We have to thank (tenemos que agradecer a…) Mr. Trump`s election for this article. Why? We are going to hear this word a lot, so it is a good idea for you to learn it well.
“Trump” is an adjective, a noun and a verb and phrasal verb. First, as a noun. It means trumpet and its sound (el son de trompeta). It also means a winning card (triunfo), metaphorically (metafóricamente) or in a game of cards. Consider these uses:
- Hearts are trumps (triunfan corazones).
- Trump always turns up trumps (this is an idiom meaning “no nos falla nunca”).
- What is trumps (¿a qué pinta?)?
- Trump trumped (ganó) Mrs. Clinton in the election.
As a phrasal verb – to “trump up” something, meaning that it was invented and not true. For example:
- The opposition trumped-up (fabricó) charges against Mr Rajoy.
Now consider these sentences:
- The charges against Mr. Rajoy were trumped-up (fabricadas) by the opposition.
- May, the British prime minister, is going to play her trump card (va a jugar su mejor carta).
Finally, we speak about the “last trump”, that is the day of final judgement, “el día del Juicio Final”.
To conclude, are we going to get a lot of “trumpery” (frívolo, de relumbrón) from Mr. Trump? Or is he going to come up trumps? Or, seriously, is Mr. Trump going to bring about the “last trump”?
Who knows? I am sure that we are going to get lot of “puns” (retruécanos) during his presidency.
