Body Language / Gestures /

Expressions
En Ingles y UN POCO DE Espaol para ayudaros

Asinine (Not commonly used by natives)

Principal Translations
asinine adj

figurative (silly, stupid)

asinine adj

literal (like or related

necio adj
estpido adj
to a donkey)

burro adj

Blink

blink vi (eyes: open and close rapidly)

parpadear vi
pestaear vi

blink vi (light: flash

parpadear vi

on and off)

brillar intermitentemente loc verb

blink n (eyes: rapid opening-and-closing)

parpadeo nm
pestaeo nm

Compound Forms:
blink at [sth] vtr phrasal
insep

figurative, informal (react to)

reaccionar a loc verb

Ni siquiera tuve tiempo de reaccionar a lo que dijo.

on the blink adj

slang (not functioning properly)

estar daado

My television is on the blink, so I can't watch my favorite show tonight.

no ir bien

adv + vi

La tele no va bien , cada tanto la pantalla queda oscura..

no funcionar bien loc verb
El lavarropas no funciona bien, tendr que llamar al tcnico.
estar estropeado v + pp
La tele est estropeada, no podremos ver la pelcula de esta

Wink
(eye movement)

guiar vi

wink vi
parpadear vi
wink n

(eye movement)

guio nm
parpadeo nm

Compound Forms:
wink at [sb] vtr phrasal
insep

(blink one eye at)

guiar el/un ojo a loc verb + prep

When the handsome young man smiled and winked at her, she
began to blush.
Cuando ese joven guapo le sonri y le guio el ojo a ella, se
ruboriz.

Cough

Principal Translations
cough n

(breathing)

tos nf

cough vi

(breathing)

toser vi

Sneeze

sneeze vi

(body reaction)

estornudar vi

sneeze n

(body reaction)

estornudo nm

STRAIN
Principal Translations
strain n

(stress, pressure)

estrs, stress nm
presin nf

The strain of working too many hours really affected him.

El estrs por el exceso de trabajo le afectaba mucho.
strain n

(physical effort)

esfuerzo nm

The strain of lifting too many boxes was too much for him.
El esfuerzo de cargar tantas cajas era demasiado para l.
strain n

(muscular injury: stretch or tear)

esguince nm
distensin nf

The player was out with a muscle strain.

El jugador tuvo que abandonar el terreno de juego a causa de un esguince
muscular.
strain n

(fatiguing pressure)
The foundation of the building

presin nf
crumbled under the strain.

Los cimientos del edificio se desmoronaron por la presin.

strain n

figurative (tension)

tensin nf

You could note a strain between the two of them.

Se notaba la tensin que haba entre
strain n

ellos.

(variant: of virus, etc.) de un virus

cepa nf

Many people did not have immunity to this new strain of flu.
Muchas personas no tienen las defensas contra esta
gripe.
strain
(against[sth]) vi

nueva cepa de la

forcejear vi

(pull with force)

tirar vtr
The animal strained against the rope.
El animal forcejeaba para

soltarse de la cuerda.

El animal tiraba de la cuerda para soltarse.

Fiddle

fiddle with, fiddle with [sth] vi

(play with)

juguetear vi
toquetear vtr
manosear vtr

Fidget

Principal Translations
fidget vi

(make restless movements)

no estar quieto loc verb

estar inquieto loc verb
moverse nerviosamente loc verb

Mxico, coloquial

andar como

pepita en comal loc verb

Shrug your shoulders

Principal Translations
shrugvi (raise shoulders to show you don't know[sth]) encoger los hombros loc verb
shrug n (shoulder gesture)

encogimiento de hombros loc nom

gesto de desdn loc nom

shrug n (garment: short cardigan) prenda

bolero nm

Sneer

sneer vi

(facial expression)

burlarse vipron
desdear vipron

sneer n

(facial expression)

mueca nf

Compound Forms:
sneer at vtr phrasal
insep

(make scornful face at)

mirar con desagrado v tr

Be careful about sneering at someone; your face could freeze that way.
No mires con desagrado a los dems, esa actitud slo puede traerte
problemas.
hacerle burla a alguien loc verb
Ten cuidado con hacerle burla a alguien que se te podra quedar la cara
as.
sneer at vtr phrasal
insep

(show scorn or contempt for)

mirar con desprecio vtr

The spoiled child sneered at her poorer classmate's patched clothing

Subversive
Principal Translations
subversive adj

(seeking to undermine)

subversivo adj

subversive n

(radical opponent)

subversivo nm

Yawn
Principal Translations
yawn vi

(mouth movement)

bostezar vi

yawn n

(mouth movement)

bostezo nm

Hiccough UK
hiccups, US: hiccoughs npl

(attack of hiccoughing)

ataque de hipo loc nom m

I got the hiccups during dinner and couldn't stop.

