Let’s face it, who doesn’t like a bargain? Haggling with native market sellers is the ideal opportunity to practise your Spanish with the 
locals. After recently using my Spanish haggling skills successfully(!) when buying souvenirs in Buenos Aires, here are my top tips for getting the best items at the best price at any Spanish-speaking market.
Top Tip: Arrive early! Stall holders usually want to make a quick sale to kick start their day, so will be eager to sell at any price if you go first thing.
Popular Spanish Sayings (refranes)
After collaborating with Spanish friends, we have come up with a list of the top sayings (refranes) used every day in Spain today.
1. Cuando las ranas críen pelos. (Lit. When frogs grow hair.)
English equivalent: When pigs might fly. / When hell freezes over.
2. A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda. (Lit. God helps the one who rises early.)
English equivalent: The early bird catches the worm.
3. No hay que empezar la casa por el tejado. (Lit. You mustn’t start the house before the roof.)
English equivalent: Don’t put the cart before the horse. Continue reading
20 Brilliant ways to improve your Spanish!
Are you looking for more interesting and fun ways to improve your Spanish that do not take much time or effort? The following ideas from learners will inspire you and keep you motivated. As there are so many options available, I would suggest trying one idea at a time so that you don’t become completely overwhelmed. Continue reading 10 Great reasons to learn Spanish
1. Spanish is spoken everywhere!
There are over 330 million native Spanish speakers in the world and Spanish is the most widely spoken language after Mandarin Chinese and English. This is only likely to grow over the next few decades. Spanish is spoken in more countries than French and German; most of South America, Spain, parts of the US, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines and even parts of Antarctica. Continue reading
How can I help my child learn Spanish?
When is the best age for my child to start learning Spanish?
The simple answer is “the sooner the better”! Children start to pick up sounds all around them from the moment they are born and by the age of two they are quickly absorbing everything they see and hear. It has been proven that the earlier a child starts to learn a second language, the more likely they are to speak it as fluently as their first language. Additionally, it has been shown that children who have been learning a foreign language become high academic achievers, outperforming their peers. On leaving school and applying for jobs, if your child knows a second language they will have a competitive edge over those who don’t.
So if you want your child to excel in school and have the best opportunities when entering the workforce, encourage them to learn Spanish as soon as possible. Continue reading
How will learning Spanish make my business succeed internationally?
Spain is rapidly becoming one of the most important languages for business. Spanish is the official language of 21 countries. It is the third most spoken language in the world today and the second most used language for business. Globalisation is making the business world a much smaller place and those with knowledge of Spanish will have a clear competitive edge over those who only speak English. How nice would it be to be able to offer your product or service to other countries? Continue reading
San Fermín Running of the Bulls (July 6-14)
The craziest, liveliest and most fun-filled fiesta in Europe that takes place every July in Pamplona, Spain.
What is the San Fermín festival?
It is difficult to describe the atmosphere of this fiesta as you have to be there to experience it to see why it is such an unforgettable event. Although tourists know the festival as “the running of the bulls”, to Spanish people it is so much more than this. The running of the bulls is just one part of the incredible party atmosphere associated with this traditional Spanish fiesta. Continue reading
Key tips to memorise Spanish vocabulary
Key tips to memorise Spanish vocabulary!
One of the keys to mastering Spanish is to learn new vocabulary. Many people find this difficult as busy lifestyles don’t allow you to spend as much time as you may like on learning new Spanish words. Many people do not have a great memory and struggle to remember even the most basic words. As a Spanish tutor, over the past nine years I have been creating new and inspiring ways to help learners memorise new words, which are described in this article. Continue reading
Why Learn Spanish via Skype?
Are Spanish Skype lessons as effective as face-to-face lessons?
Skype is a free program allowing you to communicate with people all over the world with free voice or video calls. It is becoming increasingly popular amongst language learners as it provides an amazing tool for learning a language effectively.
As a Spanish tutor I have noticed a sharp increase in the number of learners requesting Spanish Skype lessons over the past two years.
