6 thoughts on “Cosas de la Casa”

1. Fran and Steve April 2, 2012 at 8:57 pm

   Cassie, I love that you are already bilingual and will hit the island running.

   Here are a few Puerto Ricanisms:
   Bedroom is cuarto or habitación. Room in general is cuarto. Porch is balcón (patio means yard). What is known as a patio on the mainland is a terraza here. Refrigerator is nevera. A cooler is a neverita. I remember Mexican-Americans in CA would say carpeta for carpet. Never in Puerto Rico. We have our own absurdities, and the list is long! 🙂 Fran

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2. Anónimo April 2, 2012 at 9:48 pm

   Although many Spanish speakers use the word patio liberally for just about anything inside the confines of a property but outdoors. That is incorrect. The word PATIO in Spanish is defined as an open space that is nonetheless enclosed by walls on all sides.

   Also, the words renta and its plural rentas are used in Spanish and these means very specific meanings. The word rentar is an anglicism from to rent. This is incorrect use in Spanish. Always use alquilar o alquiler.

   Tú me alquilas mi casa. CORRECT

   Yo recibo una renta. CORRECT

   Tú me rentas mi casa. INCORRECT

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3. Cassie Post authorApril 3, 2012 at 2:26 pm

   Gracias por sus comentarios/información!
   I am definitely always learning and the Spanish I learned in Queretaro, MX and around here is obviously just a little different than in PR, but at least overall it still works.

   I knew that about “habitación” I should have put that down, also “balcón”; thanks for the reminders! I’ve always heard “refri” around here so that’s good to know there’s a different word in PR because we need to buy a new “nevera” for the cabana in Rincón.

   Even though “rentar” is an incorrect anglicism, I nonetheless put it because it is so very often used. In PR I see “se renta” a lot. Some people try to “standardize” language, and you can to a point, but it is constantly evolving.

   I remember hearing that Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French are all corruptions of Latin. They were the more “vulgar” or “incorrect” forms of Latin, but they survived and the latter is dead.

   So I try to be flexible and have fun with language even with the strange mixes -like Puertoricanisms (is THAT a word? I like it!) :-).

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4. Cassie Post authorApril 3, 2012 at 2:28 pm

   PS Alquiler or Alquilar are both correct for the verb? What’s the difference?

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5. Fran and Steve April 3, 2012 at 5:34 pm

   Alquiler is the noun. Alquilar is the verb.
   Regarding patio. When Spanish houses were made with an interior courtyard, that space (enclosed by walls), often the home’s only outdoor space, was called a patio. Here in PR, the only time patio is used for an enclosed outdoor space is when referring to historic homes like those in Old San Juan, which have “un patio interior”. Otherwise, in PR, patio means yard. Whether its usage is correct or incorrect (and who’s to say), it is what it is. — Fran

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6. Reinaldo March 20, 2013 at 3:19 pm

   Why gringos expatriates when they go to Spain or Mexico learn spanish and when they move to PR they don’t.Most expatriates are well school educated for them should not be that difficult to learn compared to the inbred honkey hillbillies that they never learn anything

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