🍅 Who are you? [Day 4]

Morning! 😃 ☕️

We're deep in now. Only a few words left visible.

Can you still recall the full proverb?

In today's email...

• 📱 Day 4: Almost there

• 🌟 Native speaker psychology behind this phrase

• 🏃‍♂️ Why "andar" reveals how Spanish speakers think

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MEMORIZE 🧠

Dime con _____ _____ y __ ____ _____ eres.

As always, the answer key and audio are at the bottom of this email.

CULTURAL MOMENT 🍅

Here's what happens inside a native speaker's brain when they hear this proverb.

It's not just words. It's a whole cultural framework activating at once.

Spanish-speaking cultures tend to be more collectivist than individualist Anglo cultures. Your identity isn't just about your personal achievements or choices - it's deeply tied to your relationships, your family, your social circle.

When a native speaker says "Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres," they're expressing a worldview where the individual and the group are inseparable.

This is why the proverb lands so hard. It's not an insult in the American sense of "you're bad." It's something deeper: "Your associations define your essence." In cultures where family honor and social reputation carry serious weight, this statement has real consequences.

Think about it from a professional angle. In many Spanish-speaking business cultures, who introduces you matters enormously.

A warm introduction from a trusted contact opens doors that cold outreach never will. The proverb isn't just folk wisdom - it's describing how networking actually works in these cultures.

Here's the insider perspective: When native speakers use this proverb, they're often signaling concern rather than condemnation.

A mother saying this about her son's friends isn't being cruel. She's expressing that she understands how social circles shape character - and she's worried.

The grammar reinforces this. The phrase doesn't say "Dime con quién anduviste" (past tense - who you hung out with). It uses present tense: andas. Who you're with right now is what matters. It's not about your history. It's about your current trajectory.

WORD SPOTLIGHT 🔍️ 

Andas - We touched on this Day 1, but now let's go deeper. Andar is one of those Spanish verbs that reveals cultural thinking.

While caminar means "to walk" in the physical sense, andar carries social meaning. Andar con alguien means to associate with them, to run in their circle, to be seen with them regularly.

The verb choice isn't accidental. Spanish could have used estar (to be with) or ir (to go with). But andar implies ongoing movement, a pattern of association, a lifestyle. You don't just "be" with people - you move through life with them.

Notice too: andas is second person singular informal. The proverb speaks directly to you, not to some abstract "one." It's personal. Intimate. The kind of thing said between people who have the right to comment on each other's lives.

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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: Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres.
English: Tell me who you hang out with, and I'll tell you who you are.

Today's disappeared words: andas

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