Like an English speaker’s “soul mate,” Spanish speakers can describe someone as their “alma gemela” (literally, “soul twin”). What in English is someone’s “better half,” in Spanish is one’s “media naranja” or “half orange.”

The Spanish poet Antonio Machado captures the idea of “una alma gemela” in one of his most famous poems:

“¿Qué es amor?”, me preguntaba
una niña. Contesté:
“Verte una vez y pensar
haberte visto otra vez.”

“What is love?”, a young girl
asked me. I answered:
“Seeing you once and thinking
that I had seen you once before.”

Don’t forget to tell your “media naranja”, “alma gemela” and all the special people in your life what they mean to you!