May. 15, 2008 - Los olores

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May. 13, 2008 - En busca de extraterrestres en Roswell

Fuimos a Roswell en busca de estraterrestres. We went to Roswell in search of extraterrestrials.

Dicen que un OVNI (Objecto volante no identificado) se estrelló en Roswell.  It is said that a UFO crashed in Roswell.  ¿Tú sí lo crees?  Do you believe it?

¡Mira!  ¡Una pista!  Look!  A clue!

¿Es un OVNI?  Is this a UFO?

Los extraterrestres beben Coca-Cola.  Extraterrestrials drink Coka-Cola.

¿Es un extraterrestre?  No, es un pavo.  Is this an extraterrestrial?  No, it's a turkey.

¿Son extraterrestres?  No, son niños.  Are they extraterrestrials?  No, they're kids.

¡Aqui están!  Here they are!

Los extraterrestres son de todos colores y tamaños.  Extraterrestrials are all colors and sizes.

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Apr. 29, 2008 - Canta una canción - Sing a song!

If I were more proactive and categorized my blog entries, this might go under the heading: "Showing your age".  Maybe this will be more of a sentimental journey for us adults than a meaningful experience for the kids, but let's give it a try!  And many thanks to Patricia P. whose question to me prompted this blog entry.

Many years ago on Sesame Street, they featured a song written by Joe Raposo and made popular by The Carpenters, entitled "Sing".  In the last verse, a child sings an echo in Spanish.  Here are the lyrics and audio:

Sing
Sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things, not bad
Sing of happy, not sad

Sing
Sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Sing
Sing a song

La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la

Sing
Sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things, not bad
Sing of happy, not sad

Sing
Sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Sing
Sing a song


Sing (Canta)
Sing a song (Canta una cancion)
Sing out loud (Canta en voz alto)
Sing out strong (Canta fuerte)
Sing of good things, not bad (Cosas buenas, no malos)
Sing of happy, not sad (Alegre, no triste)
Sing (Canta)
Sing a song (Canta una cancion)
Make it simple to last your whole life long (Todo la vida)
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear
Just sing (Canta)
Sing a song (Canta una cancion)

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Apr. 24, 2008 - ¡Es la primavera! It's spring!

¡Ya llegó la primavera!  Spring has arrived!

Las flores están floreciendo.  The flowers are blooming.

Las abejas están zumbando.  The bees are buzzing.

¡Las mariposas están por todos lados!  The butterflies are everywhere!

Los perros están corriendo en el parque.  The dogs are running in the park.

Las niñas están saltando.  The girls are jumping.

Los niños están corriendo y jugando.  The kids are running and playing.

El sol está brillando.  The sun is shining.

¡Nos encanta la primavera!  We love the spring!

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Apr. 21, 2008 - Field trip - Segovia, Spain

What a beautiful day for a field trip!  Weather today in Segovia is cool but sunny, and great for getting around and seeing the sites.

Can you imagine what it would be like to live in a UN World Heritage site?  The old town in Segovia won this honor due to the impressive Roman aqueduct that still carries water.  My children and I were recently studying the Romans, and discovered that this is one of the finest remaining examples of a Roman aqueduct.

This amazing piece of architecture was built around 50 A.D.  The Romans were in Spain for a long time, and have left their mark on the language, religion, and culture of Spain.  Julius Caesar worked his way up the Roman Military ranks here, the apostle Paul went to Spain on missionary trips, and Hannibal was raised in Spain.  Just as many American kids find arrowheads in their yards, a Spaniard is as likely to unearth Roman coins.

Another amazing site in the area is the Alcazar castle.  Construction began in the 11th century, and it reached the form we see it in today in the 1500s. 

It is said that Walt Disney was inspired by this castle when he created the castle in Snow White.  Perched on the edge of a cliff, and with an amazing view of the countryside, it played a key role in the reconquest of Spain from the Moors.  Later it served as an alternate residence for the king, from which he and other courtiers went on hunting trips.

Also built in the golden age of the 1500's was the Cathedral of Segovia.  It is considered by some to be the last great Gothic Cathedral built in Europe.

