SpanishPod101.com Blog

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZngHfXDEIjs 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... Show more

https://youtu.be/ATpudJqYSzg?si=iVMW6FDoDrf7J1og 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... 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

Conjugation is a fundamental aspect of Spanish. Yes, we wish it was easier than it is, but it’s definitely one of the basic skills you need to gain when learning Spanish. Just so you know, you don’t need to learn all Spanish conjugations at once, so feel free to learn them at your own pace. We’re just going to guide you so that you have an easier time studying the Spanish conjugation basics. When you start learning a new language, you’ll most likely start by studying the present tense first, right? The basics you need for introducing yourself. It’s all about going through them step-by-step instead of rushing it all at once and trying to memorize them all at the same time.  To give you an example, we all know what happens when you... Show more

Every country has a story behind its independence, and many have a figure whom they credit with their victory. In fact, Mexican Independence Day is really more about the country’s national hero, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, than its actual independence!  In this article, you’ll learn more Mexican Independence Day facts, delve into the country’s history, and explore the most popular traditions.  Let’s get started. 1. What is Mexican Independence Day? Each year on September 16, Mexicans celebrate their country’s Día de la Independencia ("Independence Day"). The most important holiday in the country, Mexican Independence Day marks the date in 1810 when Mexico took its first major step toward gaining independence from... Show more

Why learn Spanish verbs? Why are they important? Language would pretty much not exist without verbs. We would still be able to talk, of course, and understand one another. But think of how you would need to describe something that you would normally express with a verb. For example, if you wanted to tell someone they need to run. Using verbs, this is something that we can express by just saying "Run!" Take a moment to think of how you would say that with no verbs at all. It won’t take you very long: surely you’ll easily find another way of saying the exact same thing, but it might sound silly and you would probably use a few more words. This is one of the many reasons we need verbs. Sadly, as you might already know, Spanish verbs... Show more

Pronouns are essential in any language. All languages have pronouns, in some way or another, though some might not have as many as others. We use pronouns all the time, so not understanding them would mean missing a big part of the conversation.  They simplify the language and make it possible for us not to repeat ourselves all the time. Sentences would be so much longer if we didn't use pronouns or some other way of indicating what you're talking about without constant repetition. There are many different kinds of Spanish pronouns, including indirect and direct object pronouns in Spanish, and we're going to take a look at all of them. If you don’t feel like reading the entire article, you can always look at our list of the Most Useful... Show more