Dec. 17, 2009
Villancicos
Posted in música
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Beautiful Christmas carols are as much a tradition in the Spanish speaking world as they are for us. In Spanish they are called villancicos, and are sung for caroling, during church, or with family and friends. A favorite and beloved villancico is Los Peces en el Rio: I am borrowing these lyrics from the villancicos section of the Navidad Digital site. (here - and check out all the songs, lyrics, videos, and audio files they have available!) These lyrics may not match the video exactly (I find that people sing these verses in random order), but will give you an idea what the song is about: La Virgen está lavando y tendiendo en el romero, los pajarillos cantando, y el romero floreciendo. Pero mira como beben los peces en el río, pero mira como beben por ver al Dios nacido. Beben y beben y vuelven a beber, los peces en el río por ver a Dios nacer. La Virgen se está peinando entre cortina y cortina, sus cabellos son de oro, el peine de plata fina. Pero mira como beben los peces en el río, pero mira como beben por ver al Dios nacido. Beben y beben y vuelven a beber, los peces en el río por ver a Dios nacer. La Virgen va caminando por entre aquellas palmeras, el Niño mira en sus ojos, el color de la vereda. Pero mira como beben los peces en el río, pero mira como beben por ver al Dios nacido. Beben y beben y vuelven a beber, los peces en el río por ver a Dios nacer. |
Dec. 16, 2009
¡Mazapán!
Posted in Cultural notes
 Mazapán, or marzipan, is a European treat that dates back to the Middle Ages. This versatile almond confection can be shaped in any way, and lends itself to the creativity of its maker. This treat can be enjoyed any time of the year, but comes out in full force in Spain during the Navidad season. According to a product description on Tienda.com: "At the battle of Navas de Tolosa in the year 1212, it is said that the nuns of the San Clemente convent took care of the wounded soldiers. According to tradition, they ground up their stores of almonds in mortars and pestles, and then kneaded them together with sugar to create emergency rations. This type of bread (pan) produced with a pestle (maza) is supposed to have given rise to the name mazapán in Spanish - marzipan in English." In a blog guaranteed to make you hungry, Ellie Barczak talks about buying mazapán in Toledo, Spain. Check out this mazapán bakery in Spain, where they turn out these lovely sweets en masse. They explain that their mazapán is made of crushed, peeled almonds, sugar, egg whites, and water. It is shaped, and then takes a trip through the oven. While being baked, it is sprayed with sugar water so that the tops brown. Once cooled, it is wrapped and ready to sold.  Look for marzipan in specialty stores, or give it a try at home! I got this recipe from www.recipelink.com:
3 cups whole almonds, blanched and ground 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 2 egg whites, lightly beaten 3-4 Tbsp. powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla In a saucepan, heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Let it boil steadily without stirring until the temperature reaches 230-234 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and beat until mixture turns slightly cloudy. Stir in ground almonds, egg whites, and vanilla. Cook over gentle heat for 2-3 minutes or until mixture pulls away from sides of pan. Turn mixture onto a surface that has been sprinkled with some of the powdered sugar. Knead the mixture until smooth, working in the rest of the powdered sugar. Pull off pieces and roll into balls or olive-shaped pieces. Wrap in foil or wax paper and store in airtight container. |
Dec. 15, 2009
The Belén
Posted in Cultural notes
 Influenced by our global culture, you will see some Christmas trees and versions of Santa Claus in Spanish speaking countries. However, the primary and most important Christmas decoration in most homes is the Belén - the Nativity scene. These can become rather elaborate and large, looking almost as intricate and detailed as large train set. The humble manger is expanded upon as families collect figures, buildings, plants, and animals over the years. Many families start with a basic Belén, and add one figurine per year, and often figurines and scenes get passed down in families. Little Bethleham expands to include figures from Spanish folklore, and scenes that look more like rural Spain than Israel. It is customary for baby Jesus to be added to the Belén on Christmas Eve (la Nochebuena) or Christmas morning. In some countries, the Belén stays up until Three Kings Day (El Día de los Reyes), January 6th, at which point the three Wise Men are added.
Let's look at some beautiful Beléns I found on Navidad Digital. I was especially taken with this scene from a Belén that reflects Moorish style architecture found in southern Spain:  Look how elaborate and detailed this portion of one Belén is:
 This Belén is made even more beautiful with lights:
 This Belén takes up a corner of the room:
 Watch out baby Jesus, Herod's castle is just around the corner, and he's jealous of you!
 These charming pictures of Belén scenes from all over the Spanish-speaking world come from a fun site called Navidad Digital. View over 4,000 photos that people have uploaded to the site by clicking here!
