Spanish cities – Alcalá de Henares
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Now you’re in Madrid studying Spanish, it’s about time you got out and saw some of the other amazing places near the capital filled with sitios de interés (interesting sites) to get more of a flavour of Spanish culture. The ciudad (city) of Alcalá de Henares is a must-see when you’re living and studying in Madrid. It is, like Segovia which featured in one of our previous blogs, classed as patrimonio de la humanidad (a World Heritage Site) and is the lugar de nacimiento (birthplace) of Miguel de Cervantes who authored the famous novel El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha.
The city of Alcalá de Henares takes its name from the Moorish defensive settlement which was built in the pre-exiting town dating from prehistoric times. Nowadays, the city is the third biggest settlement in the Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid region) and an important university town. Let’s take a look at what there is to see and do there.
Visitar la casa natal de Miguel de Cervantes – Visit Miguel de Cervante’s birthplace
If you’re taking an excursión (excursion/trip) to Alcalá, you’ve absolutely got to go and see the home of the author Miguel de Cervantes. Located on the beautiful Calle Mayor (Main Street), the house is now a museo dedicated to the author’s life and connection with the city. Also, right in front of the building is un banco (a bench) with bronze statues of the main characters from the novel Don Quijote – the man himself and his famous sidekick Sancho Panza. Take a moment to sit next to them and sacar una foto (take a picture) to show all your classmates in your Spanish lessons!
Dar un paseo por Calle Mayor – Take a stroll down Calle Mayor
In order to reach Cervante’s house, you’ll need to dar un paseo (take a walk) down the famous Calle Mayor in the city centre. This street is extremely well-maintained, and is in fact the longest calle soportalada (street with colonnades) in Europe! It’s full of tiendas (shops), bares (bars) and cafeterías (cafés) to buy some recuerdos (souvenirs) or tomar algo (have something to eat or drink). A bonus is that you’ll get to speak Spanish with some locals while you’re there and impress them with what you’ve learned in your Spanish classes.
Pasar un rato en la plaza de Cervantes – Spend some time in the Plaza de Cervantes
The central square, la plaza de Cervantes, is about halfway down Calle Mayor and serves as a focal point for all the fiestas (festivals) which take place in the city each year. The most important fiesta is the Ferias de Alcalá de Henares which takes place every August for one week. There are all sorts of activities during this time, including lots of conciertos en directo (live concerts) and the curious pasacalles de Gigantes y Cabezudos (the parade of the giants and big heads). Hundreds of massive marionetas (puppets) representing different historical people and cultural figures are marched through the streets of the city accompanied by the sounds of traditional music. It’s a great way to see some authentic Spanish culture in action so don’t miss it on your stay here learning Spanish.
Ir a ver la sede de la Universidad de Alcalá – Go and see the University of Alcalá
In the Plaza de San Diego, just off plaza de Cervantes, you’ll find what is today the central offices of the Universidad de Alcalá. This university, fundada (founded) in 1499 by Cardenal Cisneros, a famous Spanish cardinal, is housed in some of the most spectacular buildings in the city. In fact, the Universidad Complutense de Madrid is actually, due to various historical reasons, the continuation of the original school from 1499 but the Universidad de Alcalá was re-launched in the 1970s and occupies the original school’s buildings. It’s definitely worth hacer una visita guiada (taking a guided tour) of the university’s main faculties as they are all architecturally interesting. Also, once you’ve been studying Spanish for a while you might decide to go and do a carrera (degree) there as it’s a prestigious educational institution.
¡Tapear!
Obviously, all the walking you’ll be doing around Alcalá will mean that at some point you’ll fancy something para comer (to eat). Alcalá de Henares, like pretty much any Spanish city, has hundreds of bars and restaurants where you can try all the different local tapas (small dishes). We’d recommend gambas al ajillo (prawns in garlic oil) or maybe some migas al pastor (breadcrumbs with chorizo sausage, pancetta and paprika) – ¡delicioso!
That’s just a few of the things Alcalá de Henares has to offer, so when you come to take a Spanish course here at Hablamos, we definitely recommend visiting and seeing for yourself this amazing medieval city.
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Tapas y tabernas en Madrid
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Aprende español de forma original y amena. El curso de español para extranjeros de Hablamos incluye actividades culturales y sociales enfocadas a aprender español: su idioma y su cultura, sus gentes y sus costumbres.
Hoy queremos contarte la historia de la tapa, ¿sabes cuál es su origen?, ¿conoces las tapas más habituales que se sirven en Madrid?
La tapa es una porción de comida que se ofrece junto con la bebida solicitada. El origen de esta costumbre, según algunos, está en una disposición del rey Alfonso X el Sabio que obligaba a los taberneros a servir el vaso de vino acompañado de una rodaja de pan con embutido. Al servir la bebida la rebanada de pan se colocaba sobre el vaso, tapándolo, y de ahí el nombre de la tapa.
Hay quien opina que la costumbre procede de otra disposición regia que obligaba a los venteros a servir el vino acompañado de una porción de comida porque, al parecer, los cocheros de las diligencias eran muy aficionados al vino y por este motivo eran muy frecuentes los accidentes. Acompañando el vino con alimentos se pretendía rebajar los efectos del alcohol, para evitar vuelcos u otros percances. Con todo, la mayoría de los especialistas sitúan el origen de la tapa en Andalucía en el último tercio del siglo XIX. A mediados del siglo XX, en la época del desarrollismo industrial, es cuando la costumbre de la tapa se generaliza en toda España.
