Day: May 13, 2026

Spanish words we use in English

Today we were walking in a neighborhood called “Barrio de Olivares” which means “Neighborhood of Olive Groves.”

The word barrio means neighborhood. I remember being surprised when I first learned that that word means any neighborhood, not a slightly poor Hispanic neighborhood as we use the term in New Mexico. I first heard that term when I lived in Santa Fe.

I might have done a post like this in a blog in years past so if this is a repeat, please forgive me. It’s a topic that I find really interesting: Spanish words that we English-speakers know that have a very specific meaning when we use them but the meaning is much more general in Spanish. I know these type of words show up in all languages. For example, I think chef means any kind of boss in French, not just the head cook. (Correct me if I’m wrong, French-speakers out there.)

I’ve been collecting such Spanish words. This is the list of some of these. Can you think of others?

Arroyo:  stream (of any kind) in Spanish, not just a dry gully like we have in the southwest

Barrio: neighborhood (of any kind) in Spanish, not the connotation of “ghetto”

Bodega: cellar (of any kind) in Spanish

Bosque: forest (of any kind) in Spanish, not just the cottonwoods down by the Rio Grande

Caldera: boiler, cauldron (of any kind) in Spanish

Caramelo: candy (of any kind) in Spanish

Conquistador: conquerer (of any kind) in Spanish

Corral: pen, barnyard (any kind of pen) in Spanish

Fiesta: any party, celebration, or feast in Spanish, big or small

Hacienda: estate, ranch, farm, plantation in Spanish

Huevos: when we are in a New Mexican restaurant, this is what we call the breakfast dish “huevos rancheros”. Of course, in Spanish, huevos is eggs in general.

Matador: killer (of any kind, not just of bulls) in Spanish

Mermelada: jam/jelly (of any kind, not just made with oranges) in Spanish

Mesa: means table of any kind in Spanish

Molestar: to bother in Spanish; not the same connotation as “to molest” in English.

Negro: the color black in Spanish (“el negro” could mean the black man but could also mean “the black anything” depending on context.)

Patio: yard or courtyard in Spanish

Pueblo: small town (of any kind) in Spanish. Also means “people”.

Salsa: any kind of sauce or gravy or salad dressing in Spanish, not just the kind you put on tacos

Sombrero: any kind of hat in Spanish, not just the big straw kind with a big brim

May 11, 12, 13: Last three days in Zamora

Tomorrow we catch a morning train to Madrid. Friday we are scheduled to fly home. A few more photos to tell the story of the last few days.

Mills built in the 10th century. They are now a museum but alas it was closed due to renovation. We were disappointed. Wheat is a big crop around here and evidently it was a big crop a thousand years ago as well. There are a number of such mills in the river.
A stork hanging out near one of the weirs in the river here. The weirs were built in the 10th to 12th century to direct the water flow to the mills. Otherwise, the river here is very slow moving. Up till now, I didn’t know what a weir was. Is this something most of you know about?
A goose along the riverbank. He completely ignored us and let us get very close.
Early in the week we visited a museum of the works of Baltasar Lobo. He’s a local sculptor who gained some fame early in the 20th century. He exiled to France during the Spanish Civil War and was a contemporary of Picasso. This is one of his works in the square in front of our apartment.
Yet another monument to those who died during the Civil War in the 30s.
Another view of the beautiful stone bridge across the Rio Duero.
Taken with telephoto. Man walking on the old stone bridge.
Walking this morning, we came across a fisherman and other men hanging out together. They encouraged us to climb a tall structure that allowed a look out. For birds?? We took their photo from way up there.
On a wall. Poem by Neruda. “They can cut all the flowers but they cannot stop the spring.”