | #16

   Dont forget :

   La Migre  La meegray)- Immigration

   Tienes cartre verde.. -You have a green card

   Quantos hemanas tiena Y quantos anos - How many sisters you have and how old  

   Darkworksite4:

   El americano pasado hacia fuera ase la bandera

1. 
   DougU | Aug 30, 2004 12:20am | #17

   Ron

   Havent seen you in a while, but I see you got the important ones!

   Doug

2. 
   CapnMac | Aug 30, 2004 07:21pm | #35

   cartre verde.. -You have a green card

   It's carte azur, they were rose for a while, but they're blue right now <g>Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

2. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 30, 2004 01:06am | #19

   well ya gonna tell Mike what the words mean or what?

   Pendajo: pen day ho = azzhole

   hijo de puta: eee ho day pu tah = son of a b*tch

   estupido: esss two pee doh = stupid (one) as in "miguel es estupido"

   A problem comes into play with spanish slang...and mexican is way different than other dialects like, say cuban or puerto rican or castellan (from Spain).

   If ya got folks from PR - and ya hear them say "gonyo" - that's a wicked nasty term with no direct english translation...  But if ya hear that from the crew, ya know they're from PR.

   If ya got other latinos and they say:

    "Estoy intentando arreglar esta hostia pero no me sale!"

   that slang phrase means:  "I am trying to fix this F*cker but am not having any results!"  

   (hmmm - that may be a good one for folks in carpy biz to know...)

1. 
   Sphere | Aug 30, 2004 01:23am | #20

   you are so bad...

   at least I didnt say punta gringo...lol 

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

1. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 30, 2004 01:30am | #21

   "women who behave...fail to make history"

2. 
   Sphere | Aug 30, 2004 01:35am | #22

   ohhhh..I like that one..reminds me of someone. 

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

2. 
   mikerooney | Aug 30, 2004 01:39am | #23

   I was in the service with a bunch of Puerto Ricans (they got drafted, don't you know) in 1968 down in Georgia. One night we passed a bottle of 151 around 'til we got to the top of the label, then added a can of frozen grapefruit concentrate.....

   Now I know why there is a bat on the label. 

1. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 30, 2004 01:45am | #24

   I passed a few years of my life seriously involved with a gent from PR I met during my first college stint...almost married him.  Anyway, have travelled in PR a few times as another time I had a gal from PR as college roommate.

   I have noted: they have their own unique libation combinations.  Strangest one, IMHO, was gin with grape soda.  Can't remember what they called it...

2. 
   mikerooney | Aug 30, 2004 01:53am | #25

   Where I come from we called it "Purple Jeezus". 

3. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 30, 2004 02:09am | #26

   Ohmygod - that's IT! LOL.  Geez, we were suckin those down while attempting to water ski at the lagoon (amazing didn't get hepatitis from that...)  What a hoot!

3. 
   Dinosaur | Aug 30, 2004 06:11am | #29

   You forgot:

   Conyo (probably the word you rendered as 'gonyo'; an anatomical reference best left to the imagination....)

   Maricon (Monkey, but with overtones again best left to the imagination....)

   Gordo (Fatso)

   Flaco (Skinny guy)

   This must all be good lingua del puce ('thumb talk') 'cause I learned it from fine, upstanding members of the United States Merchant Marine in Puerto Rico....

   PS--I always understood hijo de puta to translate as 'son of a wh*re' rather than S.O.B....

   Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

1. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 30, 2004 06:56am | #30

   Dino!  good to hear from ya and hey, if ya got your info from the MM in PR...how could I take exception to any of it??? LOL!

   (are you home yet, or in RI dealing with yer truck?)

2. 
   Dinosaur | Aug 30, 2004 03:44pm | #31

   Ryan, me, and the Big Blue Beast are all safely back home, having had an 'extra' three-day 'vacation' trip down and back. We took advantage of the obligatory trip to stop by Mystic Seaport on the way up to Jamestown from New London. Ryan got to slide down the backstays on the Chas. W. Morgan  and hold the very harpoon that Queequeg needled Moby Dick with....

   View ImageDinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

3. 
   Sancho | Aug 30, 2004 05:04pm | #32

   Lets not forget.....

   mas rapido su pinche wawone pendeho ( faster U  f$$$$ lazy .....

