Sitting Down at the Computer
In Spain, the computer is called el ordenador (programmable ordering machine). In Latin America, it is called el computador or la computadora (the computing machine). For consistency, this book has used la computadora throughout.
Here is some basic terminology related to la computadora.
| @ (arroba) | “at” in e-mail addresses |
| la barra de herramientas | toolbar |
| el botón de encendido | on button |
| el botón de reinicio | reset button |
| el cable | cable |
| la computadora/el ordenador portátil | notebook computer |
| el disco duro | hard drive |
| el escáner | scanner |
| el escritorio | onscreen desktop |
| el fichero | file (in Spain) |
| la impresora láser | laser printer |
| el módem | modem |
| el monitor | monitor |
| los motores de búsqueda | search engines |
| el mouse/ratón | mouse (in Latin America) |
| el nombre de usuario | user name |
| la página Web | Web page |
| la pantalla | screen |
| el proveedor de Internet | Internet service provider |
| el ratón | mouse (in Spain) |
| el sitio Web | Web site |
| la sobremesa | desktop |
| el teclado | keyboard |
| el vínculo | link |
With the technological advances of the past decades, this is a time of great flux in the world of technical Spanish. Words are being created on the spot and discarded just as quickly. Within the computer industry, though, some basic terminology is starting to stick.
| abrir un archivo | to open or start a file |
| bajar/descargar programas | to download programs |
| buscar un fichero | to search for a file |
| cambiar la configuración actual | to change the present configuration |
| cerrar la ventana de un programa | to close a program's window |
| chatear con | to chat with |
| conectar a la Web | to connect to the Web |
| correr un programa | to run a program |
| elegir del menú | to select from the menu |
| empezar un programa | to start a program |
| encender la computadora | to turn on the PC |
| enviar mensajes por correo electrónico | to send messages via e-mail |
| lanzar un programa | to launch a program |
| minimizar una ventana | to minimize a window |
| navegar el/la Web | to surf the Web |
| prender la computadora | to turn on the PC |
| presionar la tecla | to press the key |
| pulsar con el ratón | to tap/click with the mouse |
| salir de un programa | to exit from a program |
| seleccionar un icono | to select an icon |
Log On in Spanish
Apply the terminology you have just learned by translating the following sentences into Spanish. Use your English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English dictionary to look up words you don't already know. Then, check your answers.
1. I turn on my computer every day.
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2. She connects to the Web to read her e-mail.
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3. Do you also search for intereresting Web sites?
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4. They chat with their brother on weekends.
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5. Humberto cannot start the computer because his brother changed the configuration.
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