Learning Spanish Vocabulary Words Online That You Will Not Find In Your Dictionary

Today I have a story to tell you that will help in learning Spanish vocabulary words online that you will not find in your Spanish-English dictionary. I recently sent an email to my newsletter subscribers saying that the Spanish language has more words than the English language. After I sent that email I received at least a dozen emails from readers saying "Patrick, this time you are absolutely wrong. It is common knowledge that there are more words in the English language than Spanish."

I have heard that too. I have read on the Internet that there are more English words than Spanish words.

But one thing that I have learned about the Internet is just because you read something on the Internet that doesn't make it any more credible than something you heard some guy on a street corner say.

So let me give you my side of the argument and PROVE to you that Spanish has a lot more vocabulary words than the English language.

I have several Spanish-English dictionaries. And all of them have more English words than Spanish words. Yes, you heard me correctly. All of my Spanish-English dictionaries have more English words than Spanish words.

Por ejemplo (for example), I have one Spanish-English dictionary that has 576 pages in the Spanish section and 667 pages in the English section.

But for TWO different reasons, I still INSIST that the Spanish language has more words. A whole lot more.

Reason Number One:

One problem is that English dictionaries include not only every word that we commonly use as English speakers, but the English dictionaries also include words that we rarely use as English speakers ( archaic words).

On the other hand, the Spanish dictionaries don't include MANY Spanish words that Spanish speakers use every day.

To prove my point I made a list of Spanish words that I thought I would not find in a Spanish dictionary. I then made a list of English words that I thought that I would not find in an English dictionary.

The overwhelming majority of the words on my Spanish list I could not find in any Spanish-English dictionary or any Spanish dictionary. I was able to find a couple in some Spanish dictionaries but not in others. But there was NOT one Spanish word from my list that appeared in every Spanish dictionary that I own.

Like I said, the majority of the words on my list did NOT appear in any Spanish dictionary.

And the words on my list of Spanish words were not slang (maybe one was a slang word). But all of them are common everyday words that I have either heard Colombians use here in Medellin or when I lived on the coast (Barranquilla) or words that I have heard Dominicans or Puerto Ricans use in New York.

Here's my list of Spanish words that I could not find in at least one Spanish dictionary (most did NOT appear in any Spanish dictionary):

1. maluco (bad, Colombia)
2. malparido (bad person, everywhere in Latin America, this word is offensive)
3. parcero (friend or "amigo," this word is very "Paisa" or commonly used in Medellin)
4. mofongo (dish made from mashed green plantains, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic)
5. cucallo (dish consisting of rice that is stuck to the bottom of the pot, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic)
6. pegao (same as "cucallo")
7. mojarra (fish that reminds me of a Red Snapper, everywhere in Latin America, especially Colombia and Mexico)
8. Saragosa (beans or "frijoles" -- this word is very "costeña" or costal and used on the Caribbean coast of Colombia in cities such as Barranquilla, Santa Marta and Cartagena)
9. apanado (Fried or "frito." A close translation would be "batter-dipped." A popular fast food favorite in Colombia is "pollo apanado" or fried chicken)
10. Patacones (fried plantain, Colombia, but called "tostones" in Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic).

From looking at my list of Spanish words, I guess it is obvious what I like most about Latin American culture besides the language: The FOOD.

I actually found the word "patcacón" in my Spanish dictionary. It is defined as "an old silver coin." A definition completely different to how the word is used here in Colombia.

I could also give you several words that are used here in Medellin on a daily basis that I have never heard anywhere else. Or words that have a completely different definition when I looked the words up in a dictionary. For example, "charro" means "funny" in Medellin. And "amañado" means happy or "contento."

Here's a list or several of my English words that I thought that I would NOT find in the English section of my Spanish-English dictionary.

1. diss (slang for disrespect)
2. slam-dunk (basketball term)
3. hip-hop (synonym for rap music)
4. lockdown (confining of inmates to their cells following a riot or other disturbance)

I found ALL of the above words in the English section of my Spanish-English dictionary. It seems that English dictionaries include every word imaginable from the English language. But Spanish dictionaries only include words that are commonly used in BOTH Spain and ALL Latin American countries AND regions.

Pat Jackson is the Founder of Learning Spanish Like Crazy - the only learning Spanish method that teaches real authentic everyday conversational Latin American Spanish. If you would like to get FREE Instant access to the first 2 lessons of Learning Spanish Like Crazy or sign up for our FREE online interactive weekly Spanish classes, then go here now: Learn Spanish That's http://www.LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com/