Learn Spanish with SpanishExpert

Listen to Loba - Shakira's Next Spanish Single

2009-06-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

Shakira has made a comeback 6.29.09 with her latest Spanish single - "Loba" Listen Below! Follow the Ineem link for the full song! Comments?

Loba - Shakira

"Loba"

Sigilosa al pasar
Sigilosa al pasar
Esa loba es especial
Mirala, caminar caminar

Quién no ha querido a una diosa licántropa
En el ardor de una noche romantica
Mis aullidos son el llamado
Yo quiero un lobo domesticado

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Por fin he encontrado un remedio infalible que borre del todo la culpa
No pienso quedarme a tu lado mirando la tele y oyendo disculpas
la vida me ha dado un hambre voráz y tu apenas me das caramelos
Me voy con mis piernas y mi juventúd por ahí aunque te maten los celos

CH
Una loba en el armario
Tiene ganas de salir
Deja que se coma el barrio
Antes de irte a dormir

Tengo tacones de aguja magnetica
Para dejar a la manada frenetica
La luna llena como una fruta
No da consejos ni los escucha

Llevo conmigo un radar especial para localizar solteros
Si acaso me meto en aprietos tambien llevo el número de los bomberos
ni tipos muy lindos ni divos ni niños ricos yo se lo que quiero
pasarla muy bien y portarme muy mal en los brazos de algún caballero

Una loba en el armario
Tiene ganas de salir
Deja que se coma el barrio
Antes de irte a dormir

Cuando son casi la una la loba en celo saluda a la luna
Duda si andar por la calle o entrar en un bar a probar fortuna
Ya está sentada en su mesa y pone la mira en su proxima presa
Pobre del desprevenido que no se esperaba una de esas

Sigilosa al pasar
Sigilosa al pasar
Esa loba es especial
Mirala caminar, caminar

Deja que se coma el barrio
Antes de irte a dormir

Learn Business Spanish Phrases

2009-06-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following free Spanish video of common business words and phrases. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

Video Vocabulary:

Negocios
Business (General)
La Bolsa de Valores
The stock Market
El Contrato
The contract
La Empresa
The company
La reunión de directorio
The board meeting
El Presidente del directorio
The chairman (Board President)
Los Miembros del directorio
The board Members
El mercado
The market
El personal de la empresa
The company personell (Referred to as 'headcount' in the video)
Un acuerdo
An agreement
Los accionistas
The shareholders
El objetivo (drop the c in objective)
The goal (objective)
La facturación
The billing
El Por ciento
The Per cent
El margen de ganancias
The Profit margin
Las ganancias, ingresos
The Profit, revenue; repsectively -- los ingresos for revenue, and las ganancias for profit (but often used interchangeably)
El dólar
The dollar (American in this case, dólar canadiense for Canadian dollar).
El ejercicio fiscal
The fiscal year
Los problemas financieros
The financial problems
La Pórcion del mercado
The market share
Los gráficos
The graphs
Las estadisticas
The statistics
La decisión
The decision
El nivel gerencial
The management level

Verbs and common phrases used in the video:

Phrases using the verb tener, haber (to have):

1. Tener un nuevo contrato
To have a new contract
Video example:
Tenemos un nuevo contrato con la empresa.
We have a new contract with the company.

2. Tener una reunión
To have a meeting
Video Example 1:
Hubo* una reunión de directorio.
There was a board meeting.

*Note that this phrase uses the auxillary verb haber, which also means "to have" but formed in the perfect tense (hubo, there was) -- perfect tenses indicate completed actions. To find more about the perfect tense and how to use the verb haber, go here: http://spanishexpert.blogspot.com/2009/06/present-perfect-tense.html

To use the verb tener, you can also say: Tuvimos una reunión de directorio. We had a board meeting.

3. Tener más de 120 empleados
To have more than 120 employees
Video example:

Esta empresa tiene más de 120 empleados.
This company has more than 120 employees.

Dirigirse (Reflexive)* a alguien
To address someone
Video Example:
El presidente del directorio se dirigió a los miembros.
The chairman of the board addressed the members.

*Learn more about reflexive verbs

Hacer negocios con
To do business with
Video example:
Hacemos negocios con los japoneses.
We do business with the Japanese.

Achicarse (reflexive)*
To be diminished
Video example:
El mercado se achicó.
The market has shrunk.

*Learn more about reflexive verbs

Phrases using the verb llegar (to reach, arrive)

Llegar a
To reach, to come to
Video example 1:
El personal de la empresa llega a* mil personas.
The headcount has reached one thousand (people).

Note: The video uses llega a which actually means "reaches" not "has reached".

Video example 2:
No llegaron a un acuerdo.
They didn't reach an agreement.

Contratar
To hire
Video example:
Hemos contradado nuevo personal.
We have hired new personell.

Reunirse (reflexive)*
To meet
Video example:
Los accionistas se reunieron (Literally, "the shareholders reunited themselves").
The shareholders held a meeting.

*Learn more about reflexive verbs

To increase
Incrementar

Video example 1:
Nuestro objetivo es incrementar la facturación en un 20%.
Our goal is to increase billing by 20%.

Video example 2:
Debemos incrementar nuestra pórcion del mercado.
We must increase our market share.

To go up, rise
Subir
Video example:
El margen de ganancias subió 0.5%.
The profit margin went up by 0.5%.

Phrases using the verb ser (to be)

Video example 1:
Las ganancias fueron de 2 millones de dólares. (Note: las ganancias is f. plural, unlike in english, revenue, which is singular. Fueron is ser in past tense and is needed when the subjet is plural -- las ganancias)
The revenue was 2 million dollars.

Video example 2:
Esta es una decisión a nivel gerencial.
This is a management level decision.

Video example 3:
Él es un consultor externo.
He is an external consultant.

Estar Sacudido(a)
To be shaken
Video example:
La bolsa estuvo sacudida por problemas financieros.
The stock market was shaken by financial problems.

Terminar
To end, terminate (verb)
Video example:
El ejercicio fiscal termina en diciembre.
The fiscal year ends in December.

Usar
To use
En la presentación usaremos gráficos y estadisticas.
In the presentation we will use graphs and statistics.

Recibidos, bienvenidos
To be welcomed
Video example:
Fuimos recibidos por personas del más alto nivel gerencial de la empresa.
We were welcomed by the top management personnel in the company.

Encontrar
To find

Video example 1:
Necesitamos encontrar un consejero.
We need to find an advisor / counselor.

Video example 2:
Es difícil encontrar un buen asistente.
It's difficult to find a good assistant.

Video example 3:
Quisiera encontrar un trabajo de emploeado de oficina.
I'd like to find a clerk position.

Ser ascendido(a)
To be promoted
Video example:
Fui ascendido a gerente.
I was promoted to manager.

Spanish Stress and Accent Rules

2009-06-21T11:07:00.001-07:00

The best way to learn pronunciation is to be surrounded by native speakers to hear how words are pronounced. But if you ever wondered if there are rules of pronunication, the following videos could clear a few things up:

1000 Places to see Before you Die - Mexico

2009-06-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

Learn what traditional Mexico is really about and leave those stereotypes behind.

Review: Mi Vida Loca - BBC

2009-06-17T01:19:00.001-07:00

For those interested in European Spanish, I have found this course to be very useful, thanks to @julianreed for the recommendation. Mi Vida Loca is an interactive Mini drama intended for beginners of Spanish - completely free. It is part of the BBC's Languages program for Spanish.

I went through a couple of the lessons. I actually have become so interested in the program, that I may very well finish the whole series just for fun. It's very interactive, for example, el taxista (the cab driver) asked me for "veinticinco euros" and an interactive menu of Euro bills popped up. I then dragged the correct amount and placed it in his hand.

