Are you familiar with the Spanish word según? Did you know that it can function as a preposition, a conjunction or even an adverb? Let's explore six meanings of this common Spanish word.

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1. In Accordance With 

As a preposition, the Spanish word según can mean "according to," "in agreement with" or "in accordance with," in the sense of following or abiding by something. Let's see an example of this usage: 

Yo estoy actuando según la ley.

I'm acting in accordance with the law.

Caption 11, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 3 - Part 10

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2. According To

As we see in the following captions, like "according to" in English, the Spanish preposition según can also appear before nouns or personal pronouns to describe what people or entities believe or say.

y según expertos es una de las más antiguas

and according to experts, it's one of the oldest ones,

Caption 25, Amaya Cata de vinos

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Las pirámides, según los abuelos Mayas, no son monumentos

The pyramids, according to the Mayan elders, are not monuments

Caption 47, Guillermo el chamán La tecnología maya

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3. Corresponding With or in Proportion To

This use of según as a preposition is often translated with the English phrase "depending on." In this case, según is often followed by a noun phrase that includes a verb in the subjunctive and describes some variable on which an outcome depends. Let's take a look:

que, según la manera en que respiremos, así va a ser nuestra vida.

as, depending upon the manner in which we breathe, that's how our life is going to be.

Captions 76-77, Ana Teresa La respiración

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Esta planta tiene diferentes nombres según el país en que se encuentre, 

This plant has different names depending on the country in which it is found,

Caption 15, Fermín La plumeria - Part 1

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4. Depending on What or How

In this case, the Spanish word según is classified as a conjunction and is often followed immediately by a verb in the subjunctive mood. Typical translations include "depending on what" or "depending on how," as in the following example:

Let's see one more from the Yabla Spanish library:

Aquí se tira mucho o poco según se mire.

Here a lot or a little is thrown away depending on how you look at it.

Caption 20, Los Reporteros Sembrar, comer, tirar - Part 1

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5. As

There are two ways in which the Spanish conjunction según can function like the English word "as." Let's take a closer look. 

In the way that:

The Spanish word según can be replaced with the English word "as" to say "in the way that," as we see here:

Que según entiendo tampoco estás haciendo con juicio.

Which, as I understand, you're not doing sensibly, either.

Caption 59, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 5 - Part 7

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según dicen algunos, que de ahí proviene el nombre de Coronil.

as some people say, from there comes the name Coronil.

Captions 10-11, Tecnópolis El Coronil

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Simultaneously:

Según can also be translated as "as" as to talk about something that is happening at the same time as something else:

6. It All Depends 

Finally, as we see in the caption below, the word según in Spanish can stand alone as an adverb meaning "depending" or "it all depends."

That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to distinguish the many nuanced uses of the word según in Spanish, and don't forget to write us with your suggestions and comments.

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Have you heard the word capaz in Spanish? Although this word is often translated with the English term "capable," it has several different nuances and additional translations that are worth exploring. In this lesson, we will highlight five different ways in which this useful Spanish adjective can be employed.

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1. To Talk About Capacity

We can use the word capaz in Spanish when referring to "capacity," or the number or amount of something that can fit in a determined space. Let's see an example of this usage:

El salón de baile es capaz para 1,500 personas.

The capacity of this ballroom is 1,500 people.

2. To Indicate Ability

The word capaz can additionally be used to indicate someone or something's "ability" to do something:

Roberto es capaz de conducir un auto.

Roberto is capable of driving a car.

Note that in this example, we are merely saying that Roberto is "able" to drive a car (rather than implying that he is an excellent driver!). Let's see another, similar example:

Quiero comprar un barco que sea capaz de... de hacer travesías largas.

I want to buy a boat that is capable of... of making long voyages.

Captions 72-73, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 20

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3. To Emphasize Talent or Ability

Contrary to the previous usage, the Spanish word capaz can also be used to emphasize someone's talent or ability. In this case, the person described actually excels at some task or is generally considered "qualified" or "efficient":

Ah, bueno, Juan Cruz es un muchacho muy capaz, un excelente muchacho.

Oh, well, Juan Cruz is a very capable guy, an excellent guy.

Caption 56, Muñeca Brava 45 El secreto - Part 5

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4. To Describe Inherent Capacity

Another meaning of the word capaz has to do with whether or not one "has it in them" or "would dare" to do something. Let's take a look at a couple of clips that illustrate this meaning:

¿Ah? ¡A ver! A ver si es capaz de decírmelo en mi cara.

Huh? Let's see! Let's see if you're capable of saying it to my face.

Captions 42-44, Tu Voz Estéreo Embalsamado - Part 12

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¡A que no eres capaz!

I bet you can't do it!

Caption 53, Guillermina y Candelario El Mar enamorado

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In the following clip, our friend Silvia shares with us an expression that fits into this use of capaz:

"No tener pelos en la lengua" quiere decir que esta persona es capaz de decir cualquier cosa de forma clara y directa, sin importarle lo que piensen los demás.

"Not to have hairs on one's tongue" means that this person is capable of saying anything clearly and directly, without what others think mattering to them.

Captions 13-16, Aprendiendo con Silvia Frases hechas - Part 4

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5. To Express Probability or Possibility

In many Latin American countries, the expression Es capaz que can be used to say that "It's possible that" or something "might" happen, as in the sentence  Es capaz que nieve (It might snow). Similarly, the Spanish word capaz can also function as an adverb with que or on its own to express the idea of "perhaps" or "maybe," as in the following examples:

Y capaz que lo conozco.

And maybe I know him.

Caption 53, Yago 14 La peruana - Part 3

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capaz están cerca de un lugar para escalar

maybe you are near a place to climb

Caption 12, Buenos Aires Escalando en Buenos Aires

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In fact, you might even hear someone answer a question like "¿Vas a la fiesta?" with the simple word: "Capaz" (Maybe/I might).

That's all for today. Having learned several ways to use capaz in Spanish, we invite you to write ten sentences with this very useful word— and don't forget to write us with your suggestions and comments.

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This year, we have chosen a word that has already been named Word of the Year by other linguistic sources. In fact, it was FundeuRAE's Word of the Year last year. However, we believe that this word has gained new traction in the last twelve months, and, for this reason, have selected it as our Spanish Word of the Year 2023. Let's reveal it!

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Inteligencia artificial: The Spanish Word of the Year 2023

Is there anything more trendy than AI today? From ChatGPT to MidJourney and everything in between, the concept of AI is totally transforming the world around us. This is why we have chosen the term inteligencia artificial (artificial intelligence) as the Spanish Word of the Year 2023. Let's see how to pronounce this word in the definition that Carlos shares with us in his video about this topic:

la inteligencia artificial es la disciplina científica que se ocupa de crear programas informáticos que ejecutan operaciones comparables a las que realiza la mente humana, como el aprendizaje o el razonamiento lógico.

artificial intelligence is the scientific discipline that deals with creating computer programs that execute comparable operations to the ones that the human mind carries out, like learning or logical reasoning.

Captions 25-29, Aprendiendo con Carlos Inteligencia artificial - Part 1

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Now that the winner has been revealed, here are a couple of things to keep in mind about the term inteligencia artificial:

1. In Spanish as in English, the term inteligencia artificial should be written in lowercase. 

 

2. If you wish to use the acronym for inteligencia artificial, remember to use the Spanish initials "IA" rather than the English version, "AI," which some people mistakenly use in Spanish.

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Runners-up for the Spanish Word of the Year 2023 

dato (data)

There are several AI-related Spanish words that have been quite popular this year, and dato (data) has definitely been one of them.

La percepción del comerciante coincide con el dato que manejan algunos expertos.

The perception of the merchant coincides with the data that some experts work with.

Caption 6, Los Reporteros Crecen los robos en tiendas - Part 4

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guerra (war)

Unfortunately, this word is still trending, especially after what has occurred this year in Israel.

La palabra más fea es guerra.

The ugliest word is war.

Caption 61, Karla e Isabel Palabras

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terremoto (earthquake)

This year was full of deadly earthquakes. From Turkey and Morocco to Afghanistan and Nepal, the world was shaking far too much this year.

Este mes han muerto muchas personas en el terremoto.

This month many people have died in the earthquake.

Caption 26, Lecciones con Carolina Participios - Ejemplos de uso

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So, there you have it. What do you think of our Spanish Word of the Year 2023, and how do you feel towards AI in general? Can you think of any other word that is worthy of this title? Don't forget to send us your feedback!

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Have you ever noticed that there are several types of words that are capitalized in English but not in Spanish? Today's lesson will point out nine such categories where there is a discrepancy in capitalization between English and Spanish. 

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1. The Days of the Week

While the names of the days of the week must be capitalized in English, the same is not so of the days of the week in Spanish, whose first letters are lowercase. Let's take a look:

Voy a una academia de baile los martes y los jueves.

I go to a dance academy on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Caption 15, Ariana Mi Semana

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2. The Months

The same can be said for the names of the months in Spanish, which are written in all lowercase letters in contrast to their capitalized English counterparts. This is demonstrated in the following clip:

sobre todo en los meses de diciembre, enero, febrero e incluso en mayo.

especially in the months of December, January, February, and even in May.

