Learn Andalusian Spanish – you´ll have fun

Today I visited a local barbershop in the old Marbella. While he was cutting my hair, the barber was speaking to the next customer in line, apparently an old friend of his. They were talking (in Spanish) about computers and were trying to figure the meaning of some English words they sometimes encounter on the net. Soon, the talk moved to the use of spanglish and some typical Andalusian expressions. I thoroughly enjoyed the haircut and significantly improved my Andalusian comprehension.

I am posting below some expressions I heard, plus a couple of links (in Spanish) if you wish to laugh and enjoy la guasa de Andalusia:
- Estoy rebentao: I am tired
- el sangui: sandwich
- Yo soy llanito ahandred pesent: I am Gibraltarian one hundred percent
- Eres mas basto que un petisui de morcilla…: You are so stupid
- Tienes un norte encima: You are unaware of what is going on around you
- 80 Andalusian worlds
- Andalusian saying

Reasons to learn a few Spanish words

Because of its important tourist industry and large foreign population, Marbella is probably the city in Spain where English is the most widely spoken. So any English-speaking visitor should feel very relaxed at the idea of coming to a region where he does not speak the local language.

That being said, many Spaniards (even in Marbella) do not speak English fluently and learning a few words before your trip would be a great idea. Here are a few reasons to keep you motivated:

Openness – Learning the basic greeting words is a great way to get a smile.

Friendliness – Your efforts will be appreciated by locals. It will allow you to meet people and make friends more easily.

Practicality – It will be easier to move around and find directions.

Ego-booster – You can be first in your group to figure out the menu in a restaurant and help others order.

Confidence – Even a few words may make you feel empowered.

Enjoyment – Less frustration, more fun.

Life saver – A few words can be very useful in emergency situations: “Ayudame” (help)

Family bonding – Learning a few Spanish words with your children can be fun quality time and a great educational opportunity.

Anybody can learn a language. It is a matter of motivation and efforts. Make it fun and the first few words will stick easily.