Spanish phrasebook
The Spanish performer’s magic phrasebook (cards)
¡Hola! This collection of Spanish words and expressions will hopefully serve to aid non-Spanish speaking magicians who wish to either perform for a Spanish speaking audience, or who want to increase their own understanding of performances they see in Spanish.
Even if you speak no Spanish whatsoever, your performances may benefit from the possibility of injecting a word here and there to clarify things, or to break the ice and make you seem cute. Sessioning across cultures would also be easier if we all spoke each other’s language.
You should be warned that I don’t consider myself much of a Spanish speaker, although I have been a student of it for a few years now. There may be errors and inaccuracies even if I have made the greatest effort to check everything.
My humble hope is that people will add phrases, suggestions and potential corrections in comments. Please do not repost the phrasebook on another site though, as I wish to keep one continuously updated version here. You may of course print it out and take it with you while traveling for instance, or just to read it somewhere cozy.
What I would especially like to expand, is the section on useful general sentences, like “would you like to assist me please?” I would also love to get more alternate words and slang from different countries.
Now let’s begin:
Playing cards: Both Cartas and Naipes are used. The latter is probably less modern, but may be the standard term where you are performing. A woman once explained to me that she used the term naipes “because I’m old”.
What we think of as ordinary cards are not necessarily what comes to mind to a Spanish speaker should he or she be asked to go and fetch a deck. In the Hispanic world, Spanish decks of 40 cards are most commonly used, but there are also Spanish decks with 48 cards and Spanish Poker decks with 52.
The four confusing suits (“palos”) of La Baraja Española (The Spanish Deck) are: Bastos (lit: clubs for hitting, may double as Clubs as we know them), Copas (cups, may double as Hearts in certain games), Espadas (swords, may double as Spades*), Oros (gold coins, the same suit that was reinvented as Diamonds in the French deck.**)
In the Spanish deck, The Queen is replaced by El Caballo, The Horse.
* cartas.com.mx has this listed as corresponding with Clubs in a “regular” deck.
** The Collins Paperback Spanish Dictionary has this as corresponding with our Hearts. An error probably, but the fact remains that if you ask actual Spanish speaking laymen, they are likely not to know nor agree upon what corresponds to what.
Let’s stick to what we understand instead and look at La Baraja Francesa (The French deck), which is our good old deck of 52 cards.
In Spanish there are many different names for the various suits and court cards. The Jack is most commonly referred to as La Jota as in the letter J (Jota) printed in the corner. Words supported by the article La are feminine and it is my impression that La Jota is still more widely used than the masculine El Jota which can also be heard, although the latter would perhaps seem more logical. But you may also hear the Jack referred to as La Sota, El Joto* and even El Valet.
* Beware that Joto means either “homosexual” or “coward” in Mexico. While some of the Jacks do indeed have a certain ambiguous appearance, it is best to stick to one of the other words.
Similarly, the Queen is usually referred to as La Reina, but many also use La Ku after the letter Q, Dama (“lady”) or Dame from the German deck’s Queen. The King is simply El Rey (although since the origin of this deck is not Spanish, it should perhaps technically be a French Roi or Latin Rex when the deck has an R in the corners, as opposed to an English K for King or a German K for König). I’ve also heard the King referred to as La Ka, after the letter K in Spanish. When I was beaten badly at cards in Chile by a group of ruthlessly cheating women, I noticed that they called the King El Kaiser (German for “Emperor“). But I digress.
Now finally the phrasebook:
The (human) hand: La mano:
Palm (of hand, also -tree): Palma
Finger: Dedo
Finger tip: Yema del dedo (Pl. Las yemas de los dedos)(a yema btw is also an “egg yolk”)
Thumb: (Dedo) Pulgar or Dedo Gordo (gordo meaning “fat”)
Index/pointer/first finger: (Dedo) Indice
Middle/second finger: Dedo Medio or Dedo Mayor or Dedo Corazón (corazón meaning “heart”)
Ring/third finger: (Dedo) Anular
Pinkie/little/fourth finger: (Dedo) Menique
Wrist: Muñeca (same word also means “doll”)
Nail: Uña
Joints (of fingers): nudillos
Pulse: Pulso Artery:
Arteria Fist: Puño
The deck: La Baraja (or El Mazo or El Maso):
The suits: Los palos or Pintes
The value: El valor
The picture/court cards: Las Figuras or Las Vestidas (the “dressed” cards)
The number/spot cards: Las Cartas Sencillas (the “simple cards”)
The Joker: El Comodín or simply El Joker
The face: La cara
The back: El dorso or El envés or El lomo
Top: Arriba
Bottom: Abajo
Middle: Medio
Face up: Boca arriba (boca = mouth) or Hacia arriba *
Face down: Boca abajo or Hacia abajo *
A face down card in full tension building view: Una cubierta
The corner (of a card): El ángulo The index (of a card): El índice
* Since boca abajo means “upside down” in other contexts than cards, some people may get confused and incorrectly think of a face up card among a spread of face down cards as being boca abajo, -the wrong way around.