Caption 27, Mercado de San Miguel Misael

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3. Languages

Although English capitalizes the names of languages, Spanish does not:

Bueno, yo hablo español, inglés y estoy aprendiendo alemán.

Well, I speak Spanish, English, and I'm learning German.

Captions 19-20, Cleer y Lida ¿Qué idiomas hablas?

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4. Nationality

Words that refer to someone or something's nationality do not start with a capital letter in Spanish as they do in English. Included in this category are both demonyms, or Spanish adjectives of nationality, and Spanish nouns that refer to the inhabitants of a particular nation. Let's see examples of each:

y puedas decir, "Este artista es colombiano, este es un artista brasilero", es decir,

and can say, "This artist is Colombian, this is a Brazilian artist," I mean,

Captions 69-70, Leonardo Rodriguez Sirtori Una vida como pintor - Part 5

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Antes de la llegada de los españoles, existían cientos de diferentes culturas.

Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, there were hundreds of different cultures.

Caption 8, Historia mexicana Cultura y la unión de dos mundos

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5. Religious Words

As we see below, this group includes the names of religions, their respective adjectives, and the nouns that describe their adherents.

y que se utilizó para simbolizar el triunfo del cristianismo sobre la fe musulmana.

and was employed as a symbol of the triumph of Christianity over the Muslim faith.

Captions 61-62, Viajando con Fermín Sevilla - Part 2

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España recibió más de treinta y cinco mil judíos,

Spain received more than thirty-five thousand Jews,

Caption 27, Víctor en España El Hotel Palace de Barcelona

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6. Personal Titles

When preceding a last name and/or addressing a specific person, English words like "mister" or "doctor" must be capitalized. The equivalent titles in Spanish, however, are written in all lowercase letters, as we see here:

Vamos a escuchar a la doctora Consejos y a su paciente Adrián

Let's listen to Doctor Advice and her patient Adrián

Caption 2, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Por y para

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Por supuesto, señora Castaño.

Of course, Ms. Castaño.

Caption 24, Cleer y Lida Recepción de hotel

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7. Titles

In English, most of the words of the titles of original compositions like books, films, songs, articles, or works of art are capitalized, with the notable exceptions of words like prepositions and coordinating conjunctions. In Spanish, on the other hand, only the first word of a title is capitalized, for example, the famed novel Cien años de soledad, which is written in English "One Hundred Years of Solitude." Let's see one more:

Para ello, el artista pintó un gran fresco titulado "El juicio final",

To do so, the artist painted a large fresco called "The Last Judgment,"

Caption 32, Aprendiendo con Carlos El microrrelato - Part 4

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8. The First Words of Geographical Place Names

All of the words of proper nouns for specific geographical place names in English, like the Andes Mountains or Lake Titicaca, must be capitalized. In Spanish, however, the first words of these proper nouns are lowercase, e.g., la cordillera de los Andes and el lago Titicaca. Let's look at more examples:

y es atravesada por el río Cauca.

and is crossed by the Cauca River.

Caption 17, Viajando con Carlos Popayán - Colombia - Part 1

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en el océano Pacífico y en el mar Caribe.

in the Pacific Ocean and in the Caribbean Sea.

Caption 46, Instinto de conservación Parque Tayrona - Part 4

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9. The First Person Singular Personal Pronoun 

Although the first person singular personal pronoun "I" is always written with a capital letter in English, its Spanish equivalent yo is not, as we can see here:

No, pueden llorar, pero yo tengo que trabajar.

No, you can cry, but I have to work.

Caption 9, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 2 - Part 8

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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped to clarify several of the classes of words that should not be capitalized in Spanish, some of which might seem a bit counterintuitive to English speakers. Can you think of any additional cases in which Spanish and English capitalization are different? Feel free to write us with any questions or comments.

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Since there is rarely an equivalent of the subjunctive in English, this grammatical mood can be extremely difficult for English speakers to understand. For this reason, the Yabla Spanish archive contains many lessons that deal with the plethora of scenarios in which the subjunctive is used in Spanish, and this lesson will address one more: the use of the subjunctive to describe either things we hope exist or things that definitely do not. 

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Using the Subjunctive for Things We Hope Exist

If we are "looking for," "seeking," "desiring," "needing" or "wanting" something or someone with certain characteristics but are not sure whether or not that person or thing exists, a subjunctive verb form should be utilized in Spanish. Let's see an example from the Yabla Spanish video library:

Por eso es que nosotros por lo regular buscamos trabajos que paguen a la semana,

That is why we usually look for jobs that pay weekly

Caption 35, La Banda Chilanguense El habla de México - Part 3

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On the other hand, if the person or thing does exist, for example, we actually have a job that pays weekly, we should use an indicative verb form, as we see here:

Por eso es que nosotros por lo regular tenemos trabajos que pagan a la semana,

That is why we usually have jobs that pay weekly,

A typical formula for this usage involves some type of "seeking" or "wishing" verb or phrase plus the conjunction que plus a verb conjugated in the subjunctive. Let's look at examples of such "wishful" words and phrases. Note that the personal a is included when what is sought or hoped for is a person:

Wishful Verbs and Phrases:

Querer (a): to want

Buscar (a): to look for

Necesitar (a): to need

Desear (a): to desire/wish for

Querer encontrar (a): to want to find

Esperar encontrar (a): to hope to find 

We can see many instances of the aforementioned construction in the video La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y la persona ideal (Doctor Advice: Subjunctive and the Ideal Person). First, let's see an excerpt where the Doctor uses the indicative to describe a person who actually does exist:

In contrast, her patient employs the subjunctive in a similar sentence that describes the hypothetical person he seeks:

Es que yo busco a alguien que sea un poco más joven.

It's just that I'm looking for someone who's a bit younger.

Caption 76, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y persona ideal

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Note that this subjunctive formula can be frequently found in want ads since their very nature is to seek desired entities. Let's take a look at a couple of examples:

Se buscan cajeros que puedan trabajar el turno de la tarde.

Cashiers wanted who can work the afternoon shift. 

Necesitamos a una persona que sea bilingüe.

We need a person who is bilingual. 

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Using the Subjunctive for Things That Don't Exist 

Verbs that describe nonexistent people or things should also be conjugated in the subjunctive. The formula in this case includes some phrase that indicates nonexistence such as no hay nadie que (there's no one that), no hay nada que (there's nothing that) and no existe... (...doesn't exist) plus the conjunction que plus a verb in the subjunctive. Let's hear these in context:

No hay ninguna experiencia que sea cien por cien mala

There's no experience that's one hundred percent bad

Captions 69-70, Soledad El insomnio - Part 2

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No existe persona en el mundo que rechace una propuesta de Aldo Sirenio.

There isn't a person in this world who refuses an offer from Aldo Sirenio.

Caption 45, Yago 5 La ciudad - Part 8

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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has clarified the use the Spanish subjunctive to describe things we hope exist or definitely don't... and don't forget to write us with your feedback.

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You are probably familiar with the Spanish word ahí (not to be confused with hay or ay), which is one of the ways to say "there" in Spanish. However, you may have noticed that it seems to be used frequently by many native speakers with different meanings, which aren't always easy to intuit. Let's explore many of the possible meanings of the common Spanish word ahí.

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1. There

Like the English word "there," the Spanish word ahí can mean "in that place," "to that place" or merely "that place." When referring to physical location, the word ahí technically describes the closest distance relative to the other Spanish words for "there," allí and allá, but is often used interchangeably with the others. Let's take a look at some examples.

In That Place:

y lo dejaremos ahí hasta que hierva.

and we'll leave it there until it boils.

Caption 19, Ana Carolina Ponche navideño

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To That Place:

Entonces no sé si vamos ahí.

So I don't know if we [can] go there.

Caption 34, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 2 - Part 2

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That Place:

In this usage, the word ahí is often preceded by a preposition, as we see here:

Y a veces, por ahí sale el calor del centro de la tierra.

And sometimes, the heat from the center of the earth comes out through there.

Caption 48, Guillermina y Candelario El Gran Descubrimiento

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When paired specifically with the Spanish preposition de, de ahí literally means "from that place" and works like the English word "hence" to refer to something that was said previously:

recordando a la cabeza de un ave; de ahí su nombre no científico.

reminding one of a bird's head; hence its non scientific name.

Captions 63-64, Isabel Lavesa Especies vegetales

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2. From That Point or Situation 

In this usage, the Spanish word ahí also references something that was previously mentioned and might be translated with "there" or other phrases like "that's when," "that's where," etc. Let's see two examples in context:

Y ahí me vino la inspiración de hacer un vídeo sobre los medios de transporte.

And that's where the inspiration came to me to make a video about the means of transportation.

Captions 9-10, Aprendiendo con Silvia Medios de transporte - Part 1

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3. At That Moment (Then)

The word ahí in Spanish can also work like the English word "then" to refer to a specific moment in time:

Ahí vamos a agregar nuestra, eh... panela en almíbar, se podría decir, ¿no?, o panela derretida.

Then, we're going to add our, um... panela syrup, you might say, right? Or melted panela.

Captions 49-50, Otavalo Proyecto familiar Kawsaymi - Part 5

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Let's look at this usage in the context of common fixed expressions in both Spanish and English:

De ahí en adelante las cosas empezaron a suceder con rapidez.

