Quick Spanish Translation: Verdadero

LauraJay

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I'm curious how to put together two words in Spanish. Using google translation for the word "real" used as an adjective, I'm getting "[noun] de verdad" for some nouns and "[noun] verdadero" for others. The word I want modified is "apu," a kind of deity or spirit in Incan culture. If it makes a difference, this is not part of a larger sentence. The Spanish part of the dialogue is only "apu verdadero," to indicate the speaker believes that a place has an actual protective spirit, and not something made up for tourists.

This is the only full sentence he speaks in Spanish, if there's anything glaringly wrong with it. I have a pretty limited understanding of the language. "Usted necesita un cuy negro." (Cuy here meaning a guinea pig. He's supposed to be saying "You need a black guinea pig," to another character.)

Thanks in advance if anyone can confirm/correct these snippets!
 

blacbird

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"verdadero" literally would mean something like "truth-wielder" or "truth-holder" or "truth-sayer", methinks. But there could be a colloquial connotation involved.

caw
 

maxmordon

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Both "verdadero" and "de verdad" can be used for "True (noun)". "Verdadero" is more formal while "de verdad" is more casual.
 

SamanthaLau

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Well, as a Spanish speaker I would normally say "Apu existe" (literally: Apu exists) if I'm trying to say a person, deity, or otherwise incorporeal being or thing is real. Or just go with "Apu es real" (apu is real).
Verdadero just means truth/true, as in "true or false" (not the only usage, but I would not normally use it in a sentence saying something is verdadero).
 
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Deb Kinnard

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I've seen it used in the context of "genuine" in the early music my group sings. "A true friend" = "verdadero amigo." Usages change over the centuries, though.