Category: Vocabulary

Get the Hang of Stem-Changing Verbs

Every language has irregular verbs, which means you conjugate them slightly different than other verbs. If you already feel comfortable conjugating regular verbs in the present tense that end in -ar, -er or -ir, then it’s time to learn stem-changing verbs! What are stem-changing verbs? First, we need to review the parts of a verb. […]

Pro-Drop Like a Pro

Have you ever heard the term “pro-drop”? It stands for “pronoun-drop” and it’s a grammatical concept that some languages have. Pro-drop might seem like something really small, but learning about it and how to use it will make you feel and sound a little more like a native speaker. Keep reading to learn about it. […]

Vocabulario Viernes: Days of the Week

Welcome to Vocabulario Viernes! Today’s topic is days of the week, or in Spanish, los días de la semana. You use days of the week to ask what day it is, to make plans, to understand deadlines, and so much more. In this article, we’ll show you the days of the week, and a few […]

Mind your P’s and Q’s: Being Polite in Spanish

Whenever you meet someone new, it’s natural to want to put your best foot forward. You want to be kind, courteous, and not seem rude. Did you know that what one culture considers rude, another one might not? For example, in the United States, it’s not common to stare at people you don’t know because […]

The Problem with Multi-Lingual Multi-Tasking

Nowadays, it feels like we are always multi-tasking. You might find yourself on your phone while watching TV, scrolling while in class, texting at dinner, or listening to a podcast while writing a paper. It’s common to multi-task, but there’s a big problem with multi-lingual multi-tasking: it doesn’t work very well when you’re first learning. […]

Texting in Spanish

When you start learning and practicing a new language, making Spanish-speaking friends is the natural next step. You can practice with them, learn from them, and hopefully create new memories together. Nowadays, a large portion of our communication happens on the internet. This includes social media platforms, instant messages, emails, and any other site where […]

Reflecting on Reflexive Verbs

At the very beginning of your Spanish classes, you probably learned “Me llamo…” to say “My name is…” but did you know it literally translates to “I call myself”? In fact, this introductory phrase is part of a category of verbs called reflexive verbs. There are lots of reflexive verbs in Spanish that have special […]

Things to Label at Home in Spanish

There’s a reason that teachers have been labeling items in their classrooms for years. The best way to learn new vocabulary isn’t by translating in your head, but rather associating images and symbols with the word in the target language. For example, you want to practice looking at a tree and thinking “árbol“, not thinking […]

The Supermarket Challenge: Foods in Spanish

The last time you went to the supermarket, what did you get? Did you pick up some arroz and pollo, or maybe some manzanas and zanahorias? A great way to practice Spanish in your daily life is to see what words you know in Spanish as you go about your daily life. Fortunately, many stores […]

Use More than “Bien” or “Mal” for How You’re Feeling

The first time someone asks you, “¿Cómo estás?” and you confidently answer “¡Bien!” or “¡Mal! is such a good feeling! You understood a question and were able to naturally answer it. However, maybe you want to give a more detailed answer. If you’re ready to add some more exciting vocabulary to your conversations, we’ll show […]