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Learn the 10 English words that have more than one meaning

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Learn the 10 English words that have more than one meaning

One of the biggest challenges we face when learning a new language is to learn the different uses and meaning of those words with more than one meaning.

It’s mainly because of this reason that we must take context into account in order to interpret or even translate the texts correctly.

The English language, for example, has many words with more than one meaning that are used regularly. Words so common as “water”, “book”, and “ring” have completely different meanings that are determined by context. So, the language universe keeps proving to be wider and more interesting – and also even confusing! – than it seems at first sight.

With this idea in mind, at Worldly Translations we invite you to learn these 10 words that have more than one meaning and their different uses and meanings:

Book

This is one of the most basic words of the English language. So much so, that it is not even necessary to have studied English to know its meaning when used as a noun. However, the word “book” can also be used as a verb, equivalent to “make a reservation”. So, the meaning of this word in the sentence: “I’m reading a horror book”, has nothing to do with: “I will book a table at your favorite Chinese restaurant”.

Mind

Another one of the words with more than one meaning that can be used as a verb and as a noun. So, when used as a noun, like in the sentence: “She has a bright mind” it has one meaning, but when used as a verb, its meaning changes into something completely different: “to care” (“I really don’t mind”).

Water

This is definitely another one of the most basic words in the English language. The word “water” can also be used as a verb, when doing so it changes its meaning into another way of saying “to irrigate”. So, the word “water” does not have the same meaning in the sentences “I need a glass of water” and “Remember to water my plants”.

Ring

This is a very particular word, since it is not only one of the words with more than one meaning that is used as a verb and a noun, but when used as a verb it can have two different meanings as well! When used as a verb it can either mean “to make a phone call” or “to ring the doorbell”. Some examples: 

  • “He gave me a diamond ring!”
  • “Ring the bell when you arrive” 
  • “She’s not at home now, give her a ring later”

Park

This is another word with more than one meaning that is commonly used in the English language. While as a noun it has one meaning: “She went to the park yesterday”, as a verb it has a very different one: “Where did you park the car?”.

Sign

Likewise, the word “sign” has two different meanings as well. On one hand, it can mean a “signboard” or a “signal”: “There was a stop sign”. While on the other hand it can be an equivalent to the action of signing a paper or document: “Please sign here”.

Cross

As a noun, the word cross means one thing: “The building has a big cross on top”. Even though it is related to its previous meaning, when used as a verb, the word “cross” changes its meaning: “Let’s cross the street to get an ice cream”.

Answer

Just as with the word “cross”, the two meanings that the word “answer” has, are related to each other. As a noun, the word answer means one thing: “Choose the right answer”, while as a verb it is the equivalent to the words “reply” or “respond”: “Please answer me!”.

Face

Even though we all know the basic meaning of the word “face”, maybe because of Facebook amongst other reasons, this word is also the equivalent of the words “to deal with something” or “to confront”. Some examples:

  • “She has the most beautiful face I have seen” 
  • “You have to face your problems!”

Date

This is another one of those cases where both meanings seem to have no apparent connection at first, however when looking more carefully, it is possible to find a link between them. While as a noun. The word “date” means a specific day: “What is your date of birth?”, another meaning for this word is “to date” as a synonym for “going out with someone”: “They went on a date on Tuesday”.

We hope you have enjoyed learning these words with more than one meaning that are commonly used in the English language. Until next time!

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10 curious facts about the Spanish language

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10 curious facts about the Spanish language

Beyond vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, each language has infinite details and small peculiarities that make it unique. Us professional translators love finding those words, expressions, exceptions and uses that make every language unique.

Previously, in another article we talked about the curious facts about the English language that helps us get a deeper understanding of this language’s singularities. However, the Spanish language has its own curious facts that deserve a separate article. With this in mind, we invite you to begin a new journey through the peculiarities, rarities and colorful facts that make this language so rich, attractive and interesting.

Following, the 10 curious facts that stood out the most for us of the Spanish language:

Curious fact #1

Even though the first impression seems to indicate that Spanish is spoken only in Europe and Latin America, this language is spoken in all six continents!

