Connor Kane, Author at Breakthrough Spanish

Por qué vs porque vs porqué vs por que in Spanish

Por qué vs Porque vs Por que vs Porqué: A Simplified Guide

September 26, 2023July 26, 2022

Let’s call them “the porques”. In Spanish, there is Por qué, porque, por que, and porqué. They all sound the same but are used in 4 different ways. Luckily, since they sound the same, you don’t need to worry about them while speaking. In fact, it’s a confusing topic even for native speakers. So as … Read More

Hey there, I'm Connor. I help motivated learners speak Spanish without slogging through grammar books or tapping through every new app. I started Breakthrough Spanish to give more people the confidence and focus to learn effectively Spanish from home. Learn more about me here.

How to Use Saludos in Spanish Like a Native Speaker

October 23, 2023July 18, 2022

You’ve probably heard it by now: Spanish speakers use “saludos” all the time. But its usage can be tricky. So in this article, you’re going to learn the meaning, clear examples for how to use it, and pronunciation mistakes to avoid. (Prefer video? Check out my short explanation below). ¡Vamos! What does saludos mean in … Read More

Vos in Spanish: Understand and Use the ‘Voseo’ Easily

March 27, 2023July 6, 2022

As speakers of modern English, we’re blessed with a simple one-word solution to addressing someone: You. But languages aren’t like that — including Spanish. In Spanish, we have multiple ways to address a person. This changes based on situation, geography, and the respect or formality you want to show. Vos is one such pronoun in Spanish. … Read More

Which Spanish Dialect Should You Learn? Latin America vs. Spain

October 23, 2023June 6, 2022

Choose which Spanish you learn based on your goals . Depending on whether you expect to spend more time with Latin Americans or Spaniards, you can start with either one. In the end, though, it doesn’t really matter. All varieties are mutually intelligible. And as you progress, you will naturally learn more of some varieties … Read More

Desde vs de in Spanish: two maps, one with 1 pin, the other with 2 pins

Desde vs De: The Best Way to Say “From” in Spanish

February 15, 2023May 31, 2022

Desde and de can be a confusing pair — even for native speakers of Spanish. In many cases, the two prepositions can be used interchangeably. Let’s take a look at the differences between desde vs. de, and the best way to say “From” in Spanish depending on the situation. When to use desde vs de A … Read More

Como eres vs como estas: what's the difference?

Cómo Eres vs Cómo Estás: How & When to Use Them

October 23, 2023May 25, 2022

In Spanish, the verbs ser and estar give us two ways to ask the question, “How are you”: But these two phrases are asking very different questions. This quick guide will help you learn (and never forget!) the difference between them. What’s the difference between ¿Cómo eres? and ¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo eres? means “what are … Read More

Master Haber in Spanish: Hay, He, Hay Que & More + Video

May 11, 2022

Haber is a Spanish verb with a lot of uses. But we don’t usually see it in that plain dictionary form — “haber”. Most of the time, we see haber in forms like hay, había, hubo, habrá, hay que, he, hemos and more. In this article, we’ll cover the most important uses of haber in … Read More

Why do you say "que tengas un buen día"?

Que tengas: why do phrases with Que + Verb use the subjunctive?

August 1, 2022May 9, 2022

Que tengas un buen día is a shortened version of an implied fuller expression: [espero] que tengas un buen día — [I hope] that you have a good day. With verbs like esperar, which carry uncertainty, we use a verb form called the subjunctive. Verbs like desear or querer could theoretically also precede “Que tengas … Read More

Spanish Learning Habits: 7 habits that effective learners use

7 (Easy) Habits of Highly Effective Spanish Learners

April 13, 2022

Some people learn Spanish faster and more effectively than others. Why is that? What makes someone an effective Spanish learner? In my experience, it’s nothing too hard — it boils down to their habits. Here’s something I say often: Learning Spanish has less to do with how smart you are, and more to do with how consistently … Read More

Spanish at the Gas Station: Everything You Need to Know

April 7, 2022April 7, 2022

In many parts of Latin America, you don’t pump your own gas — there are attendants who work the pumps (las bombas). So if you’re driving in a Spanish speaking country, it pays to know some Spanish phrases for the gas station. Gas Station Vocabulary with Regional Variations Spanish vocabulary can vary a lot from country to … Read More