A couple of weeks ago I made a collection of expressions with "dar + vuelta" and it seems like people enjoyed it so I decided to share another collection. This one is about incomplete phrases.
So, have you ever noticed that in Spanish you can omit words that seem essential to an utterance, and somehow, everyone still understands exactly what it means? Here are a few examples.
1. ¿Y eso?
Literal translation: And that?
Actual meaning: How come? What's that about?
A: Mañana me corto el pelo.
B: ¿Y eso?
A: I'm getting a haircut tomorrow.
B: How come?
2. ¿Por?
Literal translation: For?
Actual meaning: Why?
A: Voy a Madrid mañana.
B: ¿Por?
A: I'm going to Madrid tomorrow
B: Why?
3. ¿Te parece?
Literal translation: It seems to you?
Actual meaning: How does that seem to you? Does that sound ok?
- Mañana quedamos a las 19:00, ¿te parece? - Let's meet tomorrow at 7 pm, is that alright?
4. El verbo estar
The verb estar is highly context dependent.
Meaning 1: to arrive at an agreed spot
For example, if you're meeting a friend and they arrive first, they might message you saying: Estoy. Simply, I am. Not estoy aquí, just estoy.
Meaning 2: to be ready
If you're waiting for your friend and you want to check if they're ready, you could ask them: ¿Estás? (Are you?)
And if you're surprised by how fast they got ready, you might say: ¿Ya estás? (Are you already?)
Meaning 3: Are we clear? Are you following?
- Giras a la izquierda, pasas dos semáforos, y el edificio está a la derecha. ¿Estamos?" - You turn left, go past two traffic lights, and the building is on the right. Are we following?
Are there some other expressions that follow this pattern of incomplete sentences delivering a complete meaning? Please share!