My Spanish is VERBOTEN

One of the reasons I’m happy the boys are learning Spanish along with English is that it means I’m learning along with them. Any month now, though, their vocabulary is going to eclipse mine. And that moment is coming more quickly now that Benjamin has forbidden me to speak Spanish at all. Only Dad and Abuela are allowed. And if I so much as ask, “Would you like a chicken empanada or a mushroom empanada, Benjamin?” he demands a immediate translation, no matter that empanada is actually the only word I use to label that particular food.

Interesting conversations emanate from the boys’ bedroom after the lights go out at night such as:

Benjamin: Maybe we need some soy milk.

Jonah: No, leche de vaca. (cow milk)

Benjamin: Don’t talk in Spanish, Jonah.

The boys have learned a few more questions of the catechism and before bed the other night I asked Jonathan to translate the questions so they could learn them in Spanish, too. One of the questions was “How do you glorify God?”

Jonathan (to Benjamin and Jonah): Como glorificar a dios?

Jonah (waves his hand): Adios!

[Get it? He heard the “a” and “Dios” together in the question and thought Jonathan was saying ‘Adios!']

Comments

[mom2my9]

That is too funny! My kids are learning spanish here in Mexico, too and it is so fun to listen to them speak it when they think no one is listening! Great post!