This year has been very controversial in Venezuelan politics with the elections after the death of President Hugo Chavez. When all this was happening, I was reviewing the books Quick Guide to Venezuelan Spanish and Quick Guide to More Venezuelan Spanish. Among the words that caught my attention were several colloquialisms related to politics, government […]
25 Goofy Spanish Similes with the Word NUN
One of the funniest types of Spanish language idioms are the ones that uses similes or comparisons. The Wikipedia definition of a simile is “a figure of speech that directly compares two things through some connective, usually like, as, than, or a verb such as resembles.” The use of a nun or monja as a […]
Puerto Rican Spanish: RIVERSA or REVERSA?
Take a look at the photo of this sign I took recently in Puerto Rico that reads NO ESTACIONE EN RIVERSA. Instead of riversa the correct Spanish word should be reversa. The use of the word riversa is a good example that shows two characteristics of the Puerto Rican Spanish: 1. The use of words […]
8 Mexican Spanish Slang Words for Places and People
Demonym or gentilic is the name given to people living in a village, town, city or country. Usually it is derived from the name of the same town. For example, the demonym of the people from Mexico is Mexican. While reading the books Quick Guide to Mexican Spanish and Quick Guide to More Mexican Spanish […]
Free Printable List of School Supplies in Spanish and English: 36 Basic Items
This printable list of school supplies in Spanish and English is as an example of the Spanish vocabulary diversity. Many items have different Spanish names.
Which of These 4 Spanish History Books Would You Read?
The Spanish Language has it roots in the Latin that was brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Romans. After the disintegration of the Roman Empire, the territory experienced the Muslim invasion for seven centuries. Over the time, the territory was finally recovered and unified by a single language: castellano (Castilian). This language unification happened […]
LIKE A FISH OUT OF WATER: English Phrase in Spanish
Have you ever felt out of place? If you want to express that feeling in Spanish you can use the phrase “fuera de lugar.” But that phrase sound a bit formal and serious. Here are two ways you can translate “like a fish out of water” maintaining the English phrase in Spanish. 1. Como sapo […]
Need a Mexican Spanish Slang to English Dictionary? Here Are 3 Bilingual Options
If you are traveling to Mexico to study or live you will need extra help with their local vocabulary even if you are already fluent in Spanish. Spanish vocabulary changes significantly from one country to the next and Mexico is not the exception. Yet, few people learn about this until they are in a country, […]
12 Additional Stories About Spanish Words in English
While I continue devouring the book Spanish Word Histories and Mysteries: English Words That Come From Spanish here is a second taste of what I have been learning. It is fascinating to read interesting stories about all these Spanish words in English and how they passed from one language to another. In the first article […]
The Spanish Slang Meanings of CHUPI: Thalía’s Spanish Children Book Character
Last week Mexican singer Thalía announced that she will publish her first children’s book this year. The book –available in November 2013- is called Chupi: El binky que regresó a su hogar (Chupi: The Binky That Returned Home). The story and the character Chupi were created to help parents take away the pacifier from their […]
Spanish Idiomatic Expression CUANDO LAS GALLINAS MEAN in English
Cuando las gallinas mean is a common Spanish idiomatic expression generally said to children when they speak when they are not supposed to. The full Spanish saying goes los niños hablan cuando las gallinas mean and literally translates to “children talk when hens piss.” For anyone that doesn’t know hens doen’t pee and this phrase […]
Celebrate El Día E and The Spanish Language Day
Spanish is the second language in the world in number of native speakers, the second language of international communication (more than 500 million people speak it), and the third most used language on the Internet. To celebrate this vast wealth of Spanish culture, the Instituto Cervantes organizes for the fifth time El Día E, a […]
Bilingual Story Books: 5 Children Books in Spanish and English
Hispanics are 16.7% of total population of the United Sates, making them the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority. If you are part of that statistic, you are one of the 52 million Latinos that make the United States the second-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. Unfortunately, there is also the risk of future generations […]
Spanish Language Practice Tests: Learn Your Spanish Level
If you have been taking Spanish classes or lessons for a while and are wondering how are you doing, check this out. Our friends from don Quijote Spanish Courses have put together these online Spanish language practice tests for you to measure your improvement. The practice tests are quick and consist of a short paragraph […]
10 Easy English-Spanish Words You Can Add to Your Vocabulary Today
When I was reading the book Spanish Word Histories and Mysteries: English Words That Come From Spanish I learned the following fact about English-Spanish words: After French, Latin and Old English, “Spanish is one of the most important ingredients in English vocabulary.” I knew that there were Spanish words in the English language, but I […]
7 Spanish Comic Book Characters from Latin America
Comics were popularized in the United States in the 30’s. From political and social strips to the action comics featuring iconic super heroes, from the beginning there has been a broad variety titles for all ages. Latin America is also active in this so called “Ninth Art” and give us a lot of characters that […]
What Makes Great Spanish High School Lessons?