The program is intended for beginners but intermediate and advanced level users can use the on/off subtitle options and test their knowledge of Spanish. Also, I found the video footage of Madrid's streets to be a great experience.

You do not need any software requirements except Flash and the program loads within seconds in a fast connection.

Thanks to the BBC for such a wonderful resource and I hope to see more programs like this!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/

Free Spanish Audio Lessons

2009-06-15T23:03:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on adding audio portions (podcasts) to the many lessons on this site. I believe this will be very helpful for my readers as they will get to hear how to pronounce the words as a native speaker would pronounce them. I've recorded a few already and many more to come. So far, I've only managed to upload the following:

Audio Lesson #1: Greetings. ¡Hola José!

Learn Gustar with "Me Gustas Tu" by Manu Chao

2009-06-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

Heard a couple of tweetpeeps are having trouble with the verb "gustar". You can go here to learn how to use "gustar": http://spanishexpert.raudel.net/2009/05/spanish-gustar-learn-how-to-use.html

But before you do, let's watch a video:

The Present Perfect Tense

2009-06-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Carl has worked a lot this year.

In the above example, the verb “has worked” is in the Present Perfect Tense because it indicates a fact or an act in the past. However it also indicates a period of time that has not completely elapsed.

Another use for the Present Perfect that is similar to the previous example, is to express an action that has taken place, but whose time has not been definitely established.

Here is another example of the Present Perfect in English:

Martha has eaten very little.

In this example, the verb “has eaten” is in the Present Perfect to express that Martha ate in the past. However, it implies that a definite time in which this took place has not been determined.

To understand this tense better, let’s review the conjugation of the auxiliary verb haber in the present tense:

Yo he (I have) nosotros hemos (we have)

tú has (you have) ellos han (they have)

él ha (he has) ellas han (they have)

Ella ha (she has) ustedes han (you have)

Usted ha (you have)

Remember, with haber conjugated in the present tense, all that needs to be included is the past participle of the verb that is intended.

With this in mind, what follows is the conjugation for the Present Perfect for -ar verbs.

Hablar (To Speak) Past Participle: Hablado (Spoken)

Yo he hablado (I have spoken) nosotros hemos hablado (we have spoken)

tú has hablado (you have spoken) ellos han hablado (they have spoken)

él ha hablado (he has spoken) ellas han hablado (they have spoken)

ella ha hablado (she hasspoken) ustedes han hablado (you have spoken)

usted ha hablado (you have spoken)

Here is an example with hablar:

Jaime ha hablado mucho de su boda.
(Jaime has spoken a lot about his wedding.)

Once again, notice how similar the conjugation pattern for the Present Perfect is in Spanish and English. The auxiliary verb haber (to have) always comes before the past participle of the verb.

Conjugations for regular -er and and -ir verbs mirror a similar pattern.

Comer (to eat) Past Particple: Comido (Eaten)

Yo he comido (I have eaten) nosotros hemos comido (we have eaten)

tú has comido (you have eaten) ellos han comido (they have eaten)

él ha comido (he has eaten) ellas han comido (they have eaten)

ella ha comido (she has eaten) ustedes han comido (you have eaten)

usted ha comido (you have eaten)

Here is an example with comer:

He comido mucho hoy. (I have eaten a lot today.)

Salir (to go out) Past Participle: Salido (Gone out)

Yo he salido (I have gone out) nosotros hemos salido (we have gone out)

tú has salido (you have gone out) ellos han salido (they have gone out)

él ha salido (he has gone out) ellas han salido (they have gone out)

ella ha salido (she has gone out) ustedes han salido (you have gone out)

usted ha salido (you have gone out)

Here is an example with salir:

Juan Carlos ha salido mucho esta noche.
(Juan Carlos has gone out a lot tonight.)

Even the verb ir, which is normally an irregular verb in Spanish, has a regular conjugation in the Present Perfect.

Ir (to go) Past Participle: Ido (gone)

Yo he ido (I have gone) nosotros hemos ido (we have gone)

tú has ido (you have gone) ellos han ido (they have gone)

él ha ido (he has gone) ellas han ido (they have gone)

Ella ha ido (she has gone) ustedes han ido (you have gone)

Usted ha ido (you have gone)

What follows are a few examples using the Present Perfect Tense:

Andrés ha pensado mucho en su país.
(Andrés has thought a lot about his country.)

Mi vecina Rosa y su hija Carmen han estado en casa todo el día.
(My neighbor and her daughter Carmen have been home all day.)

La República Dominicana ha producido peloteros excelentes.
(The Dominican Republic has produced excellent baseball players.)

Este año, hemos donado nuestras computadoras a esa organización.
(This year, we have donated our computers to that organization.)

He estado en Nueva York desde el año 2000.
(I have been in New York since the year 2000.)

Usted ha estado de dieta.
(You have been on a diet.)

Despite the Present Perfect’s relatively simple conjugation, it should be noted that the Present Perfect Tense is also used with reflexive verbs.

This is expressed in the following example:

Mi papá se ha afeitado hoy.
(My father has shaved today.)

Note how the previously discussed pattern for the Present Perfect Tense is repeated. The only difference is that the reflexive pronoun must come before the auxiliary verb haber and before the past participle of the verb.

Reflexive Pronoun + Present tense of Haber + Past Participle

Other examples of reflexive verbs in the Present Perfect Tense are:

Me he cansado mucho hoy.
(I have been tired a lot today.)

El bebé de Juanita se ha enfermado.
(Juanita’s baby has gotten sick.)

Las muchachas se han divertido en el parque.
(The girls have had fun in the park.)

Te has sentado.
(You have sat down.)

Now let’s try a few exercises. Translate the following into Spanish. The answers follow the exercise.

1. My friends have eaten my food.

2. Have you brushed your teeth?

3. Mariaelena and I have gone out to play.

4. The volunteer doctors have helped them a lot.

5. Roberto and Ana have gotten married.

6. Our son John has visited his aunt and uncle.

7. David has talked a lot during the class.

8. Frida has wanted to go to school early.

Answers:

1. Mis amigos han comido mi comida.
2. ¿Te has cepillado los dientes?
3. Mariaelena y yo hemos salido a jugar.
4. Los doctores voluntarios los han ayudado mucho.
5. Roberto y Ana se han casado.
6. Nuestro hijo John ha visitado a sus tios.
7. David ha hablado mucho durante la clase.
8. Frida ha querido ir a la escuela temprano.

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

The Preterite Tense - El Pretérito

2009-06-12T00:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following free Spanish grammar lesson on how to use the verb "gustar". Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

The preterite tense is another topic that seems to confuse English speakers of Spanish. English speakers learning Spanish have a tendency to confuse the preterite with the imperfect and vice versa. Both tenses describe actions that took place in the past. But I think English speakers just learning Spanish have a tendency to confuse the two because in English in certain instances we sometimes use the same form of a verb to describe an action that took place in the past. But in Spanish, in the same instance, you cannot use both the preterite or the imperfect. Only one would be correct.

For example, in English , we can use the past tense of the verb “to go” (i.e. “went”) to describe two different actions that took place in the past.

1. I went to the shopping mall three times.

2. When I was young, I went to the shopping mall.
(Note: In English, for number “2” you could also say “When I was young, I used to go to the shopping mall.)

Both sentences use the same verb “went” to describe the action that took place in the past. But in Spanish, you cannot use the same verb tense. In the first sentence, you must use the preterite of “ir” (fui), and the imperfect verb tense (iba) in the latter.

Yo fui al almacén tres veces.

Cuando yo era joven, yo iba al almacén.