While in the American continent it is spoken in every country of Central America and South America, (except for Brazil) and in various other areas in the United States, in Europe it is only spoken in Spain. In Africa, Spanish is spoken in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, in the Canary Islands, in Equatorial Guinea and in Western Sahara territory. In Oceania, Spanish is spoken in the Easter Island, and in Antarctica it is spoken in in the Villa Estrella area (Chile) and Fortín Sargento Cabral (Argentina). 

So, this language has native speakers in every continent and it is the third most spoken language of the world, surpassed only by English and Mandarin Chinese.

Curious fact #2

Related to the previous fact and this language’s expansion through the world, the first ever document written in Spanish was written in the year 959.

The author of this historical document was a monk from the San Justo and San Pastor monastery, in La Rozuela, Spain. The curious thing about this is the content of the manuscript: it is just a list of supplies and cheese deliveries to the convent’s pantry.

Curious fact #3

Which are the letters most commonly used by Spanish speakers? The vowels A, E and O and the consonants L and S. On the opposite side, the least commonly used letter is the W.

Curious fact #4

Related to letters as well, another curious fact is that the LL and CH do not exist officially since the year 1994, when they were removed from the official Spanish Alphabet by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE). Furthermore, the H is the only letter in the Spanish language that has no sound, unless it is preceded by a C.

In ancient times, a big part of the words that now-a-days start with the letter H used to be written in Latin with the letter F instead, such as the words smoke: “humo” (Spanish) – “Fumo” (Latin), flour: “harina” (Spanish) – “farina” (Latin) and to hurt: “herir” (Spanish) – “ferir” (Latin).

Curious fact #5

The letter Ñ is no doubt a curiosity in itself. Even though it does not belong to the basic Latin alphabet, the origin of its tilde is actually another, smaller N that was written in some cases on top of a regular sized N and in time flattened to become what it is today.

Even though it is one of the most distinctive signs of the language, the Ñ is not exclusive to the Spanish language, but it is also found in other alphabets such as the Asturian, Aymara, Filipino, Galician, Guarani, Mapuche and Quechua, among others.

Curious fact #6

Amongst the curious facts of words, we can highlight that the words “ecuatorianos” (Ecuadorians) and “aeronáuticos” (aeronautics) are anagrams, since they have the same number of letters but in a different order. Additionally, the verb “reconocer” (to recognize) reads the same word from left to right and from right to left, which is called a palindrome.

Even more, “ferrocarrilero” (railroad worker) is the only words in Spanish that has the letter R five times, whilst in the word “aristocráticos” (aristocratic) each letter is repeated twice and the only word that has each vowel twice is “guineoecuatorial” (‎Equatoguinean).

Curious fact #7

The longest word in the Spanish language according to the RAE dictionary is comprised by 23 letters: “electroencefalografista” (EEG technologist). However, the longest words that have no repeated letters are: “vislumbrándote” (14 letters – to glimpse), “calumbrientos” (13 – fiery) and “centrifugados” (13 – centrifuged). 

Curious fact #8

The word “ojalá” (hopefully) is widely used in the Spanish language to represent the “candid wish that something will happen”. However, not many people today now that the etymology of this word comes from a prayer to Allah: “law sha’a Allah” (God willingly in Arabic).

Curious fact #9

The number one thousand (“mil” in Spanish) is the only one in the Spanish numerical system that does not contain the words O or E. Furthermore, the number five (“cinco” in Spanish) has five letters and it is the only case where this occurs.

Curious fact #10

It has been proven that the Spanish language es the fastest to be spoken.  What is this affirmation based on? The number of syllables that an intermediate speaker can pronounce by the second. IN this ranking, Spanish shares the first place with Japanese, while in the opposite side sit German and Mandarin Chinese, two languages that are characterized by its extremely slow pronunciation. 

We hope you enjoyed learning these 10 curious facts about the Spanish language. Till next time! 

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The English language and its 12 borrowed words

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The English language and its 12 “borrowed words”

Just like some of our previous articles where we talked about the idiomatic differences that turn professional translations into conceptual approximations, the different languages of the world have many similarities.  So much so, that some of them even take words from other languages and make them part of their day-to-day language. So, not everything is made out of differences in the universe of languages.

