Banking on it

Expand Your Spanish

YOU won’t find it now, as it was corrected later, but the US author James Michener, writing about Pamplona, had people sleeping inside banks during the July bullrunning.

It appeared, I believe, in The Drifters but was forgivable because some people do sleep ON benches between July 7 and 14. However, they don’t sleep IN banks although Spanish translates both as banco.

There’s still a connection, as some sources tell you that bank originates from the banca ­ or a bench that is also a tablewhere Lombard moneymen exchanged money and bills in the marketplace.

If one defaulted, his bench was broken up, giving us bancarotta, which is very close to a Spanish bancarrota or bankrupt.

Breaking up its computer system is the worst thing that could happen to any bank now, because most people do their banking online. As English is always an online option, language should not be a problem, but sometimes you’ll want to see a person and not a computer screen. So first things first:

I’d like to make an appointment… ..quiero hacer una cita previa (this can be done online although some banks provide a human being to do it)

I’d like to open an account/close my account…..quiero abrir una cuenta/cerrar mi cuenta

I’d like to open/close a current account….quiero abrir/ cerrar una cuenta corriente

I’d like to open/close a deposit account…..quiero abrir/cerrar una cuenta de déposito

I’d like to make a standing order… ..quiero domiciliar un pago

I’d like to cancel a standing order… ..quiero anular una domiciliación

I want to authorise a payment… ..quiero dar una orden de pago

I want to make a transfer….quiero hacer una transferencia

I’d like a mortgage…..quiero una hipoteca

And, because disaster sometimes strikes:

I’ve lost my debit/credit card…..he perdido mi tarjeta de débito/crédito

I’ve had my debit/credit card stolen….. me han robado mi tarjeta de débito/crédito

And to change the subject entirely, remember not to translate broad beans as judías anchas, as this will get you runner beans instead.