Colombian Spanish Archives - Learn More Than Spanish

9 ways to improve your Spanish writing skills

There are four basic skills that, no matter the language, we should learn equally.

When we are learning our native language, we go through this simple process: First, we learn to listen, then we learn to speak, then we learn to read, and ultimately we learn to write.

Think of how many years you spoke your native language before you started writing something down. Something around 5 or 6 years, right?

If we want to learn a second language, we should follow the same process.

Writing is the last skill to learn on the list because it is arguably much more complicated than the other. But it’s not less important.

Actually, all skills complement each other.

If you like writing but are experiencing some issues with it, don’t worry, you will get there. Always remember that writing is a process, even in your native language.

It’s like learning how to ride a bicycle or drive a car. You won’t learn by reading a manual or watching others doing it. You learn by practicing.

You don’t need to become a professional writer to be a good writer. But if you want to learn Spanish properly, you should focus a bit more on this skill.

How?

This post will give you 9 tips to practice and improve your writing skills in Spanish.

1. Read and never stop reading

There is no better way to improve your writing than by reading. As in any language, the more you read, the better your writing is.

So, read as much as you can in Spanish. Get into the habit of reading any Spanish language material you can, preferably read about different topics and use different texts.

Read magazines, newspapers, books, flyers, etc. Pay attention to all words, expressions and syntactic constructions. Go the extra mile, make notes of interesting phrases and look up new words; you’ll expand your vocabulary and improve your own writing structures.

No matter your current Spanish level, get into the habit first, and then you can slowly start scaling up the content of your reading.

If you feel confident enough with reading, we suggest reading quality writing—for example, short stories, newspaper articles, essays, and literature books.

You can read Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia’s most popular writer. He was awarded the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature and is known worldwide for his style. His work is not only a delightful read but also a great opportunity to learn about Colombian culture.

If you are still at a beginner or intermediate level, you can opt for reading children’s books. Read, for example, short and simple books like “El principito.” You’ve probably read it in your native language, so it’s a great opportunity to start reading in Spanish.

Furthermore, try reading out loud. It helps you memorize new words and helps practice your pronunciation.

Reading is a way to learn without realizing that you’re learning!

2. Make it part of your daily routine

Are you one of those obsessive list-writers? Do you write a daily to-do list, a grocery shopping list or a pro and cons list of any decision you need to make?

Do you have a personal diary, journal or travel book?

Or, what is it that you usually write on a daily or weekly basis?

Whatever it is, start incorporating those pieces into your Spanish daily practice.

If you think there are many types of Spanish writing practice for a moment, you can easily fit into your everyday life. You write more than you even realize.

Another way of practicing your writing is by getting in touch with friends and acquaintances from Spanish-speaking countries.

3. Take advantage of your relationships!

Write them a message in Spanish via WhatsApp, send them postcards. Tell them you are learning Spanish, and ask them to correct you when you make mistakes.

Lastly, use social media for good. Start commenting on your friends’ status and photos, write messages in Spanish and join Facebook, or LinkedIn groups focused on learning Spanish.

4. Try writing something every day for a month

Start some personal projects and time your writing activities.

What kind of personal projects can you start?

Let us give you some ideas:

Diary
Dream journal
Travel journal
Short stories
Cooking recipes
Self-reflection of the day
Describing places you visit during the day
Create your own phrasebook

Yes, it’s as simple as it sounds. Choose any topic and commit to it.

Time yourself for 10, 20 or 30 minutes and create a goal for that time period.

After a month, review all your writing. Check if you find any mistakes and correct them.

5. Put pen to paper

Research shows that handwriting has enormous benefits to the brain and our learning process.

It employs our fine motor skills and engages various brain regions, switching on muscle memory and helping us remember words and phrases better.

Also, Paul Bloom, Yale Psychologist says: “With handwriting, the very act of putting it down forces you to focus on what’s important,” “Maybe it helps you think better.”

“When we write (handwrite), a unique neural circuit is automatically activated,” said Stanislas Dehaene, a psychologist at the Collège de France in Paris.

“There is a core recognition of the gesture in the written word, a sort of recognition by mental simulation in your brain. “And it seems that this circuit is contributing in unique ways we didn’t realize.”

So, in your daily practice of the Spanish language, make sure you physically write your thoughts and ideas in a notebook or on a piece of paper.

6. Don’t try to impress

Choose quality over quantity.

Spanish -and any other language- could seem arduous and complicated when writing. But our best advice is “Start with short and simple pieces.”

Don’t try to impress your friends, colleagues or fellow students with complicated texts. It is better to start with a simple and clear text than with a long text difficult to follow.

We mentioned at the beginning of this article that learning to write in Spanish is similar to learning how to ride a bike or drive. Here, we would like to mention that it is also similar to running a marathon.

Some people want to write complicated essays, texts or emails, but they just start learning the language. They make many mistakes, and people can’t understand the message.

It’s like when a non-runner signs up for a marathon – even a half marathon-. They feel frustrated after just a couple of kilometers. But, if a non-runner decides to run a marathon, he or she should start training. Run every day for 10-20 min, run 3K, then 5Km, 10Km, 15Km, and so on. Eventually, he or she will be able to run a marathon.

Writing in Spanish is the same. You can’t expect to be the best writer from day one.

Lastly, the last piece of advice in this matter is:

Write about what you know how to write, not what you want to write.

Be patient, start with simple texts and scale up from there.

7. Learn proper punctuation

Have you ever been distracted by badly punctuated writing?

Punctuation is one of the things people pay less attention to. They think it is not that important, but the truth is that it is as important as the grammatical structure and the vocabulary.

It may seem small, but a well-placed comma or question mark can really affect the meaning of your writing.

When your work isn’t well punctuated, it gives the impression that you haven’t mastered the language.

Believe it or not, punctuation in Spanish is quite different from punctuation in English. It is not that we use different symbols, we use the same symbols (comma, exclamation mark, question mark, period, etc.).

The difference is that normally in Spanish, we tend to use longer sentences. We like to “talk” more. Our style is more rhetoric, generally speaking. We can write long paragraphs with just a couple of commas or semi-commas.

While in English, people tend to use short sentences to form a paragraph.

The only way of learning this is by reading a lot and writing a lot.

7. Use Linking words

Since we use a lot of words and sentences in a paragraph, we frequently use linking words.

Just by adding linking words, you will improve your writing significantly. You will avoid using short choppy sentences.

It will also help you to avoid repetitions and to build a better style in writing.

What are the main linking words in Spanish?

Adición (Addition)

When we want to add ideas or to give more information about the same idea, we use the following connectors:

Además (Moreover, furthermore, in addition, and)
También (Too, also, As well)
Además de (As well as)
Incluso (Even)

Oposición (Opposition)

The next connectors are used when we are contrasting ideas.

Pero (but)
Sin embargo (however)
Aunque (although)
No obstante (nevertheless)
A pesar de (que) (despite/in spite of)

Causa (Cause)

Porque (because)
Como (as)
A causa de (que) (because of)
Debido a (que) (due to, because of)
Dado que (since, given that)
Ya que (since, because)
Puesto que (since, as)
Gracias a (que) (thanks to)
Por culpa (de) (because of)

Consecuencia (Consequence)

These connectors express the consequences of the previously given information, and they are all used similarly.

Entonces (then)
Así que (so)
Por lo tanto/por eso (therefore)
En consecuencia (in consequence)

Dar ejemplos (Giving examples)

Por ejemplo (for example, for instance)
A saber (namely)

Resumiendo (Summarising)

We normally use these words at the beginning of the sentence to summarize what we have said or written.

Para resumir (to summarise)
Para finalizar (to conclude)
En pocas palabras (in short)
En resumen (in summary)
En definitiva (in brief)

8. Have another person review your work

Another great way to improve your writing is to get a native speaker to provide you with feedback.

Although it is an important practice to write as much as you can, there is no point in making mistakes and not knowing about them.

You will get used to using elaborate sentences or words that are not correct. Thus, it is as important as writing in Spanish to have someone who can review and correct your work.

You can ask a friend, family member, coworker or language exchange partner. Ideally, you should get some private Spanish lessons and focus on your writing skills.

9. Write and never stop writing

The more you write, the easier the words will start flowing from your fingertips.

