Dictionary of Spoken Spanish/Part 1/H

by the United States War Department

H

• haba Lima bean.
• haber to have (auxiliary). ^▲ [m] credit Asiente Ud. esa cantidad en el haber. Enter that amount on the credit side.
  ○ haber de to be to He de salir mañana. I'm to leave tomorrow. ○ hay there is, there are. Hay uno. There's one.—Ayer hubo un accidente en la Quinta Avenida. There was an accident on Fifth Avenue yesterday.—Habrá tres. There'll be three. ○ hay que it's necessary Hay que hacerlo. It has to be done.—Habrá que hacerlo mañana. It'll have to be done tomorrow. ○ no hay de qué you're welcome, don't mention it "¡Muchas gracias!" "No hay de qué." "Thank you!" "You're welcome."
  || ¿Qué hubo? How goes it? [Mex]
• habichuela kidney bean.
  ○ habichuela verde (green) string bean.
• hábil skillful Era muy hábil como mecánico. He was a very skillful mechanic.
  ○ día hábil work day ¿Cuántos días hábiles hay este mes? How many work days are there this month?
• habilidad [f] ability.
• habilitado paymaster.
• habitación [f] room Mi habitación es el número catorce del tercer piso. My room is number fourteen on the third floor.
• habitante [m, f] inhabitant Es un pueblecito de doscientos habitantes. It is a village of two hundred inhabitants.
• habitar to inhabit.
• hábito habit (of a religious). ^▲ habit, custom Tenía por hábito levantarse temprano. It was his custom to get up early.
  ○ tomar el hábito to become a monk or nun.
• habitual habitual.
• habituarse to become accustomed Se habituó a trabajar en la oficina. He became accustomed to working in the office.
• habla speech Su habla es clara y precisa. His speech is clear and precise.—Ese hombre no es de habla española. That man's not of Spanish speech.—El mundo de habla española. The Spanish-speaking world.
  ○ perder el habla to be speechless Con la emoción perdió el habla. He was speechless with emotion.
• hablador [adj] talkative Es muy hablador. He's very talkative.
• hablar to speak ¿Habla Ud. inglés? Do you speak English? ^▲ to talk Habla, pero no sabe lo que dice. He talks, but he doesn't know what he's saying.
  ○ hablar (hasta) por los codos to chatter Ese muchacho habla por los codos. That boy is a chatterbox. ○ hablar por hablar to be just talking Ne le

creas, habla por hablar. Don't believe him, he's just talking (to hear himself talk). ○ hablarse to speak to each other, be on speaking terms Hace dos días que no se hablan. They haven't been speaking to each other for two days.—Aunque eran hermanos no se hablaban. Although they were brothers they were not on speaking terms.

• hacendado rancher; landowner [Am] Su padre es un rico hacendado. His father's a wealthy rancher.
• hacendoso industrious.
• hacer [irr] to make Le han hecho un traje nuevo. They have made him a new suit. ^▲ to have Hágales entrar ahora mismo. Have them come in right now. ^▲ to do ¿Qué hace Ud. para ganar tanto dinero? What do you do to make so much money? ^▲ to be Hace un buen día. It is a beautiful day.