This lovely Cathedral remains the tallest building in the city.  In addition to this breathtaking Cathedral, Segovia is full of Romanesque churches, each a treasure in its own right.

The old city is surrounded by a wall, built and maintained since the 8th century.

After a lovely day of walking through twisted alleys, visiting monuments, castles and churches, let's stop in a cafe and enjoy some hot chocolate to finish off our day.

For more information and pictures of this amazing city, visit this site.

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Apr. 17, 2008 - Tú or Usted, that is the question!

Spanish is one of several languages that is problematic in the translation of the simple word "you".  Before we angloparlantes (that is the Spanish word for English speakers) throw any stones, remember that it wasn't too many centuries ago that we had more than one way to say "you" as well.  If you need your memory refreshed, just read some Shakespeare or crack open a King James Bible.

There are two principle ways to say you in Spanish: tú and usted.  Please note that usted is frequently abbreviated Ud.  It is used in the plural form as ustedes or the abbreviation Uds.  In most of the Spanish speaking world, Uds. serves as the plural of the tú form as well.

So what is the difference between these two forms?  When do you use one and not the other?  Simply put, tú is an informal form, and Ud. is more formal.

Once upon a time, every Spanish student was told to just use the Ud. form with everyone, and switch to tú when given permission.  There is actually a verb in Spanish for using tú with one another: tutearse.  You might be asked, "Vamos a tutearnos, ¿no?" (Let's just use tú, ok?).  Or... "¿Por qué no me digas tú, está bien? (Why don't you just call me tú, ok?).  The system of waiting for permission to say tú will certainly keep you out of trouble.  It will also keep you sounding like a Spanish student.

Another rule of thumb that is more realistic is to call someone tú if they are someone you would normally call by first name.  Someone that you would address with a title or call Mr. or Mrs. would be Ud.  If you meet someone in a social situation, and they are roughly your age or younger, you are safe to use tú.  Talking to a minister, professor, or the doctor?  Start with Ud.  Have your kids respectfully address adults with Ud. , but feel free to use tú with most kids.  Tú is safe for your family members.  Interestingly, the internet has become a great equalizer, and in chat rooms or message boards, tú is commonly used for everyone.

Another note about the tú and Ud. dilema... think about how our society is getting progressively more informal and casual.  The same thing is happening in the Spanish speaking world.  Senior citizens will call almost everyone, even their best friends, by the Ud. form.  They use tú only with family and little kids. 

Exceptions?  Well there are many.  In Spain, the plural form of tú is vosotros.  You will also find this form in many Bible translations, and classic literature and poetry.  As you advance in Spanish, it is well worth familiarizing yourself with this form.  If you plan to travel to Spain, it is essential.  Despite its familiar connotation, it is popular and in widespread use.  If you were to say something like, "You Spaniards are such nice people!" it would sound more friendly with vosotros than with Uds.  Read more about vosotros here.

Vos is another exception that can be found in Argentina, Uruguay, parts of Colombia, the highlands of Honduras, and other places I am probably neglecting to mention.  Vos is used in these countries instead of tú, and sometimes is an all-purpose substitute for Ud. as well.  It has its own verb endings.  People who use vos will understand you if you address them with the tú or Ud. form, so don't worry about not being understood.  If you plan to travel to an area that uses vos, it is worth familiarizing yourself with it.  Read more about the use of vos here.

A little confusing at first?  Take comfort in the fact that most Spanish speakers are pretty forgiving of any error, and understand that you are trying to learn the language.  ¡Vale la pena! - It's worth it!

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Apr. 14, 2008 - Anyone for a tengo?

