Ficha

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for August 15, 2009

ficha (feminine noun (la)) — token, marker, chip, card, number. Look up ficha in the dictionary

Tomé una ficha y soy el número 126; ahora tendré que esperar más de una hora.
I took my number and I'm 126; now I'll have to wait more than an hour.

[María José]

Another translation for ficha:counter.

[Elaina]

Ficha ......Ella es una fichita. (She's quite a wh...)

OR

Ella está fichada. - something like - She's a marked (by police) woman.

Not a good word to be........

I guess the origin is from years ago when women in bars and dance halls would have chips or tokens ... I don't quite know if they were paid depending on the tokens they "earned" in the course of the night or what.. anyone know?

[laepelba]

Wow, Elaina! You're quite an etymologist! Your vocation ... or avocation?

I've been looking at the definition of "ficha" in the RAE. I have a quick question about one of those definitions:

#6 says: "Papel o cartulina, generalmente rectangular y de pequeño tamaño, en que se anotan datos generales, bibliográficos, jurídicos, económicos, policiales, etc., y que se archiva verticalmente con otras del mismo formato."

Is this describing something like a rolodex?


Mientras, mi oracion de práctica:
Mi sobrino topó a la mesa. Las fichas del juego bajaron en todas partes.

(Am I using "ficha" correctly? In the first sentence, is "a" the correct preposition? Are "topar" and "bajar" the correct verbs to use?)

Gracias!!

[chileno]

Escrito originalmente por Elaina

Ficha ......Ella es una fichita. (She's quite a wh...)

OR

Ella está fichada. - something like - She's a marked (by police) woman.

Not a good word to be........

I guess the origin is from years ago when women in bars and dance halls would have chips or tokens ... I don't quite know if they were paid depending on the tokens they "earned" in the course of the night or what.. anyone know?

Not sure if in chile is used like that now, but not in my times...about a woman beinga wh...

estar fichada/o means to to have been fingerprinted by the police and taken a mugshot.

Escrito originalmente por laepelba

Wow, Elaina! You're quite an etymologist! Your vocation ... or avocation?

vocation = vocación is the correct word.

Escrito originalmente por laepelba

I've been looking at the definition of "ficha" in the RAE. I have a quick question about one of those definitions:

#6 says: "Papel o cartulina, generalmente rectangular y de pequeño tamaño, en que se anotan datos generales, bibliográficos, jurídicos, económicos, policiales, etc., y que se archiva verticalmente con otras del mismo formato."

Is this describing something like a rolodex?

Correct. Also like the card system at the library, all those are fiche like in microfiche.

Escrito originalmente por laepelba

Mientras, mi oracion de práctica:
Mi sobrino topó a la mesa. Las fichas del juego bajaron en todas partes.

(Am I using "ficha" correctly? In the first sentence, is "a" the correct preposition? Are "topar" and "bajar" the correct verbs to use?)

Gracias!!

Your welcome.

[laepelba]

Escrito originalmente por chileno

vocation = vocación is the correct word. I was actually asking Elaina if etymology is her profession ("vocation") or her hobby ("avocation")....


Your welcome. But was my example correct? My preposition/verb choices, etc.?

Thanks, Hernan!!

[chileno]

Sorry for my misunderstanding...and I totally forgot to correct your practice phrase.

Escrito originalmente por laepelba

Mientras, mi oracion de práctica:
Mi sobrino topó a la mesa. Las fichas del juego bajaron en todas partes.

(Am I using "ficha" correctly? In the first sentence, is "a" the correct preposition? Are "topar" and "bajar" the correct verbs to use?)

Gracias!!

I would say : Mi sobrino chocó la mesa. Las fichas cayeron/saltaron por todas partes.

Podría usar topó, pero me gusta más chocar.

Y sí, estás usando fichas correctamente.

[laepelba]

Muchas gracias!!

[bobjenkins]

Hola ¿significa ficha también chip (at a casino)

[laepelba]

Sí - de RAE:

"4. f. Pieza pequeña a la que se asigna un valor convenido y que se usa en sustitución de la moneda en casinos, establecimientos industriales, etc."