From then on, things began to happen quickly.

Caption 32, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 13 - Part 4

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4. Perhaps

The word ahí can also work like the word "maybe" or "perhaps," as we see below:

Y ahí voy a la fiesta mañana; no estoy segura. 

And maybe I'll go to the party tomorrow; I'm not sure. 

Fixed Expressions With the Spanish Word Ahí

In addition to the many uses we just covered, the word ahí is also part of many fixed expressions in Spanish. Below you will find several with example sentences.

Por ahí: 

Just this one Spanish construction can have many different meanings in different contexts, aside from the literal one, "through there," which we saw previously. Let's take a look at several of them.

     Maybe, Might:

Por ahí se preparan un asadito... no sé.

They might prepare a barbecue... I don't know.

Caption 56, Muñeca Brava 44 El encuentro - Part 8

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     "They," "People"

Por ahi can also be used similarly to the impersonal se construction in Spanish to describe what "people" generally do, say, etc. Alternative translations for the caption below thus include "As they say" or "As people say."

Como dicen por ahí, todo tiene su ciencia.

As the saying goes, there's a science to everything.

Caption 20, Guillermina y Candelario El Manglar

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     Around (Physically)

O... "Por favor, no lo dejéis todo por ahí tirado.

Or... "Please, don't leave everything scattered around.

Caption 19, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados del verbo dejar - Part 1

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     Around (About/More or Less)

Él se hizo famoso por ahí de los años setentas

He became famous around the seventies

Caption 15, Guillermo el chamán La tecnología maya

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Comer/Cenar por ahí: to go out to eat/go to dinner

Vamos a cenar por ahí esta noche.

We're going to go out to dinner tonight. 

Ahí va: It's coming along, hanging in there

¿Cómo está el proyecto? -Ahí va.

How's the project? It's coming along.

¿Cómo está tu hermano? Me dijeron que estaba enfermo.  -Ahí va. Todavía no se encuentra muy bien. 

How's your brother? I heard he was sick. -He's hanging in there. He's still not feeling very well.

Ahí voy: Coming, I'll be right there

This might be used when someone is at the door or calling you, for example, from another room. 

A partir de ahí: from that point, from there

A partir de ahí, comienza lo que serán veinticuatro horas de fiesta ininterrumpida,

From there, what will be twenty-four hours of uninterrupted partying begins

Captions 56-57, Días festivos La Tamborrada de San Sebastián

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Ahí no más: very close, just a stone's throw away

Tenemos la Unidad Operativa de Punta Pirámide, que está ahí nomás de Puerto Pirámide

We have the Operational Unit of Punta Pirámide, which is very close to Puerto Pirámide,

Captions 21-22, Perdidos en la Patagonia Península Valdés

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Ahí mismo: right there 

y ahí mismo vamos a echar nuestra carne salpimentada.

and right there, we're going to put in our seasoned meat.

Caption 38, La cocina de María Estofado de ternera

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Quieto ahí (Don't move, Stand still, Stop, Halt)

Quieta ahí.

Don't move.

Caption 28, Yago 2 El puma - Part 9

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That's all for this lesson on the many meanings of the Spanish word ahí, alone and in fixed expressions. We hope that it will help you to use it and understand it in different contexts, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments!

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Surely you've heard the word hecho in Spanish. But did you know that this Spanish word can function as a noun, a verb, or an adjective, as well as being a part of countless fixed expressions? Let's look into the many uses of the word hecho in Spanish!

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Hecho as a Noun

The masculine noun el hecho in Spanish can mean "the fact," "the incident," or "the event." Let's see some examples:

El hecho es que a mí Vargas me asignó ese caso

The fact is that Vargas assigned me that case

Caption 22, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 2 - Part 3

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el microrrelato tenía que estar basado en un hecho o personajes históricos.

the flash fiction story had to be based on a historical event or figures.

Caption 15, Aprendiendo con Carlos El microrrelato - Part 3

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Hecho as a Verb

Hecho is the participle form of the verb hacer, which means "to do" or "to make." Since participles are used with the auxiliary verb haber to form the perfect tenses (the equivalent of English sentences like "I have spoken," "I had eaten," etc.), the translations for hecho in this context would be "done" or "made." Let's listen to two examples where hecho accompanies haber as part of the present perfect tense:

Pero, ya he hecho un montón de cosas.

But, I've already done a ton of things.

Caption 22, Clase Aula Azul La segunda condicional - Part 1

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Han hecho un viaje bastante largo.

They've made quite a long journey.

Caption 6, Amaya Mis burras Lola y Canija

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Hecho as an Adjective

The Spanish word hecho can also be an adjective that means "done" or "made." Let's take a look:

Pero todo hecho con el material o tejidos andinos.

But all made with Andean material or fabrics.

Caption 31, Otavalo Zapatos andinos

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Remember that adjectives in Spanish must agree with the nouns they modify in terms of number and gender. Therefore, alternative forms of the masculine singular adjective hecho include the singular feminine hecha and the masculine/feminine plural forms hechos and hechas. Let's listen to two of these:

Es una masa redonda, hecha con harina,

It's some round dough made of flour,

Captions 5-6, El Aula Azul Adivinanzas de comidas - Part 3

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Quesos especiales hechos aquí en la región. 

Special cheeses made here in the region.

Caption 32, Desayuno Puerto Escondido Frijoles Refritos

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When Not to Use Hecho 

The Spanish word hecho should not be confused with echo, which is the first person singular form of the verb echar (to throw, throw away, put in, etc.), as we hear in the following caption:

Primero echo casi más de la mitad.

First, I put in almost more than half [of the package].

Caption 45, Recetas de cocina Papa a la Huancaína

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Because the "h" in hecho is silent, the identical pronunciation of these two words lead even native Spanish speakers to confuse them. However, bear in mind that as there is no such verb as hechar in Spanish, echo in this context should always be spelled without an "h."

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Hecho in Fixed Expressions

In its various incarnations, the word hecho also appears in too many Spanish fixed expressions to name! Below you will find a smattering of these, with lots of examples from our Yabla Spanish video library. Can you figure out how the word hecho, or one of its variants, is functioning in each of them?

dar por hecho: to presume, to be a given, to take for granted

puesto que se da por hecho que cuando lo comunicamos es porque nos gusta

since it's presumed that when we communicate it it's because we like it

Captions 39-40, Raquel y Marisa Español Para Negocios - Introducción

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de hecho: in fact

De hecho, es un sitio bastante tranquilo y pintoresco que vale la pena visitar.

In fact, it's a quite calm and picturesque place that's worth visiting.

Caption 23, Aprendiendo con Carlos América precolombina - El Dorado

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estar hecho polvo: to be exhausted (literally "to be made into dust")

"yo ya estoy hecho polvo.

"I'm exhausted already.

Caption 24, Pigueldito y Federico El cielo

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hecho a mano: handmade

son todas hechas a mano; bordados hechos a mano,

they're all handmade, handmade embroidery,

Captions 40-41, Málaga Lourdes y la talabartería en Mijas Pueblo

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hechos reales: a true story

basada en hechos reales.

based on a true story.

Caption 12, Aprendiendo con Silvia Nacionalidades y adjetivos - Part 1

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trato hecho: it's a deal, done deal

Trato hecho, ¿sí o no? -¡Trato hecho!

It's a deal, yes or no? -It's a deal!

Caption 60, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 2 - Part 5

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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped to give you a sense of the many ways that the word hecho can be used in Spanish, as well as the the one way in which it should not be. Don't forget to write us with your questions or comments.

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Do you know how to say "to get" in Spanish? Due to the numerous ways in which this word can be used in English, there is no "one size fits all" translation for this term. That said, let's explore the many meanings of the verb "to get" in English and learn their Spanish equivalents.

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Meanings of "To Get" and Their Spanish Equivalents

Breaking down the verb "to get" in English into many of its possible definitions, let's find out which verbs are used to express these ideas in Spanish and hear them in context. 

1. To obtain or acquire: obtener, conseguir

"Efectivamente. Acaba de conseguir otro trabajo".

"Indeed. He just got another job."

Caption 60, Carlos explica 20 formas de decir sí sin decir sí

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2. To receive: recibir, tener

"Hoy recibí la carta".

"Today, I got the letter."

Caption 46, Carlos explica Los artículos en español - Part 2

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Note that while the verb tener typically means "to have," it is a word that sometimes changes meaning in the preterite tense. Hence "Tuve una noticia" could be translated as "I got some news."

3. To achieve, win, or earn: sacar, ganar, obtener

lograr obtener un buen resultado en el examen. 

to manage to get a good grade on the exam.

Caption 42, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 1

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4. To fetch or bring: traer

voy y te traigo la cerveza. 

I'll go, and I'll get you the beer.

Caption 39, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 12 - Part 6

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5. To buy: comprar

es en el caso que se nos termine la pasta dental y no podamos salir a la tienda a comprar otra. 

is in case we run out of toothpaste and we can't go to the store to get another one.

Captions 50-51, Otavalo Consejos de salud bucal

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6. To understand: comprender, entender

Yo no entiendo por qué quieres actuar en esa obra. 