No, not that kind of tango.... I'm talking about tengo, a form of the common and important verb tener.  Let's look at some present tense forms of tener:

• Tengo - I have
• Tienes - you have
  
• Tiene - he or she have (this is also the formal "you" form)
• Tenemos - we have
• Tienen - They have. You (plural) have

Notice that the pronoun is built into the changing verb forms?  If you want to add a pronoun to emphasize who is "having", you can use these:

• yo - I
• tú - you
• él, ella - he, she
• nosotros - we
• ellos, ellas - they
• Ustedes - you plural

Enough of grammar!  Let's make real sentences using tener + article + a noun from your flash cards or vocabulary list.  Let's start simple:

• Tengo una naranja - I have an orange.
• Tengo un perro - I have a dog.
• Tengo los pantalones - I have the pants.
• Tengo la muñeca - I have the doll.

When you are comfortable with that, start asking and answering questions using other forms of tener, por ejemplo:

• ¿Tienes la manzana? Sí, tengo la manzana. - Do you have the apple?  Yes, I have the apple.
• ¿Tienes un gato?  No, no tengo un gato. - Do you have a cat?  No, I don't have a cat.
• ¿Tienes la muñeca?  Sí, tengo la muñeca. - Do you have the doll?  Yes, I have the doll.
• ¿Tienes un carro?  Sí, tengo un carro. - Do you have a car?  Yes, I have a car.

Play with other forms of tener, and add adjectives that you have learned, to make other sentences, por ejemplo:

•  Tienen una casa bonita - They have a pretty house.
• Tenemos un carro azul - We have a blue car.
• Ella tiene una manzana roja - She has a red apple.
• Él tiene un gato negro - He has a black cat.
• Tenemos un sofa verde - We have a green sofa.

There is yet another use for tener!  In English we say we are hungry, or we are sleepy, but in Spanish they "have" these things.  Por ejemplo:

• Tengo frío - I am cold (I have cold)
• Tenemos hambre - We are hungry (I have hunger)
• Ella tiene sueño - She is sleepy (get it?)
• Él tiene calor - He is hot/warm.
• Tienes razón - You're right.
• ¡Ten cuidado! - Be careful! (that is the command form)
• Tengo prisa - I am in a hurry.
• Ella no tiene razón - She is wrong.
• Tienen miedo - They are scared.
• Él tiene 9 años - He is nine years old.

Tengo hambre.... time for lunch!  ¡Vamos a comer!  Let's eat!

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Apr. 10, 2008 - I know my Redeemer Lives/Yo sé que vive mi Redentor - Nicole C. Mullen

I was just in the mood to hear this song, so I looked it up on youtube.  Little did I know she starts it out be singing in Spanish!  Ok, this puppy is going on my Amazon Wish List.... Thank you Nicole for sharing your gift with the world.

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Apr. 1, 2008 - Me duelen los oidos

Ok, I have been one of those MIA bloggers for over a week!  Pues, es que me duelen los oídos.  In other words, my ears hurt.  But life goes on, and it occurred to me that you can still get sick while speaking Spanish, so why not offer an entry dealing with this favorite topic?

• Estoy enfermo/a - I am sick.  Remember that -o is the masculine ending and -a is the feminine ending.  By sheer genetics, I would say Estoy enferma.
• Está enfermo/a - He or she is sick.  Once again, the masculine or feminine endings need to correspond.

• Me duele -  something hurts me.  Usually this is followed by a singular body part, such as: me duele el brazo, me duele la cabeza, me duele el ojo.
• Me duelen - same as above, but this time you use it with a plural body part, such as: me duelen las piernas, me duelen los pies.

• los pies - the feet
• el brazo - the arm
• los ojos - the eyes
• el oído - the ear (internal)
• la oreja - the ear (external)
• el estómago - the stomach
• la rodialla - the knee
• el diente - the tooth
• las piernas - the legs

Tome Ud. dos aspirinas, y llámeme en la mañana.... take two aspirins and call me in the morning...

**Good questions!  An HSB friend asked me how we say: I hope you're feeling better soon.  That would be: ¡Espero que te repongas pronto!  And thanks for the well wishes! 

Her other question is about this: ñ¡¿áéíóú  You can teach your keyboard to speak Spanish too.

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Mar. 25, 2008 - The Chilean National Anthem

In this video, a young girl sings the Chilean National Anthem at a New Year's celebration.  There is only one small technical problem: Chile is one of the few nations that does not have an official anthem.  This song, however, is regarded by most chilenos to be their anthem.