  ○ hacer alarde to boast, brag Hizo alarde de valor. He boasted of his courage. ○ hacer caso a to pay attention to No le haga caso. Don't pay any attention to him. ○ hacer de cuenta to pretend, act [Am] Haga de cuenta que nada ha ocurrido. Just act as if nothing has happened. or Think nothing of it. ○ hacer de las suyas to be up to one's old tricks Otra vez está haciendo de las suyas. He's up to his old tricks again. ○ hacer el amor to pay court to, make love to Le estuvo haciendo el amor durante la fiesta. He was making love to her during the party. ○ hacer el favor please ¿Quiere hacer el favor de acompañarme? Will you please come with me? ○ hacer el honor de to do the honor of ¿Me hará Ud. el honor de comer conmigo? Will you do me the honor of dining with me? ○ hacer frío or calor to be cold or hot (of weather) Hoy hace mucho calor. It's very hot today. ○ hacer furor to make a hit Está haciendo furor esta nueva canción. This new song is making a big hit. ○ hacer gimnasia to do exercises (calisthenics) Hago gimnasia por la mañana. I do exercises in the morning. ○ hacer los honores to play or act as host (ess) Nos hizo honores de la casa. She played hostess to us. ○ hacerse to become Se ha hecho muy famoso. He's become very famous. ○ hacerse el sueco to pretend not to understand. ○ hacerse el tonto to play dumb No te hagas el tonto, que te conozco. Don't play dumb; I know you. ○ hacerse ilusiones to fool oneself No nos hagamos ilusiones con ese proyecto. Let's not fool ourselves about that project. ○ hacerse rogar to be coaxed Le gusta hacerse rogar. He likes to be coaxed. ○ hacer un barro to make a break, to put one's foot in it [Arg]. ○ hacer un paréntesis to digress Después de hacer un paréntesis, volvió al tema. After digressing, he returned to the subject. ○ tener (algo) que hacer to have (something) to do ¿Tiene Ud. algo que hacer hoy? Have you anything to do today?
  || No le hace. Never mind. or Skip it.
• hacha ax.
• hacia toward Iba hacia su casa. He was going toward his house.
  ○ hacia acá this way ¡Mire Ud. hacia acá! Look this way! ○ hacia adelante forward El coche iba hacia adelante. The car was going forward. ○ hacia allá that way ¡Mire hacia allá, a la derecha! Look that way, to the right! ○ hacia atrás backward(s) Remaban hacia atrás. They rowed backwards.
• hacienda fortune Perdió toda su hacienda. He lost his whole fortune. ^▲ ranch, large estate [Am]. ^▲ Treasury (government) Ministro (or Secretario) de Hacienda. Secretary of the Treasury.
• halagar to flatter.
• halagüeño promising, bright Las perspectivas no son halagüeñas. The prospects aren't very bright.
• halar [today usually written jalar] to pull [Am] Halaban la cuerda con fuerza. They pulled hard on the rope.
• hallar to find Se registró los bolsillos y halló un peso. He searched his pockets and found one peso.
  ○ hallarse to be No ha podido venir porque se halla enfermo. He hasn't been able to come because he is sick.
• hallazgo thing found Entre los hallazgos hubo paraguas, zapatos y pañuelos. Among the things found were umbrellas, shoes, and handkerchiefs.
• hamaca hammock [Am].
• hambre [f] hunger Tenía mucha hambre. He was very hungry.
• hambriento hungry, starved.
• harapo rag Iba vestido de harapos. He went around dressed in rags.
• harina flour, meal.
• hartarse to gorge, stuff oneself Tomó helado hasta hartarse. He gorged himself on ice cream.
• harto full, stuffed; fed up ¡Estoy harto de sus cuentos! I'm fed up with your stories!
• hasta until No regresarán hasta después de las seis. They won't return until after six.—Hasta mañana. Until tomorrow. or See you tomorrow. ^▲ as far as Fueron hasta la última calle del pueblo. They went as far as the last street in town.
  ○ hasta aquí so far Hasta aquí todo está bien. So far everything is all right.
  || Hasta la vista. So long. || Hasta luego. So long.
• hay See haber.
• haya beech tree.
• hazaña feat, exploit, deed El soldado fué condecorado por sus hazañas. The soldier was decorated for his deeds.
• hebilla buckle (fastener).
• hebra thread.
• hechicero bewitching Tiene una cara hechicera. She has a bewitching face.
• hechizo domestic, made in (a given country) [Am].
• hecho (see hacer) done. ^▲ ready-made Prefiero un traje hecho. I prefer a ready-made suit. ^▲ [m] deed Fué recordado por sus nobles hechos. He was remembered for his noble deeds. ^▲ fact El periódico publica los hechos más importantes. The newspaper publishes the most important facts.
