Langosta can be lobster or locust. The dictionary distinguishes the two as langosta de mar or langosta de tierra. Many times you will hear just the word and have to figure out which is meant. That is normally not a problem.
I knew that langosta was the word for lobster. The way I found out it was the word for locust was when I was reading the story of John the Baptist in the Bible and it said he ate langosta. Sounds pretty fancy until you realize that it is referring to eating locusts.
Fondo is a word that has many meanings in English. It depends on how it is used as to how it is translated.
Fondos can mean funds, as in financial funds.
It can mean background, such as background music or a set for a video or stage production.
Fondos can be the core or essence of something.
Endurance sports can use the word fondo too. A corredor de fondo is a long distance runner and cross-country skiing is esquà de fondo.
Those are just some of the many usages for the word fondos.
Food words are always interesting to me. Sometimes they are similar enough that you can figure out what they are. Take the words espagueti and albóndiga for example.
Espagueti is what it sounds like spaghetti. A dish which is very popular in the area where we live in Mexico.
Albóndiga is not as easy to figure out, however. An albóndiga is a meatball. Seen in conjunction with espagueti it could be understood, perhaps.
I have always thought the word gafete meant a name tag or ID badge. I was surprised to find out that it apparently is a word specific to Mexico and there is not a real consensus as to what the word is actually referring.
Possibilities are the clip that holds the name badge on. Also it could be simply any form of ID or granted permission, though that was only mentioned once in the discussion.
Doing a google search for the word gafete is not much of a help either.
Whatever the exact definition and meaning of gafete is, it is used to mean a form of identification or temporary permission granted by wearing a badge that is easily seen.
Cubierto is an adjective which means covered or filled. While there are different usages of the word cubierto, the one I find most interesting is the meaning of a place setting of silverware.
When asking for silverware at a restaurant you ask for cubiertos. It means cutlery.
No deje piedras sobre el pavimento is a sign we see frequently while traveling through Mexico. It means, do not leave stones on the pavement.
It’s an interesting and necessary sign that stems from people placing stones on the road behind their car to warn others they are stopped or broken down. The problem arises when these people then drive off and leave the stones in the road creating another road hazard.
So if you ever breakdown por favor, no deje piedras sobre el pavimento.
One day I was out with a Cuban friend on a mission to rent a car. Though he was born in Cuba, he and his family have lived in the US since he was very young. While he was talking to the car rental man he asked a question about the timón. I had just learned the word timón a couple of weeks before. It means the rudder of a ship. Or it can mean the helm.
To me it was funny to hear him refer to the volante (steering wheel) as the timón. Since then I have learned that other countries also use timón as the word for steering wheel.