As there are English words that are used in modern Spanish – such as “selfie”, “hater” and “spoiler” – there are words that the English language has adopted from other languages (mainly from French and German) that are used by its native speakers regularly. So even words that we all know and are very common like “fiancé”, “café”, “delicatessen” and “lingerie” are actually “borrowed words” that came to stay.

However, this phenomenon has a very clear explanation: English, French and German are sibling languages that had mutual influence throughout history. So much so, that between the IX and XIV centuries the official language of the British court was actually a French dialect. Whilst the lower classes of British society at the time used Old English to communicate, royalty used their own version of the French language.

In this article, we invite you to learn 12 “borrowed words” that are used by English native speakers regularly:

Fiancé

The word “fiancé” comes from French. Even though this word is pronounced very similarly in both languages and maintain the same meaning, many native English speakers do not write it using the proper French accentuation.

Ballet

The dance known as “ballet” was originally born in France. That is why the words ballet, “ballerina” and “tutu” were preserved in their original language and are still being used in English.

Entrepreneur

This word is also from French origin, however even though it was happily adopted by English speakers and it is still being used today, they created their own new words based on it as well, for example the words: “entrepreneurial” and “entrepreneurship”.

Lingerie

The French word “lingerie” is very commonly used by native English speakers and keeps the same meaning in both languages.

Croissant

 This word symbolizes a truly Parisian icon. Just as its aroma and unique taste, the word “croissant” is used to describe this delicious pastry both in English and French.

Delicatessen/Deli

English speaking countries use the word “delicatessen” or simple “deli” for small gastronomical shops that sell gourmet products and dishes. This word originally comes from the German word “delikatessen” (fine foods), as you may see their only difference is how it is spelled.

Kindergarten

The German word “kindergarten” was also borrowed by the English language in order to describe the educational institution for early childhood. Even more, the classic “biergarten” from German culture are called “beer garden” in English speaking countries, a translation that shows the great connection between these two languages.

Waltz

Originally from Austria and the south of Germany, this slow and elegant dance that is famously danced at weddings keeps its original name in the English language as well.

Guerrilla

Going a bit further from the European languages, like French and German, English has borrowed words from other languages as well. For example, from Spanish. Among many others, the word that designates the rebel armed groups known as a “guerrilla”.

Patio

This is another Spanish word commonly used by English speakers. It is used to describe an area outside a house with a solid floor but no roof.

Karaoke

When finding idiomatic influences, Asian roots can also be found in the English language. The Japanese word “karaoke” remains the same not only in English, but in Spanish too.

Karate

This traditional Japanese martial art does not have a translation into other languages either. Even though it is a highly important discipline globally, great part of its international popularity came from the series of American movies “Karate Kid”.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article about “borrowed words” that the English language has adopted from other languages and learning their origins. Until next time!

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14 curious facts about the English language

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14 curious facts about the English language

As language scholars and aficionados, we at Worldly Translations always enjoy sharing the singularities that make each language unique.

Have you ever asked yourselves questions like: “which is the longest word in my native language?”, “how many sounds are there in my language?” or “which is the longest monosyllabic word in the foreign language that I’ve been studying for years?”. These questions and many more that revolve around languages, spark our curiosity every day.

Beyond the main idiomatic differences that make professional translations into a true challenge, the small details are what actually make each language special and different from all other. Those words that don’t have an equivalent in another language or the regional differences that distinguishes between native speakers of the same language, all of it is part of the universe of language singularities.

In this article, we invite you to learn these 14 curious facts about the English language that we find very interesting and would like to share with our readers:

Fact #1

The English alphabet has 26 letters from which 5 are vowels and 21 are consonants. However, the English languages has 44 sounds that are represented by symbols. This is probably why it can be very hard for a non-native English speaker to learn how to pronounce English words properly, even though it can be easy to learn how to write correctly.

Fact #2

Related to the previous fact, the most commonly used letters in the English language are the “e” vowel (approximately 11% of the language), followed by two consonants: the “r” and “t”. However, most words in the English dictionary start with another letter: the “s”.

