Present subjunctive in Spanish: Conjugation, uses and examples

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One of the most important grammar topics to master if you want to sound fluent in Spanish is the present subjunctive. Using this form correctly can make you sound like a native speaker, as it allows you to express ideas that go beyond simple facts. With the subjunctive, you can talk about wishes, doubts, emotions […]

Gender of nouns in Spanish grammar

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One of the first challenges for Spanish students is understanding grammatical gender, especially if your native language is one where this concept doesn’t exist, such as English. In Spanish, every noun has a gender and is either masculine or feminine. Understanding this is essential because it affects not only the noun itself, but also the […]

Compound words in Spanish

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One of the most enjoyable elements of learning Spanish is when you begin to notice patterns, as can be the case with compound words. A compound word is simply a word made by joining two or more smaller words together, to create a more specific or even an entirely new meaning. In Spanish, compound words […]

How to use Spanish diminutives and sound more natural in Spain

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If you’ve spent time in Spain or listened to Spanish speakers, you might have noticed slightly different endings attached to familiar words. These were likely Spanish diminutives. But what exactly are diminutives? Well, Spanish diminutives are special suffixes added to words to subtly modify their meanings. While the most common use in Spain is to […]

Is it better to learn Spanish in person or online?

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Learning Spanish is more accessible than ever. Whether you prefer the structure of traditional face-to-face classes or the flexibility of digital learning, both options have their benefits and the most important thing is to give learning a new language a go. Of course, deciding between face-to-face or online Spanish classes is a big question to […]

Rules for capitalisation in Spanish

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Capitalisation in Spanish follows a different logic from what you may be used to in English. Both languages capitalise the first word of a sentence and proper nouns such as the names of people or places, but in many other cases Spanish chooses lowercase where English would use uppercase. For native English speakers, this often […]

How do you say and write a date in Spanish?

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If you decide to learn Spanish in Madrid, or even if you’re taking online Spanish classes, one of the most useful vocabulary lessons will be learning how to say the date in Spanish and how to write the date in Spanish. That’s what we’re going to break down in this guide, which has been written […]

Top reasons and benefits of studying abroad in Spain

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After beginning a new degree, and once settled into university life, many students go on to ask themselves “Should I study overseas?”. Considering so many degrees are compatible with a period of overseas study, it’s an important question and one well worth investigating.  Here, in this blog post, we’ll look to explain what the advantages […]

Difference between “saber” and “conocer” in Spanish 

gran signo de interrogacion en la pizarra

If your mission is how to learn to speak Spanish fluently, it’s important to understand “saber” vs “conocer” and the differences between these two verbs. Both of these verbs can be translated as “to know” in English, but there are differences and nuances to each when it comes to the uses.  If you’re taking Spanish […]

What are reflexive verbs in Spanish? Learn to use them correctly

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Mastering reflexive verbs in Spanish is an important step when learning the language, as these types of verbs are very common in everyday language. The most basic answer to the question of “What is a reflexive verb in Spanish?” is that these are verbs in which the person or thing doing the action is also […]

The 15 Spanish idioms you should know: meanings and when to use them

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Idioms are a crucial part of any language, adding color and personality to conversations. As you dive into Spanish, you’ll come across countless fun and intriguing expressions, especially if you’re learning the language while living in Spain. In this post, we’ll explore 15 fascinating Spanish idioms, breaking them down into four key points: their literal […]