Top 40 False Cognates in Spanish

If you have studied Spanish for a little while, you have probably noticed that there are many connections between English and Spanish. Since they both have roots in Latin, there are many similarities, making it pretty easy to identify the meaning of new words in Spanish…or so you think. While you may be able to stick an ‘o’ or an ‘a’ to the end of some English words or change an -tion to a -ción to make them Spanish equivalents (tranquil — tranquilo, education — educación), it is not always that simple! 

These words that look alike and have the same meaning are called cognates. Let’s look at some more:

• Plate — Plato
• Intention — Intención
• Capital — Capital

These examples either have the exact same spelling or just slight differences. There are other examples where the words may not look exactly the same but look enough like each other for us to make the correlation between the two:

• Necessity – Necesidad 
• Lamp – Lámpara

While these connections between the two languages are great and can help us understand a lot more Spanish than we expect, it can often set us up for some awkward situations. How many times have you not known a word in Spanish and tried to just put a Spanish ending on the English one and hoped for the best? This often works (like with education and educación), but not always. There are numerous false cognates, or false friends as they are often called, that create confusion and miscommunication. Possibly the most common example of this is embarrassed and embarazada. They look similar, so they must mean the same thing, right? Wrong! Embarazada is actually pregnant, and the correct translation of embarrassed would be avergonzado(a). Can you see how false cognates can cause a lot of problems? Let’s look at some more.

Takeaway

Phew! That’s a lot of false cognates. Don’t stress, though! I learned a lot of these through trial and error, and it’s okay if you confuse these, too. Keep practicing, and be sure to talk with one of our certified Spanish teachers if you have any questions. Sign up for a FREE class now!

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Ordinal Numbers in Spanish

Today is my 20th birthday! My party will be at the fifth house on the second avenue. As of now, you’re the first to know! Ok, ok, so today isn’t really my birthday, but without the use of ordinal numbers, I wouldn’t be able to tell you all about it. Ordinal numbers tell us about an object’s position in relation to others. They are the numerical labels that help us arrange objects or ideas in order: first, second, third, etc. They are different from cardinal numbers, or natural numbers, that represent a quantity that we can count. When we learn about ordinal numbers in Spanish, it’s important to remember the vocabulary as well as the ways that they are used.

Ordinal Numbers 1-10

The most commonly used números ordinales in Spanish are numbers 1-10. As you will soon see, the numbers after 10 grow in complexity and length, which has undoubtedly persuaded Spanish speakers to use the cardinal numbers between 11 and a million much more frequently. Let’s start with a list of the numbers 1-10 in their ordinal form with a pronunciation cheat sheet!

It is important to take note that we do not use these ordinal numbers in Spanish exactly the same way that we use them in English. For example, unlike English, we write the days of the month with the cardinal number to specify a date. The only exception is for the first day of the month, where we use the ordinal number:

Cardinal number: El diez de agosto (August 10th)

Ordinal number for the first day of any month: El primero de abril (April 1st), el primero de agosto (August 1st)

The use of the ordinal number to denote the first of the month is a general and common rule for Spanish, but it is acceptable only in Spain to use uno instead of primero (El uno de abril).

Give it a try

Here is a quick quiz to see if you can fill in the blanks with the correct ordinal number, using the chart above to help! (See the answers at the end of the blog to check your work!)

1. el ______________ (8th) carro
2. el ______________ (1st) de noviembre
3. el ______________ (10th) suéter
4. el ______________ (5th) hermano
5. el ______________ (9th) cuadro

Ordinal Versus Cardinal

While cardinal numbers act as adjectives, ordinal numbers can be adverbs, pronouns, and adjectives. The major difference between them is that cardinal numbers do not usually change according to the gender and number of the noun, as ordinal numbers do. Here are a few examples that show how ordinal numbers change in order to adapt to the noun that they describe:

You will see that the ordinal number ending in ‘o’ comes before masculine nouns, while the ordinal number ending in ‘a’ precedes feminine nouns.
Do you notice anything strange in the chart above? Take a closer look at the ordinal number in the sentence Me dieron el primer boleto. In our example, it’s no mistake that primer is written without the final ‘o’. Ordinal numbers primero and tercero both lose the final ‘o’ when they are in front of a singular noun. This is the case even if another word is in between, as in, el primer gran día (the first big day).

El primer momento libre = the first free moment
El ganador del tercer lugar = the third place winner

Give it a try

Which ordinal or cardinal numbers do you need to fill in the following blanks? (See the answers at the end of the blog to check your work!)

6. Tengo ______________ (2) animales.
7. Tengo el ______________ (2nd) animal.
8. Hoy es la ______________ (1st) vez.
9. Lo hago solo ______________ (1) vez.
10. Comienza la ______________ (4th) entrada.

Number Order

We have just learned that ordinal numbers are often adjectives. As you may know, an adjective generally comes after the noun it describes in Spanish. In the case of ordinal numbers, however, they come before the noun unless discussing a member of royalty or the pope.

El sexto libro = the sixth book
Mi primera foto = my first photo
Juan Carlos Primero = Juan Carlos the First, the former king of Spain
San Juan Pablo Segundo = Pope John Paul the Second

Numbers 11 to 100

Ordinal numbers are not ordinarily used after 10, but it is still important to expose yourself to them so that you can recognize them when they do appear. Both 11th and 12th have two acceptable forms, which the chart below shows. While there is, unfortunately, no formula to memorize for all the ordinal numbers after 11, there are a few guidelines we can follow. For numbers 13-19, we use a combination of decimo + ordinal number 3-9, as in decimocuarto (14th). For numbers in between 20-100, we use the ordinal number ending in -gésimo or -agésimo + the unique singular ordinal number 1-9, as in vigésimo primero (21st).

As you view the chart, keep in mind that all of these ordinal numbers can be written together or apart, as in decimoprimero or décimo primero. Additionally, if they describe a feminine noun, their form changes to decimaprimera or décima primera.

