The blog of the Spanish schools in Spain

Culture of Spain for Spanish classes: The flamenco, a feeling converted into art

February 17th, 2012

The flamenco is the most famous Spanish music style in the world. It is a mixture of music and dance that became art, a way of expressing feelings and passion through dance and singing. Its international recognition is so important it was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by Unesco in 2010.

The flamenco genere was born in the XVIIIth century in Andalusia and, years passing by, it changed until becoming something unique, a show that any person coming to Spain for idiomatic tourism should not miss.

Flamenco, a common activity in the Spanish schools

A flamenco show

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Pedro Almodóvar, the director who brought Spanish cinema to the world

February 15th, 2012

The screenwrighter, producer and director Pedro Almodóvar is a cinema genius and one of the major exponents of the Spanish cinema on international level. His films made him win many prizes and gain recognition in many countries, it is therefore ideal for you to watch them and enjoy them if you are studying Spanish.

Almodóvar started his career in the 80s, becoming one of the icons of the movida madrileña, cultural movement which started during those years in the Spanish capital, with titles such as “Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón”(Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls Like Mom) and “¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto?” (What Have I Done to Deserve This?). He was first truly recognised with his film “Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios” (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), in 1988, not only in Spain but within an international scope, he was awarded 16 nominations at the Goya and a nomination for best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.

Learn Spanish with the films of Pedro Almodóvar

The film directors Pedro Almodovar and Tim Burton

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Why choose Spain to learn Spanish?

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

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Spanish Schools and gastronomy: The Gazpacho

February 9th, 2012

When we talk about Spanish gastronomy we all think about the paella, the tortilla de patatas and the jamón (ham), but there is another traditional dish from the Spanish food, internationally known: the gazpacho. A sort of cold soup made with a mixture of vegetables (cucumber, tomato and pepper), and with old bread, olive oil, salt, garlic and vinegar. Students from the Spanish schools in Spain usually love it.

There are different varieties for this dish but the most famous one is the one named gazpacho andaluz, as it is from Andalusia and it is most consumed over there. It is one of the tourists’ favourite dishes in the south of Spain, mainly for its great flavour and for its ingredients from the Mediterranean cuisine.

Gazpacho is a great dish of Spanish gastronomy

A dish of Gazpacho Andaluz

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Enjoy the Carnival festivities and learn Spanish

February 3rd, 2012

Like every year, in February, Spain starts preparations to celebrate one of its most enjoyable festivities, the Carnival. It is one of the most colourful and entertaining celebrations in our country and although it was originally religious, it became a big show for tourism and entertainment over the years, it is thus usual to see streets filled with people from all Spanish towns and cities.

The show, celebrated between the 16th and the 19th of February this year, will allow participants and visitors to have a good time, to have a laugh, dance and be someone else for a while. If you come to Spain to learn Spanish do not hesitate to go enjoy this great festivity.

Enjoy the carnival and learn Spanish in Tenerife

Election of the Queen of Tenerife carnival

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What is the DELE exam?

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.

A group of students conducting a review

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El Ratoncito Pérez (tooth fairy), the tale of a rodent with Spanish background

January 30th, 2012

He was born almost 120 years ago, but the story of the Ratoncito Pérez, this small rodent that was leaving presents and coins for the children who lost a tooth and let it underneath their pillow at night, is still alive today for the little ones.

This character was created by the writer and Spanish journalist Luis Coloma in1894 inhis children’s book for Alfonso XIII when he was 8 years old, because one of his teeth fell out. The writer then invented the story of a small mouse who showed to the king Budi (stage name for Alfonso XIII) the misery in which the poor children from Madrid where living, and who he was giving a present to when their teeth fell out. We recommend you read this fairytale if you are learning Spanish at a basic level.

Doodle of Ratoncito Pérez de Google

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The toros (bulls), a great Spanish tradition

January 24th, 2012

The toros is one of the most popular and ancient shows in Spain, and one of our country’s most famous traditions in the world. It started in the XVIIIth century, involving a man on foot who has to lidiar (battle) a fighting bull in a precinct called Plaza de toros. It is one of the events you cannot miss if you are undertaking a Spanish course in Spain.

The corrida is divided in three distinct stages or thirds. The first part, or lancing stage, involves the lidia of the bull with the objective to check the animal’s strength and behaviour. This is when the cape’s good luck is put to test, the most famous techniques are the verónica, the chicuelina or the porte gayola.

A torero performing a veronica

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Learn Spanish by cooking dishes from the Spanish cuisine

January 20th, 2012

Spanish is a language that can be practised in many different ways, by reading books, watching films in Spanish, listening to songs… but one of the most enjoyable and entertaining ways to learn Spanish in Spain is to do so while you cook a typical dish from the Spanish cuisine.

This activity is very common in Spanish schools, and many have it as a special section in the course program. This type of exercise is very important for students to be able to learn Spanish and the Spanish culture outside school classes, by doing it in a more enjoyable way: by cooking.

Learn Spanish cooking is a great activity

Two Spanish students in a cooking course

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

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

The Spanish cinema is getting prepared for the Goya Awards

January 17th, 2012

All countries have their cinema awards: the Oscars in United States, the BAFTA in the UK and the César in France. In Spain we also have ours, the Goya, the annual awards from the Arts Academy and the Cinematographic Sciences for best directors, actors and films from Spanish cinema.