Boca arriba when used in a non card context will mean “the right way up”.
Clubs: Tréboles:
El As de Tréboles (pronounced aahs, not ass!)
El dos de Tréboles
El tres de Tréboles
El cuatro de Tréboles
El cinco de Tréboles
El seis de Tréboles
El siete de Tréboles
El ocho de Tréboles
El nueve de Tréboles
El diez de Tréboles
La Jota de Tréboles
La Reina (or sometimes La Ku) de Tréboles
El Rey de Tréboles
Hearts: Corazones:
El As de Corazones (pronounced aahs, not ass!)
El dos de Corazones
El tres de Corazones
El cuatro de Corazones
El cinco de Corazones
El seis de Corazones
El siete de Corazones
El ocho de Corazones
El nueve de Corazones
El diez de Corazones
La Jota de Corazones
La Reina de Corazones
El Rey de Corazones
Spades: Picas (or Palas, in Mexico at least. They are also referred to by many as Espadas but only because they mix up this names from that they know from the Spanish deck with the English Spades. Espadas is not really correct for Spades. Note also the similarity between the words Pica and Pico which literally means “beak” and in Chile usually refers to a part of the male anatomy situated a good deal lower than the facial region.)
El As de Picas (pronounced aahs, not ass!)
El dos de Picas
El tres de Picas
El cuatro de Picas
El cinco de Picas
El seis de Picas
El siete de Picas
El ocho de Picas
El nueve de Picas
El diez de Picas
La Jota de Picas
La Reina de Picas
El Rey de Picas
Diamonds: Rombos/Diamantes:*
El As de Rombos/Diamantes (pronounced aahs, not ass!)
El dos de Rombos/Diamantes
El tres de Rombos/Diamantes
El cuatro de Rombos/Diamantes
El cinco de Rombos/Diamantes
El seis de Rombos/Diamantes
El siete de Rombos/Diamantes
El ocho de Rombos/Diamantes
El nueve de Rombos/Diamantes
El diez de Rombos/Diamantes
La Jota de Rombos/Diamantes
La Reina de Rombos/Diamantes
El Rey de Rombos/Diamantes
*Rombos refer to the Diamonds’ geometrical forms. According to a poll by magiapotagia.com, 84% of their forum members use the term Diamantes over Rombos. I have also seen a recording of Arturo de Ascanio where he refers to them as Cuadrados, -squares.
At the card table:
The table: La mesa
Card table: Mesa de juego
Closeup mat/Table cover: Tapete
Magic: Magia
The Magician: El Mago (m)/La Maga (f)
Card magic: Cartomagia
Closeup magic: Magia de cerca
Stage magic: Magia de escenario or Magia de escena
Parlor magic: Magia de salón
Effect: Efecto
Timing/Rhythm: Cadencia
Layman: Profano
Subterfuge: Subterfugio
Conjurer: Ilusionista (m/f)
Conjuring trick: Truco, Juego de manos, ilusionismo
Magic trick: Spain: Juego (de magia), Lat. Am: truco (de magia)
Card trick specifically: Baza or just Juego de cartas (See “Magic trick” above)
Self-working trick: Juego automático
Trickery/Deception: Engaño
Sleight of hand: Prestidigación, juegos de manos
Wiles, Tricks: Engaños
Cheat (the snaky stuff itself): Trampa
Cheat (person): Tramposo (m) or tramposa (f)
To cheat: Hacer trampa
To shuffle: Mezclar or Barajar (Barajear in Cuba and Mexico)
Hindu Shuffle: Mezcla Hindú or Mezcla India*
Riffle Shuffle: (Mezcla) a la americana
To draw/take out: Retirar To take/Pick up: Coger**
To choose/pick: Escoger
To touch: Tocar
To square: Cuadrar (”¡Cuadra la baraja, por favor!”)
