This week we would like to give you the last details you need to get a full overview of the Spanish adjective placement. Let us refresh your memory! We encourage you to go back to our first article on the topic and keep on reading this post in English or in Spanish to upgrade the way you use adjectives.

Before or after the noun?

 

Usually, we place adjectives that express order before the noun. These include primero (first), segundo (second), último (last), próximo (next), siguiente (following), nuevo (new), antiguo (old). For example:

Espero hacerlo mejor en el próximo examen. (I hope to do better on the next exam.)

However, when we talk about the chapters of a book, the episodes of a TV series or the floors of a building, these adjectives can also be placed after the noun. For example:

El segundo capítulo es mejor que el primero. = El capítulo segundo es mejor que el primero. (The second episode is better than the first one.)

La ropa de deporte está en la tercera planta. = La ropa de deporte está en la planta tercera. (Sports clothes are on the third floor.)

Changing form and meaning

We must consider that some adjectives change their form regarding their position before or after the noun. Grande (big), bueno (good), malo (bad), primero (first) and tercero (third) do so. Let’s have a look at how some of them vary in form:

Un chico bueno = un buen chico (A good boy)

Un consejo malo = un mal consejo (A bad piece of advice)

El capítulo primero = el primer capítulo (The first episode)

El tercer piso = el piso tercero (The third floor)

In all the cases above, adjectives keep the same meaning regardless their position in the sentence. However, the adjective grande (big) has different meanings depending on whether it goes before or after the noun:

Barcelona es una ciudad grande. (Barcelona is a big city.)

Barcelona es una gran ciudad. (Barcelona is great city.)

 

In the first sentence, grande describes the city’s dimensions, i. e., its size, while in the second example gran talks more about its character: a great, wonderful city. In this case, it talks about the quality of Barcelona, not about its size.

Please note that all the adjectives above change their form to agree with masculine singular nouns, but the word grande has also a different spelling for feminine singular nouns, as we have seen in the example Barcelona es una gran ciudad. The reason behind is that grande is built in the same way both for masculine and feminine nouns, so if the form changes in masculine it must also do it in feminine.

Thanks to Ignacio Sellés from our school in Alicante for bringing some extra light to the topic.

If you want to improve your knowledge about specific topics such as adjectives, we encourage you to try our don Quijote private Spanish lessons. With them, you’ll have the opportunity to focus on the topics that most interest you.

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The letter "ñ" is one of the hallmarks of the Spanish language. It is present in many words and helps us distinguish them from others that are quite similar in terms of their spelling. Some of the most common examples are: caña/cana, pena/peña, cuna/cuña, campana/campana.

If you want to learn more about this beautiful letter, showing up next, you’ll discover some interesting details. You can continue reading this post in Spanish.

What is the name of the symbol over the letter “ñ” in Spanish?

The elegant headdress that lays on top of the "ñ" is called virgulilla. However, most Spanish speakers do not know this detail, so it’s very common that they refer to this spelling sign as the hat over the “ñ”, the accent mark, or even the eyebrow.

However, those who are dedicated to computer programming usually know the real name, since it turned out to be a big headache for some of them. The letter "ñ" and its virgulilla made it necessary to increase the number of bits used to represent it on the computer screens, although many times this is still a challenge to achieve.

Where does the letter “ñ” come from?

The letter "ñ" arises from the need to represent a new sound that, although did not exist in Latin, appeared in different Romance languages with the spelling of different groups of consonants, such as the double "n" (anno-“año”), the letters "gn" (lignu-“leño”), or the combination "ni" followed by vowel (Hispania-“España”).

But linguistic economy has always been very important, and since there were too many options for the same sound, medieval scribes (those who copied the books when there was no printing press) decided to simplify. Finally, the group of consonants “nn” was chosen, which was later abbreviated into a single one, and distinguished by the placement of this upper-line called virgulilla.

Later, in the thirteenth century, King Alfonso X the Wise set the first rules of Castilian language, and the "ñ" was established as the preferred spelling to reproduce the phoneme /ɲ/. Thus, its use was extended and included in the first grammar of Spanish, written by Antonio de Nebrija and published in 1492.

