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CarameloAsk about definitions or translations for Spanish or English words. |
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#1
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Caramelo
How do we say tienes un caramelo in English?
Do you have a sweet? Do you have a candy? In the singular. |
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#2
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BrE = Sweet(s)
AmE = Candy/Candies |
#3
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My question is how do I ask for a caramelo?
Do you have a sweet? Or a piece of sweet? I think in The USA they say do you have a piece of candy? |
#4
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A sweet. Candy can be uncountable, but sweet can't.
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#5
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Thank you.
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#6
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I can count several sweets in my neighborhood...
hmmm? |
#7
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I don't quite get it...
Which one is/can be countable?
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#8
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"Sweet" is (almost) always countable, and in some meanings it is always plural in form (sweets) and takes a plural verb.
"Candy" is generally non-countable, although there are specific meanings or usages where some speakers use the word as if it were countable. Examples of these possible countable usages include: 1. "candies" = "types of candy" as in "My favorite candies are fudge and caramel" = "My favorite types of candy are fudge and caramel". 2. "(hard) candies" = "pieces of (hard) candy", generally only when referring to sugar crystallized by boiling and slow evaporation, as in "she put out a bowl filled with hard candies" = "she put out a bowl filled with hard candy". Unless I'm mistaken, in British English a piece of this type of candy is commonly called "a sweet", although "a sweet" may also refer to a piece of other types of candies or confections. As far as I can recall right now, all of the possible countable usages of "candy" have non-countable equivalents. Last edited by wrholt; November 06, 2012 at 11:58 PM. |
#9
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Specifically, hard candy (en-us) is boiled sweets (en-gb).
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#10
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So, right ways of asking should be:
- Do you have some candy? - Do you have some sweets? - Do you have a piece of candy? - Do you have a sweet? By the way, just for the sake of regional differences, "dulce" is much more commonly heard in Mexico than "caramelo" ("¿Tienes/me das un dulce?").
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