Millions of Brits head to Spain each year (Image: Guven Ozdemir via Getty Images)
Holidaymakers planning a Spanish break this summer are being warned against using a seemingly innocent two-word phrase.
Spain has remained a favourite destination for British tourists, with millions visiting annually.
With travel industry specialists forecasting one of the busiest summers on record for overseas trips, substantial numbers of UK visitors are anticipated to head to Spain in the coming months.
Before setting off, many travellers enjoy learning some basic local expressions to use during their stay.
Yet one straightforward phrase ought to be avoided, according to Claudio Guasti, City Lit’s Head of School Culture and Communication.
He reveals that while people may believe they’re indicating they feel warm, they could actually be saying something rather mortifying.
Claudio explained: “Using ‘Estoy caliente’ as a literal translation of ‘I am hot’ in English may cause you some embarrassment, as this phrase means ‘I am aroused’.
“Instead, you should say ‘tengo calor’ (I have heat). Avoid using ‘soy cálida/cálido’ (I am warm). In this context, it refers more to someone’s personality, like being a warm or kind person, rather than physical temperature.”
The word caliente can be used appropriately in other situations, he added. For instance, “me gustaría un té caliente”, meaning “I would like a hot tea”, is perfectly acceptable.
Likewise, saying something such as “el café está muy caliente”, meaning “the coffee is very hot”, is also fine.
He also points out that people may wrongly claim to be pregnant when they actually mean they are embarrassed.
Claudio continued: “Lots of Spanish words sound very similar to their English translation, for example, café for coffee, tren for train, or plato for plate.
“It can be easy when following this pattern to assume the word ’embarazada’ might mean ’embarrassed’, but it actually means ‘pregnant’, which could raise a few eyebrows and cause a few smirks if used in the wrong context
To really say you are feeling embarrassed or sheepish, say ‘estoy avergonzado/a’.”
Finally, there is a well-known phrase that “nobody actually says”.
While “hasta la vista”, meaning “until I see you again”, was thrust into the spotlight through Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic role in Terminator 2, Claudio noted that native Spanish speakers would never actually use this expression.
He added: “Instead, try saying the much more commonly used ‘hasta luego’ or ‘adiós’ instead, which mean ‘see you later’ and ‘goodbye’ respectively.”
