Today we’re going to be looking at the prefix RE, a very simple device that will help you emphasize the meaning of adjectives (and of some adverbs, too), a very typical Porteño Spanish feature.

I feel that when we’ve been learn a foreign language for long enough we end up having a wider variety of adjectives than we have in our native languages. The use of re in porteño spanish is an attempt to make up for that.

Although not all adjectives will qualify as good matches for RE, you can rest assure it does in these examples. As a rule of thumb, if an adjective is compatible with RE, its opposite is also compatible.

RE WITH ADJECTIVES

• Che, estás re flaco.
• Los pasajes de avión están re caros a esta altura del año.
• Conseguí este teléfono re barato en internet.
• Crearse una cuenta de mail es re fácil.
• Me imagino que el chino es un idioma re difícil.
• Bariloche es un lugar re lindo de Argentina.
• El helado de dulce de leche de Planeta Helado es re rico.
• Mi vecino está re loco: se fue en bicicleta hasta Mendoza.

RE WITH ADVERBS

• ¿Y qué tal las vacas [vacaciones]?
  • Re bien, un lugar hermoso.
  • Re mal, un lugar horrible.

• Pensaba que íbamos a tardar más, pero llegamos re rápido.
• tiempo pasa re lento cuando estás esperando algo.
• La parada del bondi me queda re cerca de mi casa.
• No veo mucho a mis primos porque viven en Tucumán y me queda re lejos.

RE WITH GUSTAR

One last use of RE is with the verb GUSTAR. When we really like something we say:

• Me re gusta Argentina.
• Me re gustó la peli.

Voilá! That’s your initiation into adjectives + RE in Porteño Spanish.

Please contact me if you are a looking for a re supportive and re Argentinian Spanish tutor.

Happy Spanish learning,

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