The Sun is just a small star living in one of many galaxies. In the context of the whole universe, it’s an insignificant pinprick. Nevertheless, for us it is essential. This celestial body marks the rhythm of life on Earth.

Today, the calendars of almost every culture are determined by the Earth’s movement around the Sun, dividing the year into 365 days. Long ago, sundials or shadow clocks were very popular instruments used to split the day into more precise blocks of time.

Clearly, we can’t ignore the fundamental role the sun plays in how we organize our work day. This quality is precisely what today’s Spanish expression, trabajar de sol a sol,  is all about. Continue reading in English to find out the meaning of this saying or click here to read about it in Spanish.

Everyone knows that the early bird catches the worm — or, as the common Spanish expression says, a quien madruga, Dios le ayuda (God helps those who get up early). Back before people had electricity, the sun was practically the only source of light available. That’s why workers made the most of the hours of natural light to get their work done.

Perhaps you’ve heard the expression de sol a sol. In English we have a similar expression, from sunup to sundown. This saying is usually associated with work and it means “all day long” or “a long time.” Let’s see an example:

Juan trabaja de sol a sol para dar de comer a sus hijos.

Juan works from sun to sun to feed his children.

This sentence informs us that Juan works tirelessly from sunrise to sunset. Now, if Juan spent los lunes al sol, that would be a different story. This saying, which became popular thanks to a Spanish movie by director Fernando León de Aranoa, means just the opposite: to be unemployed, or not working. In that type of situation, spending a few months volunteering is always a good option.

Luis Tosar and Javier Bardem in Los lunes al sol

Los lunes al sol (Mondays in the Sun) is a movie from 2002 starring Luis Tosar and Javier Bardem. It tells the story of the mass layoffs that took place in the Spanish port city of Vigo. The movie earned five Goyas, Spain’s most important film awards.

So now you know, if you don’t want to spend los lunes al sol, you’d better get to work de sol a sol. And if you still have time to discover more expressions like these ones, we invite you to watch the following video:

In the weeks leading up to Lent, everyone is getting ready for one of the most spectacular events on the Canary Islands: carnival. During this celebration, the seven islands step into the spotlight for the most colorful and joyful fiesta of the year.

Thanks to the pleasant subtropical climate, locals and visitors can let their imaginations run wild as they prepare fantastic costumes to wear without having to worry about the cold weather the rest of Spain suffers from this time of year.

Nights bursting with color

One of the pivotal moments is the election of the Queen of Carnival, who becomes the face of the festival. To compete for the title, several candidates show off enormous costumes adorned with feathers and beads of every color.

These flashy outfits can weigh as much as 450 pounds and are the result of months of work. International media flock to Tenerife and Las Palmas for the elections to cover the most famous part of Canarian carnival.

Music in the streets

Other highlights include the murgas, the Mogollones, and the parades of floats. The murgas are musical groups who sing satirical songs about current events. They dress up to participate in competitions and are similar to the chirigotas of Cadiz.

The Mogollones are celebrations that take place over several nights during the carnival season. Party-goers visit beach bars and street stands as music flows throughout the city.

One of the biggest crowd-pleasers are the parades. During the Gran Cabalgata in Las Palmas, close to 100 decked-out floats and cars parade through the city streets.

The finishing touch

All good things must come to an end, and carnival is no exception. In the Canary Islands, the burial of the sardine is the perfect finale. In keeping with long tradition, a mock funeral is held, and a large representation of a sardine is burned in the middle of a fireworks show.

This March, we invite you to come to our Spanish school in Tenerife and experience Canarian carnival for yourself. Enjoy a different kind of winter and immerse yourself in the joy of the Canarian people!

Our solar system’s reigning star is a fiery source of energy for the Earth and its inhabitants, who are all alive directly or indirectly thanks to its power. The Sun is so important that throughout history, it has been worshipped as a god in many cultures, given rise to enormous forests, and returned animals to life after months of hibernation each winter. 

In addition to all this, the Sun has been an inspiration for popular sayings in all the world’s languages. Spanish, of course, is one of them. Today we’ll learn what it means to be a sun, or ser un sol. Keep reading in English or click here to switch to the Spanish version of this post.

Both literally and figuratively, our world revolves around the Sun. Everything depends on it, from the food we eat to the tan we spend all summer working on. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that the expression ser un sol is used to describe good things, like kindness.

La vecina de arriba me ayudó a subir las bolsas de la compra por la escalera. ¡Es un sol!

My upstairs neighbor helped me carry the shopping bags up the stairs. She is a sun!

This expression is also used to describe people who brighten up our lives and make us happy. Here’s a romantic compliment to add to your list of Spanish love quotes:

Eres el sol que ilumina mis días.

You are the sun that illuminates my days.

And since we’re on the topic, let’s learn something about Spanish culture. Did you know that Spaniards enjoy more than 10 hours of sunshine a day during the summertime? This makes our destinations in Spain the ideal place to attend an unforgettable summer camp with lots of outdoor activities.

