In the first pages of the classic novel Cien años de soledad, this description appears: —Al ser destapado por el gigante, el cofre dejó escapar un aliento glacial. Dentro sólo había un enorme bloque transparente, con infinitas agujas internas en las cuales se despedazaba en estrellas de colores la claridad del crepúsculo. When opened by the giant, … Read More
I might lose some of you with this reference, but I swear it’s relevant to your Spanish: There used to be a recurring joke in the cartoon Family Guy where they had these two vaguely Scandinavian guys who spoke almost perfect American English… Except for a few small details: “It was so expensive, each drink cost like … Read More
The first time you talk about something, it’s always a challenge. It can be demoralizing, but it’s important to recognize that it’s part of the process. That said, we don’t have to sit back and hope we’ll get good at discussing different things. We can get proactive about it (and have some fun doing it). … Read More
Buenos días, In a recent survey to students and readers about their struggles with Spanish, I got some really interesting comments: “Why does everything I do seem so disconnected? I feel like I am a box holding all of the pieces of a puzzle that my brain refuses to assemble.” “When I try to communicate … Read More
Years ago, I went to Peru. Hiked to Machu Picchu, had ceviche and pisco sour, got altitude sickness, the whole nine yards. Of all the fantastic experiences I had, there are tons of smaller moments I remember with complete clarity: These experiences taught me tons of new Spanish, too. Funny how getting out of our … Read More
Some of you know I became a dad last year. My daughter is almost 1 now, which is hard to believe. A few months ago, something started to change in what helps her calm down when she’s upset. Until recently, she loved it when I’d sing Beatles’ songs. Yellow Submarine was her favorite. But now… … Read More
If you freeze when it’s time to speak Spanish, you’re not alone. Today, I want to talk a little about why this happens and what we can do about it. We’ll venture briefly into “soft skills” territory… And I’ll make some psychological evaluations that I’m not qualified to make… But hopefully the end result will be useful: … Read More
Today I want to answer a question I got from a recent survey I sent out. It’s one I imagine you’ve asked yourself, too. The question was this: “Is it normal to understand things at a B2 or even C1 level but still make mistakes that are more basic? Mistakes where I recognize and understand … Read More
I know this sounds a little dramatic, but it’s true: The WAY you learn Spanish can make or break whether or not you eventually become a “Spanish speaker”. Now, there is no perfect way to learn. But there ARE some things you can avoid. And avoiding them will help you not give up 18 months from now … Read More
A while back, I posted a video about how to roll your R’s. Today, it’s the most viewed video on my channel by far — thanks, I suspect, to a quick tip shared in the intro. The video starts something like this: “You CAN learn to roll your R’s, it’ll probably just take a lot longer … Read More