Abbreviations

Similar to English, Spanish ordinal numbers can be written in long form or using superscriptions. While in English we use “st” “nd” “rd” and “th” as the superscriptions (as in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th), Spanish uses “o” for masculine nouns or “a” for feminine nouns, as in the following examples:

Another way of abbreviating numbers is by using roman numerals, which we read as ordinal numbers. We can use roman numerals with centuries, popes, monarchs, emperors, books, volumes, chapters, and recurring events. Keep in mind that in informal speech, the use of ordinal numbers above 10 is fairly rare. Instead of saying, el quincuagésimo capítulo, one would more likely say el capítulo cincuenta.

Number Knowledge

Now that you have learned how to use ordinal numbers, be sure to keep practicing them regularly in speech and writing. Be sure to check out our blog on cardinal numbers to refresh your memory or learn new vocabulary! To enhance your language skills, schedule a free class at Homeschool Spanish Academy and start speaking Spanish with a native speaker today!

Answers to Give It a Try:

1. octavo
2. primero
3. décimo
4. quinto
5. noveno
6. dos
7. segundo
8. primera
9. una
10. cuarta

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Ahorita and Its Multiple Meanings

Do you remember the blog about ya where we introduced you to the first of many Spanish words that have multiple meanings? Today, we’ll continue exploring the phenomenon of words that are spelled the same but don’t mean the same thing! We can categorize these words as:

• Polysemic words – words that have one single origin, but when used in different contexts have different meanings.

• Homonyms – two or more words that are spelled the same but don’t have the same linguistic roots; they, therefore, have different meanings.

Helpful Vocabulary

The difference between these two is that a polysemic word is one single word with two or more meanings that depend on context, while homonyms are two or more words that are spelled the same but mean different things because they don’t have the same etymological background. This means that homonyms are words that are spelled the same by chance, not because they have evolved from the same word.

For all you grammar nerds, Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their evolution throughout history. 

Ahorita

We’ll start with our first polysemic word; this one has caused the most trouble to all my English-speaking friends learning Spanish! In Mexico and Guatemala, we use the word ahorita. This is the diminutive form of ahora – we sure love our diminutives! Ahorita is a colloquial expression, which means that we use it in informal speech. There are two reasons why this word causes so much trouble:

1. As a part of informal speech, we use it all the time in conversations. So, it’s really easy to misinterpret it as we really use it so often!

1. The meanings of ahorita are very contradictory. It can either mean:
   1. Right now, like right now, now. Right this second.
   2. Just a little bit ago.
   3. In a little bit, or anytime between 5 minutes and a couple of hours.
   4. In an indeterminate amount of time. 

In order to understand what the other person means with ahorita, I’ve often needed to ask something like, “Are you leaving the house ahorita as in right this second, or ahorita as in a couple of hours?” I’ve also had friends who live only a 5-minute drive from me tell me they’ll leave their house ahorita, only to come to my house 4 hours later! And once they arrived, I asked them, “Weren’t you leaving ahorita?” To which they would usually reply with something like, “Oh, yeah, I did. I was just finishing something.”

As you can see, the meaning of ahorita greatly varies depending on the context. This can cause a lot of frustration not only for people who are learning about a new language and culture but also to people who speak the language as a mother tongue. Don’t ever feel bad about these misinterpretations! Remember that a language is not always an exact science!

While most of these words are not as confusing as ahorita, it’s important to know them before you encounter them!

Spanish Polysemic Words

As we mentioned before, a polysemic word has one single etymological origin and multiple meanings that vary depending on the context in which we use the word. Let’s have a look at some of these words:

Spanish Homonyms

As we mentioned above, homonyms are two or more words that are spelled the same but do not have the same etymological background, so they have various meanings. Let’s look at some of them:

Takeaway

As you can see in all these examples, there are many Spanish words that we spell exactly the same way but that have more than one meaning! We understand what these words mean because of the context in which we’re saying them. If someone said puedes bajar la llama de la estufa, they could mean two different things:

• You can turn the llama down on the stove, or
• You can get the llama off the stove

What is certain is that the person is most likely referring to turning down the flame on the stove, and not telling you to get the fluffy animal off the stove! 

Let’s have a look at some more examples! As you will see below, there are times when more than one sentence makes sense. This is why the context is so important! If you’re sitting at a restaurant, you’ll more likely ask for a menu than for a letter or a card. And while a baby is sure mono (cute, lovely, or adorable), he can’t wear a monkey (monkey also means mono in Spanish – the right word here would be onesies).

Me duele la muñeca

• My doll hurts
• My wrist hurts

Me puede traer la carta

• Please, bring me the card
• Please, bring me the letter
• Please, bring me the menu

Me encanta comer falda

• I love to eat foothills
• I love to eat skirts
• I love to eat brisket

Mis plantas están verdes

• My plants are green
• My factories are green
• My soles are green

Las carpas son de agua dulce

• Tents live in freshwater
• Carps live in freshwater

El mono le queda muy bien al bebé

• The monkey fits the baby well
• The cute one fits the baby well
• Onesies fit the baby well

If you have any questions regarding the use of any words, remember that you can always schedule a FREE class with us and we’ll help you solve any doubts!

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I am – ser, estar, tener

Follow along with our PDF!

In English, whenever you are happy, at home, or cold, you use the verb to be (am, are, is) to refer to all three things. However, in Spanish you say estoy feliz (or in some cases soy feliz), estoy en la casa, and tengo frío! There are three different verbs for the equivalent English verb ‘to be.’ Today, we will discuss when it is most appropriate to use each verb! If you’d like to learn more about how to express your feelings in Spanish, go have a look at our feelings blog!

Ser vs. Estar

Although they express something similar (the characteristics of a person or thing), estar and ser convey distinct ideas. Pointing out this difference to an English speaker, or a speaker of any language that doesn’t differentiate between these ideas, is a little complicated. Since we use only one word to refer to both concepts, you’ll have to create an approach in your mind and learn how it works. As said above, don’t worry: the more you practice, the better you’ll get at it!