En Madrid, las tapas más habituales
-Los callos: plato de origen medieval a base de tripas de vaca. Fue comida de pobres hasta que en el siglo XIX lo adoptó la burguesía.
-La tortilla española: surge en el siglo XVI. La actual modalidad proviene de una aldea navarra. La receta más apreciada sugiere freír las patatas a fuego suave, añadirlas a los huevos batidos y cuajar a la plancha por ambos lados.
-Las croquetas: palabra francesa, croquer: morder. Unas porciones cilíndricas de masa de harina y leche. La masa suele enriquecerse con carne de ave, jamón, huevo duro o gambas. Se reboza con huevo batido y pan rallado y se fríe a fuego lento.
-Los caracoles: otro alimento de pobres que acabó encantando a los ricos. Los mejores son los procedentes de viñedos. Dado lo trabajoso de su limpieza, hoy está tapa escasea en las barras.
-Bacalao rebozado: desde que en el siglo XVIII los vascos comenzaron a pescar el bacalao, este ha sido el manjar perfecto en las tabernas. El bacalao rebozado es posiblemente de origen andaluz.
-Los escabeches: el atún y las sardinas en vinagre proceden de antiguas recetas árabes. A partir del siglo XIV, los escabecheros preparan esta conserva en los puertos y la envían a las tabernas de Madrid en barriles de madera. Los boquerones en vinagre son una derivación de los escabeches.
-Los bocatas y bocatines: Felipe II y Carlos III ya encargaban a sus cocineros toda clase de bocadillos. Hoy, los bocatas de calamares hacen furor en los bares del casco viejo de Madrid.
Otras tapas características de nuestras tabernas
Las albóndigas, las banderillas, las Gildas, las anchoas, la paella, las empanadillas, el bacalao en salazón, las anchoas, las gambas, los pepinillos, el queso manchego o de campo real, el jamón, el fiambre, los torreznos, las patatas bravas, las patatas alioli, las patatas cocidas en ensalada, los garbanzos guisados o aliñados, la oreja de cerdo, la morcilla, las migas, las tacitas de caldo o consomé madrileño, los calamares fritos, el pescadito frito, el pisto…
A mediados el siglo XIX, las tabernas se convierten en los centros de reunión de los muchos campesinos que llegan a la ciudad en busca de una vida mejor. Las tascas adoptan la personalidad y la gastronomía de las regiones de las que proceden sus taberneros. La fusión de las cocinas españolas enriquece la cocina manchega que era la característica de nuestra ciudad creando la gastronomía madrileña. A comienzos del siglo XX Madrid cuenta con cerca de 1500 tabernas.
Las tabernas históricas de Madrid son un importante patrimonio cultural. Visitarlas y disfrutar con este legado cultural y gastronómico es una buena manera de asegurar su continuidad. Para ello recomendamos el libro de Tabernas y Tapas en Madrid de Carlos Osorio. Una guía amena, llena de datos y curiosidades, en la que se cuenta la historia de las tabernas madrileñas.
Las tabernas tradicionales, no solo eran lugares donde se servía alcohol, sobre todo eran centros de sociabilización, de encuentro y de reunión. También en las tabernas se servían desayunos y meriendas. El desayuno más habitual solía ser la infusión de té, seguido por el chocolate y el café.
El té, pese a toda su leyenda exótica y aristocrática, era el desayuno de los obreros que lo tomaban solo con aguardiente. Para acompañar la bebida caliente se servían churros, porras y buñuelos. En el siglo XX se puso de moda la media tostada, panecillo abierto por la mitad y tostado con mantequilla. El chocolate ha causado furor en los madrileños desde el descubrimiento de América.
La Puerta del Sol acogió durante el siglo XIX a chocolateros que vendían la bebida caliente durante toda la noche. Probablemente aquí radica la costumbre de los madrileños de tomar churros a horas nocturnas y, especialmente, en la última noche del año. Otras meriendas dulces eran las torrijas, los buñuelos, el bartolillo, los barquillos, los pestiños o las rosquillas de la tía Javiera o también llamadas de San Isidro (rosquillas con costra de azúcar y limón) Estas meriendas dulces se acompañaban de infusiones, café, chocolate o vinos dulces como el moscatel.
Esperamos que hayas disfrutado con esta pincelada de historia y cultura madrileña.
Aprende español de una manera sencilla y enriquecedora. Con Hablamos y las actividades culturales celebradas cada viernes conocerás a fondo Madrid, su cultura, sus lugares históricos, sus gentes y sus costumbres.
¡Te esperamos! Hablamos - full-on Spanish!
Future forms – How to talk about the future in Spanish
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Knowing how to talk about el futuro (the future) in any language is obviously very important. Without it, you won’t be able to discuss your future plans for studying Spanish, or tell anyone about all the great adventures you’ve got planned! When speaking Spanish, we need to learn the main ways of forming sentences about the future.