Tuve un ataque de hipo durante

hiccup, US:
hiccough vi

(have hiccoughs)

la cena y no poda parar.

hipar vi

He'd been hiccupping for a few minutes so I brought him some water.
El hombre estuvo hipando durante
un vaso de agua.

varios minutos, as es que le traje

Nod your head

Principal Translations
nod n

(head motion) con la cabeza

asentimiento nm
cabeceo nm

nod vi

asentir vtr

(head gesture: yes)

aprobar vtr
nod vi

(head gesture: hello)

saludar vtr

(a) nod
to[sth] n

figurative (allusion)

asentir a vi + prep

El jefe asinti a Bob cuando

le explic su excelente propuesta.

gesto de aprobacin a nm + prep

El jefe le hizo un gesto de aprobacin a Bob cuando

propuesta.
(a) nod
to[sb] n

(acknowledgement)

le explic su excelente

aprobacin a nf + prep

Shake
Shake hands, shake your head, etc.

shake vi

(clasp hands)

chocar vi

coloquial

chocar los cinco loc verb

darse la mano loc verb

Let's shake hands.

Chcala, compaero. Eres grande.
Choca esos cinco.
Dame la mano y estamos en paz.

Gestures

Blah-blah. The fingers are kept straight and together, held horizontal or upwards,
while the thumb points downwards. The fingers and thumb then snap together
repeatedly to suggest a mouth talking. The gesture can be used to indicate that
someone talks too much, gossips, is saying nothing of any consequence, or is
boring

Crossed fingers are used to superstitiously wish for good luck or to nullify a
promise.

Hand-rubbing, rubbing both hands together, indicates either one feels cold or one is
expecting or anticipating something

Handshake is a greeting ritual in which two people grasp each other's hands and
may move their grasped hands up and down.

High five is a celebratory ritual in which two people simultaneously raise one hand
and then slap these hands together.

Hitchhiking gestures including sticking one thumb upward, especially in North

America, or pointing an index finger toward the road elsewhere to request a ride in
an automobile.

Loser, made by extending the thumb and forefinger to resemble the letter L is an
insulting gesture

Knocking on wood is a superstitious gesture used to ensure that a good thing will
continue to occur after it has been acknowledged. However, it is sometimes used after
speaking of a plausible unfortunate event, so that it does not actually occur

The so-so gesture expresses mild dissatisfaction. The hand is held parallel to the
ground (face down) and rocked slightly.

Talk to the hand is an English language slang expression of contempt popular

during the 1990s. The associated hand gesture consists of extending a palm
toward the person insulted.

Telephone. Thumb and little outstretched, other fingers tight against palm. Thumb to
ear and little finger to mouth as though they were a telephone receiver. Used to say,
"I'll call you," or may be used to request a future telephone conversation or to tell
someone of a call

Money sign. The thumb rubs repeatedly over the tip of the index finger and middle
finger. This gesture resembles the act of rubbing coins or bills together and is generally
used when speaking about money

Telephone. Thumb and little finger outstretched, other fingers tight against palm.
Thumb to ear and little finger to mouth as though they were a telephone receiver. Used
to say, "I'll call you," or may be used to request a future telephone conversation or to
tell someone of a call

Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down are common gestures of approval or disapproval

made by extending the thumb upward or downward.

Wanker gesture is made by curling the fingers into a loose fist and moving the hand
up and down as though masturbating. The gesture has the same meaning as the
British slang insult, "wanker", or might indicate a failure or waste in other countries.

Wave is a gesture in which the hand is raised and moved left and right, as
a greeting or sign of departure.

Time-out a "T" formed with the hands, with one hand with flat palm placed
perpendicular to the other hand with flat palm, roughly in the center originates in
American sports. It is used by players to signal for a time out, or brief pause in play.
In basketball, the gesture is additionally used by referees to indicate that a player or
coach is guilty of a technical foul

Other vocabulary
Mule (See stubborn person)
Example: He is as stubborn as a mule

Principal Translations
mule n

(animal: horse-donkey hybrid)

mula nf

mule n

slang, figurative (person transporting

drugs)droga, figurado

mula nf

Note: Alguien que lleva drogas en el interior de su cuerpo.

mule n

slang, figurative (stubborn person)

terco como
hecha

mule,
mules n

usu pl (woman's slipper)

pantufla nf

una mula fr

zapatilla nf

Fair
Principal Translations
fair adj

(just)

justo, justa adj

imparcial adj inv m/f
equitativo adj

Their boss made a fair decision that they could both respect.
El jefe tom una decisin justa que ambos pudieron respetar.
fair adj

(pale)

claro adj

The Scottish girl had beautifully fair skin.

