The Basics
Speak more Spanish
Practical tips for getting the Spanish you know out of your head and into real conversations.
Where to get Spanish conversation practice online
The main ways to get Spanish conversation practice online, what each one is good for, and how to prepare so every session is worth it.
Read the post →Where to get Spanish conversation practice online
The main ways to get Spanish conversation practice online, what each one is good for, and how to prepare so every session is worth it.
How to handle phone calls in Spanish
How to answer the phone, say why you're calling, spell your name, give an email address and deal with automated menus in Spanish.
How to use hay in Spanish
How hay works for there is and there are, when to use está instead, what hay que means, and how to say there was and there will be.
How to talk about the weather in Spanish
How to talk about the weather in Spanish with hace, está and hay, plus temperatures, forecasts and the expressions people in Spain actually use.
How to agree and disagree in Spanish
The phrases people in Spain use to agree, half-agree and disagree, the yo también and a mí también trap, and a drill to practise giving your opinion.
How to speak Spanish faster without rushing
Where the slowness in your Spanish really comes from, and how to speed up by cutting pauses and linking words instead of rushing.
Spain Spanish vs Latin American Spanish: what learners need to know
The differences between Spain Spanish and Latin American Spanish that learners actually notice, and what to adjust if you learnt one and live with the other.
Reflexive verbs and your daily routine in Spanish
How reflexive verbs work in Spanish, using your own daily routine: the pronouns, where they go, verbs that change meaning, and a simple way to practise them.
How to learn Spanish vocabulary faster (by topic)
Why learning Spanish words by topic works better than long lists, plus the five-sentence test, word partners and the English endings that give you hundreds of words.
How to talk about food you like in Spanish
The words and phrases for talking about food you like in Spanish, from está buenísimo to soy más de salado, plus cooking, diets and a simple vocab trick.
How to talk about films in Spanish
The words and structures for talking about films and series in Spanish, from ¿de qué va? to te la recomiendo, plus a trick with Spanish film titles.
Shadowing in Spanish: what it is and how to do it
What shadowing is, how to pick the right clips, a step-by-step method and a 10-minute routine you can start today.
Spanish for renting a flat in Spain
How to read Spanish flat ads, arrange a viewing, ask the right questions and understand the contract words, in Spanish that works in Spain.
Tener expressions you'll use every day
The everyday tener expressions for hunger, cold, sleep, hurry and plans, with the small mistakes that give learners away.
Stuck at intermediate Spanish? How to get moving again
Why so many learners stop improving once they can get by, how to work out what's holding you back, and five practical ways to start moving again.
Spanish vowels: the quickest pronunciation win
The five Spanish vowel sounds, the two English habits that get in the way, and a simple vowel-only drill that makes your Spanish clearer fast.
How to talk about your family in Spanish
The words, questions and structures you need to talk about your family in Spanish, including in-laws, family who live far away, and the harder conversations.
How to ask questions in Spanish
How Spanish questions work, from yes or no questions to question words, prepositions, qué or cuál, and polite requests, with a drill to make them automatic.
How to make Spanish-speaking friends in Spain
Where to meet Spanish speakers, how to turn a friendly chat into a real plan, and the Spanish you need for WhatsApp groups and busy group conversations.
Preterite vs imperfect, made simple
A simple way to choose between the preterite and the imperfect, the forms you'll use most, and a practice trick that makes telling stories in the past easier.
How to stay motivated learning Spanish
Why motivation fades after the first few weeks, and practical ways to keep going: topics you care about, a real use every week, and progress you can actually see.
Spanish reactions: qué bien, vaya, madre mía and more
The short Spanish reactions for good news, bad news and surprises, the qué pattern that turns any adjective into a reaction, and a daily drill to make them automatic.
Spanish conversation starters that actually work
Simple Spanish conversation starters for the places you actually go, a question almost everyone enjoys answering, and how to end a chat without it getting awkward.