We will cover the “imperfect” verb tense in greater detail in a future lesson. But for now, think of the “imperfect” as a verb tense used to describe “how things used to be” or to describe an action that was continuous or habitual in the past.

The preterite verb tense is generally used to tell what happened (1) during a fixed period of time (either stated or implied), (2) a specific number of times, (3) or during an enclosed period of time. Here are some examples.

(1) During a fixed period of time:

Ayer compré un martillo.
Yesterday, I bought a hammer.

(2) A specific number of times (either state or implied)

Él perdió mi destornillador dos veces.
He lost my screwdriver two times.

Yo fui a la ferretería.
I went to the hardware store.
(It is implied that you went to the hardware store one time).

(3) During an enclosed period of time.

Tú martillaste el clavo por una hora.
You hammered the nail for an hour.

The following are some regular verbs in the preterite tense.

“AR” Verbs (hablar)
Yo hablé
Tú hablaste
Él/ella/usted habló
Nosotros/nosotras hablamos
Ellos/ellas/ustedes hablaron

“ER” Verbs (beber)
Yo bebí
Tú bebiste
Él/ella/usted bebió
Nosotros/nosotras bebimos
Ellos/ellas/ustedes bebieron

“IR” Verbs Vivir
Yo viví
Tú viviste
Él/ella/usted vivió
Nosotros/nosotras vivimos
Ellos/ellas/ustedes vivieron

Here are some examples.

1. Last week you bought a saw.
La semana pasada, tú compraste una sierra.

2. Yesterday, the man needed a hammer.
Ayer, el hombre necesitó un martillo.

3. They used the rake nine times.
Ellos usaron el rastrillo nueve veces.

4. The brother-in-law put the leaves in the bag.
El cuñado metió las hojas en la bolsa.

5. This morning the women sewed the clothes.
Esta mañana las mujeres cosieron la ropa.

6. Last night, I covered the dessert.
Anoche yo cubrí el postre.

Now let’s try some on your own. The answers follow.

1. The son-in law ate shrimp two times.
2. Today they decided to tell the truth.
3. Did you use the hoe in the yard today? (Familiar)
4. The daughter-in-law turned on the oven a two o’clock.
5. Last summer, the soldiers marched in the parade.
6. He suffered a lot in the war this year.

Answers:

1. El yerno comió camarones dos veces.
2. Hoy ellos decidieron a decir la verdad.
3. ?Usaste tu el azadon en el jardin hoy?
4. La nuera encendió el horno a las dos.
5. El verano pasado los soldados marcharon en el desfile.
6. El sufrió mucho en la guerra este ano.

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Why are you learning Spanish?

2009-06-11T16:26:00.001-07:00

Ok, curious minds inquire: Why are you learning español? Reasons of travel to a Spanish-speaking country? Work? Moving to another country? The dog you adopted only understands Spanish? Comment below:

Example:
Twitter username: @SpanishExpert
Location: Chicago, IL
Reasons: Diego and Juan are talking smack about me at work in Spanish and I want to understand them! (Just an example)

Learn Spanish Online with Native Speaker Mauricio Evlampieff

2009-06-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

I always recommend my followers to supplement their learning with free information on the internet, but unfortunately, as a native Spanish speaker, I often find a lot of junk out there. Many of my twitter followers have come to me with Spanish that is only found in a dictionary and never used by the Spanish-speaking community. It then becomes very frustrating to those who want to find a good way to learn Spanish online.

Mauricio Evlampieff, Spanish teacher from Chile, has given me the option to offer my followers a 6 free day trial of his online Spanish-learning service -- targeted for beginners who want to start speaking Spanish fast. I have finished the lessons myself and have found them to be very helpful. You'll actually learn quite a bit of Spanish for free. Sign up below and tweet me @SpanishExpert if you have any questions.

Once you sign up, you will recieve an e-mail each day for the next 6 days with a link to the audio and text lessons. You can listen to these online or download these as an MP3 and take them anywhere you want, including your Ipod. The first six lessons will cover the following:

Day 1 - Greetings in Spanish (audio lesson)
Day 2 - Greetings Explained (text lesson)
Day 3 - Introducing Yourself in Spanish (audio lesson)
Day 4 - Introductions Explained (text lesson)
Day 5 - Getting What You Want (audio lesson)
Day 6 - Ordering Explained (text lesson)

I hope you enjoy these lessons, and remember, you can use me as a free resource by tweeting me @SpanishExpert !

Youtube: Spanish for your Nanny - Spanish Profanity Lesson

2009-06-08T16:47:00.001-07:00

(Please do not continue reading if you find profanity offensive)

For those interested in learning offensive language (bad words as you call them) here's a bit of something for you -- plus this is very funny! The terms used are not slang words, they are actually found in a Spanish dictionary and are commonly used. However, these are still quite offensive so be careful when using these around anyone!

Non-offensive terms found in the video:
Productos de limpieza - cleaning supplies
Sepillo de dientes - toothbrush
Inodoro - toilet
clóset - closet
desinfectante - disinfectant
lesbiana - lesbian
Besame con lengua - Kiss me with tongue
escoba - broom

Now for what you came for:
Puta - Whore (from Prostituta meaning Prostitute)
Culo - Ass (and not the Donkey one)
Mierda - Shit
Gringo(a) - In Latin America, used for an "American"- often offensive, but very often not depending on the context (There's a great bar/restaurant in San Diego, CA named "Gringos".) Generally used for those of European descent, especially English-speaking.

Tweet me at @SpanishExpert if you have any questions!

Feedback: Your Spanish of choice?

2009-06-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

@ilustrisimo08 and @anthonydcameron are studying Latin American Spanish. Is that your Spanish of choice?

I am writing a short essay on the differences of Spain (Peninsular Spanish) and Latin American Spanish to help my followers choose which option is best for them.

Would love your feedback below (since twitter is limited to so many characters) on the following:

Where are you located?
Which Spanish in particular do you share an interest for?
What made you choose Peninsular or Latin American Spanish?

Any other questions or observations are welcomed!

Si Tú No Vuelves por Miguel Bosè

2009-06-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

Practice your Spanish by following Miguel Bosè's "Si Tú No Vuelves", one of the most beautiful songs in the Spanish-speaking world. It has been covered numerous times and the original still beats them all. Spanish lyrics below. Tweet me @SpanishExpert if you need any help with understanding what something means. Enjoy!

At a Glance
Birthname: Miguel Luchino González Bosé
Nationality: Spanish
Born: Apr 3 1956 (53 years old)

Download "Si Tú No Vuelves" feat. Shakira

Get "Bajo El Signo de Cain" Full Album
Miguel Bose Amazon.com Store

Si Tú No Vuelves by Miguel Bosè

Si tú no vuelves
se secarán todos los mares
y esperaré sin ti
tapiado al fondo de algún recuerdo

Si tú no vuelves
mi voluntad se hará paqueña...
Me quedaré aquí
junto a mi perro espiando horizontes

Si tú no vuelves
no quedarán más que desiertos
y escucharé por si
algún latido le queda a ésta tierra

Que era tan serena
cuando me querías
habia un perfume fresco que yo respiraba
era tan bonita, era así de grande
no tenía fin...

Y cada noche vendrá una estrella
a hacerme compañía
que te cuente cómo estoy
y sepas lo que hay
Dime amor, amor, amor
estoy aqui ¿no ves?
Si no vuelves no habrá vida
no sé lo que haré

Si tú no vuelves
no habrá esperanza ni habrá nada
Caminaré sin tí
con mi tristeza bebiendo lluvia

¿Tú qué piensas? Should Americans learn another language?

2009-06-05T04:05:00.000-07:00

Back during his campaign, Barrack Obama mentioned how embarrasing it was for Americans not knowing how to speak another language. Do you believe Americans should learn another language? Should that language be Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, both? Voice your opinion below or tweet me @SpanishExpert !

