In English, many things are named after a particular country – but have you ever wondered what those things are called in those countries?
adjetivo
1
1.1(in earnest, sincere)
serioI'm not joking, I'm serious — no estoy bromeando, lo digo en serio / de veras- come on now, be serious! — vamos, vamos, más formalidad
- on a more serious note — pasando a un tema más serio
- to be serious, I don't think it's feasible — hablando en serio, no creo que eso sea posible
- to give serious thought/consideration to sth — pensar/considerar algo seriamente
- to be serious about sth/-ing
- I'm serious about this — lo digo en serio
- she's not serious about our relationship — no se toma lo nuestro en serio
- are you serious about wanting to change your job? — ¿en serio quieres cambiar de trabajo?
- If we are serious about cutting the teenage pregnancy rate, family planning experts must be able to advise young people of the choices.
- The club is serious about their intent to gain promotion this season.
- I'm serious about this because we are now looking at some accountability in a system.
- These frank statements suggest that he is sincere and serious about exposing the problems and proposing solutions.
- Those aren't the words of somebody who was serious about fighting the Cold War.
- If the Government is serious about disaster preparedness, it is going to have to start with the fundamentals.
- Now, judging on the tax cuts you've offered, you're quite serious about that.
- You start locking up folks and then we tell people we are serious about this.
- If he is really serious about giving up, and is not just saying that to fob you off, he should seek professional therapy to help him to kick the habit.
- These food changes took a lot of determination, but I was serious about losing weight.
- Better to try to look half way serious about this now, rather than after the names break.
- Nobody in the Security Council thought that he was serious or honest with that declaration.
- He's truly serious about wanting to get the paparazzi outlawed.
- Most people begin to think that no one is serious about it and its all just a big joke.
- If Americans don't get serious about voter fraud very soon, it will be too late.
- If the Americans are serious about the spread of liberty they must commit themselves to it.
- We've already shared a bit of banter but for that 90 minutes we will be very serious about what we have to do for our respective countries.
- If it was serious about a long-term commitment to Mitsubishi, then why isn't it willing to bail it out?
- Though she was quite serious, James Benedict burst into a bought of amused laughter.
- And even if he was being serious about the tsunami escape centre, who's to say the idea is ludicrous?
1.2(thoughtful)
serioshe suddenly put on a serious face — de repente se puso seria / puso cara seria- don't look so serious — no te pongas tan serio
- I've always tried to be both humorous and serious at the same time.
- He tried to appear serious for a second but then broke down laughing.
- Olivia looks thoughtful before her serious face is broken by a broad smile.
- Then he let the smile fade into a more serious expression, though it was one that was filled with a steady joy.
- His character is serious, but loveable, and it's great to see him tackle drama as easily as he does comedy.
- He looked so serious for a moment that Faith almost believed him.
- He became serious for a moment as they stepped onto the marble floor of the entry hall.
- She looked at him levelly, her eyes dry and now solemn and serious.
- Her forceful personality and ease in the spotlight complemented the king's serious, thoughtful demeanour.
- These are serious, thoughtful people who are not in thrall to the restrictions of old ideologies.
- For once, he was totally serious as new thoughts compressed his old ones to the back of his mind.
- The familiar smirk was gone, replaced by a serious, solemn look that she had never seen before.
- Indeed, it became an important part of the process of playing a serious character.
- Her blush climbed higher as he watched her with feigned serious thoughtfulness.
- He grinned at her, but quickly turned serious again as his thoughts returned to why he was there.
- I tried to give him a charming smile and look serious at the same time.
- He looks solemn and serious, but I can remember how he and the other two big boys were holding in laughter.
- Her mother became very serious for a moment, her hands tightening on Jessie's shoulders.
- She scowled meanly, then her face became more serious and thoughtful.
1.3(committed)
(student/worker) dedicadoI haven't much time for serious study — no tengo tiempo para estudiar en serio1.4(not lightweight)
(newspaper/music/play) serio- While it toyed with serious drama, Moulin Rouge is injected with joyous melodramatic fun.
- The principal gave a little speech on creating the right mood for serious poetry.
- He has made a serious and thoughtful film, despite some obvious limitations.
- It was not commercial fiction, it was all serious fiction, but I loved it.
- And his new film, Munich is also what I suppose you can call a serious film by Spielberg.
- It is so rewarding to experience theatre that is serious, thought provoking, skilful and local.
- Every aspect of what is supposed to prevail in serious fiction comes into play.
- They are probably the only group around making any kind of serious music.
- Very few directors dare to make serious films due to paucity of funds, she said.
- He was nominated for an Oscar for his first serious movie, The Last Picture Show, which he made at age 22.
- At least when I grew up I could look forward to the next Bergman film or serious movies by other great film-makers.
- Our culture forces serious music to function solely as entertainment or not at all.
- There is no permanent circuit to screen serious films and the distribution system too leaves much to be desired.
- The movie itself might not be much on serious drama, but the bonus features make up for that.
- A serious drama should be like a swimmer diving into a pool and swimming to the other side in one smooth, perfect trajectory.
- Then a Saturday night show will take place at the Holy Cross Cathedral and will consist of more serious music.
- It was generally a parody or skit on more serious opera, a forerunner of the satirical revue.
- Name me a recent serious novel written about the experience of Black men in America.
- Before that I was beginning to fear there was no place for serious drama in the movie industry.
- Of course The Magdalene Sisters is a serious film, a horror story in the true sense of the term, but also a lesson in history.
2
2.1(grave, severe)
(illness/accident/injury) gravea serious mistake — un grave / serio error- the water shortage is getting serious — la escasez de agua se está convirtiendo en un problema serio
- things are getting serious — las cosas se están poniendo serias
- People deserve better - not just those living there but the motorists who risk death or serious injury every day.
- However, investigations later showed it was only an increased heartbeat which is less serious than first thought.
- The most serious injuries were thought to be head injuries, broken bones and fractures.
- Only 26 patients had side effects that were serious enough to require a dosage reduction.
- The firm says the problem is not serious enough to merit a full product recall.
- I fear that this may well have some serious repercussions for many innocent Muslims.
- The grade 3 concussion and the retinal detachment were the most serious injuries observed.
- If the offence is serious enough to warrant it, the court may consider imposing a community sentence.
- Full protection needs to be worn to reduce the risk of serious eye injuries.
- Deeper infection is serious and requires removal and re-implantation of the joint.
- To allow that to happen is to put the child itself at terrible risk of serious injury or death if there is an accident.
- The screener must decide whether a complaint raises a question of serious professional misconduct.
- It is better to speak of an unlawful and dangerous act carrying with it an appreciable risk of serious injury.
- Does this mean there is new evidence that climate change is more serious than previously thought?
- The specialist I visited at age 8 did not believe my condition was serious enough to merit correction.
- There is an error in the third paragraph which is sufficiently serious to warrant that I replace the copy.
- The most common serious complications were related to the incision or urinary tract problems.
- The risk of serious complication was lower in those who had treatment for diabetes.
- Adequate knowledge and training of clinicians will minimize the occurrence of such serious complications.
- However, due to a serious family illness we will be unable to go.
2.2(of importance, major)
it doesn't need serious alterations — no necesita grandes arreglos- I have serious doubts about him — tengo mis serias dudas acerca de él
- the only serious opposition to the proposal — la única oposición a la propuesta digna de ser tenida en cuenta
- now they've gone we can get down to some serious drinking — ahora que se han ido podemos empezar a tomar / beber en serio
- we're talking serious money here — no estamos hablando de dos centavos
Further reading

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