As the old saying goes, “ Practice makes perfect.” In Spanish, “La práctica hace al maestro” (practice makes the master).

Never stop writing, and when doing so, talk about what you love.

There is nothing better than writing about food, friends, fun, or any kind of topic that brings you passion.

Ideas on what to write:

Postcard project
Social Media Profile
Instagram Posts
Personal Narrative (All about me)
Describe a Typical Day
How to… (recipe, fix something, etc.)
Write about your family
Your life as a kid
Famous person’s life
Describe a picture
Movie or book review
Controversial opinion piece
Plans
What would you do if…

Remember that slow and steady wins the race; think big, but start small when it comes to writing.

December 2, 2020/by Jennifer Gonzalez

10 top tips to learn Spanish at home

Colombian Spanish

Learning Spanish hasn’t been as easy as it is now. Believe us!

For many years we thought that the best way to learn Spanish was by going to a school, or by moving to a Spanish speaking country.

The traditional way of learning made us believe that we need to be “face-to-face” with our teacher or to be fully immersed in the culture to properly learn the language.

However, we have seen how technology has helped us find alternative ways for learning Spanish.

We are not only talking about online classes; we are talking about heaps of alternative ways that help us learn and improve the language.

In today’s article, we are going to talk about the best way to learn Spanish at home.

Yes, as you’ve heard! You can learn Spanish from the comfort of your home.

One of the advantages of learning Spanish is that it is the second most spoken language in the world. More than 20 countries have Spanish as their official language, and more than 580 people speak it

This makes Spanish a language with a lot of different resources to learn and practice.

Check out these creative ways to incorporate the Spanish language into your daily routine at home!

1. Change the language of your devices and Apps in Spanish

Switch your phone and computer language to Spanish.

We bet you are already familiar enough with the operating system layout of your devices; you rarely read the labels on the buttons you click, don’t you?

So, it’s easy! You won’t get confused, you will learn new words instead

Furthermore, switch the language of your most used Apps. Set your e-mail, Spotify, and your social media in Spanish.

By switching the language settings you can get exposure to new vocabulary and incorporate Spanish practice into your daily life.

2. Change your phone’s voice assistant to Spanish

If you are using any voice assistant (Siri, Google Assistant, etc.), try now to use it in Spanish.

Instead of asking your assistant “what’s the forecast today?”, ask “Cómo está el clima hoy?”. Or, instead of asking “What time does the game start”, ask “A qué hora empieza el partido?”

When doing this you will incorporate some pronunciation practice into your day. Don’t get frustrated if there are times when the assistant doesn’t understand you. Type the sentence you want to say in Google translate and play the pronunciation button; learn how it’s pronounced and try again with your voice assistant.

3. Read in Spanish

One of peoples’ favorite plans at home is reading. Nothing is better than getting a cup of coffee or tea, sitting on the couch and reading a book.

Of course, for reading literature or complicated topics we all prefer to do it in our mother tongue. But, depending on your Spanish level, there are many options to incorporate this hobby into your language practice.

Find the Spanish version of your favorite book -the one you have read twice or three times-, and start reading. Since it’s your favorite book you already know the story, right? It’s the perfect exercise for focusing more on the language instead of on the story.

You can also choose children’s books, as they are short and simple to read.

Whatever book you choose remember to:

Read
Underline new vocabulary
Look up the meaning of the new vocabulary
Read again

4. Watch movies, series and TV shows in Spanish – or with Spanish subtitles

Who doesn’t like to watch movies, series or TV shows at home?

Get your popcorn ready and enjoy watching movies while learning Spanish!

Be aware of your level of Spanish and act accordingly. Of course, you can’t expect to understand a Spanish or Latin American movie if you have been studying Spanish for only a few months. It would just frustrate you!

To start what you can do is:

Watch all your movies in English with Spanish subtitles
Watch movies in Spanish with English subtitles
Watch movies in Spanish with Spanish subtitles (intermediate-advance level)

Either way, you will get an enormous amount of vocabulary, and you will learn how to structure sentences.

Watching movies in their original language (Spanish) is a great way to immerse yourself in the sounds of the Spanish language, learn slang from different countries, and get familiar with different accents.

When you get tired of watching movies and series. You can also watch Youtube videos or TED Talks.

Find here very interesting TED talks in Spanish with English subtitles.

5. Social Media in Spanish

We already talked about switching the language of the Apps you use the most. That’s one way, but there is also another way to learn and practice Spanish using your Social Media.
How?

Following pages that interest you, and that use Spanish as their first language.

For instance:

Follow newspapers and magazine pages. In Colombia, you can follow El Tiempo, Semana, El Espectador.
Follow pages that talk about your main interests. If you like nature and environmental causes, follow Greenpeace Colombia or WWF Colombia. If you like art, follow museum pages such as MAMBO (Museum of Modern Art). And if you like music, follow your favorite artist pages.
Follow – and pay particular attention to posts of those friends of you from Spain and Latin America.
Read the captions and comments. It won’t only help you learn new words but it will also help you learn local slang and expressions.

6. Listen to music in Spanish

Listen to Spanish or Latin American music. No matter your Spanish level, you can start grasping a couple of words, then a few sentences, and eventually you will get it all.

Music is a very important part of the Colombian culture. So, if you love music -as we do- you will have a lot of fun learning Colombian Spanish.

How to practice Spanish by listening to music at home?

Leave some music on in the background. Even if you are not paying attention to the lyrics your ears are getting tuned into the Spanish language.
Try to grasp words or sentences, and write them down.
Find the lyrics of your favorite songs, and sing along. Karaoke-style at home.
Look up the new vocabulary.

7. Cook in Spanish

For those who love cooking, here is another fun way of learning Spanish at home!

Food is not only delicious, food is something that connects people. Through food, we learn about new cultures and we make new friends. Also, we make ourselves, our family and our friends happy.

As one of our sayings goes “Barriga llena, corazón contento”. Literally translated as “full belly, happy heart”

How to learn Spanish while cooking?

Purchase a cookbook in Spanish
Find a website that provides recipes in Spanish.
Find youtube videos that provide recipes in Spanish

While cooking you can learn new vocabulary (i.e. kitchen utensils, food vocabulary and verbs frequently used in the kitchen)

Note: You can combine cooking with our Tip No. 6. Yes, cooking while listening to Spanish or Latin American music in the background.

8. Excercise in Spanish

Do some exercise in Spanish.

You can find all kinds of online classes in Spanish: Yoga, Zumba, Pilates.

Workout classes are an easy way to learn body vocabulary and get familiar with the imperative form of a verb.

Watching exercise videos at home allows you to watch the video closely to understand the movement and the instructions even if you don’t understand everything the instructor is saying in Spanish.

You will keep your ear tuned while feeling energetic and burning some calories!

When talking about exercise, people normally refer to exercise the body. But keep in mind that it is as important to exercise the mind as we exercise the body.

So, include some meditation into your home exercise. Choose online guided meditation sessions in Spanish. There are plenty on Youtube and on Apps such as Insight Timer and Gaia.

9. Write in Spanish

No, we don’t want you to become a professional writer. Neither, we want you to write a book.

Our advice here is to start writing whatever you want in Spanish. No matter how short it is.

For example:

Write the grocery list in Spanish
Write your daily To-Do list in Spanish
Write your journal in Spanish
Write a letter to a friend in Spanish

At first, don’t focus much on the “perfect” spelling or “perfect” sentence. Just let yourself go and write whatever you feel.

Then, you can read your notes again and correct any mistakes you might have made.

10. Take an online Spanish course

Lastly, as a complement to the tips mentioned in this article, we highly recommend taking Spanish classes online.

It’s true you can learn and improve Spanish on your own but there is no doubt that having a native Spanish-speaking tutor is an effective method to properly learn the language.

You will see quick progress when combining what you learn in your daily routines at home with a structured academic program.

Ask your tutor any questions you have when reading, watching movies or listening to music. Ask them to correct your pronunciation, spelling and grammar.

Now that you have these 10 Tips to learn Spanish at home, start incorporating them into your daily life.

Start thinking in Spanish. Don’t aim for perfection. And, have fun!

Learning Spanish is an adventure, and what’s more interesting about adventures is the journey, isn’t it?

So, enjoy the adventure!

