Spanish Relations Trivia Quiz

Answer: Estoy embarazada

The adjective for pregnant is "embarazada", which can sound, to the novice, like you are saying you are embarrassed. While you may be married (casada) and waiting or hoping (esperando) for a baby, and you may have a big stomach, you aren't pregnant unless you're "embarazada". The verb form "estar" would be used, not "ser" to describe a temporary condition like pregnancy.

Answer: Mi prima

The word for cousin is "primo/prima". "Cocina" is kitchen. "Hermanita" is little sister, and "gatita" is kitty cat. If you picked "cocina", you are relying too much on cognates!

Answer: Nací en San Diego

In English, we use a reflexive form, saying "I was born", while in Spanish, it is direct. So "yo nací en San Diego", rather than the passive, reflexive form of "yo fui nacido" (literally I was born) which makes sense in English, but sounds awkward in Spanish. "Ví la luz" means "I saw the light".

A lovely Spanish euphemism for giving birth is "dar a luz" or "give light", but this choice didn't say "I FIRST saw light" so it doesn't necessarily mean "I was born". The same logic goes for the choice "Empecé mi adventura" which means "I began my adventure."

Answer: Suegra

Mother-in-law is "suegra", although she could also, in some cases, be the "devil of your life" or "that woman". If you ever said "madre-en-ley", literally mother-in-law, you would get nothing but quizzical looks.

Answer: Mi abuelito se murió anoche

To die (morirse) is a reflexive verb, so "Abuelito se murió". Last night is "anoche". The other choices are all torturous translations that Grandpa's not doing too well.

Answer: Mi cuñada me dijo eso

Sister-in-law is "cuñada". The other choices are pure silliness.

Answer: Hijastro

Step-son is "hijastro". Step-daughter is "hijastra". They always make for interesting family dynamics.

Answer: Mis familiares

"Familiares" are family members, household members, and those who are "familiar" to me. It is a broader connotation in Spanish, and can even include acquaintances, whereas in English, we tend to think of relatives as "related by blood or marriage." In Spanish, "relativo" is an adjective, and not a noun. "Mis parientes" in Spanish is also a broader term than the English equivalent "my parents."

Answer: Voy a la quinceañera de mi sobrina

A tradition in the Mexican culture is to celebrate a girl's 15th birthday with a "quinceañera", or 15th birthday celebration. Since it is like a rite of passage, it can have all the elaborate trappings of a wedding, including processional, gowns, attendants, flowers, etc.

It does lack a groom, however. Niece is "sobrina". "Boda" is wedding. "Muchacha" is girl. "Baile en la quincallería" is dance is the hardware store. "Una partida de campo" is a picnic.

Answer: Dia de madres

While Mothers Day is celebrated as the second Sunday in May in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and most of Europe, this date is not universal. Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala, as well as India and Saudi Arabia, celebrate Mothers Day each year on May 10.