to tell the teacher

contar un cuento — to tell a story

una casita de cuento — a fairytale house

el cuento de la lechera —

eso es como el cuento de la lechera — it's a case of wishful thinking

cuento corto — short story

cuento de hadas — a fairytale

vive en un cuento de hadas — she lives in a fairytale world

cuento infantil — children's story

no le duele nada, no es nada más que cuento — it doesn't hurt at all, he's just putting it on

todo eso es puro cuento para no ir al colegio — he just made it all up because he doesn't want to go to school

cuento de viejas — old wives' tale

todo esto viene a cuento de lo que acaba de pasar — this all has some bearing on what has just happened

lo dijo sin venir a cuento — she said it for no reason at all

sin cuento — countless

cuéntame un cuento — tell me a story

cuento de nunca acabar: esto es el cuento de nunca acabar it just never ends, it just goes on and on; traer algo a cuento to bring something up; venir a cuento: eso no viene a cuento that doesn't come into it; sin venir a cuento — for no reason at all

el cuento del elefante — the joke about the elephant

siempre anda con cuentos — she's always gossiping

todo ese llanto es puro cuento — all that crying is just put on

tú lo que tienes es mucho cuento! — you're just putting it on!

sin cuento — countless, innumerable

cuéntame un cuento — tell me a story

cuento de nunca acabar: esto es el cuento de nunca acabar it just never ends, it just goes on and on; traer algo a cuento to bring something up; venir a cuento: eso no viene a cuento that doesn't come into it; sin venir a cuento — for no reason at all

el cuento del elefante — the joke about the elephant

siempre anda con cuentos — she's always gossiping

todo ese llanto es puro cuento — all that crying is just put on

tú lo que tienes es mucho cuento! — you're just putting it on!

sin cuento — countless, innumerable

chivarse a la maestra — to tell the teacher

me voy a chivar a mamá — I'm going to tell Mom

me voy a chivar a mamá — I'm going to tell Mom

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

anoche fuimos al cine — we went to the cinema last night

¿has ido alguna vez a Quito? — have you ever been to Quito?

¿a qué colegio vas? — what school do you go to?

esta carretera va a Huesca — this road goes to Huesca, this is the road to Huesca

íbamos hacia Sevilla — we were going towards Seville

ir hasta León — to go as far as León

ir despacio — to go slow(ly)

ir con tiento — to go carefully {o} cautiously

¡ya voy!, ¡ahora voy! — coming!, I'll be right there!

vamos a casa — let's go home

tuvimos que ir andando — we had to walk {o} go on foot

¿vas a ir andando o en autobús? — are you walking or going by bus?

iba muy bien vestido — he was very well dressed

este reloj va atrasado — this clock is slow

iban muertos de risa por la calle — they were killing themselves laughing as they went down the street

• ir (a) [por] — to go and get

voy (a) por el paraguas — I'll go and get the umbrella

voy por el médico — I'll go and fetch {o} get the doctor

¿cómo va el paciente? — how's the patient doing?

el enfermo va mejor — the patient is improving {o} doing better

el enfermo va peor — the patient has got worse

¿cómo va el ensayo? — how's the essay going?, how are you getting on with the essay?

¿cómo va el partido? — what's the score?

¿cómo va eso? — how are things (going)?

todo va bien — everything's fine, everything's going well

los resultados van a mejor — the results are improving {o} getting better

• ir [por], ¿te has leído ya el libro? ¿por dónde vas? — have you read the book yet? whereabouts are you? {o} how far have you got?

ir por la mitad de algo — to be halfway through sth

la película ya va por la mitad — it's already half way through the film

íbamos por la mitad de nuestro viaje — we were half way there

ese cuadro debería ir encima del sofá — that picture should go over the sofa

lo que te dijo iba en serio — he meant what he said (to you)

la pradera va desde la montaña hasta el mar — the grasslands go {o} stretch from the mountains to the sea

en lo que va de semana hemos recibido cientos de llamadas — we've had hundreds of calls so far this week

en lo que va desde 1950 hasta nuestros días — from 1950 up until now

va mucho de uno a otro — there's a lot of difference between them

¡lo que va del padre al hijo! — what a difference there is between father and son!, father and son are nothing like each other!

con este van 30 — that makes 30 (with this one)

van ya tres llamadas y no contesta — we've called him three times and he doesn't answer

van cinco pesos a que no lo haces — I bet you five pesos you won't do it

¿cuánto va? — how much do you bet?

ir con pantalones — to be wearing trousers

¿con qué ropa {o} cómo fuiste a la boda? — what did you wear to the wedding?

iba de rojo — she was dressed in red, she was wearing red

la que va de negro — the girl in black

irle a algn —

nos va mucho en esto — we have a lot riding on this

le va la vida en ello — his life depends on it

¿cómo te va? — how are things?, how are you doing?

¿cómo te va en los estudios? — how are you getting on with your studies?

¡que te vaya bien! — take care!

¿me va bien esto? — does this suit me?

no le va bien el sombrero — the hat doesn't suit her

ese tipo de gente no me va — I don't get on with that type of people

no quería ir con ella a ninguna parte — I didn't want to go anywhere with her

iba con su madre — he was with his mother

esta fotocopia debe ir con la carta — this photocopy has to go (in) with the letter

yo voy con el Real Madrid — I support Real Madrid

el marrón no va bien con el azul — brown and blue don't go together

eso de ser famosa no va con ella — being famous doesn't agree with her

¿de qué va la película? — what's the film about?

la película va nada más que de sexo — the film is all sex

va para los 40 — he's getting on for 40, he's knocking on 40

va para viejo — he's getting old

va para arquitecto — he's going to be an architect

va para cinco años que entré en la Universidad — it's getting on for five years since I started University