Archive for the ‘Spanish culture’ Category

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New Year’s Eve in Spain: The twelve grapes and cotillion.

Tuesday, December 31st, 2013

Spain celebrates the New Year’s Eve with a tradition to take twelve grapes synchronously at the stroke to wish us luck in the new year. The reference point in Spain is Madrid, on the Puerta del Sol, where TV channels broadcast the event live for the whole country.

In Spanish cities usually there is a main square of the town hall where the people meet to take the grapes at this moment. There are some cities and towns rich in tradition and great atmosphere.

New Year's Eve in Puerta del Sol in Madrid

New Year’s Eve in Puerta del Sol in Madrid

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The nobels of Spanish.

Friday, September 27th, 2013

The first Nobel prize was awarded in 1901, a year after the creation of the Nobel Foundation and five years after the death of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite. In that first year prizes were awarded in the field of Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine and Peace. Since 1969 prizes are also given in the discipline of Economics.

The Nobel Prize for Literature is decided by theSwedishAcademyand has been awarded every year since 1901, except in 1914 and 1918, because of the First World War, in 1935, this field remained empty and neither between the years from 1940 till 1943 because of the Second World War.

Writers awarded with the Noble prize of Literature in Spanish - Spanish in Tour - Schools and Spanish courses

Writers awarded with the Noble prize of Literature in Spanish.

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Origin and history of Spanish (4/4): From Castilian to Spanish.

Friday, August 16th, 2013

The word Castilian for the language was used for a long time as reference to Castille, the place were it originated. In 1925 the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) officially adopted the term “Spanish” to refer to the language. It was after the 15th publication of the dictionary that it started being called the dictionary of the Spanish language. In the 14 previous editions it was called Castilian language.

That moment coincides with determined circumstances when a great literary production was generated in America. An important example is the Nicaraguan Rubén Darío, but there is a great representation of literary movements at the end of the XIXth century and at the beginning of the XXth century, with great influences from Latin American writers. In 1925 the RAE decides to adopt the term Spanish to refer to the whole of the language as practised in all the Spanish speaking countries.

Origin and history of Spanish language: From Castilian to Spanish.

Instituto Cervantes in Madrid.

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Origin and history of Spanish (3/4): The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE, Real Academia Española)

Thursday, July 4th, 2013

The major literary prosperity of Castilian took place in a period comprised between the XVIth and the XVIIth centuries with very important writers, specially Garcilaso de la Vega, in the XVIth century. In that century Castilian was declared official language. Immediately after that came Miguel de Cervantes, author of “Don Quijote de la Mancha”, the most edited and translated work in universal literature, except the bible.

Palacio del marqués de Villena, Royal Spanish Academy in 1713. Spanish in Tour: Spanish courses in Spain.

Palacio del marqués de Villena, Royal Spanish Academy in 1713.

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Origin and history of Spanish (2/4): Antonio de Nebrija.

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013

Fernando III, the Saint, during the first half of the XIIth century as well as his son Alfonso X the Wise during the other half, widened the limits of the Castilla y Leon territory in their offensive against Muslims until the frontiers of the Reign of Granada. It was an important period for the building and consolidation process of Castilian. Fernando III promoted the translation of Fuero Juzgo, legal body of around 500 laws proceeding from an old translation from Latin named Liber luciciorum, from the Visigothic period.

Origin and history of Spanish language: Antonio de Nebrija.

Origin and history of Spanish language: Antonio de Nebrija.

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Origin and history of Spanish language (1/4): First manuscripts.

Friday, May 24th, 2013

Nowadays there are more than 495 million people who have Spanish as their mother tongue. The origin of this language is vulgar Latin, which propagated in Spainat the end of the IIIrd century after Christ.

The first revelations of the Spanish language were initially linked to some manuscripts from the Xth century, around year 974, when a monk wrote small annotations in several languages: Latin, medieval Basque, Hispanic Romance and a variety from Rioja of Spanish or of Navarro-Aragonese. We call these writings the Glosas Emilianenses because they were composed in the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla, which is located at about40 km from Logroño. At first these documents were thought to be the beginning of Castilian, but later studies classified the documents as mostly written in Navarro-Aragonese, not in Castilian.

Origin and history of Spanish language: First manuscripts.