In the same way, other Romance languages ​​that emerged from Latin adopted other ways of representing the sound /ɲ/: Italian and French opted for the “gn” combination, Portuguese decided on “nh” and Catalan “ny”.

How many languages contain the letter “ñ”?

This is the fifteenth letter of the Spanish ABC, but it does not belong to the basic Latin alphabet. However, it is not an exclusive letter of Spanish, as it is present in many other languages ​​such as Aymara, Asturian, Breton, Bubi, Chamorro, Basque, Filipino, Galician, Guarani, Iñupiaq, Kiliwa, Mixtec, O'Dham, Otomi, Papiamento, Quechua, Rohingya, Tagalog, Crimean Tatar, Tetun, Wolofmapuche, and Zapotec.

Besides, the sound /ɲ/ can also be found in languages from every continent. Some remote examples are the Nile-Saharan and the Australian Aboriginal languages.

Equivalent Letters in Other Languages

In other languages, the double "n" has derived in different spellings:

• in Oromo, Aragonese, Venetian, Walloon, Catalan, Ewe, Gã, Ganda, Hungarian, Hmong, Indonesian, Ladino, Lingala, Malay, Quenya, Sesotho, Swahili, Walloon, Zhuang and Zulu.
• in French, Breton, Walloon, Jèrriais, Italian, Corsican, Sardinian, Genoese, Piedmontese, Lombard, Venetian, Friulan, Latin and Sicilian.
• in Occitan, Mirandés, Portuguese and Vietnamese.
• in Dutch, Croatian, Faroese, Friesian, Arumanian, Serbian, Cimbrian, Finnish and Albanian.
• <Ň> in Czech, Slovak and Roma.
• <Ń> in Polish, where, in addition, the digraph has the same value (the same happens in Basque, where apart from the <ñ>, in some dialects it is not even read as a <ñ>).
• <Ņ> in Latvian.
• (at the beginning of the word when it is palatized) in Gaelic.
• in Leonese possible solution in ñ at the beginning of the word (ñube nnube).
• and in Scottish Gaelic when pronounced palatized.
• <ɲ> in Bambara.
• in Basque (sometimes also the spelling or <ñ>).
• in gagauz before ä, e, i, ö and u.
• <に ゃ> in Japanese (hiragana), (ニ ャ, katakana) although its sound is not identical, it is borrowed for better pronunciation, since the sound <ñ> does not exist in Japanese. For example <ベ ゴ ニ ャ> translated into Spanish “Begonya ”(Begoña), as you can see it cannot be translated as is the <ñ>.
• <Нь> in Ukrainian, Russian and Bulgarian.
• <њ> in Serbian.
• <ஞ்> in Tamil.
• <νι> in Greek.
• <ኝ> in ge'ez, amharic, tigriña, tigré, harari, blin and me'en, among other languages ​​that use the Ethiopian writing system.
• <ञ> in Hindi, Marathi, among other languages ​​that use Devanagari.

Some Words Written with <Ñ>

Here are some of the most used examples of words that are written with the letter <ñ>. Among the words with positive connotations, we find: soñar (dream), retoño (tot, sprout), aliñar (dress, season), buñuelo (fritter, profiterole), compañero (partner), hazaña (feat), cariño (love), enseñar (teach) o entrañable (endearing). On the other hand, we also use the language to describe unpleasant situations. In this way, we find: daño (damage), ponzoña (poison), puñal (dagger), arañar (scratch), niñato (immature person), ñoño (cheesy, tacky), engaño (trickery, lie), migraña (migraine), añoranza (nostalgia, longing), huraño (shy, hermit-like) o carroña (carrion).

And now, tell us ... what is your favorite word written with <ñ>?

 

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I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

Today, we begin our post with a beautiful quote by Henry David Thoreau. The excuse, the arrival of autumn. Can you think of a better place than a forest in the middle of nature to enjoy this season? For this reason, we present a compilation with the top 8 forests to visit in autumn in Spain. We hope you enjoy them.