I don't get why you want to act in that play.

Caption 32, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 9 - Part 3

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Candelario se puso triste.

Candelario got sad.

Caption 44, Guillermina y Candelario El Gran Rescate

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Keep in mind that a number of Spanish verbs intrinsically contain the idea of "to get" in the sense of "becoming." For example, the verb entristecerse also means "to get sad." Additional examples include mejorar (to get better), empeorar (to get worse), molestarse (to get annoyed), alegrarse (to get happy), and many more. 

8. To catch: agarrar, coger, agarrar

Todos pillamos el COVID y tuvimos que quedarnos en casa durante casi dos semanas.

We all got COVID and had to stay home for almost two weeks. 

Regarding the use of the verb coger in this context, be aware that while it is extremely common in Spain, in many Latin American countries like Mexico, it has a vulgar connotation and should thus be exercised with caution. 

Translations for Additional Common Expressions With "To Get"

10: To get to: tener la oportunidad de, tener la ocasión de, poder hacer

Incluso tuve la oportunidad de jugar a nivel competitivo.

I even got to play at a competitive level.

Caption 28, Club 10 Capítulo 2 - Part 2

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11: To get [someone] to [do something]: lograr que, conseguir que, convencer a 

y logré que para este caso nombraran a una juez que es amiga mía.

and, for this case, I got them to appoint a judge who's a friend of mine.

Caption 19, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 2 - Part 11

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Remember that with all of these expressions, verbs that follow the conjunction que in Spanish should be conjugated in the subjunctive. 

12. To get [something done]: mandar + infinitive, hacer que + verb in subjunctive 

dónde la pueden mandar hacer o...

where you can get it made, or...

Caption 57, Rueda de la muerte Parte 1

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An alternative way to express this would be: dónde pueden hacer que la hagan.

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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to realize the numerous ways in which the English verb "to get" is used and that you now know which Spanish verbs to choose for similar situations. Don't forget to write us with your questions and suggestions. 

Are you familiar with the concept of grammatical agreement in Spanish? There are two main types of agreement in Spanish: noun agreement and verb agreement. Today's lesson will provide an introduction to each. 

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Noun Agreement in Spanish 

The concept of noun agreement is the following: Since Spanish nouns are either masculine or feminine and singular or plural, their definite or indefinite articles, adjectives, and other grammatical elements must correspond in terms of these attributes. Let's take a look at a chart that demonstrates this concept with masculine and feminine singular and plural nouns and their corresponding definite and indefinite articles. 

The chart shows us the various ways to say "the" (el, los, la, las) and "a/an" (un, unos, una, unas), depending upon whether a noun is masculine or feminine and singular or plural. That said, let's keep a couple of additional points in mind regarding recognizing the number and gender of Spanish nouns and/or modifying them to achieve noun agreement.

1. Although many Spanish masculine singular nouns end in -o and many Spanish feminine nouns end in -a, this is not always the case. Therefore, less obvious nouns (e.g. el avión (the airplane) or la nube (the cloud)) require simply memorizing the gender of the noun, especially nouns that refer to inanimate objects. For this reason, Spanish students typically learn new nouns and their respective masculine or feminine definite articles simultaneously. 

2. As a general rule, many nouns that end in a vowel require the addition of an -s to make them plural, while many nouns that end in a consonant become plural by adding -es. Applying this to the abovementioned nouns, el avión becomes los aviones while la nube changes to las nubes.

Adjective Noun Agreement in Spanish

In addition to their articles, Spanish adjectives must also agree in terms of number and gender with the nouns they modify, with the same general spelling guidelines that we mentioned for pluralizing nouns. Let's hear how this works via some examples from our Yabla Spanish library:

Un coche bonito, unos coches bonitos. Una casa roja, las casas rojas.

A nice car, some nice cars. A red house, the red houses.

Captions 28-29, Fundamentos del Español 3 - Le Estructura de las Frases

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unos ojos azules, inmensos...

some huge, blue eyes...

Caption 24, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 6: El día de la Primitiva - Part 2

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As you delve further into more complex Spanish grammar such as direct object pronouns, you will see how the number and gender of Spanish nouns continue to exert their influence. 

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Verb Agreement in Spanish 

Verb agreement in Spanish refers to the fact that Spanish verbs need to be conjugated in accordance with their respective subjects or subject pronouns, agreeing in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third). Although this concept exists in English, it is much simpler due to the fact that there are less subject pronouns in English (seven vs. thirteen in Spanish) and far less verb forms. For example, for all of the seven English subject pronouns, there are only two verb forms, as we see below:

Subject Pronoun:

I: speak

you: speak

he: speaks

she: speaks

we: speak

they: speak

it: speaks 

In Spanish, on the other hand, there are thirteen subject pronouns and many corresponding conjugations. Additionally, the manner in which each verb is conjugated depends upon which of the three common verb categories (-ar, -er, and -ir) it falls into, and many verbs are irregular, making verb agreement in Spanish significantly more complex. With this in mind, let's take a look at a chart with the conjugations of three common regular verbs, one from each category, in the present indicative tense:

If that doesn't seem nuanced enough, keep in mind that that was just one of the sixteen Spanish verb tenses, each of which has its own specific manner of conjugating verbs in order to ensure verb agreement. 

We hope that these explanations have given you a better idea about the concept of noun and verb agreement in Spanish, which are essential to understanding Spanish sentences and constructing your own. Don't forget to write us with your questions and comments. 

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To start this lesson, let's take a look at a couple of very similar sentences with the Spanish word cuando (when) plus the verb ir (to go) where one is conjugated in the present indicative and the other in the present subjunctive:

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Present Indicative:

Cuando voy a Barcelona, voy a la playa mucho. 

When I go to Barcelona, I go to the beach a lot.

Present Subjunctive:

Cuando vaya a Barcelona, pienso ir a la playa mucho. 

When I go to Barcelona, I plan to go to the beach a lot. 

Although the translation is the same for both Cuando voy and Cuando vaya (When I go), in the second Spanish sentence, the verb ir is conjugated in the present subjunctive for a specific reason. Let's find out what it is!

Cuando + Indicative

The word cuando is used in Spanish with verbs in the present indicative when speaking about habitual actions or general truths. Let's see a couple of examples:

Cuando están encendidos, dan luz.

When they're on, they give off light.

Caption 37, El Aula Azul Adivina qué es - Part 2

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Cuando lo hacemos con carne, podemos poner carne de cerdo, carne de ternera o pollo.

When we make it with meat, we can put in pork, beef, or chicken.

Captions 9-11, El Aula Azul Adivinanzas de comidas - Part 1

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The indicative is used in these examples because, in the first caption, it's a general fact that when the streetlights in question are turned on, they give off light. In the second example, the speaker describes the habitual action of preparing paella with different ingredients.

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Cuando + Subjunctive 

On the other hand, the word cuando is used with verbs in the present subjunctive when speaking about actions that will happen in the future, that may or may not happen, or that some other action depends upon. To illustrate this point, let's take a look at sentences with the same verbs used previously, this time conjugated in the present subjunctive.

Bueno, OK, eso lo hablamos cuando estés acá,

Well, OK, we'll talk about that when you're here,

Caption 3, Yago 11 Prisión - Part 3

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Cuando lo hagas correctamente, será verde.

When you do it correctly, it will be green.

Caption 26, Tutoriales de Yabla Consejos para usar Scribe

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The subjunctive is employed with cuando in these examples because they both describe future events that have not yet taken place and upon which other events depend. 

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When Cuando Can Be Used With Either Indicative or Subjunctive

It is worth noting that while the aforementioned examples quite clearly fall into the categories of habitual vs. future actions, there are some cases where either the indicative or the subjunctive could be used in the same sentence, giving it a slightly different nuance. Let's take an example where someone is teaching us to bake:

Present Indicative: 

Cuando las galletas están doradas, las saco del horno. 

When the cookies are golden brown, I take them out of the oven. 

Nuanced Meaning: Habitually, when the cookies are golden brown, I always take them out of the oven. 

Present Subjunctive: 

Cuando las galletas estén doradas, las saco del horno. 

When the cookies are golden brown, I'll take them out of the oven. 

Nuanced Meaning: At the moment when the cookies turn golden brown, I'll then take them out of the oven. 

Quite interestingly, while the English translations are nearly identical, the choice of the indicative vs. the subjunctive in Spanish gives the two sentences slightly different meanings. 

With this food for thought (pun intended!), we hope that you now know the reason for the different conjugations of the verb ir in the two introductory sentences and you understand when to choose the present indicative or subjunctive with the word cuando. Don't forget to write us with your questions or suggestions. 

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Are you familiar with the Spanish present progressive tense that utilizes the formula estar (to be) + gerund (the equivalent of the -ing form in English) to talk about an action in progress? Let's see an example:

¡Lo estás haciendo genial!

You're doing it great!

Caption 47, Aprendiendo con Zulbany Piensa rápido - Part 1

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Now let's look at an example where the verb ir (to go) is used with the gerund in lieu of the verb estar:

tú vas haciendo y pasan dos horas y te dicen vale ya está.

you're doing it and two hours go by and they tell you OK, that's it.