To deal/distribute (cards): Repartir or Dar cartas
A deal: Un reparto/una dada
To return: Revolver
To turn (a card): Voltear
To cut: Cortar or alzar
A cut: Un corte
Heap: Monte
Indifferent card: Carta cualquiera
The top card: La carta superior
The bottom card: La carta inferior
Handling: Manejo, Soltura
To handle/control: Manejar
(Card) Case: Estuche or caja
(Magic) Wand: Varita (mágica)
To spread: tender (Accent on last e. Not to be pronounced as “ténder” which means “tender”)
A spread: Extensión (ex: Extensión LePaul)
Ascanio Spread: Culebro (de Ascanio)***
Ribbon Spread: Extensión en cinta
Routine: Rutina
Fan: Abanico
Pressure Fan: Abanico a presión
Flourish: Floritura
Appear: Aparecer
Disappear: Desaparecer
Disappearance (of magical nature): Escamoteo
Vanish (magically): Escamotear
Prediction: Predicción
* The word Hindu really refers not to the nationality or culture of anyone or anything Indian, but rather to the religion of the majority of the Indian population. Indian Shuffle would have been the better name in English as well, or possibly a Hindi Shuffle, but it is called what it is called.
** Word may mean to have intercourse with in some Lat. Am. countries. Be safe.
*** Culebro is sometimes used to describe a general spread, but the term Culebro (”little snake”) was coined by Ascanio to describe his Ascanio Spread.
Things spectators don’t need to know:
DL: Doble levanta/doble lift
Second deal: Dada en segunda
Bottom deal: Dada de abajo
(False) Count: Cuenta (falsa)
Deck change: Cambio de baraja
Color change: Cambio de Color or Pintaje (“Painting”)
Memdeck: (Baraja) Memorizada
Stripper deck: (Baraja) Biselada (“bevelled” deck)
Stack: Rosario
Nikola Card System: Ordenación Nikola
Patter: Charla, Chachara (“chatter”)
Force: Forzaje
Classic Force: Forzaje Clasico
Double Undercut: Doble Corte or Doble Undercut
Break: Separación (commonly abbreviated to SEP in literature)
Corner crimp: Esquina doblada (“folded corner”)
Bridge (in cards, not game of Bridge): Puente
Misdirection: Diversión (Ascanio) or Distracción*
Pass: Salto or Pase
Half pass: Medio salto
To palm: Empalmar Palming (cards): Empalme
Peek: Vistazo
Steal: Robo (ex. Robo lateral)
To fold: Doblar
* this is really “distraction”. There is no Spanish term fully equalent of “misdirection”, hence this English word is used more. Indeed, Spanish speaking magicians appear to be fully familiar with all of the common magic terms in English. Arturo De Ascanio introduces the term Diversión as a suggested Spanish term for Misdirection in a 1958 article in the magazine Ilusionismo, yet it didn’t seem to catch on.
When things go wrong (as they do):
Exposure: Denuncia
Unmask: Desenmascarar
Unmasking: Desenmascaramiento
Suspicion, mistrust: Suspicacia/sospecha
Suspicious, distrustful (person): Suspicaz
Suspicious (sensing foul play): Receloso
Suspicious (causing suspicion): Sospechoso
Search carefully: Rebuscar (“Cartas rebuscadas”: for instance top or bottom card drawn from a fan to trip you)
Molest, annoy: Fastidiar
Spoil, ruin, break (for instance trick/plan): Estropear
Heckle: Interumpir (“interrupt”)
Grab (hold of): Agarrar
Grab (greedily): Echar mano a
Pillar: To catch
Some classics as they are known in Spanish:
Triumph: Triunfo
Ambitious Card: Carta Ambiciosa
Oil & Water: Agua y Aceite
Atomic Aces: Ases Atómicos
Sneaky link: this article belongs to memag dot cookiefactory dot no
Gambling expressions:
Poker: Póker or Póquer
The players: Los jugadores
To play cards: Jugar a las cartas
Turn (as in “it’s your turn”): Turno
Game: Juego
Game of chance: Juego de azar
Round/Hand: Partida or Ronda or Tirada
Group of players: Partido
Pair (of players): Pareja
Pair (of matching cards): Par
A Full House: Un Full (pronounced fooll)
Four of a Kind: Póker (ex: Un Póker de Ases)
Straight Flush: Escalera de Color or Flor Corrida
Royal Flush: Escalera Real or Flor Imperial
Flush: Color
Straight: Escalera (lit. “staircase/ladder”)
Three of a kind: Trío, Tercio, Pierna or Trucha
Two pair: Doble Par
High card: Carta Alta
The dealer: El dador
To throw: Tirar or Echar
Poker face: Cara de Póker/Póquer
Cash in: Sacar partido
Pot: Puesta Envidar: To bid
Other and general and useful magic phrases:
Sleeve (noun): Manga (short/long sleeves: mangas cortas/largas)
Bill (money): Billete
Coin: Moneda
Coin magic: Numismagia
Penny: Centavo
Dollar: Dólar
Half-Dollar: Moneda de cincuenta Centavos
Mentalism: Mentalismo
Hankerchief: Pañuelo
Silk: Seda
Cane: Bastón
Top hat: Sombrero de copa
Rabbit: Conejo
Dove: Paloma
Flash paper: papel flash
Thread: Hilo (also for threads in Internet fora)
Pendlum: Péndulo
Hallucination: Alucinación*
Apparition: Aparición
Illusion: Ilusión
Business card: Tarjeta de visita
Credit card: Tarjeta de crédito
Copper: Cobre
Silver: Plata (also “money” in most of South America)
Bronze: Bronce
Brass: Latón, Bronce (Lat. Am)
Gold: Oro
Moisturizer: Crema hidratante
* As you may have noticed, the letter h is completely silent in Spanish. Why then is it present in so many words? Much like the harking sound used in many Spanish words, the poor h is a remnant from the Arabic reign of Spain (1238 – 1492). Queen Isabel de Castilla (1451 – 1504) retook the last Arabic bastion, the kingdom of Granada in 1492, the very year a very confused Columbus landed on the completely wrong continent.