This year we celebrate the XXVIth edition of awards that will take place on the 19th of February in the Palacio Municipal de Congresos (a convention centre) in Madrid. So, if you are in the city to undertake a Spanish course, use the opportunity to see the best Spanish actors on the Spanish cinema’s red carpet.

Pedro Almodóvar y Penélope Cruz

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The 8 best things Spanish students can do in Barcelona

January 13th, 2012

The city of Barcelona is a very lively place which offers a great variety of activities for students undertaking a course in a Spanish school. We leave you 8 pieces of advice to never get bored:

■To go shopping is a treat for those students who like fashion, as this city has several areas with a great commercial offer, such as the Avenida Diagonal, the Paseo de Gracia and the barrio Gótico.
■You can not leave Barcelona without strolling down its most famous street, La Rambla. Along the way you can find kiosks, bars, restaurants and the famous human statues, artists who entertain strollers with their shows.

La Rambla of Barcelona

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Idiomatic tourism is also present at Fitur 2012

January 9th, 2012

Next 18^th of January the 32^nd 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 18^th and the 22^nd 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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Spanish schools and gastronomy: The roscón de Reyes

January 5th, 2012

Some days ago we were talking to you about the turrón , the typical sweet for Christmas in Spain, we will now do the same with another traditional sweet from the Spanish gastronomy for Christmas, the roscón de Reyes, one of the products that have to be on the table when you stay in Spain to learn Spanish.

As its name states, this sweet is typically eaten on the 6^th of January, day of the Reyes Magos, but it is more and more usual to have it during all festivities, always with a cup of hot chocolate. You should definitely not miss out on this mixture if you are learning Spanish in Spain.

Roscón de Reyes

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Culture of Spain for Spanish classes: The Reyes Magos(the Three Wise Men) arrive to Spain

January 4th, 2012

On the 6^th of January we celebrate one of the important Spanish traditions for children, Epiphany or the día de los Reyes Magos. The little ones, and sometimes less little ones, receive the presents or charcoal on that day, charcoal if they behaved badly, which they previously ordered in a letter.

Even though the figure of Father Christmas becomes more important in our country, the Reyes Magos day is still more important and every year it is customary to organise a series of related events for the festivity, the most outstanding one is the Cabalgata de Reyes which takes place on the 5^th of January and is celebrated in all Spanish villages and cities. The cabalgata is a parade with the Reyes Magos mounted on horses, camels or sitting in carriages, and covering the city’s streets throwing sweets and balls to the children who stand on the pavement, this is therefore a very good opportunity to enjoy one of our traditions with your classmates from the Spanish course in Spain.

A Spanish course may be a good gift of Kings

Picture of the Three Kings Parade of Alcoy

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

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

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The Brazilian song “Ai se eu te pego” is a big success in Spain

December 30th, 2011

What started as a dance between two Real Madrid football players, Marcelo and Cristino Ronaldo after scoring a goal, ended up becoming very successful in our country. The song “Ai se eu te pego” from the Brazilian Michel Teló became the most viewed video on Youtube in 2011 inSpain, you can also listen to it on all radio stations and in all clubs, and you have probably already heard it at least once if you are studying Spanish in Spain.

This singer started being famous in Brazil in 2010 after he participated in a television programme, but he achieved international fame only this year (2011). His song “Ai se eu te pego” is already known all over the world. We leave the words of the song and its translation in Spanish for all of you studying Spanish in Spain:

Aprende español en España y disfruta de la música

Michel Teló

►…sigue leyendo sobre la canción brasileña

The I International Spanish Exhibition is celebrated in May 2012

December 28th, 2011

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 10^th until the 13^th 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.

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Live the beginning of 2012 and learn Spanish in Spain

December 27th, 2011

Twelve strokes, twelve grapes and a lot of joy, this is how you welcome the new year in Spain. Less than a week is left before we leave 2011 behind and start 2012, the celebration is very stylish in Spain, so if you are undertaking Spanish classes in a Spanish city, you should get ready to enjoy this big night.

It is a tradition to eat 12 grapes in Spain, one for each month, at the sound of every stroke that sounds at midnight on the 31^st of December. It is common to celebrate this moment on the town house square or some other central square in the city, the most famous New Year’s Eve in Spain is the one celebrated in the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, an ideal destination to go to and spend a night if you are undertaking Spanish classes in Spain.

Enjoy the end of the year and attend classes in Spanish in Spain

Puerta del Sol in Madrid

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Spanish schools and gastronomy: The turrón, the Christmas sweet

December 23rd, 2011

Polvorones, mazapanes, mantecados, peladillas…many typical sweets for Christmas, but only one stands out, the turrón. It is one of the sweets from the Spanish gastronomy that is never missing in a house around these dates and all Spanish students staying in Spain to learn Spanish have probably already tried it.

This food is made from almond and honey, a mixture that was already used by the Arabs in the ancient Al-Andalus. Nevertheless, the turrón as we know it now started to be made in the XV century in Jijona, a town near the city of Alicante. The two most famous turrones in Spainare made there, the Turrón de Jijona (soft, the almonds are ground to form a dough) and the Turrón de Alicante (hard, it has whole almonds). If you are staying in our country to learn Spanish in Alicante, you cannot miss out on trying some of these turrones.

Learn Spanish in Spain and enjoy the turrón

Turrón de Alicante y Turrón de Jijona

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