I've come to ask you (for) a favor

¿me puedes hacer un favor? — can you do me a favour?

hacer un flaco favor a algn — to do no favours to sb

¿me hace el favor de bajarme la maleta? — I wonder if you could get my suitcase down for me, please?, could you possibly get my suitcase down for me, please?

¡haced el favor de callaros! — will you please be quiet!

¿me dejan pasar, por favor? — could I get past, please?

¡por favor! ¡qué calor hace! — goodness me, it's hot today!

• a favor — in favour

hay un 50% de gente a favor — 50% of people are in favour

votos a favor — votes in favour

¿estás a favor o en contra? — are you for or against it?

• a favor de — in favour of

no me convencen sus argumentos a favor de la huelga — I'm not convinced by his arguments in favour of the strike

¿está a favor de poner fin al bloqueo del país? — are you in favour of ending the blockade of the country?

la balanza está a nuestro favor — the balance is in our favour

el tiempo corre a nuestro favor — time is on our side

lo tenía todo a su favor — she had everything going for her

el partido ya estaba decidido a favor de la jugadora española — the Spanish player already had the match sewn up

• en favor de — [abdicar, manifestarse] in favour of; [intervenir] on behalf of; [trabajar, luchar] for

piden a la ONU su intervención en favor de los detenidos — the UN is being asked to intervene on behalf of those detained

una recogida de firmas en favor del indulto de los presos — a petition for the pardon of the prisoners

siempre abogó en favor de los más débiles — he always defended the underdog

se tomarán nuevas medidas en favor de los ganaderos — new measures are to be taken to help livestock farmers

el sistema fue perdiendo terreno en favor de otros métodos más modernos — the system gradually lost ground to more up-to-date methods

gracias al favor del rey — thanks to the king's protection, thanks to the favour he enjoyed with the king

la pérdida del favor popular — the loss of popular support

la película nunca tuvo el favor del gran público — the movie never found favour with the general public

ha sabido ganarse el favor de la audiencia — she has succeeded in winning the audience's affection

• entrada de favor — complimentary ticket

¿me puedes hacer un favor? — can you do me a favor?

vengo a pedirte un favor — I've come to ask you (for) a favor

¿me harías el favor de copiarme esto? — would you copy this for me, please?

hagan el favor de esperar — would you mind waiting, please?

gracias, no sabes el favor que me haces — thanks ever so much, you're doing me a big favor

si no te invitan, favor que te hacen — if they don't invite you, they'll be doing you a favor

a favor — in favor*

dos votos a favor — two votes in favor

llevamos el viento a favor — we have the wind behind us

estar a favor de algo/alguien/+ inf — to be in favor* of something/somebody/-ing

si es así, aún más a mi favor — that makes me all the more right

en favor de — in favour of

por favor — please

pide las cosas por favor — say please

¿y tú le creíste? por favor, mujer! — and you believed him? honestly!

el favor de la crítica — the approval of the critics

favor del rey — the king's favor

cuenta con el favor del jefe — he's/she's in favor with the boss

¿me puedes hacer un favor? — can you do me a favor?

vengo a pedirte un favor — I've come to ask you (for) a favor

¿me harías el favor de copiarme esto? — would you copy this for me, please?

hagan el favor de esperar — would you mind waiting, please?

gracias, no sabes el favor que me haces — thanks ever so much, you're doing me a big favor

si no te invitan, favor que te hacen — if they don't invite you, they'll be doing you a favor

a favor — in favor*

dos votos a favor — two votes in favor

llevamos el viento a favor — we have the wind behind us

estar a favor de algo/alguien/+ inf — to be in favor* of something/somebody/-ing

si es así, aún más a mi favor — that makes me all the more right

en favor de — in favour of

por favor — please

pide las cosas por favor — say please

¿y tú le creíste? por favor, mujer! — and you believed him? honestly!