Read this post in Spanish.

1. Irati Forest (Navarra)

Irati Forest is the largest forest mass in the Foral Community of Navarra and the second largest beech-fir forest in Europe (after the Black Forest in Germany). It is a beautiful forest whose soil is covered with a reddish mantle when the leaves fall. Trees and vegetation turn the same color, giving rise to an idyllic autumnal scene. In addition, in the Irati Forest we can find 16 marked paths for hiking enthusiasts. Just don't forget to wear hiking boots and bring a camera to immortalize the landscape.

2. Muniellos Forest (Asturias)

Located within Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias Natural Park in Asturias, Muniellos Forest is the largest oak grove in Spain and one of the best preserved in all of Europe. Stroll into the Muniellos Forest and discover one of the best outdoor settings to visit in autumn. The environment, home to many legends of Astur mythology, maintains a very intense green color (thanks to the holly) that mixes with the gold and reddish tones from the fallen leaves of beeches, chestnut trees, and oaks. Keep in mind that only a limited number of people are allowed into the forest each day, so you’ll need to request permission before you go using the Principality of Asturias website.

3. Ordesa Valley (Aragon)

Ordesa Valley is one of the best places for rural tourism in Huesca. Located in the Aragonese Pyrenees, Ordesa and Monteperdido National Park undergoes a beautiful transformation around this time of year: beeches, birches, maples, and ash trees give rise to a colorful spectacle when the fall arrives. A landscape dotted with yellow and reddish colors makes this area worth visiting to enjoy some of its hiking trails. Wrap up and wear appropriate footwear so you don't miss one of the ideal places to travel in the fall.

4. Gorbeia Natural Park (Basque Country)

Gorbeia is the largest Natural Park in the whole region, known for its lush vegetation. It is embedded in a magical environment, especially at this time of the year, due to the golden and copper-colored tones that paint the landscape. Prepare a getaway now and enjoy unique places like the Akaitz beech woods, the limestone pavement of Pardarri, the Arritzaga Valley, and the cirque glaciar in Pardelutz. At Gorbeia Natural Park, you will discover an idyllic site straight out of a fairy tale, the perfect place to visit in the fall.

5. Aran Valley (Lleida)

Located in the Catalan Pyrenees, the Aran Valley is one of the best destinations to travel in autumn. After the summer, the first snowfalls begin on the mountain tops, which cover some of the highest peaks in Spain with an immaculate white mantle. In addition, the yellow, maroon, and orange shades of deciduous trees (beech and centenary oaks) make the valley’s forests some of the most attractive to enjoy the cozy colors of this season. We recommend you dress warmly and bring the appropriate gear to avoid being cold and to be able to walk comfortably around these incredible landscapes.

6.  Faedo de Ciñera Beech Woods (León)

Although it is small, the Faedo de Ciñera holds the title of The Best Cared For Forest in Spain. This very special forest is located in the Central Leonese Mountains, where it is said that a witch named Haeda, guardian and protector of the place, dwells. Let your mind wander on paths surrounded by trees and stop to nap by the stream that bears the same name: you will discover one of the most charming areas to explore in autumn.

7. Ambroz Valley (Cáceres)

Located to the south of the province of Cáceres, between Las Hurdes and the Jerte Valley, we find the Ambroz River Valley. With its chestnut trees and oak woods, it is one of the best places to enjoy the colors of autumn. In fact, the locals even have a fiesta dedicated to this season: "Magic Autumn." It is a Festival of National Tourist Interest that is celebrated annually between the months of October and December with different outdoor activities: hiking trails, exhibitions, local products and food markets, craft fairs, dances, competitions, and much more make the Ambroz Valley the perfect place to have fun with family and friends.

