What does “Ya” mean in Spanish?
“Ya” is another one of those Spanish words that appear everywhere and can mean different things in different contexts. Let’s look at the most common ways “ya” is used in everyday Spanish:
Already:
¿Ya has comido? (Have you eaten already?)
Ya lo sé (I already know) Continue reading
Learn Spanish and earn money at the same time – become an Aupair in Spain!
One of the best ways to learn a language and to become fluent quickly is to live and work in the country for a few months or even a few years. A popular way to do this for many young people is to work as an Aupair for a host-family. This is a cultural exchange which allows you to improve the language and learn about the culture from living with native speakers as well as earning money at the same time. In this article we will look at how one specialist Aupair agency in Spain works – “Family & Aupair”. Continue reading
Spanish “Tener” phrases (useful everyday phrases)
“Tener” is mainly used in Spanish to describe possession, however, it is also used in several idiomatic expressions which translate into English as “to be”, such as the following:
Tener (mucho) calor – To be (very) hot
Tengo calor. – I am hot.
Tener (mucho) frío – To be (very) cold
Juan tiene frío. Juan is cold. Continue reading
Spanish phrases for emergency situations
Having been in an emergency situation myself a couple of times when living in Spain, I know how important the following phrases can be. Read on to find out how to ask for help or to offer your help if you ever find yourself in danger or an emergency situation:
Emergency services:
ambulance: ambulancia
police: policía
fire brigade: bomberos
doctor: médico Continue reading
Spanish diminutives (-ito, -illo endings)
Especially in spoken Spanish, a diminutive suffix is added to words for several reasons, not just to say something is small. They are also used to show affection or to be more friendly. For example, by adding the suffix –ito or –cito it can change the meaning from “grandmother” to “granny” or from “dog” to “doggy”. In this article we will learn how to use diminutive suffixes in Spanish and when to use them. Continue reading
Receta de Churros (Churros recipe) [en español e inglés]
Los churros son unas pastas típicamente españolas. Estas pastas dulces suelen mojarse en chocolate deshecho y suele ser el almuerzo del domingo para muchas personas. Los churros son muy simples de hacer y, una vez fritos se conservan durante unos días aunque siempre están más buenos si son acabados de hacer. (Churros are typical Spanish pastries. These sweet pastries are usually dipped in melted chocolate and many people usually have them for a Sunday lunch. Churros are simple to make and once fried keep well for a few days although they are always better when freshly made.) Continue reading
Expressing your likes and dislikes in Spanish: Me gusta(n) / (I like)
The verb “to like” in Spanish is “gustar” and it works differently to most verbs. You also need a pronoun at the beginning to say who likes it. It works backwards, so really you are saying ” X pleases me” – “Me gusta X“.
you like: te gusta
he/she likes: le gusta
we like: nos gusta
you (all) like: os gusta
they like: les gusta
* Add “n” to “gusta” if the thing that you like or dislike is plural.
Me gusta el queso: I like cheese.
Me gustan las aceitunas: I like olives.
* If you are using a verb, use the singular “gusta”.
Me gusta nadar.: I like to swim.
Read on for different ways to express what you like or dislike in Spanish: Continue reading
How to ask for someone’s opinion and give your opinion in Spanish
A useful part of knowing a language and interacting with Spanish people is being able to ask someone’s opinion and also to give your own views. Spanish people are very opinionated and love having a real discussion on any subject whatsoever; from politics and “la crisis” to food, the weather and the local supermarket prices. You may often think they are having a huge argument from their raised voices and the way they throw their arms around, however this is normally just a healthy discussion. If you want to get involved in discussions with locals, it would be a good idea to learn some of the question and answer phrases in this article. Continue reading
¿Cómo eres? – What are you like?
Here are some adjectives to describe personality in English and Spanish: (Aquí tienen algunos adjetivos para describir la personalidad en inglés y español):
[Use -o endings to describe men/boys and -a endings to describe women/girls. Those that end in -e stay the same:]
funny: gracioso/a
happy: feliz (generally) / contento/a (about something in particular – short term)
honest: honrado/a / honesto/a
friendly: simpático/a or: amable
sensible: sensato/a
sensitive: sensible Continue reading
Why do Spanish people have two surnames?
You have probably noticed that in countries where Spanish is spoken, native Spanish people have about four different names and you may have wondered why this is. The custom of having more than one surname originates from the Arabic influence in Spain between 711 and 1492 AD. It may seem a complicated way of naming and there are variations as to how it works but basically the rule is simple: Continue reading
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