Lentes

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for October 13, 2009

lentes (masculine noun (los)) — glasses. Look up lentes in the dictionary

A veces me da dolor de cabeza si no uso mis lentes.
Sometimes I get a headache if I don't use my glasses.

[laepelba]

Where is "lentes" used and where is "anteojos" used?

[Perikles]

I have always used 'gafas'

[laepelba]

Where did you learn your Spanish, Perikles?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Where did you learn your Spanish, Perikles?

Vivo en Tenerife.

[laepelba]

Please excuse my ignorance. I have never heard of Tenerife. I see that under your location, but I don't know where it is.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Where is "lentes" used and where is "anteojos" used?

Lentes, anteojos y gafas are use interchangeably...

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Please excuse my ignorance. I have never heard of Tenerife. I see that under your location, but I don't know where it is.

Tenerife is one of the 7 Canary Islands, in the Atlantic, near the coast of Africa. It is part of Spain. Everybody speaks Spanish, but the vocabulary is sometimes very strange.

Tenerife is a huge volcano, by the way.

[laepelba]

Thanks, Perikles. I have definitely heard of the Canary Islands! What English-speaking country are you originally from?

Hernan - they are interchangeable EVERYwhere? Or only in certain countries?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Thanks, Perikles. I have definitely heard of the Canary Islands! What English-speaking country are you originally from?

Hernan - they are interchangeable EVERYwhere? Or only in certain countries?

In this case it is interchangeable but I guess in some countries one term will be used more than the other two. I am almost certain that in most countries everybody will know what each of these terms means.

[irmamar]

We say "gafas". "Lentes" are the cristals used to make glasses, telescopes, microscopes, etc.:

Un telescopio está formado por dos lentes.
En los microscopios se pueden combinar varios tipos de lentes.
Tengo que cambiar los cristales de mis gafas: me van a poner lentes progresivas.
Las lentillas se conocen como "lentes de contacto".

Of course, this is like this in Spain

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

What English-speaking country are you originally from?

England

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

We say "gafas". "Lentes" are the cristals used to make glasses, telescopes, microscopes, etc.:

Un telescopio está formado por dos lentes.
En los microscopios se pueden combinar varios tipos de lentes.
Tengo que cambiar los cristales de mis gafas: me van a poner lentes progresivas.
Las lentillas se conocen como "lentes de contacto".

Of course, this is like this in Spain

Thanks for those examples, Irma. VERY helpful. And thank you for pointing out that these are usages from Spain. So, basically, if I misplace my glasses in Peru, I have to encontrar mis gafas. But if the lens pops out, I need a new lente.

Originally Posted by Perikles

England

Some day I want you to tell us about how you ended up in a lovely tropical place like the Canary Islands having come from England. (Or is it in another thread somewhere that I missed?)

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

We say "gafas". "Lentes" are the cristals used to make glasses, telescopes, microscopes, etc.:

Lente = lens in English.

My glasses have two lenses.

Lens = lente, lupa, cristal

[irmamar]

Perikles, ¿vienes a por mí?

I appreciate your help. Go on, please

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

¿vienes a por mí?

no entiendo

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by Perikles

no entiendo

I was joking, because you've corrected me twice running. Nothing important

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I was joking, because you've corrected me twice running.

OK - but can you tell me what ¿vienes a por mí? means?

Does it mean "are you getting at me?" ?

[irmamar]

Yes, I think so, to get at = ir a por, meterse con (though I'm not sure at all )

[Elaina]

Has anyone ever heard "anteojos"? I've heard that term used also for glasses.