8. Tejeda Negra Beech Forest (Guadalajara)

Tejeda Negra is the southernmost beech forest in all of Europe, located in the province of Guadalajara. Thanks to its deciduous trees, the best time to visit the Tejera Negra Beech Forest is autumn. The color variety is spectacular, and if you go with an expert, you can also enjoy the many species of mushrooms that you can find there. The hiking trails around the area are not very difficult and are truly beautiful. It is advisable to book in advance as a limited number of people are allowed entry.

We hope you enjoyed the post and, above all, that you organize a getaway very soon to experience the essence of autumn in the middle of nature.

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October 12^th is the National Day in Spain. What it is mainly celebrated is the invasion of Latin America by the Spanish conquerors. But on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, they pay homage to the indigenous civilizations inhabiting the continent before Columbus landed. The international festivity receives other names like the Hispanic Heritage Day, Cultural Diversity Day, Day of the Meeting of Two Worlds, and many more. The day is long and there is much to celebrate. But what should you not miss on this day?

Read the Spanish version.

October 12 in Spain

In Madrid, for example, you will find that many major museums have free admission. Take advantage of it! And remember that you are in Madrid, the weather is still nice, and you will continue to find terraces where you can have a drink! Apart from this, the city offers a wide variety of theater plays and concerts. Even though it's a holiday, Madrid does never stop!

If you are in Barcelona you can pop over to the nearby city of Zaragoza where their grand celebration, the Día del Pilar, is celebrated. It is one of the liveliest festivities in Spain where you will see regional costumes, floral offerings, culinary fairs...

And in Seville, the 12th of October is considered the start of the Christmas shopping season, so have a look at the outdoor markets and get a jump on your gift shopping. And if you’re looking for something a little more colorful, you have Seville’s Cathedral where every year they have a majestic floral display on the tomb of Christopher Columbus in his honor.

Valencia is one of the musical capitals of Spain, so it is not surprising that their schedule is full of concerts. Pablo López's concert, the Seafood Fair and the Ruzafa’s Fashion Week are some of the events for this weekend.

If you are in Malaga, you will also have a great dose of music, theater and exhibitions. You can take the opportunity to visit the exhibition “Banksy. The Art of Protest” that ends this Sunday, October 13.

One of the main attractions of Granada is its serenity and romance. The long weekend that October offers in the middle of the month is one of the favorites for travelers visiting the city. What could be more charming than a Granada, filled with art, during one of the most beautiful seasons of the year?

In Alicante, they will have a very interesting a nautical event: young sailors between 7 and 14 will put on a sailing exhibition as part of the around the world sail race. Sport and excitement!

Salamanca is culture and it does not need to be a special day to enjoy all kinds of events from exhibitions to micro-theater performances; but if you stay a little longer, we recommend that you go beyond the city. In Alba de Tormes, there are lively festivities in its streets including chirigotas (musical groups) and colorful parades featuring paper mâche giants… Even a take-off from a Broadway musical!

October 12 in Latinamerica

And Mexico celebrates its indigenous heritage splendidly. In the centric Plaza del Zocalo you can see recreations of ancient Aztec warrior dances.

Guanajuato celebrates not only one of the most important cultural events of Mexico, but also of the Spanish-speaking world, the Cervantino International Festival: theater, music, dance, opera, visual arts... It’s all there!

On the Playa del Carmen, not only is it a great place to lie on the beach, but also to volunteer for some charity work. On October 13th the Mayakoba benefit bicycle race takes place, where not only can we test our physical capacities, but also enjoy that fact that it goes to a good cause- care for the elderly.

In Ibarra, Ecuador (just outside of Quito), a unique and very entertaining competition is held from the 1st to the 9th of October. It’s the Zorro (Fox) hunt. The horsemen try to trap (you don’t have to fear for the poor animal) a rider disguised as "El Zorro", the popular hero dressed in black, complete with mask and wide-brimmed hat! The rider who succeeds in catching him will have the honor of being the “Fox” the following year.

If you are in Buenos Aires, Iyou will celebrate the Day of respect for cultural diversity. In addition, you can enjoy a wide cultural offer in what is the theater capital worldwide.