November 24, 2020/by Jennifer Gonzalez

Tips for mastering Spanish gender

Colombian Spanish

There are certain topics that make non-native Spanish speakers pull their hair out when learning Spanish.

There are some rules to follow but there are also many exceptions to those rules. There are also ways of talking, sentences or words that simply don’t make sense in other languages but in Spanish they do.

In previous posts, we talked about the use of the verb To Be (Ser & Estar) and about False cognates. Today, we are talking about “Gender in Spanish”. This is one of the topics people struggle the most when learning Spanish, mainly those whose mother tongue doesn’t come from a romance language (i.e. French, Italian, Portuguese).

Learn Gender in Spanish: Spanish Gender Rules

If you are an English speaker you might think that “gender” refers to people in their feminine or masculine form. Which, to a certain extent, it’s true… However, in Spanish, we also use “gender” for nouns, articles and adjectives.

In Spanish, words like “the”, “car”, “house”, “tree”, “lunch”, “black” or “tall” can be feminine or masculine.

While in English, gender is not important unless you are speaking about a living object (i.e. a person or an animal), in Spanish, all nouns (person, place, thing or idea) have a gender.

At first, it might be difficult but after a while it becomes natural and we can even say that you know by intuition what’s the right gender of each word.

What is it important to learn the gender of the nouns in Spanish?

Simple.

The gender of the noun is important because the adjective and articles must match the noun in terms of the gender.

If you don’t pair the words correctly, it’s not a big deal. It sounds weird for native Spanish speakers but they will still understand you.

But since we want you to speak Spanish properly we are here to give you some tips. Keep in mind, though, that it takes more than reading an article to have a couple of Spanish classes. If you truly want to master your spanish language you need to start but making some mistakes, learn from them and practice, practice, practice.

How to know when a noun is feminine or masculine?

Everything in Spanish is either male or female. Our language is charged with gender power!

The most common structure for nouns in Spanish is:

(article) + noun + (adjective)

So, let’s follow this stricture. Let’s talk about Spanish article gender rules first.

1. Articles

In English, there are three articles:

Definite article “The”

Feminine
Masculine
Singular
Plural

Definite articles “a”, “an”

Feminine
Masculine
Singular
Plural (“some” is not considering an article but it is used as such)

In Spanish, we have a total of eight articles. Yes, eight!

That’s because we change the articles according to both gender (feminine and masculine) and number (singular and plural)

Definite articles “The”

Masculine, singular: “el”
“El niño”. The kid
Feminine, singular: “la”
“La niña”. The kid
Masculine, plural: “los”
“Los niños”. The kids
Feminine, plural: “las”
“Las niñas”, The kids

Indefinite articles “a”, “an”, “some”

Masculine, singular: “un”
“Un niño”. A kid
Feminine, singular: “una”
“Una niña” A kid
Masculine, plural: “unos”
“Unos niños”. Some kids
Feminine, plural: “unas”
“Unas niñas”. Some kids

2. Nouns

Who is to decide whether “lámpara” (lamp) is masculine or feminine? – It’s feminine by the way

What determines a “libro” (book) to be a masculine noun? And what makes “cuchara” (spoon) a feminine noun?

Thankfully, there are some rules to follow to help you remember whether a noun is masculine or feminine.

Masculine Nouns

Rule No. 1

Nouns ending in “o”, “os”

Examples

“El libro” (The book)
“Un pájaro” (A bird)
“Los vasos” (The glasses)

Rule No. 2

Nouns ending in “ma”, mas”

Examples

“Los problemas” (The problems)
“El aroma” (The fragance)
“El clima” (The weather)

Rule No.3

Nouns which refers to males

Examples

“El padre” (The father)
Los reyes (The kings)
“El hijo” (The son)

Rule No.4

Nouns ending in “r”, “res”

Examples

“Los motores” (The motors)
“Un calentador” (A heater)
“El comedor” (The dining room)

Rule No.5

Nouns ending in “aje”, “ajes”

Examples

“El viaje” (The trip)
“El equipaje” ( The luggage)
“Los porcentajes” (The percentages)

Rule No.6

Days of the week

Examples

“El lunes” (Monday)
“El martes” (Tuesday
“El miércoles” (Wednesday)
“El jueves” (Thursday)
“Los viernes”(Fridays)
“El sábado” (Saturday)
“Los domingos” (Sundays)

Notes: – In English, the days of the week don’t use articles. In Spanish they do
– In Spanish, months of the year don’t use articles

Rule No.7

Compass directions

Examples

“El norte” (North)
“El sur” (South)
“El oriente” (East)
“El occidente” (West)

Rule No.8

A group with mixed genders is always* masculine

Examples

“Los estudiantes” (The students)
“Los padres” (The parents)
“Unos colegas” (Some colleagues)

Rule No.9

Languages

Examples

“El español” (The Spanish language)
“El inglés” (The English language)
“El italiano” (The Italian language)

Tip:
People use the word “LONERS” to help remember when a noun is masculine. Words that end with any of the letters in LONERS are usually masculine.

Some examples include:

L → El papel (paper)
O → El oso (bear)
N → El atún (tuna)
E → El hambre (hunger)
R → El calor (hot weather)
S → El bus (bus)

Feminine Nouns

Rule No. 1

Nouns ending in “a”, “as”

Examples

“La guitarra” (The guitar)
“Una camisa” (A shirt)
“Las camas” (The beds)

Rule No. 2

Nouns ending in “ión”, “ión”

Examples

“La religión” (The religion)
“La comunicación” (The communication)
“La pasión” (The passion)

Rule No. 3

Nouns ending in “dad”, “tad”

Examples

“Una ciudad” (A city)
“La verdad” (The truth)
“La libertad” (The freedom)

Rule No. 4

Nouns ending in “umbre”

Examples

“Una costumbre” (A tradition)
“La cumbre” (The summit)
“La incertidumbre” (The uncertainty)

Rule No. 5

Nouns ending in “z”

Examples

“La paz” (Peace)
“La nariz” (The nose)
“La actriz” (The actress)

Rule No. 6

Letters of the alphabet

Examples

La “a” (The “a”)
La “b” (The “b”)
La “c” (The “c”)

Rule No. 7

Nouns which refer to females

Examples

“La madre” (The mother)
“La reina” (The queen)
“La princesa” (The princess)

Exceptions to the rule

Here comes the fun!

All languages have rules, and all rules have exceptions. The Spanish language is no different.

Exceptions are just that, exceptions. We don’t need to understand them or find the logic behind them, we just need to learn them.

To make your life easier we have prepared a list of the most common exceptions to the rules listed above.

Exceptions to the feminine rules

“El día” (The day)
“El mapa” (The map)
“El Sofá” (The couch)
“El agua” (The water)
“El artista” (The artist)
“El cura” (The priest)
“El planeta” (The planet)

Exceptions to the masculine rules

“La mano” (The hand)
“La radio” (The radio)
“La moto” (The motorbike)
“La modelo” (The model)
“La piloto” (The pilot)
“La foto” (The photo)

3. Adjectives

As a reminder, an adjective is what we use to describe a noun.

In English, adjectives are similar to articles and nouns with regards to gender; they simply don’t have a gender.

“Red”, “short”, “big” are used in the same form for all nouns regardless of the gender -if any- and regardless of the number (singular or plural).

In Spanish, knowing the gender of the noun is crucial because it defines the article and the adjective you need to use.

Adjectives in Spanish also change slightly their form -their ending- depending on the gender. Adjectives can be masculine, feminine, and neutral

Masculine: Typically the ending of the adjective changes to “o”
Feminine: Typically the ending of the adjective changes to “a”
Neutral: Typically the word never changes regardless of the gender

Let’s see some examples:

	Masculine	Feminine
White	Blanco “El avión blanco” (The white plane)	Blanca “La casa blanca” (The white house)
Tall	Alto “El edificio alto” (The tall building)	Alta “La chica alta” (The tall girl)
Perfect	Perfecto “El clima es perfecto!” (The weather is perfect!)	Perfecta “La temperatura es perfecta” (The temperature is perfect)
Big	Grande “El museo es grande” (The museum is big)	Grande “La jirafa es grande” (The giraffe is big)
Kind	Amable “El vecino es amable” (The neighbor is kind)	Amable “La vecina es amable” (The neighbor is kind)

That’s all for today!

We hope this article has been useful to you. Remember that the key to mastering any language is practice!