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Mar. 19, 2008 - Cristo Ha Resucitado - Christ has Risen

¡Feliz Pascua de la Resurrección!  Happy Easter!  The following is a hymn originally written by Charles Wesley.  It also enjoys popularity in its Spanish translation, and will be sung all across the Spanish speaking world this Domingo de Pascua/Easter Sunday.  It is known in Spanish as Cristo Ha Resucitado - Christ has Risen.

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Mar. 19, 2008 - ¡Yo sí puedo! Yes I can!

Nothing like that boost of confidence that comes from talking about the things we CAN do!  Let's talk about what we can do using one of the most common verbs in the Spanish language, poder, meaning can or be able to.

The basic formula for saying "I can...." is to say Yo puedo....  However, the pronoun I/yo is built into your verb ending, so it is actually a little redundant in Spanish to always use the Yo.  (except when you want to make an emphasis, such as I did in this entry title)  So here is our formula.....

Puedo + an unconjugated verb = I can (verb)  .  A simple no in front of puedo makes the sentence negative.  Examples:

• Puedo patinar - I can skate.
• Puedo cocinar - I can cook.
• Puedo leer - I can read.
• No puedo volar - I can't fly.
• Puedo saltar - I can jump.
• Puedo correr - I can run.
• Puedo jugar - I can play.

The possibilities are endless!  Think about things you want to say you can do, and look them up to plug into your sentences.

Y tú.....¿qué puedes hacer?  And you.... what can you do?

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Mar. 16, 2008 - Field Trip! Semana Santa

Semana Santa is Holy Week, one of the largest celebrations you will see in any Spanish-speaking country.  Beginning today Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday), and going to Easter (la Pascua) schools and businesses come to a halt while people celebrate with processions, worship, and feasts.  Let's take a little trip and peek in one some of these celebrations  Here, we join a Domingo de Ramos celebration in Perú....

Here, Costa Ricans reenact the Passion (La Pasíon):

Here is a beautiful night time Procesión in Perú, in which the street is carpeted with designs made by flower petals:

Here, in penance for sins, Los Penitentes carry crosses in a procesión in Oaxaca, Mexico:

Honoring Mary, and remembering her suffering at the death of her Son is a key aspect of Semana Santa, such as this weeping Madonna in Sevilla, Spain:

No celebration is complete without special foods to commemorate the event!  With all those outdoor processions, icy fruity drinks and snowcones are an important part of the day.  This done in memory of the woman who gave Jesus a drink as he carried his cross.  In Mexico, we would see foods that look familiar to us being served: burritos, chalupas, and quesadillas.  Chicken or fish dishes are enjoyed throughout the week, as many people avoid meat, especially on Viernes Santo (Good Friday).  Crispy fried salt cod (bacalao) is a common favorite.  Easter dinner itself usually consists of lamb.   In Spain, everyone eats torrijas, a sweet, sticky treat that resembles deep fried french toast topped in honey or syrup and powdered sugar:

Children wake up Easter Sunday morning to a basket of chocolates and candies.  The Easter bunny does not figure into their celebrations.

Still hungry?  Here is the fantastic Cooking Diva blog, with some beautiful recipe ideas to celebrate! Yummmm... I think I gained 5 pounds just posting that!

 

 

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Mar. 15, 2008 - The Mexican National Anthem

Here is the National Anthem of Mexico.  It truly reflects the pride so many Mexicans have in their nation and history.  The lyrics are written in Spanish and English so that you can follow along.

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Mar. 13, 2008 - A resource well worth looking into!

Loralin, a homeschool buddy from FIAR, introduced me to a great resource for free online Spanish lessons!  It is called Live Mocha.  Thanks Loralin!

This site is designed for people age 13 and up.  You can choose from several languages to study, and lessons are done using visual, auditory, and review of your work by a native speaker.  A sort of buddy system is employed in which your written or pronunciation exercises are sent to another student, who is a native speaker, for correction.  To return the favor, you correct the work of someone learning English. 