Origin and history of Spanish language: First manuscripts. Cartularios de Valpuesta.

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Holy Week in Spain, tourist interest for the Spanish course students.

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

The international students who arrive in Spain to study a Spanish course have to know that there is a declaration: «Fiesta of International Tourist Interest», distinction granted by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism to the fiestas or events that suppose some type of expression of cultural values and of popular tradition. The requirements demanded for the award include the age of the celebration, its originality, continuity in time, its popular support and citizen’s participation, in an extensive procedure.

Holy Week in Spain - Valladolid - spanish courses in Spain - by Porquenopuedo

Holy Week in Spain

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Spain, World heritage

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

Spain is a country that receives millions of tourists and thousands of Spanish students every year. All arrive with the intention to spend some days, some weeks or a year in our country while they enjoy the charms of all the beautiful spots in cities and villages.

Nevertheless, what most of them do not know is that Spain is the second country in the world with the biggest number of sites declared World Heritage by UNESCO, after Italy, even though Spain beats this country for tourism thanks to its beaches, climate and others charms.

Toledo es una ciudad Patrimonio de la Humanidad

Toledo es una ciudad Patrimonio de la Humanidad

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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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Learn Spanish with films from the Spanish cinema

Friday, March 16th, 2012

To watch films in Spanish can be very useful to learn Spanish and is one of the best resources any student can and should use to improve their knowledge of the language. It is often a very common activity in the Spanish schools in Spain and most organise cinema sessions for the students.

We recommend you to watch mainly films from the Spanish cinema, since this is good not only to improve your words and expressions vocabulary but also to exercise the hearing comprehension and to observe the gestures, way of saying things of the natives.

A group of girls in a Spanish class

A group of girls in a Spanish class

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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.

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Alicante brightens up with the Spring Festival

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Spring will be here on the 21st of March and the city of Alicante wants its citizens and visitors, including students from the Spanish courses, to celebrate it with the most important electronic music festival in the province, the “Alicante Spring Festival”.

It is the fourth edition of this great event which is all about electronic music and indie pop. It will take place on the 31st of March in the Zona Volvo of the Port of Alicante and you will be able to enjoy it during the day as well as during the night, until very late in the morning.

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Spanish Schools and gastronomy: The olive oil, Spanish liquid gold

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Be it to dip bread, to put on toast, to season a salad or to fry in the pan, there is nothing better than using the Spanish liquid gold, the olive oil. Together with iberian ham and wine, it is one of the favourite products of Spanish, tourists and students from the Spanish schools in Spain.

Also, it is not only a basic ingredient for many dishes of the Spanish gastronomy, but also experts state it is very beneficial for the health and prevents illnesses. So, if you are undertaking a course in a Spanish school in Spain do no hesitate to use it in all your recipes.

Olive oil, food for Spanish students

A toast with olive oil

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Enjoy the Fallas in Valencia, the celebration of fire

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

The city of Valencia starts preparing the celebration its inhabitants really look forward to, it brings the city to a standstill for some days every year, it attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world and students from the Spanish courses can enjoy its main elements, music, fireworks, light and colour… we are talking about the celebration of fire: the Fallas de Valencia.

The Fallas is the most important and spectacular celebration of this city and it is a great tourist attraction, it was declared celebration of International Tourist Interest. The celebration is a tribute to San José, patron saint of carpenters, and it takes place between the 15th until the 19th of March.

Make a Spanish course in Valencia and enjoy the Fallas

One of the monuments of the Fallas 2011

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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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The 7 best things students can do in Salamanca

Friday, February 24th, 2012

The city of Salamanca is the Spanish student city of excellence, a very lively place with a great offer of activities for those students who are undertaking a course in a Spanish academy in Salamanca. We leave you 7 pieces of advice so you never get bored in this World Heritage city:

  • ■ To visit the Playa Mayor of the city is like visiting the heart of Salamanca. Considered one of the most beautiful places inSpain, it has become the meeting place for tourists and students.
  • ■ If you get a chance, do not miss the Holy Week in Salamanca. This celebration is worth seeing, receiving thousands of visits, it was declared of International Tourist Interest.
Salamanca is a great city to learn Spanish

Plaza Mayor in Salamanca

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

Friday, 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

Wednesday, 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?

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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