"Te Necesito" (por Shakira) - Practice your Spanish!

2009-06-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

Practice your Spanish by following Shakira's Song "Te Necesito" - I Need You. Tweet me @SpanishExpert if you need help with any other translations.

Como una aguja en un pajar - like a needle in a hayloft (similar to the English expression "like a needle in a haystack")
Te sumo a mi historia - I add you to my past
Pérdidas por creces - Losses to gains
Como arenas movedizas - like moving sand (quicksand)

Download "Te Necesito" by Shakira

Or get the full album Pies Descalzos by Shakira

Si es la lluvia de todos los días
que ha aumentado su nivel
ya la música no tiene el mismo
efecto que solía tener.

Tal vez haya vivido tanto
en tan poco y tan corto tiempo
que no se ni que idioma hablo
ni que velas cargo dentro
de este entierro.

Siento que no tengo fuerzas ya
para saltar y agarrar y sol
y por más que yo lo intente
no me escucho ni mi propia voz.

Yo no se si he vivido diez mil días
o un día diez mil veces
y te sumo a mi historia
queriendo cambiar las pérdidas
por creces.

Te necesito, te necesito mi amor
donde quiera que tu estés
me hace falta tu calor
te necesito, te necesito mi amor
porque eres parte de mí
te necesito aquí
y es que no se vivir sin ti
no he aprendido...
y me encuentro así perdida
como una aguja en un pajar
como arenas movedizas
me sumerjo
entre mi soledad

Ya no se si he vivido
diez mil días
o un día diez mil veces
y te sumo a mi historia
queriendo cambiar las
pérdidas por creces.

Te necesito...

Por vs. Para

2009-06-03T20:17:00.000-07:00

Beth asks:

@SpanishExpert Me puede explicar la diferencia entre "por" y "para"? He memorizada unas cosas pero quiero entenderlo mejor.

Hola Beth! Por and para are often confused because they can both be translated as "for".

Por can mean "by". For example:
El libro fue escrito por Mario Vargas Llosa.
The book was written by Mario Vargas Llosa (great author by the way).

Por can sometimes mean "for" and is used in many idiomatic expressions. For example:

Lloro por ti.
I cry for you.

Idiomatic expression:
Por favor.
Please.

Para means "for" or "to". For example:

El libro fue escrito para su esposa.
The book was written for his wife.

Para llegar a casa, sigua la estrella del norte.
To arrive home, follow the north star.

I admit these can be very confusing for the non-native Spanish speaker. For a good page on rules and usage on por and para, follow this link: http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/porpara.htm

Grabador vs Grabadora - A matter of preference.

2009-06-03T03:42:00.001-07:00

Michael asks:

@SpanishExpert Como se dice "video recorder" o "DVD recorder" -- grabador de video/DVD o grabador solo significa "tape recorder"?
@SpanishExpert Estas seguro que "grabador" es correcto? Segun wordreference.com "grabador" es "engraver" y "grabadora" es (tape) recorder.

True, Grabador can mean engraver (a person or a tool used to engrave), but Grabadora can be a female engraver.

Grabadora however is more commonly used to mean "tape recorder." Grabadora can also mean a female doing the tape recording. Grabador also can be a male doing the tape recording, camera recording, or really any type of recording as well. Grabador can also be used for "tape recorder" even though it is less commonly used.

So really, grabador de video/DVD/disco and grabadora de video/DVD/disco is essentially the same thing and is rather a matter of preference. Do not worry about this one! I am sure.

Remember, if you are reffering to a camcorder - use camara de grabar.

Grabador(a) de video: (Video recorder)
Grabador(a) de DVD: (More specifically a video recorder that records in DVD format)
Grabador(a) de Disco: (More specifically, a cd burner)

Ir vs. Irse - Same verb?

2009-06-02T19:53:00.001-07:00

Emily asked:

@SpanishExpert What is the difference between "ir" and "irse" I had a student ask me that and I couldnt explain it well...advice?

A single tweet couldn't explain this one! To understand let's see how they are each conjugated in the present indicative:

Ir is just a regular "ir" verb meaning "to go" (to a place or to go do something)

yo voy - I go
tú vas - you go
usted/él/ella va - you (formal)/him/she goes
nosotros/as vamos - we go
vosotros/as vais - you go (plural- informal - peninsular Spanish - not generally used in Latin America)
ustedes/ellos/ellas van - you go (plural - formal in Peninsular Spanish - used in Latin America throughout)

Irse is a reflexive verb meaning "to leave"
Yo me voy, tú te vas, usted/él/ella se va, nosotros/as nos vamos, vosotros/as os vais, ustedes/ellos/ellas se van

Often these are used interchangeably in conversational speaking which confuses the non-native Spanish speaker. Use ir when you are going to a particular place or to do a particular something. Example:

Voy a ir al restaurante mañana. (I will go to the restaurant tomorrow)
Voy a comer ostiones. (I will go eat Oysters)

Use irse when you are leaving a place. Example:

Me voy del restaurante. (I am leaving the restaurant.)
Me voy para mi casa! (I am going (leaving) to my house!) -- You can see the confusion here, going and leaving is often used interchangeably in conversational English as well!

Have you tried Spanish podcasts? - Great tool for Beginner to Advanced!

2009-06-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked me what is a good way to begin learning Spanish. There are so many ways that there is really not one right answer but there are many great ways to begin. Have you tried podcasting? I would even recommend podcasts to intermediate and advanced Spanish speakers as many times you have a choice to download podcasts relative to your own level. They're usually very interactive, and only a few dollars to purchase the free written lessons. I would definitely recommend purchasing the lessons. Practice is really the key to learning Spanish! Also, you can burn the podcasts to a CD very easily to listen to them in your car, stream them through Itunes, and add them to your MP3 player or Ipod.

Below are some podcasts that I would highly recommend. If you do happen to use any of these, I would love some feedback on here or @SpanishExpert. If you are stuck on something like on how to conjugate an irregular verb, feel free to use me as a resource by tweeting me @SpanishExpert

Coffee Break Spanish - Radio Lingua Network (Currently the most popular podcast for learning Spanish)
http://rlnvault.com/rln09/shows/spanish/coffee-break-spanish/

This one is highly interactive!
SpanishPod101.com

Insta Spanish Lessons - Look for them on Twitter!
http://www.instaspanish.com/

If you've discovered podcasts and are loving them, I would love feedback on any recommendations you have! Comment bellow or tweet me @SpanishExpert !

Spanish Tweets June 02 2009

2009-06-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Youtube: 21 accents in Spanish! Very funny lol! http://bit.ly/G3sOr

@Wy_Licious Rosetta Stone is a great choice but there are more inexpensive alternatives that will help you learn Spanish. Message me!

El radio vs. La radio? For the most part -- el radio is the actual apparatus and la radio is the radio airwaves/media.

Spanish Learning Products

2009-05-31T22:33:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com Categories

Spanish Learning Software (including Rosetta Stone)

Spanish Learning Books and Dictionaries

Video Games: My Spanish Coach

Listmania (User Recommended Categories)

SpanishExpert's List for the Serious Spanish Learner

Must Have Spanish References

Learning Spanish with a great Soundtrack

Learn Spanish with Confidence

Teach Your Child Spanish

Learn Spanish - Intermediate and Advanced Spanish

Travel to Latin America

Learn Spanish: Eric Beweiner

¡Hasta Luego! said Diego. Creative ways to say Goodbye

2009-05-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

Formal ways (When speaking to someone of greater respect)

Goodbye
Adiós - this would be the easiest way to say goodbye, but why not spice it up a little bit?