Caption 55, Blanca y Mariona Proyectos para el verano

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What's the difference? Although both estás haciendo and vas haciendo are translated as "you're doing" in these examples, the construction ir + gerund is often employed to emphasize the fact that an action is, was, or will be evolving over time, gradually, or as part of a process. Let's explore this notion a bit further. 

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How to Form Ir + Gerund in Spanish

As the formula suggests, this construction is created by combining a conjugated form of the verb ir (to go) in any tense with the gerund, for example, cambiando (changing), aprendiendo (learning), or diciendo (saying), which you can learn to conjugate in the aforementioned lesson on the present perfect. Let's see some examples in the present, imperfect, and future tenses.

Vamos cocinando (We're cooking) 

Iban creando (They were creating)

Iremos entendiendo (We'll be understanding)

How Does Ir + Gerund Differ From the Present Progressive? 

As we mentioned in the introduction, ir + gerund typically describes actions that take place over time, bit by bit, or as part of a process. Therefore, while their translations are sometimes the exact same as they would be if the verb estar were to replace the verb ir, this implication is present within this structure. With this in mind, let's see a few examples of this construction. 

In this caption, the preterite tense of the verb ir is used to describe something that happened in the distant past. However, the formula ir + gerund was chosen to demonstrate that the "growing" being talked about was a process that was unfolding at that moment in time. Let's see another example:

Mientras la cebolla está pochando, en otra sartén vamos a ir haciendo la patata.

While the onion is sauteing, in another frying pan, we're going to be making the potato.

Captions 42-43, La cocina de María Tortilla de patatas

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Here, the formula ir + gerund is once again used to talk about the process of making the potato over time. For this reason, you will often find this construction in sentences that contain the word mientras (while) to talk about an action that is evolving while something else happens. Let's look at one more example:

"Y el consciente..." ¿Viste como tú misma vas cambiando en la medida que vas trabajando?

"And the Conscious"... Did you see how you yourself are changing as you are working?

Captions 18-19, Escribiendo un libro Algunos consejos sobre cómo comenzar - Part 3

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Once again, ir + gerund is utilized because "changing" and "working" are actions that aren't just in progress at some moment but are rather part of a bigger picture of evolution over time. So, the implication here is "Did you see how you yourself are (gradually) changing as you are working (over time)? In fact, words like "gradually" or "over time" may or may not be added to the translations of some instances of the ir + gerund construction, which is sometimes difficult to translate precisely. 

That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to better understand the often seen but seldom talked about ir + gerund construction, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments. 

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In Spanish, nouns are categorized into two grammatical genders: masculine and feminine. While the grammatical gender of a noun that describes a living being sometimes gives away that being's real life gender, there is a special category of nouns known as "epicene nouns" where this is not the case. In this lesson, we will explore the concept of epicene nouns in Spanish and provide you with several examples to better understand them. 

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Epicene Nouns: The Basic Rules

When indicating real life gender in Spanish, for some living beings, there are different words for the male and female versions, for example, la vaca (the cow) vs. el toro (the bull). Others nouns indicate real life gender with changes to their endings and/or articles, such as the fact that el maestro refers to a male teacher, while la maestra is a female teacher. 

Grammatically speaking, epicene nouns, like all nouns, are either masculine or feminine. However, what makes Spanish epicene nouns unique is that they are used for both the males and females of the beings they describe. For example, the noun la hormiga (ant) is a feminine noun that can be used to talk about either a male or female insect. Considering this, if you wish to say that a male ant was defending the queen ant, you would need to add the word macho (male) after it for clarification:

La hormiga macho estaba defendiendo a la reina.

The male ant was defending the queen.

Therefore, if you wish to provide this type of precise information regarding the real life gender of the noun about which you are speaking, the following terms should be used to talk about animals and people.

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Agreement With Epicene Nouns

It is important to keep in mind that grammatical agreement in terms of number and gender with epicene nouns is determined by a noun's grammatical gender rather than the sex of the entity it refers to. Let's see what we mean in the following example:

Correct: El tiburón hembra es muy peligroso (The female shark is very dangerous).

 

Incorrect: El tiburón hembra es muy peligrosa (The female shark is very dangerous).

As you can see, the masculine singular adjective peligroso (dangerous) is used to modify the masculine singular noun el tiburón (the shark), despite the fact that the shark is female. It would be wrong to choose the feminine singular form peligrosa in attempts to correspond to the feminine adjective hembra (female). Now that we know these rules, let's take a look at some of the most common epicene nouns in the Spanish language.

Epicene Nouns for Animals

The majority of Spanish epicene nouns are words for animals. In the following list, you can see several:

el búho (the owl)

el camaleón (the chameleon)

la cebra (the zebra)

la hiena (the hyena)

la hormiga (the ant)

la jirafa (the giraffe)

la mosca (the fly)

el tiburón (the shark)

Interestingly, some other nouns like el perro (the dog) and el gato (the cat) may also be considered epicene as they could refer to either gender of these animals. However, in some circles, words like la perra and la gata could be chosen to describe male or female cats. 

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Epicene Nouns for People

Now let's look at some epicene nouns for people:

la persona (the person)

la autoridad (the authority)

el personaje (the character)

la víctima (the victim)

el especialista (the specialist)

Some additional epicene nouns for people such as el estudiante (the student), el dentista (the dentist), or el cliente (the customer) can also refer to either men or women. Over time, however, their feminine versions (la estudiante, la dentista, la clienta) have come to be used by some people when referring to females who fit these descriptions.

Now that you understand the concept of epicene nouns, let's see a couple of examples from the Yabla Spanish video library. In the first one, you can see how the feminine epicene noun la víctima (the victim) is used to talk about a male victim, while in the second, the masculine noun el personaje describes a female "character":

¡él no es un asesino! Él, ante todo, es una víctima,

he's not a murderer! He, first and foremost, is a victim,

Captions 12-13, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 5 - Part 8

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el nombre del personaje mitológico mexicano de 'la Llorona'.

the name of the Mexican mythological character 'La Llorona' [The Weeping Woman].

Caption 51, Carlos explica Recursos para consultas del español - Part 8

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That's all for this lesson. We hope that you learned something new today, and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions. ¡Hasta la próxima!

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Do you know the difference between the Spanish prepositions por and para? Although both can be translated as "for" in certain instances, these two oft-confused words have different uses in Spanish and a wide variety of translations in different contexts. In the most general terms, por is used to indicate a cause or reason while para indicates a goal or purpose. If you need to learn or review the uses of por and para in greater detail, we recommend that you peruse Yabla's lesson entitled Por vs. Para: How to Use These Spanish Prepositions. Then, when you're ready, test your knowledge with this quiz!

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Por vs. Para: Fill in the Blank

In the following sentences, choose the preposition por or para that correctly completes each sentence. 

1. Las tijeras son ____ cortar. 

a. por

b. para

2.  Vamos a viajar  _____ Europa este verano.  

a. por

b. para

3. Yo voy al gimnasio cuatro veces _____ semana.

a. por

b. para

4. Noel tiene que entregar su trabajo  ______ el lunes. 

5. Lo hice ____ amor. 

a. por

b. para

6. Ellos prepararon una cena espectacular _______ mi familia. 

a. por

b. para

7.  ____ mí, Daniel es el mejor restaurante de Nueva York. 

a. por

b. para

8. A Guillermo le encanta caminar _____ la ribera. 

a. por

b. para

9. Mi mamá vino ____ visitarme. 

a. por 

b. para

10. Nosotros solemos estar de muy mal humor _____ la mañana.

a. por

b. para

11. Juan esperó _____ cuatro horas en una fila para comprar las entradas. 

a. por

b. para

12. Orlando compró un auto nuevo ____ mucho dinero. 

a. por

b. para

13. Carla trabaja  ______ una empresa muy famosa. 

a. por

b. para

14. Hay que subir ____ las escaleras para llegar al segundo piso. 

a. por

b. para

15. El edificio fue construido ____ un arquitecto muy reconocido. 

a. por

b. para

16. Los estudiantes van ____ la escuela. 

a. por

b. para

17.  _____ lo que veo, ella está enferma y no va a poder venir.

a. por

b. para

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BONUS ROUND

Choose the correct combination of the prepositions por and para to make the sentences grammatically correct.

18. Liliana está estudiando cinco horas ____ día ____ su examen. 

a. por, para

b. para, por

c. para, para

d. por, por

19. El libro que compré ____ mi mamá fue escrito ____ su autor favorito. 

a. por, para

b. para, por

c. para, para

d. por, por

20.  ____ la noche, me gusta caminar ____ mi barrio ____ relajarme. 

a. Por, por, por

b. Para, para, para

c. Por, para, para

d. Por, por, para

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Por vs. Para Quiz: The Answers

The following are the answers to all of the questions in this Por vs. Para Quiz as well as the translations and grammatical reasons for each. 

Do you know vocabulary to talk about winter in Spanish? This lesson should get you up to speed on Spanish terms to talk about all things winter... depending upon what part of the world you are in, of course!

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Winter Basics

First off, do you know how to say "winter" in Spanish? Let's find out in a clip from our Yabla Spanish video library, which also mentions the name of the first of the winter months in Spanish:

En diciembre, empieza el invierno.