IMs and online friends are a key feature of the site.  This is the reason children are not permitted, and teens (or anyone else for that matter!) need to proceed with care.  I tested out all the features before offering my recommendation, so here is my two cents:  Everyone on the site that I "talked" to was appropriate, respectful, focused on learning, and encouraging.  Of course people are people, and abuse of the system is possible.  This site does allow you to report any inappropriate emails or IMs.

When you are online working on the lessons, IMs will pop up as people look for others to practice with.  You can always refuse an IM.  You don't have to add any friends, and you don't have to accept any friendship offers from anyone else.  I took the plunge, and everyone has been fine so far.  But I don't want to recommend the site without letting you know...

The lessons themselves were great.  I was so amazed that this stuff is FREE!  One user said that the setup is similar to Rosetta Stone, in which you have pictures, and hear a native speaker saying phrases related to the scenes.  I read somewhere on the site that it will eventually become a fee-based site.  Get in and give it a go while it is still free!  This site will be especially useful to parents who wish to teach Spanish to their kids, but need to get up to speed themselves.

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Mar. 7, 2008 - Stress!!!

So which syllable do you put the accent on when sounding out a Spanish word that is new to you?  A fellow Spanish geek (and I mean that in the best possible way) and I discussed just that this week.  Ok, so.... do you want the long and complicated list of rules with every subtle nuance and crazy exception, or do you want the quick and easy to remember version?  Yea, I thought so.  First, gaze upon this cute lizard.  You'll see why in a moment.

• día - DÍ-a
• Córdoba - CÓR-do-ba
• común - co-MÚN
• inglés - ing-LÉS

• joven - JO-ven
• mesa - ME-sa
• semejante - se-me-JAN-te
• enero - en-ER-o

• ciudad - ci-u-DAD
• comer - com-ER
• hotel - ho-TEL
• actriz - ac-TRIZ
  

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Mar. 6, 2008 - The Spanish National Anthem

Here is the lovely and dignified National Anthem (Himno) of Spain.  Want to sing along?  Oops, sorry, there are no words!  Literally, they can't agree on what they want it to say, so all efforts to put words to this anthem have been ditched.

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Mar. 4, 2008 - Wordless Wednesday

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Mar. 4, 2008 - ¿Dónde está? Parte dos...backing up a bit.

Sometimes I get ahead of myself.  I have grand plans for some lesson to teach my kids, and it flops.  I realize that a solid foundation needs to be in place before they are ready to take a more complicated step.  Most homeschoolers find that this is true when you are trying to get your child to respond in Spanish.  They need to take it in, assimilate it, and let their brain chew on it awhile before it really clicks and they are ready to respond to you.

Case in point: my own three children.  My middle child is always the first to understand the concept.  Never mind that she is not the oldest, I just think she is the one who will truly have more of a knack for picking up the language.  The eldest tries to answer a ¿dónde está? question by putting dónde in the answer.  The youngest repeats whatever I say.  He doesn't understand that he needs to respond.  Maybe at his age repeating is a good place to start, and to gear my efforts for him.  Maybe all this makes me sound like a homeschooler who just crawled out from under a rock, but I am learning from my kids, and tweaking my approach to them every day.

That having been said, here is what we ended up doing... I introduce the phrase ¿dónde está......?, and explained that if there is more than one of something, we say ¿dónde están...?  I will then ask the ¿dónde está....? questions, and the kids responded by pointing to the object!  It looked like this:

• ¿Dónde está la lámpera? - child points to lamp
• ¿Dónde está la mesa? - child points to table
• ¿Dónde están las uvas? - child points to bananas...oops, no sweetie, those are the platanos, the uvas are here....
• ¿Dónde está el conejo? - Child points to the rabbit and then gets distracted playing with him and Spanish time is OVER!

Give that a try!

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Mar. 1, 2008 - ¿Dónde está......?

• ¿Dónde está el carro?
• ¿Dónde están las calcetines?
• ¿Dónde está la niña?
• ¿Dónde están los platos?

