GCSE Spanish tips!
How to avoid over-using “bueno” when describing
It is so easy to fall into the trap of using the same small set of adjectives to describe things in your speaking and writing. e.g. la pelcula fue buena, (The film was good). Here is a list of adjectives to learn and have at your fingertips to include in your speaking or writing tasks:
agradable – pleasant
amable – kind / friendly / nice
asombroso – astonishing / amazing
bonito – pretty
deslumbrante – dazzling
emocionante – exciting
encantador/a – charming
Continue reading
Different ways to say “no” in Spanish
As well as just a simple, “No” there are several different ways you can say “no” in Spanish. Here are a few easy to remember phrases to say “no” in Spanish in a friendly way:
¡Ni hablar! – No way! / Don’t even talk about it!
¡En absoluto! – Absolutely not! [This looks like you are saying “Absolutely” but in fact it is negative, you are completely disagreeing!]
¡En la vida! – Never in my life! Continue reading
2 Useful Spanish phrases
(1) Acabar de + infinitive (To have just …)
(2) Estar a punto de + infinitive (To be about to …)
(1) Acabar de + infinitive
This is the structure in Spanish to talk about the very recent past, to say what has just happened. You can use this in various tenses:
Present tense:
Acabo de comer. I have just eaten. (a few minutes ago) Continue reading
Spanish nouns that can be masculine or feminine
… each with a different meaning
When you start learning Spanish you learn that all nouns are classed as either masculine or feminine, however in reality there are exceptions when you can use a word with either gender, each with a different meaning.
Normally this relates to someone’s occupation, for example, el policía = the policeman, la policía = la policía. El periodista = the (male) journalist, la periodista = the (female) journalist. Other words can be used with either gender but be careful as their meaning changes. There is no reason for this so you just have to learn the gender with the noun and try to remember the following:
boleto/a: el boleto = ticket (travel) / la boleta = ticket (fine/penalty)
bolso/a: el bolso = handbag / la bolsa = larger bag/sack Continue reading
11 tips for improving your conversational Spanish!
Want to get better at speaking your target language? There’s no way around it: you need to practice speaking it! Chatting with others — whether it’s with native speakers, friends, or classmates — will help you learn new vocabulary, understand those words in context, and also improve your listening skills.
So, where do you start? TakeLessons.com has put together a great infographic sharing a few tips for how to improve your conversational Spanish. Check it out below! Not learning Spanish? The tips can also be applied to French, Japanese, or any other language you’re learning. Continue reading
Learn Spanish through songs
Enrique Iglesias – Duele el corazón (The heart hurts)
Solo en tu boca, yo quiero acabar
Only in your mouth, I want to finish
Todos esos besos que te quiero dar
All those kisses that I want to give you
A mí no me importa que duermas con él
I don’t care that you sleep with him
Porque sé que sueñas con poderme ver
Because I know you dream about seeing me
Continue reading
10 Common Phases in Spanish Nurses can use at Work
There are times when knowing a few phrases in a foreign language can make a big difference at work. This is certainly the case for nurses, who sometimes get Spanish speaking patients who are still in the process of getting a hold of English. In this article, we’ll go over 10 common phrases nurses can use at work, as well as a few vocabulary words that may also be useful.
Since these phrases will generally be used in a professional environment, they’ll have a formal tone that can be used to address patients or customers at work. Let’s get started with the first one… Continue reading
10 interesting facts you may not know about the Spanish language!
Spanish is spoken by over 500 million people and is the fastest growing language. By 2050 there will be over 600 million Spanish speakers.
2. Spanish is the official language of 22 countries in four continents; Spain, Canary Islands (Europe), Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Paraguay, Panama, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua (America), Ceuta, Melilla, Equatorial Guinea, Western Sahara, Gabon (Africa), Eastern Island (Oceania). Continue reading
What does “se” mean in Spanish?
People often ask what “se” means in Spanish as they see it used everywhere yet is has no single meaning; it can be translated differently depending on how it is used. If you are just starting to learn Spanish you don’t need to worry too much about it, however, as you advance further with the language, you will begin to understand what it can mean in different contexts.
Keeping it simple – here are the most common ways you will see “se” used:
1. Himself / herself / themselves (Reflexive pronoun)
With reflexive verbs the subject is also the object.
Se levanta = He/She gets up [Literally: He/She gets himself/herself up]
Se duerme = He/She falls asleep Continue reading
Buying time in oral exams
GCSE, A-level speaking exam tips
It is natural to be nervous in a speaking exam and therefore you often end up rushing your answer, however it is important to take your time, make sure you have understood the question correctly and give yourself time to form an answer in the best way possible. A useful tip is to use a few short phrases to give yourself a little extra time to think about how you are going to answer.
Here are a few words and expressions you can use:
Bueno, … – Well, …
Pues, … – Well, … Continue reading
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