El futuro simple
| Ver Type | Endings | English Pronoun |
| -AR Hablar Hablar Hablar Hablar Hablar Hablar |
– é ás á emos éis án |
– I You He, she, you (polite), it We You plural They, you (plural polite) |
| -ER Vender Vender Vender Vender Vender Vender |
– é ás á emos éis án |
– I You He, she, you (polite), it We You plural They, you (plural polite) |
| -IR Vivir Vivir Vivir Vivir Vivir Vivir |
– é ás á emos éis án |
– I You He, she, you (polite), it We You plural They, you (plural polite) |
This is the main way of expressing future ideas in Spanish when we want to speak about the future in general terms, or to say what is going to happen in the future without specifying an exact time. You probably remember from some of our other blogs on the Hablamos site that there are three main types of verbs in Spanish – -ar, -er and –ir endings. To form the futuro simple, we take el infinitive (the infinitive) of the verb and add the following endings directly onto it.
That’s it! So now you can start making sentences in the future in Spanish like these examples below:
Hablaremos del tema más tarde porque ahora no es el momento – We’ll talk about that topic later because now isn’t the time
Viviré mucho tiempo en Madrid – I will live in Madrid for a long time
Venderá el coche en algún momento – He/She will sell the car at some point
But, like with all tenses when learning Spanish, or any other language, there are exceptions. A lot of the most useful verbs are actually irregular in the futuro simple. Here are the most common ones:
| IRREGULAR VERB STEMS (ENDINGS ARE SAME AS IN PREVIOUS TABLE) | |
| dir (decir) To say har (hacer) To do/make podr (poder) To be able to pondr (poner) To put querr (querer) To want sabr (saber) To know |
saldr (salir) To leave/go out tendr (tener) To have vendr (venir) To come habr (haber) To have/Auxiliary verb cabr (caber) To fit valdr (valer) To be worth |
With the irregular verbs, you still put on the same endings as with regular ones. For example:
Mañana vendrá mi hermana e iremos al cine – My sister is coming tomorrow and we’re going to the cinema
Tendrán mucho curro al abrir la nueva tienda – They’ll have a lot of work when the new shop opens
That’s all there is to it! Now you can explain yourself and your future plans in Spanish with ease! There’s also another future form which we need to have a little look at too, so let’s continue.
Ir + a + infinitivo
This construction is going to allow you to talk about things in the future that are happening almost immediately, or which are going to happen fairly soon. It’s a bit like “Going to” in English to give you an idea of a near equivalent. Here’s a table to show you the construction and a few examples.
| IR | + A | + INFINITIVE | TO GO | + INFINITIVE |
| Voy | a | hablar | I am going | to speak |
| Vas | a | vender | You are going | to sell |
| Va | a | vivir | He/she is going | to live |
| Vamos | a | nadar | We are going | to swim |
| Vais | a | ver | You (pl) are going | to see |
| Van | a | llegar | They are going | to arrive |
Seriously, it really is that easy! You simply replace the verbo (verb) in the infinitive column with whichever other one you want to say. No exceptions, no strange spelling changes, nada de nada (nothing at all).
The only thing left to do now is to learn the endings, memorise the exceptions and start speaking Spanish to make sure you get lots of practice in talking about the future. Here at Hablamos we can give you lots of opportunities to practise this, and other, grammar points in our fun, interactive presential and online classes.
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Mantenerse en forma - Keeping fit
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It might be getting colder now, and you might now want to salir a la calle (going out into the street) to do your usual exercise routine, but that’s not excuse to not estar en forma (be in shape). Let’s take a look at some places where you can hacer ejercicio (do exercise) and the activities available there.
Apúntate a un gimnasio – Sign up to a gym
In otoño (autumn) and invierno (winter) this could be a good option instead of having to exercise outdoors. Having said that, here in Madrid, when you come and learn Spanish, you’ll find that it almost always hace buen tiempo (is good weather) so you could go a correr (out for a run) in pretty much any month of the year!
But, if you do fancy joining a gym, you might need some gym and exercise related vocabulary to get you started. Here are some words and phrases.
| Spanish | English |
| Matricularse | Sign up |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta apuntarse? | How much does it cost to join up? |
| Ser socio de un gimnasio | Be a member of a gym |
| Hacer un circuito | To do a circuit |
| Las máquinas | Machines (in a gym) |
| Hacer una sesión de ejercicio | To do a work-out session |
| Calentar | Warm up |
| Entrenar | To train |
| Estirar | To stretch |
| Sentadillas (f) | Squats |
| Flexiones (f) | Push-ups |
| Planchas (f) | Planks |
| Zancadas (f) | Lunges |
| Levantar pesas | To lift weights |
| Monitor (m) | Monitor/Gym assistant |
| Entrenador(a) personal (m/f) | Personal trainer |
Now, there’s no excusa (excuse) to get yourself down to your local gym and start levantando pesas (pumping iron)!
Most gyms also offer clases (classes) of various activities too, so there’s always something you can do there even if using the machines isn’t your thing. You can also hacer natación (go swimming) at the bigger gyms, as well as relax after your exercise in their balneario (spa). A gym is also a great place to hablar en español (speak in Spanish) as you’ll probably need to ask for instructions on how to use the machines, or simply to interact with the other people in your gym classes. Exercise and learning – a great combination!
Ejercicio al aire libre – Outdoor exercise
Like we said before, especially here in Madrid and further south, the weather in most of Spain means when you’re here studying Spanish you can get outside most of the year to do some exercise. As Hablamos is based in Madrid, we know this city better and we’d say that you can correr (run) around one of the many parques verdes (green parks/spaces) that the city has to offer.