If you want to improve your current level of Spanish do not hesitate to contact us. Join our school in Bogota or our online program.

November 16, 2020/by Jennifer Gonzalez

7 common mistakes when learning Spanish

Colombian Spanish

Keep on making mistakes in Spanish?

Making mistakes is inevitable when you are learning Spanish. It is part of the process of learning a new language.

There is no need to be frustrated, but if you want to speak Spanish properly it’s important you are aware of the mistakes you constantly make.

There are major and minor mistakes.

Major mistakes are those that affect your communication with others. Spanish speakers won’t understand the sentence or the context.

On the other hand, minor mistakes are those that native speakers notice but they don’t affect your communication with them. Spanish speakers would understand what you are saying even if it is not correct.

If you want to learn Spanish properly pay attention to the following mistakes people make when learning Spanish.

1. Assuming that Spanish words that look like English words mean the same thing

Around 30% to 40% of all vocabulary in English have related words in Spanish.

Those similar words are known as cognates. There are perfect cognates, near-perfect cognates and false cognates.

The last ones, false cognates are the tricky ones. They are also known as “false friends” because they fool you. You think you know what they mean but the actual meaning is something completely different.

One of these mistakes is saying “estoy embarazada” (I’m pregnant in English) when you want to say “I am embarrassed”.

Be vigilant with those false friends. Native Spanish speakers would understand what you want to say but you don’t want to learn broken Spanish but good Spanish, right?

2. Assuming that the sound of the vowels and consonants in Spanish is the same as their sound in English

Many students struggle with the Spanish pronunciation. They have trouble communicating with native speakers because they think they are pronouncing words correctly but people don’t understand them.

Why is that?

Because they are pronouncing the words in English, not in Spanish.

To be honest, Spanish pronunciation is pretty easy and straightforward.

You should following simple rules:

Learn the sound of the vowels, and stick to it….Always! In Spanish, there are five vowels (a, e, i, o, u). We always pronounce them, their sound never changes.
Learn the sound of the consonants and stick to it. Similarly to the vowels, the consonants in Spanish have their unique sound. However, there are a few exceptions. Make sure you learn the exceptions and stick to the rules.
Roll your tongue and practice the “rrrr” sound as much as you can.

3. Using pronouns unnecessarily

In English, for instance, all sentences require a pronoun. But in Spanish, that isn’t necessary.

Why?

Because it’s implicit in the verb.

In Spanish, we conjugate the verbs according to each pronoun. So, when talking Spanish we normally omit the pronoun.

If you use the pronoun in all sentences it wouldn’t be grammatically incorrect, but it sounds a bit weird. It’s redundant.

Let’s look at an example with the verb “querer” (to want):

Yo quiero (I want)
Tu quieres (You want) – You in a singular form
Él/Ella quiere (She/He wants)
Nosotros queremos (We want)
Ustedes quieren (You want) – You in a plural form
Vosotros/as queréis (You want) – Vosotros/as is only used in Spain
Ellos/Ellas quieren (They want)

In Spanish we would say:

¿Quieres un café? (Do you want a coffee?)
Queremos ir a la playa mañana. (We want to go tomorrow to the beach)
Quiero comprar un regalo para mi hermana. (I want to buy a present for my sister)

See? We don’t use the pronoun because each verb already explains who it is referring to.

Spanish students frequently overuse the pronoun “yo” (I).

So, next time you are having a conversation in Spanish try to be aware whether you are using the pronouns more than you should.

4. Using the wrong gender for articles and adjectives

Contrary to English, in Spanish, the articles and adjectives can be either feminine or masculine.
There are basic rules to define when a word is feminine or masculine. But, since there are also some exceptions, students get frequently confused and mix up the genders.

The only way to get all the articles and adjectives right is by memorizing them.

Practice, and more practice!

5. Mixing up the verb “To be” (Ser or Estar)

One of the most difficult topics for Spanish language learners is the use of the verb “To be”, which in Spanish is divided into two verbs:

“Ser” and “Estar”.

“To be” (ser) or “To be” (estar).

We know it can be tricky since the distinction between those two doesn’t exist in other languages.

What’s the difference between “Ser” and “Estar”?

Putting it in a simple way:

“Ser” is used when describing permanent things, while
“Estar” when describing temporary things.

Make sure you learn the rules for each verb. You don’t want to say “soy aburrido/a” (I’m boring) when you actually mean “estoy aburrido/a” (I’m bored)

Soy aburrido. (I am boring.) – I am a boring person in general.
Estoy aburrido. (I am bored.) – Right now I feel bored.

6. Using The verb “To be” instead of the verb “To have”

There are some cases where we use the verb “To have” (Tener) instead of the verb “To be” in Spanish.

For many students, it doesn’t make sense, but the best advice we can give you is:

Don’t translate everything literally. Understand the rules each language has and start using them.

It doesn’t need to make sense at first. When you start speaking the language you will see it will make sense.

In English the verb “to be” is used for example when talking about age:

“I am 25 years old.”

But in Spanish, the verb “tener” (to have) is used when talking about age.

To say that you are 25 years old, you would say:

“Tengo 25 años”

This translates literally to “I have 25 years,” hence the common mistake by both English and Spanish speakers in their respective second language.

There are quite a few other Spanish phrases that use the verb “to have” (tener) while their English counterparts use “to be”.

For instance:

Tener calor (to be hot)
Tener cuidado (to be careful)
Tener frío (to be cold)
Tener hambre (to be hungry)
Tener sed (to be thirsty)
Tener miedo de/a (to be afraid of)
Tener prisa (to be in a hurry)
Tener razón (to be right)
Tener sueño (to be sleepy)
Tener suerte (to be lucky)

7. Using the adjectives in the wrong order

In English, adjectives come before the noun.

For example:

Kind person
Blue shirt
Long road
Tall man
Rainy day

Whereas in Spanish, adjectives often come after the noun:

Kind person, “Persona amable”
Blue shirt, “Camisa azul”
Long road, “Carretera larga”
Tall man, “Hombre alto”
Rainy day, “Día lluvioso”

The more you read and the more you watch movies; the more you will improve your Spanish. Be attentive to how native Spanish speakers talk, you will improve a lot just by listening.

If you want to learn Spanish as fast as possible, we advise you to do an immersion course in a Spanish speaking country. Our school, Learn More Than Spanish offers intensive courses for all levels.

If you can’t travel soon to Colombia but you are interested in learning Spanish, you can take online Spanish classes with us. You will have highly qualified teachers focus on the skills you want to learn and improve.

Hope to see you soon!

October 9, 2020/by Jennifer Gonzalez

How to improve your Spanish listening skills?

Colombian Spanish

When learning a language, there are four skills we need for complete communication: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.

These are called the four language skills. No matter what language we learn, we should learn these skills equally.

When we are learning our native language we go through a simple learning process:

We learn to listen
We learn to speak
We learn to read
We learn to write

If we want to learn a second language, then we should follow the same process.

Just like when we are babies.

Babies spend their first months and years listening and replicating the sounds they hear. Then, they start learning the vocabulary. And, only after that, they start making sentences.

If this is a natural process, why do some people find it more difficult to learn one skill than another?

Is there one skill, in particular, you find it the most difficult?

Let’s start from the beginning. Let’s listen

When we are adults we want to see the results of everything that we do quickly. We want to be productive and efficient. And it makes sense, we invest part of our time in learning a new language and we want to make the best of it.

But let’s take it easy and enjoy the process. You will see it will make much sense.

Some people start learning Spanish by “reading” and “writing”. They read and write vocabulary. They try to memorize it.

But the problem comes when they want to have a conversation. They struggle to understand other people, they can’t make proper sentences, and they get frustrated.

If you start by just listening:

You will get familiar with the sounds of the vowels and consonants in Spanish. Believe it or not, they are way different than the English sounds.

When you listen you can also improve your pronunciation.

The way you pronounce Spanish directly affects your ability to understand it. If you are consistently pronouncing a word wrong, you will struggle to understand a native speaker when they say it correctly.

You will also tune your ear to different people, different accents and different speeds.

One of the biggest mistakes is getting used to only one person’s accent, you will find it difficult to understand other people.

Only in Colombia, there are dozens of different accents and dialects. When learning Spanish choose Bogota’s dialect, it’s the easiest to learn. But don’t forget to train your ear with other accents.

