sé casual
/se kaswal/from spelling rules
To be casual in Spanish is sé casual.
The phrase is used to tell someone to act in a relaxed and unconcerned manner. However, be aware that the word casual in Spanish often refers to something happening by chance (accidental) rather than a relaxed manner, so using sé casual can sometimes sound like an anglicism (a direct translation from English).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you may hear No te lo tomes tan en serio to mean "Don't take it so seriously." In Argentina, Tranquilo/a means "Chill" or Bajá un cambio means "Take it down a notch."
How does it change in a sentence?
sé casual is the informal singular imperative (tú command) of the verb ser combined with the adjective casual.
What mistakes should you avoid?
In many Spanish-speaking contexts, relájate is a more natural way to tell someone to be casual or relax than using the anglicism casual.
Did you know?
- In Argentina, instead of saying 'be casual', people often use the slang bajá un cambio, which literally translates to 'shift down a gear' like a car.
- The word casual shares its roots with the English word 'casual', as both stem from the Latin 'casus', meaning 'a fall' or 'an event'.
- To describe 'casual clothing', Spanish speakers typically use ropa informal instead of ropa casual to avoid the 'by chance' connotation.
Examples in context
- Mamá, no te pongas seria, solo estamos discutiendo un poco.Mom, don't get serious, we're just arguing a bit.
Example conversation
Maria and Daniel are planning how to ask their boss for a favor.
- MaríaTengo miedo de preguntar esto.I'm afraid to ask this.
- DanielSolo sé casual y dile la verdad.Just be casual and tell him the truth.
- María¿Crees que funcione así?Do you think it will work like that?
- DanielSí, es la mejor manera.Yes, it is the best way.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries casual, sé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