Apart from inner city activities, the huge amounts of campo (countryside) near Madrid are perfect para dar un paseo (to go for a walk) or hacer trekking (go trekking/hiking). For the more adventurous of you out there, you could do a spot of barranquismo (canyoning/canyoneering) in one of the many valles (valleys) in the region. The Comunidad de Madrid and Castilla y León regions are also known for their mountainous areas, so getting out to escalar (climb) is another way of keeping fit and seeing all the gorgeous countryside.
En tu propia casa – In your own home
Even if you’re learning Spanish online, or no tienes ganas de salir de casa (you can’t be bothered to leave your house), you can still be immersed in Spanish and keep fit from the comfort of your own salón (living room). All you need to get started is una esterilla de yoga (a yoga mat) and a video on YouTube and you can get into some funny posturas (positions) without anyone having to see you! Nowadays, there are even entire planes de ejercicio (exercise plans) available to watch online which require only a mat and maybe a little bit of equipment.
En total (in conclusion), there’s simply no reason nowadays not to mantenerte en forma (keep in shape) given the multiple options available to you. We at Hablamos think that it’s important to keep your mind and body in top condition, so we hope that these suggestions will be useful to you when you’re here on one of our Spanish courses to give you plenty to do in your free time.
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Un curso diferente de español en Madrid para extranjeros
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Encuentra en Hablamos un curso de español para extranjeros especial que incluye actividades culturales para conocer y disfrutar la ciudad de Madrid como no lo hubieras imaginado.
Aprende el español de forma original, paseando por las calles de Madrid y visitando sus museos.
El objetivo del curso de español para extranjeros de Hablamos y su oferta cultural es que puedas aprender español con todos los recursos que ofrece la ciudad de Madrid y con sus profesionales multidisciplinares.
Las actividades culturales de Hablamos tienen lugar al aire libre, en museos y en exposiciones de la ciudad. Hoy queremos presentarte una nota histórica de algunos rincones de Madrid, son paseos especiales que te esperan en la oferta cultural del curso de español para extranjeros de Hablamos:
EL PASEO DEL PRADO
El Paseo de Prado fue una zona de prados y huertas que se fue transformando en un símbolo ilustrado y científico del siglo XVIII en España. Además, fue lugar de recreo y celebración de fiestas de madrileños durante siglos. Un paseo imprescindible para entender el desarrollo de la ciudad de Madrid a principios del siglo XX.
EL PASEO DE RECOLETOS
En el conocido Paseo de Recoletos están las mejores muestras de arquitectura palaciega del siglo XIX, además, es un buen rincón de Madrid para entender gran parte de los principales cambios que se produjeron en la ciudad con la llegada del siglo XX.
EL BARRIO DE HUERTAS
El siglo XVII es el siglo de Oro de las artes y las letras españolas. En el barrio de Huertas vivieron sus grandes figuras: Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Quevedo, Calderón de la Barca o Tirso de Molina entre muchos otros. El género más famoso de la literatura de este siglo es el teatro, despertando gran pasión en toda la sociedad del siglo XVII. En este barrio, en sus famosos Corrales de Comedias, se estrenaron la mayoría y más importantes obras de la literatura clásica.
EL BARRIO DE MALASAÑA
Malasaña es un barrio de marcado carácter castizo, cuenta con destacadas muestras arquitectónicas del siglo XVIII, fue escenario en la Guerra de la Independencia e icono de la movida madrileña en los 80. Este barrio es fundamental para entender la historia del desarrollo urbano de Madrid y de sus gentes.
EL BARRIO DE LAVAPIÉS
Las calles de este barrio castizo de Madrid nos hablan de hechos, fábulas, leyendas y, sobre todo, de mucha historia. Igual que en el pasado convivieron armónicamente cristianos viejos y conversos, hoy es un barrio que destaca principalmente por su multiculturalidad.
BARRIO DE CHAMBERÍ
Alonso Martínez y Chueca. Aunque los orígenes de esta zona de Madrid se remontan al siglo XVI y a las primeras industrias artesanales, no es hasta el siglo XIX que adquiere su forma actual. Este barrio resulta ser una buena síntesis de la evolución e historia de la ciudad de Madrid en su conjunto.
EL PARQUE DEL RETIRO
El antiguo Real Sitio del Buen Retiro, creado en el siglo XVII, fue un complejo palacial formado por palacio y jardines. Fue segunda residencia del rey y lugar de recreo y diversión. El conjunto del palacio ha desaparecido casi por completo, quedando tan solo parte de sus jardines. Aunque hoy pueda parecer mentira, en sus bosques se cazaban venados y se navegaba en góndolas por sus canales.
EL PARQUE DEL OESTE
Gran parte de la historia del siglo XX de España se condensa en esta sesión que os proponemos por el noroeste de Madrid: Moncloa- Ciudad Universitaria. Pasear por este distrito es acercarnos a los proyectos y a la mentalidad modernizadora de los años 20 y 30. En el Parque del Oeste aún se pueden observar diferentes vestigios de la Guerra Civil española y el mayor ejemplo de arquitectura oficial de posguerra que pueda encontrarse en la ciudad.