Fact #3

The words that are most commonly used by English speakers are these four: “I”, “you”, “the” and “be”. Another related singularity: it is estimated that the English language actually has more than one million words, from which only one third (around 350 thousand) are officially included with their meaning in English dictionaries.

Fact #4

The English language has one of the world’s longest words. According to the Oxford English Dictionary it is a term designated for a very specific pulmonary disease: “pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis”. We’ll save you the time, this word is composed of 45 letters!

Fact #5

The longest word without vowels is much simpler and it’s known by music lovers around the globe: “rhythm”.

Fact #6

Another one is the longest monosyllabic word of the English language: “screeched”.

Fact #7

On the other hand, the shortest and most comprehensive phrase is “I am”. Why? Because of the simple fact that it has a subject and predicate while it’s conformed of only two words and three letters.

Fact #8

When talking about vowels, the words “abstemious” and “facetious” are the only two terms of the English dictionary that has all the vowels, and they are in alphabetical order (a, e, i, o, u).

Fact #9

In terms of meanings and the importance of context when translating, the term “set” is the word with the most meanings. “Set” can be a noun, verb or adjective, used for a variety of things, such as: “game (set)”, “collection”, “film (set)”, “establish”, “to fit something somewhere” amongst many others.

Fact #10

Even though these are two words widely used, the adjectives “hungry” and “angry” are the only two that end with the syllable “gry”. Maybe it’s not a coincidence that we usually get angry when we are hungry!

Fact #11

Did you know that international statistics have proven that at least a quarter of the world’s population speaks “some” English. So much so, that English is the predominant language in more than 60 countries, even though it is not the official language of the nation in many of them.

Fact #12

Even though these are two words widely used, the adjectives “hungry” and “angry” are the only two that end with the syllable “gry”. Maybe it’s not a coincidence that we usually get angry when we are hungry!

Fact #13

Even though the United States does not have an official language, there are 24 different dialects co-existing in this country.

Fact #14

To conclude, we would like to share a fact that we believe to be very fun and interesting: according to the Guinness of World Records, the hardest tongue twister of the English language is: “sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick”.

We hope you enjoyed these 14 curious facts about the English language. Until the next time!

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10 words in English that don’t exist in Spanish

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10 words in English that don’t exist in Spanish

As you probably read on our article “15 words in Spanish that don’t exist in English”, learning languages – and specially learning to translate – shows us the infinite singularities and differences between languages. One of the main obstacles we face when translating texts is that each language has specific terms that symbolize concepts. So, translations will always be nothing more than conceptual “approximations” that represent – in another language – certain ideas, actions and objects.
Because of these singularities, a translation from English into Spanish, for example will never be literal. Even more, there are words that are commonly used in one language and have no real equivalent in others. This is one of the many reasons why it is not enough to know a language in order to be qualified to translate. With more than 10 years of experience in the translation of texts and documents, the professional translators of Worldly Translations have the qualifications and proper tools needed to overcomes these obstacles. 


As language scholars and aficionados, we always find it interesting to learn curious facts of each language, like those impossible-to-translate words.
Next, we present 10 words in English that don’t exist in Spanish:

Struggle

The English word “struggle” is very peculiar. Even though it is usually translated as “lucha”, the truth is this Spanish word’s meaning is closer to “fight” or “combat” than to the actual meaning of the word “struggle” : it can be a noun (“the struggle is real”) when used to refer an effort done, a dare or test in order to achieve something; or a verb (“he is struggling with his boss”) for which the word “lucha” (fight) might be the most accurate even though the physical aspect of a fight is not involved.

Toe

All those who have learned English as a second language while in school, probably remember the song “Head, shoulders, knees and toes”, however in order to translate the word “toe” into Spanish we need to use at least three words: “Dedo del pie” (finger of the foot). The most curious fact about this word is that in Spanish the word “dedo” (finger) is not only associated to fingers, but also to toes. So, “big toe” is translated into Spanish as “dedo gordo del pie” (the big finger of the foot).

Homesick

This word doesn’t have an exact equivalent in Spanish either, since it describes a very specific feeling: to miss home. As such, even though it might be usually translated as “nostalgia”, the truth is “homesick” is much more specific than that: “I’m homesick” (“Extraño mi casa” / “Siento nostalgia de mi lugar de origen”).

