More Spanish Words To Add To Your Vocabulary
[author] As I have said in a previous blog post, when I first started learning Spanish, I used to walk around with a “libreta” (little writing pad) and a “pluma” (literally, “feather” but also means “writing pen), “lapicero” or “bolígrafo”– both words mean writing pen. And not only did I ask my native Spanish-speaking friends […]
Direct Style vs. Indirect Style in Spanish Part 2
[author] Today I am going to talk about direct speech/quoted speech vs. indirect speech/reported speech in Spanish. In the Spanish language, this topic of Spanish grammar is called “estilo directo” vs. “estilo indirecto.” In English, direct style vs. indirect style. In both Spanish and English, we have two different ways to express what someone else […]
Direct Style vs. Indirect Style in Spanish Part 1
[author] Today I will talk about a common grammatical mistake that native English speakers make in BOTH English and Spanish. This mistake involves what’s known in terms of grammar as the Direct Style vs. the Indirect Style. Oddly, you will NOT find that Spanish speakers make this grammatical mistake as often in the Spanish language. […]
Mistakes I Made As a Beginner Student Learning Spanish
[author] Last week, a Spanish instructor sent me this email message: “Patrick, I noticed that you send a lot of emails discussing mistakes that you have heard other English speakers make in Colombia who are learning Spanish. Since Spanish is not your first language, I am sure that you have made lots of mistakes in […]
Where To Learn Spanish In Medellín, Colombia
[author] At least once or twice a month, I will receive an email from a customer who is thinking about studying Spanish in Medellín, Colombia and who wants some advice on “Where To Learn Spanish In Medellín, Colombia.” The best place to learn Spanish in Medellín, Colombia is at the Black Sheep hostel. The instructor […]
9 Different Ways To Use The Spanish Word Vuelta
[author] If you have ever wondered what does the word “vuelta” mean in Spanish, well today we will cover 9 different ways to use the Spanish word “vuelta.” 1. Dar una vuelta/dar vueltas – Pasear (go for a walk, ride, drive, short trip, etc.) Está linda la tarde, quiero dar vueltas (una vuelta) por la […]
3 Commonly Used Spanish Words and Phrases
[author] Today, I’d like to share with you 3 commonly used Spanish words and phrases. I never learned these Spanish words from the numerous home-study courses that I used to learn Spanish. But I know that they are used quite often because I have heard them while living in Latin America. 1. De golpe: de […]
4 Learning Spanish Mistakes Gringos Make
[author] Today, I will talk about some learning Spanish mistakes that Gringos or Americans make, A few weeks ago, I finally got around to taking my Salsa classes again, and there is an American in my Salsa class. I have heard him make several mistakes in Spanish. I won’t say his name because he told […]
List of Spanish Vocabulary Words (Latin American Spanish)
[author] Today I have a list of Spanish vocabulary words that are used in Latin America.As I mentioned in a previous blog post, when I first started learning Spanish, I used to walk around with a *libreta* (little writing pad) and a *pluma* (literally, “feather”) or *lapicero* or *bolígrafo* (the first word is the word […]
Ser vs. Estar in Spanish
[author] Ser vs. Estar in Spanish is today’s Spanish grammar topic. If you want to know how to speak Spanish it is important that you understand this topic of Spanish grammar. Although the verbs <em>ser </em>and <em>estar</em> are equivalent to the verb <em>to be</em> in English, the meanings and uses for <em>ser</em> and <em>estar</em> vary […]