EL PARQUE DE EL CAPRICHO
Se encuentra en la Alameda de Osuna, al nordeste de la ciudad, y cuenta con una superficie de 14 hectáreas. Está considerado uno de los parques más bellos de la ciudad. Como su propio nombre indica, es un capricho que la Duquesa de Osuna (1752-1834) mandó construir a finales del siglo XVIII en las afueras de Madrid, en el camino de Aragón. La Duquesa fue una de las damas más populares de la época del romanticismo español. Fue mecenas de artistas de aquella época como Goya, con el que siempre mantuvo una excelente y estrecha relación. El Capricho es un bello lugar de recreo, descanso, de fiestas y banquetes de la alta alcurnia.
CASTILLO DE LA ALAMEDA
A finales del siglo XIV, en el valle del Jarama, se construyó una residencia fortificada feudal que se convertirá más tarde en un Palacio Renacentista. El conjunto histórico de este lugar lo completan restos de un poblado prehistórico, el panteón de la Familia Fernán Núñez y un nido de ametralladoras de la Guerra Civil. El Castillo de la Alameda, el castillo de Madrid, resulta ser un enclave arqueológico síntesis de la Historia de Madrid.
Disfruta de estos lugares, rincones y otras muchas actividades culturales más.Si lo que buscas es un curso de español en Madrid para extranjeros diferente no lo dudes y apúntate a Hablamos.
Aprende el español de una manera amena y sencilla.
Con Hablamos y las actividades culturales celebradas cada viernes conocerás a fondo Madrid: lugares históricos, otros que habitualmente pasan desapercibidos, museos mundialmente famosos y otros poco conocidos.
¡Te esperamos! Hablamos - full-on Spanish!
7 ways to practise your Spanish
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Learning Spanish doesn’t need to be some awful, tedious experience spending hours and hours hincando los codos (swotting up) with lengthy grammar books or lists and lists of tedious vocabulary. Here at Hablamos we believe your experience studying Spanish should be more fun and enjoyable – and it can be by finding easy ways to practise your Spanish doing little things each and every day. Here are some ideas to help you disfrutar (enjoy) engaging with Spanish in a way that makes your learning interesting.
1. Listen to podcasts
A fantastic way to escuchar español (listen to Spanish) is to descargar (download) one of the multiple podcast apps available for your phone or tablet. There are literally thousands of podcasts on every topic you could possibly think of! It’s simply a case of searching for a theme you would enjoy learning about in your idioma native (native language), but listening to a programme about it in Spanish. Coffee Break Spanish is a great one to get you started as it’s short but varied so you get a little bit of vocabulary and grammar on many different topics.
2. Change the language on your phone/tablet/etc to Spanish
Such a consejo sencillo (simple tip), but one that will have you learning tons of new words en un santiamén (in a short space of time). All you have to do is go to the Settings (Ajustes) and change the language there. You can then sacar fotos (take photos), mandar mensajes (send messages), usar las redes sociales (use social networks) and everything else you’d normally do while absorbing all that lovely language!
3. Read the news/blogs/books/etc in Spanish
We’d definitely recommend starting off with shorter texts, but to practise reading Spanish, there’s no better way than engaging with topics you’d already want to read in your own language. Online periódicos (newspapers) like El País have Spanish and English versions so you can always compare articles if you aren’t sure of something. In terms of books, it might be worth reading something you’ve already read in one language but now in Spanish as then you’ll know the trama (plot) and have a better idea of what’s happening.
4. Watch series and films in Spanish
Another logical idea would be to start listening to as much Spanish as possible to improve your oral understanding. Just like with our previous tip, it makes sense to find things you would want to watch in a language you already speak, but watch them in Spanish instead. It’s often a good idea to put the subtítulos (subtitles) on at first, preferably in Spanish, so that you can hear and read the language at the same time. This helps you to differentiate the sounds of individual words and phrases. Over time, you can switch them off and just sit back and enjoy your favourite shows!
5. Speak to as many people as possible
This doesn’t sound easy, I know, but if you’re learning Spanish here in Madrid, for instance, it’s pan comido (as easy as pie). For example, whenever you ir de compras (go shopping), you’ll need to pedir cosas (ask for things) in places like the supermercado (supermarket) or the mercado (market). Or, in a restaurant (restaurant) obviously you need to speak to the camarero/a (waiter/waitress). Every day there are loads of opportunities to chat with people – you just need to take them! If you’re studying Spanish online, you can easily arrange with your classmates to have an extra chat after class, or look for a Spanish person who wants to learn your language and do an intercambio de idiomas (language exchange). A quick Google will suffice to find many a willing partner!
6. Play games in Spanish
If you follow tip 2, whenever you now descargar (download) a new juego (game) for your device, it’ll automatically load in Spanish. What a great way to pick up lots of new words while having fun at the same time! Fancy a word-based game? Try La palabra del día (Word of the Day) which is the new name for the Spanish version of the massively popular Wordle. Each day you get to practise your spelling and word knowledge and it makes you complete against yourself to find the answer in as few tries as possible.
7. Talk to yourself!
Yes, I know this sounds a bit weird, but talking to yourself in Spanish is a great way to keep practising making the sounds of the language. You don’t need anyone there to correct you as the aim is to gain confidence speaking in a foreign language. You can try different dialogues out on yourself so you feel better about going out and talking with other people. It’s all about the confidence!
