Preparing for the 'oposiciones: 'Different ways of walking.

The basic verb used in English with the meaning of 'andar' in Spanish is to walk. However, there are other related verbs which also mean 'andar', but in a specific way. These verbs, like to shuffle, to stagger or to strut, for example, each has a distinctive semantic feature ('rasgo semántico diferencial') which allows it to be used to express 'walking' in a different way. All these verbs are usually constructed with an adverb or a preposition: to shuffle/stagger/strut, etc. along/across/into/on, etc. Here are the main ones:

to limp/hobble  - to walk lamely (cojear, andar cojeando)

to march - to walk in a military manner, with regular steps (marchar)

to pace - to walk up and down, backwards and forwards, repeatedly or methodically, with slow, regular steps, esp. because you are feeling nervous or restless (caminar de un lado a otro, esp. por sentirse nervioso o inquieto)

to pad - to walk with quiet steps, noiselessly (caminar sin hacer ruido)

to shuffle - to walk dragging one’s feet (andar arrastrando los pies)

to stagger - to walk unsteadily, because you are drunk or ill [andar tambaleándose, haciendo eses (borracho, enfermo, etc.)]

to stalk - to walk stiff, arrogantly or in an angry way (andar tieso, con arrogancia o mostrando enfado)

to stride - to walk with long steps (andar a grandes zancadas, alargar el paso)

to strut - to walk majestically, self-importantly, proudly (andar majestuosamente, orgullosamente, dándose importancia)

to swagger - to walk  arrogantly, self-importantly, swinging one’s shoulders (andar con arrogancia, dándose importancia, pavonearse, contonearse)

to tiptoe  - to walk quietly, noiselessly, on one’s toes (andar de puntillas)

to toddle - a small child learning to walk (dar los primeros pasos, un niño pequeño aprendiendo a andar)

to tramp - to walk heavily and firmly (andar pesadamente, patear, pisotear ensuciando algo, etc.)

to trample on - to step heavily on sb/sth crushing or harming them with one’s feet  (pisotear aplastando o dañando algo)

to trudge/plod - to walk slowly, with difficulty or because you are tired (caminar despacio, con dificultad o porque se está cansado)
to hop - to walk jumping on one’s foot or making quick short jumps, like a bird (andar dando pequeños saltos, andar a la pata coja)

to waddle - to walk like a duck (andar como los patos)

PRACTICE

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate walking-verb:

a.- He .......... into the bedroom, hoping not to wake his wife

b.- The injured Arsenal forward .......... off the field

c.- We had to .......... for miles across the snow to reach help

d.- The tramp .......... along in shoes that were too big for him

e.- The dying man .......... into the police station and                      collapsed

f.- She .......... down the corridor in her slippers

g.- A fat lady .......... up to the counter

h.- The little girl was .......... over the cracks in the pavement

i.- The prisoner .......... the floor of his cell

j.- She .......... past as if she were a top model

k.- The two-year-old came .......... into the room

l.- Be careful, don’t .......... on those pretty daisies

m.- Stop .......all over the floor in those muddy shoes

KEY

a.- tiptoed; b.- limped/hobbled; c.- plod/trudge; d.- shuffled;         e.- staggered; f.- padded; g.- waddled; h.- hopping; i.- paced; j.- strutted/stalked/swaggered; k.- toddling; l.- trample; m.- tramping.