Lock

An expression that is never absent in suspense movies is “Lock the door!”. However, even though it is usually translated as “¡Cierra la puerta!” (Close the door), this English word has at least two connotations that imply the use of a lock or key. As a noun, “a lock” can be “un candado” (a lock) or “una llave” (a key), but when it used used as a verb, a minimum of three words need to be used in order to translate it: “cerrar con candado / con llave” (to close with a lock/key) or “asegurar la puerta del auto” (to secure the car door).

Crush

Belonging to the romance universe, the word “crush” doesn’t have an exact equivalent in Spanish either. A “crush” is a juvenile romantic obsession or an intense feeling of love. It can describe a connection: “I have a crush on him” (“Estoy intensamente enamorada de él”) or a person: “He is my crush” (“Él es la persona que me gusta”), so many words to translate just one!

Carjacking

This word symbolizes the action of stealing a car while someone is in it by using physical force or threats. Something that does not have an exact translation into Spanish either, we would need to use nine words! In order to explain its meaning.

Hater

Spanish speakers over the world borrow this word from the English language regularly, probably because there is no equivalent in Spanish. We can translate this word as “odiador”, an expression that is not even close to being used as much as its English counterpart. Why is this? To be honest, it’s mainly because the word “odiador” sounds awful to a native Spanish speaker.

Wave

This is probably one of the first words that babies from English-speaking parents learn: “wave bye bye to grandma” (“saluda a la abuela”). However, the literal translation of the word “wave” es “to greet with your hand”. So we are, once again, having to use four Spanish words in order to explain the meaning of a very commonly used word for English speakers.

Mean

This word has different connotations in English. Even though it does have a literal translation into Spanish when used as a verb (“to mean” is “significar”) and as a noun (“meaning” is “significado”), when used as an adjective it doesn’t. “Mean” is much more than “malo” (bad): it means to be cruel to others, unkind or unpleasant, even try to hurt others. So, “she is being mean to me” means much more than just “está siendo mala conmigo”.

Spolier

The huge spread of streaming platforms and the TV series boom, this word has become popular in Spanish-speaking countries. As a verb, according to its context “to spoil” it could mean “arruinar” (to ruin) or “mimar” (to pamper), whilst as an adjective “spoiled” is a person that is or was treated too well. However, the noun “spoiler” means to tell another person the details of a movie or TV show that they haven’t watched before, ruining it for them; this word does not have an equivalent in Spanish, that is why most Spanish speakers just use the English version.

We hope you enjoyed this article and learning these 10 words that, even though they are commonly used in English, don’t have an exact translation into Spanish. Until our next post!

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15 words in Spanish that don’t exist in English

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15 words in Spanish that don't exist in English

Learning languages reveals the countless particularities each language has. One of the first difficulties in text translation is facing the idea that each language has its own words that represent specific ideas, actions and objects: translations are really conceptual “aprproximations”. 

Translating from English into Spanish – and viceversa – is to make something that was said or written in another language understandable. Because of the previously mentioned particularities the translation can never be 100% leteral. It is such, that there are specific words that don’t even have an exact equivalent in other languages: they simply don’t exist. In these cases, professional translators are qualified and count with the necessary tools and words to translate their meaning.  However, learning about those words that exist in one language only might be a fun and interesting fact for all you language lovers out there.

Next, we will present 15 words in Spanish that don’t exist in the English language:

Estrenar: To use something for the first time.

The verb “estrenar” has many differente connotations in Spanish, but all of them mean the same thing: to wear a new piece of clothing, show off a new hairstyle and even for a new SO. However, there is no equivalent to this word in English, instead the following expressions are usually used: “Wear new clothes/haircut/sneakers” or “used for the first time”.

Friolento: Very sensitive to the cold.

This adjective does not have an equivalent in English either, instead it’s described by saying: “he/she get’s cold easily”. 

Anteayer: The day that came before yesterday.

The demonstrative adverb “anteayer” does not have an equivalent in English either, so much so that 4 words need to be used to properly translate this word: “The day before yesterday”.

