Spanish Greetings

One of the most useful Spanish words is '¡Hóla!' which means 'hello'. This can be used in Spanish-speaking countries at any time of day. Other options for greetings are: * Buenos días - good morning * Buenas tardes - good afternoon * Buenas noches - good evening or good night * Adiós - goodbye * Hasta luego - see you soon In some parts of Spain and Latin America, those greetings are abbreviated to 'buenos' for 'good morning' and 'buenas' for 'good afternoon' and 'good evening.'

Putting The Accent On Speaking Spanish

The written accent is very important in speaking Spanish correctly. The written accent indicates where the stress on a word falls if that stress doesn't follow the conventional rules of Spanish pronunciation. The stress accent is always on a vowel with one exception. Sometimes the accent is needed to distinguish between nouns that are spelled identically, such as 'papa' (potato) and 'papá' (father). It can also be used to distinguish between past and present tenses of verbs, such as 'compro' (I buy) and 'compró' (he bought). Accents can also be used to indicate questioning, such as with the word 'que' which is unaccented in statements, but accented in questions. The exception to the rule above is the tilde. A tilde is a diacritical mark (an accent) that is placed over a letter to change its pronunciation. In Spanish, it is used over the letter 'n' to indicate an 'ny' sound, as in mañana. It is important to be able to pronounce this sound to speak Spanish correctly. The tilde is also used in other languages, such as Portuguese and Vietnamese, though it is used with different letters in those languages. Tildes can also be seen in some web addresses.

Speedy Spanish Learning

To learn Spanish quickly and effectively, there is no substitute for a Spanish language immersion program. Teaching on these Spanish language programs takes place only in Spanish. This means that students are constantly exposed to the language. This is a way of becoming fluent very quickly. Although Spanish language immersion programs can take place anywhere, consider taking the program in a Spanish-speaking country. Since students hear Spanish both inside and outside the classroom, they make even quicker progress. This type of Spanish language program can create fluent Spanish speakers within a few weeks or months. It is best to choose a Spanish language immersion program that matches the accent you want to acquire. To learn castellano, learn Spanish in Spain. Alternatively, learn Spanish in Mexico or Latin America for a Latin American Spanish accent.

A Spanish Stay: Words for Travelers

Sorting out hotels and accommodation is a key aspect of traveling. Travelers to Spanish-speaking countries will find the following Spanish travel phrases and words useful when booking accommodation. * Do you have any vacancies? - ¿Hay habitaciones libres? * I'd like a single/double room, please. - Quisiera una habitación sencilla/doble, por favor. * May I see the room? - ¿Podria ver la habitacion? * What does it cost per night/per week? - ¿Cuanto cuesta por noche/semana? * Are meals included? - ¿Incluye la comida? * I would like a room with a shower - Quisiera una habitacion con ducha, por favor. * We would like to stay for three nights - Pensamos quedarnos tres noches. * room service - el servicio de habitaciones, el servicio en cuarto * reservation - la reservación * tip - la propina * hotel - el hotel

Out And About - Spanish Travel Phrases

Once you've reached your Spanish-speaking destination, you'll want to do sightseeing and more. The following Spanish travel phrases and words will help with asking directions and getting around. * Where can I get a taxi? - ¿Dónde puedo buscar un taxi? * Where is the nearest bus stop? - ¿Dónde ésta la parada de autobús más cerca? * Is there a coach to the airport? - ¿Hay autocares al aeropuerto? * Where is the nearest train station? - ¿Dónde ésta la estación de ferrocarril más cerca? * a single ticket - un billete sencillo * a return ticket - un billete de ida y vuelta * How do you get to ...? - ¿Cómo puedo llegar a ... ? * Is it near? - ¿Está por aquí/está cerca? * Is it far? - ¿Está lejos? * I am lost - Estoy perdido. * I'm looking for ... - Busco ... * Is there anyone here who speaks English? - ¿Hay alguien que hable inglés? * right - derecho * left - izquierdo

Learning Spanish - What's The Point?

If you're wondering why you should consider learning Spanish, there are several good reasons to do it. * Learning Spanish will help you to communicate with more than 300 million people around the world who speak Spanish. More than 35 million of these are in the US. * Learning Spanish is useful for traveling in Spain, Mexico and Latin America. * Learning Spanish will extend career choices. There are many jobs which ask specifically for bilingual people. * Learning Spanish will allow you to have new cultural experiences. * Learning Spanish can ease communication with Spanish-speaking co-workers and employees, especially in countries with a large Hispanic population. * Learning Spanish or another language improves memory skills. * Learning Spanish will help you understand the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries. * Learning Spanish will help you understand English better. Learning the grammar of another language can help to improve English grammar skills and knowledge.

Why Healthcare Workers May Need Spanish

There more than 40 million Spanish speakers in the US. Of these, 28 million speak Spanish at home. That means that healthcare workers are likely to need to speak to some of their patients in Spanish. There are a number of options to help healthcare workers learn to speak Spanish. * They can choose a medical Spanish immersion course in a Spanish-speaking country. This is likely to involve caring for patients. * They can choose a classroom-based evening course to help them learn to speak Spanish. * Healthcare workers can also learn to speak Spanish online. There are several web sites that offer free online Spanish courses specifically for healthcare workers. A free online Spanish course is perhaps the best option for working people. To find one, do an Internet search for 'medical Spanish online'. This will give hundreds of results to choose from.

Time To Test Conversational Spanish

Testing your knowledge of conversational Spanish is easy. In a classroom setting, the tutor will set tests to assess your progress in speaking Spanish. Many of the free online Spanish courses have quizzes to test grammar, vocabulary and conversation. Consider renting a Spanish film to see how much of the conversation you understand. This will provide a good self-test. The ultimate test is to speak Spanish with native speakers. If you can understand what they say and be understood, then you can be sure that your ability to speak conversational Spanish is progressing nicely.

The Business of Spanish

Business Spanish courses are designed mainly for those who have to do business in a Spanish-speaking country. This is useful so business people can: * enhance their career prospects * talk and do business with colleagues in Spanish-speaking countries * learn about another culture * travel to Hispanic countries on business However, business Spanish can also be useful for anyone who is likely to deal with Spanish-speaking business people. This could include people who are planning to relocate to a Spanish-speaking country.

Spanish For Spanish Teachers

Spanish teachers who are non-native speakers of Spanish can benefit from a Spanish course. Taking a Spanish course will help Spanish teachers to: * keep up to date with slang and vocabulary * update their cultural knowledge * polish their Spanish accent * get new teaching materials that they can use in class * make contact with other Spanish teachers to exchange ideas and information * enhance their professional development There are several Spanish institutions that offer this type of course for non-native Spanish teachers. These can be found easily by doing an Internet search. Most of these courses take place in summer to coincide with the school holidays.