Spanish grammar
Idioms about languages: me suena a chino, ni papa, hablar en cristiano…
Talk about understanding, accents and languages with idioms.
From the scene Hablar en cristiano (Speak plainly)
In short
Idioms of understanding: me suena a chino, no entendí ni papa, comerse las eses, hablar en cristiano, eso es otro cantar.
Your turn
Which one goes with I didn't understand a thing?
Options: comerse las eses · no entendí ni papa · me suena a chino
Show answer
I didn't understand a thing → no entendí ni papa
How it works
Me suena a chino means "it's all Greek to me", and no entender ni papa is not to understand a thing.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Sí, pero la de Tenerife se come las (blank).
Options: ostras · eses · papas
Show answer
Sí, pero la de Tenerife se come las eses.
Yes, but the lady from Tenerife drops her s sounds.
Good to know
Comerse las eses is to drop your s sounds.
Good to know
Hablar en cristiano means speaking plainly; it is jokey and old-fashioned, so hablar claro is safer in mixed company.
Good to know
Eso es otro cantar: that is a different matter.
it's all Greek to me me suena a chino
Ramón
Una semana de llamadas y todo me suena a chino.
A week of phone calls and it's all Greek to me.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Una semana de llamadas y todo (blank).
Options: no entendí ni papa · comerse las eses · me suena a chino
Show answer
Ramón
Una semana de llamadas y todo me suena a chino.
A week of phone calls and it's all Greek to me.
I didn't understand a thing no entendí ni papa
Ramón
Y la chilena, tan rápido... No entendí ni papa.
And the Chilean lady, so fast... I did not understand a thing.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Y la chilena, tan rápido... (blank).
Options: Comerse las eses · No entendí ni papa · Me suena a chino
Show answer
Ramón
Y la chilena, tan rápido... No entendí ni papa.
And the Chilean lady, so fast... I did not understand a thing.
to drop your s sounds comerse las eses
to speak plainly hablar en cristiano
Javi
Hablar en cristiano es hablar claro. Y usted dice «vosotros»...
"Speaking plainly" means speaking clearly. And you say vosotros...
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) es hablar claro. Y usted dice «vosotros»...
Options: Hablar en cristiano · Me suena a chino · No entendí ni papa
Show answer
Javi
Hablar en cristiano es hablar claro. Y usted dice «vosotros»...
"Speaking plainly" means speaking clearly. And you say vosotros...
that's a different matter eso es otro cantar
Ramón
Entenderlos, vale. ¿Hablar como ellos? Eso es otro cantar.
Understanding them, fine. Talking like them? That is a different matter.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Entenderlos, vale. ¿Hablar como ellos? (blank).
Options: Me suena a chino · No entendí ni papa · Eso es otro cantar
Show answer
Ramón
Entenderlos, vale. ¿Hablar como ellos? Eso es otro cantar.
Understanding them, fine. Talking like them? That is a different matter.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| it's all Greek to me | me suena a chino |
|---|---|
| I didn't understand a thing | no entendí ni papa |
| to drop your s sounds | comerse las eses |
| to speak plainly | hablar en cristiano |
| that's a different matter | eso es otro cantar |
More lines from the story
- RamónSí, pero la de Tenerife se come las eses.Yes, but the lady from Tenerife drops her s sounds.
- Tomás...que en México suena a la Biblia....which in Mexico sounds like the Bible.