In December, winter starts.

Caption 25, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

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Now let's hear the pronunciation of the next three winter months:

Enero. Febrero. Marzo.

January. February. March.

Captions 2-4, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

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Having said that, bear in mind that in countries in the southern hemisphere of South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), the colder, winter months are the opposite:

Junio. Julio. Agosto. Septiembre.

June. July. August. September.

Captions 7-10, El Aula Azul Estaciones y Meses

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Now that you know how to say "winter" in Spanish and the names of the various months in which it can fall, don't forget to learn or brush up on the terms for the additional seasons in Spanish. 

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Names of Winter Clothes in Spanish

Of course, since some countries are warm year-round, what constitutes "winter clothes" varies depending upon where one lives, as Ana Carolina explains in the following clip:

El Ecuador, al igual que el resto de países latinoamericanos, se encuentra en la zona tórrida, es decir, que acá nunca cae nieve.

Ecuador, just like the rest of Latin American countries, is located in the tropical zone; in other words, snow never falls here.

Captions 34-37, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

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With this in mind, let's learn some vocabulary to describe Spanish articles of clothing in regions with colder winter climates:

el abrigo: the coat

las botas: the boots

la bufanda: the scarf

el gorro/el sombrero: the hat/cap

los guantes: the gloves

los mitones: the mittens

las orejeras: the earmuffs

el jersey/el suéter: the sweater

el traje de nieve: the snowsuit

Now, let's hear a few of these in a catchy proverb:

"En enero bufanda, abrigo y sombrero".

"In January, scarf, coat, and hat."

Caption 29, Aprendiendo con Silvia Dichos populares - Part 1

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More Winter Nouns

Next, let's go over several additional nouns that are often associated with the winter season:

la bola de nieve: the snowball 

el carámbano/el témpano: the icicle 

la chimenea/el hogar: the fireplace

el copo de nieve: the snowflake 

el esquí: skiing

el frío: the cold

el hombre de nieve/el muñeco de nieve: the snowman 

la nieve: the snow

el patinaje sobre hielo: ice skating

los patines de hielo: the ice skates

la pelea de bolas de nieve: the snowball fight

la pista de patinaje sobre hielo: the ice skating rink

la tabla de snowboard: the snowboard

la tormenta de nieve: the snowstorm

el trineo: the sled 

Let's listen to a few of these pronounced in excerpts from Yabla Spanish videos:

Sin embargo, la nieve y los muñecos de nieve

However, snow and snowmen

Caption 38, Ana Carolina Símbolos de Navidad

 Play Caption

Cuando tengo una pelea de bolas de nieve, tengo que llevar guantes.

When I have a snowball fight, I have to wear gloves.

Captions 13-14, Aprendiendo con Zulbany Piensa rápido - Part 1

 Play Caption

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Winter Verbs:

Up next are some winter verbs for talking about sports, activities, and weather phenomena:

andar en trineo: to sled 

calentarse: to get warm

congelarse: to freeze

derretirse: to melt

deslizarse: to slip

encender una hoguera/un fuego: to build a fire 

esquíar: to ski

hacer frío: to be cold 

hacer snowboard: to snowboard

hacer un muñeco de nieve: to build a snowman

hibernar: to hibernate

lanzar bolas de nieve: to throw snowballs

nevar: to snow 

patinar sobre hielo: to ice skate 

resfriarse: to catch a cold 

To learn more ways to talk about catching a cold in Spanish, check out our lesson on sickness and health in Spanish. In the meantime, let's hear a few of these winter verbs in context along with some of our previously mentioned winter nouns:

La nieve es muy molesta cuando se empieza a derretir, pero también es muy emocionante cuando empieza a nevar.

The snow is very annoying when it starts to melt, but it is also very exciting when it begins to snow.

Captions 39-40, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 2

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​

y por la tarde encendíamos un fuego en la chimenea. 

and in the afternoon, we would light a fire in the fireplace.

Caption 55, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 3

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Winter Adjectives

Let's conclude by learning some wintery adjectives!

blanco: white

brillante/reluciente: sparkling, glittering 

gélido/glacial: icy, frosty

cubierto de nieve/nevado/níveo: snowy

congelado/helado: frozen, freezing, chilly, frosty

derretido: melted

encapotado/nublado/nubloso: cloudy

escurridizo/resbaladizo: slippery

frío: cold/chilly

fundente: melting

gris: gray, dreary

medio derretido: slushy

mojado: wet

neblinoso: misty, foggy

Let's hear two of these in context. Note that in the first caption, the singular masculine adjective níveo has been modified to the plural feminine form níveas to agree with the plural feminine noun las blancuras. This is due to the fact that there must be gender and number agreement in Spanish between adjectives and the nouns they modify.

Si el invierno se hace helado me prendo

If the winter gets freezing, I turn myself on

Caption 11, Jorge Celedón, Vicentico Si Me Dejan

 Play Caption

That's all for this lesson, which we hope has helped you to feel more confident to talk in Spanish about many things you might do, wear, feel, or see during the winter season. For more seasonal vocabulary, be sure to check out our lessons on Spanish vocabulary for autumn, expressions for summer, and words for spring! And don't forget to write us with your questions and comments. 

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Have you noticed that the Spanish expressions Es bueno and Está bien are often used in very similar contexts in which both are equivalents of "It's good"? The same can be said for Es malo and Está mal, which can both mean "It's bad." As this can be a bit confusing, today's lesson will point out some scenarios in which these phrases can function both similarly and differently.  

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When Es Bueno/Malo and Está Bien/Mal Are Different

One of the most challenging aspects of learning or mastering Spanish is understanding the difference between the verbs ser and estar, which both mean "to be." Put in the simplest of terms:

-Ser tends to be used for more permanent qualities and is accompanied by adjectives, which must agree grammatically with the nouns they modify in terms of number and gender.

 

-Estar describes more variable states like emotions and goes with adverbs, which do not change forms. 

With this in mind, let's take a look at examples of es bueno/malo and está bien/mal, noting the difference in meaning.

Es Bueno/a vs. Está Bien 

Ella es muy buena.

She is very good.

Caption 30, Guillermina y Candelario La Señora Pulpo

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Ya, ya, tranquilos, tranquilos, ella está bien.

It's OK, it's OK, don't worry, don't worry, she's fine.

Caption 15, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 3 - Part 12

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While es buena refers to the girl's character being "good" in a more permanent sense, está bien is employed to express that, at that moment, the character is "fine," as in "safe" or "OK." We also commonly see this use of está bien to convey that a person is "doing" or feeling "fine" at a determined moment, or that a situation is "OK" or "alright":

Está bien, Luis.

It's OK, Luis.

Caption 27, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 8: La prima de la dueña - Part 5

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Es Malo/a vs. Está Mal

En español decimos: "Es que es muy malo".

In Spanish, we say: "Es que es muy malo" [It's just that he's very bad].

Caption 86, Amaya El burrito Luz - Part 2

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Y si ahora vuelvo a hablar del tema es porque su señora madre está mal.

And if now I talk about the issue again it's because your mother is ill.

Caption 37, Muñeca Brava 33 El partido - Part 3

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In these examples, we see es malo used, albeit ironically, to talk about the donkey's general "bad" character, while está mal expresses that the mother is currently "ill." Estar mal is also used frequently to say that people, animals, etc., are doing poorly at a specific point.

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When Es Bueno/Malo and Está Bien/Mal Are Similar

On the other hand, when es bueno/a and está bien are used to talk about certain things or concepts, they can function in a quite interchangeable manner. Let's explore two common scenarios in which this happens. 

Describing Quality

When describing quality, es bueno/a and está bien are often virtually synonymous. As an example, in response to the question ¿Qué tal esa película? (How's that movie?), to indicate that it is "very good," one could reply either Esa película es muy buena or Esa película está muy bien since both mean "That movie is very good." Let's look at some more examples where es bueno/a and está bien could potentially substitute one another. 

Entonces, este mantra es muy bueno

So, this mantra is very good

Caption 69, Ana Teresa Introducción a los mantras

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In this case, Entonces, este mantra está muy bien could be used to express the same idea with no change in translation. 

Pero está muy bien el metro.

But the subway is very good.

Caption 45, Isabel y Paula contigo Transporte público en Madrid - Part 3

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Here, one could also say Pero es muy bueno el metro and mean the same thing. 

Note that, although you could use es malo/a to say that something is "bad," when using está, it would be more common to hear no está bien than está mal, for example, Ese libro no está muy bien (That book isn't very good).

Expressing Judgment

Let's now examine examples where es bueno and está bien could substitute one another for the purpose of expressing judgment about what's good.

"Está mal que Roberto trabaje tanto".

"It's bad that Roberto works so much."

Caption 76, Carlos explica Cómo expresar opiniones en español - Part 4

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Mis padres me dicen que eso es malo

My parents tell me that that is bad

Caption 25, Club de las ideas Seguridad en internet

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Take into account, however, that when what is being described entails a moral judgment about something or a statement about the correctness of information, está bien/mal would be preferable, as we see below, noting the change in translation.

Lo que usted hace está mal.

What you're doing is wrong.

