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PROS AND CONS ABOUT THE FREE SPANISH LESSONS ORGANIZED BY CITY COUNCILS

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When you move to Spain, some of you want to start speaking with your Spanish neighbours ASAP so you look for Spanish lessons. Some city councils with a big foreign community organized free lessons, maybe, at the beginning, you will find attracted by this but, soon, you will realize you are not learning anything and you will give up. So, I´m not talking they are bad teachers but their way of teaching foreign adults is not the correct one. So let´s see the pros and cons about these lessons PROS 1 They are free 2  Only Spanish is spoken (but, are this really an advantage?)   CONS 1 Only Spanish is spoken (see? It´s not really a pro). If you start learning Spanish from zero, you will be lost from the first day because their method is speaking only in Spanish, a method that works for kids but not for adults facing a new language (even if they advertise the lessons are for over 18). 2  They teach “by the book” so you won´t learn the Spainsh spoken in real life but a grammar-per...
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WRITING DATES IN SPANISH

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Today  we are going to talk about FECHAS  ( Dates ). Do you already know how to write dates in Spanish? Writing dates in Spanish is pretty much the same as in English...There´s a little catch! The date format that Spanish speakers prefer is the following:  day / month / year.    This is the opposite in US English where the month comes FIRST, before both the day and the year (that is: month / day / year)  But  British/UK English , however, allows the same format as the Spanish: day/month/year So, for example : Today's date is Ma y   4 , 20 26  or in UK 4th  of Ma y , 20 26 . In Spanish, we say "el cuatro  DE ma y o DE 20 26 ".    NOTE: You need the preposition " DE " in between the date, month and year. Yesterday was 3 rd  of May  20 26 . In Spanish: Ayer fue 3  de mayo  de 20 26 . Tomorrow is Tuesday , 5 th  of Ma y , 20 26 . Mañana es martes , cinco  de ma y o de 20 26 18. The ...
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WHY DO SOME ENGLISH-SPEAKING STUDENTS FREAK OUT ONCE THEY HAVE THEIR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE SPANISH CONJUGATION TAKING THEM EVEN TO QUIT LEARNING?

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During my years  as a Spanish teacher, and thanks to my method, my students are usually happy with the lessons and tend to stay with me for quite some time to perfect their language skills. However, I have had cases of people who were learning very well at the beginning: expressions, vocabulary, how to act in certain situations... but as soon as they bump into the first verb they have to conjugate, they freak out, and that's when I receive the typical message with some excuse that forces them to quit the classes  and even they say they will be back as soon as their “situation” changes, the truth is this is the moment their adventure about learning a new language finishes.   And why is that?   1.  Maybe c omplexity ?  Spanish has numerous verb forms that change based on tense, mood, and subject. This complexity can be overwhelming for beginners.  So that´s why I teach e ncouraging a focus on practical usage and gradual exposure to conjugation  and,...
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FILLER WORDS IN SPANISH

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Filler words are words or phrases that speakers use to fill pauses in conversation, often without adding significant meaning. They can help manage the flow of speech, give the speaker time to think, or signal that they are not finished speaking. Common examples include:   "Um" ,  "Uh" , "Like" , "You know" , "So" , "Actually"  or "Basically"  among others. Using Spanish filler words can enhance your conversational skills and make your speech sound more natural. Here are some common Spanish filler words and tips on how to use them effectively: 1. Eh : Similar to "um" or "uh," used to pause for thought.    - Example: "Eh, no sé qué decir."  (Um, don´t know what to say) 2. Bueno :  Means "well," often used to start a response.    - Example: "Bueno, creo que deberíamos ir."  (Well, I think we should go) 3. O sea :  Translates to "I mean" or "that is to say....
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IN, ON or AT? In Spanish it´s easy, just EN

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  The Spanish preposition "en" is quite versatile , it can be used in various contexts. Here are some of them :   1. Location: To indicate where something  or somebody  is.      - Example s : *El libro está en la mesa.* (The book is on the table.) “Estoy en casa” (I´m at home)   2. Specific Times: To denote when something happens.      - Example: *La reunión es en marzo.* (The meeting is in March.)   3. Means or Method:   To describe how something is done.      - Example: *Viajamos en avión.* (We travel by plane.)   4. State or Condition:   To express being in a certain state.      - Example: *Estoy en fadad o en este momento.* (I am angry at the moment.)   5. Idiomatic Expressions:   Used in various idiomatic phrases.      - Example: *En cada caso.* (In each case.)   Tips for Using "en": - It often tran...
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WHEN EXPLAINING “SER” AND “ESTAR” YOUR TEACHER USES THE WORDS “PERMANENT” AND “TEMPORARY”, LOOK FOR A BETTER SPANISH TEACHER

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  Once you have seen the best choice if you want to learn Spanish is to get a native teacher, the next step is to find a GOOD Spanish teacher and certificates, diplomas, etc won´t help you to make the right choice.   Common mistakes by Spanish teachers often involve focusing too much on textbook s , neglecting cultural context, or over-emphasizing grammar rules, leading to students who struggle with natural speech, pronunciation (like rolled 'r's, 'j', 'll'), word usage (like ser/estar, muy/mucho, prepositions), and understanding accents, which are crucial for meaning, rather than just translation. Teachers sometimes miss teaching key phrases, natural expressions, and the nuances of gender/number agreement, making learning less practical.  But probably one of the biggest mistakes is the way most of the Spanish teachers teach the verbs SER (To be) and ESTAR (To be) .     The distinction between “ser” and “estar” in Spanish can indeed be confusing s...
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MASTERING THE “RR”

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  The "RR" sound its roots in the evolution of the Latin language. In Latin, the sounds represented by "R" were often rolled or trilled, especially when they occurred in certain positions. As Latin evolved into the various Romance languages, the rolled "R" became a distinctive feature in Spanish. 1.  Pronunciation The Spanish "RR" is pronounced as a voiced alveolar trill, which means that the tongue vibrates against the alveolar ridge (the area just behind the upper front teeth). This sound is produced by: - Placing the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge. - Allowing air to pass over the tongue, causing it to vibrate. It's important to note that "RR" is different from a single "R" in Spanish. The single "R" as in "pero"  (but ) is pronounced more softly, while the "RR" as in "perro"  (dog ) is strongly trilled. Its pronunciation can be a little tricky for foreign learners. H...
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