Archive for the ‘Spanish in Tour’ Category

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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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Spanish schools and gastronomy: The roscón de Reyes

Thursday, 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 6th 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.

Learn Spanish in Spain and enjoy the roscón de Reyes

Roscón de Reyes

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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.

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Spanish schools and gastronomy: The turrón, the Christmas sweet

Friday, 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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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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Spanish schools and gastronomy: The pacharán of Navarre

Friday, November 25th, 2011

It is a traditional liquor and it is very consumed in the Navarre region, as well as in some parts of Spain, it was already known and drunk by citizens from the area in the middle ages. It is a drink many students undertaking Spanish classes in Navarre areas, Aragón, La Rioja or the Basque country decide to try.

The pacharán, mainly produced in Navarre, is a drink derived from natural alcohols obtained through sloe maceration into anisette, which has an alcohol content of between a 25% and 30% of the volume. It has a bouquet and fruity taste, sweet and pleasant taste, is red or intense rosé and has an attractive aspect.

Spanish schools and gastronomy: The pacharán

Bottle of pacharán

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Spanish cuisine to Spanish courses: The best potato tortilla is made in Bentazos

Monday, November 14th, 2011

It is the city’s dish of excellence, it has its own festivity and last 12th of November, the potato tortilla of Betanzos became the best one in all of Spain, so none of the students undertaking a basic Spanish course in the city can leave without trying it.

This prize was awarded thanks to the Galician Alberto García Ponte, who resulted to be the winner of Spain’s XIII Potato Tortilla Championship which took place in Elcheas part of the competition ‘Lo Mejor de la Gastronomía’ (The best of gastronomy).

Un curso de español en Betanzos permite disfrutar de la mejor tortilla de patatas de España

La tortilla de patatas de Betanzos

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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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Spanish Schools and gastronomy: The pulpo á feira, the most famous in Galicia

Friday, October 21st, 2011

In some Spanish schools in Santiago de Compostela as well as in other cities of the Galicia region: Vigo, La Coruña, Betanzos… Spanish students do usually prepare typical dishes from the Spanish cuisine, and one of them is the pulpo a feira.

It may be the most famous dish of the magnificent Galician gastronomy and it is better known in the rest of Spain as pulpo a la gallega. Although it may be the traditional dish from this autonomous region, its consumption has spread through Spain as a tapa, so if you are undertaking a course in any of the many Spanish schools in Spain you can not miss the opportunity of trying it.

Galician gastronomy in Spanish schools

Two women preparing the octopus

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Learn Spanish with the music: David Bisbal, the success of humility

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

His songs are known all over the world and he has been piling up success after success in and outside Spain, so it is certain that any student who comes to undertake a Spanish course in Spain has heard some of his songs.

David Bisbal started his career in the music world when he was18 ina famous orchestra in Almería called Orquestra Expresiones. It is in 2001 when he started to be famous after his participation in the first edition of Operación Tiunfo, a television competition where the face of Spain at the Eurovision would be selected between 16 competitors, and David Bisbal finished second.

David Bisbal y K'Naan, interpretes del tema de Coca Cola para Sudáfrica 2010

David Bisbal y K’Naan (haz clic en la imagen para ver el videoclip de su canción)

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Spanish Schools and gastronomy: The Iberian ham, king of Spanish gastronomy

Monday, September 26th, 2011

The Spanish product by excellence, the best delicacy for the palate, the king of Spanish gastronomy, beneficial for the health…is the Iberian ham. It is possibly one of the most consumed products in Spain and the most searched for by tourists coming to our country.

To understand the differences between hams is not easy and one of the first things to know is to differentiate jamón ibérico and jamón serrano. The jamón ibérico or dry-cured ham is the one made from native swine from the Iberian Peninsula and it has a minimum content of 50% pure Iberian pork, while the Serrano ham refers to meat from a white race of swine, which is cured in a cold and dry climate. When you go to eat out in a restaurant after your Spanish class in the Spanish school, do not get confused when ordering the ham, which can be identified by its dark skin and its black foot (pata negra).

Iberian acorn ham

Iberian acorn ham

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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

Paella, one of the favourite dishes in Spanish schools

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

A student visiting or staying in Spain to undertake a course to learn Spanish, cannot get back to his country without trying one of Spanish’ most typical and representative dishes of the Spanish gastronomy on an international level: the paella. There are several variants of this dish within the national territory, but our country’s cuisine’s best and most varied paella and the one we recommend to all who come to study Spanish, is the paella from Valencia.

To learn how to cook this dish is one of students’ most practised activities in Spanish schools. The paella is not easy to prepare, as you need to know the steps to follow to prepare it and have great care while preparing it, but with a little practice any Spanish student will be able to cook a paella and be proud of it.

Paella is a dish to practice in Spanish schools

A paella valenciana in the fire

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Spanish omelette, a recipe to practise in the Spanish schools in Spain

Friday, April 29th, 2011

Cooking a potatoes omelette is a very common activity practiced by students who are studying Spanish in Spain. It is one of the most popular where families often cook it to eat in their own homes, although it also appears in the menu of the best restaurants. Anyway, it´s often eaten as a tapa or as appetizer in bars to accompany a caña (glass of beer) or glass of wine.

Pincho de tortilla

It is prepared in about 30 minutes, including preparation and cooking. The ingredients are simply eggs, potatoes and onions, to fry in a pan with oil, preferably olive oil, and a little salt. The popularity of the ingredients and resources facilitates the practice as an activity in the schools of Spanish for students learning Spanish in Spain.

Cut the transverse potatoes in thin circles, although somewhat thicker than the potato chips, and the onion into small pieces. Fry the potatoes and onion into the pan, once heated the oil is heated. The time of frying to fry the potatoes can be used to prepare the eggs and beat them in a dish or bowl. Both beaten eggs as potatoes and onions are often put some salt, independently.

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The 10 best pieces of advice to make the most of your time during the study of Spanish

Monday, April 18th, 2011

We’d like to give you a series of 10 pieces of practical advice to be able to learn Spanish easier and faster.

1-The first one, and the most important one is to choose an attractive country to start this beautiful adventure. Spain is the third country in the world for tourists, and first among those with Spanish as an official language, but there are also other countries with tourist interest and a selection of attractions.

2- Attend a recognised Spanish school in the city where you decided to study, as that is where they will help you to find the best methods to better your knowledge more rapidly and with more interest.

3- Put yourself objectives to fulfil during your learning time. Those should be realistic and feasible. You can ask the school where you decided to study’s teaching staff for help and support.

4- Don’t be shy when you have to talk to someone, the best way to improve is practising. Try to express yourself in real situations such as in the bar, the bakery, a restaurant, etc.

►…continue reading to discover the best tips to make your time in the study of Spanish

Idiomatic tourism gets strong in Spain

Friday, March 11th, 2011

Spain has always been a country where tourism simply meant sea and sun, but some years ago other forms of tourism have begun to grow, such as the idiomatic one. To come to Spain to study Spanish while being a tourist is an incentive for many foreigners who want to learn the language. It is the second most spoken in the world for number of people have it as mother tongue and the third most spoken language considering the ones who have it as first or second language. Also, Spanish is the second most studied language after English, and the third most used language on the internet (7,8% of total); it is expected that by 2050, 10% of the world’s population will speak Spanish.

In other countries such as Germany, France or the United Kingdom this conception of language learning as a tourism resort is already widely used.

A group of foreign students of Spanish

A group of foreign students of Spanish

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