If this October 12th you are in Bogota, on this day the diversity of races originated with the meeting between indigenous, European and African people is commemorated after the arrival of Columbus in America on October 12, 1492.

Just 55 kilometers from Cartagena (Colombia), the town of San Basilio de Palenque celebrates the Festival of Drums from October 11 to the 13. During this celebration not only is the sound of percussion king, but also the culture and local cuisine. A taste of the Caribbean!

Sosua celebrates its DR Jazz Festival in October, filled with great international jazz performances mixed with Caribbean influences every Friday up to the first week of November. Imagine dancing and enjoying the most elegant music on the seafront, cocktail in hand.

Antigua, in Guatemala, is a melting pot of cultures and we can see it in the various activities scheduled for October 12, venues filled rising musical artists. Quite a busy day!

As you can see on October 12th is full of opportunities to have a great time. And if we have left any out, let us know and we will be there!

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In our last few academic posts, we studied how to spot the difference between masculine and feminine nouns and adjectives. That probably wasn’t completely new to you, but today we’re going to cover a topic that students are always asking about. It usually doesn’t get the attention it deserves in the classroom.

Now that we know when an adjective is masculine or feminine, where do we put it? There’s no easy answer because in Spanish, adjectives can go before or after the noun.

Read this post in Spanish.

Some adjectives always go after the noun. These adjectives express:

• Color: ¿Te gusta mi vestido azul? (Do you like my blue dress?)
• Form: Me he comprado una mesa redonda. (I bought myself a round table.)
• State or condition: En esta casa hay muchas cosas rotas. (In this house there are many broken things.)
• Type: Quiero un teléfono móvil. (I want a mobile phone.)
• Origin: Me gusta la música española. (I like Spanish music.)

However, there’s an exception: in poetic language, these types of adjectives can go before the noun.

• Me enamoré de sus rojos labios (I fell in love with his/her red lips).

All other adjectives (the ones that don’t fit into the categories listed above) can be placed before or after the noun, depending on the situation.

• When a Spanish adjective comes after the noun, it is usually being used to distinguish the thing we’re talking about from something else.
  •  Vamos por el camino grande. Parece más seguro que el camino pequeño.

(Let’s take the big road. It looks safer than the small road.)

• When a Spanish adjective comes before the noun, it’s not being used to distinguish the noun from other nouns. Instead, the adjective is being used to highlight a quality of the noun.
  •  El pequeño camino que lleva a la cima de la montaña es peligroso.

(The small road that leads to the top of the mountain is dangerous.)

In this case, there is only one road. The adjective pequeño is being used to describe a characteristic of the road. We don’t need to distinguish between a big road and a small road because there is only one.

These adjectives that can be used before the noun usually describe a characteristic whose meaning is relative. That is to say, the characteristic they describe depends on making a comparison. For example, grande-pequeño (big-small), rápido-lento (fast-slow), bonito-feo (pretty-ugly), fuerte-débil (strong-weak), largo-corto (long-short), cercano-lejano (near-far), etc. Something is big or small, pretty or ugly, fast or slow, etc., depending on what we compare it to.

Usually, you will see these adjectives with relative meanings placed before a noun in formal writing. For example, Los testigos dicen que se asustaron porque escucharon una fuerte explosión (The witnesses say they were frightened because they heard a loud explosión).

To learn more, sign up for one of the Spanish courses we offer at our schools.

Thanks to Ignacio Sellés from our school in Alicante for teaching us where to put our Spanish adjectives.

 

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English has become the de facto global language — just look at international airport signs, press releases, the media, and the internet. However, every language has its limits, including English. So much so that some Spanish speakers might say that this Germanic language is missing some words.

Beyond just a means of communication, each language is also a way of interpreting reality, which explains why there are lots of cultural concepts that have a name in some languages but not in others. In today’s article we’ll show you 5 Spanish words with no English equivalent. Click here if you want to read this entire article in Spanish.