  ○ de hecho in fact, as a matter of fact De hecho quedó convencido. As a matter of fact he was convinced.
• hechura workmanship, making No me gusta la hechura de ese traje. I don't like the workmanship of that suit. ^▲ style.
• hectárea hectare (10,000 sq. meters).
• hediondo foul, stinking.
• hedor [m] stench, stink.
• helado (see helar) frozen El estanque amaneció completamente helado. The pond was completely frozen in the morning. ^▲ shocked La noticia me dejó helado. The news shocked me. ^▲ [m] ice cream Me gusta el helado de chocolate. I like chocolate ice cream.
• helar [rad-ch I] to freeze.
• helécho fern.
• hélice [f] (screw) propeller (of ship).
• hembra female No es macho, es hembra. It's not a male, it's a female.
• hemisferio hemisphere.
• heredad [f] (inherited) country estate or farm Mi padre me dejó una heredad. My father left me some property.
• heredar to inherit A la muerte de sus padres heredó una gran fortuna. He inherited a large fortune when his parents died.
• heredero, heredera heir.
• hereditario hereditary.
• hereje [m, f] heretic.
• herejía heresy.
• herencia inheritance.
• herida wound La herida se curó. The wound healed.
• herido wounded man El herido se curó en tres días. The wounded man recovered in three days.
• herir [rad-ch II] to wound, hurt Fué herido en la guerra. He was wounded in the war.
• hermana sister. ^▲ nun, sister Una hermana de la caridad le cuidaba. A Sister of Charity took care of him.
• hermano brother.
• hermoso beautiful, handsome Es una mujer muy hermosa. She's a very beautiful woman.
• hermosura beauty, handsomeness.
• héroe [m] hero.
• heroico heroic.
• heroína heroine.
• heroísmo heroism.
• herrador [m] horseshoer.
• herradura horseshoe Le pusieron la herradura al caballo. They shod the horse.
• herramienta tool; set of tools.
• herrar [rad-ch I] to shoe (horses); to brand (cattle).
• herrería iron works, blacksmith's shop.
• herrero blacksmith.
• herrumbre [f] rust.
• hervir [rad-ch III] to boil El agua empezó a hervir. The water began to boil.
• híbrido [adj; n] hybrid.
• hidalga noble(woman); lady.
• hidalgo noble(man); gentleman.
• hidrógeno hydrogen.
• hiel [f] gall; bitterness, malice.
• hielo ice Haga el favor de darme hielo para el agua. Please give me some ice for the water.
• hiena hyena.
• hierba grass.
  ○ mala hierba weed La dehesa está llena de mala hierba. The pasture is full of weeds. ^▲ bad influence Ese niño es mala hierba. That boy is a bad influence.
• hierro iron Toda el armazón era de hierro. The whole framework was made of iron.
  ○ machacar en hierro frío to work in vain, be useless Tratar de corregir a ese niño es machacar en hierro frío. Trying to correct that boy is useless.
• hígado liver.
• higiene [f] hygiene.
• higo fig.
• hija daughter.
• hijo son.
• hila row, line.
• hilar to spin (wool, silk, etc).
• hilera row, line.
• hilo thread Cuidado no se rompa el hilo. Be careful that the thread doesn't break.—Me hace falta hilo para coser este botón. I need thread to sew on this button. ^▲ linen Me regaló media docena de pañuelos de hilo. He gave me a half dozen linen handkerchiefs.
• hilvanar to baste (in sewing).
• himno hymn.
• hincar to drive Hincaron en el suelo estacas para asegurar la tienda. They drove stakes into the ground to make the tent secure. ^▲ to sink El perro me hincó los dientes en el brazo. The dog sank his teeth into my arm.
  ○ hincarse de rodillas to kneel down Lo primero que hizo fué hincarse de rodillas. The first thing he did was to kneel down.