Ser

Ser expresses the attributes of a person or thing. When you use ser, you’re talking about characteristics that are a part of the essence of a person or thing: something unchangeable.

Since ser helps us express the characteristics of a person or thing, what comes after the verb is an adjective! The structure for these sentences is ser + adjective:

Another way you can remember when to use the verb ser is to completely get rid of the verb and see how the adjective matches your noun. Adding the verb ser turns this phrase into a sentence*:

*Sentences are grammatical units that include a subject (a person or thing) and a predicate (which includes a verb and whatever follows) and help us express a complete idea. On the other hand, phrases are a set of words that form part of a sentence or clause.

Estar

Think of estar as a status or condition. Estar expresses how a person or thing exists, finds itself in a place or situation, how it feels, or how it remains with stability in a place, situation or condition.

As you can see, estar refers to something that can change and that doesn’t belong to the nature of the person or thing.

Estar can help you say how you’re feeling, express a place that you’re at, or something that you’re currently doing. When forming sentences with estar, you want to use the following structures:

*Gerund: in Spanish, the gerund (verb with -ando and -iendo endings) helps us describe a continuous action that started taking place before we mentioned it and that is still taking place as we talk about it. The equivalent of this in English is the Present Continuous Tense that we form with the verb to be + another verb with the -ing ending.

Ser vs Estar Examples

Conjugation of Ser and Estar

Now that you know when you should use each verb, let’s have a look at the conjugation since they are both irregular verbs (estar only varies on the first person singular – the rest of its conjugation is regular):

Tener

Tener means to have, to own, or to possess. This verb may be a little easier to understand because it is a verb that exists in English. We can use tener to express something that we physically possess or a way we feel at a certain point in time – a feeling or need we “have.”

As we learned in our blog about expressing the way we feel, we can use tener (to have) to express needs or emotions at a specific point in time.

The construction for this is tener + a noun. Let’s have a look at some examples and what a literal translation would look like: 

Tener is, like estar and ser, an irregular verb. You need to keep that in mind when building sentences with it:

Common Mistakes

Like we reviewed in our common mistakes blog, there are some things you need to keep in mind to make your Spanish even better. When it comes to expressing the way we feel, make sure you remember this list:

• Tengo calor: while in English you say ‘I’m hot’, in Spanish you say ‘I have heat’ (I experience heat). Saying ‘estoy caliente’ or ‘soy caliente’ means that you are aroused by something, so you really want to avoid making this common mistake and having people look at you funny.

• Tengo frío: in Spanish we say that we ‘have cold’ (we experience cold). To properly that that you’re cold, you need to say tengo frío. To say estoy frío or soy frío me means that you’re a cold person – a person who doesn’t show their feelings.

• Estoy mal vs. soy malo
  • Estoy mal: since we’re using the verb estar, we’re referring to a condition that is not a part of the character of a person. In this case, estoy mal means that you feel physically sick or that you’re upset about something.

• Soy malo: ser expresses qualities about a person or thing that are part of them and therefore unchangeable. If we say soy malo, we’re saying that we’re a bad person, not that we’re feeling unwell. Another thing to keep in mind here is that if you want to say that you’re ‘bad at something’ like I am at playing soccer, you say soy malo para el fútbol. We use ser in this case because not being able to play soccer well is a part of me that’s not going to change because I’m not interested in soccer.

• Estoy bien vs. soy bueno: estoy bien and soy bueno work the same way as estoy mal and soy malo.
  • Estoy bien: we’re using estar so we refer to a condition that we’re currently at. When you say estoy bien, it can either been that you’re physically or psychologically fine.

• Soy bueno: since we’re using ser, we’re talking about a part of our character. We’re saying that we’re a good person. Like with soy malo, if we want to say that we’re good at something – at something being the keyword here –  we say soy bueno para jugar ajedrez (I’m good at playing chess). This means that being good at playing chess is a part of our skills.

Takeaway

I know this is a lot to take in, and the best way to learn all this is by practicing and practicing! Why don’t you jump into a FREE class with us so that you can practice even more with one of our teachers!

Continue practicing with our handy-dandy PDF!

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The Perfect Spanish Curriculum

Unless you’re homeschooling your child, you don’t have much say in what curricula teachers use in your kid’s classes. Are the curricula designed to help your student succeed? Are they teaching what your student actually needs to learn? Now, if you homeschool, you do get to choose what program and books you use to instruct your child. However, how do you know which curriculum is the best?

There are so many questions that come up about curricula, especially when you are looking to have your child learn a foreign language. Most parents don’t speak the language their child wants to learn, and even if they do, they might not know how to best teach it. So, if you are feeling overwhelmed with all the curricula options, we are here to help take one subject off your plate – Spanish.

If you’re still on the fence about what language to teach your child, check out our blog that explores why Spanish is the best foreign language to learn in our increasingly connected world.

How is our Spanish Curriculum different?

You want the best for your child. However, what makes a Spanish curriculum the best course for your child?

First, we need to talk about how you learn a language. It is not just memorizing words and phrases; learning a language is learning a new way to think, express yourself, and look at the world. To gain that knowledge, you need exposure and repetition. If you have kids, think about how they learned to talk – did you teach them a list of words and have them memorize it? Did you expect them to be fluent in a year? Were they able to speak immediately?

Don’t Memorize!

The best way to learn a language is as close as possible to the way we naturally learned our native tongue. This means lots of exposure and relating vocabulary to images or objects – NOT relating them to the English words.

Think of it this way – if you always relate a new Spanish word to its English equivalent, when you go to have a conversation, you will constantly be thinking of your answer in English, then taking time to translate it to Spanish. It’s hard and time-consuming! You would be better off creating new relationships between the Spanish words and the objects or ideas. One easy way to do this is by labeling things in your house with the Spanish word (check out more ideas here).

