Entretiempo

This new business of translating from Spanish into English is getting me into non-stop trouble. “Entre tiempo” is one of those expressions that doesn’t have an easy translation. It looks like something about the weather (el tiempo) or time on the clock (also tiempo), but although it’s related, it’s neither one. It has to do with the seasons; it means between seasons. It is the time between winter and spring to summer. It’s exactly what we are going through in Philadelphia right now. It has some very clear symptoms; it’s the time of year when you don’t know what to wear, it’s too hot for a winter coat, but you need something on top of your sweater. It’s cold in the mornings, but in the seventies in the afternoons.

Then I think that maybe this Spanish expression doesn’t even exist anymore and I’m showing my age, I decide to look it up. I Google El Corte Inglés—Spain’s top department store—and it’s “entre tiempo” wardrobe and, surprise! It does exist, but it’s spelled in one word “Entretiempo,” who knew? I’m still doubtful and confused, so I Google it again and I turns out that it also means “Halftime” in a sport’s game; like the wonderful Bad Bunny Show during the Super Bowl!

I have to go back to my family when I was a young girl to figure it all out, that never fails. It was when my father stopped wearing a vest or a sweater under his suit jacket. It was when my mother had a new outfit made and I got a new one myself made from her old one. My school uniform didn’t change, but I didn’t have to wear the heavy grey coat, which I hated. A trench coat made of gabardine cloth was de rigeur, it rains a lot during “Entretiempo.”

Our house went through a few changes too. The Persian rugs stayed in place, but the heavy curtains and throw pillows transformed into something lighter—sheers for the windows, birds and flower textiles on the sofas. The table and bed linens changed as well. It was so much fun to see everything become lighter like the light of the longer days.

You knew that “Entretiempo” was coming when on February 2^nd it was the Candelaria Virgin Day. We always said its rhyme in our regional language, especially since it was forbidden by the Franco government: “Si la Candelaria plora, l’hivern está fora;  si La Candelaria riu, y’arriba l’estiu” (if it rains on Candelaria’s Day, winter is over; if it’s sunny on Candelaria’s Day, summer is coming). It’s like the Catalonian version of Groundhog’s Day, but more poetic.

I must have been a very observant young girl, because I make all these changes now in my own home. I have already altered the front closet and all the drawers: coats in the back, trench coats and light down jackets in the front. Sweaters, yes; turtlenecks, no. Leggins, yes; pantyhose, no. Cashmere, always.

How do you know when “Entretiempo” is over? It always happens around Easter. Another saying for Palm Sunday reminds you: “El domingo de ramos el que no estrena algo, no tiene manos” (on Palm Sunday if you don’t wear something new, you don’t have hands). Go figure, this is when translating gets scary. Trust me, it sounds a lot better in Spanish!

                                                 

             Chaleco de plumas Entretiempo Mujer / Women’s Down Vest for Entretiempo

This entry was posted on Friday, April 3rd, 2026 at 10:36 am by conchaalborg and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.