Caption 87, Muñeca Brava 48 - Soluciones - Part 6

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Sin embargo, el artículo "los" es masculino plural, así que no está bien.

However, the article, "los" [the], is masculine plural, so it's incorrect.

Captions 77-78, Carlos explica La concordancia gramatical - Part 1

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Exceptions to the Rules

While we have talked about ser accompanying bueno/a and estar going with bien/mal, and it would be totally incorrect to say es bien or es mal, there are cases in which está bueno/a or está malo/a are commonly used. Let's take a look at some common ones:

When Something Is Tasty

Está bueno.

It's good.

Caption 16, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 12 - Part 1

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When Something Is Nice/Cool

Está buena la casa, ¿eh?

The house is nice, huh?

Caption 26, Disputas La Extraña Dama - Part 10

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When Someone Is Attractive 

Que cante mi gente -Y está buena, pero qué buena está

Sing along, my people -And she is hot, but how hot she is

Caption 35, Héctor Lavoe Mi gente

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When Someone Is Ill 

Juan se queda en casa hoy ya que está malo.

Juan is staying home today since he's sick. 

You probably recall from earlier in the lesson that estar mal is another option for talking about sickness in Spanish, so keep your ears open for both.

On that note, we will conclude this lesson, which we hope has helped you to understand when the extremely common Spanish expressions es bueno/malo and está bien/mal can be used interchangeably and when one option is preferable... and don't forget to write us with your comments and questions. 

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The por vs. para dilemma is one of the biggest headaches for English speakers learning Spanish, especially since both are sometimes translated as "for." If you are still confused about the Spanish prepositions por and para, this lesson will explain how and when to use each. We hope that by the end of it, you will understand the difference between these two words and be able to use them with confidence. 

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Por vs. Para: The Key Difference

Before we examine some specific uses of por and para in Spanish, we would like to invite you to think about these prepositions as opposites in the following terms:

Por: Indicates a cause or reason.

Para: Indicates a purpose, objective, or goal.

In a video from his series about the prepositions por and para, Carlos explains this difference by contrasting two sentences. Let's hear the first:

Estoy preocupado por el examen.

I'm worried about the exam.

Caption 35, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 1

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In this sentence, the preposition por indicates that the exam is the cause or reason for Carlos' concern. Now, let's look at the other sentence:

María estudió tres días para el examen.

Maria studied for the exam for three days.

Caption 39, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 1

 Play Caption

In this case, the preposition para indicates that the exam was María's goal and/or purpose for studying, most likely to try to achieve the best possible grade. 

Now that we have highlighted this overarching difference between the prepositions por and para, let's explore a variety of more nuanced uses of each of these Spanish words.  

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How and When to Use the Preposition Por in Spanish

Let's take a look at many of the most common uses of the preposition por in Spanish.

To Indicate the Reason for Something

Si ese tipo vino aquí por dinero, pues... eso es lo único que quiere.

If that guy came here for money, well... that's the only thing he wants.

Captions 49-50, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 3 - Part 8

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Before Place Names to Denote a Course of Movement Within That Location

Pero ¿sabéis lo que le gusta hacer a Lukas? Ir a correr por la playa.

But, do you know what does Lukas like to do? Go running on the beach.

Captions 58-59, Amaya Mi camper van

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To Indicate Approximate Location 

Hoy he decidido hacer unas compras por el centro de la ciudad.

Today I've decided to do some shopping in the city's downtown.

Caption 2, Raquel Haciendo compras

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To Talk About the Time of Day

Las clases son normalmente por la tarde;

The classes are usually in the afternoon;

Caption 6, El Aula Azul Las actividades de la escuela - Part 2

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To Express Duration

Fui jugador amateur por mucho tiempo,

I was an amateur player for a long time,

Caption 22, Víctor en Caracas El fútbol con Tony Carrasco

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To Indicate the Frequency of an Action

Es de vital importancia que la tienda online se actualice. Deberíamos actualizar al menos dos veces por semana.

It's of vital importance that the online store is updated. We should update at least twice a week.

Captions 6-7, Raquel y Marisa Español Para Negocios - Nuestra tienda online

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To Indicate the Means Used To Do Something

Ayer llamé a mi cuñada por teléfono

Yesterday, I called my sister-in-law on the phone

Caption 5, Aprendiendo con Silvia Frases hechas - Part 3

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To Talk About Purchases and Transactions

¿Por cuánto lo has comprado?

For how much have you bought it?

Caption 17, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 16

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In Passive Sentences to Indicate Who or What Performs the Action

O: "El edificio ha sido diseñado por la arquitecta".

Or: "The building has been designed by the [female] architect."

Caption 34, Lecciones con Carolina La voz pasiva - Part 3

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To Provide Evidence Used To Form a Conclusion

Por lo que se ve, pues, no está quemado, no está dañado,

From what you [can] see, well, it's not burned, it's not damaged,

Captions 39-40, Aprendiendo con Priscilla Vocabulario de taller mecánico

 Play Caption

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How and When to Use the Preposition Para in Spanish

Now that we know how to use the preposition por in Spanish, let's see how to use the preposition para.

To Express the Purpose for Something

El veterinario vino ayer para comprobar que el bebé que lleva dentro está en buen estado,

The veterinarian came yesterday to check that the baby she's carrying is in good shape,

Captions 66-67, Amaya Apertura del refugio

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To Name a Recipient

Este libro es para ti.

This book is for you.

Caption 47, Carlos y Cyndy Uso del Voseo en Argentina

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To Indicate a Time Limit or Point in the Future 

Tengo que terminar el trabajo para mañana.

I have to finish this work by tomorrow.

Caption 39, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 2

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To Indicate the Direction or Destination of a Movement

Eh... voy para la casa. Si quiere, vamos juntos.

Um... I'm going home. If you want, we can go together.

Captions 7-8, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 14 - Part 9

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To Indicate the Use of Something

Tengo que tomar un medicamento para el dolor y otro para bajar la fiebre.

I have to take a medication for the pain and another one to lower the fever.

Captions 30-31, Ariana Cita médica

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To Talk About Employment

Trabajo para una empresa francesa de electrónica

I work for a French electronics company

Caption 13, Carlos y Xavi Part 2 Ustedes y Vosotros

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To Express Personal Opinions

porque es una ciudad que, para mí, lo tiene todo.

because it's a city that, for me, has it all.

Caption 7, San Sebastián El rompeolas

 Play Caption

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Por vs Para: Understanding the Main Differences

Now that we have learned how to use the Spanish prepositions por and para, we would like to take a moment to summarize the main differences between them in the following chart.

Before we go, we would like to highlight a very common mistake among non-native Spanish speakers. Although your inclination might be to use the word para, remember that in order to express gratitude in Spanish, the preposition por should always be used, as in the sentence "Gracias por el regalo" (Thanks for the gift).

That's all for today. Although we know that this lesson did not touch on all of the possible uses of the prepositions por and para, we hope that it has helped you to better understand how and when to use each of them, and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions. ¡Hasta la próxima!

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Surely "you're" familiar with "contractions" in English, or shorter words formed by combining two or more words, dropping one or more letter, and adding an apostrophe (for example, "you're" from "you are" in this sentence). But do you know about contractions in Spanish? Interestingly, while there are close to 100 contractions in English, in Spanish, there are only two (and no apostrophes are required!). Let's learn what they are and how to use them. 

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The Spanish Contraction Al

In short, the Spanish contraction al is used whenever the preposition a (at, to, etc.) is followed by the masculine definite article el (the). While the scenarios in which this takes place are too numerous to name, let's take a look at several of the most common ones with examples from our Yabla Spanish video library. 

When Heading Toward a Place

Al in this case is usually translated as "to the" in English. 

Siempre voy al mercado cuando no tengo ingredientes.

I always go to the market when I don't have ingredients.

Caption 10, Ariana Cena especial

 Play Caption

When Describing Location

This is the equivalent of the English "at the."

Puede tomar el ascensor que está al final del pasillo a la izquierda

You can take the elevator that is at the end of the hall on the left

Caption 57, Cleer y Lida Recepción de hotel

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With Certain Verbs That Require the Preposition a

Since the preposition a is an essential part of certain verbs such as acostumbrarse a (to get used to), asistir a (to attend), jugar a ("to play" something), and many more, a becomes al when a masculine definite article follows.

Los viernes, juego al fútbol con mis amigas. 

On Fridays, I play soccer with my friends.

Caption 21, Ariana Mi Semana

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Following the Personal a

As the preposition a is required prior to people who function as the objects of sentences in Spanish, a likewise becomes al in the presence of the masculine definite article. 

y ya le pedí al chef que la comida fuese vegetariana

and I already asked the chef for the food to be vegetarian

Caption 55, Programación de oficina El dictado del jefe

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When Describing a Limit 

In this usage, al is typically employed with the other Spanish contraction del (from the) to describe the end point of something, for example, a range.

Estos son los números del uno al cien.

These are the numbers from one to a hundred.

Caption 44, El Aula Azul Los Números del 1-100

 Play Caption

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The Spanish Contraction Del 

This second Spanish contraction is formed by combining the preposition de (of, from, about, by, etc.) with the masculine singular definite article el when one follows another in a sentence. Let's see some of the many common situations in which you might find it.

