Learn Spanish Blog » Learn Spanish http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog Spanish Learning Updates, Tips, and Tricks Fri, 15 May 2015 11:02:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0 La Navidad y el Año Nuevo en España – how much do you understand? http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/12/la-navidad-y-el-ano-nuevo-en-espana-how-much-do-you-understand/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/12/la-navidad-y-el-ano-nuevo-en-espana-how-much-do-you-understand/#comments Tue, 23 Dec 2014 13:08:25 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=2049 santaclausHo-ho-ho! It’s the Festive Season, and Christmas is just a day away! How about getting a quick Spanish practice while you’re waiting for Santa? Below, we give you a simple excerpt about Christmas and New Year in Spain. Of course, it’s written in Spanish, but the level of difficulty is perfect for intermediate language learners. The vocabulary is easy, and, again, it’s Christmas! Why don’t you try reading it and let us know how much you understand :).

 

La Navidad y el Año Nuevo en España.

Desde el 8 de diciembre empieza a advertirse en España el ambiente navideño, las calles empiezan a adornarse de luces (aún apagadas) y de guirnaldas. En esa fecha se celebra la festividad de la Inmaculada Concepción. El día 22 de diciembre es el comienzo oficial de la navidad española con la celebración del sorteo extraordinario de Navidad de la Lotería Nacional. Es un día muy especial para todos, las calles se llenan de ilusión y la vida, aunque continúa, durante cinco horas gira en torno a la radio, a la tele o a internet, ya que cualquier ciudadano puede convertirse en el afortunado ganador del gordo. Los niños han terminado las clases y empiezan las vacaciones de navidad delante del sorteo.

El siguiente día destacado de la navidad española es el 24 de diciembre, Nochebuena, día en que se celebra (según la religión católica) las vísperas del nacimiento de Jesús.En esa noche se celebra la tradicional Misa del Gallo. Según la tradición, este animal fue el primero en presenciar el nacimiento de Jesús y anunciarlo al mundo.

Era habitual que los miembros de la familia asistieran juntos a esta misa de medianoche. Durante la Nochebuena se cena con la familia, una cena que termina en fiesta, ya que es costumbre, después de cenar, visitar a los amigos o familiares, comer dulces típicos navideños y cantar villancicos.En el sur de España también son típicas las fiestas flamencas, celebrando la Nochebuena cantando flamenco.

El día 25 es un día más tranquilo, aunque también de reunión familiar.Lo más importantedel día es el almuerzo u se suele hacer con la familia más cercana.

El día 28 es el día de los Santos Inocentes, día muy divertido y en que todo el mundo gasta bromas y pegan muñecos en las espaldasde sus conocidos.

El fín de año llega a España con la Nochevieja. Tradicionalmente se celebra tomando las uvas en la Puerta del Sol de Madrid o viéndolo por la televisión.

Tras estos días de fiestas nos queda el día infantil por excelencia : El día 5 de enero : el Día de los Reyes Magos . En la noche dl día 5 al 6 de enero, los niños españoles reciben los regalos de los Reyes Magos de Oriente.Es una noche mágica, tanto para los niños que no pegan ojo por la ilusión como para los adultos, por la ilusión que los niños transmiten esa noche.Es tradicional la Cabalgata de Reyes, en la cual, los Reyes Magos lanzan caramelos a los niños.

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/12/la-navidad-y-el-ano-nuevo-en-espana-how-much-do-you-understand/feed/ 0 10 Palabras: Weather http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/08/10-palabras-weather/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/08/10-palabras-weather/#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2014 10:23:04 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=2039 weatherHola amigos, 10 palabras is back with a quick vocabulary lesson. Let’s learn 10 words about weather and weather conditions:

  1. una brisa / una brisa marina:     a breeze / a sea breeze
  2. un trueno:         a clap of thunder, a thunderclap
  3. un cielo/día despejado:              a clear sky/day
  4. un chaparrón: a cloudburst
  5. un relámpago:                 a flash of lightning
  6. una racha:         a gust of wind
  7. una ola de calor:             a heat wave
  8. hay neblina:      it’s misty
  9. está nevado:    it’s snowing
  10. chubascos de nieve:     snow showers

Remember that you can learn Spanish easily with Visual Link Spanish!

