💡 FOR VISUAL LEARNERS LINK: https://youtu.be/5Gc4tim4EmUAre you planning a trip to Argentina but don’t want to seem out of place once you’re there? Knowing Argentinian slang is one thing, but if you really want to blend in with the locals, the key lies in non-verbal communication – there are many typical Argentinian gestures, and knowing […]
How to Order Ice Cream in Spanish
Anyone who knows me is aware of my extreme obsession with ice cream. When I travel, the ability to find and order ice cream is fundamental. There are a lot more words associated with ice cream than I originally thought, so I wanted to share the knowledge I have gained with all of you. Ice […]
The Worst English to Spanish Translation for HOT
In English, the word “hot” can refer to temperature, spiciness or to attractiveness. The word for “hot” in Spanish, in reference to temperature is caliente, which also has more than one meaning. Just not the same meanings as in English. So, check out this story that teaches you which is the most embarrassing English to […]
6 Spanish Slang Phrases Using the Word HORSE
In English, we say, “horsing around” to mean behaving foolishly. Then there’s the old stand-by “a horse of a different color,” which means “something entirely different.” Interestingly, Spanish has only a few similar sayings (called modismos) that refer directly to the horse, el caballo. Considering that the Spanish took over all of Mexico, Central and […]
Learn Spanish: Using Augmentatives in Spanish
Just like diminutives, augmentatives have different uses and there are several augmentative endings. These often convert everyday words into local slang. The most common Spanish Suffixes are: ón/ona, ozo/oza, and ote/ota. In Spanish, augmentatives are used to express large size or great intensity Examples: Grande – big Grandote – huge Perro – dog Perrote – […]
Spelling Spanish Words: Language Mistakes That Even Natives Make
Overall, spelling in Spanish is pretty straightforward and easy. It’s one of the many reasons I love Spanish. If you can pronounce a word in Spanish, you can generally spell it correctly. However, there are a few common mistakes. Interestingly enough, these are more often made by native speakers than those who study Spanish as […]
6 Pronunciation Tips to Speak Chilean Spanish
The following post is an excerpt from my book Speaking Chileno: A Guide to the Spanish of Chile. Launched in Chile in 2010, this book quickly became a bestseller. Now for the first time it is available outside of Chile in paperback and eBook Kindle. This is the second of three posts on How To […]
Outdoor Classroom Day Spanish Activities Ideas
What is the Outdoor Classroom Day or El Día de las Clases al Aire Libre? The Outdoor Classroom Day started in 2012 with a group of schools in London. The benefits of learning outside the classroom gave this initiative traction to become a global movement that is celebrated each year on May 18th. What are […]
Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns Spanish Class Activities
Direct Object Pronouns 1. Lesson Plan – Direct Object Pronouns: Buying and Selling [MEMBERS] – Students will be able to communicate in a store in order to buy or sell. They learn clothing vocabulary and how to ask questions about pricing, size and features of the objects. They also answer questions using direct object pronouns. 2. Lesson […]
Dating Latinos It’s Different: DANCING
This is the fourth and last post in my series about dating Latinos and how it differs from dating North Americans. Dating Latinos, It’s Different: DANCING Growing up in the Midwest, my dancing adventures were fairly limited. You know, a slumber party here, a house party when I got older, a couple school dances, and […]
Learn Spanish: Using Diminutives in Spanish
The most common ending for dimunutives is ito/ita. However, in certain countries, you will also see ico/ica when the last letter of the affected word is a ‘t.’ Other endings include: illo/illa, ín/ina, ete/eta. The use of diminutives in Spanish often indicates that something is small. For example, gato is cat, so gatito is a […]
Real World Spanish: Street Slang Examples Using the Word TACO
When you hear the Spanish word taco the first thing that comes through your mind is a delicious tortilla with a spicy beef or chicken filling. Mmm yummy! Try to Google images of taco and you will see that 99.9% of the results are this traditional Mexican dish. But this word has a humongous variety […]
6 Grammar Hints to Speak Chilean Spanish
The following post is an excerpt from my book Speaking Chileno: A Guide to the Spanish of Chile. Launched in Chile in 2010, this book quickly became a bestseller. Now for the first time it is available outside of Chile in paperback and eBook Kindle. This is the first of three posts on How To […]
6 Earth Day Spanish Class Activities
Do your students enjoy cute animal videos on YouTube? Do they think parks and beaches are fun places to play games and hang out? Are they interested in doing their part to make the world a better place? If your students answer yes to any of these questions, Earth Day just might be an event […]
Dating Latinos It’s Different: SHOPPING
This is the third post in my series about dating Latinos and how it differs from dating North Americans. To catch up, you can also read the complete articles here: Dating Latinos… It’s Different: Machismo Dating Latinos… It’s Different: Public Displays of Affection Dating Latinos… It’s Different: Shopping [this post] Dating Latinos… It’s Different: Dancing […]
Present Perfect Subjunctive Spanish Class Activities
