Of the various communication opportunities that the virtual universe offers us, WhatsApp is one of the best. How many times a day do you use this application? How many people do you connect with through it? The opportunities are multiple and diverse. You can communicate with your family and friends, send them messages (very quickly), with or without photos and videos. You can also make a call to any part of the planet. But, although you use this wonderful application very frequently, how do you write wasap ?
Do you know why you have doubts when writing wasap? Because it was created in another language and then entered Spanish; or what is the same, it is a loan, specifically an anglicism. Many words from other languages come into our language. One of the entry routes is the Internet. Every day, innovations on the web result in the creation of neologisms in our language. Using the app is easier for you than knowing how to write it.
Don’t feel bad, the same thing happens to all of us when we borrow a word from another language. We pronounce it continuously; but when taking the pen before the sheet, our hand stops. Doubts assail us all. Some don’t care how they write it; others, like you, need to know how to do it.
You’re lucky! We are going to help you understand what has happened with wasap since its arrival in Spanish. You will know how it originates and the problems that have arisen along the way. But, most importantly, you will know how to write wasap. Hello! To read, to learn. Later, you will write this word with great security.
Instructions to write whatsapp
- Let’s start by understanding what WhatsApp is. It is an application that since 2009 allows us to communicate quickly, through the Internet, with our mobile. You would be amazed at the number of users it currently has. We are talking about millions and millions of people, in almost 200 countries.
- Its name comes from the English expression What’s up? We translate it in Spanish as qué pasa? (or how about?), a greeting that can start any conversation. When we started using this platform, we named it orally; but, its continuous use leads us to write it. And that’s where the problem begins.
- What is the success of this application? WhatsApp is a very simple but very effective messaging platform.
- Doubts about his writing give rise to different ways of doing it. Some identical or very similar to the original English word; others, more attached to the writing of Spanish.
- Why don’t we stick to WhatsApp writing like English? Because each language has its own phonological, morphological and orthographic rules, among others. Let’s see: different sounds and different combinations require different writings.
- The first question would be: can you use the w (double vee) when writing in Spanish? The Spelling of the Spanish language included it in the alphabet in 1969, due to the problems generated by the entry of some Germanisms. So if it’s a letter from our alphabet, you can use it.
- At present, most of the loanwords that include the w, are anglicized. Most of them come from the world of communications. A clear example is the word web.
- After the entry of the noun wasap, since we are people of action, we create its verbal version. Therefore, we have wasap (noun) and wasapear (verb that indicates “action of communicating by WhatsApp”).
- Now, let’s consult the RAE. The Dictionary of the Spanish languagedoes not report any of the ways in which we have written wasap. Voucher! That he still hasn’t opened the door for her. We have to wait.
- So, where to go to clarify your doubt? Fundeu BBVA, under the guidance of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), recommends us to write wasap (singular) and wasaps (plural). In addition, it points to the other spelling alternatives, such as guasap, colloquial and far from the Application (WhatssApp) that originates it.
- Even your computer will help you clear up any uncertainty. When typing any of the other options, Microsoft Word will correct you and write to wasap. Go ahead, try it and you will see!
What do you need to write wasap?
- Use the WhatsApp application.
- Friends to hang out with.
- The Spelling of the Spanish language, from the RAE and ASALE.
Tips for writing wasap
- If you don’t feel sure about the spelling of a word, check with the Dictionary of the Spanish language. You can do it with your computer. It will keep you up to date with the words that the RAE and ASALE already accept.
- Pay close attention when typing on your computer. If what he writes changes you, it will be for a reason. But don’t trust him completely, remember he’s just a machine.
- When in doubt regarding loan writing, see how they are used in newspapers, magazines and books etc. Its proofreaders must keep up to date changes accepted by the educated standard of Spanish.
- Remember that when the language already has a word in its repertoire, you do not need to use a foreign one. Be prudent and take care of our beautiful language.
- Do not confuse the noun wasap with the name of the application. If you mean the latter, write it as it is originally, WhatsApp.