Romantic Spanish Phrases - How to Say Romantic Phrases in Spanish

They say a rose by any other name is still a rose. But somehow saying a "rose" as "rosa" makes it all that much more exotic. When it comes to romance, the exotic spices things up. One way to infuse some spice into your romance is to learn these romantic Spanish phrases.
Here's how to say romantic phrases in Spanish.
I love you - Te quiero
Do you have a girlfriend? - ¿Tienes novia?
Do you have a boyfriend? - ¿Tienes novio?
My love - amor mío
To kiss you is like seeing stars - Besarte es como ver las estrellas.
I've been thinking about you - He estado pensando en ti.
Love song - canción de amor
Love story - historia de amor
Since I met you I do nothing else but think of you - Desde que te conocí no hago
nada más que pensar en ti.
Your love inspires me, your tenderness touches me, and your kisses drive me crazy - Tu amor me inspira, tu ternura me conmueve y tus besos me enloquecen.
My first love - mi primer amor
I'm very lucky to know you - Soy muy afortunado(a) de conocerte.
You are very pretty - Eres muy linda.
You are very sexy - Eres muy sexy.
I like you a lot - Me gustas mucho
You drive me crazy - Me vuelves loco(a).
I can't wait till we can make sweet love again. - No puedo esperar a volver a hacerte el amor otra vez
It took me an hour to know you and only a day to fall in love. But it will take me a lifetime to be able to forget you - Tardé una hora en conocerte y sólo un día en enamorarme. Pero me llevará toda una vida poder olvidarte.
I adore you - Te adoro.
I want you - Te deseo.
Sweetheart - amado
You are divine - Eres divina(o).
You are spectacular - Eres espectacular.
You have the prettiest eyes in the world - Tienes los ojos más bonitos del mundo.
You have a lovely smile - Tienes una sonrisa muy hermosa.
Shall we dance? - ¿Bailamos?
You are the most wonderful person in the world - Eres la persona más
maravillosa del mundo.
I love to know that you're with me - Me encanta saber que estás conmigo.
Each hour that passes seems like a second - Cada hora que paso
contigo me parece un segundo.
I can't wait to see you - No puedo esperar a verte.
I miss you - Te echo de menos
My princess - Mi princesa
My prince - Mi príncipe
Honey - Cariño
Hugs and Kisses - Abrazos y Besos
I love you with all of my heart - Te quiero con todo mi corazón
I'm happy to spend each moment of my life by your side - Soy feliz de compartir cada
instante de mi vida a tu lado.
Will you marry me? - ¿Te casarás conmigo?
And isn't that the most romantic Spanish phrase of all?

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How And When To Use Por, Para and Porque in Spanish

Some beginner students (and advanced) usually have some problems with when they should use POR, PARA or PORQUE and it can be one of the most frustrating topics to learn in all of Spanish. In this lesson we are going to review some rules to recognize when we should use one or another.
We use POR when we want to speak about the reason behind something. In this case you have to use a noun after POR.
POR + Noun: "Me gusta Buenos Aires por el clima." (I like Buenos Aires because of the weather.)
"Como pollo por las proteínas que tiene." (I eat chicken because it has protein.)
In Spanish you should use PARA when you are speaking about the objective of an action or the objective of an object. In this case you will use the verb in the infinitive form. PARA + Infinitive Verb: "Ahorro dinero para viajar a otro pais". (I save money to travel to another country.)/ "El lapiz sirve para escribir." (The pencil is used to write.).
Finally, we use Porque when you are speaking about the reason of something, but instead of using just the infinitive of the verb, we use the conjugation of the verb.
PORQUE + Conjugated Verb: "Voy a comprarme ropa nueva porque quiero estar elegante esta noche".
(I am going to buy new clothes because I want to be elegant tonight.)
So, when someone asks you: "Por que estudias espanol?"
(Why do you study Spanish?), you can answer in different ways:
Por mi trabajo. (Because of my job.)
Por el crecimiento del mercado latino. (Because of the growth of the Latin market.)
Para poder comunicarme con personas que hablan espanol. (To be able to communicate with people who speak Spanish.)
Para viajar por Sudamerica. (For travelling around South America.)
Porque me gusta. (Because I like it.)
Porque quiero conseguir un trabajo mejor. (Because I want to find a better job.)
This little lesson doesn't cover all aspects of when to use POR, PARA and PORQUE, but it should give you a good start at understanding some important differences of when they are used. Be on the lookout for more lessons about POR, PARA Y PORQUE in the future.
I will end this lesson by mentioning a couple of learning Spanish tools that you can use to increase your knowledge about this topic. The Practice Makes Perfect books are among the best for learning Spanish. There are currently about a dozen books in the Practice Makes Perfect series, covering various topic from vocabulary to grammar. Another one that I have recommended to my students is the Learning Spanish Like Crazy audio course which teaches informal or familiar Spanish, but not slang.

Anna Rivera is a native Spanish speaker from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is also a Spanish instructor and the author of 2 learning Spanish books. If you would like to get FREE instant download access to the MP3 audio and PDF transcripts to her Spanish lessons absolutely free AND read her reviews of the most popular learning-Spanish products, then visit her web site now in order to: learn Spanish online That's http://LearningSpanishProductsReviews.com/

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How Many Types of Spanish Are There?

Here is one of the most common questions Spanish learners and business professionals ask all the time. The answer requires some research:
Latin American Spanish
This is the dialect of urban mainland Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and the majority of Central and South American countries. While there are differences in how Spanish is spoken between people in these countries, Latin American Spanish is usually the term used to differentiate between it and the Spanish spoken in Spain.
The difference is similar to English as it is spoken in England vs the U.S.; U.S. English speakers can understand each other with little effort even though there are differences depending on the area you live. For example, someone from the East coast speaks different from someone on the west coast. However, they can understand each other.
This Spanish was spoken in Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and was brought to the Americas by the Spanish colonists.
Castilian
The Spanish of Madrid and north of Spain, called Castilian, developed characteristics that never reached America. These include the pronunciation of "ci" and "ce" as "th." In Madrid, "gracias" (thank you) is pronounced "gratheas" (as opposed to "gras-see-as" in Latin America.)
Another difference is the use in of the word "vosotros" (plural form of "you") as the informal form of "ustedes". Vosotros is only used in Spain.
Castilian sounds to Latin Americans like British English sounds to U.S. residents.
Spanish from the Caribbean
The third major type of Spanish is spoken in the Caribbean, coastal areas of Latin America, and in some areas of southern Spain. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the accent in Seville, Cádiz, and other cities in Andalucia, south of Spain, began to change. Speakers began to drop the final "s" on words.
The settlers and traders of southern Spain took this dialect with them to the Caribbean. Today Caribbean Spanish is characterized by being informal and very fast.
Spaniards tend to be more language purists and are much more likely to be shocked at a lot of the "Spanglish" ("troque" for "truck", or "lonche" for "lunch") that is being used in Latin America.
The language area where more differences can be found between the Spanish spoken in Spain and the one spoken in Latinamercia is the technical vocabulary.
In Latiamerican Spanish you can find words borrowed from English directly without translation. This does not happen in Spain, where every word has a translation into Spanish.
One clear example is the use of the word e-mail in Latinamerica instead of the translation "correo electronico" which is used in Spain.
Despite the differences already explained, Spanish is only one language spoken by 417 million people in 21 countries. It is no surprise that there are variants based on geographical locations.
Make sure to take regional dialects of Spanish into account when tailoring your message to your Hispanic audience.

Cristina Cardona is founder and Director of Spanish Professional Services of Oh-Lah. Cristina was born in Madrid, Spain and has an experience of over 10 years teaching Spanish and ESL (English as a Second Language) to companies, adults and children in South Florida. http://www.oh-lah.com

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3 Ways To Say I Have A Cold In Spanish and How To Learn Dominican Spanish

In this lesson you will learn 3 different ways to say I have a cold in Spanish. I will also tell you a funny little story that will help you learn Dominican Spanish. Let's begin today's lesson.
I am always learning or being reminded that Spanish speakers from different countries use different Spanish words to express the same thought. Today, while speaking on the phone to a Dominican friend who lives in Spain, I told her that I am sick with a cold and I said:
Tengo la gripa
And she corrected me and asked "Tienes la gripe?" And she emphasized the word GRIPE.
Well, in Colombia people call the common cold "la gripa." I have never heard the word "gripe" in Colombia. Only "gripa." By the way, when preparing this lesson, I did a little research online and found out that Mexicans also use the word "gripa," and that in formal writing the word "gripe" should always be used. I guess that explains why I cannot find the word "gripa" in my Spanish dictionary.
In some parts of the Spanish speaking world you will find that people use "gripa" and in other parts you will find that they use "gripe."
But "the flu" is actually a closer translation to the word "gripe."
Maybe if I didn't want my Dominican friend to try to correct my Spanish I should have said:
Tengo un resfriado -- which is the "textbook" Spanish way to say "I have a cold."
By the way, my Dominican friend who lives in Spain has also corrected me when I said "frijoles." Both Dominican and Puerto Ricans use the word "habichuelas" for the English word "beans." And she also always attempts to correct me when I use the word "plata." Here in Colombia, they use "plata" instead of "dinero" to say the English word "money."

