Master ‘Haber De’ and ‘Haber Que’ in Spanish
Haber de and haber que are common ways to express obligation or the need to do something. They have clear similarities since they’re based on the same verb, but they also have important, nuanced differences. While they both require an infinitive to follow the verb phrase, you’ll see within this lesson that haber de is a bit more formal than haber que. Knowing how to use these verb...Read More
The Latin American Tradition of Las Posadas
The airy notes of a wooden flute and the ting-tong of a tortoise-shell drum float down the cobblestone street and into the rest of the town. A small crowd promenades through the narrow roads and alleyways, its members dressed warmly to keep out the December night chill. Some carry torches to light the way while others rest poles on their shoulders, supporting the weight of a wooden, altar-like...Read More
How to Use Your Phone in a Spanish-Speaking Country
When I was a kid growing up in Guatemala, cell phones were not as common as they are today. They were chunky, simple, and almost exclusively used for phone calls. I remember being blown away when phones came out with mp3 players and colored screens. Today, those features are basic on every smartphone. These devices have gone far beyond making and receiving calls, expanding the ways we’re able...Read More
Martin Luther King, Jr.: His Legacy and Impact in Latin America
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man of many talents: a smart student, a brilliant speaker, and a peaceful leader to name but a few accomplishments in his life. Due to his brilliance and with respect to his legacy, former President Ronald Reagan signed a bill in 1983 declaring the third Monday of every calendar year to be Martin Luther King Day. Unfortunately, the process of establishing this...Read More
10 Latino Bloggers to Follow in 2021
Today, I’ll introduce you to some of the most influential Latino bloggers on the web. From passionate fashionistas to intrepid travelers, Latino writing entrepreneurs are all over the place. If you want to read interesting posts in Spanish but aren’t sure where to start, this post will give you plenty of ideas. Keep reading to discover who they are and what they do—and learn some...Read More
Celebrate New Year’s in Latin America
The holiday season is wrapping up, and the year ahead of us looks full of new experiences and opportunities waiting to unfold. On New Year’s Eve, it amazes me that almost everyone around the globe comes together to celebrate the end of a trip around the sun. Everyone has different ways to celebrate. Some people like to spend the New Year with their families. Others might prefer to spend...Read More
How to Use Numbers in Spanish
How old are you? How many siblings do you have? How long have you been learning Spanish? These are just a few of the questions that you can answer with numbers! Los números help us quantify and categorize things or experiences in our lives. They are so important that they are essential for almost every area of human society, including economics, science, and many social interactions. Number...Read More
Spanish Idioms
Get ready and put on your wetsuit because today we’re going to dive into the deep ocean of Spanish idioms and explore the colorfulness of the language. Just like with English, we use idioms all the time in Spanish, which makes them so important to learn! But first, what is an idiom? According to Meriam Webster, an idiom is “an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to...Read More
Which Online Spanish Program is Best for my Child? Three Great Options to Consider
The search for a good Spanish program can be lengthy and difficult, especially if you’re not sure what kind of program you or your child will respond to best. Do you want to spend the money on a private instructor and hope the teacher knows what they’re doing? Or should the two of you navigate a set of textbooks or a software-based curriculum at the kitchen table and hope for the best?...Read More