Inspired by her success with the arabs, Isabela then proceeded to first bannish all of her 150.000 jewish subjects, except for those who converted, followed by all of the muslims shortly after.
To this day there are some 4000 words of Arabic origin in the Spanish language.
Useful words and phrases:
Welcome: ¡Bienvenido!*
Please sit down (formal/polite): ¡Siéntese por favor!**
Please sit down (informal): Siéntate por favor
Are you comfortable? (formal): ¿Está comodo? (m), ¿Está comoda? (f)***
Are you comfortable? (informal): ¿Estás cómodo? (m), ¿Estás comoda? (f)
Are you having a good time?: ¿Lo está/estás pasando bien?
Please pick a card, any card: ¡Escoge (or elige) una carta cualquiera, por favor!
I beg your pardon: Perdón
Thank you: Gracias
You’re welcome: De nada****
Sir/Mr: Señor
Mrs/Ma’am: Señora
Miss: Señorita
Gentleman: Caballero (lit. “horseman”, referring to a knight)*****
Look!: ¡Mira! (informal), ¡Mire! (formal), ¡Mirad! (plural informal Spain), ¡Miren! (plural formal and Lat. Am.) (OK, just pick one of the first two depending on your style).
* Remember to get their gender right: Bienvenido for men, Bienvenida for women and Bienvenidos/Bienvenidas for more than one person, depending on gender. For groups of both men and women, the masculine form is always used.
** In Latin American countries, the polite form is often used over the informal one, even among friends and family members.
*** In Spanish, questions and exclamations have their punctuation written at the beginning of the sentence as well as at the end. This as to ensure that the sentence is pronounced correctly. The knowledge of what type of phrase it is, is necessary before you reach the end of the sentence you are reading because in a question for instance, your tone rises towards the end.
**** If someone says Gracias, you must reply De Nada or they are likely to get completely distracted and forget their card.
***** Caballero is the preferred way of adressing a male in many South American countries. It is actually less formal than “Sir” in North America.
Resources (recursos):
www.magiapotagia.com Nice Spanish only forum with a fairly basic level for most of its posts. Associated with Blog de Magia.
www.cartas.com.mx Excellent Mexican online resource for card game and card history.
www.juegodesalon.com Rules for tons of card and parlor games. Heavy on ads.
www.magnero.com Forum, video library and supposedly an online magic dictionary. You need to pass a test and then apply for membership. I passed the test and felt rather proud of myself, but they didn’t let me in anyway so they may not want any gringos, who knows. I’ll link to them anyway as I am simply nicer than they are.
The most widely read magic books in Spanish, apart from those by Ascanio, Tamariz, Lavand etc, are “el Canuto”; Cartomagia Fundamental by Vicente Canuto and “el GEC” (Gran Escuela Cartomagica), which is the Spanish editions of Card College by Roberto Giobbi. Volume 2 of the latter is said to contain an excellent dictionary for Spanish speakers wanting to know what some of the English terms mean. These books are often refered to, so it is useful to know what a GEC really is.
Another term constantly refered to is SEI, which is the Sociedad Española de Ilusionismo, the biggest magicians society in Spain with chapters in many cities.
And finally, remember that in Spanish, English words should be pronounced with a Spanish pronunciation.
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Copyright© 2009 Tore Storm Halvorsen
May be printed in full for personal non commercial use only
Please link to this phrasebook instead of reposting it