1. Estrenar

Estrenar is a verb that means to use something for the first time. Sounds super useful, right? You can estrenar your new jeans, estrenar a new notebook, etc. In this case, contrary to what usually happens, we have to use a whole phrase in English to communicate what Spanish manages to say in a single word. Here’s an example:

Ayer estrené unos zapatos nuevos

Yesterday I wore my new shoes for the first time

2. Sobremesa

 

La sobremesa is the time people spend sitting together chatting or having a drink after a meal. This word is cultural in nature. It’s not so much that English is missing a term, but rather that the concept of sobremesa isn’t as present in English-speaking countries, and therefore not enough people have felt the need to have a name for it.

In Mediterranean cultures, including Spanish, the shared moment after a meal can go on for hours and hours. However, in other European countries this practice is not as common.

Another cultural word is siesta. Spanish has a word for this custom because it’s something that Spanish people do. But if there was a country where nobody took naps, would they have a name for it?

3. Tocayo

This one is a bit harder to explain. A tocayo or tocaya is someone who has the same name as another person. For example, the Spiderman actor James Franco and the famous soul singer James Brown are tocayos.

Fun fact! The word tocayo comes from Náhuatl. In this indigenous language from Mexico, tocaitl means name, honor, or fame.

4. Entrecejo

 

Let’s be honest: What would the iconic image of Frida Kahlo be without her entrecejo? As the name indicates (entre meaning “between” and ceja meaning “eyebrow”), the entrecejo is the space between one eyebrow and the other. For some people, this area is just a few centimeters of bare skin, while in others, like the famous Mexican artist, it’s covered in hair, forming the middle third of a unibrow.

5. Madrugar

Today’s last word is the most useful of all: madrugar. You can save a lot of time saying “wake up early” with just one word. Madrugar is such a commonly used word in Spanish that it comes with its own saying:

A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda

(God helps those who get up early)

Our equivalent phrase in English is “The early bird catches the worm.”

There you have the 5 Spanish words we think should exist in English. If you liked this article, share it in video form with your friends and start using these words! Remember, new terms can be accepted into the English dictionary if people start using them in everyday life, so hop to it!

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As most of you know, the general rule for knowing if a Spanish noun is masculine or feminine Spanish is that if it ends in -o it’s masculine (el dinero, el libro, el bolígrafo, etc.), and if it ends in -a it’s feminine (la casa, la mesa, la rosa, etc.).

Click here to read this post in Spanish.

However, there are some exceptions you should know about that break the rule completely.

• For example, there are words that end in -a but are masculine, like día, mapa, planeta, programa, and sofá. Several of them end in -ema (esquema, poema, problema, sistema o tema).
• Likewise, there are nouns that end in -o but are feminine: radio, mano, foto (because it comes from fotografía), and moto (because it comes from motocicleta).

What about nouns that don’t end in -a or -o? There are other endings that usually have a certain gender:

• For example, nouns that end in -aje or -or are almost always masculine: el paisaje, el viaje, el color, el amor, etc. However, la flor is feminine.

• Meanwhile, nouns that end in -ción, -sión, -dad, and -tad: la canción, la relación, la expresión, la mansión, la ciudad, la verdad, la libertad, la amistad, etc., are feminine.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some nouns have only one form, regardless of the gender of the person. These nouns end in  -ista and -ante: el/la artista, el/la dentista, el/la estudiante, el/la cantante, etc. That’s why la estudianta* and el artisto* don’t exist.

Lastly, some nouns have different forms depending on the gender of the person or animal:

el hombre > la mujer

el padre > la madre

el actor > la actriz

el emperador > la emperatriz

el alcalde > la alcaldesa

el caballo > la yegua

el toro > la vaca

el gallo > la gallina

el tigre > la tigresa

Thanks to Ignacio Sellés from our school in Alicante for writing this post.

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Have you ever ventured to use a word in another language without making sure of its meaning first? The answer is probably yes. And it’s also very likely that you have felt embarrassed at least once because you accidently said something completely different or even nonsense.

In today's post, we bring you a compilation of 20 false friends (also called “cognates”) so that next time, appearances won’t fool you. Ready?

Click here to read the post in Spanish.