Good Night
¡Buenas Noches!

-- Note that ¡Buenas Noches! can also be said as an introduction as well as a farewell, but buenos días, and buenas tardes is almost never used alone to say goodbye except when Que is used before the phrases. Que imlies an expression of hope for the person(s) when "(Yo) espero" precedes it. For example, (Yo) espero que tenga(n) buenos días literally means "I hope you have a good day/afternoon/night", but more commonly, espero is not used and a more less formal command form is often the best choice: "Have a good day/afternoon/night!"

Have a good day!
¡Que tenga(n) buenos días! (Literally, I hope you have a good day)
or even better
¡Tenga(n) buenos días! (Literally, have a good day!)

Have a good afternoon!
¡Que tenga(n) buenas tardes!
or even better
¡Tenga(n) buenas tardes!

Have a good night:
¡Que tenga(n) buenas noches!
or even better
¡Tenga(n) buenas noches!

-- The (n) is added for plurality, feminine or masculine. For example, to a group of men or women, you would say ¡tengan buenas noches! but you must use ¡tenga buenas noches! when talking to one person.

Informal ways (When speaking to a "pal")

See you Later!
¡Hasta Luego! (This may not necessarily mean you will actually see him or her later)
¡Nos Vemos Despues! (Use this one when you will actually see him or her later)
¡Nos Vemos! (Literally, we'll see each other later. Can be used in any case)
¡Hasta la vista baby! (Ok, joking - I rarely ever hear this term except when it is coming out of Arnold Schwarzenegger's mouth)

See you soon!
!Nos vemos pronto! (Literally, we will see each other very soon)
or even better
¡Hasta pronto! (Literally, till very soon)

See you tomorrow!
!Nos vemos mañana! (Literally, we will see each other tomorrow)
or even better
!Hasta mañana! (Literally, till tomorrow) - this can even be used instead of saying "Good Night". Mothers often give their children a goodnight kiss before bed and say !Hasta mañana!

See you Monday!
!Nos vemos el Lunes! (Literally, we will see each other on Monday)
or even better
!Hasta el Lunes!

Instead of using the we form nos , you can use the tú form and say !Te veo pronto/mañana/el lunes! -- this is the least formal of ways so only use when talking to your peers. See blog on formality.

Till next time!
!Hasta la proxima! (Literally, till the next one!)

Rosetta Stone too expensive? Learn Spanish with Rocket Spanish.

2009-05-31T02:08:00.000-07:00

Most of us do not have hundreds of dollars to invest on learning Spanish. That is why, Mauricio Evlampieff, Spanish teacher and native speaker from Chile, is offering my visitors a 6 free day trial of his online Spanish-learning service -- targeted for beginners who want to start speaking Spanish fast. I have finished the lessons myself and have found them to be one of the best lessons I have ever received. You'll actually learn quite a bit of Spanish for free.

¡Chao! said the Argentine.

2009-05-20T06:16:00.001-07:00

Understand regional slang words.

In Argentina and more commonly in other Latin American countries, a common way to say goodbye is through the Italian word “Ciao”, spelled “chao” or “chau” in Spanish. It is pronounced like chow in puppy chow (general American accent). Up to 25 million Argentinos have a degree of some Italian descent (up to 60% of the population). Italian immigrants has contributed so much to Rioplatense (Spanish dialect spoken in the Rio de la Plata basin) that visitors often mistake it for Italian!

Feminine and Masculine, you mean Spanish words have genitalia?

2009-05-20T02:57:00.000-07:00

Know what's a boy and a what's a girl.

Spanish words were given gender by its founding fathers. Una mesa, a table, was born a girl, and un caballo, a horse, was born a boy. You may have noticed that mesa ended with an a, and caballo ended with an o. The general rule is that any word that ends with an a, most often it will be female. Lookout for future tips for exceptions to this rule.

Common things found in the home that are female:

una cortina (a curtain)
una computadora (a computer) - more commonly used in Latin America and the U.S.
una taza (a cup)
una lámpara (a lamp)
una aspiradora (vacuum cleaner)
una lavadora (a washing machine)
una secadora (a dryer) - often used for hair dryer as well
una ventana (a window)
una cama (a bed)
una grabadora (a recorder) - this is often those small recorders that are used as radios/alarm clocks/cd players

Common things found in the home that are male:

un reloj (a clock)
un despertador (an alarm clock)
un sofa (a sofa)
un sillón (a sofa chair)
un televisor (a television set)
un radio (a radio)
un disco compacto (a compact disc) or simply "un disco"
un sepillo - (a brush)
un sepillo de dientes - (a tooth brush)
un cajón (a drawer)
un espejo (a mirror)

Accent marks, I don't understand them!

2009-05-20T02:48:00.000-07:00

Understand the importance of accent marks.

Accent marks help a Spanish speaker pronounce the word properly; if you learn to look out for them now, you will have an advantage when moving on from the beginner level. For example, “está” (she is) is different from the word “esta” (this f.) all because of the little cute acute accent mark on the a. Pronunciation in Spanish is more important than in English because pronouncing something wrong can give a very different meaning. But don’t fret! Accent marks are there to help you! The most common accent is the ( ´ ) (acute accent). It is mostly used on vowels to mark stress: á, é, í, ó, ú. You will see this one a lot!

Informal vs. Formal, which one do I wear, I mean use?

2009-05-20T02:32:00.000-07:00

Singular: Use tú with your friends and usted for those you respect on a higher level.

Plural: Use vosotros with your friends and ustedes for those you respect on a higher level*

This will help you form better relationships in both life and business.

As a general rule, formal usage is best when speaking to someone of higher authority and very well respected (think about being intimidated by them even). Informal form (also called familiar) is more often used when speaking to people you are "cool with".

For example, when I talk to my mother, I use the familiar "tú" when speaking to her. To ask "how are you", I would ask, cómo estás tú? I also do this with my dad, siblings, cousins, friends, kids, and people my age.

I use the formal form when I talk to my grandmother, my priest, waitresses and waiters, people in business generally, and the President of the United States. I would ask for example, cómo está usted ?

If I am asking more than one person, I would ask cómo están ustedes?* (How are you? -- plural) - noticed the addition of the (n) to están.

Note: In some cultures like in Colombia for example, some more than others will refer to their parents using usted, showing a great deal of respect for them. This is even common in Mexico in older and more conservative generations as well.

If you are not sure what to use, then it is a safer bet to use usted or ustedes. Once you familiarize yourself with whom you are speaking with, then you can go ahead and use the familiar form.

Parents often teach their children to refer to others using usted as beginners of Spanish.

*Vosotros is rarely used in Latin America. It is mostly used in Spain. Instead, ustedes is used and thus you do not have to worry about being formal or informal unless you are speaking to a Spaniard (with a few regional exceptions.) However, even if you are studying Latin American Spanish, I would recommend you to familiarize yourself with vosotros as it can show up in some unexpected places! (The Bible for example)

Greetings. ¡Hola José! Audio Lesson #1

2009-05-20T02:18:00.000-07:00

The following are some common ways to greet someone. In English, “you” can have a plural meaning (one person, two people, a group of people). The Spanish “you”, tú (informal) and usted (formal) always refers to one person. To keep things simple for this lesson, we will only use tú and usted throught this lesson. Don’t be afraid to use your new español on José on Monday!

Download Audio Lesson #1 (Right Click > Save Target As)

Hello!
¡Hola!

Good morning!
¡Buenos días!

Good afternoon!
¡Buenas tardes!

Good evening!
¡Buenas noches!