When Heading Away From a Place

This describes the point of origin from which something leaves.

También para cuando salimos del agua, eh...

[It's] also for when we come out of the water, um...

Caption 36, Ana Teresa Yoga y surf

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When Describing Origin

This describes where someone or something originates or comes from.

La mayoría de la gente viene del Pacífico

Most of the people come from the Pacific,

Caption 2, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 2 - Part 4

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When Describing Possession

This is used like 's in English to indicate ownership when what is owned is preceded by el. 

Yago, pero ese caballo es del patrón. Se va a calentar, ¡Yago!

Yago, but that's the master's horse. He's going to get mad, Yago!

Caption 35, Yago 1 La llegada - Part 1

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With Certain Verbs That Include the Preposition De

Like a, de is a part of certain Spanish verbs like acordarse de (to remember), olvidarse de (to forget), and depender de (to depend on) and thus changes to del when el is present.

¿Te acuerdas del atraco en el banco?

Do you remember the stickup at the bank?

Caption 54, Los casos de Yabla El examen - Part 1

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With Prepositional Phrases That Contain De

The contraction del might be used when el follows any of the numerous prepositional phrases that contain the word de (e.g. después de, antes de, a partir de, etc.).

El contrato empieza a correr a partir del próximo mes.

The lease starts to run starting from next month.

Caption 26, Ricardo La compañera de casa - Part 2

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When Indicating the Beginning of a Range

As we mentioned in the section regarding al, al and del are often used together when describing a range, with del indicating its beginning. 

Cogí unos días libres del veinte al veintiséis de abril".

I took a few days off from April twentieth to twenty-sixth."

Caption 26, Aprendiendo con Silvia Horas, fechas y períodos de tiempo - Part 3

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When Not to Use Contractions in Spanish 

Now that you have learned a plethora of situations in which you should employ the Spanish contractions al and del, you should be aware of some others in which you should not use them.

1. With Definite Articles Other Than El

Note that when any other definite article (la, las, or los) comes after the word a or de, no contraction is formed.

el corazón envía más sangre a las piernas

the heart sends more blood to the legs

Caption 31, Aprendiendo con Silvia Las emociones - Part 12

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2. When El Is Part of a Proper Noun

Don't use a Spanish contraction when the word el is part of a proper noun. Carlos sums this up perfectly:

No decimos "el Presidente del Salvador", sino "el Presidente de El Salvador".

We don't say "el Presidente del Salvador," but rather "el Presidente de El Salvador" [the President of El Salvador].

Captions 46-47, Carlos explica Geografía y gentilicios

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3. With the Word él (with an accent)

The Spanish contractions al and del must not be used when what follows a or de is the accented form, or Spanish subject pronoun él (which means "he," "him," or "it" rather than "the").

Ahora, Lukas, todo el mundo se enamora de él.

Now, Lukas, everybody falls in love with him.

Caption 51, Amaya La historia de Lukas

 Play Caption

That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to know when and when not to use the two Spanish contractions al and del, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments. 

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Are you familiar with the word sueño in Spanish, whose meaning can change from "dream" to "sleepiness" depending upon whether it is used as a noun or within the verb tener sueño (to be sleepy)? Today's lesson will cover these terms as well as additional pertinent vocabulary for la hora de dormir or de acostarse (bedtime).

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Spanish Bedtime Verbs

Let's explore some Spanish bedtime verbs, which we've broken down into several categories.

Feeling Bedtime Verbs

First, we'll look at some Spanish verb phrases that describe how you might feel at bedtime, listening to their pronunciation in clips from our Yabla Spanish video library.

Estar cansado/a: to be tired

Bueno, yo también me voy a la cama, estoy muy cansado.

Well, I'm also going to bed, I'm very tired.

Caption 87, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 1

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Tener sueño: to be sleepy

siento que todavía tengo sueño,

I feel that I'm still sleepy,

Caption 40, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados, usos y expresiones con "quedar" - Part 6

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Estar agotado/a: to be exhausted

Tengo... Estoy agotado.

I have... I'm exhausted.

Caption 22, Yago 11 Prisión - Part 6

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Now, let's learn a couple of more colloquial ways to convey the idea of being exhausted:

Estar muerto/a (literally "to be dead"):

Te juro, Mili, que estoy muerta.

I swear to you, Mili, that I'm exhausted.

Caption 2, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 2

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Estar hecho polvo (literally "to be made into dust"):

"yo ya estoy hecho polvo.

"I'm exhausted already.

Caption 24, Pigueldito y Federico El cielo

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Pre-Bedtime Verbs

Next, let's take a look at several Spanish reflexive verbs for actions from many people's bedtime routines. 

Bañarse: to bathe/take a bath 

Cepillarse los dientes/lavarse los dientes: to brush your teeth

Ducharse: to take a shower

Lavarse la cara: to wash your face 

Let's hear a couple of these in action:

Ehm... Suelo ducharme con agua caliente. Después, ehm... suelo lavarme los dientes en el baño,

Um... I usually take a hot shower. After that, um... I usually brush my teeth in the bathroom,

Captions 2-3, El Aula Azul Actividades Diarias

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Sleep-related verbs

To top off the bedtime verbs, let's check out these sleep-related verbs:

Acostar: to put to bed

Acostarse: to go to bed

Descansar: to rest

Despertarse: to wake up

Dormir: to sleep 

Dormirse: to fall asleep 

Levantarse: to get up

Relajarse: to relax

Soñar: to dream

Soñar con: to dream about 

Roncar: to snore

It's worth noting that the concept of dreaming "about" something is expressed instead with the Spanish equivalent of "with," or the preposition con. Let's hear this construction in a clip from our library:

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Spanish Bedtime Nouns

Let's move on to some categories of sleepytime related nouns!

A couple of things to keep in mind:

1. As you may know, the term zapatillas can also refer to "sneakers" in some regions.

2.  The many words for "pajamas" in Spanish are similar but differ slightly due to being extranjerismos, or adaptations of a foreign word to another  language. Therefore, you may encounter spellings of this word with either a "j" or a "y" as well as both the singular and plural versions as equivalents for the always plural English term "pajamas." Let's listen to two variations:

Usa piyama lo más flojita posible 

Wear pajamas [that are] as loose as possible,

Caption 13, Los médicos explican Consejos para dormir

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A mí me gusta ponerme enseguida la pijama o ropa de cama.

I like to put on pajamas or sleepwear right away.

Caption 83, Natalia de Ecuador Vocabulario de prendas de vestir

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Beds, Bedrooms, and Bedclothes in Spanish

Now let's cover another type of "bedclothes" and some additional nouns in our bedtime environments with a couple of video examples. Note that the use of particular terms for items like a "bedroom," "blanket," etc. varies widely from region to region. 

Bed: la cama

Bedroom: la alcoba, el cuarto, el dormitorio, la habitación, la pieza, la recámara

Bedspread: la colcha, el cobertor, la cubrecama, la sobrecama

Blanket: la cobija, la manta, la frazada

Mattress: el colchón

Nightstand/Night table: la mesita de luz, la mesita de noche, la mesilla de noche, la mesa de noche

Pillow: la almohada

Sheet: la sábana

A mí me gusta cambiar las sábanas cada semana.

I like to change the sheets every week.

Caption 21, Ana Carolina Arreglando el dormitorio

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Y aquí tienes una almohada, ¿mm?

And here you have a pillow, hmm?

Caption 57, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 1 - La llegada de Sam - Part 3

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A Very Special Bedtime Noun

We'll conclude our section on Spanish bedtime nouns by hearing the noun el sueño used as the equivalent of three different English words:

Llevo toda la semana teniendo todas las noches el mismo sueño.

All week, I've been having the same dream every night.

Caption 6, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Hay y estar

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va a mejorar tu sueño.

it's going to improve your sleep.

Caption 17, Bienestar con Elizabeth Introducción al yoga

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Por tu culpa estoy muerta de sueño.

It's your fault I'm dying of sleepiness.

Caption 3, Muñeca Brava 46 Recuperación - Part 3

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Bedtime Sayings

Lastly, let's learn the Spanish versions of some common English phrases you might say to someone at bedtime:

Good night: Buenas noches

Sleep well: Que duermas bien, Que descanses (literally "I hope you rest")

Sweet dreams: Dulces sueños, Felices sueños (literally "Happy dreams")

 Que duermas/sueñes con los angelitos (literally I hope you sleep with/dream about the angels)

We encounter two of these phrases in the following clip:

Buenas noches. -Buenas noches. Buenas noches. -Que descanses, mi amor.

Good night. -Good night. Good night. -Sleep well, my love.

Captions 73-74, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 1

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Remember that, in addition to meaning "Good night," Spanish-speakers also use the expression Buenas noches in contexts other than bedtime when English speakers would say "Good evening," for example, as a greeting at a restaurant in the late evening or at night. 

That's all for today. If all of these sleep-related terms have got you thinking about your own sleep, you might want to check out Silvia's Consejos para dormir mejor (Advice to Sleep Better), Los Médicos' (The Doctors') Consejos para dormir (Sleep Advice) or Soledad's series on El insomnio (Insomnia). In the meantime, we wish you excellent sleep, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.

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