Help - what does it mean?

rio2003 · #1 04-09-2008, 06:57 AM

To the respected speakers of Spanish who speak and understand better than I do on this one.....

I phone my best friend daily and I chuckle because there always seems to be a word or phrase that is "in fashion" and gets used to death!

Recently we have had "todo bajo control" and " tu sabe como es" - no problem, I get those but now we have what sounds like "cepa" or sepa" ?

Can anyone tell me what this means?

Rio

Matilda · #2 04-09-2008, 08:43 AM

sepa. From verb saber to know? First person present subjunctive? I would know?

Maybe!!!!!

Kyle · #3 04-09-2008, 09:13 AM

as in "que lo sepa"---as far as i know. is this correct ?

rio2003 · #4 04-09-2008, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle

as in "que lo sepa"---as far as i know. is this correct ?

Kyle and Matilda,

Thanks both of you, that makes perfect sense. She says it at the end of a sentence, like Claro or Seguro -

I love it when I learn something every day - this is my one thing for today!

sepa,sepa,sepa!!

Chirimoya · #5 04-09-2008, 09:26 AM

"pa' que lo sepa" is used for emphasis in informal conversation. It doesn't really mean much more than "you know" in English. Literally - "so that you know".

Cepa, on the other hand, means root, among other things. "Dominicano de pura cepa".

cepa f.
1. botany stump (of a tree)
2. (tronco de la vid) rootstalk
3. (vid) vine, stock
4. figurative (linaje) stock, origin
5. architecture pier, pillar
6. meteorology nucleus of a cloud formation
7. Guatemala , Honduras , Puerto Rico group of trees or plants having a common root
8. Mexico pit, hole

rio2003 · #6 04-09-2008, 09:51 AM

Thanks Chirimoya - obviously just listening to it I could only guess at the spelling. The funny thing is she has only just started using it, after nearly 10 years,but she is making up for lost time...

We have a thing in England where some people always have to end a sentence with "you know" - don't tell me it is starting in the DR as well!

Norma Rosa · #7 04-09-2008, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rio2003

We have a thing in England where some people always have to end a sentence with "you know" - don't tell me it is starting in the DR as well!

(You know) Tú sabes.
It has been there since biblical times. (LOL)
And not just at the end of a sentence.

Norma

Chip · #8 04-09-2008, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norma Rosa

(You know) Tú sabes.
It has been there since biblical times. (LOL)
And not just at the end of a sentence.

Norma

Norma, nice to here from you again. If I understand correctly, "sepa" is used in your above example at the end of a sentence to mean "you know", right?

I ask because I am not familiar with this usage, ie haven't heard it used like this in cibao. It is usually used with "para que sepas".

Also, this phrase seems to be mostly used to mean "take that" (as in a response to a perceived injustice) or "go figure", etc.

rio2003 · #9 04-09-2008, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chip

........ "sepa" is used in your above example at the end of a sentence to mean "you know", right?

I ask because I am not familiar with this usage, ie haven't heard it used like this in cibao. It is usually used with "para que sepas".

.

Chip,

I hope you dont mind me interrupting your message to Norma

I was asking about "sepa" as it is my friend that is using it in every other sentence, or at the end of, I should say. It does sound as if she is saying it in the context of "you know", or something similar to that.

A little bell went off when I read "para que sepas" because she does say that as well. Could she just be abbreviating this to "sepas" do you think?

Rio

Chip · #10 04-09-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rio2003

Chip,

I hope you dont mind me interrupting your message to Norma

I was asking about "sepa" as it is my friend that is using it in every other sentence, or at the end of, I should say. It does sound as if she is saying it in the context of "you know", or something similar to that.

A little bell went off when I read "para que sepas" because she does say that as well. Could she just be abbreviating this to "sepas" do you think?

Rio

The normal abreviation as I know it is "pa' que sepa". I have heard "sabes" used at the end of sentances, but not really in the subjuntive form like "sepa". Of course I am not a native speaker, so that is why I asked Norma for more clarification. I do live here in Santiago. Like Norma says - here to learn.