So, that’s great in theory, but how can it be applied to Spanish classes? Well, here at the Spanish Academy, we have developed our own curricula that our native-speaking teachers use in each class. The curriculum utilizes images to relate each new vocabulary word and phrase to a real-life situation. Many of our teachers also use physical objects in class and encourage their students to as well. This combination of images in the curriculum and physical objects in the virtual classroom help the students avoid translation and directly create relationships between the Spanish word and the object.

Levels of Fluency

When your child first started learning their native tongue, did they immediately start talking? No, of course not! There are multiple areas of language learning and fluency. A child first learns to understand a language before learning to respond. As we said before, we want to teach Spanish in a similar way to how we naturally learn a language. Therefore, the first step towards fluency is exposure and auditory comprehension.

All our teachers are native Spanish speakers, and they make conversation a priority in each class. While your student may not be able to reproduce the teacher’s questions and comments or respond to them right away, they are developing auditory comprehension, just as they did as a baby learning their first language. If your student is able to read and write, our curricula also combine this auditory comprehension with written practice, so your student grows in all areas of language learning – reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

If you would like to learn more about how our RAMMA teaching method can get your student to fluency faster, check out our blog!

Let’s Review!

How many times did you have to teach your child the colors before they could remember them all? Did they remember everything the first time? Of course not! When learning a new language, we are actually building new pathways in our brain, which takes time and dedication – or repetition. A lot of other curricula, especially the ones used in school settings, move too fast and don’t take the time to reinforce learn vocabulary.

The Spanish Academy curricula apply learned vocabulary in the following classes to make sure your student remembers what they learned and can actually use it. Furthermore, the teacher always starts the class with some quick conversation and pointed questions to review and reinforce previous lessons. Instead of learning one topic and moving on, our curricula builds upon itself, deepening those pathways in your brain until speaking Spanish becomes second nature.

One size does NOT fit all

While finding pieces of clothing that are ‘one size fits all’ is great because there’s no hassle of finding the perfect size for you, that thought process cannot be used when learning a language. As a child grows up, they learn differently, and their Spanish curriculum must reflect that. That is why we have all the following programs:

• Preschool Curriculum
• Elementary Curriculum
• Middle School Curriculum
• High School Curriculum
• Adult Curriculum

Each program is specifically designed with the student’s age in mind. For example, the middle school years are a time of preparation and transition, and our curriculum takes that into mind – while addressing Spanish grammar topics head-on like the high school curriculum, it still goes at a slower pace to make sure they are truly learning. It’s like an introduction to a high school level course, which is what those middle school years are all about.  

Creating the Perfect Curriculum for Your Child

While we offer different courses for each age level, every child is unique and may need something tailored specifically to their learning needs. You don’t usually get the opportunity to adjust courses in many classroom settings, but our curriculum can be altered as needed. If your student needs to just review certain parts of a curriculum because they have already mastered some topics, our teachers can start them right at the appropriate lesson, so they aren’t bored with the classes. On the other hand, if your student needs more time to review a tricky topic, our teachers take the time to get extra review materials and make sure they master each lesson.

Special Cases

All of our Spanish curricula have homework, quizzes, and tests built into the programs, but you can opt out of those and do a freestyle course of study. Keep in mind that if you are looking for high school credit, your student will need to comply with all parts of the curriculum. For any other course, however, the assessments can be optional.

Some students would like to focus more on conversational Spanish, while others already speak fluently but need help with their written Spanish. Either way, our teachers can accommodate and adjust the curriculum for your student’s needs.

Additionally, we have worked with numerous students that have learning disabilities, such as dyslexia and ADHD. Just let your teacher know and they will accommodate accordingly. We are here to make learning Spanish easy for your child!

High School Courses

So many world language courses don’t offer options for high schoolers – they focus more on younger kids and avoid high school classes because of the strict standards required for high school Spanish. However, the Spanish Academy offers Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, and Spanish IV for the high schoolers. The classes include graded homework (10%), quizzes (40%), and tests (50%), and we can provide a transcript for each completed semester.

These classes are perfect for if your student needs high school credit for Spanish, if they struggled in school and need reinforcement, or if they are looking to get a head start on their high school credits. We have received numerous testimonials about how our unique high school curriculum has helped students succeed in high school and be well-prepared for college classes. Download a sample here!

Coming Changes

Strive for continuous improvement, instead of perfection.”

– Kim Collins

Here at the Spanish Academy, we want to be constantly improving our classes. For that reason, we are making some exciting changes to our curriculum. The flexibility and teaching methods will be the same, but we will be bringing you a lot more content, with some extra special products for all you parents!

One important change will be our alignment with the ACTFL standards and level system. You will be able to see what fluency level your student is at and what they need to work on at each level. This will give you a better idea of how soon they will reach their Spanish fluency goal and how you can help get them there.

Stay tuned for the coming changes and sign up for a FREE class in the meantime!

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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 awareness in Spanish will let you set a coffee date with a friend, barter down the price of goods at an outdoor market, and understand how many spots are left on the bus for travel. Let’s take a look at how to comprehend, construct, and pronounce numbers in Spanish! Then we’ll get into the games and learning activities we can use to memorize what we’ve learned. ¡Aprendamos a contar!

Types of Numbers in Spanish

Cardinal vs. Ordinal

Cardinal numbers are the simple, original form of a number: 1, 2, 3, etc. This is in contrast to ordinal numbers, which are 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. As we begin our journey of number awareness, it’s important to start with cardinal numbers so that they can serve as the base for learning ordinal numbers later. Keep in mind that Spanish speakers use cardinal instead of ordinal numbers when talking about la fecha, or the calendar date. They add “de + month” after the cardinal number. An example is: veinte de julio (July 20). 

