SPANISH BASICS

Today, we will have a Spanish class online, so let’s start.

Greetings

·         Hello: Hola

·         Good morning: Buenos días

·         Good afternoon : Buenas tardes

·         Good night : Buenas noches

How to introduce yourself

·         My name is Juanita

·         Me llamo Juanita or Mi nombre es Juanita

Just remember to use your real name, I do not want everybody to be called Juanita. It will be just confusing.

Conjugaison of the verb “llamar” in simple present. “Llamar” means “Call”. But here you translate it by name

Yo me llamo

Tu te llamas

El/ella/usted se llama

Nosotros nos llamamos
Vosotros vos llamaís

Ellos/ellas/ustedes se llaman

Here, the question for what is your name? is: ¿Como te llamas? Or ¿Cuál es tu nombre?

And you just answer: Me llamo Juanita or mi nombre es Juanita like I taught you. Easy, isn't it?

Directions

I wouldn’t want you to get lost and do not know how to ask for your way back.

Where is …?

¿Donde esta…?

Just add the name of where you want to go, so make sure you always have your address on you. I am sure that you do not want to get lost and do not know where you are going. Trust me it will be difficult to ask for your way.

To say your nationality

I am Mexican

Soy Mexicana

or if someone ask you

Where are you from?                          ¿De donde vienes?

I am from mexico                                Vengo de México or soy Mexicana

Here ou can see that it is Mexicana and not Mexicano it because obviously Juanita is a girl. If you are a boy, you just need to change the “a” for an “o”.

For example, Juan would say Soy Mexicano

To say what language you speak

What language do you speak?                          ¿Que lengua hablas?

I speak English                                                Hablo Inglės

For identification

What is this?                            ¿Qué es? Or ¿Qué es esto?

It is a table                               Es una mesa

It is all for now, if you want to learn more Spanish, register to http://learnspanishblc.com/

WHY LEARN SPANISH?

In today world, English took an important place, being the language most spoken in the world. However, some other languages are making their move showing that English does not own the world. I know that English are the language most used for business, but, how much respect can you get if you can exchange in the language of the opposite side?

So Why choose Spanish?

Today, Spanish is one of the most languages widely spoken in the world. Spanish is one of the European Union's official languages (spoken in Spain), it is one of the United Nation's six official languages, and it is predominant throughout Latin America (except Brazil), although Mercosur, of which Brazil is a part, uses Spanish as its official language. Moreover, over 51 million people in the United States today speak Spanish, this include 45 million Hispanics and some 6 million students of the Spanish language. In addition, more people in the U.S. speak Spanish than those speaking Chinese, French and Italian combined. That’s lead to conclude that nearly one in every seven people living in the U.S. speak Spanish.

Worldwide, Spanish is spoken by over 495 million people in more than 20 countries and it is the second native language most spoken after Mandarin Chinese.

Learning a second language or a third language is an investment on yourself. It is the best way to grow your capabilities, your skills, and your strengths. Many people for whom English is not the native language are doing crazy investment to master this language. What if English is your native language? Would you stay behind because everybody is learning English? Let remember that English is not the only language spoken internationally. Also, when you learn another person native language, it is a sign of humility that allow you to bring yourself close to the people and exchange with them and that will be sincerely appreciate when you are speaking with people from different country or travelling.

In addition, speaking Spanish will bring your closer to the people, more than any third party translation can do. It will help you to improve and expand your experience and your knowledge. Plus, it will allow you to have a better travel experience a you can communicate with local people and fully enjoy your trip. Moreover, speaking Spanish will give you a better employment prospect. Your employment opportunity will widen and you will become a more valuable employee (especially if you are employed in the USA, Central or South American or the Caribbean).

Spanish is a phonetic language, what you see written is what you say. This makes Spanish an easy language to get acquainted with.

So come and learn Spanish in Mexico with Babilon Language Coaching

http://learnspanishblc.com/

Learn Spanish in Queretaro, Mexico

With Babilon Language Coaching

http://learnspanishblc.com/

BEAUTIFUL IS THE CITY

I was sure that you would not believe me; well I am coming with some proof so you cannot say that I am a liar. Take a look, Querétaro is a wonderful place to study but also to increase your cultural baggage.

Let start with the ­‘‘Centro’’ which is where everything is going on in the city. It is a place full of restaurants, bars, merchants on the street where you can fully appreciate the cultural immersion. Those who are not friendly with strangers, you need to work it out before coming. Anyway you will love it so much that you may decide to stay. Let remember that Querétaro of Santiago, which is the official name of the city, has been declared Historic Downtown since 1966 by the UNESCO.

