Daily life
Empadronamiento
em-pa-dro-na-mee-EN-to
Registration on the municipal roll at the ayuntamiento. Everywhere in Spain it gates healthcare and your TIE; here it also gates the resident discount on flights, which is worth real money.
Guagua
WA-wa
Bus. Not 'autobús' — nobody here says that. The word is Canarian and Caribbean, and using it is the fastest way to stop sounding like a tourist.
IGIC
ee-HEEK
The Impuesto General Indirecto Canario, which replaces mainland IVA. The general rate is far lower than 21%, which is why almost everything here is cheaper than on the peninsula.
Calima
ka-LEE-ma
The Saharan dust haze that blows across from Africa, spiking the temperature, dropping a fine orange film over everything and occasionally closing the airports.
Panza de burro
PAN-tha de BOO-rro
Literally 'donkey's belly' — the flat grey cloud layer that the trade winds park over the north of the island for weeks in summer. The south of Gran Canaria is in full sun at the same moment.
La Barra
la BA-rra
The natural reef that runs along Las Canteras beach, which turns three kilometres of Atlantic city beach into a flat lagoon. It is why people swim here rather than just look at the sea.
Certificado de residencia
ther-tee-fee-KA-do de re-see-DEN-thee-a
The ayuntamiento certificate that proves island residence for the 75% flight subsidy. It is a distinct document from the ordinary padrón certificate and it expires.
Culture
Alisios
a-LEE-see-os
The north-east trade winds. They are the reason the island's north is green and its south is desert, and the reason the climate barely changes all year.
Ustedes
oos-TEH-des
Canarians use 'ustedes' where mainland Spain uses 'vosotros', and pronounce c and z as s. If you learned Spanish in Madrid, the local speech will sound Caribbean — because historically it is.
Gofio
GO-fee-o
Toasted milled grain, eaten by the Guanches before the conquest and still in everything from soup to ice cream. The most genuinely indigenous thing on a Canarian table.
Social
Papas arrugadas con mojo
PA-pas a-rru-GA-das kon MO-ho
Salt-crusted wrinkled potatoes with the green and red pepper sauces that come with everything. Order 'papas', never 'patatas'.
Emergency
112
—
The single European emergency number. In the Canaries it reaches CECOES 1-1-2, the regional coordination centre for police, fire, ambulance and maritime rescue.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.