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Dec. 13, 2009
¡Bájale!
Posted in phrase of the week
 Phrase of the week: ¡Bájale! (BAH-hah-lay) Turn it down! -or- Quiet down! |
Dec. 12, 2009
Happy Hanukkah!
Posted in Cultural notes
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Dec. 10, 2009
Christmas Vocabulary
Posted in Cultural notes
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Dec. 8, 2009
Siglas en Español
Posted in grammar and language helps
 You can hardly read anything in English, or watch the news, without running into acronyms. They surround us, from R.S.V.P.'s on invitations, to the latest actions of the U.N. In Spanish, because the word order is different acronyms tend to look a little different. Here is an incomplete list of acronyms, or siglas, in Spanish:
NATO - OTAN U.N. - O.N.U. HIV/AIDS - VIH/SIDA U.S.A. - E.U.A. or EE. UU. RENFE - the acronym of Spain's national system of trains B.C. - a.C. or a.J.C. or a. de C. or a. de J.C. A.D. - d.C. or d.J.C. or d. de C. or d. de J.CO OAS (Organization of American States) - OEA P.S. - P.D. R.I.P. - q.e.p.d. U.F.O. - OVNI Inc. (not really an acronym in English, but becomes one in Spanish)- S.A. R.S.V.P.- there is no acronym for this in Spanish. To get the message across in Spanish, "Por favor confirmar su asistencia" may be written on an invitation. And of course, there is always someone on the internet that has that definitive list, so here you go: more siglas than you will ever need in your lifetime! |
Dec. 6, 2009
Vete a bañar
Posted in phrase of the week
 Phrase of the week: Vete a bañar (bay tay ah BAHN-yahr) Go take a bath. |
Dec. 3, 2009
Pocoyo!
Posted in bilingual stories
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Dec. 1, 2009
A word about subject pronouns...
Posted in grammar and language helps
 When we first learn to use Spanish verbs, we learn the pronouns to use with each verb form. While difficult at first, it makes perfect sense to the English speaker to use a pronoun with a verb, just as we so frequently use I, you, he, she, it, we, and they in English. However, in Spanish the pronoun is often built into the verbs structure, and it is redundant to use. Why does Spanish have this redundancy, and why don't they just do away with pronouns altogether?
Let's look at a case in point, the word "yo" (I in English). In general conversation and writing, make it a habit just to drop it. Instead of "yo hablo" or "yo creo", or "yo quiero", simply say: hablo, creo, quiero. The form of the verb makes it clear that the subject is "yo", and if you were to include the "yo", the redundancy makes it sound like you are emphasizing yourself in each sentence. Here is the kicker: by putting "yo" in front of your verbs all the time, you will come off as self-centered and egotistical. I'm sure that's not the impression you want to make! Try to only use "yo" when you want to make a specific emphasis. The same will generally hold true for "tú". The verb form makes it clear who you are referring to, and so it can usually be dropped. Add "tú" strategically for emphasis. If you want to say, "YOU really make the best Christmas cookies!" (¡Tú sí haces las mejores galletas de Navidad!), the emphasis of adding "tú" makes this a stronger compliment. You will also hear "tú" used a lot in an argument in which the speaker is wanting to put a lot of blame on whoever the unfortunate "tú" is. Overusing "tú" might make your listener nervous, wondering why you are singling them out with this redundant overusage. The story is different when it comes to pronouns like: él, ella, Ud., ellas, ellos, Uds. If you say "quiere ir al cine", it may not be clear to your listener who you are talking about. The rule of thumb with the third person pronouns is to skip them if it is clear who is being talked about, use them for clarity if there is any doubt, and toss them in for subtle emphasis when you want to call special attention to the subject. |
Nov. 29, 2009
¡Qué tiempo más malo!
Posted in phrase of the week
 Phrase of the week: ¡Qué tiempo más malo! (kay tee-EHM-poh mahs MAH-lo) What terrible weather! |
Nov. 26, 2009
Turkey enchiladas
Posted in Cultural notes
 Got leftovers? Why not make turkey enchiladas this year? Hope you had a wonderful holiday! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/turkey-enchiladas/detail.aspx
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Nov. 24, 2009
Thanksgiving vocabulary
Posted in Cultural notes
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Nov. 22, 2009
No me late
Posted in phrase of the week
 Phrase of the week: No me late. (no may LAH-tay) It doesn't sit well with me. Can also be used in a slang sense to mean: I don't think so! The picture features tripe, something I can definitely say "no me late" about! (shudder) |
Nov. 19, 2009
¡Ojo! Watch out: False cognates
Posted in grammar and language helps
 A frequent mistake that Spanish learners make is to assume that when they see a Spanish word that looks like an English word, the two words have the same meaning. There are numerous false cognates between English and Spanish, and it helps to make a special note of these when they show up on a vocabulary list. Assistir may look like “assist”, but really means “attend”. Actualmente may look like “actually”, but really means “presently”. Probar is similar to “prove”, but actually means “try”. Often, these words have similar roots, but evolved differently to have varied meanings over the centuries. Check out this extensive list of false cognates: http://spanish.about.com/cs/vocabulary/a/obviouswrong.htm My favorite false cognate funny…. When you clean your house, you always vacunar la carpeta, right? Sounds right to our English-speaking ears, but in Spanish that means vaccinate the folder!