The Basics

Here we have a chart with numbers 0-20 in Spanish:

Spelling Numbers

Spelling numbers in Spanish is easy once you understand certain patterns. If you remember, numbers 16-19 have a distinct pattern where they all begin with “dieci”. These numbers were originally written diez y seis, diez y siete, etc. and have since changed their spelling. In a similar fashion, the spelling for numbers 21 through 29 has changed. It is not uncommon to see these numbers written as veinte y uno, veinte y dos, etc. However, according to the Real Academia Española, this is no longer an acceptable form of spelling. The form we must learn combines the two numbers and changes the ‘y’ to an ‘i’. In order to move the emphasis to the last syllable, there is an acute accent mark on veintidós, veintitrés, and veintiséis.

How to Build Bigger Numbers

Numbers begin to build on each other after 15. You will see that deiciséis through diecinueve are a combination of diez + y + number. This was, in fact, how they were all originally spelled. This construction is currently used for numbers from treinta y uno (31) to noventa y nueve (99). By combining the number in the tens place (30, 40, 50, etc.) with the number in the ones place (1, 2, 3, etc.) and placing y in between, we form the following numbers:

Now, when we reach 100, we say cien, but any number between 101-199 uses ciento. Except for 500 (which is quinientos), numbers 200 and higher use cientos in plural form. These bigger numbers are a combination of the whole hundred + cientos + number. For example, doscientos diez (210), trescientos once (311), etc. This is different from mil, which is 1,000, where it does not add an -s for dos mil (2,000) and higher. Whew, what a mouthful! This can be tricky at first, but with plenty of practice, it will seem natural. Additionally, take notice of the spelling differences in the number (700) setecientos and (900) novecientos. Here is a chart of some of the bigger numbers:

Gender in Numbers

When we list Spanish numbers in their original form, they are generally gender-neutral. However, the whole hundreds in the numbers 200 through 900 change to feminine when they quantify a feminine noun, by changing -cientos into -cientas. In addition, numbers that end in -uno undergo a spelling change in certain conditions. If the number proceeds a masculine noun, such as 21 cats, the number 21 is written as veintiún gatos. However, if the number proceeds a feminine noun that begins with the letter a, such as 31 eagles, the number is most commonly written in masculine form: treinta y un águilas. Learn more about that here. When a number like 41 precedes a feminine noun that doesn’t start with an a, then the ending is -una: cuarenta y una manzanas.

Pronunciation

To make the most of learning about numbers, we have to be able to pronounce them correctly! Check out our video to get you started on perfecting your pronunciation! Test yourself on some of the more difficult numbers that are similar in pronunciation and sometimes confused with one another!

Games and Activities

The best way to retain any new information is to play games, of course! Engage your senses and skillsets with some of these fun ideas:

• Bingo is a popular game and is especially helpful when trying to tune those listening skills. If providing for a bigger group of learners, you can print out blank Bingo cards, pass them out for students to fill in numbers in their numerical form, and you can call out numbers 1-100 at random. If you would like a pre-made set of 4 Bingo Cards and a Spanish Numbers Calling Sheet, feel free to use our free gift to you! (Find the link at the end of this blog!) It’s fun for the whole family and keeps learners excited.
• Catch and Count is a ball game that requires at least 2 players. Everyone stands in a circle and chooses the numbers they will be counting (from 1-50 or 1-100, for example). The person holding the ball says the first number then tosses it to someone else who must say the next number in the sequence. The group tosses the ball around until they reach the maximum number. If someone messes up, they have to start all over again!
• Uno is an obvious game to play to practice numbers, especially because of its name! While playing this family favorite, make sure to require that all players say the numbers in Spanish before they play them. Each player can say their number by using the phrase, “Yo tengo el número _____.”

Spanish Number Sense

Now that you’ve learned your numbers in Spanish, you can practice using them with friends, family, or in the classroom. Expand your knowledge by taking online classes with Homeschool Spanish Academy where you will learn how to have conversations using numbers! Your journey into Spanish learning is well on its way now. Keep up the good work and stay inspired with our other blogs!

Keep practicing with our Bingo game!

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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 itself either grammatically (such as no, it wasn’t me) or in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements (such as ride herd on for “supervise”).”

Today’s Schedule

Just so that you know exactly what we’re looking at today, here’s a list:

• Idioms in Spanish
• The literal translation into English so you can see how important it is to keep in mind that language is a lot more than just a translation of words. It is a common mistake to translate idioms word for word, so try to avoid that!
• The actual meaning in English
• An example of each one so you can learn when to use them!

Some idioms have an equivalent in English, while others don’t.

We’ll start with my all-time favorite idiom because I’m an avid cat lover, who is unfortunately allergic to cats. Oh, the ironies of life! Maybe it’s something good; otherwise, my house would be filled with cute, furry little creatures!

Takeaway

Isn’t this awesome? You’ve just learned 20 new idioms in Spanish that will help you communicate even better! Now book a FREE class with us so you can practice them and learn even more!

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Top 5 Professions Utilizing Spanish

Spanish is an important part of our culture.  Why? Because 41 million people speak Spanish in the United States (which makes the U.S. the 2nd largest Spanish-speaking country after Mexico),  AND most of us hear Spanish every day in our communities, whether it is channel surfing and seeing Univision, calling a doctor or dentist office and hearing the option to ‘presione dos para comunicarse con una persona en español,’ or overhearing a conversation at the grocery store. 

The United States is uniquely positioned geographically next to dozens of countries que hablan español, y por eso there are many jobs where speaking Spanish is an asset and can earn you more money.

¡Vamos a empezar!  

1.     Medical Professional

The job categories within the medical field can range from nurse to doctor, and all associated support jobs. This profession is rewarding, and being bilingual will enable you to obtain pertinent, real-time information (sin un traductor) in an emergency situation.  Having the ability to understand the scene can help you save lives since many medical emergencies require an immediate response. 