What are false friends?

False friends are words in another language that sound similar to a word in our language but have a different meaning. As the term indicates, false friends can play dirty tricks on us if we trust them blindly just because they sound or look familiar. While it is true that these words often have a common etymology, they evolved differently, giving rise to distinct meanings.

The term “false friend” comes from the French faux-ami and was introduced by Koessler and Derocquigny in their book Les faux-amis ou les trahisons du vocabulaire anglais (False Friends, or, the Treacheries of English Vocabulary) published in 1928.

List of 20 English - Spanish false friends

1. Actualmente does not mean “actually” (never mind how much we insist):

• Actualmente: currently

• Actually: en realidad

2. In Spanish, if someone gives you an aviso, they are not giving a piece of advice:

• Aviso: notice, warning

• Advice: consejo, recomendación

3. Atender does not mean "attend" (although they are similar):

• Atender: pay attention, help

• Attend: asistir, estar presente

4. In Spanish, when they say that somebody is bizarro, it does not mean that they are strange nor bizarre:

• Bizarro: brave, courageous

• Bizarre: raro, extraño

5. Moreover, Spanish speakers don’t use carpetas to make the floor warmer in winter:

• Carpeta: folder

• Carpet: alfombra, moqueta

6. The term comodidad does not really have anything to do with commodity:

• Comodidad: amenity, comfort

• Commodity: product, mercancía

7. In addition, a complemento is not something to say thank you for:

• Complemento: accessory

• Compliment: cumplido, halago

8. If a Spanish speaker says that they are constipado, they are not being too honest:

• Constipado: have a cold

• Constipated: extreñido

9. In Spanish, discutir is a bit stronger than “discuss”:

• Discutir: argue, have an argument

• Discuss: hablar, exponer, debatir

10. An embarazada has nothing to be ashamed of:

• Embarazada: pregnant

• Embarrassed: avergonzado/-ada

11. Eventualmente is a frequency adverb for Spanish speakers:

• Eventualmente: occasionally

• Eventually: al final, después de todo

12. Éxito is not a way nor passage out, but something to be proud of:

• Éxito: success

• Exit: salida

13. Although it also refers to size, largo is not the same as “large”:

• Largo: long

• Large: grande

14. Spanish people don’t go to the librería to study:

• Librería: bookstore

• Library: biblioteca

15. In Spanish, when somebody pretende something, you can usually trust them:

• Pretender: hope, expect

• Pretend: fingir, simular

16. Realizar has a lot to do with dreaming for Spanish speakers:

• Realizar: make, fulfill

•Realize: darse cuenta

17. If somebody tells you they’re sensible in Spanish, you’d probably need to be tactful:

• Sensible (Spanish): sensitive

• Sensible (English): sensato

18. In Spain, a suburbio is not a nice place to live in:

• Suburbio: slum, ghetto

• Suburb: barrio residencial, afueras

19. When a Spanish speaker says something is terrorífico, they are not normally very happy:

• Terrorífico: terrifying, horrific

• Terrific: genial, espectacular

20. And finally, a tópico is not a subject of discussion, but a word related to stereotypes:

• Tópico: cliché

• Topic: tema

Perhaps this short list of Spanish false friends has given you a new appreciation for professional translators. Think of the disastrous consequences of telling a client you’ve found a new property that’s ideally located in a suburbio! Let this be a reminder (or a warning!) that if you ever need language translation services, it’s important to work with professionals to avoid embarrassing mistakes that may ruin your reputation!

At don Quijote, we hope not only that you’ve enjoyed today’s post, but also that you find it useful and are spared some awkward situations. We encourage you to share this post with your true friends to save them from falling into the trap of false friends when speaking a different language.

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Strolling down the red carpet

The San Sebastian International Film Festival, now in its 67th edition, thrust the Spanish city into the spotlight for film buffs on September 20-28.

In its wake, the festival has left us with 205 films, 7 official awards, and 18 awards in other categories. However, without a doubt, the biggest winner was Spanish cinema, which has been knocking on the door of the international industry with increasing intensity. Continue reading to discover the highlights of the event, or click here to switch to the Spanish version of this post.

