Articles from Verbum
Spanish, Buenos Aires & Argentina
Articles from Verbum about learning Spanish, Argentine culture, Buenos Aires and the language as it is really used.
Featured articles
The Origin of “Boludo” and “Pelotudo” | Argentinian Slang Explained
Explore an account of the origins of boludo and pelotudo, two Argentine Spanish words whose modern meaning depends on tone and context.
The Spanish “se”: describing changes of state
Understand se in la puerta se abrió and similar changes of state, how it differs from reflexive use, and why the cause need not be unknown.
La Boca: History, Caminito and What to See in Buenos Aires
Explore La Boca’s Genoese heritage, Caminito, Quinquela Martín’s museum, La Bombonera and historic conventillos through Verbum’s connection with the neighborhood.
Teatro Colón: Buenos Aires’ historic opera house
Discover Teatro Colón’s 1908 opening, successive architects, auditorium and renowned acoustics, with a clear distinction between history and travel rankings.
Mate: Argentina’s National Infusion
Learn what mate is, its Guaraní roots and shared regional culture, the cebador’s role, essential vocabulary and simple preparation steps.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid: One of the World’s Most Beautiful Bookstores
Explore El Ateneo Grand Splendid’s theatre-to-bookstore history, preserved balconies and painted dome, and National Geographic’s 2019 description.
Learn Spanish
Spanish Simple Future: Exercises with Answers
Practise the Spanish simple future with ten exercises, answers and English translations, including the irregular stems of tener and salir.
Parece que hubieras visto un fantasma: The Spanish Past Perfect Subjunctive
Learn the Spanish past perfect subjunctive with hubiera and hubiese, ghost-themed examples, past wishes and unreal conditions.
Dar, haber, hacer y tener
Practise common Spanish expressions with dar, haber, hacer and tener through exercises, translations and model answers with natural alternatives.
Why Reading Without a Dictionary Can Be Better (Sometimes!)
Keep your reading flow without giving up dictionaries: choose accessible Spanish texts, use context and look up words when they matter.
To be or not to be? No… ser or estar!
Compare ser and estar through the original cat examples: characteristics, states and location, with a brief guide to changing adjective meanings.
Irregulars in the Future
Review twelve irregular Spanish future stems, all original vos forms, corrected accents and their relationship with the conditional.
Present tense exercises
Practise Spanish present-tense verbs through personal statements, translations and questions, with model translations and valid alternatives.
Not everything that ends in “-s” is actually plural
Learn why paraguas, sacacorchos, virus and other Spanish nouns can end in s in the singular, with agreement examples and the ciempiés exception.
Bien, bueno or buen?
Understand bien as an adverb, bueno as an agreeing adjective and buen before masculine singular nouns, with contextual Spanish examples.
The Spanish “se”: describing changes of state
Understand se in la puerta se abrió and similar changes of state, how it differs from reflexive use, and why the cause need not be unknown.
Pretérito Imperfecto
Review Spanish imperfect endings, ser, ir and ver, and contextual examples of past habits, descriptions and ongoing background actions.
Irregular Verbs in Present
Learn irregular Spanish present-indicative yo forms, including hago, pongo and traigo, with related verb families and essential stress and spelling notes.
“Si no” vs “sino”: the essential difference + extra meanings
Learn when to write si no or sino, how sino que works, and the additional meanings of sino, with Spanish examples and natural English translations.
Ejercicios con Dar, Haber, Hacer y Tener
Practise common Spanish expressions with dar, haber, hacer and tener through exercises, translations and model answers with natural alternatives.
Techniques and tips to learn Spanish
Set practical SMART goals for learning Spanish, with manageable vocabulary practice, conversation, listening and reading, and a worksheet to plan your progress.
Ser, estar, tener, sentir, sentirse, hacer… frío: not the same thing
English uses “I’m cold”, “I feel cold” and “it’s cold” in different situations. Spanish distinguishes a person’s sensation, the temperature of something, emotional distance and the weather through different constructions with frío.
Is “el hambre” (hunger) feminine or masculine in Spanish?
Hambre is feminine in Spanish. The singular definite article takes the form el immediately before hambre because the word begins with a stressed /a/ sound, but feminine agreement still applies.
-cer -cir irregular verbs
Learn the -zco pattern in conocer and related verbs, its present subjunctive forms, and why verbs such as vencer, cocer and hacer behave differently.
The word “it” in Spanish
Learn when Spanish uses lo or la for English “it”, where object pronouns go, when no pronoun is needed, and how esto, eso and aquello differ.
Spanish in Real Life
Dangerous Words: How Adjective Position Can Change Meaning in Spanish
A conversation with Cami illustrates how adjective position can change meaning in Spanish: hombre pobre, pobre hombre, amigo viejo and viejo amigo.
3 things that can make your Spanish sound more natural
Three practical Spanish speaking tips: use subject pronouns purposefully, choose conversational markers and learn natural expressions instead of literal translations.
Estar en sus trece: meaning, usage and origin stories
Learn what estar en sus trece means, how to use it naturally, and how documented historical usage differs from popular stories about its origin.
From Head to Toe: Spanish Idioms with Body Parts Explained
Learn Spanish body-part idioms with literal translations, practical meanings and everyday examples, from parar la oreja to meter la pata.