• aquí - here, as in right here
• acá - here, in this general area
• ahí (sometimes allí - pronounced the same) - there, where you are
• allá - there, where neither of us are

• Está aquí - it is here
• Están aquí - they are here
• Está ahí - it is there (where you are)
• Están ahí - they are there (where you are)
• Está allá - it is there (where neither of us are)
• Están allá - they are there (where neither of us are)

• ¿Dónde están las uvas? - Están allá
• ¿Dónde está la llave? - Está aquí
• ¿Dónde está el perro? - Está ahí

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Feb. 26, 2008 - If you are interested in Rosetta Stone...

**Editing to add a note/bummer: Rosetta Stone is discontinuing its library program.  Libraries that offer the program have yearly contracts, and they will not be renewed when they expire this year.  If you are thinking of using the program at the library I linked, please contact them first and see when it will expire to decide if the expense is worth it to you.  Sorry!

Interested in Rosetta Stone, but don't want to cough up the $dinero$ ?  Here is how you get it for $35...

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Feb. 26, 2008 - Basic Greetings

Professor Jason is back with a lesson about basic greetings in Spanish.  By the way, I discovered his set of helpful videos on youtube, and I encourage you to take a look at them.  Bravo to Professor Jason for making this resource available free to everyone!


Here are the greetings that he teaches in this lesson:

• hola - hi/hello
• buenos días - good morning
• buenas tardes - good afternoon
• buenas noches - good evening/night
• ¿qué tal? - how are you?
• ¿cómo estás? - how are you?
• ¿cómo te va? - how's it going
• ¿cómo te llamas? - what is your name?
• ¿de dónde eres? - where are you from?
• ¿dónde vives? - where do you live?
• ¿cuántos años tienes? - how old are you?
• ¿cuántos años tiene Ud.? - how old are you (formal)
• mucho gusto (en conocerte) - nice to meet you
• hasta luego - see you later
• hasta mañana - see you tomorrow
• nos vemos - see you later
• chau - bye
• adios - goodbye

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Feb. 22, 2008 - La Playa - Field trip!

This is the view from my luxury beach-front condo in Marbella, Spain.  Let me just pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming... ouch!  Dreaming again! 

In the last entry we talked about wishes, and right now I could say, Quisiera estar en Marbella.... I wish I were in Marbella.  Marbella sits in Southern Spain, in the province of Andalucia, on what is called La Costa del Sol - The Sun Coast.  You can see on this map that it is at the western edge of the Mediterranean Sea, and in close proximity to North Africa.

La Costa del Sol is where Europe goes to relax and play, and get away from the dreary winter and chill of the North.  One of the major industries of Spain is tourism, and Marbella is the tip of the iceberg.  Not only are the beaches and fresh seafood a lovely temptation, but Southern Spain is a bounty for the history buff, and a great opportunity to practice Spanish.

Here is Marbella Castle, the remains of a Roman Fortress.  Outside of town you can stroll through the old Roman Village called Las Bovedas.  After a morning of enjoying this amazing history, let's have lunch in a cafe in La Plaza de los Naranjos (Orange Tree Plaza), whose fountain dates back to the 15th century.

We will enjoy tapas, savory appetizer portions of Spanish food, served until you are satisfied.  Our yummy options include thin slices of serrano ham, calamari and shrimp in garlic sauce, marinated olives, roasted pepper salad, and a lemony potato salad.  There are more choices of dishes than we have time to enjoy!

Here are some phrases that may serve you well on our beach vacation:

• No te olvides ponerte el bronceador - Don't forget to put on sunscreen
• Me encanta la playa - I love the beach
• Vamos a ver la puesta del sol - Let's go watch the sunset
• Quisiera probar las gambas - I would like to try the shrimp (gambas is a word unique to Spain, camarones another option known throughout the Spanish speaking world.)
  
• Vamos a pasar la tarde en la playa - We are going to spend the afternoon on the beach
• Hace sol/Hace calor - It is sunny/It is hot
• Tengo sed/tengo hambre - I'm thirsty/I'm hungry
  
• Vamos a visitar las ruinas - We are going to visit the ruins (Roman or otherwise)
• El restaurante está en la plaza - The restaurant is in the plaza.