Follow these quick and easy tips to help yourself improve your Spanish and you’ll soon see what difference little changes make to your language learning experience. We’d love you to come to class here at Hablamos and tell us what you’ve been doing to help yourself improve your level and we’ll help you with the rest.
Hablamos - full-on Spanish!
Segovia
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So, you’re in Madrid learning Spanish and you’ve visited a lot of the main sitios de interés (tourist attractions). You’ve been speaking Spanish loads and now are more confident with the madrileño accent. Now then, it’s time to start exploring further afield and visiting all the beautiful ciudades (cities) near Madrid to get better acquainted with Spanish culture. A good first stop is Segovia – a historic city classed as patrimonio de la humanidad (a world heritage site) since 1985.
Segovia, or rather the area around where the current city stands, was settled hace cincuenta mil años (50,000 years ago). It was conquered by the Romans, who built the now world-famous acueducto (aqueduct) there in el siglo I A.C (the 1st century BC). Since then, Segovia has been conquered by the Moors, reconquered by Alfonso VI and attacked by the French in the Guerra de la independencia (the Peninsular War) – so it’s seen its fair share of action over the centuries! Nowadays, it’s more tranquilo (calm) so let’s look at what to see and do there.
Comer cochinillo asado
The first thing you should do is reservar una mesa (book a table) in one of the many good restaurants in the city and order cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) for lunch. This is the plato típico (typical dish) from the area and normally comes with patatas (potatoes). It’s a very contundente (hearty) dish so make sure you don’t have a big breakfast beforehand! In some restaurants you can ask for more meat when you’re done, so that’ll give you a chance to practise your Spanish too and then you can explain that “estoy lleno” (“I’m full”) to the camarero/a (waiter)!
Ver el acueducto
As we’ve already mentioned, the most iconic landmark in Segovia is its acueducto (aqueduct). Built sometime in the siglo II d.C (2nd century AD), it provided the city with water right up until 1973! It’s a marvel of engineering as there is absolutely no cement holding the structure together, which also makes you wonder how it’s survived for so long! In fact, there have been several reparaciones (repairs) done to the arches over the centuries so don’t worry, it won’t topple on you as you gaze up at it from below!
Visitar el alcázar
When you see a picture of this beauty, you’ll be forgiven for thinking of the castle in Disney’s Cenicienta (Cinderella) and on the introduction to all their films, and that’s because Walt Disney in fact took inspiration from the Alcázar de Segovia when designing it! The word alcázar translates as something like castle or fort and was originally constructed over some Roman remains to protect the town. It has served as a military base, royal residence and now a world-class museum. Definitely not to be missed on your trip!
Pasar un rato en la catedral de Segovia
Another extremely important monumento (monument) in this city is its catedral (cathedral). Pretty much every major city in Spain has an impressive cathedral, and Segovia is no exception. Having been built between the siglo XVI y XVII (16th to 18th centuries), it is notable for having had the highest tower in Spain for a time at 108 metres. Today you can still climb the torre campanario (bell tower) where you can enjoy impressive views over the historic city.
Ir por el campo al Mirador de la Pradera de San Marcos
Remember how we said the alcázar de Segovia served as the inspiration for the Disney castle logo? Well if you want the best views you need to dar un paseo (take a walk) a little outside the main city to the Mirador de la Pradera de San Marcos. From here, you can see the alcázar in its full glory and also explore some of the beautiful countryside on the edge of the city. Just remember to take un plano (a map) with you so you can find your way back afterwards!
Tomar un ponche segoviano de merienda
After having seen some of the sights, you probably fancy a little descanso (rest) before heading back to Madrid. We’d recommend finding a little cafeteria (café) and having a merienda (afternoon tea/snack). You could order a typical sweet treat from Segovia called ponche segoviano (Segovia “cake”) which is a type of sponge cake filled with cream and covered with azúcar glas (icing sugar). It’s delicious with a nice cup of café (coffee) and then you’ll be ready for your trip home!
There are, of course, plenty of other things to see and do in Segovia, so why not plan a trip there when you come to take a Spanish course here in Madrid?
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How to ace a job interview in Spanish
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So, you’ve been learning Spanish for a while and settled in your Spanish-speaking country of choice. It’s time to start thinking about buscar un trabajo (finding a job) as you’ll need something to pagar las facturas (pay the bills) so you can start your new life!
Basic job vocabulary
First of all, you’ll need to know some basic words to understand the oferta de empleo (job advert).
| Spanish | English |
| Descripción del empleo (f) | Job description |
| Puesto (m) / Cargo (m) | Description / Role |
| Horario (m) | Timetable |
| Curriculum (m) | CV |
| Entrevista (f) | Interview |
| Contrato de trabajo (m) | Job contract |
| Sueldo/salario (m) | Salary |
| Experiencia laboral (f) | Work experience |
| Prácticas (f) | Internship |
| Período de prueba (m) | Probation/Trial period |
| Solicitar trabajo | To apply for a job |
| Trabajo en equipo (m) | Teamwork |
| Carrera universitaria (f) | University degree |
The interview
Now you’ve applied for the job and recursos humanos (human resources) have asked you to an interview, you need to be prepared for whatever preguntas (questions) the entrevistador (interviewer) might ask you. Let’s have a look at some common ones. *We’ve written these questions in the polite usted form but nowadays you might find bosses who ask you in the more informal tú form.