Most school districts offer Spanish in high schools only, so it is important that you know how to make fantastic Spanish high school lessons. Teenagers are hard to please, and yet teachers must be able to find a way to engage them immediately. This especially needs to happen in a language classroom because most teenagers […]
Bilingual Poetry: 4 English and Spanish Children Books
The school year is almost finished and you might be looking for activities to do with your small children. If you are raising a bilingual kid, here are some English – Spanish children books you can use during the summer. These suggestions are focused on simple bilingual poetry that reinforces the Hispanic heritage in elementary […]
How to Translate CHORETO: 2 Meanings for One Spanish Slang Word
If you are wondering how to translate choreto to English, the definition will depend on which country you are in. The Spanish slang word choreto is used in Venezuela and Puerto Rico as an adjective with two different meanings according to the books Quick Guide to Venezuelan Spanish and Speaking Boricua respectively. What is choreto […]
41 Examples of Spanish Slang Words for GIRL
How many words for girl in Spanish? Check the Spanish slang for girl list used in Latin America & Spain that will give you the examples you are looking for. Spanish slang for girl is the fifth suggestion that Google gives you when you type in the phrase “Spanish slang for” in the search box. In English and in Spanish making reference to “a girl” can range from a newborn baby up to a women in her twenties.
Spanish Slang Words for COOL: 85 Words and Phrases
Learn the Spanish slang for cool with a list of words and expressions divided by different Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish has equivalents for “cool” and they vary among countries. Here I have grouped a couple of examples from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain and Venezuela.
18 Shades of White: Spanish Slang Words for WHITE PERSON
Spanish slang for white person is the third suggestion that Google gives you when you type in the phrase “Spanish slang for” in the search box. That makes it one of the most popular Spanish slang requests and here are some examples and the countries that use them.
Spanish Slang Words for WEED: 26 Names for MARIJUANA
A list of 26 examples of Spanish slang for weed or marijuana, plus 16 additional terms in Spanish for joint. In this particular case weed can have an innocent Spanish translation or be the slang for marijuana. In this article I am going to give you the list of words for both meanings.
53 Spanish Slang Words for FRIEND
If you want to blend with locals, you should check this list of examples of Spanish slang for friend and the countries that use them. Here is a list of a good amount of Spanish words used in Latin America to refer to a close friend or dude. All in one place!
What is JETA in Spanish? You might get punched or kissed – watch out!
There are two quick answers to “What is Jeta in Spanish?” It means someone’s face. It’s an insult of some kind. The insult depends on the country where you hear the word or related term. The Spanish slang word jeta is commonly known and used throughout Latin America. But you need to pay attention where […]
11 Videos of Alphabet Sign Language in Spanish
Sign language varies geographically and therefore there is no universal sign language. This means that mute people around the world learn different sign languages to communicate. In the case of the sign language in Spanish, it also varies by country which is the exact same thing that happens with spoken and written Spanish. Each country […]
The Spanish Sign Language Alphabet
Origin of the Spanish Sign Language Alphabet According to a document published by Cultura Sorda.eu, author Alejandro Oviedo indicates that “in most of the countries whose official languages are written with the Latin alphabet, deaf communities use the same manual alphabet. Although there are some differences between them, most manual settings used to represent the […]
Cool Puerto Rican Spanish Lesson: Audios and Videos of 18 Common Words
For my fellow brothers and sisters from Puerto Rico that want to learn more about our unique vocabulary, and the others who are wondering what are those goofy words we use sometimes, here is a cool sample of some of our common Spanish words. The following Puerto Rican Spanish audio clips are from a radio […]
Nombres de Bebés de Puerto Rico: Nombres modernos, creativos y únicos de la Isla del Encanto
Esta es la introducción del libro Nombres de bebés de Puerto Rico: Nombres modernos, creativos y únicos de la Isla del Encanto. Nombres de Bebés de Puerto Rico Si visitas o vives en la Isla del Encanto, puede que te hayas dado cuenta de que los nombres de muchos jóvenes no los has escuchado antes. […]
6 Venezuela Spanish Words to Order Coffee: Infographic
My brother-in-law is a coffee lover. He even has his own personal coffee brewing travel kit that he always has on the road. He is also an American who learned Spanish in recent years. If he ever travels to Venezuela, I am sure he would have problems ordering his beloved beverage because there are a […]