me encanta el boba
/me enkanta el boba/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I love boba" is translated into Spanish as me encanta el boba.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb encantar functions similarly to the verb gustar. In the phrase me encanta el boba, the subject of the sentence is actually el boba (boba), while the person who loves it is the indirect object me. Because of this, if you change the object to a plural noun, such as las burbujas (the bubbles), the verb must change to the plural form me encantan las burbujas de boba.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use yo amo el boba to express a liking for things. In Spanish, you should use encantar instead to express that something is delightful or highly pleasing.
Did you know?
- The word boba comes from Cantonese 波霸, which is a slang term referring to both 'large breasts' and 'tapioca pearls'.
- The word boba in Spanish actually means 'silly' or 'foolish' in its traditional sense. Because of this, someone might jokingly mistake your love for the drink for a comment on your intelligence.
- In Mexico, you might see boba sold as bebidas con perlas, treating the bubbles as 'pearls' rather than using the English loanword.
Examples in context
- Adoro el boba y estoy loco por esa deliciosa bebida.I adore boba, and I'm crazy about that delicious drink.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are standing in line at a drink shop.
- Javier¿Quieres probar el té de leche?Do you want to try the milk tea?
- LucíaSí, me encanta el boba.Yes, I love boba.
- JavierYo también, pediré uno grande.Me too, I will order a large one.
- LucíaPerfecto, yo pediré el mismo.Perfect, I will order the same.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boba, el, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
