Glossary

ABOGADO - Solicitor
ACEITUNAS - Olives
ACEITE de OLIVA - Olive Oil (yes, confusing, isn’t it!)
AGUA sin/con gas - Water still/carbonated
ALIOLI - Garlic Mayonnaise
ALQUILER - To Rent
ARROS(orZ) - Rice
ASEOS - Toilet
ASESORES - Accountant/Tax Adviser
AUTOVIA - Motorway
AYUNTAMIENTO - Town/City Hall

BODEGA - Wine Cellar, Shop or Bar
BUNGALOW - Usually describes a linked Townhouse
BUTANO - Gas, Butane

CAFÉ con LECHE - Large White Coffee
CAFÉ AMERICANO - Large Black Coffee
CAFÉ CORTO - Sm. Strong Coffee & Dash of Milk
CAFÉ DESCAFEINADO - Decaffeinated Coffee
CALLE - Street, usually Urban, Residential etc
CALA - Cove
CAMARERO(A) - Waiter (Waitress)
CAMINO (Cami) - Track, Path or Country Road
CAMPO - Countryside
CAÑA - Small Beer (draught)
CARNE - Meat
CARRETERA - Road, often Main Road into & between Towns etc.
CASITA - A Small Building
CAVA - Sparkling Wine – often nicer than Champagne!
CENTIMOS - 100th of a Euro
CERVEZA - Beer
CLARA - Shandy (drink)
COCHE - Motorcar
COPIA SIMPLE - Simplified version of the Escritura
CORREOS - Post Office (open:Mon-Fri.8.30-14.30,Sat. 9.30-13.00hrs)
CORTINAS - Curtains
COSTA - Coast or Regional Costal Area

DEPOSITO - Private Water Storage Tanks, usually Mains Reserve, sometimes Rain Water.

ESCRITURA - Title Deed
EXTRANJEROS - Strangers, Foreigners

FACTURA - Invoice
FENCE - Often used by Agents to describe a Boundary Wall
FERRETERIA - Hardware Store (they seldom sell ferrets!)
FIESTA - Carnival, National, Regional or Local Holiday, Celebration etc.
FINCA - Trad. Farmhouse (or of that style)
FINO - Sherry

GESTOR - General Factotum who can deal with all bureaucracy & formalities for you
GUARDIA CIVIL - Civil Guard (Police – level 2, deal with more serious local crime etc)

HIPOTECA - Mortgage

IMPUESTO - Tax
IVA - V.A.T. (Spanish Equivalent)
ITV - M.O.T. Test (Span. Equiv.)

MAÑANA - Tomorrow (ie. sometime in the future – perhaps!)
MARISCOS - Shellfish
MENU del DIA - Fixed Price Three Course Menu (usually weekdays and lunchtimes only)
MOBILIARIO - Furnishings (soft)
MOSQUITERA - Pull-down Window Blind of Mosquito Netting (usually integral)
MUEBLES - Furniture

NAYA - Covered (roofed) Terrace or Large Porch, often with Arches
NIC - Personal Fiscal Registration Number (I.D. card)
NOTARIO - Government Appointed Legal Official

PADRON - A Town’s Register of Residents. Important, as it governs level of local services
PARCELA - Plot of Land, of/for House
PASEO - Promenade, also verb – especially to promenade of an evening
PESCADO - Fish, a Fish Dish
PERSIANA - Window Blind (usually built-in, roller shutter type)
PISO - A Flat or Apartment, or one floor/level of
POLICE LOCAL
More menial Local Duties (Level 3, school crossing, minor traffic, point duty etc)
POLICE NATIONAL - National Security (Level 1, Major Issues)
POLLO - Chicken
PUEBLO - Village or Small Town, often used to describe old/historic part of town.
PUERTO - Port or Harbour (also – area of same).

QUESO - Cheese

RECIBO - Receipt
REFORMED - Agent-Speak for Renovated
REJA - Decorative Iron Grille fitted to Windows for security
RUSTICA - Country style, Rural rather than Urban Planning Category

SANGRIA - Iced punch of Red Wine, Brandy, Lemonade & Fruit Juice
SECO - Dry, as in Wine, River etc
SEGUROS - Insurance
SEPTICO - Septic Tank (drainage)
SERVICIOS - Toilets
SE VENDE - For Sale
SIERRAS - Mountains
SIESTA - After-Lunch Nap, Nowadays, often an extended leisurely lunch
SOMBRE - Shade (hence: sombrero)
SUMA - Local Office for the settling of Taxes, Rates & local charges

TAPAS (varios) - Light Dishes of various foods to accompany drinks (assortment of:)
TINTO VERANO - Red Wine mixed with Lemonade (lit. Red, Summer)

TRANQUILO(A) - Relaxed, calm, peaceful

UNDERBUILD - The area beneath an elevated Villa. Sometimes converted to an apartment or .... URBANA - Relating/vulnerable to Development storage
URBANISATION - A Co-ordinated or Self-Contained Development