In partnership with
Growth unlocks straight to your inbox
You’re optimizing for growth. You need ecom tactics that actually work. Not mushy strategies.
Go-to-Millions is the ecommerce growth newsletter from Ari Murray, packed with tactical insights, smart creative, and marketing that drives revenue.
Every issue is built for operators: clear, punchy, and grounded in what’s working, from product strategy to paid media to conversion lifts.
Subscribe free and get your next growth unlock delivered weekly.
Morning! 😃 ☕️
Yesterday you learned the full García Márquez quote.
Today, 10% of the words disappear... and you'll learn why this phrase sounds completely different in Mexico City than it does in Madrid.
In today's email…
-
📱 Day 2: 10% of the words disappear - can you fill them in?
-
🌟 Why this quote sounds completely different in Mexico vs Spain
-
🏃♂️ How to read the room before dropping García Márquez at work
📧 subscribe here \ yesterdays newsletter 📆
MEMORIZE 🧠
Siempre habrá gente ___ te lastime, ___ que ___ que tienes ___ hacer es seguir confiando y solo ser más cuidadoso en quién confías dos veces.
As always, the answer key and audio are at the bottom of this email.
CULTURAL MOMENT 🍅
Here's what most Spanish learners don't know: García Márquez was Colombian, but this quote gets used differently across every Spanish-speaking country.
The words stay the same. The cultural meaning shifts.
In Mexico, this phrase shows up in family conversations more than workplace ones.
Mexican culture values "confianza" (trust) as something you build slowly with people. When a Mexican says this quote, they're usually talking about a relative or close friend who broke trust. The phrase gives them permission to maintain family relationships without being naive. At Mexican family gatherings, you'll hear someone say this after forgiving a cousin who borrowed money and never paid it back. It's not cutting them off — it's adjusting expectations.
In Spain, this same quote gets used in professional contexts. Spanish workplace culture is more direct about conflict than Latin American cultures. When a Spaniard quotes this at work, they're signaling "we can still collaborate, but I'm watching you now." It's a warning wrapped in literary sophistication. The García Márquez attribution makes it acceptable to say something that would otherwise sound too harsh.
In Argentina, the quote takes on a different tone because of the word "confías." Argentines use "vos" instead of "tú," so they'd naturally say "en quién confiás" with their accent. But when quoting García Márquez, they keep the original "confías" to signal they're referencing literature, not just speaking casually. This matters because Argentine culture values intellectual sophistication. Quoting Gabo correctly shows you're educated, not just fluent.
The regional difference that trips up most learners: In Caribbean Spanish (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba), people rarely use this full quote. It's too formal for everyday conversation. Instead, they'll shorten it to just "ser más cuidadoso en quién confías dos veces" (be more careful who you trust twice) and drop the García Márquez reference entirely. If you quote the full thing to a Puerto Rican coworker, they'll understand it, but they'll know you learned Spanish from books, not from Caribbean Spanish speakers.
WORD SPOTLIGHT 🔍️
Today's disappeared words: que, así, lo
These are the connecting words that make Spanish flow. In English, we'd say "that" once and move on.
Spanish repeats "que" for rhythm and emphasis. Each "que" serves a different grammatical function, but they create a pattern that Spanish speakers find natural.
Así que is a phrase unit meaning "so" or "therefore." You can't remove the "así" without changing the meaning. "Que" alone means "that" or "which."
But "así que" signals consequence — something happened, so here's what you do about it. Spanish speakers use this construction constantly in advice-giving. "Así que lo que tienes que hacer" (so what you have to do) is a common way to introduce solutions.
HEAR THE SPANISH AUDIO 🍅
Pro tip: Listen three times.
Once for general meaning.
Once following along with the text.
Once with your eyes closed, focusing purely on pronunciation and rhythm.
ANSWER KEY ✅
Spanish: "Siempre habrá gente que te lastime, así que lo que tienes que hacer es seguir confiando y solo ser más cuidadoso en quién confías dos veces."
English: "There will always be people who hurt you, so what you have to do is keep trusting and just be more careful about who you trust twice."
🍅 Could you help us grow?
Send this link to 4 friends and we’ll feature you in our newsletter next week (It’s Free!)
How was today's newsletter? Your feedback helps us create better Spanish content for you! (I read every single one!)
🎯 ¡Perfecto! My Spanish is growing →
📚 Está bien. Here's what would help →
See you tomorrow! - 🍅 The Phrase Café Team
Get the audio by subscribing below 👇
There's a better way to learn.
Phrase Café delivers one memorable disappearing Spanish phrase to your inbox daily. It’s a simple, effective way to build fluency without the frustration.