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Nov. 17, 2009
So my friend tells me one day that she's moving to Chile....
Posted in Field Trip
 My friend Katie and her husband packed up their boxes, kids, and dogs, and moved to a small city in Chile. It has been one adventure after another since they arrived there several months ago. Sometimes their experiences have been amazing, and sometimes frustrating. They spoke very little Spanish when they arrived, but have been picking it up rapidly using the real immersion method.
I've been so envious as I've read about them wandering through Chile and Argentina, doing everything from exploring natural wonders to tasting local wines and foods. I'm not so envious as they do laundry in the sink and figure out how to cook on a wood stove (Katie's pretty good at that now!) Join this homeschooling family on their adventures by visiting Katie's funny and brutally honest blog: Our Faith Adventure. **Note: Katie's new blog location **
The area in South America where Katie and her family live and are traveling is called El Cono Sur (The Southern Cone) in Spanish.  |
Nov. 15, 2009
No hay otro modo
Posted in phrase of the week
 Phrase of the week: No hay otro modo. (no ahy OH-troh MOH-doh) There's no other way. This is usually used figuratively. It can also be a sentence starter, for example: No hay otro modo de conseguir las entradas - There's no other way to get the tickets. |
Nov. 12, 2009
No volveré por The Gypsy Kings
Posted in música
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Nov. 11, 2009
Veterans Day 2009
 In 2007, it was estimated that there were 1.1 million Hispanic veterans in the U.S. Today, our thanks go out to them, and to every veteran who has served our country. Regardless of the problems we see on the news, it does us good to remember that there are millions of Hispanics who are first and foremost Americans, and that they too love this country and the lives they have here.
Thanks to ALL veterans! |
Nov. 8, 2009
Pronunciation help from a free internet resource
Posted in grammar and language helps
 Another great, free web resource is available to help you with your Spanish. On Forvo, you can hear words in Spanish, or any language, pronounced by native speakers. Click here to go to the home page.
In the upper right corner of the page, you'll notice a search box that allows you to look up a word you want to hear pronounced. Let's give it a try using the word "abanico". When you enter the word you will get a results page. You'll notice that your results options include Portuguese. This is not unusual, you will find that there is a definite overlap between Spanish and other Romance languages. When you click on the Spanish results, you will have two options. You can hear a female speaker from Costa Rica or a male speaker from Argentina pronounce the word for you. Although there will be differences due to regional accents, the basic pronunciation will be the same. Bookmark this site and enjoy hearing the pronunciation of words you may have been unsure of in the past! |
Nov. 8, 2009
Cuéntame una historia
Posted in phrase of the week
 Phrase of the week: Cuéntame una historia (KWAYN-tah-may OOH-nah ee-stohr-EE-ah) Tell me a story. Grammar note: Spanish commands often tag a pronoun at the end of the verb: Cuéntame = Tellme |
Nov. 5, 2009
Plaza Sésamo - Ricas Frutas
Posted in música
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How fun! Sesame Street is beloved by kids (and adults) all over the world. This charming video comes from Mexico's Plaza Sésamo, and teaches the names of Ricas Frutas/yummy fruits and promotes their health benefits in a cute and catchy way. An added bonus for the Spanish learner: it is subtitled in English! See if you can pick up on the names of the following fruits as you watch and listen: la sandia - watermelon la naranja - orange el banano - banana la manzana - apple la cirhuela - plum el durazno - peach los melones - melons la guayaba - guava la papaya - papaya las uvas - grapes la piña - pineapple la toronja - grapefruit If you enjoyed the lead singer's voice, his name is Alex Syntek, and he is a popular latin pop singer. You can hear more from him at your favorite music download site. |
Nov. 2, 2009
Some pictures from our Día de los Muertos celebration...