How are you?
¿Cómo estás? (informal)
Cómo está? (formal)

Hey you!
¡Oye! (informal way to call someone’s attention)

Are you good?
¿Estás bien? (informal)
Está bien? (formal)

Excuse me
Discúlpame (informal)
Discúlpeme (formal)
Con permiso

All three are a polite way to call someone’s attention, using the formal version is even more polite (instead of saying “hey!”)

What's up?/What’s going on?/How’s it going?/What’s happening?

Like English, these are generally used amongst peers:
¿Qué pasa?
¿Qué tal?
¿Qué onda? (common in Mexico)
¿Qué hubo? (common in Mexico, Colombia)

What are you doing?
¿Qué haces? (informal) ¿Qué hace? (formal)

Welcome!
¡Bienvenido! (singular m.)
¡Bienvenida! (singular f.)

Nice to meet you!
¡Mucho gusto!
¡Encantado! (singular m.)
¡Encantada! (singular f.)

Who is this magical Raudel?

2009-05-20T01:39:00.000-07:00

Well he's not all that magical, but he does know a great deal of Spanish. Raudel is a native speaker of Spanish and the main contributor of this site. He was born in Jerez de García Salinas, Zacatecas, México (pheww!) a Spanish-style colonial town with a population of about 60,000 people. Raudel now lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, IL.

In High School, he recieved a perfect score on the Advanced Placement Spanish test (lucky butt!) without ever taking a single class and then realized he had a natural talent for speaking Spanish.

In college, he majored in International Relations (majoring in Spanish would have been just too easy). He did however take all these wonderful literature, grammer, and all sorts of Latin American history courses to become a bit more well rounded. He then decided he wanted to teach. Not intersted in teaching roudy public school students, he decided to go on Twitter instead. Really! That is how this site and his alter ego @SpanishExpert came about.

Raudel likes to watch LOST, Ugly Betty, and Boston Legal. Yes, he is somewhat Americanized. How does that make him a native Spanish-speaker you ask? The United States is on the list of the top five Spanish-speaking nations (Yes, on the same list that Mexico, Spain, and Argentina are found).

Raudel speaks in third person oftenly.

Raudel speaks French, Italian, and Portuguese as well. He often mixes them up. He hopes to visit Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and Rome in the near future. Not necessarily in that order. Follow him at www.twitter.com/SpanishExpert and feel free to ask him something about anything español.

Con las chicas (with the gals)

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

2009-05-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following 10 recommendations for learning Spanish. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Get a Latin Amor

2009-05-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following 10 recommendations for learning Spanish. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

This technique may get you in a lot of trouble if you are already married or otherwise in a committed relationship. In other words, this suggestion is only for the single people.
If you really want to learn Spanish quickly, find a “significant other” that’s a native of a Spanish speaking country. Preferably, someone that speaks very little or no English. This way you will be forced to listen to and speak Spanish.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

“But First You Must Believe . . .”

2009-05-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following 10 recommendations for learning Spanish. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

I don’t know if it was Peter Pan who first said this one, but I am going to borrow it. It is imperative that you believe in yourself and your ability to learn this beautiful language. I cannot overemphasize this point.

I am a strong believer in the power of thought. This is a technique that has not only helped me to learn Spanish, but it has also helped me immensely in everything that I have ever set out to do in life. I encourage you to use this same technique – not only in learning Spanish – but with any goal that you wish to accomplish.

In anything that I am striving to accomplish, I first visualize the successful outcome of the goal.

After I have visualized the successful outcome of the goal, in this case speaking Spanish fluently, I then map out the steps that I must take in order to arrive at the accomplishment of my goal. For example, the steps may involve practicing Spanish everyday for one hour. I then put in writing the steps that I need to take on a daily basis to accomplish my goal. Then I take action. Not sporadic action or inconsistent action. I take daily, consistent, tremendous action until my goal is accomplished.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Practice Makes Perfect

2009-05-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following 10 recommendations for learning Spanish. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

Practice Makes Perfect is more than just a saying. It’s a language-learning reality. When we were children we were completely unaware of the emotion called “embarrassment.”

Throughout my teenage years and adult life, my mother would tell me about a story – a true one – that when I was four years old I had wanted a drink of water, and I asked “wah wah – wah wah.” My sister, on the other hand, barely two years old at the time would say “mother may I have a glass of water please.”

Despite the fact that a child not much more than a toddler was speaking perfect English and I was grunting like a caveman, I never became discouraged or embarrassed. I kept at it until I got it right. And now I can say water in two different languages – actually three if I include Portuguese.

You have to take the same child-like attitude toward learning Spanish. You will make many mistakes. You will mispronounce words. You will use the wrong vocabulary. And you will make grammatical errors. But never let this hold you back from practicing your Spanish with a native speaker – even if the native is a total stranger.

You must accept the reality that making mistakes is a part of learning any language. If you are not making mistakes, it’s because you are not speaking Spanish to anyone. And if you are not speaking, then you are not learning.

Keep in mind that Rome was not built in a day. And neither was Madrid, San Juan, Santo Domingo, Cali, Mexico City, Colón, Havana or Buenos Aires.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Become an Imitator

2009-05-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following 10 recommendations for learning Spanish. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

From the very beginning of your learning-Spanish journey, try your best to imitate native speakers. Try to imitate their pronunciations, their intonations, etc. This is not something that you should delay. In fact, this is one of the most important facets of learning any language.

Have you ever had someone come up to you and speak in what sounded like a foreign language. Maybe the person was asking for directions or some other information. And after the person rambled on for a while, you realized that the person was not, in fact, speaking a foreign language. He or she was actually speaking English. But his or her accent was so thick that you initially believed that the person was speaking a foreign language.

This can happen to you as a student of Spanish if you are not careful. You must make a purposeful effort to sound like native speakers. I know many Americans who claim that they speak Spanish fluently but their accents are awful. When I hear them speak, I say to myself “what a Gringo.” So I can only imagine what a native speaker of Spanish says about the person.

If you wait until you reach the intermediate level to start sounding like native speakers it will be too late to break the chains of habit. Make a deliberate effort to start now. It will begin to pay off when you start noticing how many native speakers of Spanish tell you how great your accent sounds.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Make Use of On-Line Resources

2009-05-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following 10 recommendations for learning Spanish. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

There are a number of on-line resources that can assist you in learning Spanish. Many of them are free. One of my favorites is www.MyLanguageExchange.com. My Language Exchange is an on-line community of language learners. You can meet people who are learning virtually any language at www.MyLanguageExchange.com.

Since you are studying Spanish you would try to meet someone at My Language Exchange that’s a native speaker of Spanish and is trying to learn English. You could become pen pals with the person. But I recommend that you become more than just pen pals. As I mentioned earlier, the only way that you can learn how to speak Spanish is by actually speaking it.

At My Language Exchange, you can meet people that are interested in doing “voice chat.” Voice Chat permits you to have a live audio chat session with one or more persons on-line. This is one of my favorite techniques for learning Spanish. I have practiced with people from Mexico, Spain and Colombia at My Language Exchange.

Normally, I would help them with English for 30-45 minutes. In exchange, they would help me for the equivalent amount of time with my Spanish.

The last time I checked, My Language Exchange was offering two memberships. There’s a Free membership. And there’s a Gold membership. The Gold membership costs only $12 for a full year. That averages out to just $1 per month.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Relate to What You Already Know

2009-05-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

Many words in Spanish are related to English. When you learn words in Spanish and you relate them to words in English, it is much easier to remember the Spanish words. For example, the word “beber” means to drink. If you make a mental note or written note that the word “beber” is related to the English word “beverage” it is easier to remember. Here’s another example. The word “vegetales” is related to the English word “vegetables.” If you make a note of this, the Spanish word “vegetales” will be much easier to remember.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

2009-05-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following 10 recommendations for learning Spanish. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

This may come as a shock to you, but in the high schools and colleges in the U.S., the method that they are using to teach Spanish is all wrong.