Become an active listener instead of a passive listener

Listening passively is not enough to make you a good listener.

Listening actively means being attentive. When you are an active listener you will notice new vocabulary. You will be keen on asking questions and, ultimately, you will understand the context even if you don’t understand every single word.

For instance, if you are listening to your friends talking, don’t be afraid of asking them the meaning of certain words or the context of the conversation.

You can also be an active listener while practicing the other language skills.

Don’t get us wrong, we did say that you should focus on listening, and we mean it. But there are few things you can do in parallel which will help you to improve your Spanish.

When listening to a song, a movie or a conversation you can take notes of words that catch your attention. This is useful because your memory is fresh and you can look them up later.

You can also improve your pronunciation skills while listening to something. It won’t distract you, if you do it consciously.

How is that?

¡Simple!

Practice “listen and repeat”

When you repeat out loud a word or a sentence your brain will be more active and you will be more likely to remember what you said afterward.

Be Patience! Go at your own pace

Many Spanish language learners get frustrated at the moment of listening to native Spanish speakers.
We know you would love to speak Spanish as soon as possible to join the conversations with friends, to understand the lyrics of the songs, or to understand the Spanish movies.

But relax, cause no matter how hard you try it will always take some time. It doesn’t mean you won’t get there, it means you need to be patient.

First of all, you must be honest with yourself about your current level of Spanish. There is no point in trying to understand a movie, for instance, if you start learning Spanish a few months ago. It will only frustrate you…

What you can do is start incorporating Spanish into your daily life.

What else can you do to improve your listening skills in Spanish?

There are so many tools and materials available out there to practice.

Let’s look at some of them:

Listen to Spanish or Latin American music. No matter your level of Spanish you can start grasping a couple of words, then a few sentences, and eventually you will get it all.
Listen to audiobooks. You can choose from easy children’s books if you are a beginner, to Spanish or Latin American literature.
Switch your Apps to the Spanish language. For instance, your GPS, Waze or your running Apps. You already know what they say in your own language, so try them in Spanish.
Watch movies and videos on Youtube. There are so many options, you will never get bored! Ask your friends to send you voice messages instead of text messages.
Do a language exchange. Find a Spanish speaker who wants to improve your mother tongue. Ask him or her to speak Spanish and you reply in English. After 30min you can switch so that both have the same opportunity to practice. It’s an excellent exercise!
Do some exercise in Spanish. Yes, you can find all kinds of online classes in Spanish: Yoga, Zumba, Pilates.
Do you like Ted talks? You can find very interesting TED talks in Spanish with English subtitles.
Or, do you like to meditate? Choose online guided meditation sessions in Spanish. There are plenty on Youtube and on Apps like Insight Timer and Gaia.

Whatever you choose, make sure you listen to what you enjoy and you are passionate about. If you start incorporating Spanish into your daily routines and your hobbies you will see how easier it becomes.

Don’t get frustrated if you don’t get it at first. Be patient and persistent!

October 2, 2020/by admin4lmts

False friends: Spanish/English false cognates

Colombian Spanish

Spanish is a Latin language, it has similarities with Italian, French and Portugues. English, in turn, is a Germanic language; it has similarities with German and Dutch.

However, you might be surprised to learn that many English words come from Latin. Some experts say that 60% of the English words come from Latin and that around 30% to 40% of all vocabulary in English have related words in Spanish.

What are false friends in linguistics?

Those similar words are known as cognates.

Cognates can be:

Perfect cognates
Near perfect cognates
False Cognates

Perfect Cognates

Perfect Cognates are those words that are spelled exactly the same in two languages and have the same meaning. Pronunciation is often different, though.

For example:

Spanish	English
Actor	Actor
Colonial	Colonial
Experimental	Experimental
Idea	Idea
Social	Social

Near Perfect Cognates

Near Perfect Cognates are words that are very similar and have the same meaning but the spelling is slightly different.

For example:

Spanish	English
Attention	Atención
Contrario	Contrary
Salario>	Salary
Solitario	Solitary
Vocabulario	Vocabulary

False Cognates

False Cognates are words that sound very similar but mean something totally different.

These are the words we will talk about in this post!

False Cognates are commonly known as false friends. They have taken this name because they actually fool you.

False friends often confuse people learning both Spanish and English. It’s totally normal to make mistakes while learning a new language, but there is no need to be played for a fool.

We have prepared a very comprehensive list of the most common Spanish-English false friends.

Let’s take a look!

What are some examples of false friends in Spanish?

Abogado Vs. Avocado

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Abogado	Lawyer, advocate	Avocado	Aguacate

Ropa Vs. Rope

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Ropa	Clothes	Rope	Cuerda

Librería Vs. Library

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Librería	Bookstore	Library	Biblioteca

Embarazado/a Vs. Embarrassed

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Embarazado/a	Pregnant	Embarrassed	avergonzado/a

Realizar Vs. Realize

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Realizar	To carry out, perform or achieve	Realize	Darse cuenta

Gangas Vs. Gangs

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Gangas	Bargains	Gangs	Pandillas

Lectura Vs. Lecture

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Lectura	Reading	Lecture	Charla, Conferencia

Recordar Vs. Record

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Recordar	To remember	Record	Grabar

Introducir Vs. Introduce

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Introducir	To insert (an object)	Introduce	Presentar (people)

Carta Vs. Cart

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Carta	Letter	Cart	Carro (supermarket, trolley, etc.)

Advertir Vs. Advertise

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Advertir	To warn	Advertise	Anunciar, hacer publicidad

Asignatura Vs. Signature

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Asignatura	Subject	Signature	Firma

Blanco Vs. Blank

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Blanco	White	Blank	en blanco, vacío

Campo Vs. Camp

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Campo	Field, pitch, countryside	Camp	Campamento

Carpeta Vs. Carpet

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Carpeta	Folder	Carpet	Alfombra

Comodidad Vs. Commodity

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Comodidad	Confort	Commodity	Producto, mercancía

Cuota Vs. Quote

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Cuota	Membership, fee	Quote	Cita literaria

Envolver Vs. Involve

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Envolver	To wrap up	Involve	Involucrar, implicar

Éxito Vs. Exit

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Éxito	Success	Exit	Salida

Extranjero Vs. Stranger

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Extranjero	Foreigner	Stranger	Extraño, desconocido

Fábrica Vs. Fabric

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Fábrica	Factory, Plant	Fabric	Tela

Firma Vs. Firm

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Firma	Signature	Firm	Empresa, compañía

Grabar Vs. Grab

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Grabar	To tape, to record	Grab	Agarrar, coger, tomar

Gracioso Vs. Gracious

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Gracioso	Funny	Gracious	Cortés, amable

Grosería Vs. Grocery

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Grosería	Rude remarkrude expression, rudeness	Grocery	Tienda de alimentos

Horno Vs. Horn

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Horno	Oven	Horn	Cuerno, bocina

Idioma Vs. Idiom

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Idioma	Language	Idiom	Modismo

Largo Vs. Large

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Largo	Long	Large	Grande, numeroso, amplio

Mayor Vs. Mayor

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Mayor	Bigger, biggest, older, oldest	Mayor	Alcalde

Media Vs. Media

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Media	Stocking, or one sock	Media	Medios de comunicación

Noticia Vs. Notice

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Noticia	News	Notice	Anuncio, aviso

Nudo Vs. Nude

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Nudo	Knot	Nude	Desnudo

Once Vs. Once

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Once	Eleven	Once	Una vez, una vez que, en cuanto

Pan Vs. Pan

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Pan	Bread	Pan	Sartén, cacerola

Pie Vs. Pie

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Pie	Foot	Pie	Tarta

Presumir Vs. Presume

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Presumir	To show off, to boast	Presume	Suponer

Quieto Vs. Quiet

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Quieto	Still	Quiet	Silencioso, callado

Red Vs. Red

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Red	Network	Red	Rojo

Relativo Vs. Relative

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Relativo	Related to	Relative	Pariente, familiar

Restar Vs. Rest

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Restar	To subtract	Rest	Descansar

Soportar Vs. Support

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Soportar	To put up with, to bear	Support	Apoyar

Suceso Vs. Success

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Suceso	Event, happening, incident	Success	Éxito

Trasladarse Vs. Translate

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Trasladarse	To move, to transfer	Translate	Traducir

Tuna Vs. Tuna

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Tuna	School or University musical group	Tuna	Atún

Últimamente Vs. Ultimately

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Últimamente	Lately	Ultimately	Finalmente

Vaso Vs. Vase

Spanish Word	English translation	English word	Spanish translation
Vaso	Glass	Vase	Jarrón

False friends are fun sometimes but you don’t want to be taken as a fool, so make sure you learn the differences.