The jewel of Spanish cinema

Since its founding in 1953, the San Sebastian Film Festival has always had big ambitions. After only five years, it had made its way into the top film festival circuit, and today stars from all over the world make their annual pilgrimage to beautiful La Concha Beach.

This film festival, also known in Basque as the Donostia Zinemaldia, was the first attended by Roman Polanski and Pedro Almodóvar. It was also here that Francis Ford Coppola and Terrence Malick received their first awards for directing.

These household names were practically unknown when the festival recognized their work. In keeping with its philosophy, the San Sebastian Film Festival continues to keep an eye on new talent, Spanish-language productions, and flashes of innovation.

Movies for every taste

In addition to the official selection, the festival has diverse categories. The Latin Horizons and Made in Spain sections are a hidden treasure for those who want to learn Spanish by watching films in their original language.

Además de la sección oficial, el festival cuenta con temáticas de lo más diversas. Las secciones de Horizontes latinos y Made in Spain son un tesoro escondido para todos aquellos que quieran aprender español viendo cine en versión original.

Young prospects find their place to shine in the New Directors category, while the Perlak section is for films that have triumphed outside of Spain. Whether you like culinary films, kids’ movies, or the classics, San Sebastian has something for you.

The winners

The Golden Shell for Best Film was awarded to Pacified, directed by Paxton Winters. This Brazilian film explores the problems of a family trying to find peace in the hostile environment they call home.

Another top award, the Donostia Award, went to one of Spain’s most international actresses, Penelope Cruz. Here’s a list of the night’s biggest awards:

• Golden Shell for Best Film: Pacified, by Paxton Winters
• Special Jury Prize: Proxima, by Alice Winocour
• Silver Shell for Best Director: Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño, and Jose Mari Goenaga for La trinchera infinita
• Silver Shell for Best Actress: Nina Hoss for Das Vorspiel and Greta Fernández for La hija de un ladrón
• Silver Shell for Best Actor: Bukassa Kabengele for Pacified
• Jury Prize for Best Cinematography: Laura Merians for Pacified
• Jury Prize for Best Screenplay: Luiso Berdejo and Jose Mari Goenaga for La trinchera infinita

That’s it for the summary of the 2019 San Sebastian Film Festival. If all this talk about films has left you wanting more, we remind you that the Sitges Film Festival is upon us (October 3 to 13). Visit our Spanish school in Barcelona and take a day trip to Sitges for an up-close look at one of the best festivals dedicated to fantasy and horror.

If you’re ready to break out the popcorn, here’s a video about Spanish movie titles you’re sure to enjoy.

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Today we are going to talk about a flea market in Madrid that is not a traditional market. It’s a cultural event! Today we are going to talk about the famous Mercado de Motores.

Read this article in Spanish

This market, which is held on the second weekend of each month, has become one of the most important events in the city.

 

This market has a great atmosphere thanks to its more than 200 craftsmen, artists, designers and different music styles. Besides this, the Mercado de Motores has music, food, entertainment and all types of shopping. You will be able to discover new things all day.

The Mercado de Motores takes place in the Museo del Ferrocarril, one of the most central areas of Madrid. Because of that, you will be walking around the market and looking to old locomotives and carriages in the Museum.

Another special feature of the Mercado de Motores is that you can hear great live music. Every month different music bands make your visit even more special if it’s possible.

If you want to plan your visit, the schedule is from 11.00 to 22.00 on Saturdays and from 11.00 to 21.00 on Sundays. You have the whole weekend to see, enjoy and buy whatever you like.

If your visit is longer than what you planned, it is worth making a stop to eat and drink something in any food truck for resting some time. After that you will be able to continue discovering the Mercado full of energy.

Do you want or do you need to go with your puppy? It cannot go into the museum, but Mercado de Motores’ staff provides you animal caretakers.

And finally, get ready because when you get home you will be looking forward to next month to come back!

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