Expressions using “DAR”
Explore Spanish expressions with dar: emotions, everyday meanings and examples including dar miedo, dar vueltas and dar en el clavo.
The Origin of “Boludo” and “Pelotudo” | Argentinian Slang Explained
Explore an account of the origins of boludo and pelotudo, two Argentine Spanish words whose modern meaning depends on tone and context.
Buenos Aires
El Zanjón de Granados: Underground History in San Telmo
Explore El Zanjón’s restored house, tunnels and archaeological remains in San Telmo, plus the history and neighborhood legend of Casa Mínima.
San Telmo Antiques Fair at Plaza Dorrego
Discover the Feria de Antigüedades de San Pedro Telmo, created in 1970, and the historic buildings and lively Sunday atmosphere around Plaza Dorrego.
Feria Plaza Francia: Crafts and Art in Recoleta
Discover Recoleta’s Feria Artesanal Plaza Intendente Alvear, popularly known as Feria Plaza Francia, its handmade crafts and nearby cultural sights.
Casa Rosada: Why Argentina’s Government House Is Pink
Discover Casa Rosada’s role, its development in the 19th century and the traditional explanation surrounding its distinctive pink color.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid: One of the World’s Most Beautiful Bookstores
Explore El Ateneo Grand Splendid’s theatre-to-bookstore history, preserved balconies and painted dome, and National Geographic’s 2019 description.
La Boca: History, Caminito and What to See in Buenos Aires
Explore La Boca’s Genoese heritage, Caminito, Quinquela Martín’s museum, La Bombonera and historic conventillos through Verbum’s connection with the neighborhood.
Teatro Colón: Buenos Aires’ historic opera house
Discover Teatro Colón’s 1908 opening, successive architects, auditorium and renowned acoustics, with a clear distinction between history and travel rankings.
Ghost Stories in the Recoleta Cemetery
Explore the Recoleta Cemetery legends of David Alleno, Rufina Cambaceres and the Lady in White, with clear distinctions between history and folklore.
The Librería de Ávila: the oldest bookstore in Buenos Aires and a witness to Argentine History
Discover Librería de Ávila, the historic Buenos Aires bookstore opposite Nacional Buenos Aires, at the corner of Alsina and Bolívar.
Vittorio Meano: The tragic story of an architect behind Teatro Colón and Argentina’s Congress
Read the story of Italian architect Vittorio Meano, his work on Teatro Colón and Argentina’s Congress, and his tragic death in Buenos Aires.
Argentina & Culture
San Carlos Castle and Saint-Exupéry: A Possible Inspiration for The Little Prince
Explore Saint-Exupéry’s connection with San Carlos Castle and the Fuchs Valon family, his recollection in Oasis, and its possible link to The Little Prince.
Learning Spanish and 3 More Reasons to Visit Argentina
Discover three personal reasons to visit Argentina alongside learning Spanish: tango, contrasting landscapes and the diversity of gaucho traditions.
Mate: Argentina’s National Infusion
Learn what mate is, its Guaraní roots and shared regional culture, the cebador’s role, essential vocabulary and simple preparation steps.
Península Valdés: Wildlife and Whales in Patagonia
Discover Península Valdés in Chubut, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for southern right whales, marine wildlife and Puerto Pirámides.
Friend’s Day in Argentina: why July 20?
Discover why Argentina celebrates Día del Amigo on July 20, Febbraro’s connection to Apollo 11, and how friends mark the occasion.
Día de la Primavera (Spring Day)
Learn why Argentina celebrates Spring Day and Student’s Day on September 21, and why the cultural date differs from the astronomical equinox.
Sweetness Week in Argentina
Explore Argentina’s July 1–7 Semana de la Dulzura, its 1989 commercial origins, the “a sweet for a kiss” slogan and later month-long campaigns.
Pilagá people: communities, language and traditions
Learn about the Pilagá people of Formosa: their Guaycuruan language, 2022 Census data, fishing and crafts, and the distinction between history and oral tradition.
The Magellanic penguin
Meet the Magellanic penguin: its South American range, breeding, diet and the difference between global and Argentine conservation status.
The giant armadillo
Meet Priodontes maximus, Argentina’s tatú carreta: its South American range, size, diet and the distinction between global and national conservation status.
Top 10 Argentine foods
Explore ten Argentine foods and drinks, from beef cuts and empanadas to locro, dulce de leche and wine, with regional context and practical descriptions.
Los Mocovíes
Learn about the Moqoit (Mocoví), their communities in Chaco and Santa Fe, their Guaycuruan language and Argentina’s 2022 Census figures.
Indigenous Peoples in Argentina: History, Communities and Census Data
Read Argentina’s 2022 Census figures for people who identify as Indigenous or descendants of Indigenous peoples, with historical data and naming context.
Argentine Famous: Gilda
Meet Gilda, the Argentine cumbia singer born Miriam Alejandra Bianchi, and read about her career and lasting public recognition.
Spanish in Argentina
Planning time in Salta, Mendoza, Córdoba or Bariloche? Explore how Buenos Aires-based Verbum can help you prepare and continue learning online.
Explore Spanish in other Argentine cities