There are false friends that can put you in trouble. For example:

It’s not the same saying:

“Estoy embarazada” (I’m pregnant)

than

“Estoy avergonzada” (I’m embarrassed)

If you want to improve your Spanish language join our classes here. Also, read our weekly blog and learn about Colombia, Bogota and Colombian Spanish.

September 24, 2020/by Jennifer Gonzalez

20 funny Colombian expressions and what they mean

Colombian Spanish

Like any other language, Colombian Spanish has its own slang and expressions when spoken in informal environments.

We all know that Colombians love to talk and to make jokes. Thus, it should come as no surprise that our (informal) language reflects it.

If you are interested in Colombian culture you shouldn’t only learn Spanish, you should learn our most common slang and expressions.

It will help you understand better the conversation with your Colombian friends and, above all, it will make you laugh!

In our previous posts, we wrote about the most common Colombian slang. If you haven’t read them yet, don’t worry! Catch up with our previous post here:

In this post we go a level higher, we talk about funny expressions that are commonly used in Colombian Spanish.

Learn these expressions and impress your Colombian friends!

How to speak like a Colombian: 20 funny Colombian expressions and what they mean

1. “No le cabe ni un tinto*”

Literal meaning: There won’t even fit a “red wine”*

Slang meaning: When a place is so crowded that not even a cup of coffee can make it in.

*Remember that only in Colombia, “tinto” refers to black coffee, instead of red wine

2. “Como Pedro por su casa”

Literal meaning: Like Peter in his own house

Slang meaning: It is used to describe someone impertinent who has entered somewhere without permission. Or to describe a person who moves with ease in a place that is not his or her own.

3. “Las cuentas claras y el chocolate espeso”

Literal meaning: Clear accounts and thick hot chocolate

Slang meaning: Short reckonings make long friends, accounts settled and old friends, let’s get things clear, let’s keep the books straight

4. “Lo que no mata, engorda”

Literal meaning: That which does not kill, fattens

Slang meaning: It means that even if your food falls to the ground the worst thing that can happen after eating it is getting fat.

5. ¿Durmió conmigo anoche o qué?

Literal meaning: Did you sleep with me last night, or what?

Slang meaning: It is used when someone enters a place without greeting.

6. “Tengo un filo, que si me agacho me corto”

Literal meaning: I have a blade, if I bend over I cut myself

Slang meaning: It means that you are very hungry! Getting to the point you are “Hangry”

7. Uyy, ¿quién pidió pollo?

Make sure you say a long “uyyy”

Literal meaning: Uyy, who ordered chicken?

Slang meaning: It is used to joke around or flirt with friends when someone handsome/pretty approaches you or passes by.

8. “No me abra los ojos que no le voy a echar gotas”

Literal meaning: Don’t open your eyes like that I am not going to put eyedrops on them

Slang meaning: It is used when someone doesn’t like you -or doesn’t like something you said-. Then he or she rolls his/her eyes and gives you “that” look.

9. ¿Qué come que adivina?

Literal meaning: What do you eat that you guess?

Slang meaning: It is used when someone guesses what you are thinking or what you are about to say.

10. “El que tiene tienda que la atienda”

Literal meaning: The one that owns a store, attend it

Slang meaning: It has two meanings. It means you must be in charge of your own things. It is also used to say to someone that he or she should look after his or her partner.

11. “Le cuento el milagro pero no el santo”

Literal meaning: I tell you the miracle, but not the saint

Slang meaning: When people are gossiping they would use it. It means they would tell you the “secret” or the “gossip” but not who told them.

12. “Colgó los guayos”

Literal meaning: (He or she) hang the soccer shoes

Slang meaning: This expression is used to say that someone died.

13. “¡Que entre el diablo y escoja!”

Literal meaning: Let the devil come and choose!

Slang meaning: It is used when you have two options but you don’t like any. Basically, you are screwed either way.

14. “Es pan comido”

Literal meaning: It’s an eaten bread

Slang meaning: It’s a piece of cake

15. “Virgen del agarradero (agárrame a mi primero)”

Literal meaning: Virgin of the handgrip (grab me first)

You can say only the first part “Virgen del agarradero” or the full sentence “Virgen del agarradero, agárrame a mi primero”

Slang meaning: When you are afraid about something, it’s a funny way of saying “oh my God” or “God, save me!”

16. “Más aburrido que mico en un bonsái”

Literal meaning: More bored than a monkey in a bonsai tree.

Slang meaning: It means that you are absolutely bored, there is nothing to do.

17. “Más largo que una semana sin carne”

Literal meaning: Longer than a week without meat

Slang meaning: Colombian cuisine is meat-based. By meat (carne in Spanish) we mean beef, pork and chicken.

So, having a whole week without eating any kind of meat would be a tourture for most Colombians. So, this expression describes something that is interminably dull.

18. “Más raro que un perro a cuadros”

Literal meaning: Weirder than a checkered dog

Slang meaning: It is used to express that something or someone is very weird

19. “Más prendido que arbolito de navidad”

Literal meaning: More lit up than a Christmas tree

Slang meaning: It is use to say that someone is very tipsy, but not drunk yet

20. “Lo que le diga es mentira”

Literal meaning: What I tell you is a lie

Slang meaning: It is used when someone asks you a question and you don’t really know the answer.

Learning Colombian Spanish is so much fun!

These funny expressions won’t only impress your friends; it will also help you make new friends. Colombians love when people get interested in their culture.

Don’t forget to follow our social media and weekly Blog. You will learn more than Spanish, you will learn Colombian Spanish!

September 11, 2020/by Jennifer Gonzalez

7 tips for perfect Colombian Spanish pronunciation

Colombian Spanish

One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to learn a new language is focusing on what they are seeing rather on what they are hearing.

That is why people find Spanish language pronunciation difficult. Even those who have good proficiency in the language struggle with this.

How can you improve your Colombian Spanish pronunciation?

Let’s think about the way a baby learns to speak.

Babies spend their first months and years listening and replicating the sounds they hear. Then, they start learning the vocabulary. And, only after that, they start making sentences.

This is exactly how we should learn a new language, no matter how old we are! But, the older we get, the more analytical we became.

This makes learning a language more difficult because we are constantly comparing words, rules and sounds to our mother tongue.

So, if you want to master this accent, pay attention to the following Spanish pronunciation tips:

1. Choose your favorite accent

When learning a new language it is important you pick the accent you want to adopt.

That is the accent you will keep for most of your life. So, choose your favorite accent wisely!

If you want to speak Colombian Spanish, then it is advisable to adopt its most neutral dialect, the dialect from Bogota. It is the easiest and clearest to understand.

2. Listen and repeat

It’s all about listening and tuning into the sounds. Then, let your mouth replicate those sounds.

In general, Colombian Spanish pronunciation is quite regular. We pronounce all the words from the way they are written.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it?

Yet, this is a common mistake that non-native Spanish speakers make. They pronounce the words the way it is written but in their mother tongue, not the way it is written in Spanish.

So, make sure you learn first the Spanish pronunciation of all vowels and consonants.

Watch Youtube videos or movies, and listen to Colombian music. Pay attention to how they speak and pronounce all the words.

And then, repeat! That’s the best exercise.

3. Learn the sound of each vowel, and stick to it

The English language has around 19 vowel sounds depending on the country it is spoken in. In contrast, the Spanish language has five fixed vowel sounds.

Make sure you learn them and pronounce them always with the same sound:

A – Pronounced “ah”, like the “a” sound in the word “spa” or “father”

E – Pronounced “eh”, like the “e” sound in the word “let” or “shed”

I – Pronounced “ee”, like the “ee” sound in the word “see” or “bee”

O – Pronounced “oh”, like the “o” sound in the word “boring” or “orange”

U – Pronounced “oo”, like the “oo” sound in the word “boot” or “too”

These are always short and open vowel sounds; they never change. Not even when they are combined like au, eo, ia, et, etc.