• hincha [f] fan Es una hincha del equipo argentino. He's a fan of the Argentine team. (When referring to a sport as a whole, the word used in aficionado).
• hinchar to swell Se le hinchó la pierna. His leg swelled up.
• hinchazón [m] swelling (lump).
• hipocresía hypocrisy.
• hipócrita hypocritical. ^▲ [n] hypocrite.
• hipoteca mortgage.
• hipótesis [f] hypothesis.
• hispanoamericano [adj; n] Spanish-American.
• histérico hysterical.
• historia history, story Conocía a fonda la historia de América. He knew the history of America thoroughly. ^▲ tale No me vengas con historias. Don't tome to me with tales.
• historiador [m] historian.
• histórico historic(al) Visitamos los lugares históricos del país. We visited the historic sites of the country.
• historieta short story; the comics [Sp].
• hocico muzzle, snout, nose El gato metió el hocico en el puchero. The cat put its nose in the pot.
  ○ estar de hocicos con to be on the outs with Estaba de hocicos con su novia. He was on the outs with his sweetheart.
• hogar [m] fireplace ¿Tiene Ud. un hogar en su casa? Do you have a fireplace in your home? ^▲ home Abandonó el hogar cuando era muy joven. He left home when he was very young.
• hogaza (large) loaf of bread.
• hoguera bonfire Encendieron una hoguera. They lit a bonfire.
• hoja leaf El suelo estaba cubierto de hojas. The ground was covered with leaves. ^▲ blade La hoja estaba muy afilada. The blade was very sharp. ^▲ page ¿En qué hoja está Ud.? What page are you on? ^▲ record ¿Presentó Ud. su hoja de servicios? Did you show your record of service?
  ○ hoja de lata tin plate. ○ poner le a uno como hoja de perejil to give one a tongue lashing Le puso como hoja de perejil. He gave him a tongue lashing. ○ tener hoja to be counterfeit (have more than legal proportion of tin) Esta plata tiene hoja. That coin is counterfeit.
  || Doblemos la hoja. Let's change the subject.
• hojear to thumb through, glance (or skim) through (a book, etc).
• ¡hola! Hello! (informal) ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? Hello, how are you?
• holgazán lazy.
• hombre [m] man Vino a buscarle un hombre. A man came to see him.
  ○ ¡hombre! man! man alive! ¡Hombre, no digas eso! Man, don't say that! ○ hombre de Estado statesman.
• hombría manliness, courage En la lucha demostró su hombría. He showed his courage in the fight.
  ○ hombría (de bien) honesty Todos lo estimaban por su hombría. They all esteemed him for his honesty.
• hombro shoulder Cargó el equipaje al hombro. He loaded the baggage on his shoulder.
  ○ encogerse de hombros to shrug the shoulders Por toda contestación se encogió de hombros. The only answer he gave was a shrug of his shoulders.
• homenaje [m] homage Han venido a rendirle homenaje al autor. They have come to pay homage to the author.
• homicida [m, f] killer, slayer El homicida se refugió en la montaña. The slayer hid in the mountains. ^▲ [adj] homicidal El arma homicida no fué hallada. The homicidal weapon wasn't found.
• homogéneo homogeneous.
• honda sling (for hurling stones).
• hondo deep Este pozo es muy hondo. This well is very deep.
• honestidad [f] modesty, decorum Se enamoró de ella por su honestidad. He fell in love with her for her modesty.
• honesto decent, honest El cajero era un hombre muy honesto. The cashier was a very honest man.
• honor [m] honor Era un hombre de honor. He was a man of honor.
  ○ honores honors Al morir le hicieron honores militares. When he died he was given military honors.
• honradez [f] honesty, integrity.
• honrado (see honrar) honest Es un hombre honrado. He's an honest man.
• honrar to honor Nos honra mucho su presencia. We're very much honored by your presence.
