English in Madrid

Check out this video on Pavement Etiquette . Source: Videojug Image source:Wikipedia (Tomasz Kuran) If you look up into the sky now, you are likely to see lots of birds racing around catching flies for their young. I find it amazing that, despite their speed, they never crash into one another. It's a pity that the humans on the pavements below couldn't be like them. I walk a lot around Madrid and each time I am confronted by a lack of "pavement manners" and basic common sense. Many pavements are narrow and so logically you can't always walk side by side with your friend. You should walk in front of your friend if you see someone coming towards you; otherwise you end up making physical contact with the stranger. Why are people so reluctant to do this? It's the same on wider pavements.  I often meet six people walking side by side and occupying the whole pavement. Wouldn't it make more sense to divide up into smaller groups? I think it's...

El Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y Cooperación ha transmitido al Reino Unido “el disgusto y malestar del Gobierno por la prevista visita” que el príncipe Eduardo, hijo menor de la reina Isabel II, hará a Gibraltar el próximo mes de junio. Source: Michal Mrozek on Unsplash I have seen "el disgusto y malestar" translated in different ways: "disgust and upset", "disgust and unease" and "disgust and concern". I think the best way to translate malestar is unease . It means you are unhappy or uncomfortable with a situation. (adj - uneasy) There is growing unease in the country at the direction taken by the government. There is an uneasy truce in the country but I doubt it'll be long before they start fighting again. I think concern  is more like worry so I'd translate it as preocupación. (adj - concerned, concerning) There is a lot of public concern about the high level of crime in the city. I am a bit concerned that she hasn...

Source: Valery Tenevoy on Unsplash sympathy (n): is a feeling of compassion or of pity for another person's suffering. (compasión) We could only express our sympathy for her loss. I have no sympathy for any bullfighters who are gored. They deserve to suffer in my opinion. to sympathise / sympathize :  is to understand and care about somebody's problems. (compadecerse) I can sympathise with you. I know how hard it is when you lose your job. We sympathize with your situation but we don't see how we can help you. sympathetic (adj): describes someone who shows they care for another's difficult situation. (comprensivo) Her boss was very sympathetic . He allowed her to have time off to look after her sick mother. Everyone I talked to at Telefonica was sympathetic but they couldn't sort out the problem. Notice how you translate the following: simpatía - friendliness The Scots are renowned for their friendliness. simpatizar - to get on ...

Image Source Agencia Brasil Diamond Jubilee: Spain's Queen Sofia cancels visit Queen Sofia of Spain has cancelled a visit to the UK to mark Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee because of disputes over the island of Gibraltar. A Spanish government statement said it was "hardly appropriate" for Queen Sofia, 73, to attend a lunch on Friday.  The UK and Spain have been in dispute over fishing rights off Gibraltar, a UK territory which Spain also claims.  Spain has also protested over a visit to Gibraltar by Queen Elizabeth's son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie.  The prince and the Countess of Wessex are to visit Gibraltar on 11-13 June as part of the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's reign.  Complaint  Spain continues to claim sovereignty over Gibraltar, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713 under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht.  Queen Sofia's husband, King Juan Carlos, had already declined his invitation to the lunc...

Source: ITN News (You Tube ) key words: prince charles weather man Expect reign: Prince Charles reads the weather The threat of floods and yet more miserable wet weather means all too often these days the television weather report is a thoroughly dispiriting business. However, viewers tuning into BBC Scotland's lunchtime weather report today had at least a small measure of consolation after receiving the bad news from royalty. Prince Charles, who was on a tour of the channel's Scottish Pacific Quay headquarters with his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, delivered a special weather broadcast live on BBC Scotland. Source: The Independent Vocabulary : a reign - a threat - a flood - all too often - thoroughly - dispiriting (adj) - to tune into (a TV channel) - headquarters - to broadcast - live (adj) - to be treated to stg - unsettled (weather) - northwards - outbreaks of rain - a flurry o...

