O.K. guys...here is one of those "nuances" of languages that got me in a bind.

De acuerdo: to agree but I here it used frequently in two similiar situations but the nuances are different. I have hear it between peers as in "Nos quedamos a las cinco en el supermercado" y Juan dice "Vale, de acuerdo". A simple statement of agreement.

I have also heard it used when between an "underling" and a supervisor (or a customer and a salesperson) for example "Quiero que me traes todos los papeles el martes antes de la tres" and the others simply says "Si, de acuerdo" Apparently responding postively to a command...a slightly nuanced version of "de acuerdo".

So....on the latest trip to Spain, I made an illegal turn on some back road and the Guardia Civil appeared from nowhere...and so on and so forth. When he told me not to do it again, I said "Si, de acuerdo" and he said "No..no de acuerdo, no lo repitas de hacer..." In other words, de acuerdo had some nuance and I was using it incorrectly

any ideas

Hey TJGuy, as far as my Spanish is concerned, you used it correctly but "de acuerdo" was not the best phrase to choose in that situation, hence the reaction you got.

I think the Guardia Civil simply wanted more of a serious and respectful answer out of you like...

� S� se�or, lo siento. No volver� a pasar/ocurrir.
� S� agente, lo siento. No volver� a pasar/ocurrir.
� Lo siento agente, no volver� a pasar/ocurrir.
� etc...

You see, "de acuerdo" is by nature very "whatever you say"ish (like in your first 2 examples above which are more relaxed situations) and the Guardia Civil here can be very "chulos" and authoratative, especially those on highway patrol.

It would be like getting pulled over in the USA by highway patrol and saying "whatever you say" when he told you not to do it again. "Whatever you say" would NOT go over well with most of the bulldog looking highway patrol officers I know

Your "de acuerdo" was a lax way of agreeing with him (like saying "whatever") and he wanted you to give him an appology and a "sorry sir, it will not happen again".

Basically, he responded "No, not whatever you say, don't let it happen again". He wanted to hear you say specifically "it will not happen again" ("no volver� a ocurrir").

Just my take on this.

Saludos,
jer...

p.d. Hmmmm... "no lo repitas de hacer..." seems like a weird construction to me, sure he did not say "no lo vuelvas a hacer"?

Jer's new name is "the king of nuance" - now that you say it - the other person in the car did respond to the G. Civil in the manner you recommened and I was quite baffled why she would have responded in a manner that you indicated when I had just said I wouldn't do it again. Vale...thanks...

I don't remember the exact structure he used..it was a few months ago - I was trying to get the idea across versus the exact verbage...plus it was a many "san miguel" weekend and many things are but a cloud.

Thanks Jer....

My Spanish is better than Jer's - so far ;-) ... but I back him on this completely.

It's very important the tune, maybe he thought you said S� de acuerdo like a 'oh please don't bother me'
Or could it be that you didn't understand him OK and you said si de acuerdo to another thing? remeber in Spanish double negative is not afirmative.
I don't know, in any case nobody knows how to act with the Guardia Civil .

Hey Max and Miguel - things were quite clear - i think Jer' picked up on the nuance correctly....the good knews is that I was using my American license and they didn't know how to give me a ticket.

Three cheers for driving on an American license

Not that I would ever do that after being here so long

quote:

... nobody knows how to act with the Guardia Civil

That's the best thing I have read all day, nothing could be more true.

Saludos,
jer...

well Jer' I guess I could have said...Mira Hijo de #$%$, yo conduzco como me da la gana y si no te gusta, te jodes!"

How do you think that would have worked?!??? Should I try that next time? Will come to claim my body?