Spanish for the doctor and the pharmacy
How to make an appointment, explain your symptoms, follow the doctor's instructions and ask for what you need at a Spanish pharmacy.
How to describe people in Spanish
How to say what someone looks like and what they're like in Spanish, how to point someone out, and how to avoid sounding rude by accident.
Talking about the future in Spanish: the easy way
How to talk about plans and the future in Spanish with ir a + infinitive, when the present tense does the job, and what the other future tense is for.
Is Duolingo enough to speak Spanish?
What language apps do well, what they can't do for your speaking, and a simple way to turn your daily lesson into practice you can use in a conversation.
How to introduce yourself in Spanish (and keep talking)
How to introduce yourself in Spanish so people have something to ask about, plus the questions to ask back and three versions for different moments.
How to talk about your weekend in Spanish
The questions, plans and past tense chunks you need to talk about your weekend in Spanish, on Friday and on Monday.
How to roll your R in Spanish
The two R sounds in Spanish, where your tongue goes, step-by-step drills for the rolled R, and how to sound fine while you're still learning it.
The Spanish you need in your first month in Spain
The Spanish you'll actually use in your first month in Spain: appointments, the flat, shopping, the health centre and meeting people, with a four-week plan.
Por vs para, made simple
A simple way to choose between por and para, the main uses of each, the pairs that change meaning, and the fixed phrases worth learning whole.
Nervous about speaking Spanish? What actually helps
Why speaking Spanish makes you nervous, and the practical things that make it easier: preparation, safety phrases and a ladder of small steps.
How to talk about your job in Spanish
The words and structures you need to talk about your job in Spanish, from saying what you do to explaining what your day actually involves.
How to use flashcards to actually speak Spanish
How to build Spanish flashcards around real conversations, what to put on each card, and how to review them so the words come out when you speak.
How to start thinking in Spanish
What thinking in Spanish really looks like, and simple daily habits that get your inner voice using more Spanish.
How to order at a bar or restaurant in Spain
What to say at a bar or restaurant in Spain: ordering drinks and tapas, the menú del día, dietary needs and asking for the bill.
Me gusta vs me encanta: saying you like things in Spanish
How strong me gusta and me encanta are, when to use gusta or gustan, how to agree with a mí también, and a daily habit that makes it automatic.
How to talk about your hobbies in Spanish
The questions, verbs and structures you need to talk about hobbies in Spanish, including the jugar, tocar and hacer mix-up.
How long does it take to learn to speak Spanish? An honest answer
What "speaking Spanish" actually means, what the official estimate says, what speeds it up, and why counting conversations beats counting hours.
How to keep a conversation going in Spanish
Why Spanish conversations die after two lines, and simple ways to keep them going: hooks, follow-ups, reactions and topic changes.
The Spanish sounds English speakers get wrong
The Spanish sounds English speakers most often get wrong, why it happens, and simple ways to fix each one.
How to talk about your pets in Spanish
The words, structures and questions you need to talk about pets in Spanish, including what to say if you don't have one.
Spanish small talk with your neighbours
The Spanish small talk phrases you need for the lift, the stairs and the portal, plus how to introduce yourself to the neighbours.
Ser vs estar, made simple
A simple way to choose between ser and estar, the adjectives that change meaning, and a habit that makes the right one come out automatically.
How to practise speaking Spanish on your own
Five ways to practise speaking Spanish with no one else around, from a voice-memo conversation partner to checking yourself with phone dictation.
A 15-minute daily Spanish routine that works
A daily Spanish routine that takes 15 minutes: words, sentences and conversation, all out loud, plus a two-minute version for bad days.
Spanish filler words that buy you thinking time
The Spanish filler words that give you a few seconds to think, when to use each one, and how to make them automatic.
How to stop translating in your head when you speak Spanish
Why translating word by word slows you down, and four practical ways to get the Spanish out without the English step.
Why you understand Spanish but can't speak it (and how to fix it)
The two real reasons you go blank when it's time to speak, two tricks that help straight away, and a 7-day plan to fix it.
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