BEST Why It's Important to Learn Verb Conjugation EVER

We are officially back in the States, slowly adjusting to the bitter cold weather, sitting at a desk for an extended period of time, and speaking a language in which we can properly conjugate verbs.

Prior to travelling to Peru, we severely underestimated the importance of properly conjugating Spanish verbs. We assumed that we could get by with the Spanish language based on what we remembered from our high school Spanish classes. And, for the most part, we recalled numerous nouns, adjectives, and verbs. What we did not recall was how to communicate in any tense other than the present tense.

Surely this would not have a significant impact on the message we were trying to communicate, right? That's what we thought. Until two specific conversations proved us wrong.

Conversation 1

While on our cab ride from the Lima airport to the hotel, we struck up a conversation with the cabbie in very broken Spanish.

What I intended to ask: Have you ever traveled to the United States?

What I actually asked: Do you travel to the United States?

What the cabbie interpreted it to mean: Will you travel to the United States and move in with me?

How I learned of his interpretation: He responded in Spanish, "Yes, I will travel to the United States and live with you."

Lesson learned: ALWAYS draw the line between cabdriver and potential new roommate.

Conversation 2

Following one of the most delicious dinners of our lives, we stopped in a local reggae bar and made friends with some of the locals. The catch? Only Spanish was spoken. As the night progressed, our Spanish dialogue improved. Or, so we thought.

Peruvian: (something I couldn't make out because it was in a different tense…) ….amor….

Emmmmm: Kimmmm, I think he just said they love us.

Peruvian: (something we couldn't make out because it was in a different tense…) ….amor….

Kimmmm: Oh, that's so cute, they DO love us.

Peruvian: (something we couldn't make out because it was in a different tense…) ….amor….

Emmmmm: Si. Si. Bien. Gracias.

Peruvian: Si??!! Verdad?

Emmmmm: Si. Y mi amiga tambien.

Peruvian: Verdad?!!!

Emmmmm: Claro!

Peruvian: Quieres hacer amor?

(finally able to make out what he was originally proposing)

Emmmmm: Como?!! No, no!

Prior to that, he was speaking in the future tense, which I could not quite decipher. Once he brought it back to the present tense, which I can understand, I realized that I misled him.

For those of you that also need help translating, "hacer" means "to make." And….I think we all know what "amor" means.

Needless to say, Kimmmmm and I paid our bill at the pub and headed back to the hotel. Just the two of us.

Lesson learned: Do NOT, under any circumstance, continue to say "Yes, great, thank you. And my friend, too..." unless you are certain what has been asked.