For example:

To say Barbara – Say “Bar-ba-ra” with the “ah” sound instead of “Bar-ber-uh”
To say excelente – Say “ex-ce-len-te” with the “eh” sound instead of “ex-uh-len-tay”

Mastering the vowel sounds is a vital first step towards a better pronunciation. Vowels represent more than 50% of the word you’re trying to pronounce.

4. Get your Spanish consonants right

Even though English and Spanish have almost the same alphabet, the same letters do not always represent the same sound.

Many consonants in Spanish sound the same as the English consonants. Yet, there are important differences you should always remember:

D – The Spanish “d” is non-aspirated and it is always soft. The sound is a sort of a cross between the “t” and “d” in English.

H – The Spanish “h” is always silent.

J – In Colombian Spanish, we pronounce the “j” softer than they pronounce it in Spain. We pronounce it like the English “h” sound.

Ñ – The Spanish “ñ” sounds like “ny” in English. For instance, we pronounce “jalapeño” as “ha-la-PE-nyo”.

R – This is one of the most difficult ones for English speakers. It deserves a full section (see next tip No.6)

T – The Spanish “t” is a non-aspirated, soft sound. It sounds like the end of the American pronunciation of “wet” or “dart”.

LL, Y – In Colombian Spanish, we pronounce “ll” and “y” the same way. It is like the “y” sound from “you” in English.

For example, we pronounce “caballo” (horse) as “ca-ba-yo”.

C, S, Z – In Colombian Spanish, we pronounce “s”, “c” and “z” the same way. It is one of the main differences between the Spanish spoken in Spain.

Learn these rules, practice and stick to the sounds. Take your time to pronounce all the vowels and consonants. Don’t sacrifice proper pronunciation for speed.

5. “Rrrrr”, the non-native Spanish speaker’s nightmare

Is it also a nightmare for you?

Don’t worry, we are here to help you.

The consonant “r” in Spanish has special rules. Pay attention:

There is a soft sound (“r”) and a hard sound (“rr”).

When the word starts with “r”, it always has a hard sound.
For example: “Raul”, “ratón” (mouse), “rosa” (rose).
When the “r” is in the middle -or at the end- of the word, it is always a soft sound.
For example: “Colores” (colours), “ventilador” (fan), “armario” (closet)
When you find a double “r” (“rr”) in the middle of the word, it is always a hard sound.
For example: “Carro” (car), “perro” (dog), “Correr” (To run)

It’s very important you remember these rules. Mispronouncing the “r” in the words could lead you to misunderstand. Some words mean something totally different if it’s written with one “r” or double “r”.

For example:

Caro (expensive) vs carro (car)
Pero (but) vs Perro (dog)
Coro (chorus) vs Corro (I run)

How to improve your “rrrr” sound? Roll your tongue, practice, practice, and practice.

Here some sentences taught to young children at school:

“Erre con Erre Cigarro” (“R with R” cigar)
“Erre con Erre Barril” (“R with R” barrel)
“Rápido ruedan los carros” (Quickly run the cars)
“Sobre los rieles del ferrocarril” (Over the rails of the railroad)

6. Stress the proper syllable

In Spanish, there are strict rules about how to stress syllables.

For all words ending in a vowel, the stress falls on the next-to-last syllable. For example:

“Ventana” (window) is pronounced “ven-TA-na”.
“Cerveza” (beer) is pronounced “cer-VE-za”.
“Cuaderno” (notebook) is pronounced “cua-DER-no”.

Words ending in a consonant (except “n” and “s”) stress the final syllable of the word. For example:

“Papel” (paper) is pronounced “pa-PEL”.
“Doctor” (doctor) is pronounced “doc-TOR”.
“Comedor” (Dining table) s pronounced “co-me-DOR”

Words that don’t follow these two rules have an accent mark above the stressed vowel to show you how to pronounce them. For example:

“Fútbol” (football) is pronounced “FUT-bol”.
“Miércoles” (Wednesday) is pronounced “MIER-co-les”.
“Lámpara” (lamp) is pronounced “LAM-pa-ra”.

7. Immerse yourself in the Colombian culture

There is no doubt that when immersing yourself in the culture, you will pick up easily the accent.

The most efficient way is, of course, to spend some time in Bogota studying the language and living in the city. Here you will interact with locals and your pronunciation will naturally improve.

We know that for the moment it is very difficult to travel to Bogota to study Spanish. COVID-19 has made the world stop for a while.

However, it is the perfect time to start learning Spanish at home! You can start learning the language online with us at LMTS.

As soon as the borders are open you can book your flight to Bogota. We guarantee you will have the best Spanish immersion experience.

Hope to see you soon in Bogota!

In the meantime don’t forget to follow our social media and to read our weekly blog.

August 28, 2020/by Jennifer Gonzalez

How can I study Spanish in Bogota?

Colombian Spanish

In previous posts, we explained why Colombia is the best destination for learning Spanish. We also mentioned the different options for studying the language, at university courses or language schools.

In this post, we are going to talk about studying Spanish in Bogotá and why is one of the best cities in Colombia to learn and practice the language.

Bogota attracts people from non-Spanish speaking countries who are keen to immerse themselves into the Colombian culture.

Why?

Because Bogota is the country’s capital city. It offers a great variety of activities for you to learn the language and it gives you the opportunity to meet people from all regions of Colombia.

Living in Bogota will help you to get familiar with the different Colombian accents and dialects. Also, it will help you learn the most common Colombian slang and expressions.

If you are wondering how you can study Spanish in Bogota, this post is for you!

Note: If you are a German citizen, we have good news for you. Scroll down to the last section of this article.

Options for learning Spanish in Bogota

There are basically three options:

Spanish for foreigners at Bogota’s Universities
Spanish courses at Language schools
Private tutors

There is no right or wrong choice. It all depends on how much time you would like to invest and how much time you have to stay in the city. Of course, it also depends on your budget and your preferences.

Here we have prepared a brief summary of the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

University Courses

Colombian language schools and Universities offer consistent standards and high-quality instruction. What are their pros and cons and how to choose one or the other?

Pros

Opportunity to enroll in regular university classes.
Enjoyment of the campus’ facilities.
Opportunity to meet other Colombians and to enjoy the student Colombian life.
You might get entitled to get transferable credits to your program back home.
It will look good in your CV.
You can apply for a student visa.

Cons

Classrooms with large groups of students.
The program could be a bit pricey.
You won’t have personalized classes.
There won’t be many foreign students in case you want to share your challenges and/or frustrations.
Although you can do short courses, university courses are normally designed for long-term programs.

Universities offering Spanish courses in Bogota for foreigners

Universidad del Externado
Universidad del Rosario
Universidad Sergio Arboleda
Universidad de la Sabana
Universidad de la Salle

Spanish School courses

Pros

Programs are more flexible than University courses.
You choose between group classes and private classes.
Classrooms with small groups of students.
If you are interested in learning a specific skill you can plan the program with your teacher or tutor. For instance, D.E.L.E exam preparation, or Spanish for business.
Once you are back to your home country you can continue your classes online.
Language schools offer many social activities.

Cons

There are so many options but you should look for the one that suits your needs and expectations.
Some schools mentioned their teachers are native speakers but it doesn’t mean they are certified or have enough experience.
Not all Spanish schools give you a certificate of attendance.
Languages schools don’t have the same infrastructure, facilities, and services as universities.

Private Lessons

Pros

Classes are designed for you.
Learn at your own pace, no peer pressure.
Flexible classes. Learn anytime, anywhere.
You progress fast.

Cons

Private classes are much more pricey.
You won’t have fellow students to share time with.
You won’t enjoy any facilities or social activities
You won’t have a valid certificate
You can’t apply for a student visa.

Bildungsurlaub Accreditation

If you are a German citizen and you are interested in learning Spanish we have good news for you!

We proudly announce that Learn More Than Spanish has received the Bildungsurlaub accreditation.

Bildungsurlaub is an educational leave program for German employees. It allows employees by law to attend courses on special kinds of topics during their working time.

German employees who are interested in this program should submit their application to the employer by the employee. The employer has the final right to decide whether the applicant is exempted from the work or not.

