SpanishPod101.com Blog

You’ve already learned how to say hello in Spanish, so now it’s time to start saying goodbye. Like in any language, there are many different ways you can say goodbye in Spanish depending on the context. In this article, we’ll teach you common Spanish goodbye phrases for any situation, from formal encounters to leaving a group of friends or ending a phone call. By the end, you’ll be able to recognize many different Spanish goodbyes when you hear them, and understand how to use them yourself to sound more like a native speaker! → In addition to this guide, we have a series of activities on SpanishPod101.com for you, so you can put all of this new knowledge into practice. Table of Contents Spanish Goodbye Phrases for Formal... Show more

There are many reasons why you should learn Spanish, and truth be told, everyone who’s looking to learn has their own special reason. Some learners might want to move to a Spanish-speaking country, while others might have a Spanish-speaking significant other. Some learners might just like the language, while others think that it’s a useful language to learn. And it is! In fact, Spanish is one of the most useful languages to learn in the world.  But is Spanish hard to learn, as well?  Well, it has the second-largest number of native speakers (after Mandarin Chinese) and it’s the fourth most-spoken language overall. Anyone who’s able to speak at least two of the most-spoken languages in the world already has a huge advantage compared... Show more

We know that learning Spanish can be a bit frustrating, especially for native English-speakers. Trying to understand the language’s structure is intimidating to many—but calm down! No matter how many mistakes in Spanish you make along the way, the most important thing is to enjoy the process and learn step-by-step. Knowing what to look out for will help you improve your Spanish language skills a lot more quickly. In this article, we’ll introduce you to the nine most common mistakes when learning Spanish. We’ll review a list of common mistakes of English speakers in Spanish, from pronunciation and vocabulary, to gender agreement and false friends. At the end, we’ll also cover some funny errors in Spanish that you should avoid at all... Show more

Can you believe it’s almost Christmas? It’s the time of year when the cold of winter culminates to a time of warmth, joy, and compassion.  Did you know that in Mexico, there’s an entire nine-night festival leading up to Christmas?  In this article, you’ll learn about the Las Posadas holiday, how it got started, and more fun Las Posadas facts. Are you ready? 1. What is Las Posadas? Each year, Mexicans observe the Las Posadas festival from December 16 to December 24. For these nueve noches ("nine nights"), Mexicans commemorate the journey of Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus.  This long holiday, leading up to Navidad ("Christmas"), first came to Mexico in the year 1586. Prior to this, the... Show more

Can you ask questions in Spanish yet?  We’re sure you’re aware that to master any language, you can’t rely solely on affirmative sentences. You need to know how to ask questions, though some questions are more important than others. This is especially true for non-native speakers who are just starting out. Knowing the right questions can help you survive self-introductions, and others can get you out of sticky situations.   The first thing you need to learn, if you haven’t yet, are Spanish question words. Knowing these words, as well as the most common questions in Spanish, you can start asking your own questions! You can find a list of Spanish question words in our article about pronouns. Now, onto our list of Spanish questions... Show more

At some point in your Spanish-learning journey, you’ll probably want to test your mettle and see how far you’ve come. Few things are as motivating as tangible progress, after all! And depending on your reasons for learning Spanish, becoming certified in your Spanish proficiency may be necessary to achieve your goals. That’s where the DELE Spanish test comes in.  In this article, we’ll explain everything about the DELE, one of the official Spanish language exams: what it is, how to sign up, and why you should care. You’ll also learn all the details about the six possible DELE Spanish exam levels and how to identify yours.  For those of you who don't know much about DELE, this article will inform you about everything you need to... Show more

Often, when you start learning a new language, you're not really sure how to begin. Random words? Grammar? Basic sentences, maybe? While perhaps memorizing sentences isn't what you're looking for when you decide to begin studying, the truth is that these basic Spanish sentence patterns will actually prove very useful. When you’re completely lost at the beginning of your language-learning journey, knowing them will help you have a precise idea of how to have a basic yet meaningful conversation. If you memorize these ten most basic and useful Spanish sentence structures, you’ll be able to generate hundreds of natural sentences and converse with ease and confidence. We promise that you’ll use most of these sentence patterns every time you... Show more

The way you think about and react to death has a lot to do with how you were raised. Your cultural background, religious beliefs, life experiences, and many other factors can all play a role in your perception of death.  The Día de Muertos ("Day of the Dead") in Mexico is a festival steeped in the beliefs of many cultures, and it focuses on the joyous occasion of the living and dead reuniting. In this article, you’ll learn all about the Day of the Dead, from its history to how it’s celebrated today.  Let’s get started! 1. What is the Day of the Dead? The Day of the Dead festival is an annual three-day celebration in Mexico, beginning on October 31 and ending on November 2. Each of these three days has its... Show more

Can you spot adverbs in a novel? If your answer is no, don't be embarrassed. We sometimes forget what adverbs do in a sentence—you may not even remember what "adverb" actually means.   When learning a second language, it’s normal to forget this type of information. Spanish adverbs aren’t that different from those in English, but there are a few tricks about how to identify them and where to put them in a sentence. In this article, we’ll teach you all about Spanish adverbs, and we’ll also provide an excellent list of 100 Spanish adverbs and their meanings. Table of Contents What are Spanish Adverbs? How Do You Form an Adverb in Spanish? The 100 Most Useful Spanish Adverbs Conclusion 1. What are... Show more

You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Spanish! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Spanish keyboard. Table of Contents Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Spanish Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Spanish How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer How to Change the Language Settings to Spanish on Your Computer Activating the Spanish Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet Spanish Keyboard Typing Tips How to Practice Typing Spanish 1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Spanish Learning a new language is made so much... Show more