Shannon Scarlett

In Mexico “unfortunately” is desafortunadamente, and lamentablemente and por desgracia mean the same. All three fit polite speech and writing.

In Mexico iced coffee is café helado or café frío. A blended, slushy version is usually sold as frappé.

In Mexico cookies are galletas. The same word covers sweet cookies and plain crackers, so people say galletas saladas when they mean crackers.

In Mexico destiny is destino. It can mean fate or the place you are traveling to, so the sentence tells you which one.

In Mexico a clock is a reloj. The same word covers a wall clock, an alarm clock and a wristwatch.

The most common word for “bright” in Mexico is brillante. For a room full of light Mexicans say luminoso, and for strong colors vivo or brillante.

In Mexico curly hair is often called pelo chino or cabello chino, and rizado is the neutral word.

In Mexico a hazelnut is avellana. It is the standard word and Mexicans use it like speakers elsewhere. The hazelnut tree is avellano.

In Mexico the game is called paintball, the English word said as in English, “PAYNT-bol”. Spanish has no widely used translation.

In Mexico “German” is alemán for a man or the language, and alemana for a woman. It is not capitalized in Spanish.