Familiarize Yourself with the Sounds of Spanish

Familiarize yourself with the sounds of Spanish Conversa Spanish Institute

At their core, languages are collections of sounds. Words are made up of individual components called phonemes, which is a linguistic term for “sounds”. Spanish is what is considered to be a phonetic language because the letters represent specific sounds, and almost all letters in Spanish only have one sound. Practicing learning the sounds of […]

Useful Spanish Office Vocabulary

Useful Spanish Office Vocabulary

Whether you’re trying to learn possible vocabulary for the future or are actively trying to speak more Spanish at work, office vocabulary will be very useful! Most of this vocabulary is common in daily life, and can come in handy outside of the office, too. In addition to when you’re on the clock, they’re helpful […]

Order of Adjectives in Spanish

Order of Adjectives in Spanish Conversa Institute

If someone were to say “blue big bear” to you, you’d notice that it sounded odd, and it’s better to say “The big blue bear”. In both English and Spanish, there’s an accepted order of adjectives. With a lesson and some practice, the correct order will sound natural. By practicing reading at the appropriate level, […]

Start Using the Shadowing Technique

Start using the shadowing technique Conversa Spanish Institute

While learning Spanish at home, you want as many activities as possible that you can do easily and effectively by yourself. The shadowing technique is perfect! Have you heard of this learning strategy before? It’s especially good for auditory learners, but it’s a great way to practice comprehension, conversation and pronunciation all at the same […]

Spanish Numbers from 1,000 to 1,000,000

Spanish numbers from 1,000 to 1,000,000 Conversa Spanish Institute

Numbers are one of the most commonly used aspects of language. When you really think about it, you realize that numbers are everywhere- costs, describing quantities, addresses, etc. Although they may not be as common as numbers 0-60 for dates and time, there are plenty of common uses for big Spanish numbers. They’ll easily boost […]

Let Go of Past and Future Thoughts

Let go of past and future thoughts Conversa Spanish Institute

Did you know that holding on to your past and future thoughts can prevent you from truly enjoying the present? Learning requires being aware of what’s here now. In order to learn in a way where Spanish can really stick, you need to learn to clear your mind and stop worrying about what you can’t […]

Different Ways to Combine Ser + Para

Different Ways to Combine Ser + Para Conversa Spanish Institute

The word para is tiny but mighty, and is a preposition that can be used with many different verbs. One of the most common uses is when you combine ser and para. In the most basic sense, Ser means “to be” and para is roughly “for” or “in order to.” Remember, lots of aspects of […]

What Are the CEFR Levels of Language Proficiency?

What are the CEFR levels of language proficiency? Conversa Spanish Institute

When you’ve looked at language classes, books, games, etc., you’ve definitely seen a combination of letters and numbers, known as CEFR levels of language proficiency. A2? B1? What do these mean? Keep reading to find out! A brief history of CEFR CEFR stands for Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Basically, it’s a way […]

Read Bilingual Books to Expand Your Vocabulary

Read Bilingual Books to Expand Your Vocabulary Conversa Spanish Institute

Novels that are completely in Spanish can seem overwhelming at first! They’re a great way to learn, but they aren’t the first books you should try to read. Even though you’re an adult, when you first start learning Spanish, your reading level is that of a kid. The best way to expand your vocabulary as […]

Improve Your Irregular Present Subjunctive

Improve your regular present subjunctive Conversa Spanish Institute

Don’t be intimidated by the irregular present subjunctive. Just like every other new conjugation, it seems hard at first but will feel like second nature. What makes the subjunctive particularly challenging for Spanish learners is that it’s different than English. It doesn’t have an easy exact translation for native English speakers, but that just means […]