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Five Minute Study - SPANISH and ENGLISH compared Guía de la gramática inglesa...
En estas lecciones breves se comparan el inglés hablado y coloquial con el español con el fin de ayudar al estudiante a apreciar tanto las diferencias como las similitudes lingüísticas entre los dos idiomas.
Igual "Igual" is used in many Spanish expressions. Spanish speakers must ensure they don't always just translate directly using "same" or "equal".
"Igual" can be used to compare two objects or happenings. - "al igual que"
Madrid, al igual que Barcelona, ha perdido el último partido de fútbol. Madrid, (just) like Barcelona, has lost its last football match.
However, "be + same" is often used to translate "ser + igual" when comparing:
It's the same as mine. Es igual al mío.
"Equal" in English is usually only used when referring to arithmetic.
Two plus two is equal to four Dos más dos es igual a cuatro
There is a very common but vague use of "igual" in colloquial Spanish which has the general meaning of "maybe", "perhaps", in sentences like these:
Igual voy de compras mañana. I'll probably... / I think I might... / I reckon I'll go shopping tomorrow.
Igual ése no es. Perhaps, (maybe) it's not that one.
Another common use of "igual" is where a Spanish speaker says that he doesn't mind or perhaps even that he could give a damn!
(A mí) me es igual uno que otro. (A mí) me da igual uno que otro I (really) don't mind, one or the other.
¡Adelante! Hazlo si quieres. A mí me / es / da / igual. [angry] Go ahead! Do it if you like. I really couldn't care less. [enfadado]
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