- ¿Por qué le interesa trabajar en esta empresa? – Why do you want to work at this company?
This question gives you a chance to demostrar tus conocimientos (demonstrate your knowledge) about the company. Make sure you’ve done your deberes (homework) before the interview and found some things out about the business!
- ¿Me podría hablar de usted? – Can you tell me something about yourself?
Obviously, this isn’t meant to be about how amazing you are at playing videogames or that you love surfing on a Saturday afternoon! You should talk about your cualidades personales y profesionales (personal and professional qualities) which make you a good fit for the position.
- ¿Por qué deberíamos contratarle? – Why should we hire you?
This is very similar to the previous question. Again, make sure you talk about what you can aportar a la empresa (contribute to the company) in both personal and professional terms. Talk about your experience laboral (professional experience).
- ¿Por qué renunció su último empleo? – Why did you leave your previous job?
Potentially una pregunta trampa (a trick question) you need to be careful to balance honesty with tact here. Don’t say you had problems with your compañeros (colleagues) or your jefe/jefa (boss) but try to say something like, “Quiero un nuevo desafío” (“I want a new challenge”). That way you can then give a more positive answer!
- Cuénteme sobre un problema o una situación difícil que resolvió en su carrera laboral – Tell me about a problem or difficult situation you resolved in your professional life
Try to think of un ejemplo (an example) which shows how you did something to mejorar el rendimiento (improve productivity/output) in one of your previous jobs. That way you get to show off your habilidades (skills) again.
Questions for the interviewer
It’s customary nowadays for the interviewer to say ¿Tiene algunas dudas o preguntas? (Do you have any queries or questions?) at the end of the process. This is your chance to bring up anything which wasn’t mentioned during the main interview. Here are some ideas of things you might want to find out before you aceptar el puesto (accept the job).
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Cuál es el sueldo/el rango de sueldo? | What is the salary/salary range? |
| ¿Qué posibilidades de crecimiento hay en la empresa? | What opportunities are there for progression in the business? |
| ¿Las responsabilidades del puesto están sujetas a posibles cambios? | Are the job responsibilities subject to any possible changes? |
| ¿Hay algunos beneficios aparte del sueldo? | Are there any other benefits besides the salary? |
| ¿Qué planes de formación o de educación ofrece la empresa? | What training and education opportunities are available? |
There you go – a whole set of questions and consejos (advice) to help you land your first job in the Spanish-speaking world after you’ve been studying Spanish for a while! It’s a good idea to make sure you get all the papeleo (paperwork) you need to stay in Spain after your Spanish course ends sorted in good time. That way, you can focus on your job hunt and practising speaking to get yourself ready for your interviews! ¡Buena suerte! Good luck!
Hablamos - full-on Spanish!
Series and films in Versión Original
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There’s absolutely no shortage of great series and películas (films) in pretty much every language. When you’re studying Spanish, a fantastic way to mejorar el oído (train your ear) to the sounds of this fantastic language is to ver series y pelís (watch series and films) in their original version. Just like all the English students around the world do in that language, as a learner of Spanish you can benefit from the vast number of productions made in Spanish each year!
Nowadays, no hace falta (there’s no need) to go to the cinema to watch the latest estrenos (releases) as most of them are almost simultaneously released on the myriad of plataformas (platforms) we have such as HBO, Netflix and Disney+. The great thing about these is that there’s a Spanish language version which means you get everything doblado (dubbed) into Spanish if you fancy listening to international titles too! Also, all the shows and films have full subtítulos (subtitles) in multiple languages so you can listen in Spanish but read in another language to make sure you fully understand. It’s a great way to aprender (learn) new words and phrases in authentic contexts.
¿Qué quieres ver? – What do you want to watch?
Here’s some vocabulary to help you find your way through the menus on your favourite platform.
| Español | Inglés |
| Inicio | Home/Start |
| Buscar | To search |
| Acción | Action |
| Aventuras | Adventure |
| Ciencia ficción | Science fiction |
| Comedia | Comedy |
| Dibujos animados | Cartoons |
| Drama | Drama |
| Fantasía | Fantasy |
| Musicales | Musicals |
| Suspense | Suspense |
| Terror | Horror |
| Películas | Films |
| Series | Series |
| Telenovela | Soap Opera |
As you can see, if you’re an English speaker, then half of these words are practically the same – ¡esto es pan comido! (this is easy!). We’d recommend looking for something that’s in a genre you already enjoy in your idioma nativo (native language) and go from there. The idea is to start practising listening in Spanish so that when you hear people speaking Spanish to you in the street, you can better understand them!
Leer reseñas – Read reviews
Given the huge choice available, you might get a bit agobiado (overwhelmed) trying to figure out what you want to see. There are always lots of reseñas (reviews) written by people online of all the new films and series, so get looking at some to give you some ideas. Here are some words to help you understand reviews in Spanish.
| Español | Inglés |
| Guión (m) | Script |
| Trama (f) | Plot |
| Actores principals | Main actors |
| Personaje (m) | Character |
| Capítulo (m) | Episode |
| Temporada (f) | Season |
| Año de estreno (m) | Year of release |
| Fecha de estreno (f) | Release date |
| Guionista (m) | Scriptwriter |
| Director/a (m/f) | Director |
| Doblado | Dubbed |
| Subtítulos (m pl) | Subtitles |
| Nueva versión (f) | Remake |
| Versión original | Original version (i.e. in the original language) |
With all that information you get from the reviews, you’re sure to be able to encontrar (find) something that appeals to you! It’s just a case of thinking about your gustos (tastes) and spending some time looking through what’s available.