Posted in Cultural notes
 It is customary on Day of the Dead to make an "ofrenda" or offering for the spirits of departed loved ones. While this has roots in the belief that the spirits actually visit the ofrenda, most people today consider it a way to celebrate and remember departed loved ones. A typical ofrenda will contain candles, marigolds, bread, tequila, a pitcher of water, candy, sugar skulls, fruit, items that belonged to the departed ones, and photos of them. My family doesn't really celebrate Day of the Dead, but I set this up as a lesson for my kids, and for other homeschoolers who visited us that day. It turned out be be a lovely way to set aside a day to remember and celebrate family members who I miss!
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Nov. 1, 2009
miniWord Reference
Posted in grammar and language helps
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Mini Word Reference is an exciting new widget I found that I can't resist bringing to your attention. I have long used and relied on the Word Reference site, and recommend it at every opportunity. It is now available as a widget that you can conveniently use while on this site, or place on a site that you use frequently.
Check out the Word Reference site at www.wordreference.com for more freebies, including Iphone apps and toolbars to add to your browser window. Please Word Reference people - make a Blackberry app! I can honestly say that as I've grown more dependent upon Word Reference and its forums, my big unabridged Spanish-English dictionary has been gathering dust. Maybe I can refinish it and use it as an end table? |
Nov. 1, 2009
Son como dos gotas de agua
Posted in phrase of the week
 Phrase of the Week: Son como dos gotas de agua (sohn COH-moh dohs GOH-tahs day AH-gwa) They're exactly alike! / They're two of a kind (Literally: They are like two drops of water) |
Oct. 30, 2009
Over the Top
 Thanks to Debbie at http://unafamiliaalaskena.blogspot.com/ for this fun little blog award! I am now supposed to answer the following questions using one word only (a rule which I will probably break), and then pass the award on to three more blogs. Here goes....
1. Where is your cell phone? nightstand 2. Your hair? fine, thank you 3. Your mother? MSRIP 4. Your father? MHRIP 5. Your favorite food? Mexican 6. Your dream last night? complicated 7. Your favorite drink? water (well, really margaritas, but it is not practical to be swigging those all day) 8. Your goal? successful homeschooling 9. What room are you in? office 10. Your hobby? knitting 11. Your fear? Alzheimer's 12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? somewhere with trees 13. Where were you last night? home 14. Something you aren’t? judgmental 15. Muffins? orange-cranberry 16. Wish list item? more books 17. Where did you grow up? Indiana 18. Last thing you did? made breakfast 19. What are you wearing? workout clothes 20. Your TV? big 21. Your pets? cute hammy & cranky rabbit 22. Your friends? wonderful 23. Your life? good-busy 24. Your mood? is brain fog a mood? 25. Missing someone? family 26. Vehicle? Suburban Assault Vehicle (Nissan Quest) 27. Something you’re not wearing? stupid question!?!!? 28. Your favorite store? mega Barnes & Nobles and Kohl's 29. Your favorite color? blue 30. When was the last time you laughed? last night 31. Last time you cried? do you really care? 32. Your best friend? is a blast 33. One place that I go over and over? the store 34. One person who emails me regularly? ummmm...Facebook notifications 35. Favorite place to eat? anywhere but fast food/buffet/cafeteria I am passing on this award to... Sandra at http://mariposamontessoriblog.blogspot.com/ Katie at http://ourfaithadventure.blogspot.com/ Adriana at http://mybilingualboys.blogspot.com/ |
Oct. 29, 2009
The Lord's Prayer - El Padre Nuestro
Posted in Cultural notes
 Padre nuestro, que estás en el cielo. Santificado sea tu nombre. Venga tu reino. Hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal. Amén. |
Oct. 28, 2009
A fun site for Spanish language TV
Posted in Cultural notes
          This site has all the must-see TV that you can handle in Spanish. Spanish geeks rejoice - it's all here! Check out FOMNY.com Ready to watch 54 TV channels from Spain, 28 from Argentina, and 19 from other South American Nations? Just select your country in the upper left, click on the icon of the station you want to see, and watch a live TV feed from that country. Double click on the video to watch it full screen. You will find that some stations will not work, and some prompt you to download a plug-in. No worries, just try a different station. At any given time, I have been able to get several to work, and have never downloaded any plug-ins. You'll recognize some of the logos, like Disney, and various cartoon characters. The word pelicula indicates a movie channel, and deportes are sports. News is sometimes simply news, or noticias. Disclaimer: I wouldn't let my kids just surf through this unsupervised any more than I would let them watch just anything on regular TV... so be judicious. Oh... I just found That 70s Show in Spanish! |
Oct. 26, 2009
Hablando del Rey de Roma....
Posted in phrase of the week
 Phrase of the week: Hablando del Rey de Roma... (ah-BLAHN-doh dehl ray day ROH-mah) Speak of the devil.... (literally: speaking of the King of Rome...) |
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