Once, when I really felt like I was getting the hang of things, a friendly grocery-store clerk handed me my receipt and said, in Spanish, “Thanks for shopping at Mas X Menos. Come back soon.” Feeling confident, I smiled and tried to sound casual as I replied, “¡Sí! Volveré pronto porque tengo que comer mi familia!” which sounds lovely but translates to “Yes! I’ll be back soon, because I have to eat my family.”