Source: Elijah Hail on Unsplash Now that the sun has put in an appearance, I thought it was time to add to the rainy and cold weather lists. Vocabulary for Hot Weather : 1. air conditioning /ˈɛər kənˌdɪʃənɪŋ/ - aire acondicionado Banned 'your wife is hot' air conditioning ad appears on billboard https://t.co/0Ty1l3hKxj — English in Madrid (@madteacher72) July 23, 2019 Why are fans only for women? It's not fair. They beat air-conditioning. pic.twitter.com/AoXboU9aCE — English in Madrid (@madteacher72) June 8, 2020 2. boiling /ˈbɔɪlɪŋ/ - hirviendo 3. bright /braɪt/ - brillante 4. clammy /ˈklæmi/ - húmedo 5. clear /klɪər/ - despejado 6. close /kloʊs/ - bochornoso 7. There isn't a cloud in the sky. /ðɛr ˈɪzənt ə klaʊd ɪn ðə skaɪ/ - No hay ni una nube en el cielo. 8. dry /draɪ/ - seco 9. a drought /draʊt/ - una sequía 10. hazy /ˈheɪzi/ - brumoso 11. heat /hiːt/ - calor 12. a heatwave /ˈhiːtweɪv/ - una ola de calor Omg! The clock is ticking too fast. My trainin...

Source: You Tube (XL Recordings) Key words: Chasing Adele Today I was asked what "chasing pavements" meant. I thought it could be the name of a TV series. I didn't know it was the name of a song by Adele. Dogs chase cats and cats chase mice but chasing pavements? It's a strange title to give a song. Read this entry to Wikipedia to find out the meaning behind the title . Chasing Pavements - Adele I've * made up my mind , No need to think it over , If I'm wrong I * ain't  right, * No need to look no further , This ain't lust , This is love but, If I * tell the world , I'll never * say enough , * Cause  it was not said to you, And that's exactly what I need to do, If I'm in love with you, Should I give up , Or should I just keep chasing pavements ? Even if it leads nowhere, Or would it be a waste ? Even if I knew my place should I leave it there? Sh...

Source:  Ondrej Bocek on Unsplash   You have to climb up hundreds of narrow steps to get to the top but it is worth it . The views are spectacular. It is worth it when something is good enough or has enough advantages that the negative aspects (the effort that you make, the expense etc) are acceptable. You give some sort of value to sth/sb. (to a girl after she breaks up with her boyfriend) Don't cry. Forget about him. He isn't worth it . It is an expensive restaurant but it's ( well ) worth it . The food is excellent. They paid €30m for the young Brazilian footballer. Let's hope he's worth it. His latest film is worth see ing . I really enjoyed it. If something is worth do ing or hav ing , it is useful or important to have or do. It's not a waste of time. Her idea is worth consider ing . We have nothing to lose. It isn't worth go ing to the meeting. You won't learn anything that you don't already know. It is ( well )  worth vi...

Source:  Nick Fewings on Unsplash Unlike in Spanish, we never say "want that" in English. Do you want that I go with you?   😡  Do you want me to go with you?  😍               Our boss wants that we work late this Friday.   😡 Our boss wants us to work late this Friday.  😍  So the verb pattern is: want + sb + to + do stg Translate the following sentences : Mi madre quiere que la recoja en el aeropuerto. Quiero que eches un vistazo cuando tengas un momento. Él no quiere que lo vean. Nuestro profe quiere que terminemos de leer el libro antes de fin de mes. ¿Quieres que te ayude? Queremos que lo pases muy bien. ¿Queréis que os haga la cena esta noche? No quería que parases lo que estabas haciendo. Quiero que ellos me devuelvan el dinero. Ella no quiere que él se entere.

Source:  Krzysztof Hepner en Unsplas h Crimes Criminals Verbs arson arsonist set (a place) on fire assassination assassin assassinate sb assault assailant assault sb blackmail blackmailer blackmail sb bribery        - bribe sb burglary burglar burgle  drug dealer drug dealing deal drugs fraud fraudster commit a fraud / defraud sb hijacking hijacker hijack homicide (US) killer commit homicide / kill kidnapping kidnapper kidnap manslaughter      - commit manslaughter mugging mugger mug sb pickpocketing pickpocket pickpocket rape rapist rape sb robbery robber rob sb/a place shoplifting shoplifter shoplift smuggling smuggler smuggle terrorism terrorist commit a terrorist attack theft thief thieve / rob / steal vandalism vandal vandalise What is the difference between a crime and an offence ? What is the difference between an assassination and a murder? What is the difference between murder and manslaughter? What is the difference between...