If you had never seen the word abrelatas before, you might be able to figure out what it means by breaking it into two words: abre (it opens) and latas, cans. Un abrelatas, then, is a can opener. Spanish has dozens of compound words that are formed in the same way, and many of them are quite clever.
The lesson linked to above has most of my favorites, but here are a few more, just for fun: mondadientes, toothpick (it peels teeth); matambre, a type of South American meat dish (it kills hunger); matasuegras, a type of horn that may be blown at a celebration (it kills mothers-in-law); soplamocos, a strike to the nose (it blows mucus); and tirachinas, slingshot (it throws pebbles).
Do you have a favorite? Share it in the comments below.
Comments
I like pintalabios – it paints lips
Some of my favorites are…
sacapuntas – sharpener
limpiabotas- shoeshine boy
parabrisas- windshield
buscapersonas- pager
sacapuntas- takes out points —sharpener
limpiabotas —- shoeshine boy
parabrisas —- (stops the wind) whindshield
buscapersonas —- searchs for people— pager
“Pintalabios” is actually quite seldomly used… Lápiz de labios is the usual way to call it. You can also call it “rouge” (the French word for it).
Los Picapiedras – The Flintstones (cartoon TV series) ;-D
Malentendido – misunderstanding
Bocacalle – entrance to a street
Mediodía, medianoche, bienvenido, malhablado, malcriado.
Correveidile (compound word made out of four words!) A gossipy person
Tejemaneje – scheme, intrigue
Arcoíris – rainbow
Caracúlico – ill tempered or in a bad mood.
And so many others…
Era mediodía y allí, en la bocacalle, justo en la esquina del café teatro, estaba él, boquiabierto como siempre, malhumorado y caracúlico. Yo ya estaba supercansada de este matasanos carilargo con vocación de aguafiestas. Así que, con mi mejor cara de yonofui, me le aparecí de la mano del hinchabolas de mi ex marido con el traje de hombre araña, para hacerle creer que estaba tan hiperchiflada que no valía la pena seguir aguantándome. Ni un correcaminos se hubiera escapado tan rápido.
This text was taken from this marvelous site: http://www.maritacazapalabras.com.ar/palabras_compuestas.htm
Enjoy
I like guardaespaldas (bodyguard) and quehaceres (~activities)