Today you will learn how to say hot dog in Spanish or how to say frankfurter in Spanish. You will also learn how to say nuts in Spanish. I am also going to teach you how to say sand paper in Spanish. And after reading this blog post, you will know how to avoid two mistakes in Spanish?
I have an American “amigo” who is going to open a “restaurante” here in Medellin, Colombia.
How To Say Hot Dog In Spanish
It is a “comida rápida” (fast food) restaurant – specializing in “perros,” short for “perro calientes” (hot dogs) and “hamburguesas” (hamburgers).
I think it is a good idea since “perros,” short for “perro calientes” (hot dogs) and “hamburguesas” are very popular foods here in Colombia. Especially, “los perros” – the hot dogs
Colombian hot dogs are somewhat different from your typical American frankfurter. The Colombian hot dogs often consist of all of the following toppings:
1. Coleslaw
2. Pineapple sauce
3. Ketchup
4. Mayonnaise
5. Mustard
6. Potato chips.
Yes, potato chips!
Do I like Colombian hot dogs?
To be “cien por ciento” – 100% – completely honest . . the answer is “no.”
But that certainly doesn’t mean that they do not taste good. It just so happens that I am a native New Yorker and it is going to be really hard – almost impossible – to make a hot dog that impresses me — considering that “Nueva York” (New York) is the home of the Nathan’s Coney Island hot dog, the Sabrett cart hot dog, and the Hebrew National hot dog.
By the way, here’s a pic of a “perro caliente colombiano”:
My friend who is opening a “restaurante” here in Medellin, Colombia is named Don.
Don is sort of a handy man so he is fixing up the restaurant on his own and making all the necessary renovations before he officially opens the “restaurante.” By the way, the Colombian word for handyman is “todero” — which apparently comes from the Spanish word “todo” — which means everything. But the Mexican word for handyman is “chalán.”
I am not much of a “todero.” or “chalán” but I told Don I would try to help him get his “restaurante” ready
for the “gran inauguración” (grand opening). So last week Don and I went to Home Center — Colombia’s version of Home Depot. Don made two mistakes at Home Center that I want to share with you so that you never make the same mistakes.
How To Say Sand Paper In Spanish
When we arrived at Home Center, Don — with his thick gringo accent — asked the “muchacho” working in Home Center,
¿Dónde está el papel de arena?
The “muchacho” working in Home Center gave me this puzzled look suggesting that he did not understand what Don was asking for. At first, I had no idea what Don was asking the “muchacho” for. And then I thought about it . . . The Spanish word “papel” means paper. And the Spanish word “arena” means sand. Unfortunately, “papel de arena” is not the Spanish word for sand paper. The Spanish word for sand paper is “lija” or “papel de lija”
So Don should have asked:
¿Dónde está el papel de lija?
¿Dónde está la lija?
Where is the sand paper? After I said to the “muchacho,” ¿Dónde está la lija?, Don then made another mistake. He asked the “muchacho” . . .
How To Say Nuts In Spanish
¿Dónde están las nueces?
Where are the nuts?
At first, I thought Don was trying to be funny. And then it became obvious from the frustrated look on Don’s face when the “muchacho” did not understand him that Don was not trying to be funny.
“Nueces,” I thought . . . why would Don ask for nuts – as in walnuts – while in a “ferretería” (hardware store) instead of asking in a “supermercado” (supermarket)?
And then it struck me! Don wanted nuts as in the type of nut that you would screw on to a metal bolt. And the Spanish word for that type of nut is “tuerca.” For example:
¿Dónde están las tuercas?
Where are the nuts?