Tener una conversación sobre tus series favoritas
Once you’ve watched a few capítulos (episodes) or the latest pelí (film), you’ll probably want to go and have a chat about what you’ve seen with your Spanish-speaking friends. Here are some more useful phrases you’ll need to get the conversation started.
| Español | Inglés |
| ¿Has visto el último capítulo de….? | Have you seen the latest episode of…? |
| ¡A mi me encanta! | I love it! |
| Es un tostón | It’s terrible |
| Es increíble/impresionante | It’s incredible/amazing |
| ¿Qué piensas de la película…? | What do you think about the film…? |
| ¡No lo he visto todavía! | I’ve not seen it yet! |
| ¡No me lo digas! | Don’t tell me! (e.g. what happens) |
| Estoy enganchado/a | I’m hooked |
It’s always a good idea to practise speaking Spanish by getting out and talking to people about things you enjoy as you’ll be more motivated to make yourself understood. Watching series and films gives you hours of conversation material, and your listening skills will improve massively. You’ll learn about the culture of the Spanish-speaking world while having fun at the same time. Why not try finding something new to watch in Spanish and see where it takes you?
Hablamos - full-on Spanish!
Madrid y sus curiosidades – Curiosities about Madrid
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The first pueblo (village) in the area we now call Madrid se fundó (was founded) in the 9th century. Being so many centuries old, there are a huge number of curious facts and figures we could tell you about the place, so in this blog we’ve narrowed the list down to a few things we reckon you’ll enjoy learning about before you come to study Spanish here in the capital.
¿Por qué se llama Madrid? - Why the name “Madrid”?
As with all towns and cities the world over, Madrid isn’t exactly the original name of the city. To understand the origin of this nombre (name) you need to know that what is now Spain was mostly conquered in the siglos VIII y IX (8th and 9th centuries) by the Moors – a catch-all term for various Muslim groups who entered from North Africa. The emir (or leader) of the Moors at the time, Mohamed I, decided to build fortalezas (fortifications or forts) to maintain a strong presence in the conquered areas against Christian invasions from the remaining Spanish kingdoms. According to the leyenda (legend), Madrid was originally named “Mayrit” as this was the Arabic word for a process of extracting water from underground which was employed in the area dues to the large number of subterranean arroyos (streams) around what is now Madrid. Once the Christian kingdoms initiated la Reconquista (the Reconquest) and reclaimed the city, the name stuck but evolved into Madrid.
¿Por qué se llaman “gatos” a los madrileños? – Why are people from Madrid called “gatos”?
This strange title also dates to the time of the Moors and the reconquest of Madrid all the way back in 1085 AD. As the tropas (troops) of Alfonso VI, el Bravo (the brave) approached the city, the battle for Madrid began and at first, the king’s soldiers made very slow progress. One brave individual, armed only with una daga (a dagger) climbed the walls of what was then Mayrit with such speed that onlookers nicknamed him el gato (the cat). He then lowered a rope so others could join him and by doing so allowed the Christians to take control. The same soldier’s family then became important in the city, and over time the name gato was used for anyone in Madrid whose padres (parents) and abuelos (grandparents) had also been born there. So you see, when you come to learn Spanish in Madrid, you’ll now know why everyone keeps referring to people as gatos (cats)!
Madrid no siempre ha sido la capital – Madrid hasn’t always been the capital
In many countries, la capital (the capital) has pretty much always been the same city – for instance London in the UK or Paris in France. However, Spain’s capital has changed unas veces (a few times) over the centuries. For many years, the Corte Real (Royal Court) travelled around Spanish territory and had no permanent base. Then, Felipe II in the 16th century decided it was about time that there was a capital city and a fixed meeting place for government. The city of Toledo, not far from Madrid, had always been the most important royal residence, but because of various factors, the King decided to settle in Madrid. Even so, between 1519 and 1561, the emperador Carlos V (Emperor Charles V) decided to move the capital to Toledo, then from 1601 to 1606 it went north to Valladolid, and during the Napoleonic Wars the capital was moved to Sevilla and then Cádiz in the south. Despite being the de facto capital all those centuries, Madrid was only formally recognised as such in 1931!
Madrid no es una ciudad – Madrid isn’t a city
¡¿Qué dices?! (What are you talking about?!). Technically, this is correct even today. Madrid is still not, officially, a city but rather una villa (a type of town) despite having a population of over 3 million! But what does this mean? Well, una villa is a special designation for a town with certain privilegios (privileges) that other places don’t enjoy. In the case of Madrid, it’s pretty obvious that its status as the capital of the country makes it stand out from other “towns”! Given that tradition and political reality has meant that Madrid has grown to become the vast metropolis we all know and love today, nobody has bothered reclassifying it as a true city. Odd, right?
And there you have it, some fun facts about Hablamos’s fabulous hometown! Come and join us and learn much more about Madrid and all its curious history!