Ah.... a leisurely stroll through the old city... a day trip to the Moorish palace in Málaga... don't wake me up from this sueño yet, please......

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Feb. 20, 2008 - Dreams and wishes

Dreams can be so vivid and unusual that we just have to tell someone about them.  Let's stretch our Spanish muscles and try to say a little bit about a dream using Spanish.  This will likely require you to refer to a dictionary, but don't let that intimidate you!  I'll help you get started.... a dream in Spanish is un sueño.  To ask what someone dreamed about, you say, ¿con qué soñaste?  To say that you dreamed about something you say, soñé con....  Here are a few examples:

• Soñé con un conejo gigante - I dreamed of a giant rabbit.
• Soñé con un viaje a la luna - I dreamed about a trip to the moon.
• Soñé con una montaña de helado - I dreamed of a mountain of ice cream.

This is the kind of exercise that will inevitably lead to drawing pictures at my house.  Have your child draw a picture of a dream, and talk about it in Spanish, or write a sentence about the dream as a caption.

Fun slang tangent... One emphatic way in Spanish to say no or state an objection to something is to say, ¡ni en sueños!, which means "not even in dreams!".  For example... Would you like bugs on your sandwich?  ¡Ni en sueños!

Often in English we use the words dreams and wishes interchangeably, and it is likewise an opportunity to learn some new vocab in Spanish.  One way to talk about wishes in terms for our future hopes is to use the word quisiera to mean "I wish .....".  It can also mean, "I would like to....  For example:

• Quisiera ser una bailerina - I wish I were a ballerina.
• Quisiera ser un bombero - I would like to be a fireman
• Quisiera aprendar a tocar la guitarra - I would like to learn to play the guitar.

When this wish comes true, or you reach your goal, it becomes un sueño hecho realidad, or a dream come true.

Once again, this is an opportunity to make use of the dictionary and practice saying what we wish or would like for our future.  Drawing a picture would work great for this exercise too.

So how about your basic, plain old wish?  It is called a deseo.  Here are some uses for it...

• When someone is blowing out candles on the birthday cake it is common for everyone to chant, "pide un deseo, pide un deseo, pide un deseo..." (make a wish)
• You can also say pide un deseo as you hand someone a coin to toss in a fountain. 
  
• So what did you wish for? ¿Qué pediste? To say that you say, Pedí.......  For example: pedí un caballo - I wished for a horse.  Pedí una muñeca - I wished for a doll.

And as an appropriate finishing touch to this entry, here is how you say "sweet dreams!" in Spanish: ¡Que sueñes con los angelitos!

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Feb. 14, 2008 - ¡Feliz día de San Valentín!

¡Feliz Día de San Valentín!  Sometimes this holiday is called Día de los Enamorados in Spanish - Day of the Lovers, and alternately Día de amor y amistad - day of love and friendship.  So just like in our country it is for some a romantic celebration, but it is also common for friends to exchange valentines. 

So... how do you say those three wonderful words in Spanish - "I love you" ?
What about other terms of endearment?  This list should get you started...

• amado/a, cariño/a, querido/a - sweetheart, beloved
  
• mi amor - my love (common endearment between parents and children)
• amor - pure love, romantic love
• caridad - love and charity, commonly the form used in the New Testament.
• amistad - friendship
• amor mío - my love (can also be used between parents and children)
  
• te quiero - I love you, appropriate between friends, family, and in romantic relationships.
• te amo - another way to say I love you, but generally in a more romantic sense.  It is less commonly used.

For fun, make a Valentine for someone you love - ¡en español!

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Feb. 7, 2008 - Family vocabulary and phrases

Professor Jason is back to help you pronounce some new vocabulary words!  I have written down all the vocabulary from the video into a handy list for you to practice from and use.  Let's take a look at this lesson....