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/08/10-palabras-weather/feed/ 0 Summer Sale is here! HALF PRICE for everything! http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/07/summer-sale-is-here-half-price-for-everything/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/07/summer-sale-is-here-half-price-for-everything/#comments Fri, 18 Jul 2014 08:52:00 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=2035 Summer Sale!(2)We know you’ve been waiting for it, and here it is! Summer sale has arrived, bringing you the amazing half price deal for all Visual Link Spanish courses and bundles! Simply type in promo code JULY50 at the checkout page at www.spanishprograms.com and receive your sale price!

Learn Spanish with our very special Summer Sale, and remember that you can start learning Spanish FREE on Visual Link Spanish website!

The promo ends on July 31, so there’s no time to waste! Make the most of this summer!

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/07/summer-sale-is-here-half-price-for-everything/feed/ 0 Spanish Digital Learning Center LIFETIME Membership: Best 40 Bucks You’ll Ever Spend! http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/06/spanish-digital-learning-center-lifetime-membership-best-40-bucks-youll-ever-spend/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/06/spanish-digital-learning-center-lifetime-membership-best-40-bucks-youll-ever-spend/#comments Fri, 20 Jun 2014 08:42:02 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=2031 Can 40 dollars change your life? YES – if you spend them wisely.

Lifetime membership in Visual Link Spanish Digital Learning Center is exactly what you’re looking for. For only $39.99, you receive access to an award-winning language learning platform.

ON39DLC accommodates your needs from the beginner through intermediate to advanced and fluent levels. We surveyed thousands of our customers and over 1,000 school teachers to create these fun interactive lessons that will help you improve your Spanish, boost your vocabulary and expand the knowledge of Spanish culture. You will find this platform helpful no matter which level you’re at right now, and it will grow with you, meeting your needs as you progress.

Here’s why you will love the Lifetime Membership in Digital Learning Center from Visual Link® Spanish:

  • Verb Conjugation and Drills - Quiz yourself in ALL major verb conjugations in Spanish with over 5,000 conjugation drills -including past, future, subjunctive, conditional and more!
  • New Vocabulary - Learn over 700 additional vocabulary words using the signature Visual Link Spanishstyle.
  • Pronunciation - Brush up on the 5 most commonly mispronounced Spanish sounds.
  • Culture: learn 40 essential culture topics.
  • Newspapers and Dictionaries - Valuable links to Spanish newspapers and an online Spanish-English dictionary are provided.
  • EASY ACCESS, NOTHING TO INSTALL - The course is strictly online and doesn’t require installation of CD-ROMS. You can access the DLC anywhere you have an internet connection!

*This post features a special offer only available through the link provided. Regular website prices differ.

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/06/spanish-digital-learning-center-lifetime-membership-best-40-bucks-youll-ever-spend/feed/ 0 Visual Link Spanish Level 1: Sentence Building and Conversation http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/05/visual-link-spanish-level-1-sentence-building-and-conversation/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/05/visual-link-spanish-level-1-sentence-building-and-conversation/#comments Thu, 08 May 2014 08:07:33 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=2024 Visual Link Spanish Level 1

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/05/visual-link-spanish-level-1-sentence-building-and-conversation/feed/ 0 Spring Sale! Get 60% Off All Visual Link Spanish Courses! http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/03/spring-sale-get-60-off-all-visual-link-spanish-courses/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/03/spring-sale-get-60-off-all-visual-link-spanish-courses/#comments Mon, 03 Mar 2014 14:34:34 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=1985 spring big

Sale ends this Friday, so NOW is the time! Visit us today!

