day four

I need to alter strategies a tiny bit. Because I realize that learning 8 words a day really means learning and trying to remember 40 words a day. Like, today, for instance, I started the word "otro".

"otro" - other. I wanted to learn some uses so I go to an online dictionary where there's a host of uses and in each use I have to learn more words. Just with "otro" alone I can get away with my 8 word requirement.

But it brings to mind another question: who is writing these dictionaries?

For instance, the first use of the word "otro" in one dictionary: "le pago, de otro modo , no lo haria", meaning, "I'm paying her, otherwise she wouldn't do it".

My question is: "do what?" What was the dictionary writer trying to get her to do (with money) before he gave up on her and got back to writing his dictionary. I can picture him late at night, working on the "O"s in the dictionary and he was like, "fuck it, I'm going to a hooker". He was the type of guy who loved the nuances of words. He lost track of everything else when sucked into the universe of Spanish subtleties. No girl would touch him. Thats why he had to pay someone. Otherwise....as the saying goes.

So now, "de otro modo" otherwise.

More on the dictionary writer: the next use:

"tengos otros planes" - I have other plans. He's too busy. Either he's working on his dictionary or he's screwing hookers. Don't make plans with him.

This gave me an excuse to conjugate "to have"
Tengo
Usted tiene
el tiene
tenemos
tienen (for "they have" - once again I skipped the plural "you". I sort of figure when I get to Argentina or Spain or Puerto Rico or wherever, I'm never going to use the plural "you". I'm going to look at each person, directly in the eye and say "you and you and you" tiene otros planes.)

So now I have otro, "to have", "planes", and sort of, "de otro modo"

Lets move on.

"El otro" - "the other one". Our dictionary writer didn't like his first pick. He pointed to the other girl. "el otro" (or would that be "ella otro". Comment help please?)

"Lo otro no importa" - the rest doesn't matter. So I've got "importa" here, for "matter". A more compassionate dictionary maker might have "Whats the matter?" which apparently is "que te pasa". if I type "que te importa" into google translate it comes with "you care". So I'm a bit lost on that one. I'll stick with "lo otro no importa" for today.

By the way, when i go back to my favorite dictionary writer and look for the first use of "importa" he has:

"Me importa de carajo" - "I don't give a damn" [updated: "me no importa UN carajo']

Another important one to learn.