• los padres - parents
• mis padres - my parents
• el padre - the father
• la madre - the mother
• mi papá - my dad
• mi mamá - my mom, momma
• los hijos - children
• mis hijos - my children
• mi hijo - my son
• se llama - his/her name is.....
• mi hija - my daughter
• los hermanos - siblings, brothers and sisters
• ¿Cuántos hermanos tienes? - how many brothers and sisters do you have?
• Tengo seis, tres hermaons y tres hermanas - I have six, three brothers and three sisters
• los abuelos - grandparents
• mis abuelos - my grandparents
• el abuelo - grandfather
• la abuela - grandmother
• abuelito/a - grandpa/grandma or any other affectionate name for grandparents
• ¿Dónde viven tus padres?
• Mis padres viven en ......?
• ¿Cuántos años tiene tu hermano? - how old is your brother?
• Mi hermano tiene....... - My brother is ...........
  
• ¿Cuántos años tiene tu papá?
• Mi papá tiene...... - Mi Dad is.......
• ¿Cómo se llama tu hijo? - what is your son's name?
• ¿Cómo se llaman tus hijos? - What are your children's names?
• Se llaman...... - Their names are......
  
• ¿Tienes animales? Do you have pets?
• Sí, tengo un gato - Yes, I have a cat
• Sí tengo un perro - Yes, I have a dog.

• Mi mamá es cariñosa - My mother is loving.
  
• Mi papá es simpatico - My father is nice.
  
• Mi hermana es amigable - My sister is friendly
  
• Mis hermanos son listos - My siblings are smart.
  

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Feb. 4, 2008 - Bingo ¡Loteria!

Playing Bingo is a great way to add some fun to school work, and turn what otherwise might be a dull task into something to look forward to.  What a great way to reinforce numbers or vocabulary in Spanish!

This website allows you to create and print your own Bingo cards.  Fill them with vocab from your flash card set, or any other vocab list you are working on.

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Feb. 1, 2008 - You know that you've truly entered the blogosphere when....

I've been tagged by Fruitfulfamily.  I've seen it happen to others, and it finally happened to me.  There goes the neighborhood!  Ok, so I am supposed to list 7 random things about myself, and then tag 7 other people.  Hmmmm, let's think:

1. I am addicted to Dove chocolate, knitting, and reading.  I don't plan on attending rehab for any of these things any time soon.
2. I love to cook, hate the clean-up, and have a baking disability.
3. I really am content.  Really.  What a blessing.
4. .... except that I hate it that I went gray at a very early age and have to color my hair. 
   
5. I miss my parents. 
   
6. I have eaten iguana!  And conch, eel, escargot, frog legs, alligator, and probably a few other things in 3rd world countries that I'd rather not know.
   
7. I still need to go to Spain.  I will not be a true Spanish geek until I've done that.  I want to wander every callejón, visit every cathedral and palace, sip coffee in every town square, and have a nibble at every tapas restaurant.... sigh....
   

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Jan. 31, 2008 - Fab Field Trip resource!

Thanks to friends from FIAR, I was introduced to a fantastic resource for virtual field trips.  Check this site out! Nine Spanish-speaking nations are featured.

You and your child can choose a country, learn cool facts, view a history timeline, learn some lingo specific to that country, and see some beautiful sites.  For older children, this may be a great source for country reports!  Notebooking fans can use this as a great resource for chronicling a study of these countries.  Maybe your family can visit a country a week, and top off your study by cooking a recipe from your chosen country!

Here is an example of some of the neat things you can learn about Ecuador on this site.  While we all know that amigo means friend in Spanish, it is common in Ecuador to hear the word pana instead.  Goodbye is commonly chao,  There are even audio files so that you can pronounce these words correctly.

You can also visit important areas of your chosen country.  Here is a picture of Cuenca, Ecuador, a city that still boasts Spanish architecture from the 1500's.

Last but not least, you can take a quiz to see how much you learned about your country, then send a friend a postcard with a scene from that country.  How fun!

My only disappointment with the site is that it doesn't show flags for each country.  Never fear, the coloring book of flags is here.  If you want to print a great map, try this UN sponsored site.  Just choose a country from the menu on the left, and print away.  Excuse me while I sharpen my colored pencils....

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