Pat Jackson is the Founder of Learning Spanish Like Crazy - the only learning Spanish method that teaches real authentic everyday conversational Latin American Spanish. If you would like to get FREE Instant access to the first 2 lessons of Learning Spanish Like Crazy or sign up for our FREE online interactive weekly Spanish classes, then go here now: Learn Spanish That's http://www.LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com/

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10 Benefits of Speaking Spanish in the World Today

There are many benefits available to people who learn to speak Spanish. Speaking the Spanish language will acquaint you with the Spanish culture like nothing else can. Learning Spanish will greatly increase your enjoyment while traveling to Spanish speaking countries. Why learn Spanish? Ten key benefits to learning Spanish are:
1.Economically speaking Spanish speakers are a gigantic and rapidly growing market worldwide and are predicted to be one of the key markets going forward. Especially if you live and do business in the United States.
2.In many Border States Hispanic citizens constitute a growing majority of the citizens and bring with them cultural as well as political influence.
3.Speaking Spanish is an important asset for doing business in other parts of the world as well.
4.Knowing Spanish as a second language will make you attractive to employers as well, and more valuable to your company once you land a job. Companies and Governments often pay a premium wage for bilingual employees, so you can usually get paid more from the start.
5.If you have plans to attend a graduate school, law school or even medical school a second language, if not required, will look good on your transcripts and give you an edge in a competitive world. Sure you need to have good grades, but grades are not the only thing that admission committees are looking at when making their decision whether or not to admit you to their program.
6.If you are a student who needs some extra income, your Spanish language skills will allow you to make a nice part time income giving Spanish lessons to your peers. Speaking Spanish is becoming a valuable commodity and many people would love to speak Spanish,
7.Your knowledge of two of the most widely spoken languages will create a wide range of lucrative opportunities to be self--employed.
8.Culturally speaking your knowledge of the Spanish language will allow you to travel and open you up to culture, literature, movies and other arts that you would not be able to access without your Spanish language skills.
9.Some of best literature and movies in the world have been written in Spanish.
10.Learning to speak Spanish will give you the opportunity to live and work in a large variety of countries. This will also help you land the job or better yet, the career of your dreams.

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Spanish Essay Phrases

It is very useful to learn and memorise useful phrases for writing Spanish essays - this is probably the easiest way to improve your essays and hence your marks as a Spanish beginner.
This article is a collection of Spanish phrases to firstly help you start and conclude a Spanish essay; secondly how to present themes and argue points, and finally contains a range of connectives to make a Spanish essay flow more naturally.
The first sentence...
Voy a discutir acerca del tema de...
Voy a hablar sobre...
Voy a discutir
Introducing your opening argument...
Para empezar - to begin with
Al principio - at the start
En primer lugar - to begin with
Introducing new themes and arguments...
Para continuar - to continue
Para ilustrar... - to illustrate...
Concluding the essay...
Por fin - in short
Finalmente - finally
Para concluir - to conclude
En conclusión - in conclusion
Para terminar - to finish
En resumen - in summary
Presenting an argument...
Por un lado - on the one hand
Por otro lado - on the other hand
En cambio - in contrast
Por otra parte - on the other hand
Hay que tomar en cuenta - you have to take into account
Indicating time...
Durante - during
Mientras - while
Mientras tanto - meanwhile
Despues de infinitive - after
Antes de infinitive - before
Luego - then
Entonces - then
Because / as a result of...
A causa de - because
Como consecuencia de - as a consequence of
Debido a - due to
Porque - because
Como resultado - as a result
Spanish connectives and conjunctions...
Además - in addition, moreover
También - also
Sin embargo - however
A pesar de - in spite of
Así (que) - so
Aunque - although
Sino que - but
Pero - but
Por ejemplo - for example
Common subjunctive triggers...
Es probable que
Es necesario que
No creo que
Dudo que
Aconsejo que
Espero que
Quiero que
Presenting opinions (no subjunctive)
Creo que - I believe/ think
Pienso que - I think
Opino que - In my opinion
En mi opinión - in my opinion
Afotunadamente - fortunately
Desafortunadamente - unfortunately
Me parece que - it seems to me
Therefore
Por eso - therefore
Por lo tanto - therefore
Por consiguiente - therefore
Asi - so
Other useful Spanish words / phrases
Todavía - still
Ya - already / now
Apenas - scarcely (casi no)
En realidad - in reality
Actualmente - currently
Ahora mismo - right now
En seguida - immediately
Hoy en día - nowadays
The most... is that
Lo mejor es que
Lo malo es que
Lo importante es que
Common uses of the imperfect subjunctive in Spanish
Si tuviera... - if I had... (notes: this should be followed by a verb in the conditional tense)
Si fuera... - if I was... (as above)
I hope this collection of Spanish phrases is useful for you Spanish writing - please visit http://topspanishtips.weebly.com for more useful Spanish resources like this one.

http://www.topspanishtips.weebly.com is a collection of the best free Spanish resources on the internet. If you're learning Spanish from beginner to advanced level we provide those websites to help improve grammar and vocab, reading and writing and even you're listening and speaking online.

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Learn to Speak Spanish Overnight

If you want to learn to speak Spanish fast then this article is for you. By the end of this article you will have the tools and knowledge you need to become fluent in Spanish quickly.
The first step to becoming fluent in Spanish fast is to examine how most people study the language. Most learners study the wrong way around and inevitably give up because they are not progressing fast enough. Most people start studying language rules, grammar and sentence connectors. The problem with learning this way is that you need vocab in order to use the structures. If you have no vocab, what use are the structures?
The fastest way to become fluent in Spanish is to learn the opposite way around. When you learn Spanish words quickly you become instantly communicative. Because you can communicate you pick up the language structures more quickly without having to study them. So, let's look at a method you can use to learn Spanish words fast. Using his method you can potentially memorize 100 Spanish words per hour.
First, pick a Spanish word you want to remember. Relate the word to something that you already know in English. Think about the link for ten seconds, and you'll lock the word into your mind forever. Here's an example.
Let's say you want to remember the Spanish word for dog. The Spanish word for dog is perro. Link the word to something in English that sounds similar: Perro sounds like "pair of", so imagine a dog wearing a pair of socks. Now close your eyes and think about this for ten seconds while repeating the word perro to yourself.
That's it. In just ten seconds you've locked the Spanish word for dog into your memory forever!

 

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How To Tell The Time in Spanish

In this lesson you will learn how to tell the time in Spanish. Beginner students often want to know how to tell the time in Spanish. If you are learning Spanish because you like to travel to Spanish speaking countries, then it is very important that you know how to tell the time in Spanish. Some other important topics that you should learn as a beginner student are how to say the date and how to say when is your birthday.
We will answer all of the above in this lesson. Let's begin with how to tell the time in Spanish.
To start, the hour is a feminine word, so....in front of the question ¿Qué hora es?, we should answer:
"Es la una", or "Son las 2,3,4, etc." Maybe you have listened the song: Me Gusta by Manu Chao, when he sings "¿Qué horas son, mi corazón?", well, this is not more than a mistake trying to rhyme. The question is always singular, and the answer according if it´s 1 or more will be singular or plural.
If for example, are 10.00, we say: Son las diez en punto (ten o´ clock)
From 10:05 to 10: 30 look at how we express the time.
10:05 diez y cinco
10:10 diez y diez
10:15 diez y cuarto
10:20 diez y veinte
10:25 diez y veinticinco
10:30 diez y media
And from 10:35 to 10:55, we are going to say the next time and menos (less) the minutes:
10:35 once menos veinticinco
10:40 once menos 20
10:45 once menos cuarto
10:50 once menos diez
10:55 once menos cinco
Also we have different expressions:
From 5 a.m to 11 a.m: Son las....de la mañana
From 12 p.m to 2 p.m: Son las.....del mediodía
From 2 p.m to 7 p.m: Son las....de la tarde
From 8 p.m to 11 p.m: Son las....de la noche
12 a.m: Medianoche
From 1 a.m to 5 a.m: Son las.....de la madrugada
In order to say the date we say: day-month-year
Hoy es 12 (Day) de Junio (month) de (2011)
But when someone asks us when our birthday or another special day is, we have to add an article.
¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?)
Es el 11 de mayo. (It's 11 may)
Now you know how to tell the time in Spanish. You also know how to say dates in Spanish and how to say when is your birthday.