The application must be handed in in written form and all documents should be enclosed showing that the selected course is recognized as BU in the respective federal state. In most federal states, the application should be submitted twelve weeks before the course starts.

If the application is accepted, the employee is entitled to 5 days of paid leave per year to study at a recognized institute.

After completing the course, the employee could use the certification as a proof for the new skill in German professional market.

If you want to know more about this program visit the Bildungsurlaub official website.

Don’t forget to follow our weekly blog here. We will keep you entertained with Colombian culture and Spanish language articles.

August 25, 2020/by Jennifer Gonzalez

20 slang expressions we only use in Colombia

Colombian Spanish

There are 20 countries where Spanish is the official language. So, imagine how diverse the language gets!

Every country has its own accent and its own dialect. One of the most beautiful dialects is Colombian Spanish. People usually say they like the language because of the accent. They also say it’s clear and easy to understand.

Within the country, there are also different accents and dialects. When we talk about Colombian Spanish we refer to the dialect spoken in Bogota. If you want to learn more about Colombian different accents read our previous post, Colombian Spanish accents: what you need to know.

Getting to know the local slang and expressions might not be easy, but it’s vital since they are used in everyday life.

In today’s article, we will explain the meaning of 20 verbs we use in Colombian Spanish. Make sure you also read of the post “30 Colombian slangs and what they mean”, it will help you to understand better how Colombians speak.

1. Regalar (me regala)

Literal meaning: “to gift” or “to give as a gift”,

Slang meaning: To give

Colombian way: Buenas Vecina, ¿me regala una cerveza?
Good morning “neighbor”, could you give me a beer, please?

This is one of the most used verbs in Colombia.

Many people, even native Spanish speakers from other countries, get confused when hearing:

“me regala un café” or “me regalas una cerveza”.

Why?

In standard Spanish “regalar” means “to give something as a gift”.

In other Spanish speaking countries for ordering a coffee people would say:

“Me da un café, por favor”

But in Colombia, we would say:

“Me regala un café, por favor”

It’s just a polite way to ask for something, whether it’s food, drinks or even when asking someone for a moment to talk:

“Me regalas un minuto? Tengo que decirte algo”

Do you have a minute, I need to tell you something

The verb “regalar” is used as synonymous of the verb “dar” (to give) only in Colombia.

Don’t be surprised if you hear stories of Colombian people that ordered a coffee or beer in countries like Spain or Argentina and the waiter/waitress answer:

“No, lo siento. Acá no regalamos nada” (No, sorry. Here we don’t give things for free”

2. Arrunchar(se)

Literal meaning: None

Slang meaning: To cuddle

Colombian way: “Está lloviendo hoy, arrunchémonos a ver una peli”
It’s raining today, let’s stay in bed, cuddle and watch a movie

Arruncharse is basically lie in bed and cuddle, watch a movie, sleep or whatever but it’s meant to be a very easy and lazy plan to do.

3. Dar una vuelta

Literal meaning: To give a turn

Slang meaning: To go for a walk/ride, to walk around, to hang out

Colombian way: “¿Qué haces? Estoy aburrida en casa. ¿Vamos a dar una vuelta?
What are you doing? I’m bored at home. Shall we go for a walk?

4. Hacer una vuelta

Literal meaning: To do a loop, to do a turn

Slang meaning: To do a favor for somebody, to run errands, or to do any sort of obligation of your own.

Colombian way: “¿Nos vemos esta tarde? Dale, pero primero tengo que hacer unas vueltas. Veámonos al final de la tarde.
Shall we meet this afternoon? Sure, but first I have some things to do. Let’s meet late afternoon.

5. Hacer una vaca

Literal meaning: To make a cow

Slang meaning: To chip in

Colombian way: “Hagamos una vaca para comprar pizza”
Let’s chip in to buy a pizza.

6. Rumbear

Slang meaning: To party

Colombian way: “Este viernes es el cumple de Antonia. Vamos a rumbear!”
This Friday is Antonia’s birthday. Let’s party!

Watch out, if you hear the verb in its reflexive form, it doesn’t mean “to party” but “to kiss somebody”
“Nos rumbeamos anoche”
We kissed last night

7. Picar

Literal meaning: To chop

Slang meaning: To snack

Colombian way: “Tengo un poco de hambre. Pedimos algo para picar?”
I’m kind of hungry. Shall we order something for snacking?

8. Dar Papaya (No dar papaya)

Literal meaning: To give papaya (Don’t give papaya)

Slang meaning: It’s a common expression in Colombia. It’s difficult to translate but when people use it they mean:

Don’t expose yourself to danger and don’t make it easy for thieves. Don’t lower your guard, have common sense. Don’t put yourself in a position where you become vulnerable to be taken advantage of.

Colombian way: “No dejes tu teléfono sobre la mesa. No des papaya”
Don’t leave your phone on the table. “No des papaya” (somebody could steal it)

9. Camellar (camello)

Literal meaning: To camel. It’s a verb made from the animal word “camel”

Slang meaning: To work. A job or a task that requires a lot of effort.

Colombian way: “Quieres ir a escalar este finde? – No, no puedo. Tengo que camellar todo el finde”
Do you want to go climbing this weekend? – No, I can’t. I’m working all weekend.

10. Prestar (Me prestas)

Literal meaning: To lend something

Slang meaning: It’s also used when asking someone to lend you something. However, it’s also a polite way of asking to use the toilet.

Colombian way: “¿Me prestas el baño, por favor?
Could I use your bathroom, please?

11. Poner los cachos

Literal meaning: To put on horns

Slang meaning: To cheat on the partner

Colombian way: “Juan le puso los cachos a Diana. Ella está súper triste por eso”
Juan cheated on Diana. She’s really down about it.

12. Estar Prendido/Prendida

Literal meaning: To be lit

Slang meaning: To be buzzed

Colombian way: “¡Me tomé dos tragos y ya estoy prendido!”
I’ve drunken two cocktails already. I’m buzzed!

13. Caer

Literal meaning: To fall

Slang meaning: To hit on someone

Colombian way: “Mira, ese es el man que me está cayendo”
Look, that is the guy who is hitting on me

This verb has other meaning depending on the context

Slang meaning 2: to drop by at someone’s

Colombian way: “Llámame mañana y te caigo después del trabajo.”
Call me tomorrow and I’ll drop by after work.

14. Mamar Gallo

Literal meaning: Suck a rooster

Slang meaning: To make fun of someone, to tease, to pull someone’s leg

Colombian way: “¡Deje de mamarme gallo!
Stop pulling my leg!

¡No te enojes, sólo te estaba mamando gallo!
Don’t get mad, I was just teasing you!

15. Cuadrar

Literal meaning: To square up

Slang meaning: To arrange a meeting, to organize, schedule a date, to plan, to coordinate.

Colombian way: “Cuadremos algo para mañana.”
Let’s plan something for tomorrow

16. Embarrar

Literal meaning: To smear

Slang meaning: To mess up, to ruin, to screw up

Colombian way:
“¡La embarré!”
I messed it up!

17. Parar bolas

Literal meaning: To stand balls

Slang meaning: To pay attention, to listen

Colombian way:
¡Párame bolas!
Listen to me!

“Pero, ¿me estás parando bolas?”
But, are you paying attention to me?

18. Meter la pata

Literal meaning: Put the foot in

Slang meaning: To screw up something

Colombian way: “Le dije a Juana que su hermana tenía un regalo para ella. Pero ¡Juana no sabía! ¡Metí la pata!”
I told Juana her sister had a present for her. But Juana didn’t know! I screw it up!

19. Estar enguayabado

Guayabo is the noun, hangover, while “estar enguayabado” is the verb

Literal meaning: To be stuck in a guava tree

Slang meaning: To be hungover

Colombian way: “Ayer salimos con mis compañeros del trabajo. Estoy super enguayabado”
Yesterday we went out with my colleagues. I’m hungover

20 Dejar plantado / plantada

Literal meaning: To leave something/someone planted

Slang meaning: To leave someone waiting, don’t show up for a date

Colombian way: “Quedamos de salir ayer con Julio, pero me de plantada!”
I was planning to meet Julio yesterday, but he never showed up!

So there you have it, 20 Colombian slang phrases to use on your daily dialogue. Which are your favorites? Let us know in the comments below if you think we’ve missed any!

August 18, 2020/0 Comments/by Jennifer Gonzalez