In classes, we often learn that Spanish is a phonetic language. And it’s mostly true! Especially compared to English, written Spanish is very close to spoken Spanish. You can look at a word you’ve never seen and know with confidence how it’s pronounced. But technically, it’s not 100% phonetic. Several common sounds can be represented by more than … Read More
I mentioned in a recent YouTube video that listening is the most important part of your learning process. But most of us — myself included — don’t do it very well most of the time. Listening well makes the difference between… ✓ Feeling noticeable progress ✗ Feeling like you’re blasting your ears with Spanish to no avail Today, I’ll … Read More
Now that we’re in a new year, but not far enough in to have given up on our resolutions yet, I thought this would be a good time to discuss something I find helpful in language learning: reflection. Looking back at my own efforts over the past year (I’ve been learning German for a couple … Read More
Learning Spanish — especially after the first few months — can feel amorphous. The more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know. And this gives many people the vague, unpleasant feeling of un-measurable progress. Today, I’m going to share a simple idea to help you feel more direction in your learning. This can … Read More
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
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
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
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 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
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