Anna Rivera is a native Spanish speaker from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is also a Spanish instructor and the author of 2 learning Spanish books. If you would like to get FREE instant download access to the MP3 audio and PDF transcripts to her Spanish lessons absolutely free AND read her reviews of the most popular learning-Spanish products, then visit her web site now in order to: learn Spanish online That's http://LearningSpanishProductsReviews.com/

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7 Common Mistakes Gringos Make When Speaking Spanish

Today, I will talk about 7 mistakes that Gringos or native English speakers make when speaking Spanish. This article will help you avoid these mistakes when speaking Spanish. I have a friend from Nueva York (New York) who is staying with me here in Medellín while he looks for a place to live. He came here to Medellín to study Spanish. He is going to be taking classes at a local university. He arrived about a week ago and he has made of ton of mistakes while speaking Spanish. Most of them are common gringo errors. So let me tell you about his mistakes so that you avoid them.
Tom (not his real name) and I went to an Italian restaurant Saturday night to eat. And just by coincidence, the owner is a guy from the Bronx from what used to be an Italian neighborhood, not very far from where I once lived in the Bronx.
When the "mesero" or waiter took our orders I requested my favorite "entrada" or appetizer:
Berenjena parmesana (eggplant parmesan)
That's when Tom made his first mistake. Tom asked for "un vaso de vino." You do NOT call a wine glass a "vaso." "Vaso" does mean drinking glass, but you have to use the word "copa" when referring to a wine glass. For example:
Me regala una copa de vino.
May I have a glass of wine.
And the second mistake that Tom made also involved the wine. It is a common mistake for English speakers to literally translate English words and phrases when speaking Spanish. So it did not surprise me when Tom asked for "vino rojo." But that's not how to say "red wine" in Spanish. The phrase is "vino tinto" (red wine).
Tom then made a third mistake. Well, it wasn't actually a mistake. Tom is also from the Bronx. And New York born Puerto Ricans and Dominicans speak Spanish that is lot more informal than the Spanish of Colombia. So that's the type of Spanish Tom is used to hearing.
And when Tom dropped his knife and fork which were wrapped in a "servilleta" (napkin) in order to get the waiter's attention Tom shouted "¡Mira!" "¡Mira!"
When that didn't get the attention of the "mesero" or waiter, Tom then shouted "¡Oye!" "¡Oye!"
In the Bronx or some Spanish-speaking parts of Nueva York, you may get someone's attention by yelling "¡Mira!" or "¡Oye!" but not in Colombia. In Colombia, yelling "¡Mira!" or "¡Oye!" "¡Oiga!" to get the attention of the "mesero" is considered "maleducado." By the way "maleducado" does NOT mean what you think it means. "Maleducado" is an "amigo falso" (false friend). "False friends" or "amigos falsos" are Spanish words that are pronounced and spelled a lot like English words but have very different meanings.
"Maleducado" does not mean poorly educated or that one has a bad education. "Maleducado" means discourteous. So what is the proper way to get someone's attention in Latin America?
In Latin America, in order to get the attention of someone, you should say "Perdón" or "Disculpe." But most Colombians would simply say "señor" or "señora" in order to get someone's attention. And in Tom's case if the waiter (or waitress) happened to be younger than him, words such as "muchacho" or "chico" or "niña" are all acceptable in Colombia.
Finally, Tom did get the waiter's attention by yelling "¡Oye!" And when the waiter approached our table Tom told him:
Se me cayeron las cubiertas.
Tom actually surprised me with that phrase. His grammar was perfect. But his choice of vocabulary had another common gringo error, which now made 4 errors for Tom.
"Los cubiertos" are eating utensils. But "las cubiertas" means "the tops" or "the covers." So Tom should have said:
Se me cayeron los cubiertos.
My eating utensils fell.
Since Tom used the wrong vocabulary words the waiter didn't understand him and asked Tom "Cómo?"
And Tom responded and committed a FIFTH mistake:
Se me cayó la cuchilla.
"Cuchillo" means knife in Spanish. But "cuchilla" means razor blade. But the waiter apparently understood Tom because he returned with a "servilleta" (napkin), "tenedor" (fork), "cuchara" (spoon), and "cuchillo" (knife) -- instead of a "cuchilla" or razor blade for Tom to shave.
After we finished eating our meals Tom made mistake number 6. He said to me in Spanish:
Déjame pagar el cuento.
Tom gave me a very puzzled look when I responded by saying "Why? Is the waiter going to tell us a fairy tale?"
"Cuenta" means bill or account or restaurant check. But "cuento" means story or fairy tale. So Tom should have said:
Déjame pagar la cuenta.
Let me pay the bill.
As we were leaving, Tom made a seventh and final Gringo mistake. There was a couple waiting for a taxi and blocking the restaurant's entrance, and this time he said "Perdón"
The couple did not move but looked at Tom as if he was trying to get their attention. That's when I said "permiso" which is the correct way to say excuse me when you are trying to pass and someone is blocking your way. You can either say "permiso" or "con permiso."
So I hope that by learning about Tom's 7 mistakes this will help you to avoid making these same Gringo errors when speaking Spanish.

Pat Jackson is the Founder of Learning Spanish Like Crazy - the only learning Spanish method that teaches real authentic everyday conversational Latin American Spanish. Pat presently lives in Medellín, Colombia - the City of Eternal Spring. If you would like to get FREE Instant access to the first 2 MP3 auido lessons of Learning Spanish Like Crazy and get FREE instant access to 10 learning Spanish videos from one of our BEAUTIFUL native-Spanish speaking Latina instructors, then go here now: Learn Spanish online That's http://www.LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com/

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Spanish Fashion Trends of 2012

Spanish clothes are comfortable. Casual clothes like jeans are preferred over anything. Spanish designers get creative with the denim trend and make fitting, sexy and trendy clothes. Innovation with colors and patterns is visible every year. Spanish Fashion scene in 2012 comes with elegant collections with different styles showcasing glamorous yet practical clothes.
Colorful runways can be observed in the Spanish fashion scene this spring. The color at times exceeds Lady Gaga concerts. One-piece suits, wrap dresses and skirts are featured in solid colors. The Color blocking trend brings glamor to even the simplest dresses. Three colors make a trendy dress without making it girly and rainbow bright. Designers like Tommy Hilfiger, Jason Wu and Edun have presented Anoraks. They can fit to give a sporty spring feeling and make you look chic. Women seem to be in love with these.
Super bold prints are all over spring 2012 runways. They are vibrant, lively and swirling patterns printed from top to bottom of the dress. These patterns range from floral images to geometric shapes; one can also find parrot prints in these patterns. An example is a fruit punch blazer that can complement a very simple top with pants.
Tangerines and oranges are most popular colors of 2012. They can be called spring 2012's numero uno shade. Tangerine tango can be found all over and if by any chance, one doesn't like this for a citrus color, there are many other orange hues as an alternative. Single color dresses in citrus shades are trending.
If you are bored with classic old plaids, polka and stripes, Pixelated graphic prints, perfected in Photoshop are an option for you this spring. A fashion statement can be made by wearing something futuristic like this along with an evergreen T-shirt.
Spring 2012 comes with options for all; if above-mentioned hues are not up to your liking, you can choose from an array of pastel shades. Use sorbet and pastel shades and hues this spring to have a lady-like feel. Trousers, wrap skirts and heel loafers, presented by designers this spring have bronze and emerald-green covering, giving them a shiny metallic look. If you are the one who would always like to be on the spotlight on a dance floor, then you should try them.
Spanish style is categorized by youth, liveliness and chicness. Spanish fashion is for the women who wish to wear decent clothes, bringing them style and attraction. These clothes go well with Jewelry as well.

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Spanish Immigrants to the United States in the Early 1900s

We all pretty much accept that the United States is primarily a land of immigrants. And anyone educated in the United States will have read about the Spanish conquistadores in their history books. But one thing that most people aren't aware of is that there were Spanish immigrants who came to the United States long after there were no more Spanish conquistadores. They came, like most other immigrant groups, in search of a better life.
Let's start off by setting the stage. In the second half of the 1800s, Europe including Spain went through more than a decade of depression. The recovery began shortly after 1890. But just as the other European countries were getting back on their feet, Spain suffered a new loss. In a war with the United States in 1898, she lost the last of her colonies including Cuba, which had been one of her richest.
Coupled with this significant loss of income was an influx of Spanish colonialists returning to their mother country from the colonies she had lost. In other words, more mouths to feed and less income with which to feed them.
These economic problems were felt most acutely in the countryside. Indeed, Spain's economy at this time was primarily rural. And in that countryside, her southern provinces and in particular the large region known as Andalucia were especially hard hit.
Thousands of country folk in Andalucia were without work and suffering from a lack of food.
Fortuitously, around the same time, in other parts of the world as diverse as Brazil, South Africa and Hawaii, there was a real need for labor, mostly manual labor. Thousands of people were needed to work on the plantations and in the mines of developing regions. These included the sugar cane and pineapple plantations of Hawaii.
Thus it came about that just a few short years after Spain lost her colonies to the United States, plantation owners on Hawaii (which had just joined the United States) came to Spain looking for farm workers.
They found them. Going to villages and towns, the labor contractors spread the word, with the result that thousands of Andalucians flocked to Gibraltar to sign three-year contracts and board ships bound for Hawaii.
Once they arrived, they were scattered among the islands and all able-bodied souls, female as well as male, from kids as young as 11 years old through adults in their 50s, were put to work. The workers were guaranteed housing and free medical care, and were paid enough to allow them the essentials of life plus, if they were very frugal, the possibility of putting aside some savings.
Their contracts also specified that they could homestead land in Hawaii after their three years were up, but since almost all of these workers were illiterate, they were unaware of this. There is no evidence that the plantation owners went any pains to explain it to them, either. The result was that once their contracts were up, they faced the decision as to whether or not to return to Spain.
Their intention had always been to leave their homeland for a few years, work hard, save up some money, and return to their native towns and villages where they could be reunited with their families and live a good life.
But during the years working on the plantations, they heard about California. They heard there was empty land available, that there was water, that the climate in California was very much like that of Andalucia so that if they had some land, they could expect to grow the same crops as they were familiar with from Spain.
As a result, many thousands of these Spaniards ended up moving to California and settling permanently in the Sacramento delta, and in the San Francisco Bay Area. There, for the most part, they did what they had done in Hawaii (and, indeed, in Spain): they took work as farm laborers. The work of these immigrants from Spain enriched California, just as it had enriched Hawaii.
They worked hard, they saved their money, and eventually, most of them bought their own houses. They sent their children to school and became citizens.
So why were there not more of these Spanish immigrants? Because with the onset of World War I in 1914, the situation changed in Spain. Spain did not enter that war, but instead provided food and manufactured goods to the combatants. The bottom line was that with the beginning of Word War I, the economic crisis in Spain came to an end. There was work. Industries began to grow. And the Spanish government didn't want to be losing workers, so it discouraged further immigration.
As a result of this little-known chapter of Spanish and American history, California today boasts a sizeable number of second and third generation Spanish-Americans. They continue to be concentrated in the Sacramento Delta and the San Francisco Bay Area. And these descendants of Spanish immigrants continue to be proud of their Spanish heritage.