In the medical field, it is not only about treating illness and administering medicine.  A huge part of the job is showing empathy for your patients and making them feel comfortable and safe.  The first step in doing this is speaking your patient’s language. For example, some Asian cultures prefer hot water with meals and medication, or tea throughout the day.  In order to provide comfort to your patient, it is important to understand culturally-appropriate care and be culturally competent.  

It is generally more cost-effective for a hospital/clinic to have bilingual staff than to pay for a third-party interpreter. Bilingual staff will also allow your hospital/clinic to serve more of the population.  

Be sure to negotiate a higher pay since the cost savings and patient benefits of having a bilingual staff are very real. 

One study revealed that 74% of US hospitals serve patients who speak English as a foreign language. Of those hospitals, 15% offer financial incentives to doctors and staff for knowing a foreign language and, of these, three-quarters offer base salary increases ranging from $20 extra per hour, or bonuses up to $500. 

2. Translator/Interpreter

The difference between these two professions is that an interpreter translates verbally and a translator interprets written text.  As a translator or interpreter, you can work for the court system, doctor offices, immigration facilities, universities or law firms, just to name a few.  Depending on where you work, a certification may be required.

An interpreter speaks real-time and is required to have a word in the other language in a split-second.  A typical day for an interpreter would consist of providing literal and general translation of English and Spanish so that both parties can understand each other. This is a critical job since you are talking about very important subjects, such as health concerns, environmental impacts, wellness recommendations and legal implications that affect and impact an individual’s freedom.  You will work in many capacities, such as speaking in a courtroom or into the Prime Minister’s earpiece at a United Nations meeting.

Translators are researchers who look at legal documents, books, tax statements and affidavits to change them from one language to another.  They have the challenge of searching for expressions and uncovering idioms typical for the language they are translating into. As a translator, it can be difficult to translate the author’s intent or the meaning of the original message. This job requires significant concentration and the ability to think abstractly. 

A general search on Indeed.com found a full-time Bilingual Court Interpreter in California which pays an hourly rate of $36.74-$44.66 (~$75,900 – $92,900 annually).

The median salary at the United Nations is $46,000, with the top 10% earning more than $83,000. There are so many variables and if you have significant education and are highly skilled, the pay will be higher. 

These professions are expected to grow 17% over the next 10 years – much faster than many other occupations.  This is partially due to the increasing population of Spanish-speakers in the United States. 

3. Human Resources (HR) Specialist

To be a global player, each business needs a unique perspective to stay competitive.  HR specialists help acquire talent and comprise teams of diverse backgrounds.

HR specialists have a direct say in screening and recruiting applicants, interviewing candidates, as well as hiring and promoting individuals.  Therefore, a bilingual employee could promote attributes that help to make an inclusive work environment. As an HR specialist, you would become successful by seeking out those who have skills that would enhance your workplace; some examples would include adaptability, flexibility, willingness to be open-minded, and unique problem-solving skills.  

In May 2018, HR Specialists made a median salary of $60,990, and the top 25% make $80k-$100k.  Specializing in HR subcategories will help you stand out amongst your colleagues and could help you make an additional salary.  

Speaking Spanish is a specialty that will help attract additional talent to your company!

4. Sales Professional

Remember the sales team that sold the Chevy ‘Nova’ car to Latin America? (‘Nova’ in Spanish is two separate words, no va, and this literally means “it doesn’t go.” Who wants to buy a car that ‘doesn’t go!’) If they had a Spanish-speaking person on their sales team, certainly this would never have happened. As companies expand globally, bilingual employees are crucial in interpreting language and navigating the culture.

Sales positions can range from a customer service representative (being a bilingual employee who can assist the numerous Spanish-speaking customers every day) to a sales executive (pursuing multi-million business opportunities to help the bottom line).  The pay will vary significantly depending on your level of responsibility and whether your company offers a sales bonus. However, one thing remains: being bilingual will help you reach out beyond your community and have the ability to seek interesting and potentially lucrative job opportunities.

The Top 10 sales professional jobs where you can earn six-figure salaries are as follows: 

1. Real estate agent
2. Sales engineer
3. Financial services sales agent
4. Advertising sales agent
5. Insurance sales agent
6. Manufacturer’s representative
7. Medical device sales representative
8. Software sales representative
9. Pharmaceutical sales representative
10. Consumer packaged goods sales representative

Remember, being bilingual will give you a competitive advantage to reach beyond English-speaking communities! 

5. Law Enforcement and Military Jobs

There is an increasing demand for Spanish-speaking law enforcement and military personnel. 

In order to assist and serve the population, these professions must be able to communicate effectively. Removing a language barrier is a key first step in ensuring that the issue at hand is clearly understood AND that civilians feel their position is understood.  It is imperative that careful and effective use of language is used to help diffuse or entirely prevent potentially violent situations. Speaking Spanish will help you do just this with a large percentage of the US population.

Additional benefits are offered for bilingual employees. For example, an entry-level police officer in California can earn $73k to $93k annually and is offered bilingual pay. Bilingual pay is offered ‘at the rate of $125.00 bi-weekly for Spanish speaking and $62.50 bi-weekly for bilingual services in a designated language other than English or Spanish.’  Evidence that speaking Spanish will earn you more.    

Another example is that military personnel are offered ‘Foreign Language Proficiency Pay’ which can range from $100-$1,000 additional pay per month depending on your foreign language proficiency level and the number of languages you speak. 

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Not only can you earn more, but you can also make deeper connections and bridge language barriers. 

It pays to be bilingual!

Keep up your Spanish studies to achieve fluency and reach your goal of landing a bilingual job! Sign up for online classes today and tell your teacher about your next business venture!   

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10 Songs in Spanish for Kids

Have you noticed that certain songs get stuck in your head? Or phrases from songs seem to appear out of nowhere and haunt you for days? This is the magic of music. Looking back on our childhood, we can remember the first songs we heard and learned to sing; they became our first stories. Thanks to the lyrics we memorized, we expanded our vocabulary. We asked more questions to our parents about the meaning of the song and we created more imagery in our heads.

