Archive for the ‘Spanish language’ Category

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The word “cojones” and its different meanings in Spanish

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

If you are studying in a Spanish school in Spain you might have asked yourself some time, ¿how many words does the Spanish language hold? The dictionary from the Real Academy of Spanish Language has a total of 88.000, although the historical dictionary reaches 150.000 words.

Many of the words that appear in these dictionaries have many meanings (depending on the sentence or context) but none has as many as the word cojones. It is one of the most used by Spanish citizens and one of the most versatile of the entire vocabulary.

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The best television series to learn Spanish in Spain

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

All along our blog we have been giving a series of pieces of advice on how to improve your knowledge of the Spanish language outside school, such as to listen to music or watch Spanish cinema. We would now like to recommend you watch Spanish television series, since it is a very good way to practice Spanish in Spain.

The same way as with films, watching series in Spanish helps not only to learn new vocabulary, it also helps to learn the way Spanish citizens pronounce and express themselves.

A protagonist of the TV series Aída

A protagonist of the TV series Aída

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Practical vocabulary for students of Spanish in Spain

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

When a student comes to learn Spanish in Spain, it is important for him to know the basic vocabulary to avoid communication problems. Here we leave you a series of words about the city that I can be very useful:

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The Spanish language to conquer United States

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

The Spanish language is spoken by over 450 million people in the world, it is the second most studied and the third most used on the internet. This data shows that Spanish enjoys a great vitality and its presence in many countries becomes more and more important every day, the United States is one of the places where it grows the fastest.

In United States the importance and presence of Spanish is growing quickly among its inhabitants. Also, with more than 50 millions Spanish speakers, it is the second country behind Mexico counting the biggest community of Spanish speaking citizens in the world, beating other nations such as Spain, Columbia or Argentina.

The Spanish language progress in the United States

Pedro Almodovar and Antonio Banderas at the Golden Globes 2012

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The success of a song about the Spanish language

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

Two young Colombian musicians, two guitars and a song about the Spanish language became a big success over the last days on social media and went around the world. More than 2 million people have already viewed the video of the song “Qué difícil es hablar el español” uploaded on You tube by the two brothers a little more than 10 days ago.

The song tells how difficult it is to learn Spanish in a very funny way through the story of a student wanting to learn Spanish, since, depending on the Spanish speaking country you are staying in, the words’ meaning changes. So, something can have a very different meaning in Mexico, Venezuela or Argentina.

►…continue reading about song ¡Qué difícil es hablar el español!

Why not work and study Spanish in Spain?

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Some days ago we were talking about learning Spanish in Spain with a Spanish course. We would now like to present a different way to improve your knowledge of the Spanish language, work and study in Spain.

It is one of the best solutions not only to learn Spanish faster and easier, but to integrate in the culture and life of the country, since working while studying Spanish in Spain, allows the student to be constantly in contact with the language and with the citizens, which forces them to communicate in Spanish and to practice every day during their stay in the country.

Two Spanish students in a restaurant

Two Spanish students in a restaurant

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Learn Spanish with Spanish music

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

Learning Spanish is not easy since you need to put in constant work and effort, but the process can result entertaining if it is designed correctly. Many activities make learning Spanish in the courses much easier and more entertaining for students in the Spanish schools inSpain.

One of teachers’ most used resources to help students learn easier and practice outside the classroom too, is to learn Spanish with music and songs from Spanish and Spanish American artists.

Estopa's songs to learn Spanish

Estopa Group in a concert

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Why choose Spain to learn Spanish?

Monday, February 13th, 2012

When a student decides to initiate his learning of the Spanish language there is always a doubt: to study in a Spanish school in their country or to go out to a Spanish speaking place?

One of most recommended countries to start or continue the adventure of Spanish learning is Spain, a fun country that happily receives students from any country to undertake a Spanish course. Also, it is the place where Spanish was born and from where it extended to the entire world.

Students in a Spanish class

Students in a Spanish class

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What is the DELE exam?

