Spanish Tips

"Tener que" vs. "Deber" in Spanish. What is the difference, and when to use each? What is the meaning of 'tener que'? The expression  tener que  translates as, " to have to,"  in English, as in, "I have to do something..." It can also stand in for expressions like, "I need to...." "I'm going to...." " I gotta..." etc.  Thus, it is used to indicate an obligation or necessity of action. As you can see by the above examples, this phrase is versatile and common in everyday language. This is why its important to adapt it into your usage. Here are some key aspects of   tener que : When followed by an infinitive verb, it implies a sense of duty or requirement. For example:  Tengo que estudiar  means...  I have to study . It can be used to express obligations in different tenses: Present tense:   Tengo que trabajar  -  I have to work . Past tense:   Tuve que salir  -  I had to leave . Future tense:   Tendré que l...

Here are some everyday, or colloquial, words & idiomatic expressions to add to your conversations. These phrases are classified as CEFRL level, B1-B2, or intermediate stage. See end of this article for details on CEFRL stages. Expressing Thoughts & Feelings Desahogarse → to blow off steam / vent No me sale el nombre → I can’t think of / remember the name Se te nota → It shows on you (e.g. se te nota el cansancio) (Si) me quedo sin palabras → (If) I’m lost for words Apurarse → to hurry / to rush Aturdido → stunned, dazed Algo es algo → something is something (better than nothing!) Más que todo → more than anything Common Conversational Connectors Volviendo al tema → going back to the topic / anyway A continuación, las noticias → up next, the news Lo cual está bien → which is good Por medio de → through / by means of Hasta otra → until next time No te meta s → don’t get involved / stay out of it Useful Everyday Phrases No me queda otra → I have n...

  UNDERSTANDING SPANISH OBJECT PRONOUNS AND VERB ORDER (LEarning level A2 to B1)      As you start gaining momentum in Spanish, you'll soon notice how Spanish word order and pronouns (like me, te, nos, lo, etc.) works differently from English... basically, its backwards!     So you y our brain tries to translate and map each word, one by one. Then it wants to re-arrange them into a mental, "word map," for English, to form a translated sentence.       While that is complicated, it is also normal - it's how we are wired to think, initially.     The problem is that  Spanish rarely  translates word-for-word in the same kind of order we are accustomed to.      So our brain gets all twisted in knots, and we are slowed down tryimg to speak, or understand what's being said. For that reason, we have to develop our brain so it has a, "Spanish Mode" that it can slip into and, "think" in Spanish, automatically. ...

  answers at the bottom por =  • reason / because of  • through / by  • duration / time para =  • purpose / goal  • destination / direction  • recipient / for someone Notes: 👉 Use, "por," when talking about cause , movement through a place, or how long something lasts. 👉 Use, "para," when talking about where something is going, who it’s for, or the intended purpose. Answers to quiz 1. "para" 2. "para" 3. "por" 4. "por" 5. "por" 6. "para" 7. "para" 8. "por"

  SER and ESTAR Past and Present   Explained     Today, we are talking about a very important, and usually very confusing topic for the Spanish newcomer...that is, the Spanish verbs SER and ESTAR .      In grammatical terms, these are the equivalents of the verb, "TO BE," in English.     For newcomers to Spanish, and even those who have studied Spanish before, the struggle is real when trying to decide which Spanish word to use when saying, "to be" in the present moment, or in the past.     By that, I mean things like this in English...     "I am, I was...," or, "I have been..."     "You are, You were...," or "You have been..."     "We are, We were...," or "We have been..."     "They are, They were,..." or "They have been...."     etc., etc., etc,.      Spanish has its equivalents in the verbs SER and ESTAR,   but   i...