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Source: EzineArticles.com

Strange But True: Pronunciation Similarities in Spanish and Japanese

If you know anything about the history of Spain and Japan, you know that there are few similarities between their cultures and languages. Culturally, and linguistically, Spain has a major influence from ancient Rome as well as the long Moorish rule of the country.
By contrast Japan had its most powerful influences from Asia, mostly Korea and China. The different forms of Japanese writing have their roots in Chinese writing, although Mandarin Chinese and Japanese are linguistically completely different.
The Mandarin Chinese language is a good example of a language that is in a separate category than both Japanese and Spanish. Chinese uses a complex set of tones to communicate meaning. A good example is the word, "ma." That word can mean anything from "mom" to "horse" to even a kind of "pronounced question mark" at the end of a sentence to indicate that you're asking a question. There are 5 different ways (tones) that you can use to pronounce "ma," and each tone would change the meaning of the word completely.
In contrast, Japanese and Spanish do not use such complex tones to change the meaning of words. Japanese and Spanish are, in that way, in a separate category than Mandarin Chinese and other tonal languages like Vietnamese and Thai.
We can also separate Japanese and Spanish from languages like English. When a person learns English as a second language, they often struggle with English pronunciation rules. English is not one of the languages where one can easily understand the pronunciation of a word just as it is written, and there are complicated rules to when things are pronounced in different ways.
By contrast, Spanish and Japanese have consistent pronunciation rules that make it possible to see the written word and know how to pronounce it. In Spanish, once you know the sounds of the Spanish alphabet and some straightforward pronunciation rules, you're pretty much set to see and be able to pronounce Spanish words.
In Japanese, the language's sounds are represented by a small number of Japanese characters called, Kana (Hiragana and Katakana) each of which represent a syllable in the language. If you master the sounds related to those small number of syllables, you can piece together the pronunciation of any Japanese word.
So at a high level, Japanese and Spanish share the characteristic that their written forms can be used to easily convey the pronunciation of words clearly and consistently. But even as we dig deeper into the pronunciation, we see more similarities between the two languages emerge.
The vowels in Spanish and Japanese are pronounced roughly the same. The "a" is pronounced as the "a" in father. In Spanish an example is "gracias" (thank you) and in Japanese an example is "asa" (morning). The "i" is pronounced as the "ee" in the English word "meet". In Spanish an example is the word, "mi" (my) and the Japanese "ichi" (one). In both languages, the "u" is pronounced as the "oo" in "loot." Examples are "umi" (sea) and "gustar" (to like) in Japanese and Spanish respectively. The "e" is pronounced as the "e" in "bed". In Japanese it's the initial sound of "ebi" (shrimp) and the initial sound of "el" (the) in Spanish. Finally, "o" is pronounced as the "o" in "hope". In Spanish an example is "ocho" (eight) and in Japanese "otoko" (man).
The consonants in Spanish and Japanese are also roughly the same with some well-known exceptions like the Spanish and Japanese pronunciations of the "r".
A Spanish word consists of a string of consonants and vowels which we can break up into syllables. The Spanish alphabet is used to piece together a word like "gustar," which breaks up into basically two syllables, "gu-star".
As mentioned before, Japanese pronunciation will break things up into the sounds of the Kana character syllables. Each Kana character will represent one sound in the word and can be written as such. Using one of the examples above, we could break up the Japanese pronunciation into individual Kana character sounds like this, "o-to-ko".
So in both Spanish and Japanese, we have most consonants and vowels having basically the same pronunciation, a set of consistent pronunciation rules, and the fact that both languages are not tonal in nature. With these shared elements, we have the ingredients we need to have pronunciation intersections between the two languages.
There is at least one example where a word is pronounced roughly the same in both Spanish and Japanese. In Japanese it is a form of the verb, "kaerimasu" (to return, go home). In Spanish it's a form of the verb, "callar" (to stop talking or to be quiet). In both languages the initial sounds of "ca" and "ka" are the same. The verbs simply have to change forms in order for them to sound the same.
In Japanese, a verb of the type "kaerimasu" changes into one the Japanese forms called the "-te form" like this, "kaette" (ka-eh-te). This verb form is used in sentences like "Chan-san wa Chuugoku ni kaette imasu" (Mr. Chan has returned to China).
In Spanish, a verb of the type "callar," in an imperative conjugation (giving a command), results in the word, "callate" (Shut up). This can be used in a sentence like, "Callate la boca " (Shut your mouth.)
Both of the words "kaette" and "callate" are in fact pronounced in a very similar way, owing to the effect that the "ae" combination has on "kaette" and the way some Spanish dialects pronounce the "ll".
With stricter analysis, the similarities do start to break down, but the aim is not to prove that Spanish and Japanese share the exact same pronunciation, but only that there is a surprising amount of similarity based on the linguistic distance between the two languages.
There may even be other, better examples of this. If the reader knows of other such examples where Japanese and Spanish words share the same or very similar pronunciations of words, feel free to contact me at my website list at the end of this article.
In conclusion, it is indeed strange but true that the languages of Japanese and Spanish can find similarities in spite of their linguistic roots on opposite sides of the planet.
It is strange but true that the languages of Japanese and Spanish can find pronunciation similarities in spite of a completely different linguistic history. Find out why this is the case and see an example.

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Spanish Property Crash - The Spanish Property Crisis Explained