el favor de la crítica — the approval of the critics

favor del rey — the king's favor

cuenta con el favor del jefe — he's/she's in favor with the boss

las intoxicaciones son bastante corrientes en verano — cases of food poisoning are fairly common in summer

aquí es corriente que la policía te pida la documentación — here it's quite common for the police to ask you for identification

un término de uso corriente — a common term, a term in common use

lo corriente es llamar antes de venir — the usual thing is to phone before coming, it's customary to phone before coming

es corriente que la familia de la novia pague la boda — it's customary for the bride's family to pay for the wedding, the bride's family usually pays for the wedding

no es nada especial, es solo un anillo corriente — it's nothing special, it's just an ordinary ring

tiene un trabajo corriente y moliente — he has a very ordinary job, he has a run-of-the-mill job

el día 2 del corriente mes de marzo — (on) the second of this month

tiene corriente la documentación — his papers are in order

está corriente en los pagos — he is up to date with his payments

puedes hablar sin miedo, ya estoy al corriente — you can talk freely, I know (all) about it

¿estaba usted al corriente? — did you know (about it)?

la corriente lo arrastraba hacia el mar — the current was carrying him out to sea

cuando se pone a hablar así es mejor seguirle la corriente — when he starts talking like that it's best to humour him

corriente de agua — stream of water

corriente de Humboldt — Humboldt Current

corriente de lava — lava flow, stream of lava

corriente del Golfo — Gulf Stream

corriente sanguínea — bloodstream

corriente submarina — undercurrent, underwater current

hay mucha corriente — it's very draughty

corriente en chorro — jet stream

corriente térmica — thermal

anoche se cortó la corriente — there was a power cut last night

el cable tiene corriente — the wire is live

me dio (la) corriente — I got a shock, I got an electric shock

corriente alterna — alternating current

corriente continua — direct current

corriente difásica — two-phase current

corriente directa — direct current

corriente eléctrica — electric current

corriente trifásica — three-phase current

una corriente más radical dentro del partido — a more radical tendency within the party

la corriente renovadora de la derecha — the trend towards renewal on the Right

las corrientes modernas del arte — modern trends in art

corriente de opinión — current of opinion

corriente de pensamiento — school of thought

es un error muy corriente — it's a very common mistake

un método poco corriente — a method not much used

lo corriente es pagar al contado — the normal thing is to pay cash

un coche/tipo normal y corriente — an ordinary car/guy

una persona poco corriente — he's rather out of the ordinary

es de una belleza poco corriente — she's unusually beautiful

el día tres del corriente — the third of this month

al corriente: estoy al corriente en todos los pagos I'm up to date with all the payments; empezó con retraso pero se ha puesto al corriente she started late but she has caught up; tener or mantener a alguien al corriente de algo — to keep somebody informed o (colloq) posted about something

corrientes marinas — ocean currents

seguirle la corriente a alguien — to humor somebody

las corrientes de la moda — the trends in fashion

una corriente de pensamiento — a school of thought

una corriente de opinión — a current of opinion

se cortó la corriente — there was a power cut

no hay corriente — there's no electricity

es un error muy corriente — it's a very common mistake

un método poco corriente — a method not much used

lo corriente es pagar al contado — the normal thing is to pay cash

un coche/tipo normal y corriente — an ordinary car/guy

una persona poco corriente — he's rather out of the ordinary

es de una belleza poco corriente — she's unusually beautiful

el día tres del corriente — the third of this month

al corriente: estoy al corriente en todos los pagos I'm up to date with all the payments; empezó con retraso pero se ha puesto al corriente she started late but she has caught up; tener or mantener a alguien al corriente de algo — to keep somebody informed o (colloq) posted about something

corrientes marinas — ocean currents

seguirle la corriente a alguien — to humor somebody

las corrientes de la moda — the trends in fashion

una corriente de pensamiento — a school of thought

una corriente de opinión — a current of opinion

se cortó la corriente — there was a power cut

no hay corriente — there's no electricity

ya sabe decir varias palabras — she can already say several words, she already knows several words

- tengo prisa -dijo — "I'm in a hurry," she said

olvídalo, no he dicho nada — forget I said anything

¿decía usted? — you were saying?

como decía mi abuela — as my grandmother used to say

como iba diciendo... — as I was saying...

