¡Feliz Año Nuevo y Feliz día de Reyes! (Happy New Year and Happy Kings Day!)

Today is “el día de Reyes”, one of the most magical and special days for children (and adults) in Spain, when presents are opened and the delicious “roscón” is eaten!

And as we bring closure to the long Spanish Christmas celebrations, it seems the ideal day to reflect on how the magic happens.

Because our wishes and our focus become our purpose. And when we turn that into action… We make things happen!

And now that we are starting a new year, it is the perfect time to set goals and establish how much you want to improve your Spanish this year.

A little… A lot… Nothing at all… Be totally fluent… You get to decide!

But even when you know how much you'd like to improve it, sometimes it’s hard to know how to get there. 

 

Today I want to share with you some key practical steps to help you guide your...

“Ser” and “estar” are certainly one of the trickiest verb pairs in Spanish and distinguishing between them and their uses can be a major challenge.

In a previous video and post I explained a very simple way for when to use each of them without endless lists to remember and with no exceptions! Really, is that possible? you may say…

Yes, I promise. You can watch it here.

But sometimes the meaning of a sentence completely changes depending on which of these verbs are used!

For example, if you’re talking about wine, saying “este vino es bueno” and “este vino está bueno” means different things.  

Do you know what the difference is?

In today’s video, we explain these and other very useful examples where using “ser” or “estar” changes the meaning completely!

"Ser" and "Estar" are very important verbs in Spanish and are constantly used in everyday situations and learning how and when...

Do you find it confusing knowing when to use “saber” and when to use “conocer”? Do you often choose one, but are not really sure if it’s the right one?

 

If the answer is yes... then you’re definitely not alone!

This is one of the most common mistakes that I hear all the time and one of the questions that I get asked frequently. And it is totally understandable, because in English there’s only one verb “to know”, for both “saber” and “conocer”.

 

So, is it...

“¿Sabes a María?” or “¿Conoces a María?” 

“¿Sabes Tailandia? or “¿Conoces Tailandia?”

 

Mmmm

 

Find out in this video, where we explain in a quick and simple way when to use “saber” or “conocer” so you get immediate clarity. 

 

After watching this video you won’t mistake the two again!

Feliz...

This week saw “El día internacional del flamenco” (International Flamenco day), a celebration of one of the most well-known and popular Spanish dances now performed and enjoyed worldwide.

Flamenco is a beautiful art, with so much passion and energy that it continues to stand out as one of the most exciting art forms to witness today with its unique mixture of singing, guitar playing, dancing, hand clapping and finger snapping.

But if you’re planning to travel around Spain, you will rarely see or hear flamenco around you outside of Andalucia… In fact, most people won’t have a clue how to dance it! 

People always ask me in the UK whether I dance flamenco and are surprised when I say... not at all! I probably know as much as they do!

Because Flamenco is like paella, in that even though outside of Spain they’re seen as symbols of Spain and Spanish culture, within Spain they’re much more recognised as regional...

Something that people often want to improve is learning more expressions, sayings and vocabulary, particularly at an intermediate level and beyond.

 

Because understanding the expressions and key words that you come across is crucial in building your confidence and competence so you’re not lost in the conversation and can quickly work out what’s being said and respond appropriately.

 

So, my question for today is... have you heard the word “vuelta” many times, but you’re not quite sure if you understand what it means because you’ve heard it in very different situations?

 

If the answer is yes, today's video will definitely bring you some clarity.

 

Vuelta comes from the verb “volver”, to return and the root meaning is associated with that. However, the word “vuelta” is part of different expressions which are very popular and the meaning is not so straight forward.

 

We explain it all in...

Now that the clocks have changed and the dark nights have returned... 

¡Hay que abrigarse! - “we need to wrap up!”. “Abrigarse” from “abrigo”- coat

It is the perfect time to have a “plan de sofá y manta” (Spanish expression for being cosy at home, literally "sofa and blanket plan!") and learn some Spanish.

Today we want to share with you a very popular video from our beginners course Connect that covers how to talk about the weather because... who doesn’t like to talk about the weather! 

It includes all of the vocabulary and expressions that you need to feel confident with this topic.

Many people find some of the words and expressions related to the weather in Spanish a bit challenging as they are constructed differently in English. But in this video we break it down so it’s easy to digest and I'm sure you’ll find it very useful.

This is a fantastic topic that can...

Today, I'm very honoured to be interviewed by Lola Gamboa, from Educación digital.

In her podcast "Hoy es un buen día" we discuss how Your Spanish Dreams was born, what made us take the plunge and how we help people speak Spanish so they can integrate with their families and friends in Spain. 

We share our personal experiences learning other languages and how to make it a successful and enyojable experience. We also cover some of the reasons for being blocked with the language ... and how the situation can be completely turned around!

Hit play to discover more:

  

I hope you enjoy it as much I enjoyed recording it!

Access our free course 4 steps to Spanish success

Join the waiting list for our beginner's programme Connect

Find out more about working 1-to-1 with me

Sayings or “refranes” in Spanish are short and commonly known popular expressions that have been passed through generations and offer timeless wisdom and morals. 

 

Normally these phrases consist of a catchy rhyme or structure that makes them easy to remember. And as we’re heading into the colder season, there’s a Spanish saying that can be used not just about the weather, but as a positive outlook in life and it’s...

 

Al mal tiempo, buena cara (Literally: "When bad weather, good face")

This expression refers to keeping a positive attitude despite adversity. It’s not just “putting on a brave face”, but more an attitude of optimism and hope.

The equivalent in English would be “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” So while you may not be able to change the situation, you can definitely change your take on it.

Fun fact: The Spanish word “mal” (bad) can also be placed at...

Regional accents are certainly one of the beauties of any language. They are a part of a person’s identity and the community they belong to. They show how rich a culture is because it is in the language that we can see elements of its past, the local customs and the people’s character... 

 

And a country as culturally diverse as Spain could not be otherwise and you can find completely different accents from North to South, East to West. 

 

However, as learners of another language, it can be hard to understand people with strong accents and can even make us wonder whether they are in fact speaking the same language!

 

In Spain, for example, people living in areas where they have their own native language (Catalonia, Basque Country, Galicia, Comunidad Valenciana, The Balearics...) will often find themselves speaking Spanish with the corresponding accent and intonation resembling their own languages...

 

So no wonder it can initially feel like...

Do you feel overwhelmed with your Spanish at times? 

Maybe you had to pause your learning because life got busy or you haven’t been in contact with Spanish for a while and it seems like you’ve forgotten so much that you start feeling lost, discouraged and unsure on how to get back on track.

You sometimes even wonder whether in fact you may have forgotten everything!!!

If you have ever felt this way, I promise you’re not alone! This is one of the most common difficulties that I hear all the time, particularly after the summer holidays when many people take a break from learning.

And in case you’re still wondering… yes, everything is still there!

All that is needed to deal with this kind of overwhelm is to stop the loop of negative thoughts, take a step back and design a plan. This way we can build momentum, strengthen the neural connexions in our brains again and accelerate the recovery to keep moving forwards.

Today, I want to share with...