The news from Spain, at the moment, is hardly encouraging for those wishing to buy here. Almost daily there are reports of Spanish property developers going bankrupt and Spanish property prices have been sliding for the past two years, with a major downward acceleration occurring over the last few months. However, along with all the problems there are also tremendous opportunities.  But, first, you need to understand the Spanish property market and what has happened.
In fact, the Spanish property crash in Spain has come as little surprise to many observers. Over the past few years Spain has experienced an astonishing economic boom that has been largely driven by property and the huge demand for it. Unfortunately, the boom was uncontrolled and led, in the memorable words of Alan Greenspan (in a different context), to an 'excess of exuberance'. This, to some extent, was understandable as Spain benefited from a remarkable confluence of property market initiators.
Indeed, crudely, for some ten years Spain had the good fortune to have four different property markets interacting at the same time - all encouraging building and pushing Spanish property prices ever higher until the whole economic edifice became unsustainable.
The first Spanish property market was powered by North Europeans, who generally come to Spain to retire. Their dream was (and remains) remarkably similar, almost irrespective of what they had to spend. Most North Europeans wanted a three bedroom, two bathroom villa with a pool, on a flat plot, within fifteen minutes of the sea. Invariably, these villas did not exist in the past due to historic Spanish land use and had to be newly built to satisfy the liquid wealth that was pouring into the country. Huge, new estates of villas therefore quickly grew up on the outskirts of most coastal towns.
The second market was the general Spanish property market where there was a demand, from the Spanish themselves, for modern housing to replace the town houses of old. Adosados (semi-detached houses) with their clean lines, garage and light, airy rooms (on the face of it) achieved this objective. Anyone who has been into an unreformed, old town house, within a rabbit warren of impossibly narrow streets, can appreciate how much the Spanish must have revelled in these new style properties.
The third market allowed the Spanish to leave their old town houses and was driven from an initially unexpected quarter - mass immigration, albeit not from wealthy, first world Northern Europe. Immigrants from South America, North and Sub-Saharhan Africa, Bulgaria and Romania poured into the country (at some 700,000 people per year) secure that they could gain employment, ironically, often in the construction industrty. Able to buy only the very cheapest Spanish property, they bought the unreformed town houses and decaying flats of the native Spanish.
Finally, the new wealth of the native Spanish and the holiday desires of North Europeans produced a massive demand for beach apartments. These were almost as important to the Spanish as to North Europeans as, oddly enough, the Spanish dream is represented by owning a beach front apartment.
The net effect was a time of wonder for developers, both big and small. North Europeans were buying everything at the top of the market and the immigrants everything at the bottom of the Spanish property market. This created great wealth and allowed the Spanish themselves to buy into new adosados and modern, flats. Barely constrained by planning regulations, promoters of all sizes built and built - with not a thought to the future.
So great was the frenzy that many native Spanish gave the Spanish property market a further nudge by taking advantage of the building boom to buy into off-plan developments. Paying a small deposit allowed them to gain the opportunity to invest in a new development with the absolute intention of selling their adosado or flat for a profit - prior to completion of the build. Of course, if they misjudged the timing and were unable to sell their investment then they would inherit (in Spanish terms) a huge mortgage that was never intended. And with the purchasing power of the Spanish salary not having changed in ten years this could (and now is) proving ruinous for many.
By the spring of 2008, the ruinous nature of Spanish over-building (some 500,000 new properties per year too many) finally became obvious to everyone. Indeed, it is estimated that by the end of 2008 there will be some 2 million properties for sale. To make matters worse Spain, like the rest of the world, has been hit by the lunacies of the credit crunch, together with the horrors of high oil and consumable prices. The result has been a Spanish property market slump that is likely to last some years.
So, as a potential buyer, what do you do?
Firstly, it is vital to remember that all Spain´s constants - the very reasons for coming here - remain. The country has not moved several hundred miles down the African coast and life should never be delineated soley by the wisdom or otherwise of property investments! The climate in Spain is heavenly and the infrastructure that has developed over the past few years is superb.
The education and medical care systems are comparable (and often better) than North European countries, travel throughout the land is easy and the Spanish people are as tolerant and welcoming to foreigners as ever. Better still, Spain provides remarkably good value for money and a lifestlye that (according to uSwitch.com) recently topped the European quality of life index. Property problems or not, Spain remains a marvellous place in which to live.
The Spanish property slump is serious and the consequences should not be minimised. However, in fact, now is the very time to buy here. The desperation of many sellers, both Spanish and international, means that there are some stunning bargain properties to be gained - either for investors who wish to develop a portfolio or those wanting a holiday or retirement home. Indeed, it is when a market is at its most volatile that the brave buyer can really benefit and take advantage of the tremendous opportunities (and bargain properties) that exist when others are panicking.
That said, the line between a volatile, panicking market and one that stabalises can be surprisingly thin. Past experience suggests that the time to buy is when there is still turmoil and fear in the market and whilst genuine bargain properties are still for sale. Delay for too long and you can find that the best opportunities have been snapped up and that sellers have hardened their position and reconciled themselves to not selling until they can obtain the prices they want - even if this means waiting some years.
Already professional investors are starting to buy in Spain, well aware of how property markets work. So, if you are thinking of buying, think yourself lucky that you did not do so a couple of years ago - and take advantage of some of the incredible bargain properties now on offer. You may be rewarded by gaining a wonderful, long term home in a country delivering one of the finest overall lifestyles in the world!

Nick Snelling is the published author of three books on Spain including 'How to Move Safely to Spain [http://www.movetospain-safely.com]. He is also the author of the authoritative Blog on moving to Spain and living in Spain: http://www.culturespain.com.

Source: EzineArticles.com

Knowing Spanish for Career Opportunities

Young individuals who are looking for opportunities to be globally competitive have to equip themselves with various skills including proficiency in other major languages of the world like Spanish. They may not have a difficult time learning it as there are lots of English words that actually come from Latin. Once they are able to speak and write in this language, individuals gain some edge over others who may only know their native tongue. There are lots of jobs for individuals who know Spanish because businesses today are exploring markets where people may speak a different language other than English but whose number cannot be ignored by those who would like to expand their business opportunities as well.
There are other benefits of knowing Spanish aside from getting better job opportunities. Individuals are able to improve their confidence and their self-esteem as well. They are able to interact with other groups of people with ease through the use of the language. Business owners would want to hire those to can relate and assist their Hispanic customers. They need individuals who can handle business relations as well especially those that concern stakeholders who speak Spanish. Those who are in the higher level positions like supervisors and managers may be able to deal with their Hispanic employees or workers if they understand them very well. They are also able to provide a better working environment especially when workers or employees come from different cultural backgrounds.
Those who are already in the work force may still opt to learn the Spanish language too. They may be able to advance in rank or in position if they are able to contribute to the attainment of the company objectives through their proficiency in using the Spanish language. They may be able to represent their company in conventions or conferences where different people speak the different business languages like Spanish. This would be a good opportunity to individuals to be recognized for their efforts in improving themselves for personal and for career development.
Even owners of small business would like to hire individuals who would be able to help them enter the Hispanic-speaking market. There are millions of people around the world today who speak Spanish and businesses have started tapping this big market so they would need individuals who can help them achieve this objective. Young individuals can make their career paths better if they are equipped with the necessary skills and additional language proficiency in the business languages of the world.

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Understanding the Spanish Imperfect Subjunctive

This article explains how to form the Spanish imperfect subjunctive and gives examples of when it is used.
Firstly, it should be said that there are two forms of the imperfect subjunctive in Spanish. They are interchangeable and used identically. In this article only one form (set of endings) is mentioned.
Secondly, to form this tense do the following:
1. Take the third person plural of the verb in the preterite tense (the ellos, ellas, ustedes form)
2. Remove the -on and replace it with -a
3. Begin conjugating again, using the new yo form, and adding the personal endings.
Using hablar (to speak, to talk) as an example, here is the process in action:
Third personal plural preterite of hablar = hablaron. Remove the -on and you are left with hablar-. Add -a. This creates the first person conjugation - hablara. Then continue with the personal endings (which are the same as the present tense endings of an -ar ending verb, with the exception of the accent in the second person plural being removed and an accent added in the first person plural for pronunciation purposes).
Thus:
hablara, hablaras, hablara, habláramos, hablarais, hablaran
The process is the same for verbs endings in -er and -ir. Using comer (to eat) as our example, let's run through the process again:
Third person plural preterite of comer = comieron. Remove the -on and you are left with comier-. Add -a. Thus the first person is now comiera. Continue conjugating (comieras, comiera, comiéramos, comierais, comieran).
Finally, the imperfect subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses when the principal verb (or, verb in the independent clause) is in the past. For example,

John asked me to give him the keysJuan me pidió que le diera las llaves

The principal verb is in the preterite, thus the imperfect subjunctive is used in the subordinate clause, which is answering the question of what? What did John ask for? Answer: that I give him the keys.
We could put the principal verb into another past tense, i.e., the imperfect:

I didn't believe she would comeNo creía que ella viniera

Note, we could equally have used the preterite instead of the imperfect for the principal verb in the above example because whichever one we choose has no impact on having to follow it by an imperfect subjunctive (or a pluperfect subjunctive). This is to do with "temporal logic", meaning that if the main verb is in any past tense, what you cannot follow it by is either the present or perfect subjunctive because the action would be in a time frame that is impossible from the temporal aspect of the main verb, in other words, you could not tell someone to have already done something!
The imperfect subjunctive can also follow the conditional tense, as in this example:

The best thing would be if we were to create a link with the FoundationLo mejor sería que creáramos un enlace con la Fundación

If you wanted, you could say instead,

The best thing will be that we create a link with the FoundationLo mejor será que creemos un enlace con la Fundación

This changes the principal verb from the conditional to the future and the verb in the subordinate clause from the imperfect subjunctive to the present subjunctive.

Vanessa J Alexander is an accomplished Spanish and French tutor and teaches both face-to-face and live over the Internet. With effective Spanish or French Lessons you too can become proficient in these popular and widely-spoken languages. Alexander is also a Voice Over artist in English, Spanish and French. See: http://www.vanessa-alexander.vpweb.co.uk

Source: EzineArticles.com

Understanding the Spanish Present Subjunctive

The subjunctive in Spanish can be described as a "mood". It is often hard for the student of Spanish to know when to use it. This article deals with the present tense, although there is commonality as to when the subjunctive is used in all its tenses.
Firstly, to explain what I mean about commonality, the subjunctive is used with certain types of verbs, of which there are seven categories:
1. Verbs that express a wish (for example, deseo que, quiero que)
2. Verbs that express doubt or uncertainty (for example, dudo que)
3. Verbs that express possibility or probability (for example, es possible que)
4. Verbs that negate facts (for example, no creo que)
5. Verbs that express feelings (for example, siento que)
6. Verbs that express necessity (for example, necesito que)
7. Verbs of advice (for example, aconsejo que)
Alternatively, it may be easier to remember the WEIRDO formula:
W - Wish, desire, E - Emotion, I - Impersonal expressions, R- Recommendations, D - Doubt, O - Ojalá (meaning "hopefully").
Secondly, the subjunctive is always used in the "negative imperative". Also deemed as a "mood", the imperative in the affirmative means, for instance, "Sit down". In the negative, this changes rather obviously to "Don't sit down". The difference is that to express the imperative in the affirmative, we use the present indicative tense as our basis and change the endings to imperative ones accordingly. As the imperative is an "order", it is generally used in the you informal forms in both the singular and the plural. If it goes into the negative, the present subjunctive is applied, as explained. Note that if you need the formal form of you (usted or ustedes), the subjunctive is used automatically.
Thirdly, the subjunctive is also used if there is a change of subject. Let me demonstrate this by example:
Yo quiero que ella haga la cena - I want her to make the dinner. This sentence includes a change of subject from "I" to "her" and thus we need the subjunctive. Note how we also have a verb of "wishing" (querer).
Compare this with:
Yo quiero hacer la cena - I want to make the dinner. There is no change of subject in this sentence, thus the conjugated verb can simply be followed by an infinitive (even though we are using a verb of "wishing").
Fourth, there needs to be a subordinate clause followed by "que" for the subjunctive to be used (but only if we are using the type of verb out of the seven categories above).
No creo que ella sepa cocinar - I don't believe she knows how to cook. This answers the question of "what", i.e., you do not believe what? (Answer: that she knows how to cook). Therefore, the first part of the sentence is the subordinate clause and the second part the main clause. If, by contrast, you wanted to say that you did believe she knows how to cook, you would not use the subjunctive because no doubt is being expressed and whether or not there is a subordinate clause followed by "que" is immaterial.