¿cómo ha dicho usted? — pardon?, what did you say?

mi amigo dice que eres muy guapa — my friend says (that) you're very pretty

dicen que... — they say (that)..., people say (that)...

el cartel dice claramente que... — the sign says clearly {o} clearly states that...

decir que sí/no — to say yes/no

-¿viene? -dice que sí — "is she coming?" - "she says she is {o} she says so"

la miré y me dijo que sí/no con la cabeza — I looked at her and she nodded/shook her head

¿quién te lo dijo? — who told you?

se lo dije bien claro, pero no me hizo caso — I told her quite clearly, but she didn't take any notice of me

tengo algo que decirte — there's something I want to tell you, I've got something to tell you

hoy nos dicen las notas — they're telling {o} giving us our results today

me dijo que no vendría — he told me (that) he wouldn't come

ya te dije que no tiene ni idea — I told you he hasn't got a clue

¿no te digo que no puedo ir? — I've already told you I can't go

la profesora me dijo que esperara fuera — the teacher told me to wait outside

le dije que fuera más tarde — I told her to go later

dile que venga a cenar mañana con nosotros — ask him to come and have supper with us tomorrow

te digo que te calles — I said shut up

decir tonterías — to talk nonsense

¿cómo le dicen a esto en Perú? — what do they call this in Peru?

se llama Francisco, pero le dicen Paco — his name is Francisco, but he's known as Paco

le dicen "el torero" — he's known as "el torero"

en México se le dice "recámara" al dormitorio — in Mexico they say "recámara" instead of "dormitorio"

podemos ir a Portugal, ¿tú qué dices? — we could go to Portugal, what do you say?

¿tu familia qué dice de la boda? — what does your family say about the wedding?

había 8, digo 9 — there were 8, I mean 9

dirá usted aquel otro — you must mean that other one

¡qué digo! — what am I saying?

no puedo leer lo que dice — I can't read what it says

no me dice nada este libro — this book leaves me cold

mis súbditos se presentarán ante mí ¡he dicho! — my subjects shall appear before me: I have spoken!

aunque no es el director es, como quien dice, el que manda en la empresa — although he isn't the manager, he's the person in charge, so to speak, of the company

está, como quien dice, aquí al lado — it's just round the corner, as they say

como quien no dice nada — quite casually, as though it wasn't important

- gracias por todo -lo mismo digo — "thank you for everything" - "likewise!" {o} "thanks to you too!"

deberías buscar trabajo, vamos, digo yo — you ought to look for a job, that's what I say, if you ask me, you ought to look for a job

¡si te lo digo yo! — of course it's true!

¡lo digo yo y basta! — you will do it because I say so!

mi prima, es decir, la hija de Ana — my cousin, that is (to say) Ana's daughter

¿qué quiere decir "spatha"? — what does "spatha" mean?

¿qué quiere usted decir con eso? — what do you mean by that?

¿querrás decir un millón, no un billón? — do you mean a million rather than a billion?

les ha costado más cara que mi casa, y eso ya es decir — it cost them more than my house did, and that's saying something

no es que yo lo diga, pero... — it's not because I say so, but...

es, digamos, un comerciante — he's a dealer, for want of a better word, he's a sort of dealer

¡haberlo dicho!, ¡me lo hubieras dicho! — you could have told me {o} said!

y su madre, no digamos — not to mention his mother

no estuvo muy cortés, que digamos — he wasn't what you'd call polite, he wasn't exactly polite

¿cómo (lo) diría yo? — how shall I put it?

¿cómo diríamos? — how shall I put it?