If you liked learning today’s Spanish expression, you’ll love watching this video. We’ve compiled all sorts of sayings with sol to help you speak Spanish more fluently.

Why tell a friend they look nervous when you can say they’re like flan (estás como un flan)? Isn’t it much more fun to talk about someone who has bad milk (tiene mala leche) instead of calling them grumpy or bad-tempered? One of the most wonderful things about Spanish is the rich variety of expressions you can use to describe reality in a whole new way.

Food provides an endless supply of sayings and expressions we can use to talk about feelings and emotions. One colorful example is ponerse como un tomate, which is about feeling embarrassed. Today, we’re going to see how food can be used to illustrate nervousness and anger. Keep reading in English or click here to switch to Spanish.

Flan is one of the most typical foods in Spain and Latin America when it comes to dessert. It’s made with eggs, milk, and sugar and is known for its light texture. In addition to its natural ability to please every palate, flan is also useful when you want to describe someone who is nervous. For example, people are usually como un flan before a big test.

The origin of this expression is purely visual. When a person is nervous, their body starts to tremble. Flan’s very light texture causes it to shake with the smallest movement. Thus, getting nervous is analogous to ponerse como un flan.

One of the ingredients found in flan is just what we need for our next topic. This common Spanish expression comes in very handy when you want to talk about people who are easily irritated or annoyed: tener mala leche.

Long ago, people believed that the milk a baby drank would influence their personality when they grew up. By this logic, a baby who drank bad quality milk would be more likely to become a difficult person.

Continuing with the previous example, you’ll probably be de mala leche if you failed an exam even after you studied hard for it. In other words, you’d be mad!

If you’re still feeling hungry, we recommend you watch the following video. You’ll find lots of other expressions with food to help you win your way to your Spanish friends’ hearts through their stomachs. ¡Que aproveche! (Bon appétit!)

Looking for a fun way to learn Spanish or improve the level you already have? Want to boost your oral comprehension and learn something new about Spanish and Latin American culture at the same time? Fantastic! Watching movies is one of the best strategies to achieve all that.

Today, we bring you a list of the top 10 films shot in Spanish to improve your language skills as you enjoy original versions. To help you choose the one that best fits your needs, we have sorted them into three categories according to your Spanish level. Keep on reading in English or change to the Spanish version of this post here. Action!

Basic level (A1 – A2)

These movies are the ones that can help you out the most. Actors speak at a slow pace and their vocabulary is simple most of the time, even though there are always some tough words that even native Spanish speakers might have a hard time understanding. Don’t give up! If you want, you can also use subtitles so you don’t get too lost. With these movies, you will be working present and past simple tenses.

Perdiendo el norte (Off Course) – a comedy about two friends tired of not being able to find a job in Spain. They move to Germany to pursue a better life, but things don’t come that easy.

El laberinto del fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) – a fantasy story set in the time of the Spanish Civil War. A girl discovers a labyrinth guarded by a faun, who leads her to a great revelation.

Los ojos de Julia (Julia’s Eyes) – a psychological thriller in which Julia tries to discover the reason her sister committed suicide. In the meantime, she has to fight to not go blind.

Intermediate level (B1 – B2)

If you have been learning Spanish for a while now and you have an intermediate level, we highly recommend you check out at one (or all) of these movies. They all present more complex plots and a wider range of vocabulary. Take on the challenge and click play!

Ocho apellidos vascos (Spanish Affair) – an extremely funny comedy that will allow you to hear different Spanish accents, from Andalusian to Basque.

Roma (Roma) – this masterpiece of and black-and-white cinematography will give you a better understanding of what Mexico was like in the 1970s. In addition to Spanish, you’ll hear some Mixtec, a native Mexican language.

REC 1, 2 y 3 (REC 1, 2, and 3) – if you like horror and suspense, these are the films for you. You’ll have an incredibly up-close look at a terrifying quarantine. Try not to close your eyes!

Advanced level (C1 – C2)

If you’ve made it this far, your Spanish level will allow you to enjoy the best of cinema, or the “seventh art,” as it’s known in Spanish. So get comfortable, make some popcorn, and turn off the lights.

Celda 211 (Cell 211) – Juan, a prison guard, finds himself in a riot inside the prison where he works. He decides to join without knowing what will happen.

La isla mínima (Marshland) – two girls mysteriously disappear. As the police try to solve the case, drugs and riots complicate everything.

El hijo de la novia (Son of the Bride) – a touching film in which a divorced man who’s focused on his job sees his life suddenly change.

That wraps up our list of movies to learn and improve your Spanish. Make sure to watch them all in the original version, but don’t be afraid to turn on the subtitles if you’re having a hard time keeping up. If you’d like to recommend more movies that have helped you increase your Spanish vocabulary, please write them in the comments section below.

