Free Spanish Lesson 63. To smile or frown in photos?
Vocabulary For Today’s Free Spanish Lesson- Vocabulario para el boletín
cuando sacamos fotos – when we take photos
la persona que saca la foto – the person that takes the photo
no tengo idea – I have no idea
la palabra – the word
es una tradición – it’s a tradition
personalmente – personally
no hay – there’s not
en sus fotos – in their photos
en sus caras – on their faces
para fotos – for photos
a la historia – at history
gente aquí en – people here in
cuando miro fotos de – when I look at pictures of
de un grupo tan serio – from such a serious group
hace año s – years ago
abierta – open
era difícil – it was difficult
con la tecnología – with technology
licencias de conducir – driver’s licenses
amigos latinos – Latin friends
me dijeron – they told me
una persona seria – a serious person
una multa – a ticket
en vez de – instead of
la próxima vez que – the next time that
una persona latina – a Latin person
hay que darse cuenta – it’s necessary to realize
antes de dejar – before leaving
en ciertas regiones de – in certain regions of
mucha gente – many people
en las paredes de sus casas – on the walls of their homes
muchas fotos – many photos
mucha gente – many people
en vez de tener – instead of having
pinturas – paintings
si alguien tiene – if anyone has
háganos saber de eso – let us know about it (command form)
como siempre – as always
diferencias culturales – cultural differences
a veces – sometimes
una explicación lógica – a logical explanation
su cultura – their culture
es importante – it’s important
Here in the U.S. cuando sacamos fotos, whether informally or at a photo studio, la persona que saca la foto usually exclaims, “Say Cheese!” This is supposed to make us smile so the photograph can be taken.
No tengo idea why we actually say la palabra “cheese” except that es una tradición to get people to smile. Personalmente, when I think about a piece of cheese, it makes me hungry, not want to smile.
In Latin America, no hay “cheese” en sus fotos. When pictures are taken, Latin Americans usually have a serious look en sus caras. They usually don’t smile para fotos like we do here in the U.S.
If you want to learn SpanishTry more free Spanish Lessons here.
If you look at fotos taken around 150 years ago, gente aquí en the U.S. didn’t smile much either. Cuando miro fotos de my ancestors, I wonder how I could’ve evolved de un grupo tan serio. It’s been explained to me that they frowned, or looked serious, en fotos hace años because the camera aperture had to be abierta for a long time to take a foto; era difícil for them to hold a smile that long – so they frowned.
A Brief Look a La Historia.
Con la tecnología being up to date, people still usually frown or look serious para fotos in Latin America – especially on licencias de conducir. I asked a few amigos latinos about this and here’s what me dijeron.
They said that on licencias de conducir, you want to look like una persona seria so if the police stop you, they won’t think you’re a goof-off or a trouble-maker and give you una multa. In portraits, it was similarly explained that you want to be seen as a persona seria en vez de a joker.
La próxima vez que you see a portrait of una persona latina, before you pass judgment thinking they must be a ve ry serious, non-fun loving person, hay que darse cuenta that it’s part of their culture to look serio en fotos, and don’t judge a book by its cover.
Antes de dejar this theme, another interesting thing I noticed en ciertas regiones de Latin America is that mucha gente, en vez de tener a wedding photo, would have a wedding painting hung en las paredes de sus casas. I didn’t see muchas fotos hanging up in people’s homes, but there were plenty of pinturas.
Moral of the Historia?
A veces people do things differently than us, and there may not always be una explicación lógica for it other than it’s part of su cultura. Also, es importante not to take ourselves too seriously. We can do this by learning to laugh at some of our own diferencias culturales.
[custom_script adID=97]
Written by David S. Clark President/Director, U.S. Institute of Languages. Copyright © 1999-2011 US Institute of Languages All rights reserved.
Andrew Makarik
to@welovecostarica.comAndrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.
Are you into beautiful Costa Rica?
All interesting things you want to know about Costa Rica are right here in our newsletter! Enter your email and press "subscribe" button.
