Dialect vs Accent: Is It a Language, Dialect, or Accent?
If I told you that I speak Mexican Spanish and European Spanish, would you say I speak two languages or two dialects? Two varieties? Or just two different accents? If you’ve found yourself confused, don’t worry. Borders between dialect vs language or dialect vs accent terms can be blurry. I remember my own confusion while studying Spanish philology. For example, Portuguese and...Read More
How to Use the Past Participle as an Adjective in Spanish
Did you know that you can use a past participle as an adjective in Spanish? That’s just one of the many uses of past participles, and today you’ll discover how easy it is to do it. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what the past participle is or even what adjectives are. I’ll explain these terms and others that arise along the way. By the end of this post, you’ll know...Read More
Punctuation Marks, Special Characters, and Other Symbols in Spanish
Have you ever come across weird symbols in Spanish? Perhaps you don’t know what they mean or how to write them? Well, you’re not alone. Pretty much every Spanish student has gone through the same situation during their learning process. Part of learning Spanish is discovering these special characters and finding out how to use them. Today, we’ll discuss why you need to learn the...Read More
What is the Conditional Tense in Spanish?
The conditional tense in Spanish may seem intimidating at first, but after reading this article you’ll see that it’s one of the easiest tenses in Spanish grammar. You’ll not only learn quickly how to use it, but you’ll start using it on a daily basis. You already know how to use the conditional in English, and today I’ll show you that in Spanish it’s pretty much the same. Do...Read More
Master All the Forms of Ser in Spanish: Your Ultimate Grammar Guide
Who am I? Who are you? These two most basic questions of identity serve as our introduction to the many forms of ser in Spanish. Ser is one of the two prominent “to be” verbs in Spanish; the other is estar. Ser is an irregular -er verb, so it doesn’t follow regular verb ending patterns. Being able to use all the forms of ser in Spanish will make you a more fluent speaker. Keep reading...Read More
20 Most Common Subjunctive Triggers in Spanish
In your Spanish-learning process, chances are that you’ve faced some challenges while dealing with the subjunctive. The secret to mastering this mood is to simply start using it, instead of trying to understand exactly how it works. And you can achieve this by learning the subjunctive triggers! Sometimes grammar rules are too dry. If you have a chance to put what you’re learning into...Read More
23 Common Spanish Prepositions You Can Use Today
What do the little words “of,” “to,” “from,” and “on” have in common? They’re prepositions! Similarly to English prepositions, Spanish prepositions are everywhere and you use them all the time—or, at least after reading this article, you will. Prepositions are like the glue that holds language together. They allow you to connect words and express the relationship of different...Read More
25 Common Subjunctive Phrases in Spanish Conversation
Still confused by some subjunctive phrases in Spanish? Or perhaps you get it now, but you’re ready to master it with a bit more practice. This is normal. The subjunctive mood in Spanish is peculiar in that when you first learn it, it’s uncomfortably foreign—but magically once you practice it, it flows naturally. That’s because you get used to hearing the verbs...Read More
What Is an Infinitive in Spanish?
You probably know about the infinitive in English, but what is an infinitive in Spanish? That’s another question. Infinitives play a crucial role in the way we construct sentences and express ourselves in Spanish. For this reason, in this post we’ll learn what an infinitive in Spanish is what the 3 types of infinitives are when you should use an infinitive in Spanish,...Read More