First we saw English being the language of the world, but now Spanish seems to be the next language on the list. To be precise, Spanish is the second largest language in the whole world with 400 million native speakers and more than a million learners.
Spanish in Quito is like a palette full of colors and shades!
This is Quito, it goes beyond the Panecillo and the Canelazo. Quito is looking at a Grandpa with his grandkids, laughing and joking around. Quito is alive.
But what is it that makes Spanish so popular? Tourism and travel sure is one of the main reasons. There is so much culture and richness behind Spanish, it is almost impossible to imagine that one language represents more than 20 countries!
The fact that it is spoken in twenty countries turns Spanish into an adventure. Every country, every little city and town will somehow have their version of Spanish. Ecuador, in fact has more than 50 different dialects, each of them has its own attributes and characteristics. Today we will talk about the Quiteño or “Serrano” dialect, which is spoken in Ecuador’s highlands. What makes this sort of dialect different and beautiful is the way verbs are connected and phrases used to treat people. So here it is, five easy go-to phrases you will probably hear if you are in Quito and their corresponding definitions.
1. “Se fue a volver”
First of all, the original translation goes as “He/She went to come back”. Weird right? This is probably one of the most common answers you will hear in the market or in the colonial streets of Quito if you ask for someone who is not there at the moment. It basically means that this person will come back!
2. “A vender”
“To sell” is what the previous phrase means and it is very common to hear this when you enter a shop or a store and you see no one in there. Just call this “A vender” out and you will have your salesperson right back at you.
3. “Deme haciendo un favor”
If you ever want someone to help you out with something, then Quiteños are the perfect people to ask for. Just tell them the previous phrase which translates into “Give me doing a favor” and you will be kindly asking someone to please help you, and they will do because who can say no to such a beautiful petition?
Yes, we know. This is not 100% correct Spanish, but this is what makes it so remarkable. It is within these mistakes that we realize the culture behind a city, disrupted and different.