Vanessa J Alexander is an accomplished Spanish and French tutor and teaches both face-to-face and live over the Internet. With effective Spanish or French Lessons you too can become proficient in these popular and widely-spoken languages. Alexander is also a Voice Over artist in English, Spanish and French. See: http://www.vanessa-alexander.vpweb.co.uk

Source: EzineArticles.com

Spanish Vocabulary Words When You Don't Want To Be Nice

Today, I will cover some vocabulary words in order to describe someone in a not so favorable way. I prefer to stay on a positive note in my articles. But sometimes you may find the need to understand or even say some not so kind ways to describe someone in Spanish. So that's why I wrote this article.
In the same way that we use the English word "fight" to refer to an argument between couples, in Spanish they also use the word "pelea" (fight) to refer to an argument between "una pareja" (a couple).
1. Ingrato - ungrateful
Juan es ingrato. No agradece los favores recibidos.
Juan is ungrateful. He is not thankful for the favors he receives.
2. Conchudo - shameless (sin vergüenza)
Catalina es una persona muy conchuda.
Catalina is a very shameless person.
3. Fastidioso - annoying
Mi primito es un fastidioso. Cada vez que va a mi casa deja todo desordenado.
My little cousin is an annoying person. Every time that he goes to my house he leaves everything a mess.
I noticed that in Colombia, instead of saying "fastidioso" the word that they use here is "canson" which also means "annoying."
4. Maleducado - discourteous
"Maleducado" does not mean miseducated or poorly educated. It means "discourteous."
Jose es un niño maleducado que dice groserías a los otros niños y no le importa que sus padres lo regañen. (Jose is a discourteous child who says profanities to the other children and it doesn't matter to him that his parents scold him.)
Besides "maleducado" you may also hear Spanish speakers say "malcriado" which means the same as "maleducado." You may also hear Spanish speakers use "malcriado" when referring to someone who is "spoiled" as in a "spoiled child" or a "spoiled brat."
When referring to someone who is spoiled and if you don't want to imply that the person is a "spoiled brat" or any other negative connotations, then you should use the word "consentido."
It's like saying someone is affectionately spoiled. By the way, the verbs for to spoil someone affectionately (or to pamper/cuddle) are "consentir" and "mimar." "Hacerle mimos a alguien" means to kiss, cuddle, and show affection to someone.
By the way, in Medellin, there is a chain of "heladerías" (ice cream stores) called "Mimos."
5. Tacaño - stingy, cheap
El dueño de ese edificio es un hombre tacaño que nunca arregla nada.
The owner of that building is a stingy man who never repairs anything.
Besides "tacaño," in Medellin, in order to call someone cheap or stingy they also use the words "duro" ("duro" literally means "hard) and "codo" ("codo" literally means "elbow"). And instead of actually saying the word "codo," in Medellin they will sometimes use body language and make a gesture with their "codo" or elbow which means that a person is cheap or stingy.
6. Chismoso - gossipy
Mi vecina es una chismosa.
My neighbor is a gossipy person.
7. Descarado - A person who speaks or acts without shame.
Él es un hombre muy descarado y vulgar.
He is a very shameless and vulgar man.
8. Egoísta - selfish
Alejandra es una egoísta que sólo piensa en lo que a ella le interesa.
Alejandra is a selfish person who only thinks in the things that matter to her.
9. The last one is actually a verb. I had to use this verb today when speaking to an American friend. My friend is the kind of person that you would refer to as an "arrogante" in Spanish.
And today he was rude and belittled a "gamín" who asked us for "plata" ("plata" is the Colombian word for money instead of "dinero").
And "gamín" is the word for homeless person or begger in Colombia. In other Spanish speaking countries they may use the word "mendigo" for begger.
The ninth and final word that I want to share with you today is "menospreciar" which means "to belittle."
Por ignorancia, mi amigo menosprecia a las personas pobres.
Because of ignorance, my friend belittles poor people.

Pat Jackson is the Founder of Learning Spanish Like Crazy - the only learning Spanish method that teaches real authentic everyday conversational Latin American Spanish. Pat presently lives in Medellín, Colombia - the City of Eternal Spring. If you would like to get FREE Instant access to the first 2 MP3 audio lessons of Learning Spanish Like Crazy and get FREE instant access to 10 learning Spanish videos from one of our BEAUTIFUL native-Spanish speaking Latina instructors, then go here now: Learn Spanish online That's http://www.LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com/

Source: EzineArticles.com

How to Improve Your Spoken Spanish Skills

Conversational Spanish is an important part of learning Spanish. It is quite common to see Spanish learners have impressive vocabulary and grammar, but be unable to construct sentences while conversing and speak fluently. Thus, it is necessary to adopt the right approach to improving spoken Spanish skills.
This article discusses a few important aspects of learning Spanish that impact your ability to speak positively.
Learn basic phrases
While learning to speak Spanish, start with learning basic and everyday Spanish phrases - this way you make rapid progress in learning and understanding spoken Spanish. Rather than concentrating on learning individual words, learn phrases and sentences in the context - this makes it easy for you to speak Spanish. Also, based on your surrounding environment and your interest, you can learn phrases based on themes (school, family, salutations, emotions, etc.).
Follow a step-by-step process
To start speaking Spanish, you don't need to wait until you complete the entire course or get master all of grammar. Practice everyday conversations by listening and speaking right from the beginning in a step-by-step manner. Initially, start with simple and small sentences/phrases, so that it is easy to reproduce while speaking. Later, depending on your convenience you can move on to sentences with slightly more complex verb tenses and conjugations.
Regular listening improves conversational ability
The best way to learn spoken Spanish is through regular listening. Constantly listening to audios and podcast will enable you to learn accurate pronunciation, sentence structure and the natural pace of Spanish speakers intuitively (this is why we are good at speaking our native languages). This is key to speaking fluently and quickly in Spanish, as you start recognizing patterns in spoken Spanish.
Make your own group and interact with them
Many beginners, while practicing spoken Spanish, tend to listen to and repeat the same canned phrases and dialogs. Instead, it is a good idea for you to listen and participate in actual conversations. You will be able to make progress in speaking only when you start speaking. Hence, start forming your own conversation group and interact with them regularly. Include various groups of people such as native Spanish speakers, Spanish and English speakers, and your fellow students. This way, you will be maximizing your conversational ability in Spanish.
Be serious and willing to practice
Remember, if you want to become a proficient Spanish speaker, you need to work at it. You have to be serious, determined and willing to practice. Look for opportunities where you can speak Spanish. Also, be confident and don't shy away even if you make mistakes.
Integrate the above mentioned aspects in your Spanish learning process to achieve natural fluency in spoken Spanish.

SpanishHour specializes in helping English speakers to learn and master Spanish. Know how to learn Spanish from the ground up with fun and easy one-hour daily lessons that are designed to teach Spanish for beginners. The best way to learn Spanish is through videos, entertaining comics, interactive flashcards, arcade style video games, Spanish language articles and crossword puzzles - offered by Spanish Hour.