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

One of the main objectives for any Spanish student is to achieve a level of knowledge of the language allowing him to communicate without problems. The best way to know if the level is achieved is to pass one of the examinations from DELE.

The Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE) are official certificates given by the Spanish Ministry of Education that certify your level of knowledge of Spanish. These diplomas have a great international prestige, not only because they provide a guarantee of a good understanding of Spanish, but because they help your access to work in Spain and in other countries.

The DELE exam is performed worldwide

A group of students conducting a review

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The Spanish Language Foundation launches the website of the First International Expo Spanish

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

The Spanish Language Foundation (Fundación de la Lengua Española) has launched the website of the First International Expo Spanish, with information about the event to organize in Valladolid from 10 to 13 May 2012.

Website: http://www.fundacionlengua.com/expo

Idiomatic tourism is also present at Fitur 2012

Monday, January 9th, 2012

Next 18th of January the 32nd edition of the Feria Internacional de Turismo (FITUR) will start, one of the most important on international level and the main one in Spain. The meeting of specialised professionals and companies focusing on idiomatic tourism helps to define the lines of work and the strategies with the objective to innovate and reinforce the tourism activity and adapt to the market changes.

The fair is celebrated between the 18th and the 22nd of January in the Ifema exhibition site, Madrid, where it is hoped the spectacular numbers achieved at last year’s edition will be repeated, more than 10000 companies from 166 countries were present and more than 200000 visitors came, including professionals and general public.

The study of Spanish in Spain also present in FITUR

The edition of FITUR 2011

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Study Spanish in Spain, a good New Year’s resolution

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

It is already 2012 and like every year, time came to take good resolutions for this new period. To do exercise, start saving, quit smoking, find the ideal partner…these are the typical propositions written on a long list where we want to participate and add one more resolution: study Spanish in Spain.

To learn a new language is one of the best resolutions for a new year and more when we talk about the second most spoken language in the world. In these times of economical and social globalization it is important to study Spanish, not only because it is essential for the current and future working world, but also because it is a way to exercise the brain and aid your personal development.

A group of girls in a Spanish school

A group of girls in a Spanish school

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The I International Spanish Exhibition is celebrated in May 2012

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Fundación de la Lengua Española

The Spanish Language Foundation is preparing the city of Valladolid for the I Expo Internacional del Español (I International Spanish Exhibition), which is celebrated from the 10th until the 13th of May 2012. This event turns around Spanish as foreign language teaching and integrates all involved activity sectors in the exhibition.

There will be a space for all sectors and fields involved in Spanish teaching in the Expo, such as materials, learning methods, teachers or new technology, all of them being very important to spread Spanish in the world. Also, there will be a special focus on the little ones, as they are the future of Spanish and they will promote it as years pass by.

►…continue reading about I Expo Internacional del Español

The origin of the Spanish language

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Spanish, the second most important language in the world and the third most spoken language with more than 450 million speakers, has its origin in the centuries of Roman occupation, when the Iberian Peninsula was part of the Roman empire (Spainand Portugal).

After the collapse of the Roman empire, the evolution of lain produced this Romance language after barbarian invasions (V century) and Muslim invasions (VIII century) of the Iberian Peninsula. Nevertheless, I am sure most people learning Spanish in Spain already know about it.

Learn Spanish, a Romance language

Dialects of Castilian in Spain by 1950

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How to chose the Spanish course that will adapt best to your needs?

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

When someone decides to undertake a Spanish course in Spain it is very important to clearly know what the interests and objectives are, as you will then be able to choose the course that adapts best to your needs. Take into account two main factors in the selection, the type of course you would like to undertake and the type of city you would the Spanish school to be in.

There are several types of courses meant for people with different profiles. If you are an businessman, it is most interesting to undertake a specialised Spanish course, such as the business course which focuses its programmes on Spanish needed in the business context. Erasmus students coming to continue their studies in Spanish, need to start or improve their knowledge of Spanish, the basic courses offered by some schools are the most outstanding option.

