And I'm going to show you why. A fascinating myth is the idea that Spanish has more vocabulary than English, or that you need an overwhelming amount of words to express yourself. The truth is the opposite: To be fluent and express yourself naturally, you need fewer words than in English. Let me show you why: English is a [...]
In Spanish, “ir” and “irse” look almost the same. But be careful: the difference can change the whole meaning. 1. IR = to go (specific destination) Voy al cine. I go to the movies. Mañana vamos a la playa. Tomorrow we’re going to the beach. The focus is on where you go. 2. IRSE = to [...]
Spanish is full of surprises—and some verbs completely can change their meaning in the preterite tense. Here are a few examples that often confuse learners: Conocer Yo conozco a María = I know María Yo conocí a María = I met María (for the first time) Saber Yo sé la respuesta = I know [...]
To be or not to be, that’s NOT the question… Ser o estar, it's the real question. In the 3 minutes it takes you to read this email, you’ll understand the difference. Ser is used for characteristics. El gato es marrón. The cat is brown. El gato es pequeño. The cat is small. Estar is used for states [...]
Anyone would think that the place where mate is most consumed is in Argentina or Uruguay. But there is a town, thousands of kilometers from the Río de la Plata, where this tradition beats strongly. That place is Lungro, in Calabria, Italy. At the end of the 19th century, many [...]
Is it the same to ser bueno as to estar bueno? And ser bien versus estar bien? Maybe you’re already guessing the answer… But here’s the first clarification: “ser bien” doesn’t exist. We say: Soy bueno para los idiomas.I’m good at languages. Este café está bueno.This coffee tastes good. Estoy bien, gracias.I’m fine, thanks. [...]
Have you ever hesitated between saying bueno, bien, or buen? You are not alone: this is one of the most common confusions for Spanish learners. That’s why I prepared a short and clear video where I explain: • Cuándo usar bueno y cuándo usar bien When to use bueno and when to use bien [...]
Imagine you want to learn how to sail a ship. You read all the manuals, study the charts, even try an advanced simulator. Sounds useful, right? But then, the day you face the real sea—with shifting winds, sudden currents, and quick decisions to make—what would you prefer? The simulator… or an experienced captain by your [...]
Is hunger feminine or masculine in Spanish? It looks like a trick question, but it’s not. The word hambre is actually feminine, but it takes the article “el” because of pronunciation. This happens with feminine nouns that begin with a stressed “a”. If we said “la hambre”, it would sound strange in Spanish and [...]
Have you seen those words that seem to have more personalities than a Hollywood actor? One of them is “como.” Yes, “como” can mean many things: “Yo como pizza” → I eat “Es como un juego” → It’s like a game “Como te decía…” → As I was saying… “¿Cómo estás?” → How are [...]