Restaurant 1810

The food is so good, and you can enjoy the weather outside while eating.

You can also admire El Palacio del Gobierno which was called La Casa de la Corregidora. It served as a hiding place during the independence. La corrigidora is a reference to Dona Josefa de Ortiz who played an important role in the town history. She also lived in the Palacio during the hard times of the independence.

Plaza de Gobierno (or Casa de la Corregidora)

Take a walk in the different gardens at the Centro

                                                             Jardín Zenea

If you are tired grab a seat at one of the Plaza to enjoy your excursion.

 Plaza de Armas

Or keep walking through those beautiful streets.

 Admire the status while enjoying your walk

Escultura de Danzante

Do not forget to visit the different churches, from baroque to neoclassical. Each one tells a story of a distinguished colonial past and an intensely religious way of life. In fact, Querétaro was the third most important city in the Viceroyalty of New Spain as it marked the limit of what they called the civilized world: for the settlers, further north there was only barbarism, and therefore deemed it necessary to establish local churches and convents which strengthen the spirit of secular and religious. Franciscan, Discalced Carmelites, Jesuits and Dominicans were swift and Querétaro reached to begin the spiritual conquest of the region.

Santa Clara Church (Baroque Style)

Buy a souvenir to remember your wonderful journey in Queretaro. Those are typical Mexican dolls made with rags. Among Mexican crafts, there are the most bought by tourists. They are made by hand, with colorful clothing like the one used by the women of Mazahua ethnic group located in Michoacan. Those dolls are called Marias.

 Marias

One last thing, Los Arcos, the proud of Queretaro, Build by a marquis for a nun he fell in love with. Do not ask any question, that what the legend says. The purpose of the aqueduct was to bring water in the city.  It has a spectacular view at night.

 The aqueduct is 1,280m in length, and reaches a maximum height of 28.42m.  It consists of 75 rounded arches; similar to Roman constructions of its kind.   

Also, there are activities every week-end so you will never get bored. I am talking about the ‘‘leyendas’’ that is a tour of the historic places of the downtown telling the legend with people dress like this time and acting while telling the story. There, you can listen for example the story of ‘‘La Llorona’’, which mean ‘‘the crier’’. I am sure that you are waiting for me to tell the story but I won’t, you will have to come here to know more.

In am also talking about the salsa dance every Thursday, and the craft work market once a month, plus the jewels market...

There are so many that I cannot talk about everything. Querétaro is waiting for you!!!!!

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LEARNING SPANISH IN QUERETARO

Did you ever leave your country to study abroad? Or just to learn another language?

Let me tell you, it is incredible. It is not only about studying; it is also discovering a new culture, meeting local people, but also making friends from everywhere because people are travelling more than we think. 

Learning Spanish in Queretaro has been a great experience. Do you know that there are 495 million of people that speak Spanish in the entire world, and 18 million are Spanish students? That just show us how Spanish is getting important. I am not saying that it is easier. Like every language, you have to commit yourself to master it to the very end. However, it is a plus to live in the country while learning. Of course you will mix the words and people will not get anything of what you are saying at the beginning, (we have all been there once :) ), but that how you learn, by making mistakes.

When I first came to Queretaro to learn Spanish I wasn’t able to say a full sentence. And let me tell you that you need a lot of patience to get to the end of a conversation. But within three months, I have been able to speak and even take business class in Spanish. Isn’t that wonderful? Actually, the fact that I was living in the country helped me a lot, plus, living with a Mexican family helped me remember usual words.

Also, discovering this new culture becomes a fascination because you can see all the differences from yours. For example, walking in the Centro and being able to buy fresh fruits, traveling to Tequisquiapan or Bernal and meet strangers, local people or foreigners, with whom you can talk for hours, go to Huasteca and stay in a hotel made out of wood. That’s what amazing about learning another language abroad, especially in Querétaro. And those who like extreme sports, you will not be deceived. Rafting was one of my preferred but so tiring. I am telling you if you need a diet just go for rafting and you will be able to eat whatever you want. For the rappelling, well, I am afraid of heights so you can imagine the disaster. But it is all about the experience and trying out new things.

Check it out guys, there is nothing better. You learn to appreciate a new culture in order to have an open minded on all the different things in the world.

Ahorra,  hablo espanol, no el mayor, pero es suficiente. Nos vemos la semana proxima.

Hasta luego!!!!!

http://learnspanishblc.com/