After the success of the first post Singing Latino: 12 Popular English Songs in Spanish, a sequel became mandatory. Here I feature 15 additional English songs with their Spanish versions, plus a Spanglish “bonus track”. To listen to a demo of each version, click on each MP3 link and conclude if it’s a good Spanish […]
HUEVEAR: The Most Important Chile Spanish Slang Word
When learning a language look for words that can increase your vocabulary in leaps with little effort. For example, the word taco in Spanish can mean 1) a pool stick, or 2) the heel of a shoe. In Chile it can also mean 3) a notepad or paper for writing notes, or 4) a traffic […]
Puerto Rican Spanish Slang: The Origin of CANGRIMAN, FOSTRÓ, CHAVOS, ZAFACÓN and LIMBER
Ever stop to think how Spanish slang words develop? It’s a fun experience since their history will often teach you about major historical influences in a culture. These 5 Puerto Rican words do just that. A colony of Spain for 400 years, we Puerto Ricans adopted words that are still alive today. For example, we […]
Impersonal SE and Passive SE Spanish Class Activities
Lesson Plan – Impersonal SE – Carnivals –Students learn about the Carnivals in Spanish speaking countries with text and two videos of the carnivals from Bolivia and Spain. They also learn about the Impersonal SE by completing a grammar chart and a written practice. Finally, students do an oral presentation using the Impersonal SE of […]
Past Perfect Subjunctive Spanish Class Activities
1. Lesson Plan – Past Perfect Subjunctive: Government and Individual Rights [MEMBERS] – With two authentic videos in Spanish, the students will learn about human rights and the government. The Past Perfect Subjunctive is introduced with the achievements of important human rights figures and what they did. Finally, they will do an oral practice with a series […]
Reflexive Verbs Lesson Plan and Spanish Class Activities
Reflexive verbs in Spanish are those that require the use of a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) to indicate that the subject is performing the action on themselves. For example, to indicate that a verb is reflexive, the pronoun “se” is added to the end of the infinitive form of the verb. […]
Conditional Perfect Spanish Class Activities
1. Lesson Plan – Conditional Perfect: Parties and Celebrations Vocabulary Lesson Plan [MEMBERS] – In the lesson, students explore the party and celebrations vocabulary with a scene from a movie. Then, they watch an educational video to learn about the Conditional Perfect and how to form it. They will do an oral practice of the Conditional […]
Really Argentine or a Fake? 3 More Non-Verbal Argentina Spanish Expressions
Mobile viewers: watch this video here https://youtu.be/5Gc4tim4EmUThis is the second part of the post Really Argentine or a Fake? For gestures 1 to 4 see the first part: Really Argentine or a Fake? 4 Non-Verbal Argentina Spanish Expressions. Really Argentine or a Fake? Part 2 5. ANDÁ (A CAGAR) Gesture: hand open, facing body, […]
Learn Spanish: 4 Meanings of RIGHT in Spanish
There are several words/phrases that translate to RIGHT in Spanish: derecho, derecha, correcto, and tener razón. Of course, not all of them can be used interchangeably – that would just be too easy. Here are the Spanish word for RIGHT most common options right. 1. Right in Spanish: DERECHO El derecho, used as a noun, […]
4 Non-Verbal Chile Spanish Expressions: Gestures To Go Native Chilean
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. How To Speak Like a Chilean Part 3 | […]
Really Argentine or a Fake? 4 Non-Verbal Argentina Spanish Expressions
Mobile viewers: watch this video here https://youtu.be/5Gc4tim4EmUJust got in to Buenos Aires and feeling out of place? Gestures and body language in Argentina, more so than in many other countries, are an obligatory part of communication. Use these gestures to fit right in and communicate with the locals. Really Argentine or a Fake? Part […]
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 […]
8 Tips on How to Speak Spanish Like a Native
This article was originally published at The Matador Network. Speaking like a local is not all about the accent, or even the vocabulary. Many factors give away if you grew up next door, or somewhere between Timbuktu and Kuala Lumpur. Gestures, clothing, mannerisms, and attitude also hint as to where you are from. Vocabulary and […]
VAMPIRO DE LAS VIÑAS: Chile Spanish Slang Expression
I started drinking and appreciating wine when I was living in Chile. That is why the Chile Spanish slang expression vampiro de las viñas that means “someone that drinks a lot” is one of my favorites. Check out this example: Porque el Chileno es asi…dicharachero, a veces guiña, vampiro de las viñas, y aguja con […]
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 […]
DEJAR LA ESCOBA: Chile Spanish Slang Phrase at Disney’s
On a recent trip to Disney World in Orlando I ran across these dancing brooms at the entrance to Hollywood Studios. Even before the recollection of Fantasia jumped into my brain, the typical Chilean phrase dejar la escoba popped up. It is a common phrase for Chileans and means to screw things up or 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 […]