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/03/spring-sale-get-60-off-all-visual-link-spanish-courses/feed/ 0 10 Palabras: It’s All About Internet http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/01/10-palabras-its-all-about-internet/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/01/10-palabras-its-all-about-internet/#comments Thu, 23 Jan 2014 08:37:28 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=1971 Although we spend much time online (hey, you’re even learning Spanish online!), many of us are still at a loss for Spanish words when it comes to terms related to Internet. As all ‘dot coms’ become a regular part of our life, let’s learn some of them in Spanish.

Here’s today’s 10 Palabras (of a few more- who’s counting, right?):

  • @ (at)  – arroba
  • Bold (font) – negrita
  • dot com- punto com
  • drop down list/ drop down menu/pop-up menu –  menu desplegable
  • Forward (the name of the forward button)- adelante
  • hyperlink- hiperenlace
  • lurking- fisgoneo, mironeo (lurker – mirón)
  • surf- navegar
  • word wrap –  retorno automático de la palabra
  • to attach (to emails) – adjuntar
  • template – plantilla
]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/01/10-palabras-its-all-about-internet/feed/ 0 Spanish Accent Made Easy – With La Oreja de Van Gogh http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/01/spanish-accent-made-easy-with-la-oreja-de-van-gogh/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/01/spanish-accent-made-easy-with-la-oreja-de-van-gogh/#comments Thu, 02 Jan 2014 08:20:14 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=1956 Happy New Year! Let’s make 2014 a great year!

Guess what? It’s time to go back to your Spanish studies. We suggest that you start nice and easy today – with some Spanish music! We’d like to introduce you to a great band to practice your Spanish comprehension skills – La Oreja de Van Gogh. These guys are Latin Grammy winners winning and a Grammy-nominated Spanish pop band from San Sebastian, Spain. The name of the band refers to the famous post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh who cut off the lobe of his own ear (look him up some time, he was a great artist and an interesting person, but that’s absolutely off-topic).

Yet, we didn’t pick this band because of their name. Speaking of Spanish pronunciation, we often hear students complain that Spanish accent is a lot harder to understand – compared to the way Mexican Spanish sounds. Let’s say, it’s not exactly harder, it just sounds a little different.

La Oreja de Van Gogh’s lead singer, Amaia Montero, has a very distinct Spanish pronunciation (do note the ‘s’ sound in this song). Yet, this music is truly an easy listening, and, once you follow the lyrics for a couple of times, the Spanish pronunciation will grow on you. Don’t like this song? Go ahead and browse for your favorite artists and songs – there’s plenty of awesome stuff out there!

For now, we recommend this song. Here’s the video with both versions of the lyrics (Spanish and the English translation) pasted for you below. Enjoy and be sure to share your favorite Spanish music with us!

Ven acercate
Ven y abrazame
Vuelve a sonreír a recordar Paris
a ser me angustia
dejame pasar una tarde mas
dime donde has ido donde esperas en silencio amigo
quiero estar contigo y relgarte mi carino
darte un beso y ver tus ojos
disfrutando con los mios hasta siempre
adios me corazon
ven te quiero hablar
vuelve a caminar
vamos a jugar al juego en el que yo era tu princesa
ven hazlo por mi
vuelve siempre a mi
dime donde has ido
donde esperas en silencio amigo
quiero estar contigo y relgarte mi carino
darte un beso y ver tus ojos
disfrutando con los mios hasta siempre
adios mi corazon
no hay lugar que me haga ovitar
el tiempo que pase andando por las calles junto a hazi
ven quiero saber
porque tu fuiste sin me
siempre tuve algo que contarte
dime donde has ido donde esperas en silencio amigo quiero estar contigo y relgarte mi carino
darte un beso y ver tus ojos
disfrutando con los mios hasta siempre
adios mi corazon
no hay nada que me haga ovitar
el tiempo que ha pasado ya y no volvera
adios mi corazon