Now, it’s time to pass on the joy! By listening to these children’s songs in Spanish with amusing tunes and playful lyrics, you will start filling your head with new Spanish words and phrases that you won’t forget any time soon. We highly recommend that you find one or two that you want to memorize and teach to a friend or a child who would love it. Check out our list of 10 popular Spanish songs for kids. ¡Vamos a cantar!

1. Un elefante se balanceaba

One by one, another elephant comes in to swing on the spider web! This is a counting song for young children learning to count by one. It has fun rhymes and repetitions to keep the little listeners engaged.

Key Words and Phrases

Se balanceaban – they were swinging
La tela de una araña – a spider’s web
Fueron a llamar – they went to call
Como veían que resistía – since they saw that it held

2. Sana, sana colita de rana

Mothers are very fond of this song. It is a special chant they sing when their child has just hurt themselves. By rubbing the minor injury while singing this tune, their little one magically starts to feel better! Part of the healing process is the laughter that comes when mom breaks out the silly song in a serious moment.

Key Words and Phrases

Colita de rana – little frog’s tail
Sana – present tense ‘heal’
Sanará – future tense ‘will heal’

3. Arroz con leche

This folk song is originally from France and survives in popularity since the 14th century. Children like to sing it while they form a circle and hold hands. Then, they choose a boy to stand in the middle. As the song goes “con esta sí, con esta no,” the boy in the middle picks a girl to be the señorita of the song. She takes his place in the middle and chooses a boy next.

Key Words and Phrases

Sepa – present subjunctive tense of the verb saber or ‘to know’
Coser – to sew
La viudita – the little widow

4. Sol, solecito

A great way to start the day is by singing this happy, classic nursery rhyme. There are popular variations to the original that add the days of the week to help kids practice. The lyrics teach concepts like night and day as well as today and tomorrow. Teachers love using this song with their students. It makes them smile with funny images of chicks, a calf, and Pinocchio drumming with a spoon and fork.

Key Words and Phrases

Caliéntame – warm me up
Cascabelera – jingling
Tocando el tambor – playing the drum

5. La vaca lechera

Jacobo Morcillo from Spain, the author of this time-honored nursery rhyme, wrote about a milk cow. While there is a lyrical debate on whether the cow gives leche condensada or leche congelada, the message remains the same: everyone loves the cow because of the milk she gives! This song is especially popular in Latin America where it helps young children develop their pre-reading skills.

Key Words and Phrases

No es una vaca cualquiera – It’s not just any cow
Un cencerro – a cowbell
El rabo – the tail

6. Los pollitos dicen pío pío

What do the little chicks say? ¡Pío pío! This is a great song for learning high-frequency phrases in Spanish like tener hambre and tener frío. Children love this song with all the great movements that go with the singalong. It teaches kids about chicks: the animal sounds they make, the food they like to eat, and how they stay warm with their mama hen.

Key Words and Phrases

El trigo – wheat
Les da abrigo – she shelters them
Quietecitos – nice and still

7. Veo veo

This is the Spanish version of the popular English kid’s song “I Spy.” It focuses heavily on the usage of proper vowel sounds. To answer the question, ¿Y qué cosita es? the child pronounces the first guess incorrectly. The song not only corrects the pronunciation but includes even more words that begin with the same vowel! This is one of the best songs to use for expanding vocabulary. Be sure to have your dictionary on hand. The fun rhythm of the song will help you to remember the new words.

Key Words and Phrases

¿Y qué cosita es? – What little thing is it?
Un montón de cosas más – a bunch of other things
¿Qué será? – What could it be?

8. El sapo

This beloved toad is determined to keep his feet dirty! This is one of the more challenging songs due to strange pronunciations of words, but this also makes it one of the most fun to sing. A simple chant is repeated again and again while using only one vowel sound for each turn. Prepare yourself for a whole lot of silliness and plenty of exercise for your mouth muscles!

Key Words and Phrases

Se lava el pie – washes his/her foot
La laguna – the lagoon
Apestoso – stinky

9. Tengo una muñeca

This Spanish children’s song spans generations, originating sometime in the 15th century in Spain. It’s about a lovely little doll in a blue dress who gets sick. The girl who has the doll has the doctor cure her and the song has a happy ending. There are many variations, but the most popular one includes math practice doing addition. For Spanish learners, singing this song is an easy way to practice new vocabulary and numbers.

Key Words and Phrases

la saqué a paseo – I took her out for a walk
se me constipó – she got a cold
jarabe – syrup

10. Los cochinitos dormilones

This song is by the famous Mexican cricket, Cri-Cri, who was a favorite radio character for kids all over Latin America during the 1950s. He entertained listeners with a handsome voice and inspiring imagery in his songs. The original singer who called himself Cri-Cri was Francisco Gabilondo Soler, a Mexican composer and performer.

Key Words and Phrases

Dormilones – sleepyheads
Se puso a llorar – he/she began to cry
Roncar – snore

Learning Through Music

Memories of our childhood would not be complete without the silly songs we all learned and loved. With this handy list of Spanish kids songs, you and your family can share in the learning of the Spanish language and its culture of children’s music. Start memorizing, singing aloud, and teaching to others! For a chance to understand these songs even better, try a FREE Spanish class today at Homeschool Spanish Academy. We guarantee that after just one free class, your child will be speaking Spanish!

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8 Common Mistakes in Spanish

Whenever we’re learning a new language, we come across certain aspects of it that seem to make sense and be right to us as speakers of another language. However, as I’ve mentioned before, a language is not only a translation of words. It entails a whole cultural and linguistic background, and the unique history and evolution of each language define the meaning of every word and how we use them. Today we’ll have a look at some of the most common mistakes we can make when learning Spanish! Don’t forget to check out our accompanying video.

