1. The document provides guidance on using an English-Spanish dictionary, explaining the information found in dictionary entries and common grammatical categories.
2. Examples are given of navigating dictionary entries, including contextualizations in brackets, parts of speech labels, and regional usage abbreviations.
3. Common idioms are defined as phrases whose meanings have changed from the literal definition, and an example idiom is provided.
2. What your dictionary can help you with 1 His dad didn’t let me phone my friend Sarah. Su padre no me dejó llamar a mi amiga Sarah. su/sus ? register? examples using let in the perfect tense? warning that llamar is followed by a in this context? mi / mí / mis ? examples showing let + another verb in infinitive? finding let = allow quickly?
3. Navigating an English-Spanish entry (I) 2 contextualizations in angled brackets single brackets = object double brackets = subject headword phonetic symbols signposts to meaning in parentheses noun translation swung dash represents headword idioms in bold italics within entry subdivisions of senses main senses labels to indicate register phrasal verbs at end verbs with spelling irregularities marked with asterisk
4. Navigating an English-Spanish entry (II) 3 a kind offer una amable oferta narrow the meaning by using context kind : noun or adjective?
5. Common Grammatical Categories 4 adj adjective describes a noun or pronoun sad , triste adv adverb tells you how sth is done comfortably , cómodamente art article definite article = the indefinite article = a a, the , una, el, la, los v aux auxiliary verb used with main verb to show tense ( have , haber etc.) she has arrived ha llegado conj conjunction links two phrases because , porque n noun thing, person or idea life , vida prep preposition used with noun to show position near , cerca da pron pronoun stands instead of a noun he , el vi intransitive verb verb without an object I have drunk he bebido vt transitive verb verb used with a direct object I have drunk the water he bebido el agua v pron reflexive verb verb requiring a reflexive pronoun to wash oneself , lavarse
6. Common Grammatical Categories 5 Match these words with the correct part of speech cangrejo azulado perfectamente inscrito cenizas lavarse o sobre v pron prep nm pp conj adj adv fpl
7. Regional Usage 6 Register colloq* colloquial pej* pejorative fam** familiar pey** pejorative hum humorous vulg vulgar A selection of regional usage abbreviations: *used with English words **used with Spanish words AmE = American English AmC = Central American Spanish Austral = Australian English AmL = Latin American Spanish BrE = British English AmS = South American Spanish IrE = Irish English Andes = Andes Spanish Scot = Scottish English Arg = Argentinian Spanish pejorative (in Spanish: peyorativo ) = a word that expresses contempt or disapproval e.g.
8. Idioms 7 Idiom = a saying whose meaning has evolved so that it is now different from the original literal meaning of the key words within it. It was a difficult decision for Carol, and it was a long time before she could bring herself to grasp the nettle .