The Concept of "Always"
Is siempre always siempre?
The word 'siempre' is commonly translated to English as 'always'. "La manzana
siempre se cae cerca del árbol" can be interpreted as "the apple always falls close to
the tree" in English. This common usage in Spanish translates well to the English 'always' that
means "every time". The word 'siempre' also translates well to cases in which 'always'
means "all the time", "continuously", "forever", or "in any event". However, in Costa Rica there
is a very common usage of 'siempre' that is confusing to English speakers (myself included).
'Siempre' is often used in a way that means 'still' in that something is "as previously"
or "in the future as in the past".
For example, a Costa Rican may ask you "¿Ud. siempre va para la discoteca?" In Costa Rican
Spanish, this sentence is ambiguous. It could be what English speakers more intuitively expect,
"do you always go to the dance club"? It could also mean "are you still going to the dance club"?
When I went back to the States for some physical therapy, I told my therapist "I always have pain."
She thought I was saying that I have pain all the time, but I actually meant to say that I still
have pain. This Costa Rican use of the word 'siempre' has messed with my English quite a bit.
The only meaning of the English word 'always' that resembles this Costa Rican meaning of the
word 'siempre' is when 'always' means "in any event". For example, one could say
"she can always move in with her ex-boyfriend" (because he's a pushover). This use is quite
similar, but it is not the most common use of 'always', so I almost "always" confuse people when
I use 'always' incorrectly.
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