A group of students in a Spanish course

A Spanish class at a school

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Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish symbol in the world

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Born in Alcalá de Henares, the playwright, poet and writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, is considered the biggest Spanish writer of all times. His image is so important in Spainthat there are a number of sculptures, buildings, institutions, prizes and events in several cities in our country made in his memory. Cervantes in a real symbol of this language, and his work a very used resource to learn Spanish.

He is the author of “El ingenioso hidalgoDon Quijote de la Mancha” (The ingenious gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha), one of the most famous novels on international and top of the Spanish and universal literature. It is considered by many international writers as the best novel in history, this work from 1605 has a wide impact on all cultures, and was translated in languages such as German, Russian or Chinese, among many others. Also, it was brought to television with a film and series, and thus became a usual resource in the Spanish schools in Spain to help students on their way to learn Spanish.

Miguel de Cervantes and the Spanish language

Statue of the writer in the Plaza Cervantes in Alcala de Henares

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Practical vocabulary to learn Spanish: Taxi service in Spain

Monday, October 17th, 2011

One of the actions that all students will have to make at any time during your stay to learn Spanish at one of the Spanish schools in Spain, will be to get a taxi.

In our country you can take a taxi in three ways: call for city taxi service, go to a taxi rank or stop a taxi on the street, like in the movies. We will are going to teach you a series of words and phrases to practice Spanish in this situation:

General Vocabulary:

Taxi: taxi City centre: centro ciudad

For hire: libre Occupied: ocupado

Taxi rank: parada de taxis To stop: parar

►…continue to learn Spanish with our vocabulary practice

Practical vocabulary to learn Spanish: Speak at the restaurant

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

In today’s post, we teach a series of words and phrases to practice everything you learned in your Spanish courses in Spain. It is very important to be able to speak in public without fear of failure and practice and practice Spanish at any time will help you in your learning.

Go to lunch or dinner at a restaurant is very common in your stay in Spain, so knowing the words and phrases used in a restaurant is critical. Here are the most necessary for a good meal in Spain:

General vocabulary

Ingredients: ingredientes Waiter / Waitress : camarero/ camarera

To order: pedir Meal: comida

Starters: entrantes Main course: plato principal

►…continue to learn Spanish with our vocabulary practice

30 Spanish expressions that Spanish students in Spain should know (Part 3)

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Today we finish the list with typical expressions from Spain. It has been a long journey with many sentences that can be of great help for those who visit Spain to study Spanish, and we hope you will not miss any detail from the last expressions:

21. Más vale tarde que nunca: Is used when we refer to the fact that it is important to do certain things, and better late than never. “No importa cuando empieces a estudiar español, más vale tarde que nunca”

22. Me estás tomando el pelo: Try to mislead someone, laugh at him or make him believe something he believes is not true. “Siempre que hablo con Ricardo, parece que me esté tomando el pelo”

23. Ni me va ni me viene: When something is not important at all, when it doesn’t matter or it doesn’t make any difference to me. “Todo lo que diga esa persona ni me va ni me viene”

►… continue reading about expressions that Spanish students in Spain should know

30 Spanish expressions that Spanish students in Spain should know (Part 2)

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

After listing the 10 first expressions students in Spain learning Spanish should know to pass unnoticed and have Spanish ways, we continue with new series:

11. El que algo quiere, algo le cuesta: Is used to explain that who wants to get something from life, needs to put an effort to get it. “Si quieres aprender español tienes que estudiar, el que algo quiere, algo le cuesta”

12. Estar como una cabra: Be a little crazy. “Hoy he visto una persona por la calle que estaba como una cabra”

13. Al pan, pan y al vino, vino: This expression is used to say that you have to call everything by its name, call things as they are. “Javier es un estúpido, no puedo decir otra cosa, al pan, pan y al vino, vino”

►… continue reading about Spanish expressions that Spanish students in Spain should know

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