how do you know A friend told me

от А до Я — from A to Z; from beginning to end

роди́тели ушли́, а де́ти оста́лись до́ма — the parents went out while the children remained at home

вот перо́, а вот бума́га — here is a pen, and here is a sheet of paper

не..., а... — not..., but...

не он, а его́ помо́щник — not he, but his assistant

а не... — (and) not

э́то его́ кни́га, а не ва́ша — it is his book (and) not yours

э́то его́ друг, а э́то его́ сестра́ — this is his friend and that is his sister

хотя́ она́ и утвержда́ет э́то, а он сомнева́ется — she affirms it, yet he doubts it

хотя́ ему́ и о́чень ве́село, а на́до уходи́ть — although he is enjoying himself very much, he must go

по́езд ухо́дит че́рез полчаса́, а ты ещё не гото́в — the train leaves in half an hour, and you are not ready yet

а не понима́ешь, так и не говори́ — if you don't understand, don't talk

а (не) то — (or) else; otherwise

спеши́, а (не) то опозда́ешь — hurry up, (or) else you will be late; hurry up, otherwise you will be late

а так как — now as, but as

а так как он не пришёл... — now / but as he did not come...

а та́кже (и) — as well as

отку́да вы э́то зна́ете? - А мне това́рищ сказа́л! — how do you know? - A friend told me

а вам како́е де́ло? — what business is it of yours?

э́то Ивано́в. А кто э́то? — this is Ivanov. And who is that?

а ну́ тебя́, надое́л! — oh, bother you, I'm sick of you!

я пойду́, а? — I'll be going, OK?

ты побу́дешь со мной, а? — you will stay with me a little, won't you?

а, поня́тно! — oh I see (now)!

а, всё равно́, бу́дь, что бу́дет — oh well, it's all the same; oh well, come what may

родители ушли, а дети остались дома — the parents went out while the children remained at home

вот перо, а вот бумага — here is a pen, and here is a sheet of paper

не..., а... — not..., but...:

не он, а его помощник — not he, but his assistant

а не... — (and) not:

это его книга, а не ваша — it is his book (and) not yours

это его друг, а это его сестра — this is his friend and that is his sister

хотя она и утверждает это, а он сомневается — she affirms it, yet he doubts it

хотя ему и очень весело, а надо уходить — although he is enjoying himself very much, he must go

поезд уходит через полчаса, а ты еще не готов — the train leaves in half an hour, and you are not ready yet

а не понимаешь, так и не говори — if you don't understand, don't talk

а (не) то — (or) else; otherwise:

спеши, а (не) то опоздаешь — hurry up, (or) else you will be late; hurry up, otherwise you will be late

а так как — now as, but as:

а так как он не пришёл... — now / but as he did not come...

откуда вы это знаете? А мне товарищ сказал! — how do you know? A friend told me

а вам какое дело? — what business is it of yours?

это Иванов. А кто это? — this is Ivanov. And who is that?

а, всё равно, будь, что будет — oh well, it's all the same; oh well, come what may

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

c'est surprenant de vous trouver ici! — I'm surprised to find you here!

on trouve de tout ici — they have everything here

trouver quelque chose par hasard — to come across something

j'ai trouvé! — I've got it!

trouver du plaisir à faire — to get pleasure out of doing

il ne nous reste plus qu'à trouver le financement — all we have to do now is get financial backing

trouver quelque chose dans un état lamentable — to find something in an appalling state

ils sont tous venus me trouver après le cours — they all came to see me after the class

je vais aller trouver le responsable du rayon — I'm going to go and see the head of the department

trouver quelqu'un gentil/pénible — to think somebody is nice/tiresome

je trouve ça bizarre/drôle — I think it's strange/funny, I find it strange/funny

comment trouves-tu mon ami? — what do you think of my friend?, how do you like my friend?

j'ai trouvé bon de vous prévenir — I thought it right to warn you

trouver un intérêt à quelque chose — to find something interesting

elle ne me trouve que des défauts — she only sees my faults

je me demande ce qu'elle lui trouve! — I wonder what she sees in him/her!

elle m'a trouvé bonne mine — she thought I looked well

je te trouve bien calme, qu'est-ce que tu as? — you're very quiet, what's the matter?

tu trouves? — do you think so?

trouver à s'occuper — to find something to do

trouver à redire — to find fault

se trouver à Rome — to be in Rome

le sommaire se trouve page 11 — the table of contents is on page 11

se trouver confronté à de grosses difficultés — to have run into major problems

se trouver mal à l'aise quelque part — to feel uneasy somewhere

se trouver bien quelque part — to be happy somewhere

j'ai failli me trouver mal — I nearly passed out

il se trouver beau — he thinks he's good-looking

trouve-toi une occupation — find yourself something to do

elle s'est trouvé un petit ami — she's found herself a boyfriend

il se trouve que je le connais — I happen to know him

il se trouve qu'elle ne leur avait rien dit — as it happened, she hadn't told them anything

Je ne trouve pas mes lunettes. — I can't find my glasses.

trouver refuge — to find shelter

trouver à faire qch; trouver à boire — to find something to drink

trouver à critiquer — to find something to criticize

je trouve que — I think that, I find that

Je trouve que c'est bête. — I think it's stupid.

aller trouver qn — to go and see sb

venir trouver qn — to come and see sb

no sabía que era tu cumpleaños — I didn't know it was your birthday

sé que me has mentido — I know you've lied to me

lo sé — I know

sin saberlo yo — without my knowledge, without me knowing

dos planetas, a saber, Venus y la Tierra — two planets, namely Venus and Earth

a saber si realmente lo compró — I wonder whether he really did buy it

a saber dónde lo tiene guardado — I wonder where he has it hidden away

que sepamos — as far as we know

un no sé qué de afectado — a certain (element of) affectation

¿quién sabe? — who knows?, who can tell?, who's to say?

¿tú qué sabes? — what do you know about it?

¡vete a saber de dónde ha venido! — goodness only knows where he came from!

vete tú a saber — your guess is as good as mine

en cuanto lo supimos fuimos a ayudarle — as soon as we found out, we went to help him

lograron saber el secreto — they managed to learn the secret

desde hace seis meses no sabemos nada de él — we haven't heard from him for six months

¿sabes ruso? — do you speak Russian?, can you speak Russian?

no sé nada de cocina — I don't know anything about cookery, I know nothing about cookery

¿sabes nadar? — can you swim?

saben tratar muy bien al forastero — they know how to look after visitors

¿sabes ir? — do you know the way?

todavía no sabe orientarse por la ciudad — he still doesn't know his way around town

pocos campeones saben perder — few champions are good losers

es una persona que sabe escuchar — she's a good listener

saber hacer — to be in the habit of doing

no sabe venir por aquí — he doesn't usually come this way, he's not in the habit of coming along here

sabe mucho de ordenadores — he knows a lot about computers

sé de un sitio muy bueno — I know of a very good place

hace mucho que no sabemos de ella — it's quite a while since we heard from her, we haven't had any news from her for quite a while

costó muy caro, ¿sabe usted? — it was very expensive, you know

un 5% no sabe, no contesta — there were 5% "don't knows"

no sabe demasiado bien — it doesn't taste too good

sabe un poco amargo — it tastes rather bitter

esto sabe a queso — this tastes of cheese

esto sabe a demonio(s) — this tastes awful