A taxi driver, una taxista (always feminine), reported that there was a seemingly very proper, elderly, Canadian lady living in San Miguel de Allende who always called upon him to take her to the airport or bus station as she embarked on a journey, and to pick her up upon her return. What mystified and amused the cab driver was that she was unabashed at revealing to him that every place she visited she had had an affair! An exciting one at that!

Our gray haired lady would perhaps have been better served not to announce she had had una aventura, which implies “a love affair,” and that she was muy excitada, which suggests sexual excitement or arousal. As always, the regional heritage of the listener is to be taken into consideration. Of course to this day we will never know whether or not the “lady” said exactly what she meant to convey.

You can say someone became very “emotional” or emociónada, when they opened their gift, but watch out for saying someone heard of a death and became emociónada as it implies they got excited, which is again inappropriate usage.

Una adventura: an affair

Emocionar: to arouse emotion in, excite

Did you know there are at least six ways to say “soup” in Spanish? And, they aren’t interchangeable! Read the next Gringoism to find out how to order what you want.