1. Lesson Plan – Present Perfect Subjunctive, Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns – Volunteer Activities [MEMBERS] – In this lesson, students learn volunteering vocabulary and use an email to discover the Present Perfect Subjunctive conjugation. Then, they learn about this form with an educational video. They will also learn about demonstrative adjectives and pronouns. The lesson ends with […]
Present vs. Past Subjunctive Spanish Class Activities
Lesson Plan – Present vs Past Subjunctive – Talking About Soccer – Students use an infographic to learn about the soccer vocabulary in Spanish and watch an authentic video about what could have happened if Messi (Argentine soccer star) would have been Mexican. Then, they study the presentation Present vs. Past Subjunctive and do an […]
Language Learning: Spanish for DRINKING STRAW
On a recent stroll through Puerto Limón, Costa Rica this street vendor’s marketing efforts caught my attention. For two reasons. The first reason is given away by this post title. For the second, take a stab to see if you know why. I’ll give you the answer at the end of this post. For any […]
Learn Spanish: When to Use the Spanish Preterite and Imperfect Tenses
One of the many confusing hurdles about the Spanish language is that it has certain rules that are often not clear when described to native English speakers since no equivalent exists. A good example of this would be the two different forms of the past tense, the preterite and the imperfect. While it is unfortunate […]
3 Words for TO GROW in Spanish
The words cultivar, crecer, and madurar all mean to grow in Spanish but are used in different contexts. Let’s take a look. • Cultivar is used for plants. For example, “En mi jardín, cultivo tomates, albahaca y cebollas” translates to “In my garden, I grow tomatoes, basil, and onions.” • Crecer, on the other hand, […]
English to Spanish Translations of 50 European Countries
I’ve never understood why the whole world doesn’t just call each country by the same word the natives use, but the fact of the matter is that every language has a different name for every country. This can be very frustrating when you are trying to talk about politics, sports, geography, etc. with country names […]
6 Classic Board Games With Their English Names in Spanish
The other day, I spent some time in a department store in Cozumel, Mexico. While wandering through the shelves, I stopped by the toy section where they had a great selection of board games… in Spanish! But don’t worry if you encounter a situation where you need to buy a game in a Spanish-speaking country, […]
Cinco de Mayo Spanish Class Activities: Vocabulary Builder and Mexican Traditions
Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is celebrated throughout Mexico and in many other parts of the world, both as a patriotic holiday in Mexico and as an international symbol of Mexican culture. While Cinco de […]
Dating Latinos It’s Different: PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (PDA)
This is the second post in my series about dating Latinos and how it differs from dating North Americans. To catch up, you can also read the complete articles here: Dating Latinos… It’s Different: Machismo Dating Latinos… It’s Different: Public Displays of Affection [this post] Dating Latinos… It’s Different: Shopping Dating Latinos… It’s Different: Dancing […]
Learn Spanish Quiz: Avon’s Basic Spanish Lesson on Accent Rules
After five years working for Avon, I’m definitely hooked on their products. So the other day I went to their store in Miami to stock up with some of my favorites. At the entrance there was this sign with their return and exchange policies. Guessing what’s wrong with this sign is easy. If you don’t […]
Tener Que + Infinitive Spanish Class Activities
1. Lesson Plan – Tener que + Infinitive – Parts of the House and Household Chores Vocabulary [MEMBERS] – This lesson uses the video images of a popular song performed by Rubén Blades and Diego Torres to review the rooms of the house. They also review the household chores vocabulary by listing the ones that they saw […]
Car Vocabulary: Translating Spanish to English Words and Phrases
Hopefully, you’ll never need to drive while abroad. Personally, I hate driving in my own country. However, I’ve found that even without renting/owning a car in another country, I’ve ended up in conversations that involved car vocabulary that, at the time, was just a bit over my head. Here are some useful car vocabulary words. […]
Future Tense Regular and Irregular Verbs Spanish Class Activities
1. Lesson Plan – The Future Tense [MEMBERS] – With this lesson, your students will also learn the professions vocabulary with two authentic videos in Spanish. Then it introduces the future tense and the students use photos to talk about the future. 2. Lesson Plan – Future Tense Regular and Irregular Verbs [MEMBERS] – The students learn about the future […]
Beauty Salon Vocabulary: Translating Spanish to English Words
Getting your haircut can be a scary experience anytime, but if you add in language barriers, it can be downright terrifying. If you find yourself in a Spanish speaking country in dire need of a trim, here are some helpful basic Spanish phrases that just might save you from a disastrous haircut. Beauty Salon Vocabulary […]
5 Tips to Maintain What You Learned in Your Spanish Course
While I do a lot of preaching against not speaking only textbook Spanish, I do think it’s really important. I spent 9 years studying in school, which set me up quite nicely for communicating on a daily basis. However, the lack of reading assignments and paper deadlines can be a little detrimental to that textbook […]