La nia escocesa tena una hermosa piel clara.
fair n

(funfair)

feria nf

Can we go to the fair and ride on the merry-go-round?

Podemos ir a la feria y montarnos en el carrusel?

Sympathy v Empathy
Sympathy is a False Friend

Principal Translations
sympathy n

(emotional)

compasin nf
piedad nf
conmiseracin nf

Empathy
Principal Translations
empathy n

(feeling shared with [sb])

empata nf

Empathy v Sympathy
Empathy is the ability to mutually experience the
thoughts, emotions, and direct experience of others. It goes
beyond sympathy, which is a feeling of care and understanding for
the suffering of others. Both words have similar usage but differ in
their emotional meaning.

Comparison chart
Empathy

Understanding what others are

feeling because you have
Definition
experienced it yourself or can put
yourself in their shoes.
I know it's not easy to lose weight
because I have faced the same
Example
problems myself.

Relationshi
p

Nursing
context

Sympathy

Acknowledging another
person's emotional hardships
and providing comfort and
assurance.
When people try to make
changes like this
(e.g. lose some weight) at first
it seems difficult.

Personal

Friends, family and community

( the experience of others) .

Relating with your patient because

you have been in a similar situation
or experience

Comforting your patient or

their family

Personal, It can be one to many in

Scope some circumstances

From either one to another

person or one to many (or one
to a group).

Qualities of a good
communicator
A few qualities of a good communicator are having good listening skills and being able to
communicate in a way that is clear and concise. Effective communicators also know their
audience and are able to put themselves in other peoples shoes (see things from their
perspective). Good communicators are not afraid to ask for clarification if something was
not clearly stated. They also are aware of the body language of their audience and keep
eye contact with them as much as possible to make sure they understand.

Examples
Doctors
Doctors face difficult situations on an almost daily basis. They can be the bearers of the
worst imaginable news. They have to turn complex and often uncertain information into
something that is understandable. They have to respond to the differing needs of a hugely

diverse range of patients and their families. And they have to do much of this when they are
busy and under pressure.

Police Officers
POLICE OFFICERS need good VERBAL and WRITTEN COMMUNICATION skills to work with
the public, write reports and present evidence in court. They need to be able to
MAKE DECISIONS, often split-second, to INVESTIGATE and to CO-OPERATE with colleagues
and other agencies. LEADERSHIP is an essential quality for even the most junior police
officer - the public expects the police to take charge at, for example, the scene of a road
accident - and becomes even more important at more senior levels, such as Inspector,
where PLANNING and ORGANISING are also vital skills.

By the very nature of their work, police officers communicate with people from a wide variety of
backgrounds, attitudes, and preconceptions. These differences present several challenges.
Officers are required to adjust their communication practices. They must quickly assess if the
person they are talking to is a suspected or convicted felon, as an anxious member. Therefore,
officers need to develop a type of code-switching that allows them to accommodate members of
the public under some circumstances and to use authoritative forms of communication in others.
To do otherwise could be literally life threatening under certain circumstances. This is a type of
balancing act for officers who must accomplish two objectives: represent authority and induce
compliance, and, at the same time, show concern, and gain respect and trust.

TV RESEARCHERS need to be PERSUASIVE to argue the merits of a particular aspect of a

programme, well ORGANISED to work efficiently under intense pressure, good LISTENERS to
conduct initial interviews with programme participants, good VERBAL COMMUNICATORS to
brief presenters, and good INVESTIGATORS to find the right people and locations for filming.

TEACHERS obviously need to be good at TEACHING, INSTRUCTING and MAKING

PRESENTATIONS, but they also need to have good LISTENING skills to understand
the problems a pupil may be having. They need to be able to ANALYSE (for
example) the reasons why a potentially bright student is not making progress, to
have good WRITING skills, and be able to PLAN the next terms work.
Communicative Abilities: Teacher Candidates must be able to communicate
effectively with students, teachers, aides, principals, parents, and others as
needed. They must be able to speak with appropriate volume, vocabulary, and
expression in the language of instruction so as to be readily understood by and set
a good example for students