If you think Mexican food has anything to do with the Tex-Mex and Mexican-American stuff you are used to- you are in for quite a delicious surprise. Mexico has some incredible, traditional dishes that have no relation to “Mexican” food in the US. Here are 10 foods you can’t leave Mexico without trying. 1. Tamales […]
PURA VIDA: The Most Important Costa Rica Spanish Expression
Although “pura” means “pure” and “vida” means “life,” the phrase “pura vida” can be translated in many ways such as “full of life,” “this is real living,” “this is the life,” “awesome” or even a greeting or goodbye. It’s a simple phrase that is used constantly in the country of Costa Rica. If you know […]
List of Spanish Slang Expressions from Peru: 13 Examples to Sound Like a Local
Learning a language is only the first step to sounding like a local. What does that mean for you? You thought that learning the textbook intonations, pronunciations and general directions were going to get you in the “local” club? Think again, the only way to mesh with the locals is to understand their dialects and […]
65 Spanish Slang Words for Vagina
Warning: This post includes an incredible volume of words that are not suitable for young eyes. Senator Mitt Romney once visited Miami as a quick stop on his presidential campaign. Part of the media tour included an interview for Radio Mabí with Carlos Santana. The nine-minute phone interview ended with giggles from Santana and the […]
Shame on Spain: A List of Spanish Slang Expressions Used to Insult Puerto Rico
One of our recommendations in the article 4 Strategies to Learn Spanish Slang Abroad when you want to know the language of a specific country is to read the local newspapers. The sports section is an excellent source of colloquial vocabulary you can find. A journalist that write sports news has more flexibility in the […]
4 Tips on How to Speak Spanish Fluently
I learned my Spanish in a university in St. Louis, Missouri. My professors were from Mexico, Spain, and Argentina – I had my choice of accents. For whatever reason, before I even had a class with the Argentine professor, I adopted el canto, or the sing-song rhythm that Italians and Argentinians often use while speaking. […]
10 Vulgar Spanish Slang Words and Phrases from Chile: Infographic
Here is the third post in our series Phrases That Aren’t Taught In School. The first two for Puerto Rico and Argentina have already caused a furor. If you are interested in contributing to other posts in the series, send me a note to [email protected]/. Feel free to share these images. You can save this one […]
Did You Know These 7 Spanish Language Words for SUITCASE?
Suitcase is definitely a word you’re going to need when traveling. Whether it be to purchase a new one, ask where to pick up your bags, or answer questions at the airport, you need to know how to say “suitcase.” Of course, there are Spanish differences and more than just one word for it. Here […]
MICHELADA: The Mexican Bloody Mary
If you’ve ever gone drinking with Mexicans, you’ve probably at least heard the term michelada. What exactly is it? A michelada is a traditional Mexican drink comparable to the Bloody Mary. The recipe changes a bit from region to region and due to person tastes, but the basic ingredients are: beer, tomato juice, lime and […]
ESPANGLISH: The English and Spanish Dictionary Definition of Spanglish by the RAE
Last week the Royal Academy of Spanish Language (RAE, in Spanish) announced the incorporation of the word espanglish (or Spanglish) in the next edition of their dictionary that will be published in 2014. The definition that will accompany this term reads as follow: “A form of speech used by some Hispanic groups in the United […]
Learn Spanish: 4 Meanings of HOT in Spanish
The word caliente means “hot” while the word calor means “heat.” It seems like saying “estoy caliente” would be the proper way to express that you are hot, as in, the temperature is high. Unfortunately these Spanish differences for non-native speakers are a common and embarrassing mistake. The word hot also have other possible translations. […]
3 Ways Latinos Are Better Than Americans: The Spanish Language Culture
3 Ways Latinos Are Better Than Americans I have interacted with Latinos from a lot of different countries, both in their home countries and outside of them. Working as an interpreter and living in a city with a large Mexican population has allowed me to make some interesting observations about Latinos in America (living in […]
The Boricua Bar: 10 Alcoholic Drinks From Puerto Rico
This article about alcoholic drinks from Puerto Rico by Jared Romey was originally published in English on Matador Nights. An updated and translated version was also published in the Puerto Rico newspaper El Vocero de Puerto Rico. 10 Alcoholic Drinks From Puerto Rico Probably best known for giving the world the piña colada, Puerto Rico […]
Learning Spanish Lesson: The Difference Between GRATIS and LIBRE