¡quién lo diría! — would you believe it!, who would have thought it!

pero no quiso por el qué dirán — but she didn't want to because of what people might say

se preocupa mucho por el qué dirán — she's always worried about what people will say {o} think

-¿te puedo pedir un favor? -dime — "can I ask you a favour?" - "go ahead"

-¿te gustaría cambiar de coche? -¡hombre, ya me dirás! — "would you like a new car?" - "you bet I would!"

su nombre no me dice nada — her name doesn't mean anything to me

su mirada lo dice todo — her expression says it all {o} speaks volumes

una situación que tan mal dice de nuestro gobierno — a situation which shows our government in such a bad light

¿cientos de personas? - bueno, es un decir — hundreds of people? - well, figuratively speaking

ya dice `mamá' — he says `mama' now

no digas esas cosas, por favor — please don't say things like that

no digas estupideces — don't talk nonsense!

¿cómo pudiste decir eso? — how could you say that?

¿eso lo dices por mí? — are you referring to me?

no lo dirás en serio! — you can't be serious!

dijo que sí con la cabeza — he nodded

no se dice `andé', se dice `anduve' — it isn't `andé', it's `anduve'

eso no se dice! — you mustn't say that!

¿cómo se dice `amor' en ruso? — how do you say `love' in Russian?

bonita, lo que se dice bonita, no es — she's not what you would call pretty

es el sábado; ni que decir tiene que estás invitado — it's on Saturday; you're invited, but that goes without saying

haberlo dicho antes — why didn't you say so before?

¿tendrá tiempo de hacerlo? - dice que sí — will he have time to do it? - he says he will

¿no lo encontró? - dice que no — didn't he find it? - no, he says he didn't

digan lo que digan — whatever people say

decirle algo a alguien — to tell somebody something

eso no es lo que me dijo a mí — that's not what he told me

¿sabes qué me dijo? — do you know what he told me?; (expresando sorpresa, indignación, etc) do you know what he said to me?

se lo voy a decir a papá — I'm going to tell Dad

hoy nos dicen el resultado — they're going to give us the result today

Andrés me dijo lo de tu hermano — Andrés told me about your brother

a mí me lo vas a decir! — you're telling me!

ya te lo decía yo! — I told you so!

fue algo espantoso, todo lo que te diga es poco — it was terrible, I can't begin to tell you how terrible

no me digas que no es precioso! — isn't it beautiful?

dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres — you can judge a man by the company he keeps

porque lo digo yo! — because I say so!

harás lo que yo diga — you'll do as I say

papá dice que vayas — Dad wants you

dice que llames cuando llegues — she says (you are) to phone when you get there

dijo que tuviéramos cuidado — she said to be careful

decirle a alguien que + subj — to tell somebody to + inf

diles que empiecen — tell them to start

le dije que no lo hiciera — I told him not to do it

decir adiós — to say goodbye

decirle adiós a alguien — to say goodbye to somebody

di adiós a tu vida de estudiante — you'd better say goodbye to your student days

¿qué dice aquí? — what does it say here?

el diario no dice nada sobre el asunto — there's nothing in the paper about it

se llama Rosario pero le dicen Charo — her name is Rosario but people call her Charo

la forma de vestir dice mucho de una persona — the way someone dresses says a lot/tells you a lot about them

el tiempo lo dirá — time will tell

algo me decía que no iba a ser fácil — something told me it wasn't going to be easy

¿te dice algo ese nombre? — does that name mean anything to you?

decir misa — to say mass

querer decir — to mean

¿qué quiere decir esta palabra? — what does this word mean?

¿qué quieres decir con eso? — what do you mean by that?

¿quieres decir que ya no te interesa? — do you mean (to say) that you're no longer interested?

¿y los padres qué dicen? — what do her parents think of it?, how do her parents feel about it?

habría que regalarle algo, no sé, digo yo — we ought to buy her a present, well, I think so anyway

es muy fácil - si tú lo dices... — it's very easy - if you say so...

a decir verdad — to tell you the truth, to be honest

como quien dice — so to speak

papá - dime, hijo — dad - yes, son?

quería pedirle un favor - usted dirá — I wanted to ask you a favor - certainly, go ahead

se decían secretos al oído — they were whispering secrets to each other

se dijeron de todo — they called each other every name under the sun

yo sé lo que me digo — I know what I'm talking about

tú te lo dices todo — you seem to have all the answers

¿cientos de personas? - bueno, es un decir — hundreds of people? - well, figuratively speaking

ya dice `mamá' — he says `mama' now

no digas esas cosas, por favor — please don't say things like that

no digas estupideces — don't talk nonsense!