Have you ever been called a chorizo? Is your favorite song said to be del año de la pera (from the pear’s year)? There are some things no one likes to hear, and these are two of them. Despite the fact that chorizo is one of  Spanish gastronomy’s treasures and ser la pera (being the pear) is a synonym for being great, these foods are often used to speak of negative things as well.

Today, we pick up our Spanish food expressions review and keep on learning with chorizos and pears. Continue reading to discover a couple of interesting expressions or click here to switch to the Spanish version of this post. Let’s go!

Have you ever heard of Caló? It is a language derived from Romani which is spoken by the gypsy people. Caló has had quite some influence over Spanish, lending some words and expressions to its daily vocabulary. One of them is being a chorizo. Let’s have a look at an example:

La corrupción hace que muchos políticos se conviertan en unos chorizos.

(Corruption makes many politicians become chorizos).

In Spanish, ser un chorizo is a synonym for being a thief. The origin of this expression is linked to the Caló word chorar (steal). By analogy, being a chori has evolved into being a chorizo, in other words, a thief.

Leaving the world of sausages behind and entering the kingdom of fruits, we have another very interesting expression: ser del año de la pera. In Spanish, being from the pear’s year means being ancient or outdated. For example, if someone tells you that your favorite jacket es del año de la pera, they probably think it is old-fashioned.

However, if we dig deeper into the origin of this expression, we will discover that it has nothing to do with the delicious food we call pears, but with the most international Spanish book ever: Don Quixote.

Miguel de Cervantes included in this book a character called Roque Guinart. This bandit was inspired by a real person who was very popular in the 16^th century: Peret Roca Guinarda. This gangster's nickname was "The Pear." Over time, his name would come to be used as a synonym of antiquity.

Now that you know where these expressions come from, we don’t want you to stay hungry. We have prepared a video that explains the meaning and origin of many more Spanish expressions that have to do with food. Click here to watch it and improve your Spanish step by step!

Every February 14^th people across Spain and many Latin American countries celebrate Día de San Valentín or Día de los enamorados. It’s the perfect occasion to show that special someone how much you care and open your heart to them.

Some of the most typical gifts on this day are a bouquet of roses (red roses are best), a box of chocolates, a romantic dinner by candlelight… Whatever your plans are, there’s one thing that adds a special touch to any intimate moment: music.

Music has an amazing power to affect people’s emotions. Plus, everyone knows that learning song lyrics is one of the most effective ways to learn vocabulary and improve your listening comprehension in a new language. Of course, reading helps, too: click here to read this article in Spanish.

This Valentine’s Day we’re bringing you a selection of love songs in Spanish to awaken your inner romantic. Whether you’re preparing for an unforgettable date or eating ice cream alone on the couch, we have a song you can identify with.

Below, we’ll give you the best verses to help you learn Spanish on Valentine’s Day. Crank up the volume and sing along!

Songs to break the ice

Héroe, by Enrique Iglesias                                           Anoche soñé contigo, by Kevin Johansen

Si pudiera ser tu héroe                                                  Anoche soñé contigo

Si pudiera ser tu dios                                                     Y no estaba durmiendo

Que salvarte a ti mil veces                                          Todo lo contrario

Puede ser mi salvación (…)                                          Estaba bien despierto (…)

Songs for a broken heart

Naranjo en flor, by Roberto Goyeneche                Corazón partío, by Alejandro Sanz

Primero hay que saber sufrir,                                     ¿Qué fue de la ilusión y de lo bello que es vivir?
Después amar, después partir                                   Para qué me curaste cuando estaba herido
y al fin andar sin pensamiento                                  Si hoy me dejas de nuevo el corazón partío (…)

Perfume de naranjo en flor

Promesas vanas de un amor

Que se escaparon en el viento (…)

Songs to be shouted from the rooftops

Ando ganas, by Los Piojos                                           A Dios le pido, by Juanes

Solo una cosa te digo                                                    Que si me muero sea de amor
Yo necesito un abrigo                                                   Y si me enamoro sea de vos
Que en esta tierra hace frío                                        Y que de tu voz sea este corazón (…)
si no estás al lado mío                                                 
Y como vos no hay ninguna
No brilla tanto la luna
Ando ganas de encontrarte
Quiero llevarte pa' Marte (...)

Songs for a candlelit dinner

Hasta la raíz, by Natalia Lafourcade                                       Antes, by Jorge Drexler

Yo te llevo dentro, hasta la raíz                                                 Antes de mí, tú no eras tú
y por más que crezca, vas a estar aquí                                   Antes de ti, yo no era yo
Aunque yo me oculte tras la montaña                                   Antes de ser nosotros dos

y no encuentre un campo lleno de caña                                No había ninguno de los dos (…)

no habrá manera, mi rayo de luna

de que tú te vayas (…)

Now that you’ve got the perfect playlist for today, we’d like to wish you a Feliz San Valentín. However you choose to celebrate, turn on the tunes! The rest will come naturally.