Source: EzineArticles.com

Tips for Beginners to Improve Spanish Pronunciation Skills

Spanish instructors and students generally tend to ignore the phonology of the language, while concentrating more on grammar and vocabulary. Learning any language is not just limited to knowing vocabulary and grammar; it also includes the ability to achieve accurate and acceptable pronunciation.
Good pronunciation promotes communication
Incorrect pronunciation limits your ability to put your message across and will confuse people, while good pronunciation will make people understand you easily - remember, native Spanish speakers can understand you even if you make grammatical mistakes, but not when you pronounce the words incorrectly. Moreover, good pronunciation helps you to speak with confidence, which promotes friendly communication.
Here are a few tips for beginners that will help them improve their Spanish pronunciation skills.
Have a positive attitude towards Spanish
Many beginners get irritated when they are unable to understand the native Spanish accent - this creates aversion towards spoken Spanish in the students. It is therefore very important for beginners to have the right attitude, readiness and motivation for learning accurate pronunciation. Identifying the elements of the language that aid/hinder the learner's effort to achieve native pronunciation will help a lot in improving the pronunciation.
Learn different accents/stresses on vowels and consonants
Understanding the sound system of Spanish language is an important part of improving pronunciation. As pronunciation mainly includes articulation of sounds, you need to be aware of the accents and stresses on Spanish vowels, occlusive consonants, fricative variations, liquid consonants, etc. Many native English speakers find these sounds difficult to reproduce. But, one good aspect of Spanish pronunciation is that the vowels have a single sound, hence, Spanish words are read exactly as they're written.
Listen carefully to native Spanish speakers
The important aspect of learning Spanish pronunciation is to listen carefully to native Spanish speakers, their songs, radio shows, etc. It is imperative for you to develop your ability to understand what you are hearing before you start practicing pronunciation. Take advantage of audio drills and podcasts to increase your pronunciation potential by identifying the sounds, understanding the natural rhythm and getting used to the pace of native Spanish speakers.
Read aloud, record and listen your own voice
Read aloud for 15-30 minutes every day - this helps your mouth muscles (mouth, lips, tongue) and your breathing to articulate the Spanish-specific sounds. While doing this, make a list of frequently used words and practice pronouncing them - this will help you apply the acquired pronunciation in your day-to-day usage. Also, record and listen to your own voice - this will help you evaluate yourself and be conscious of your own mistakes in pronunciation.
Watch movies in Spanish
Movies are also a good way to improve your Spanish pronunciation. Moreover, they are more entertaining and engaging than any other learning medium. Movies allow you to easily compare your pronunciation with that of native Spanish speakers. In case you are not able to follow the native accent, you can often turn on subtitles that will help you match the spoken word with its respective pronunciation.
Oral proficiency is key to speaking Spanish fluently. It is the level of proficiency in speaking Spanish that gets you recognized immediately as a foreigner or native Spanish speaker, irrespective of how good your vocabulary and grammar is.

SpanishHour specializes in helping English speakers to learn and master Spanish. Know how to learn Spanish from the ground up with fun and easy one-hour daily lessons that are designed to teach Spanish for beginners. The best way to learn Spanish is through videos, entertaining comics, interactive flashcards, arcade style video games, Spanish language articles and crossword puzzles - offered by Spanish Hour.

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Importing Spanish Olive Oil Into the UK

Spain is the main olive oil producer in the world and also the first of the very best top ten high quality olive oil producers in the world. Companies are recognizing the worth of Spanish oil production and its prestigious products, so that many foreign companies are interested in importing tons of Spanish oil to sell it later in their own countries.
This great idea is fabulous if this is aimed at selling Spanish oil in a non-producer country and not at importing Spanish oil and selling it as if it was from another country. There are several business ideas in the UK that have been successful in this sense. This is the case of a Spanish woman who lives in the UK and who decided to give everything up and began her own business. Now, she is the manager of a company that imports Spanish virgin olive oil and sells it to restaurants and private customers. So, which are the main steps to take by someone interested in importing Spanish olive oil into the UK?
The steps are not very complicated. First of all it is essential to define a good strategy to follow. It is very different to import Spanish olive oil into United Kingdom with the idea of selling it there than to do it with the aim of exporting it again to a non EU country.
Importing Spanish olive oil into United Kingdom and sell it there
The first step is to know the commodity code of your product. This code classifies your goods for tax and regulations. Usually, an import license is necessary, but in the case of virgin and extra virgin olive oil produced in another EU country and since July 2008, this license is not compulsory. In addition, it is not necessary to pay taxes or duties on goods that have been produced in the EU. These goods are in free circulation in all EU countries.
Nevertheless, the VAT tax is obligatory when you move goods from another EU country. Therefore, you must add these acquisitions to your usual VAT return. Notice that you'll have to pay VAT at UK rates for acquisitions from another EU country and that if the total of your goods is worth more than £600,000 you'll also have to fill in an Intrastat Declaration.
If you wish to bottle and package extra virgin or virgin olive oil in the UK, your establishment will need to be approved under their domestic legislation and then fulfill the labelling requirements which are in addition to the general labelling provisions in the Food Labelling Directive.
As a conclusion, you can find below a scheme of the main steps to follow when importing goods: (given by UK Government services and information website)

• find the correct commodity code for your goods
• pay VAT in some cases
• fill in a VAT return if you're VAT registered
• register with the CHIEF system for importers if you're exporting outside the EU
• declare the goods you import using the CHIEF system
• pay duty in some cases
• get a licence for some goods (eg firearms)
• check if the goods are banned from being imported into the UK or require an import licence

Source: EzineArticles.com

Tips to Learning Spanish Quickly

People can still learn to speak other languages like the best method to learn Spanish. Though children are more likely to learn faster, there are some things that adults can do to facilitate their learning of the Spanish language for personal development or for career advancement. Aside from being interested, the need to learn a new language may motivate people to quickly absorb and understand lessons easily. Those who have genuine interest do not have to force themselves each day to study new words, phrases and sentences as well.
One of the easiest ways to learn a new language is to make use of words and pictures. The brain is able to record images which can be associated with words or phrases. Even adults may benefit from using such materials when learning Spanish as a second or third language. Illustrations that are presented in cartoon forms for example may also facilitate the learning process as individuals are able to imagine and connect it with appropriate words or phrases. It would also enable people to construct their sentences easier if they know what the words mean by recalling the images that have been recorded in their brains.
Other learning materials may include watching movies, televisions programs and news programs that makes use of the Spanish language. It may be a little difficult to comprehend, but it would definitely enhance the learning experience as people imitate or say what the characters are saying and how they are saying it. Listening to Spanish music may also contribute to the quick learning of children as well as of adults too.
Another way to learn Spanish is for individuals to immerse themselves in a Spanish-speaking community. They are forced to make use of this language that people understand. Individuals are able to enhance their communication skills if they are able to interact without mixing languages. They can learn from the everyday facet of communication that takes place from simple greetings to more complex business interactions with the Spanish-speaking members of the community. The first-hand experience and interaction provide a realistic and authentic learning of the intricacies of the Spanish language as well.
These are some of the most effective ways of fast way to learn Spanish within a relatively shorter period of time. Other people who learn through formal structures may enroll in colleges or schools that are offering language courses. They may be able to refine their proficiency in the use of the language through the guidance of Spanish language professors who know proper structure as well as nuances of the language too.

The resources to learn Spanish are abundant. Do your research before you spend any money, and make sure you find a program that is right for you. Click here to find out the best method to learn Spanish easy and fast at http://www.learn-spanish-program.com.

Source: EzineArticles.com

Guide To Purchasing Online Spanish Programs

Many of us are interested in learning a new language. And Spanish is the most popular of all. The good news is there are a lot of options out there to help you learn Spanish. The problem comes in choosing the right one for your needs. Below are the features we believe will help you the most with learning the new language, and therefore are elements your education program should include.
Includes Games
Choose a training course that has Spanish language learning games included. The theory goes, if you are doing something fun, you are more prone to comprehend language faster and much easier as you are engaged and having fun. Don't you agree? When you are having fun learning, you are much more likely to spend more time at it and most likely will also retain more of the information as well.
Multiple Learning Levels
Make sure the program you choose has enough material to get you to the learning level you want (i.e. conversational Spanish, Spanish for travel, Spanish for business, etc.). Ideally there will be different levels of the program better, so you can continue with more advanced learning if you want to.
Audio Training
Look for a Spanish language program that will help you discover Spanish with audio training, to help your ear become accustomed to hearing the words. Audio will also help with picking up the accent faster. It is near impossible to learn a new language without hearing it and you should also be able to practice speaking it.
Interactive Learning
Choose a Spanish course that offers interactive learning, where you actually participate and use your voice to repeat words and phrases out loud. This is important because it will help to reinforce the learning in your brain, and help you learn Spanish faster. This type of learning will also help you recognize both the written and spoken words.
Local Dialect
A bonus would be a program that contains local dialect for your needs. There are numerous different dialects in the Spanish language, so if you have a specific need or destination, make sure the program fulfills it.
The Right Price
The final consideration is price. Costs of online Spanish language courses range from free to several hundred dollars. The more expensive the course, the more thorough it is typically. But, you can always look for online deals and specials. Or maybe sign up with a friend or colleague and ask for a discount.

Visit Learn Spanish Quickly for more information and tips to help you learn Spanish. And click here to access a list of top online resources to help you learn Spanish online.

