Although I am most likely to stick to my tried and trusted '2 dozen words to take the place of one' method, I reckon this thread has proved really interesting. It would be good if there were one like it (even this one?!) where we could come to get chismes translated into their real name

Charades, pictures, going mad with words, all work well.

Lynn, I notice you advised saying "necesito" - I used to say this in class and my Spanish teacher told me to use "me hace falta" instead as it is what a Spaniard would say rather than an extranjera. Can you explain the difference for me? I'm not being nit-picking, honest, I would really like to know.

As regards asking for things in the ferreteria, my OH practically had a game of charades once when he went to buy an elbow for a plumbing job. He tried codo (blank look), drawing a diagram on the back of an envelope (blank look), describing what he wanted it for (blank look) - then suddenly the man said "Ah - elbow!".

In the ferreteria he uses most, the man just tells him to go down to the basement and find what he wants - it's probably quicker and easier for them than having to listen to his attempts in Spanish! But at least he tries, bless him.

I beg to disagree with your teacher. 'Necesito' is entirely correct and equivalent to 'me hace falta'. It is common language at hardware stores, when you actually need a tool, a screw, nail or so. Using that words, you explain to the attendant your needs. The difference is in other businesses i.e. the grocery, where you rarely express your needs, you express your wishes. I'll put some examples in context to illustrate this:

At the 'ferreteria':

• Necesito una arandela para este tornillo (I need a washer for this screw)
• Me hace falta un destornillador de estrella y otro plano para estos tornillos (I need a torx screwdriver and a flat-blade screwdriver for these screws)
• Deme una tuerca del seis (I need a number six nut)
• Quería unas tijeras (I need a scissors)

At the grocery:

• Querría medio kilo de naranjas, por favor (please I wish half a kilo of orange)
• Deme doscientos gramos de jamón York (give me two hundred grams of cooked ham)
• Necesito algo de nata para el pastel (I need some cream for the cake)
• Me hacen falta fartons para la horchata (I need fartons for the horchata)

Perhaps the English translations aren't accurate given that I'm native Spaniard and I've never been to an English spoken country. But you'll get the idea. Ask for more information at your will. I'll be glad to help. Please give me feedback thus I know if I'm going tedious giving too much information.

HTH

Your English is excellent. Although the word thus is used in academic written work it is an old English word that is not generally used .

When I want something in a shop I quite often use "Me gustaria etc" is this the wrong thing to say?

Rosemary

I'd use quiero, or querría.

Thank you for your kind words and of course for your tip.

"Me gustaría..." is OK, although "Quería...", "Venía por...", "Deme..." or "¿Tiene...?" are widely used and sound more locale to me. My Spanish is from central Spain, so take that into account.

Perfect. 'Quiero' is more assertive, while 'Quería' (subjunctive) or 'querría' (conditional) are softer and therefore politer constructs.

Well I use it, written and spoken and to my 9 year old... never too young to use correct English!!!!

I thought about what I had written afterwards and suddenly realised that it is also down to the esage of certain areas in UK.

As a Devonian I cannot remember using it until I was doing academic work but I think that it is widely used in Yorkshire. Where are you from originally? Is iit widely used there? I would not want to give Juansolo incorrect information.

Rosemary

Zummerzet, m'dear!! (well from the age of 6, having moved from Kent)... I think it's more to do with family background/vocabulary to be honest. Same as (whisper it) marida !!

your english is great!! it's hard to believe you've never been to an Englishspeaking country

I'd also add 'dame' if you are on friendly terms in the shop, and not forgetting 'ponme' (informal) & 'pongame' (formal)

I think it's fair to say though (& correct me if I'm wrong) that for a beginner necesito is fine to use in most situations, if only to get you started & give you confidence that you can actually communicate & get what you want

the finer points can come later

so long as they DO, eventually ...............

Thank you very much! Now I know I can use either.

Deme always sounds a bit peremptory to me as an English person, but I am getting more into the habit of using it.

May I return the favour with a suggestion - it would be more correct to say that you've never been to an English speaking country rather than English spoken (although that is hard to believe as your English is so good!).

OMG! the bogeyman! Quickly! hide under the bed!

Thank you! As you'll guess there is a big effort behind it. I'm still working on it, even though I know I'll never outreach a level as good as a native. Lastly I'm improving my fluency through language exchange via Skype.

You're absolutely right, I forgot that verb, likely the most used. Very good point!


Thank you Lynn R and Lynnxa for the point. So 'English spoken' applies to a person and 'English speaking' applies to a country. Am I right?

Like it! Or artilugio?