• hora hour Empezó la fiesta a la hora en punto. The party began exactly on the hour. ^▲ time ¿Qué hora es? What time is it?
  ○ a primeras horas de la mañana in the early morning. ○ a última hora at the last moment A última hora todo se solucionó. Everything was solved at the last moment. ○ a últimas horas de la tarde in the late afternoon.
• horca gallows.
• horizontal horizontal.
• horizonte [m] horizon.
• hormiga ant.
• horno oven.
• horrible horrid, horrible Hizo una escena horrible. She made a horrible scene.
• horror [m] horror Tiene horror a la guerra. He has a horror of war.
• horroroso horrible, frightful Fué una escena horrorosa. It was a horrible scene.
• hortalizas [f pl] vegetables.
• hospital [m] hospital.
• hospitalidad [f] hospitality.
• hostilidad [f] hostility.
• hotel [m] hotel.
• hoy today Hoy empezamos a trabajar. We're starting to work today.
  ○ hoy por hoy for the time being, under present circumstances Hoy por hoy no pienso regresar a mi país. Under present circumstances I don't intend to return to my country. ○ por hoy for the present Por hoy lo dejaremos pasar. We'll let it go for the present.
• hoyo hole, depression; ditch.
• hoyuelo dimple.
• hoz [f] sickle.
• hueco [adj] hollow, empty El tronco del árbol estaba hueco. The tree trunk was hollow. ^▲ [m] hole Cuidado, hay un hueco en el piso. Be careful, there's a hole in the floor.
• huelga strike (of workers).
• huella track Siguieron las huellas del otro automóvil. They followed the tracks of the other car. ^▲ trace, sign En la América del Sur hay muchas huellas de la cultura india. In South America there are many traces of Indian culture. ^▲ footprint, fingerprint Aquí están sus huellas. Here are his footprints.
  ○ huella dactilar fingerprint Se detuvo el asesino por sus huellas dactilares. The assassin was arrested through his fingerprints.
• huérfano, huérfana orphan.
• huerta large vegetable garden.
• huerto orchard.
• hueso bone.
  ○ estar en los huesos to be nothing but skin and bones.
  || ¡A otro perro con ese hueso! Tell it to the Marines!
• huésped [m] guest.
• huevo egg ¿Cómo quiere Ud. los huevos, fritos o revueltos? How do you like your eggs, fried or scrambled?
• huida flight, escape.
• huir to flee Los prisioneros huyeron del campo de concentración. The prisoners fled from the concentration camp.
• humanidad [f] humanity. ^▲ humaneness La humanidad de sus sentimientos era bien conocida. The humaneness of his sentiments was well known.
• humano [adj] human. ^▲ humane Era una persona muy humana. He was a very humane person.
• humear to smoke, give off smoke Las cenizas todavía humeaban. The cinders were still smoking.
• humedad [f] dampness, humidity, moisture La humedad del tiempo me hace daño a la salud. The dampness of the weather is bad for my health.
• humedecer [-zc-] to moisten.
• húmedo damp, humid.
• humilde poor; humble, unaffected.
• humillar to humiliate.
• humo smoke Por la ventana se'veía salir el humo. Smoke could be seen pouring out of the window.
  ○ darse humos de grandeza to put on airs of grandeur. ○ humos airs, affected manner Lo dijo con muchos humos. He said it in an affected manner.
• humor [m] humor, mood Está siempre de buen humor. He's always in good humor. ^▲ humor, wit.
• hundirse to sink Se hundió en el barro hasta las rodillas. He sank in mud up to his knees. ^▲ to cave in La casa se hundió. The house caved in. ^▲ to fall off, diminish Empezó a hundirse su negocio por no atenderlo. His business began to fall off because he didn't take care of it.
• huracán [m] hurricane.
• hurtar to steal, pilfer.
  ○ hurtar el cuerpo to shy away, dodge Hurtó el cuerpo al toro. He dodged the bull.
• huye See huir.