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Learning Spanish Online With Desktop Software

Spanish has been identified as traditionally the simplest of all languages to learn and speak. One of the most difficult tasks for many people is the challenge of capturing the proper accent. As an encouragement, Spanish does happen to have very fundamental means to articulate the five vowels with generally a specific manner in which to pronounce the letters. English and also some other languages have the tendency to have inconsistencies in accent, yet Spanish is a fairly frequent terminology that is in fact really straightforward to master. One method most people are utilizing to master the Spanish foreign language is with the help of the net.
If you are preparing to research Spanish, you ought to look at locating a strong on-line program. This is a fundamental means to learn Spanish online and learn it effectively. Today you can identify hundreds of unique software tutors that teach individuals ways to learn Spanish online, and also each course has been designed to assist you learn in an unique manner. Several of these internet foreign language Spanish programs may help you to significantly enhance your Spanish while in the convenience of your very own office or living room.
An additional reason why pupils like to learn Spanish online is given that these courses are usually rather budget friendly. Several of the offline physical programs that you take to learn Spanish will wind up costing you a bundle, as learning a foreign language usually results in and expensive ongoing bill. Utilizing one of the several Spanish study plans that you may find online is one of the finest means to understanding Spanish effortlessly without paying a ton of money to do so.
One of the greatest things about these on the internet Spanish programs is the fact that you never ever have to leave your house to learn the language. Rather than needing to find your way to a cultural center or a language institution, you could sit in your armchair and also study Spanish on your laptop easily. You will be so much more likely to know how to properly speak Spanish if you could do so with simplicity as well as the benefit of being comfortable at home..
Understanding Spanish online can in fact be a lot of fun, as there are lots of enjoyable practice tests and also online games that you could play to practice your Spanish. Numerous of the on-line plans attempt to make their programs enjoyable and stimulating, and you will find that you will actually have a lot more fun learning Spanish online compared to the daily grind of a stale classroom setting. Thanks to the improved communication and characteristics of these Spanish programs, you will be much more inclined to pay attention as well as to focus as you learn Spanish online.
There are also a number of free courses that you may take to help you with Spanish, though they are not as detailed as the online ones that you register for. Many of the cost-free courses in Spanish will certainly supply a large array of basic fundamentals, featuring such subject matters like grammar and the fundamental assembly of sentence structure. It is necessary to mention, nevertheless, that you may want to register in a thorough Spanish understanding online program that will definitely educate you as thoroughly as possible.
You can easily begin to learn Spanish online, beginning today. It is as simple as doing a search on-line for Spanish courses online or some variance of that expression. You will instantaneously have a listing of hundreds of websites that you can utilize to aid you in recognizing the Spanish language both written and spoken, as well as starting to discover Spanish by using these online software programs.
Utilizing one of the many available Spanish learning software websites that you will find online is one of the greatest methods to understand Spanish quickly without paying a ton of money to do so.
Learning Spanish online could in fact be an amazingly fun experience, as there are numerous enjoyable exercises and games that you may play online to practice your Spanish. Thanks to the communication and also mechanics of these Spanish programs, you will be much even more inclined to pay attention as well as to focus as you learn Spanish online.
By using an online search engine, you will promptly have a listing of thousands of internet sites that you can make use of to help you learn Spanish online or on your desktop offline, as well as beginning today to increase your communication skills with the growing numbers of Spanish speaking individuals in your community and workplace.

Mark is an online entrepeneur constantly researching and locating the best resources for his subscribers. Recently, in a search to find the best Spanish learning software he found an excellent affordable resource (along with a free trial) at http://www.myspanishtrainer.com . the program is easy to navigate and has everything including Spanish sounds and Self Testing!

Source: EzineArticles.com

Top Five Spanish Coaches According to Football Fans' Voting

Modern football does not exist without numerous rankings and ratings. Besides official and most famous rankings, unofficial public football rankings of the fans became very popular last years. Let's take a look at supporters' rating of football managers.
The rating of Top Spanish coaches is quite a predictable one. Two unemployed managers, the tactician that created undefeatable Spain, still enigmatical Catalan manager and ambassador of Spain in the Russian top flight are all there. The ranking is unpredictable, but football fans are always fair.
1. Pep Guardiola
While leaving Barccelona FC for a short holiday, Guardiola stated he was tired after four seasons in the squad. The manager is out of coaching for more than half a year, probably the amount of his supporters and fans is only increasing. It is hard to find the precise description for the wonders his squad performed (fourteen titles in four seasons). He will return to coaching, but he should not bother about returning to the supporters' hearts, as they still believe he is number one.
2. Vicente Del Bosque - Spain
Spain football clubs won many titles in different tournaments, but la furia roja could not win any championship for decades. Vicente Del Bosque broke the curse finally.With the golden generation he claimed World Cup and 2 European cups. His influence on the squad has given us the Spanish team that we know.
3. Unai Emery - Spartak Moscow
The Spanish manager was presented to Spartak supporters in May, 2012 when he signed a contract with the Russian side. Previously the tactician managed Lorca Deportiva where he won promotion to the 2nd division with the team. The spell in Valencia was even more reamarkable and later he was offered to move to Moscow club. The supporters of Spartak have been waiting for the Premier league trophy for eleven seasons and now their expectations are joined with the Spanish coach.
4. Tito Vilanova - Barcelona FC
Former assistant of Guardiola took the position last summer. Probably he was one of the most important driving forces during the most successful times of the club. Now Vilanova has a chance to show that he is able to win many trophies and show great football.
5. Rafael Benitez
Despite Benitez was out of managing for two seasons, the supporters still remember his insight and vision. We also remember one of the best comebacks ever as LFC defeated Milan in the Champions League final. The supporters still want to see Benitez in football and fifth place in the rating only proves that.

This article is written by Dennis Romanoff about 5 top football coaches from Spain. Ranking is based on the votes of football fans on the international public rankings FootballTop.com and information about Spanish national team.

Source: EzineArticles.com

Learning to Speak Spanish Better

People who would like to learn how to speak Spanish better may be able to do it easily. They have to practice whatever they have learned. They may be able to become better speakers of this language in no time if they can find a Spanish- speaking friend who would like to talk to them everyday. One of the most effective ways of improving the abilities to speak a foreign language is to constantly use it in every day conversation.
However, they should do it with people who make use of the language as their mother tongue. They may be able to provide proper feedback and corrections especially when it comes to the nuances of the Spanish language. People also have to understand that just like any other major languages of the world, there may be variations in pronunciation, spelling and even meaning depending on the region or the specific group who is using the language. Those who do not have anyone to speak to in Spanish may watch soap operas or movies that are dubbed in this language. This is a great way for people to learn proper diction and usage of the language.
Other great sources of learning how to speak Spanish better may include comic strips, newspapers as well as literature too. It will also be very helpful if people learn the rules in grammar when it comes to the proper construction of the sentences. Although people may learn to say the words correctly, they would benefit more if they know structure and word usage as well. People have to practice every day and they need to get used to how the words, phrases and certain expressions are supposed to be said. They also need to expand their vocabulary so that they may be able to put the words together in the right form.
People will have to discover the best way that they can learn how to speak Spanish better. Some individuals are auditory learners so they may listen to music or watch television shows. Others who are visual learners may choose learning materials that are illustrated or are explained in textual forms. There are still other types of learners aside from these. People need to know how they learn best so that they may benefit from the learning exercises or activities. They may also learn to speak Spanish better if they are able to find out their own learning styles.

Find a course that teaches you how to memorize the Spanish words. Rote memory is not best. There are techniques you can use to help you remember what words mean by linking them with an English word. Click here to find out how to learn spanish easy and fast at http://www.learn-spanish-program.com.

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Choosing Appropriate Spanish to English Translation Software

People come from different places around the world, and every country or region has its main language considered as native. This is because the language is understood by a majority of people and used in business transactions or general communication. One main problem with different languages is that not every person understands or is conversant with these languages. For example, if a person travels from Spanish speaking country to countries where citizens speak English, it can be tricky for one to get along in the country without a translator. A translator will help you in translating the language. However, this can be expensive. An appropriate Spanish to English Translation Software can help you in learning the language more easily and at your convenient time.
To help you in choosing appropriate Spanish to English Translation program, you need to consider few things. To begin with, all translation programs have an algorithm that follows all grammatical rules for all words being translated from the original language to the designated language. Any software that leaves some words out may make the intended sentence lose its meaning. The major component of convenient translation software is its dictionary. The dictionary should translate both basic and complex languages.
A good Spanish to English translation software should identify both oral and written words. If the original sentence had 20 words, the software should translate all the 20 words in the document. If there are commas in the sentence, then the comas need to be recognized in order to bring out the true sound and meaning of these sentences. This should apply to all other areas that are in the sentence.
A decent translation machine or software should easily understand grammatical structure in order to achieve higher clarity. When the words are not uttered correctly, the results might not have the intended meaning. When the language is correctly worded, the words for translation will be extracted correctly from the software's dictionary. You should also ensure that the sentences are short for you not to confuse the software while the translation is being delivered. Use capital letters when necessary while ensuring that the original document is correct grammatically.
After identifying an appropriate Spanish to English translation software, you should test-run it to find out if it can do all the above mentioned features. If it understand the basic instructions and can translate full sentences, then you are free to purchase the translation program. Some software manufacturing companies are well known to produce software that gives quality sen/ices. Good software like Ortsbo has high and clear sound quality. It does not take time for it to do the translation because the program is fast.

Ortsbo is free online translation software with more than 50 languages and easily integrates with popular social media sites. It helps in easily Spanish to English translation efficiently and also supports global interactions with immediate translation capability, mobile browsers, instantaneous multi- lingual social media connections to Mac computers and PC as well as main chat platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Google, MSN and Yahoo.

Source: EzineArticles.com