If you want to learn Spanish, you must learn it the same way that you learned English. Let me you ask you a question. Which did you learn first: How to speak English or how to read and write English? Of course you learned how to speak it first.

Then why are they teaching the students in the high schools and colleges to read and write Spanish first? That’s because they don’t expect the students to ever be able to speak Spanish. And that’s exactly what happens. Students take several years of Spanish, graduate, and cannot even speak Spanish.

There’s another problem with learning to read and write Spanish before you learn to speak it. By default, you subconsciously learn how to pronounce the Spanish words the way you would pronounce them in English.

I made that same catastrophic mistake. It took me countless hours and countless dollars in private instruction to correct the error. After much wasted time and money, I discovered that the mistake could have been avoided. I should not have learned to read and write Spanish until I had at least reached the intermediate level of conversational Spanish.

You are going to have to trust me on this one …. Nothing sounds more excruciating to Latin American ears than a “Gringo” with a thick American accent speaking Spanish. How do I know? Because now that I speak Spanish fluently, every time I hear an American with a strong American accent speaking Spanish it makes me cringe.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at SpanishLearningLikeCrazy.com

Develop the Right Habits

2009-05-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following 10 recommendations for learning Spanish. Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

This is probably the most important advice that I can give you about learning Spanish or any other foreign language. More than anything else, your habits will determine how quickly you learn Spanish. In fact, your habits will determine if you actually learn the language or not.

Of course it helps if you have a language learning aptitude. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a language learning aptitude. In fact, I couldn’t speak English until I was four years old despite the fact that English was my first language and the only language spoken in my home as a child. However, my desire to learn Spanish was strong enough for me to develop the necessary habits for learning Spanish.

Out of habit, every time I turned on my television it was tuned to Unvision, Telefutura or HBO Latino. Out of habit, every time I got in my car the radio dial was set to the Latino radio station Latino Mix. If not, then a CD or cassette from a Spanish course was playing.

Out of habit, if I went out to a club it was a Salsa or Merengue club. If I went out to a restaurant, it was probably a Latin American restaurant. Not that Latino food “es mi plato favorito.” But if I go get a steak at Outback, I am probably not going to get a chance to practice my Spanish with the waiter.

In fact, if I was dating someone, she was either a native of a Spanish speaking country or she learned Spanish as her first language here in the U.S.

If you develop and cultivate these habits, you will learn Spanish extremely fast.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com

Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns

2009-05-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following free Spanish grammar lesson on how to use the verb "gustar". Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

This Spanish Grammar online topic covers Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns. In Spanish, a verb is considered reflexive if the subject (the performer of the action) and the object (the receiver of the action) are the same.

Here’s an example of a reflexive verb being used in English:

I wash myself.

In the above sentence the verb “wash” is considered reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (“I”) and the object or the one receiving the action (“myself”) are the same. On the other hand, if I said “I wash the baby,” the verb “wash” is no longer reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (“I”) and the object or the one receiving the action (“baby”) are not the same.

Spanish reflexive verbs consist of a verb and a reflexive pronoun. The following are reflexive pronouns or objects of reflexive verbs.

me
myself
te
yourself (tú form)
se
yourself (usted form)
nos
ourselves
se
themselves, yourselves

When there is just one verb in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun must come before the reflexive verb.

Me baño.
I wash myself

However, when there are two verbs in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun either
comes right before the first verb or follows the second verb.

Quiero bañarme.
I want to wash myself.
Me quiero bañar.
I want to wash myself.

Here are some examples using reflexive verbs.

Me afeito
I shave myself
Te duchas
You take a shower
Se llama Juan
He calls himself John
Nos dormimos
We fall asleep
No nos sentamos
We don’t sit down
Se enojan
They get mad
Se levantan
All of you get up
Te cepillas los dientes
You brush your teeth.

Literally, “los dientes” means “the teeth” and not “your teeth.” Since we are using the reflexive pronoun “te” it is obvious whose teeth we are talking about.

Here are some common reflexive verbs in Spanish.

acostarse
to go to bed
afeitarse
to shave oneself
bañarse
to bathe oneself
casarse (con alguien)
to get married, to marry someone
cepillarse
to brush oneself
despertarse (ie)*
to wake up
desvestirse (i)*
to get undressed
divertirse (ie)*
to enjoy oneself
dormirse (ue)*
to fall asleep
ducharse
to take a shower
enfermarse
to get sick
lavarse
to wash oneself
levantarse
to get up
llamarse
to be named, to be called
mirarse
to look at oneself
peinarse
to comb (one’s hair)
quitarse (la ropa)
to takeoff (one’s clothes)
secarse
to dry one’s self
sentarse (ie)*
to sit down
sentirse (ie)*
to feel
vestirse (i)*
to get dressed

Now let’s try a few exercises. Translate the following into Spanish. The answers follow the questions.

My name is Patrick
You brush your hair every evening. (Use “tu” form)

You can wash your feet. (Use “tú” form)

Do you take a shower or do you take a bath in the morning? (Use the “usted” form)

He takes off his pants.

We wash our hands before dinner.

They wake up very late.

Answers:

Me llamo Patrick.
Te cepillas el pelo cada noche.
Te puedes lavar los pies. Puedes lavarte los pies.
¿Se ducha o se baña en la mañana?
Se quita los pantalones.
Nos lavamos las manos antes de la cena.
Se despiertan muy tarde.

DISCOVER HOW TO SPEAK REAL LATIN AMERICAN SPANISH using only
the most powerful learning-Spanish techniques. Speak Spanish at
Learning Spanish Like Crazy

*SpanishExpert: When conjugated, these verbs take different forms. For example, when using sentarse (ie) - to sit down, you would replace the first e with ie like this: Yo me siento (I sit down).

Immerse Yourself

2009-05-02T18:32:00.000-07:00

If you could hear and speak Spanish 24 hours a day and 7 days a week you would also learn Spanish incredibly fast. Although it may be difficult for you to hear and speak Spanish 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, there are things you can do to help immerse yourself in the language.

Instead of listening to your favorite music station when you’re driving in your car, play a Spanish instructional CD. Of course, if your favorite music station happens to be a Salsa or Merengue radio station, you can listen to the Spanish lessons CD some other time.

When you’re home watching TV, try substituting MTV or the Discovery Channel for Univision or Telefutura. If you are jogging, working out in the gym, taking a walk, or just waiting in the doctor’s office, play a cassette or CD from your favorite Spanish course. If you are waiting on line in the supermarket, instead of reading that gossipy tabloid, press “play” on your your cassette player and listen to a Spanish vocabulary tape or some other Spanish lessons tape or CD.

Have you ever met a Hispanic person that has lived in the U.S. for many decades and is still unable to speak English? That’s because he or she has little or no exposure to English and is constantly immersed in Spanish. That’s what you must try to emulate. Expose yourself and immerse yourself as much as possible in the Spanish language and Latin American Culture.

10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy:

Numero Uno: Immerse Yourself

Numero Dos: Develop the Right Habits

Numero Tres: Learn Spanish the Same Way that You Learned English

Numero Cuatro: Relate to What You Already Know

Numero Cinco: Make Use of On-Line Resources

Numero Seis: Become an Imitator

Numero Siete: Practice Makes Perfect

Numero Ocho: “But First You Must Believe . . .”

