EnglishisEasy/Elinglésesfácil

  "Ok, this is your list of things to do while mommy and daddy are away at their party, ok?"  PARENTING is PATERNIDAD? Yes and no. PATERNIDAD is really closer in meaning to Fatherhood or Paternity just like MATERNIDAD is Motherhood or Maternity. PARENTING is really both PATERNIDAD and MATERNIDAD. The term PARENTING is the raising of a child by both its parents or one of them. In Spanish, if that act is performed by a man is PATERNIDAD and if performed by a woman is called MATERNIDAD.  A term that is neuter just like PARENTING is doesn't exist in Spanish which is why perhaps the most appropriate translation is CRIANZA.

"And the principal of this school is called Eric Magnus a.k.a. Magneto!"  MAGNET SCHOOLS are specialized schools and like any regular school, there are elementary, middle, and high levels. These are educational institutions that focus on only one area of interest such as Mathematics and Physics or Biology and Chemistry, though some of them tend to cover more general contents such as International Baccalaureate schools. MAGNET SCHOOLS tend to have a hands-on approach in terms that their programs emphasize more practice than theory. Though the idea of MAGNET SCHOOLS exists in other countries, there is not a real translation of the term. It could be called ESCUELA IMÁN, but personally, I have never heard that expression before. Perhaps, ESCUELA ESPECIALIZADA would be a better option.  

"I told you I had only climbed Cerro Santa Ana before, but that's a hill, not a mountain!" SOROCHE is not a common word in Spanish, and it is only used in most Andean countries such as Ecuador, Perú, or Bolivia, though it is not as common in Chile, another Andean country. It is apparently a word taken from the Quechua, the language of the Incas, and used to refer to what we simply know as Mal de Montaña or Mal de Altura. That is precisely its translation in English: MOUNTAIN SICKNESS with ALTITUDE SICKNESS as a good alternative. What is MOUNTAIN SICKNESS exactly then? Basically, it happens if you expose yourself to high-elevation environments, low oxygen may cause breathing problems, disorientation, dizziness, headaches among several other symptoms. You may experience some discomfort or all the conditions mentioned before, it is different for every person. Best thing to do? Don't take unnecessary risks and visit the seaside.

Can you call it a MAIDEN VOYAGE without real maidens inside? Well, if you were considering Viaje de Doncella , that certainly is a no-no.  Of course, the translation is correct, but it is not what we say in Spanish.  Is there a specific expression as in English? Not really, we only say VIAJE INAUGURAL or just PRIMER VIAJE.  Another thing, in Spanish we never use the pronoun SHE to refer to vehicles such as cars or ships, they are objects (despite the affection we may feel for them), not people.  What we do share is the custom of naming ships with feminine names. Understandable, they are beautiful after all, just like all women are.  

 Oh, yes, definitely you can.  Especially, if you mean to say  the name of this country: So AISLAN is an AILAN? That country is called ICELAND, pronounced AISLAN in Spanish. To say ICELAND when you mean ISLAND is a common, but understandable and therefore predictable, mistake that Spanish speakers make when learning English.  It is better not to forget how to pronounce each word correctly so as to avoid awkward situations such as when you mention that The Galapagos are a group of ICELANDS!  

All these numbers and codes...it's like another language in itself, don't you think? T his is another example of what we know of False Cognates only the opposite way.  We know Hoja (Sheet) De (Of) and Cálculo (Calculation), but the sum of all those words: Sheet of Calculation is definitely not the right translation of HOJA DE CÁLCULO.  The right term is SPREADSHEET.  Practical, right? One word instead of three. Why in Spanish do we say the HOJA DE CÁLCULO? Well, because that is what is intended for: to make calculations. So, in Spanish, the purpose is clearly stated in the name.  Does SPREADSHEET do the same? I don't think so: Translation, more often than not, requires a deep understanding of the language and the culture that is connected to it.

  "Ok, I'll call this Yoga by the Window." Have you ever felt nostalgic and missed something from your past? Then you were WISTFUL at the time. WISTFUL is a synonym of Nostalgic and a good antonym would be perhaps Unsentimental. It is not difficult to translate this word into Spanish: NOSTÁLGICO, MELANCÓLICO or PESAROSO are all good options.