We tend to treat the subjunctive as a headache for foreigners or as a grammatical quirk. But if we look more closely, the subjunctive is not just grammar: it is the language of possibility. It is the mood we use when something is not yet, but could be; when what is at stake is not [...]
Hi 😊 Here’s a mini guide so you’ll never confuse “si no” and “sino” again (plus a few extra meanings that may surprise you). “Si no” vs “sino”. The essential difference “si no” (dos palabras / 2 words) = condición (condition): “if not / unless”. ✅ Si no estudias, no vas a entender. ✅ [...]
Here we explain estar en sus trece meaning! estar en sus trece meaning Many of us use expressions without wondering where they come from. One of the most curious ones is estar en sus trece meaning is explained here. Today we use it for someone who refuses to change their mind, even when proven [...]
Last week we organized a birthday dinner. It was raining and a bit cold, but inside it was warm and cozy. A friend —who is learning Spanish— was looking at the bottle of wine she had brought. I asked her: “Do you want a corkscrew?” She looked at it and said: “Oh… a corkscrew.” [...]
The word “se” has more than 10 different uses in Spanish. And I bet this is one you don’t know. It’s not the reflexive se from lavarse or vestirse. This is the “se”, used when the action happens but the person who caused it is unknown. Unlike English, in Spanish we can’t use an structure [...]
If you want to start sounding more natural in Spanish — starting today —follow these 3 tips I always share with my students. Don’t use unnecessary personal pronouns In Spanish, verbs already show who performs the action. ❌Yo fui… → sounds repetitive. ✅Fui al cine… → short and natural. In Spanish, the verb [...]
The short answer is yes… but the long answer might surprise you. This tip will be useful if you’re in the last part of level B1 or in level B2. The short answer to the question “Are tomara and tomase the same?” is yes. But the long answer is a tip you won’t find [...]
There are 3 typical mistakes intermediate students make that make them sound much less natural. Today in class, one of my intermediate students told me: “Yo compré un regalo para él, y luego envié un mensaje para él... Dije a él ‘Feliz cumpleaños’.” “I bought a gift for him, and then sent a message for him... I said [...]
The exceptions and their rules. I have observant students. I think I get all the really observant ones. That if a company is looking for observant people, they should look among my students. If you don't believe me, observe this: If you have already studied the subjunctive, you know that after verbs of opinion and [...]
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 [...]