   Tu awaila ( your grandmother) its like saying ah your mother... but latins dont insult each others mother they prefer grandmother

   and

   Vahmenos quickas viene.... Scram here come the police....

   dia de pagar esta verines... paydays on friday....

   No may importa...I dont care

   No ma trabajo... not my job

   Tienes una prima calientes... hey do you have a hot cousin....

   esta aya solo... Is she single

   most important

   Eh esta no tiempo por descanza.. its not break time yet... 

   Darkworksite4:

   El americano pasado hacia fuera ase la bandera

4. 
   mizshredder2 | Aug 30, 2004 07:33pm | #36

   Great to hear Dino - and super pic! Tks.

5. 
   Dinosaur | Aug 30, 2004 07:55pm | #39

   Always got more pics: probably took about 250 while I was in RI and out hiking with Sasa. I'm trying to organize them on the 'puter now, pre-requisite to copying them all to a few CDs or thumb drives....

   Dinosaur

   'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

6. 
   CapnMac | Aug 30, 2004 07:44pm | #38

   hijo de puta to translate as 'son of a wh*re'

   LoL!  That's the way I was taught.  The new one I hear is hijo de puto, which I'm pretty sure translates as it reads, offsrping of dos maricones (got to be a low life not even have a mother . . . )  Not something heard when a wheto is around, more what our locals call WBs (ladron de trabajor not being strong enough cussin').Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

3. 
   CapnMac | Aug 30, 2004 07:20pm | #34

   mal de cervesas <g>

   Dolor de cebeza.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

2. 
   CapnMac | Aug 30, 2004 06:02pm | #33

   I my part of Texas, there's a bit more splanglish:

   Mace inch "in kah" (from inche the 'singluar' of inches)Pull-gah-though foot "P'yed" (from peid or foot)

   Ell him/the "El" (him) is a generic pronoun used more than "it" (et) conversationally.

   Two you The "tu" form of "you" is some times considered demeaning, unless that is the intent.  "Su" (SUE) is the more formal "you." 

   Heh-fay Gran-day Big boss The Spanish teachers want you to say "patron" (pah TROhn), but that can cause some unintended meanings (esp if you are hisheard to say "cabron" . . .)

   Mal bad  Mal is also "ill."  I'm having mal de lunes, or monday-itus today <g>.

   Pree-may-tha first  Premero (PREE mer oh) is "the first" meaning the on-site boss.Say-goon-doh second  Segundo is "the second," or foreman.

   Primo (PREE Moh) means "best."

   If I can get over my mal de trabajor de lunes I may come up with more <g>

   dolor = pain

   martes = Tuesday

   mièrcoles = Wednesday

   jueves = Thursday

   viernes = Friday which is often dia de paga, paydayOccupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

3. 
   BillHartmann | Aug 29, 2004 07:55pm | #5

   There are some spanish/english CONSTRUCTION dictionaries around. Check on the FHB site, jlconline.com, http://store.builderbooks.com/cgi-bin/builderbooks and http://www.buildersbookdepot.com/

4. 
   darcey | Aug 29, 2004 07:59pm | #6

   The NAHB has Spanish/English for Construction booklets.  They are small enough to fit in your (or their) back pocket.  Buy a bunch and encourage your employees to be responsible to learn some English too!

1. 
   brownbagg | Aug 29, 2004 08:05pm | #7

   they got the pocket version at lowes for $5

5. 
   remodelerdw | Aug 29, 2004 08:16pm | #8

   mucho trabaja.

   remodeler

6. 
   Dez | Aug 29, 2004 10:41pm | #11

   Hey Mike,

   Sign language works...not the official version...the one you make up. Trouble is, they (Latino's) actually don't have specific words for many common things as we do in english.

   A nail gun, firearm, drill motor, etc. may all be pistolas!

   And their sentance structure is usually backwards from ours.( Hey Mike, you want to go for a beer after work?) They might say: After work, Mike you go for a beer? I have supervised several hispanic laborers in the past. I always did what others have suggested, finding the one that spoke the best english. You should at least know some basic words though.

   There are english to spanish dictionarys online. Also spanish to english so you can figure out what they are saying about ya!

   Anyway good luck!