Gratis and libre both translate to “free,” but they have specific meanings. Non-native speakers often mix them up and end up conveying the wrong message. 1. Free means gratis or no charge For example, when I was in university, the Dean of Students wanted to provide a free lunch on Cinco de Mayo for students. […]
A List of Spanish Slang Expressions for ANGRY: 12 Ways to Sound Like a Local
If you want to express angry in Spanish, enter that term in the search box of this page, and you’ll find 43 separate Real World Spanish terms, each of which conveys the idea of anger, becoming angry, or are colorful modismos (sayings) expressing sentiments of anger. A few of them are raunchily funny, for example […]
6 Spanish Slang Expressions With The Word CAT
Cats are cute and mysterious, loyal and traitorous, independent and loving. If you are a cat lover, here are six Spanish slang expressions or modismos that use cats as their central figure. Idiomatic expressions are an important part of the Spanish learning process and perhaps one of the most difficult. In many cases, popular sayings […]
10 Vulgar Spanish Slang Words and Phrases from Argentina: Infographic
Here is the second post in our series Phrases That Aren’t Taught In School. The first list was from Puerto Rico and more countries are coming soon! Feel free to share this image! You can save it here and email it to your friends or pass it around any way you invent. You can also […]
4 Examples of Non-Verbal Slang: Spanish Language Without Words
You gotta be careful with slang. You have to be pretty darn confident with a language to correctly understand, let alone use, slang. Making errors using verbal slang is one thing. Often, what happens is that you are generally attempting to sound cool in that language, but with the slip of a vowel sound, you can […]
8 Tools Spanish Speakers Can Use to Improve English Pronunciation
This is the last article of the series English Pronunciation Challenges: What a Latina Learned in an Accent Reduction Class where I share some of the resources I used during my class. These “tools” includes books, apps and web pages that will help you during this process. Posts in this series: English Pronunciation Challenges for […]
10 Most Shocking Things I Learned About English Pronunciation
This is the second article of the series English Pronunciation Challenges: What a Latina Learned in an Accent Reduction Class where I share some of the resources I used during my class. These “tools” includes books, apps and web pages that will help you during this process. Posts in this series: English Pronunciation Challenges for […]
How To Say EARRINGS In Spanish
Women simply love jewelry and my mom is one of them. Genuine or costume, the bling-bling always amazes her. If you want to flatter a Spanish-speaking lady with a pair of earrings, you will need to take some notes on how to many words there are in Spanish for this word. The Dictionary of the […]
Mexican Slang: Spanish Terms of Common Use
If you’re planning a vacation in Mexico, you should definitely know about the Mexican slang spanish terms that many locals use. Not all slang in Mexico is used in a derogatory way; it can also range to compliments. The only reason it’s called slang is because it is not formal language typically taught in schools. […]
Spanglish Words: 4 Spanish Words from the English Word LUNCH
The Spanish language has been influenced by Latin and Arabic throughout its development. But today, the language that has been contributing to the Spanish vocabulary is English. Think of words like junior, píxel, jacuzzi, copyright and flirtear. All these words have been accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy. But the following set of Spanish words adopted […]
10 Vulgar Spanish Slang Words and Phrases from Puerto Rico: Infographic
If you are in the process of learning Spanish and plan to travel to Puerto Rico, keep in mind the following list of words and phrases. These 10 sayings are common in Puerto Rican Spanish but are too strong to be taught in school. You need to know them. If you find them useful, download […]
13 Cool and Interesting Facts About Spanish: Infographic
13 facts about the Spanish language with their sources. Historic and current facts about Spanish language plus a shareable info-graphic. Download and share this infographic with 13 facts about Spanish created by Speaking Latino to celebrate El Día E.
Spanish Language: Learn Spanish Grammar With 4 Ways to Use the Preposition CON in Spanish
This post is part of the series Warming up for El Día E: Posts to Improve Your Spanish. El Día E is a world-wide celebration of the Spanish Language that will take place on June 23th, 2012. Posts in this series to celebrate El Día E: 1. Join the Celebration of El Día E 2. […]
Learn Spanish: Using the Verb HACER to Express Periods of Time
This post is part of the series Warming up for El Día E: Posts to Improve Your Spanish. El Día E is a world-wide celebration of the Spanish Language that will take place on June 23th, 2012. Posts in this series to celebrate El Día E: 1. Join the Celebration of El Día E 2. […]