***

Come close to me
Come and hug me
Return to smile and remember Paris
To be my anxiety
Let me spend one more afternoon
Tell me where you have gone where you wait in silence my friend
I want to be with you and give you my love
To give you a kiss and see your eyes
Enjoying mine forever
Good bye my love
Come I want you to talk
Return to walk
Come let us play the game in which you were a princess
Come, do it for me
Always return to me
Tell me where you have gone
where you wait in silence my friend
I want to be with you and give you my love
To give you a kiss and see your eyes
Enjoying mine forever
Good bye my love
There is no place where I can forget
the time which we spent walking the streets together
Come, I want to know
why you left without me
Forever I had something to tell you
Tell me where you have gone where you wait in silence my friend
I want to be with you and give you my love
To give you a kiss and see your eyes
Enjoying mine forever
Good bye my love
There is nothing that can make me forget
the time which has passed and won’t come back
Good bye my love

 

Learn Spanish with us! Explore Visual Link Spanish today

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2014/01/spanish-accent-made-easy-with-la-oreja-de-van-gogh/feed/ 1 Mis Deseos / Feliz Navidad by Michael Bublé and Thalia http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2013/12/mis-deseos-feliz-navidad-by-michael-buble-and-thalia/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2013/12/mis-deseos-feliz-navidad-by-michael-buble-and-thalia/#comments Fri, 20 Dec 2013 11:30:46 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=1944 It’s 4 days till Christmas! What’s your background music now? From Jingle Bells to Last Christmas to  Silent Night and Santa Baby, we hope you’re enjoying your Festive Season music. There is at least one Spanish song that you are very likely to hear these days… FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Did you know that Feliz Navidad is one of the top 25 most recorded and performed holiday songs in the world? It was first recorded and released in 1970 by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Jose Feliciano. We love this live performance of Mis Deseos / Feliz Navidad by Michael Bublé and Thalia. Enjoy – and scroll down for lyrics to sing along and get some Spanish practice today ;)

 

A donde sea que yo esté
Tu corazón alcanzaré
Y una sonrisa en tu mirada pintaré

No habrá distancia entre los dos
Al viento volaré mi voz
Con mis deseos a tu alma llegaré

Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad

Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas Celebremos juntos la vida
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas Y que viva la alegría
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas Celebremos juntos la vida
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas Y que viva la alegría
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad

Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas Celebremos juntos la vida
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas Y que viva la alegría
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas Celebremos juntos la vida
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas
Y que viva la alegría
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad,
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad

Feliz Navidad All the love and joy
Feliz Navidad I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
Navidad Navidad Navidad

I wish you all the love and joy All the love, the love, and joy, my love

Feliz Navidad I wish you all the joy No one ever can destroy
The love I’ve got for you
In this heart, my life

Felicidad All the love and joy
Alegría I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
Navidad

 

bubleP.S.Don’t forget that you can use promo code FELIZNAVIDAD25 to enjoy 25% discount on all Visual Link Spanish products! The offer ends the moment this year does: 31 December 2013, 23:59 EST.  Start learning Spanish now!

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2013/12/mis-deseos-feliz-navidad-by-michael-buble-and-thalia/feed/ 0 Get 25% Off All Visual Link Spanish Courses and Bundles! http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2013/12/get-25-off-all-visual-link-spanish-courses-and-bundles/ http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2013/12/get-25-off-all-visual-link-spanish-courses-and-bundles/#comments Thu, 12 Dec 2013 07:41:49 +0000 http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/?p=1936 Use promo code FELIZNAVIDAD25 to enjoy 25% discount on all Visual Link Spanish products! The offer ends the moment this year does: 31 December 2013, 23:59 EST.  Start learning Spanish now!

xmas-small

]]> http://www.spanishprograms.com/blog/2013/12/get-25-off-all-visual-link-spanish-courses-and-bundles/feed/ 0