November 2020

5 ways to express “thank you” in Spanish

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Bienvenido/a”! The holidays are (almost) here! As we enter the season of giving and gratitude, let us explore 5 ways of expressing gratitude in Spanish.

1. Gracias (grah-see-ahs)

The most common way to say “thank you” in Spanish can be used anywhere and anytime: from when you receive your “café con leche” at a cafe to when you thank someone for holding the door open. You can also add “muchas” in front of the word to give “many” thanks to someone in all Spanish-speaking countries. Added bonus: try to roll the “r” in the word to sound like a local!

A simple response to this would be “de nada” meaning “you’re welcome” or, literally “from nothing”.

2. (Estoy) Muy agradecido/a (ehs-toy muy agra-de-cido/a)

This is a lovely way to say “(I’m) very grateful” – a more polite version of “thank you so much”. The adjective “agradecido” is translated as “grateful”, and prefacing it with “estoy muy…” will earn you bonus points. Remember to modify masculine “agradecido” to “agradecida” if you’re speaking to a female!

3. Eres un sol (eres un sol)

This is slang-Spanish so make sure to read the room first! “Eres un sol” literally means “you are a sunshine” and by calling this person “the sun” or “sunshine” you are thanking them for something. For example, if you give your Spanish-speaking friend a gift, you may receive a flattering “eres un sol”, similar to the English endearment “you’re a doll”.

4. Eres recapo/a (eres reh-capo/a)

Anyone looking to head to Argentina once travel eases again? This is a term used by Argentines to mean “You’re the best” when you want to go beyond just “gracias”.

Did you know, the “acento argentino” or Argentine accent of Spanish is influenced by Italian, due to large waves of Italian immigration to Argentina in the 19th & 20th centuries? You may even hear Argentinians use the word “chao”, to mean “bye” – derived from the Italian “ciao”!

5. Te la/lo debo (te la/lo de-bo)

Spanish for “I owe you” – instead of responding with a simple “gracias” if your friend buys you tickets to see “un partido de fútbol”, or “a football game”, you can say “te la/lo debo” to let them know you got them next time.

Now, want to put these tips into practice? “¡Vámonos!” Let’s go…

Book a language session here, with one of our native Spanish language partners or gift a conversation here, to a loved one – near or far.

5 ways to say “thank you” in Arabic

Arabic, General / By NaTakallam

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ahlan (أهلا, hello)! Last week, our blog explored 5 ways of saying “thank you” in Spanish. This week, let us dive into 5 different ways of expressing gratitude in Arabic.

Although each country in the MENA region has its own colloquial dialect, ‘aammiya (عامية), here are 5 ways to say “thank you” that can be understood almost anywhere in the region.

1. Shukran (شكراً)

Shukran is used in all Arabic-speaking countries, in both formal and informal settings, and is understood widely among speakers of all dialects of Arabic. It comes from the root verb shakara (شكر) meaning “to thank”. As a common response, you may hear al-’awfoo (العفو) or ‘af-waan (عفواً) which literally means “forgive/pardon”, and is the equivalent of “you’re welcome” or “no problem” in English.

2. Tislam/Tislami (تسلم/تسلمي)

Heard mostly throughout the Levant and parts of the Gulf, this phrase comes from the root verb salama (سلم) meaning “to come out safe/healthy”. It can be used when a friend or family member gives you something or does something nice for you.

Add ideyk (إيديك – to a male) or ideyki (إيديكي – to a female) to the end of the phrase and you will quite literally say “may your hands enjoy health” – a way of thanking the person who gave you something.

3. Mamnoun(t)ak/ek (ممنونك/ممنونتك)

Mamnountak/ek (female speaker) or mamnounak/ek (male speaker), is used throughout the Levantine region to say “thank you” or to mean “I’m grateful to you”.

If you’ve got this down, you know some Persian, too! This Arabic loanword, mamnoun (ممنون), which is gender-neutral in Persian, is commonly used to say “thank you” by Persian speakers as well. Watch out this space to learn more about expressing gratitude in Persian!

4. Ya‘tik al-‘afiya (يعطيك العافية)

Literally translating to “may [God] give you health” this phrase is said in recognition and appreciation of someone’s hard work. In response, you may hear Allah y-a‘fik, which also means “may God bless you with good health”. It is also used in the Levant as a way to say “hi” when entering a shop, acknowledging and praising the fact that the people attending you are working hard.

Caution: in Moroccan Darija dialect, ‘afiya means fire, so please be careful while using this phrase in Morocco!

5. Yekather khairak/ek (يكثر خيرك)

An abbreviated version of the saying “I wish [that God] increases your welfare”, this phrase can be a way of saying “thank you so much for helping me” across the Arab world. Khair (خير) is the noun meaning “good” often heard as bekhair (بخير, well) when responding to the question “How are you?”

These are a few ways to express gratitude in Arabic. This holiday season, learn more about the subtleties of the Arabic language and culture with NaTakallam’s language partners! Sign up for sessions here. Offer the gift of conversation to loved ones, near or far, here!

5 ways to change the world – even under lockdown

Uncategorized / By NaTakallam

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Lockdown, round 2?

Believe it or not, that act of staying indoors—in itself—is saving lives.

As we continue to experience pressure these days – worrying news worldwide, anxiety about an even greater winter Covid-wave and, getting used to remote work (again) – something remains unchanged: the aspiration to make a difference.

Here are our – non-exhaustive – suggestions of 5 great ways to change the world from home.

1. Support worthwhile causes

While many of us are taking a financial toll due to the new restrictions, others are fortunate to be able to continue working from home, business (almost) as usual. If you’ve saved cash from skipping restaurants or shopping, consider donating to cause or browsing the web for holiday gifts with a cause.

There are plenty of phenomenal organizations to choose from, and many have lost funding due to a shift towards covid-related initiatives.

→ CharityWatch provides a topic-based list.

2. Grow your own urban balcony garden

Grow your own urban balcony garden. Pollution in many areas under full lockdown went down earlier this year, so while we breathe cleaner air, the climate crisis continues to threaten the survival of hundreds of species – including our own.

Growing an urban garden will allow you to get in touch with nature, its rhythm, cycles, feeling part of something bigger than yourself. Your balcony will look even greater, and might even come in handy for a bit of cooking! You’ll also reap benefits to your mood and productivity!

3. Get inspired by a talk or podcast!

Everyone loves a good podcast, TED Talk or other. Get cozy, and get inspired.

In line with our mission to support displaced persons, here’s a selection of powerful refugee and displacement related content (and a few uplifting ones!).

→ Are We There Yet? by The American Life, to hear what it’s truly like in refugee camps in Greece

→ Let’s Help Refugees Thrive, Not Just Survive by Melissa Fleming, real talk more relevant today than ever

→ Border(less) by Kerning Cultures, on navigating Europe’s elusive borders as refugees

→ The Surprising Science of Happiness by Dan Gilbert, when you need a ~scientific~ reason to 🙂

→ How to Make Stress your Friend by Kelly McGonigal, when you have overwhelming days.

4. Take advantage of online courses, especially those in social change and impact!

LEARN! Take online courses about everything from conscious capitalism to entrepreneurship in emerging economies, human rights to international law.

5. Boost your language learning skills 🙂

We will be honest: our mission is to support refugees and their host communities worldwide. We would love for you to consider learning a new language while supporting our incredible refugee tutors, teachers, and translators.

Travel the world through your screen with NaTakallam, make a new friend, practice a language!

Click here to learn Arabic, French, Kurdish, Persian, or Spanish!

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And if you’re able to… stay home! Flatten the curve, protect yourself and those around you. Above all, stay positive 🙂

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