Category: B1

Question Words: Accent Marks Matter

Have you noticed that all question words in Spanish have accent marks? Those little lines are very important symbols that help us understand written questions. You may have noticed that some of these words can also be used without accent marks, but they mean different things. We’ll show you the question words’ meanings, both with […]

No, It’s Not Too Late to Learn Spanish

You’ve probably seen bilingual or multilingual children and thought, “Wow! They’re like little sponges with languages!” It’s true that children may have an easier time with some linguistic components, but adults can be just as successful. It’s never too late to start learning. There was a time when researchers thought that only children can pick […]

Formation of the Conditional Tense

The conditional tense gets its name because you’re describing what would or could happen in the future given certain circumstances or conditions. It’s often used for hypothetical situations or making requests politely. In fact, it’s similar in English! We often ask, “Could you … ?” to ask someone politely to do something. That’s the conditional! […]

The Science of Focusing

If you have a hard time concentrating or focusing, know that you’re not alone. Lots of people have a hard time getting in the right mindset to do a task. Even if you’re trying to work on something you enjoy, it can be hard to concentrate! Luckily, researchers have been working on the science of […]

Slang Terms to Impress Native Speakers

One of the most common questions I’m asked as a Spanish teacher is, “When are we going to learn the fun words?” I almost always answer with, “All of them are fun!” but it’s very clear what they want to learn. Generally speaking, most people learning a language want to be able to speak it […]

Different Ways to Express Gratitude

One of the first words you probably learned in Spanish was gracias, the simplest way to say thanks. Knowing gracias, you’re able to express gratitude in the simplest way. However, it can feel repetitive! We’ll show you more ways to say “thank you!” to broaden your vocabulary. Some of the following phrases use gracias in […]

Make Your Vocabulary Lessons Stick

Of all the thousands of words in the Spanish language, did you know that native speakers regularly only use about 18,000? That can still seem like a huge, even scary, amount of vocabulary to learn. How can someone learn all of that in a manageable way? The key is to make your vocabulary lessons stick. […]

Feeling Drained? Take a Break!

Sometimes, it’s too easy for the day to just fly by. Going to work or class, finding time to make food and eat it, trying to keep in touch with family and friends, and all of the other daily activities, can be exhausting. If we do this too many days in a row, it’s common […]

Common Spanish Words of Frequency

In addition to learning common nouns and verbs to express yourself in another language, it’s just as important to learn common words of frequency. These expressions help you say how often you do things or when you do certain things. In addition to memorizing them, you’ll also have to know where they go. Keep reading […]

Spook Your Friends with Halloween Vocabulary

In October, seasons change and the air gets a bit chilly, and you might start seeing pumpkins everywhere. If the fall is your favorite time of year, you might also be anxiously awaiting Halloween. Although not every Spanish-speaking country necessarily celebrates Halloween, or at least not like in the United States, there are important Halloween […]