Several of these common mistakes stem from the fact that in Spanish (like other languages) there are some concepts that do not exist in English. This means that instead of trying to understand something that doesn’t exist in our world at all, we need to accept it and learn how it works. Other mistakes arise from the vast differences in the grammatical structure of each language – these are also certain rules that we’ll have to learn by heart. Additionally,  similar-sounding words that actually have distinct meanings in each language cause many mistakes.

Before we start, remember that making mistakes is totally fine! It’s a part of the learning process. We’ve all made mistakes, and we’re going to make mistakes again. We even make mistakes sometimes when we speak our mother language. So don’t feel too bad about it – learn from it! The more you practice, the easier it will get.

1. Use of Ser and Estar

While in English there’s only one verb to express qualities of a thing or person (to be), in Spanish there are three: we can use either ser and estar depending on what we want to say, and sometimes we can even use tener (to have).

We use ser when talking about characteristics that are unchangeable and part of the essence of something or someone. On the other hand, we use estar when talking about characteristics that describe a specific or current state. Furthermore, we use tener when referring to an emotion or need.

Since we know that this is a delicate topic for any person learning Spanish, we’ll soon be sharing with you an entire blog post about the differences between ser and estar and the appropriate situations to use each!

2. Use of Adjectives

In English, we always use adjectives before nouns, but in Spanish, while we can use them before or after the noun, it is most common to use them after: noun + adjective! 

Using adjectives before nouns in Spanish is a lot less common, but we can use them this way when we want to emphasize a trait or when writing poetically.

Let’s see some examples:

3. Subjects in Sentences

Part of English grammar is always using a noun or pronoun as a subject in a sentence. In Spanish, because of the more detailed conjugation of the verbs that changes with each person (I, you, he/she/it, we, you all, they), the subject of the sentences can often be left out. 

That means that we don’t always need to write who is performing an action. Instead of writing Yo voy al mercado (I go to the market), we only need to write Voy al mercado. Since voy is conjugated in the first person singular – yo, I – we understand that it is I who is performing the action without having to explicitly write it down. 

There are cases when it is important to mention who is performing the action in order to give the sentence more clarity, but it is not needed for the sentence to be right. Keep in mind that in order for your Spanish to sound more natural, you need to avoid the excessive use of pronouns and other subjects in sentences.

4. People vs. Gente

In English, the word ‘people’ is a plural count noun and therefore takes a plural conjugation – we say people are and not people is! In Spanish, the word gente is a collective noun so it refers to a group of people, a plural, but it keeps its singular form.

Gente has no plural because it is already a plural form for the word persona (person). Although personas is the plural of persona, we more often use gente to refer to a group of persons as a collective. In this case, we say that la gente es, instead of la gente son or las gentes son. 

Keep in mind that verbs and adjectives need to match the singular word although its meaning is plural: 

5. False Cognate

False cognates, or false friends as we also call them, are words that sound or are written in a similar way but don’t have the same meaning. This can happen in one language, or in two separate languages. Always try to keep in mind that two words sounding or looking similar doesn’t necessarily mean that they have the same meaning. A very common mistake here is embarazada, which sounds a lot like embarrassed, but actually means pregnant! You certainly don’t want to say you’re pregnant when you want to express how embarrassed you already are about something. We’ll compile a list of the most common false cognates for you so you can always keep an eye on this. Stay tuned!

6. Capitalization of Words

In English, capitalization rules vary greatly from those in Spanish, as we capitalize a lot of words that are written with lowercase letters in Spanish. 

When we write in English, we capitalize the days of the week, months of the year, languages, religions, nationalities, and most words in titles of books, plays, articles, etc. However, in Spanish, we don’t capitalize any of the above, and when it comes to titles, we only capitalize the first letter! 

Some of the most common capitalization rules are that we only capitalize:

• Given names of people, animals, and places (Majo Grajeda, Firulais, Guatemala)
• All significant words in given names of organizations, associations, institutions, organism, newspapers, universities, schools, companies, musical groups, etc. (El Periódico, Instituto Nacional de Turismo, Universidad del Valle)
• The first word of titles in movies, books, articles (Bajo la misma estrella, El rey león, La isla del tesoro)

7. Double Negative

When in English we want to say that we haven’t written anything, we can either say that we haven’t written a thing, or that we have written nothing. What we cannot say, is that “we haven’t written nothing.” This is a double negative, and in English, a double negative creates a positive statement. 

So if we said “I didn’t hear nothing” it means that “you did hear something,” and not that “you didn’t hear any noise.” In Spanish, however, we use double negatives all the time because it is the right way to say things and using them doesn’t alter the negative meaning of statements.

An important rule here is that Spanish sentences don’t usually mix positive and negative words in statements. If you start your sentence as a negative statement (no, nunca, nada, nadie, ningún/ninguna, jamás, tampoco) you need to continue your sentence, with a negative word. This also applies to sentences that start as positive statements. In those cases, you need to continue your sentence with a positive word (siempre, algo, alguien, algún/alguna, también).

8. Right Usage of Verbs

In Spanish, there are verbs that seem to have similar meanings but may subtly or completely alter what you’re trying to say. Let’s have a look at 3 of these pairs:

Ir vs. Venir

Ir means ‘to go somewhere,’ while venir means ‘to come from somewhere’:

Traer vs. Llevar

Traer means to bring something to a place where you already are or to a place that you’re already talking about. Llevar means to take something to a place different than the one you’re currently at or that isn’t part of the context of what you’re speaking at the moment.

To understand this better, let’s have a look at a little conversation:

(Backstory: Maria and Ana are at Ana’s house getting ready for a party.)

Oír vs. Escuchar

Oír means to perceive sound with your senses, while escuchar means to pay attention to what you’re listening to. While these two verbs are interchangeable at times – and everyone will understand what you mean if mix them up – it’s important to keep in mind that there are cases when using one is better than using the other one.

Takeaway

Mastering these common mistakes will bring your Spanish skills to a whole different level! Don’t forget to watch our video and schedule a FREE class with one of our native Spanish teachers to clarify any doubts you may still have.

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