About Spanish Language

Massive guide to Spanish grammar finally ready for sale

2009-11-30T12:04:38Z

More than a decade in the making, the most complete and most authoritative guide ever published on the grammar of the Spanish language, Nueva gramática de la lengua española, goes on sale in Spain and Latin America on Thursday.

Two volumes totaling about 4,200 pages are based on the work over the past 11 years of the Association of Spanish Language Academies (la Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española), which has official representation from 22 countries. The last such work was published in 1931.

The books are designed to provide a thorough explanation of the structure of the Spanish language wherever it is spoken, including an explanation of regional differences. Read more...

Massive guide to Spanish grammar finally ready for sale originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 12:04:38.

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M Another Easy Letter to Learn

2009-11-30T01:43:38Z

Our pronunciation journey through the Spanish alphabet continues today with a lesson on pronouncing the M. With a few rare exceptions, it's pronounced essentially the same as the M of English.

M Another Easy Letter to Learn originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 01:43:38.

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Is the Future Subjunctive Really Dead?

2009-11-27T14:05:14Z

Is the future subjunctive verb form all but dead in Spanish as I have said? One of the participants in our forum doesn't think so. Here's what he wrote:

As I wrote you about three years ago, I believe you are mistaken in your assessment that the future subjunctive tense is almost obsolete. Any study of Spanish refranes of the 16th century will show the continuing use of the future subjunctive therein: e.g., "When in Rome do as the Romans do," which is alive and well in “Adónde fueres, haz lo que vieres.”

Please also note that the future subjunctive is very much in use in Portuguese, whose speakers number +/- 250 million people in eight countries around the world.

From my perspective, whether the future subjunctive is almost obsolete depends on what you mean by "almost." Read more...

Is the Future Subjunctive Really Dead? originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 14:05:14.

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Caer: a Verb Worth Falling For

2009-11-26T16:51:20Z

Whether it's coincidence or linguistic forces at work, I found it surprising as I prepared a new lesson on caer much the figurative meanings of the verbs "to fall" in English and caer in Spanish coincide. In both languages, for example, it is possible to fall into temptation (caer en tentación) and to fall into a trap (caer en trampa). Read the lesson, however, and you'll find there are a few meanings of caer that aren't translated to English so neatly using "fall."

Caer: a Verb Worth Falling For originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Thursday, November 26th, 2009 at 16:51:20.

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When Do You Use the Subjunctive Mood?

2009-11-25T09:30:06Z

Once you get beyond the beginner's stage of learning Spanish, one of the more challenge aspects of mastering the language is learning to use the subjunctive mood — a verb form that is uncommon in English but essential to Spanish. With that in mind, updated and improved lessons on the subjunctive will appear on this site over the next few weeks, starting with a lesson on when to use the subjunctive.

When Do You Use the Subjunctive Mood? originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 09:30:06.

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Spanish Has Single Sound for L

2009-11-24T07:21:15Z

Beginning Spanish students are often told that the L of Spanish is pronounced pretty much like it is in English. But that isn't necessarily true. While the English word "low" and the Spanish lo are pronounced very much alike, "tall" and tal are not. Although you may not have noticed, English has two "L" sounds that are quite different — and, as explained in our new lesson on pronouncing the L, only one of them is used in Spanish.

Spanish Has Single Sound for L originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 07:21:15.

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Preparing for Thanksgiving (in Spanish, of Course!)

2009-11-23T10:55:36Z

If you a Spanish teacher in the United States — or if you're an aficionado/a of the holiday — you may find useful these lessons and other resources related to Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving Spanish vocabulary
Quick Spanish vocabulary quiz
Gracia
How to say thanks in Spanish
Football vocabulary (and we're not talking soccer)
Parents, cousins and other relatives

Preparing for Thanksgiving (in Spanish, of Course!) originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 10:55:36.

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Do You Know Your Adjectives?

2009-11-21T13:10:05Z

Our series of quizzes that we began this year has become a popular way to review and learn, and here's one to try if you haven't already: Spanish adjectives. Like the other quizzes, you can answer from four to 20 questions depending on how much time you have, and there's no grade at stake if you're wrong. Instead, you'll be directed toward the lesson that tells you want you need to learn. Happy quizzing!

Do You Know Your Adjectives? originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 13:10:05.

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What You Should Know About Spanish Verbs

2009-11-19T14:01:00Z

If you're new to Spanish and want to know what you have to look forward to learning, or if you want a quick review of Spanish verbs, you might be interested in the latest installment in our 10 Facts series, "10 Facts About Spanish Verbs." Do you know how verbs are classified? Or how new verbs are created?

If you were making a list of verb facts, what would you include? Feel free to comment below.

What You Should Know About Spanish Verbs originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 14:01:00.

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Spanish's Upside-Down Question Marks Unusual Among Languages

2009-11-18T13:52:00Z

If you're brand-new to learning Spanish, the two first things you may have noticed when reading it are the accented letters and upside-down question marks. While written accents are common in many languages, the inverted question marks (and exclamation points, too) are a Spanish original — and copied apparently only by some of the minority languages of Spain. Read more...

Spanish's Upside-Down Question Marks Unusual Among Languages originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 13:52:00.

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