¿cómo pudiste decir eso? — how could you say that?

¿eso lo dices por mí? — are you referring to me?

no lo dirás en serio! — you can't be serious!

dijo que sí con la cabeza — he nodded

no se dice `andé', se dice `anduve' — it isn't `andé', it's `anduve'

eso no se dice! — you mustn't say that!

¿cómo se dice `amor' en ruso? — how do you say `love' in Russian?

bonita, lo que se dice bonita, no es — she's not what you would call pretty

es el sábado; ni que decir tiene que estás invitado — it's on Saturday; you're invited, but that goes without saying

haberlo dicho antes — why didn't you say so before?

¿tendrá tiempo de hacerlo? - dice que sí — will he have time to do it? - he says he will

¿no lo encontró? - dice que no — didn't he find it? - no, he says he didn't

digan lo que digan — whatever people say

decirle algo a alguien — to tell somebody something

eso no es lo que me dijo a mí — that's not what he told me

¿sabes qué me dijo? — do you know what he told me?; (expresando sorpresa, indignación, etc) do you know what he said to me?

se lo voy a decir a papá — I'm going to tell Dad

hoy nos dicen el resultado — they're going to give us the result today

Andrés me dijo lo de tu hermano — Andrés told me about your brother

a mí me lo vas a decir! — you're telling me!

ya te lo decía yo! — I told you so!

fue algo espantoso, todo lo que te diga es poco — it was terrible, I can't begin to tell you how terrible

no me digas que no es precioso! — isn't it beautiful?

dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres — you can judge a man by the company he keeps

porque lo digo yo! — because I say so!

harás lo que yo diga — you'll do as I say

papá dice que vayas — Dad wants you

dice que llames cuando llegues — she says (you are) to phone when you get there

dijo que tuviéramos cuidado — she said to be careful

decirle a alguien que + subj — to tell somebody to + inf

diles que empiecen — tell them to start

le dije que no lo hiciera — I told him not to do it

decir adiós — to say goodbye

decirle adiós a alguien — to say goodbye to somebody

di adiós a tu vida de estudiante — you'd better say goodbye to your student days

¿qué dice aquí? — what does it say here?

el diario no dice nada sobre el asunto — there's nothing in the paper about it

se llama Rosario pero le dicen Charo — her name is Rosario but people call her Charo

la forma de vestir dice mucho de una persona — the way someone dresses says a lot/tells you a lot about them

el tiempo lo dirá — time will tell

algo me decía que no iba a ser fácil — something told me it wasn't going to be easy

¿te dice algo ese nombre? — does that name mean anything to you?

decir misa — to say mass

querer decir — to mean

¿qué quiere decir esta palabra? — what does this word mean?

¿qué quieres decir con eso? — what do you mean by that?

¿quieres decir que ya no te interesa? — do you mean (to say) that you're no longer interested?

¿y los padres qué dicen? — what do her parents think of it?, how do her parents feel about it?

habría que regalarle algo, no sé, digo yo — we ought to buy her a present, well, I think so anyway

es muy fácil - si tú lo dices... — it's very easy - if you say so...

a decir verdad — to tell you the truth, to be honest

como quien dice — so to speak

papá - dime, hijo — dad - yes, son?

quería pedirle un favor - usted dirá — I wanted to ask you a favor - certainly, go ahead

se decían secretos al oído — they were whispering secrets to each other

se dijeron de todo — they called each other every name under the sun

yo sé lo que me digo — I know what I'm talking about

tú te lo dices todo — you seem to have all the answers