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Easy Streetwise Spanish Language Phrases
To Add Color To Your Spanish

By Peter Christian

(c) Peter Christian - All Rights reserved
http://www.streetwisespanish.com

In English, when people want to express the effect something has on them, "it makes me feel" is usually how they'll do it. It is a very useful phrase and you'll be delighted to know it is ever-so-simple to say in Spanish! Here comes a short selection of easy Spanish phrases that will add an authentic feel to your vocab, all involving the Spanish verb dar - to give.

It may be that you already know a couple of basic phrases to express how you feel that use the verb dar, even if you're just beginning to learn how to speak Spanish. Basic expressions such as:

Me da hambre/sed - It makes me hungry/thirsty

Me da sueño - It makes me feel sleepy

Me da alegría - It makes me feel happy

Me da pena - It makes me feel sad

We can expand on these simple Spanish language phrases and introduce several more that also make use of dar that will give your vocab a splash of color and realism:

Me da risa - It cracks me up!

Me da pánico - It freaks me out!

Me da cosa - It gives me the creeps

Me da igual - It's the same to me

So:

¿Quieres comer carne o pescado Pedro? - Do you want to eat meat or fish Peter?

Me da igual - It doesn't matter to me

No me gusta estar en la casa de Señora Sánchez. Ella tiene una gata negra y me da cosa - I don't like being in Mrs Sanchez's house. She has a black cat and it gives me the creeps

You can also use the verb dar to help express those times when you have a feeling that something will happen. Checkout these two useful Spanish phrases you'll be able to introduce to your spoken Spanish with ease:

Me Da La Sensación De Que - I have a feeling

and next, a more "streetwise" way to express it:

Me Da Que

Un par de ejemplos:

Me da la sensación de que va a llover - I have a feeling that it's going to rain

Me da que Pablo y Diana van a romper - I've got a feeling that Paul and Diana are going to break up

Another cracker involving Dar is: Dar mala espina. The literal translation of this is "To give a bad thorn", but see if you can work out how it translates into English with this next phrase:

Ricardo me da mala espina porque está pasando mucho tiempo con su secretaria nueva

If you translated this useful Spanish expression as:

It makes me suspicious

Then you got it!

Darse mala espina - To arouse suspicion

You now have several really cool Spanish language phrases to add to your growing streetwise vocabulary, they'll come in very useful for you I'm sure and they'll also introduce an authentic flair to your spoken Spanish.
 

Give your spoken Spanish punch, color and an authentic flourish by adding many more streetwise Spanish language phrases just like these and sign-up for your free Streetwise Spanish weekly tips exclusively available from the Streetwise Spanish website!

Hasta luego,

Peter Christian