Numero Nueve: And now for my favorite Learning-Spanish technique: Get a Latin Amor

Numero Diez: Last but Certainly Not Least: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Give UP

Patrick Jackson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Jackson is the Founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy system of learning Spanish. To learn more about his system of learning Spanish visit his web site at LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com/

Present Progressive - Presente Progresivo

2009-05-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Patrick Johnson from

Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the following free Spanish grammar lesson on how to use the present progressive (presente progresivo). Tweet me @SpanishExpert or comment below if you have any questions or need any help. Remember, I am here as a free resource!

The Present Progressive Tense

The progressive tense is used to describe actions that are in progress at a specific moment in time (the present). In English, it is the auxiliary verb “to be” and the present participle. In layperson terms, the “present participle” means verbs with “ing” attached to the end of the verb.

The present tense is used much more frequently in English than it is used in Spanish. As in Spanish, we use it to talk about actions that are in progress “now” or “right now.” But in English, we also use the present progressive tense to describe habitual actions or to speak in general. For example:

I am living in the suburbs.
I am working in the post office.
I am taking Spanish lessons.

In Spanish, the present tense is used to emphasize that an action is taking place now. But many Spanish grammar books do not indicate that there is another use for the present progressive tense. And that the present progressive tense can be used to stress that an action is continuous.

I learned this one from trial and error. As embarrassing as it is to admit, a five year old little girl corrected my Spanish grammar. That’s how I found out.

The first time it happened it happened with an adult. I was trying to tell an adult that I am learning Spanish. Since the Spanish grammar books taught me that the Spanish present progressive tense is only used to describe actions that are in progress “right now,” I did not use the present progressive tense to say that “I am learning Spanish.” Because I was not learning Spanish at that specific moment. At that very moment, I was trying to talk to her in Spanish. So I said “Aprendo español.” She politely corrected me and said “se dice estoy aprendiendo español”.

At the time, I thought that maybe she was wrong and that my textbook was right. So I tried telling my next door neighboor’s five year old that “Yo aprendo español” who proudly corrected my Spanish. She told me: you’re supposed to say ‘“yo estoy aprendiendo español.”

Forming the Present Progressive Tense

In Spanish, we form the present progressive tense by conjugating the verb “estar” with the present participle. You form regular “ar” present participles by dropping the “ar” and adding “ando.” And you form regular “er” present participles by dropping the “er” and adding “iendo”

Let’s try it.

Mi abuelita está comiendo chuletas de cerdo.
My grandmother is eating pork chops.
El tío está trabajando.
The uncle is working.
El suegro está bailando.
The father-in-law is dancing.
La madrastra está cocinando la langosta.
The stepmother is cooking the lobster.
El nieto no está haciendo nada.
The grandson is doing nothing.
Tú estás limpiando las ventanas.
You are washing the windows.

Now let’s try a few on your own. The answers appear at the bottom.

The nephew is selling cars.

The daughter-in-law is writing a letter.

The sister-in-law is receiving a lot of gifts.

The grandchildren are playing.

The cousin is buying a tie.

Answers:

El sobrino está vendiendo carros.
La nuera está escribiendo una carta.
La cuñada está recibiendo muchos regalos.
Los nietos están jugando.
El primo está comprando una corbata.

DISCOVER HOW TO SPEAK REAL LATIN AMERICAN SPANISH using only the most powerful learning-Spanish techniques. Speak Spanish at Learning Spanish Like Crazy.

"Gustar" - Learn How to Use

2009-05-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

If there’s one verb that gave me a lot of trouble when I first started learning Spanish gramar that verb was “gustar.” Many of the Spanish lessons and Spanish classes that I took in order to learn Spanish only confused me even more about the use of “gustar.” “Gustar” means “to be pleasing to” or “to find pleasant.” But in many instances, Spanish speakers use it the same way that we use the verb “to like.”

For example, in Spanish you don’t literally say:
“I like the dog.”

In Spanish you would say:
“Me gusta el perro”.
That literally means “the dog is pleasing to me.”
Actually, it means “it pleases me the dog.”
It may sound strange to your English-hearing ears. But you will get
used to it. Let’s try it.

Me gusta la casa.
I like the house.
No me gusta el carro.
I don’t like the car.
Te gusta la mesa.
You like the table.
Le gusta la pantalla.
He likes the screen/monitor.
Nos gusta el puente.
We like the bridge.
Les gusta mentir.
They like to lie.

If you want to say “I like the dogs,” a couple of changes have to take place. Can you guess what those changes are?

Of course dog (“perro”) must now become plural (“perros”).
But the article (“el”) must also become plural (“los”).
And the verb must change from third person singular (“gusta”) to
third person plural (“gustan”).

Let’s try it:

Me gustan los perros.
I like the dogs.
Te gustan los lagos.
You like the lakes.
Le gustan los arroyos.
She likes the streams
Nos gustan los ríos.
We like the rivers.
Les gustan las cataratas.
They like the waterfalls.

The following is the manner that we add clarity or emphasis, or mention the name of the person or persons that the object is pleasing to.

A Carlos le gusta nadar.
Carlos likes to swim.
A mí me gusta la playa.
I like the beach.
A ti te gusta la orilla del mar.
You like the seashore.
A los chicos les gusta el bosque.
The boys like the forest.
A ellos les gusta la piscina.
They like the pool.

There are quite a few verbs in Spanish that follow the same construction as the verb “gustar.”
Here are just a few.

Importar (to be important to)
Interesar (to be interesting to)
Faltar (to be lacking to)
Molestar (to bother or to annoy – note that this word does not mean to “molest”)
Encantar (to like)

I have also been confused about when to use “gustar.” Despite what the textbooks say,
you can use “gustar” to indicate that you like someone as in “being physically attractive to someone.”
For example,

Tú me gustas.
I like you.
Me gusta Carmen.
I like Carmen.

But if you want to say that you like someone as in “I get along well with (name),” there’s a different way to say it.

Me cae bien Carmen.
I like Carmen or I get along well with Carmen. Literally, it means “Carmen falls well on me.”
No me cae bien María.
I don’t like María or I don’t get along well with María.
No me caes bien tú, Or, Tú no me caes bien.
I don’t get along well with you.

Let’s do a few exercises with “gustar.” Translate the following sentences adding emphasis on the person or persons that the object is pleasing to. The answers appear below.

1. I like the cats.

2. You like the wedding. (Add emphasis to “you” using the familiar form of “you.”)

3. Joseph likes the building.

4. We like the shirts.

5. All of you like the insects. (Add emphasis to “all of you”)

Answers:
A mí me gustan los gatos.
A ti te gusta la boda.
A José le gusta el edificio.
A nosotros nos gustan las camisas.
A ustedes les gustan los insectos.

DISCOVER HOW TO SPEAK REAL LATIN AMERICAN SPANISH using only the most powerful learning-Spanish techniques. Speak Spanish at Learning Spanish Like Crazy.

SpanishExpert.BlogSpot.com Privacy Policy

2009-05-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

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10 Secrets to Learning Spanish Like Crazy

2009-05-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

If you want to learn a language quickly and inexpensively, you have picked the right language. With the exception of English, Spanish is spoken more than any other language in the U.S. You will have plenty of opportunities to practice your Spanish with native speakers of Spanish and even Americans that learned Spanish as their first language.

The ability to speak Spanish also opens many career or business opportunities. As an attorney, the ability to speak Spanish has enabled me to represent many clients simply because I spoke their language.

Of course, if you live in certain cities or states you will have more opportunities to practice your Spanish. For example, if you live in New York you can find many Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Colombians, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, Mexicans, and other Latin Americans an Latinos to practice your Spanish. If you live in Texas or California you may find a lot of Mexicans that can help you with your Spanish. In Florida, there are many Cubans.

My objective is to give you a multitude of tips and techniques to help you speed up your learning of Spanish. I also want to reveal a number of things that you can do to make your learning experience as inexpensive as possible.

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