¡Qué calor! - It's so hot!

Here in the UK we are going through a few days of very hot weather and we are delighted! It certainly makes us feel closer to Spain, enjoying the long warm evenings outdoors… Bliss!

 In Spanish, we have many expressions related to the heat. Here are 5 cool ones that you can practice straight away: 

1. Sudar como un pollo 

Literally, “to sweat like a chicken”! This expression comes from chickens being slowly roasted and releasing all the juices... So, if you’re feeling really hot and sweaty you can say “estoy sudando como un pollo”!

2. ¡Se puede freir un huevo en la calle!

Literally, you can fry an egg in the street!

3. Estar aplatanado 

To be “like a banana”, meaning to have no energy, to feel lethargic. So, if you were walking along in the middle of a very hot afternoon all hunched over with the sun beating down on your neck, you’ll likely feel...

Knowing when to use “ser” and “estar” in Spanish can be confusing for most learners at different stages.

And traditional learning doesn’t help with the long lists of cases and examples for using one or the other.

However, there is a very simple way to know which to use… And it’s definitely NOT the permanent vs. temporary “rule” which is not reliable and causes serious confusion further down the line as I explain in today’s video. 

So, no more memorising long lists of complex and confusing categories for when to use one or the other, but rather understanding what each of them really describes.

When we understand this, we can feel confident that we are going to choose the right one! 

Watch the video and finally get to know when to use “ser” and “estar with ease.

Enjoy!

Cristina

P.S. Are there still examples where you’re not sure why one is used and not the other? Let us know and we’ll...

Learning to conjugate verbs in Spanish, in particular the irregular ones, is a common difficulty amongst learners of Spanish. And, to be perfectly honest, I can understand it because it’s very different from English and can seem daunting at first.

However, there are ways in which we can make it easier…

In this video, I reveal 3 top tips on how to approach verbs and conjugations, especially irregular ones so you can learn them quicker

We explore this topic in much more depth in our beginners programme Connect, our 12 week coaching programme that takes you from zero (or very little Spanish) to having your first converstations with Spanish speakers.

We help you build the language (and your confidence!) step-by-step as we break it all down into

The course is not always open, but you can contact us to register your interest and you’ll be the first one to know when we start a new edition. Places are limited!

Do you know how to roll your tongue to make the strong “rr” in Spanish? This is one of the most difficult sounds to produce initially for many learners.

Watch this video where Cristina shows you 3 easy steps and a simple technique (which you may already know without realising!) on how to roll your tongue and apply to Spanish words. 

There are also great examples to practice which are going to help you master this sound muy rrrápido!

Let us know how you get on with your practice

¡Hasta pronto!

Pete & Cristina

Mistakes are absolutely essential in the learning process, most of them are harmless and people will generally know what we mean, but some can put us in a bit of an awkward situation…

Let’s take a look at 7 of the most common and very funny mistakes that English speakers make in Spanish and what to say instead to avoid them: 

 1. Estoy embarazado/a

 Looking at the word “embarazado/a” clearly looks like “embarrassed”, right? So, intending to say “I’m embarrassed”, many people say “estoy embarazado/a” and what they’re really saying is “I’m pregnant”... Particularly funny in a male’s case!

What you should say instead is “Estoy avergonzado/a”

 2. Quiero introducirte a mi amigo

 In this phrase it can be easily deduced that a person is trying to say “I want to introduce you to my friend”. However, “introducir”...

We live in a wonderful age when there’s never been easier to learn Spanish.

The variety of sites, podcasts, videos, materials and countless resources give us the opportunity to develop our language skills like never before… I remember back in the 80s sitting by my cassette player listening to English songs rewinding endless times with a pencil trying to catch what they were saying… Only to learn years later that I had it completely wrong!

However, as amazing as it is to so easily find a variety of materials and ways to learn the language, there are that many resources that sometimes it can feel overwhelming to choose which ones can help us more! 

The real challenge these days is to filter and select good quality materials relevant to where you are in your journey and where you are planning to use the language (ie. choosing Spanish from Spain resources rather than Latin American based ones if you are planning to use it in Spain)

Today I am bringing you...

Spanish is full of wonderful expressions that are used in day to day life at an informal level. Expressions are a rich part of a language and being able to use them will help you communicate like a truly native speaker.

Today, I’m bringing you 8 fun expressions related to food, where the real meaning could be guessed in some, but certainly not in others  and unless you are familiar with them, you’ll feel a bit lost in the conversation!

1. Tener mala leche

“To have bad milk”- To be bad tempered

Ex. No me gusta esa tienda, el dueño tiene mala leche - I don’t like that shop, the owner is bad-tempered.

 2. Ir pisando huevos 

“To step on eggs” - To be extremely slow

Ex. Venga, vas pisando huevos, ¡así no vamos a llegar nunca! - Come on, you’re too slow, we’ll never get there!

3. Estar como una sopa 

"To be like a soup" - To be soaking wet.

Ex. Quiero llegar a casa, estoy...

Most people are familiar with “adiós” to say “goodbye” in Spanish, but if you are planning on travelling to Spain and want to have interactions in Spanish, it is worth learning a few phrases for how to say goodbye depending on the situation!

Let's start with phrases with “hasta” (pronounced “ahs-ta” as the “h” is always silent in Spanish. “Hasta” literally means “until” and building phrases with "hasta…" is very useful as you can create many customized expressions. For example: 

• Hasta...
  • hasta luego (until later - see you later)
  • hasta pronto (until soon - see you soon)
  • hasta mañana (until tomorrow - see you tomorrow)
  • hasta el sábado (until Saturday - see you on Saturday)
• Hasta la próxima…(until next...)
  • hasta la próxima vez (until next time)
  • hasta la próxima semana (until next week)
  • hasta la próxima (without “vez”...

With things starting to look a bit more positive ahead, many of us are looking at the possibility of booking a few days in Spain.

It's been a tough period, and I am certainly dreaming of a bit of the Mediterranean lifestyle and being able to enjoy every minute of the long warm days. 

Perhaps you have a property in Spain or perhaps you´ve got family and friends living there. Either way, being able to speak Spanish is important to you. You may have tried learning it in the past, but it has not worked the way you would have liked.

Then, this is totally relevant for you. 

Because our beginner’s programme Connect opens for registration on the 29th of March, but only until the 11th of April! 

Connect contains all the essential language that you will need on your next visit so you are able to...

• Handle greetings and introductions confidently and appropriately
• Master simple helpful phrases that will facilitate your interactions
• Ask and answer basic questions
• ...

If you know a bit of Spanish, you will be familiar with the verb "tener", which literally means “to have”. Like in English, we use this verb to express possession, for example “tengo una casa en España” (I have a house in Spain)

"Tener" is one of the most common and useful verbs in Spanish, and as well as expressing possession, it has some other uses too...

Today, I’m bringing you 13 very common expressions with "tener" for everyday situations. 

These expressions frequently cause confusion for English speakers because in English they are used with “to be” (they are states of being), but in Spanish they are always formed with "tener".

Whether you know some, most or none of these, why not take a look at them and pick the ones that you think are going to be most useful next time you are in Spain:

1. Tener x años  (To be x years old) Tengo 42 años (I am 42 years old)
2. Tener hambre  (To be...