About.com Spanish Language

Spanish Has Single Sound for L

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:21:15 +0000

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!)

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:55:36 +0000

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?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:10:05 +0000

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

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:01:00 +0000

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

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:52:00 +0000

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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How Have You Improved Your Pronunciation?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:30:13 +0000

At its most basic, Spanish pronunciation is fairly easy, as it has few sounds that are radically different than what we have in English. But mastering Spanish pronunciation is another matter — quite a few of the sounds are subtly different than the corresponding English ones, and some of them (such as the rr and j sounds) are foreign to what most English speakers grew up using. So how do you improve your pronunciation so you can make yourself understood with ease?

If you have an answer to that question, please share your advice on improving Spanish pronunciation. And if you're still struggling? Check back in a few days and see what advice others have given.

How Have You Improved Your Pronunciation? originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 08:30:13.

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K and Q Sound Familiar

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:40:13 +0000

You won't have much trouble learning how to pronounce the k and q — they're quite similar to what you already know in English. If there's a snag at all, it's remembering that in Spanish, the u after a q is silent, as explained in our new lesson on the k and q.

K and Q Sound Familiar originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 12:40:13.

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Metric System Part of the Language

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:31:19 +0000

Go to just about anywhere that Spanish is spoken, and if you start talking using measurements such as pulgadas (inches) and pies (feet), you very likely won't be understood. Before you head out of the United States, take some time to learn the metric system. Not only is it easy to learn, but it also is understood in nearly every country in the world.

Metric System Part of the Language originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 12:31:19.

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How Do You Learn Words?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:16:07 +0000

None of us learns words in the same way — I find flashcards boring, but I easily pick up words as I read the latest news from Bogotá or some other Spanish-speaking city. But if I told you to do that to pick up more Spanish words, you might find it boring!

But what works for probably would work for someone somewhere, even if not for best friend. With that in mind, I invite you to share your advice on learning vocabulary, preferably after reading through our overview on learning vocabulary. Thanks!

How Many? How Much?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:56:49 +0000

Ask questions like those in a headline, and you might expect a number in the answer. But you might also answer with an adjective of quantity — words like "many" or "few" in English, muchos or pocos in Spanish. Our recently revised lesson on adjectives of quantity lists the ones you'll use the most often and gives examples of how they're used.

How Many? How Much? originally appeared on About.com Spanish Language on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 03:56:49.

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