Desvelado: A person that has a sleep disorder, who can't sleep.

There is no equivalent for the circumstance of a person being “desvelado” or “trasnochado”, the most proper translation would be: “he/she wasn’t able to sleep”.

Empalagoso: Said about a person or food: that is too sweet.

The adjective “empalagoso” does not have a literal translation in English either, instead the expressions: “It’s too sweet” or “He/she/it tired me up” are used.

Merendar: To have the five O'clock tea.

There is no one word in English to describe the act of having the afternoon tea. Eventhough it can also be translated as “have/has a snack”, the truth is that this expression means to eat something small or not very substantial, but does not exactly mean the meal that is known in Spanish as “merienda”.

Tuerto: Devoid of sight on one eye.

The adjective “tuerto” doesn’t have an English equivalent either and is usually translated as “a man/woman without an eye”.

Panzón: Of a big belly.

This is another adjective that does not have a one word translation into the English language: “a man/woman with a big belly”.

Arreglarse: To use cosmetics, get dressed and/or style one's hair.

There is no one word translation for the action of “arreglarse” or “alistarse”, however at least two words must be used: “get ready”.

Estadounidense: A person born in the United States.

This is probably one of the most problematic concepts of the English language, since the expression “American” (“americano”) is usually criticized or creates discomfort in other countries of the American continent. Therefore, a good option is to translate it as “he/she is from the United States”.

Ajeno: That belongs to another person.

There is no literal translation for this adjective in English, there are only approximations such as “someone else’s” or “external”, that might also be appropriate eventhough “externo” doesn’t mean the same as “ajeno”.

Convivir: To live with other people.

In the English language there is no verb that describes the action of living in the same house with other people. The most adecuate expressions would be: “we live toghether”, “he/she lives with me” or “we are roommates/flat mates”.

Atinar: To guess something right.

There is no translation for the verb “atinar” or “acertar” in English, so the best option to translate this words would be: “you nailed it!”.

¡Buen provecho!

This is not a word but a full expression. In English, the French expression “bon apetit” is commonly used to express this sentiment, however if one would prefer to use the Ennglish language instead, the experssion: “enjoy your meal/your food” can be used.

Vergüenza ajena:

Just like the previous one, this is another expression that doesn’t have an exact translation in English. Therefore, it can be translated as: “I feel embarrassed for him/her”.

We hope you have enjoyed this article and from getting to know these 15 words that eventhough might be very common in Spanish, have no equivalent in English. Until next time!

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5 tips to learn a new language using Netflix

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5 tips to learn a new language using Netflix

Learning a new language or perfecting one you already know does not have to depend on traditional learning methods or be a plain and boring activity that you spend a lot of money on. Among the countless possibilities the internet provides us with, online platforms and apps, many are related to online learning. It is so, that with some wit and creativity it is even possible to learn languages by watching TV shows and movies on Netflix. 

Have you ever imagined you could learn a language by watching the latest episode of your favorite show? Believe it or not, it is possible now-a-days. Just by following a few suggestions according to your language skills to better your experience, enjoy it and take advantage of the hours we spent in front of the TV. 

Bellow, we give you 5 tips to improve your pronunciation, vocabulary and knowledge of a language by just watching Netflix:

1- Subtitled in its original language

One of the best strategies to improve your language skills by watching a TV show or movie is to watch movies in the language you wish to learn and set aside English subtitles, instead use subtitles in its original language. Even though you may not understand the dialogues by hearing them, with the help of the subtitles you will be able to understand the meaning of the conversations better. We also recommend watching the TV shows or movies you like in English and add subtitles in the language of your choice. This will also help you learn and practice the language, since reading the words will help you learn the languages grammar and remember the correct spelling of the words in a fun way. 

2- Fleex – Intelligent subtitles

A very useful tool for language learning through Netflix is Fleex – Intelligent subtitles. This is a Google Chrome plug-in that is compatible with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube that allows the user to click on any word of the given subtitles and by doing so, hear a slower pronunciation of the selected word and display it’s meaning and translations by context plus learn expressions related with it. Furthermore, Fleex will automatically put together your personal vocabulary list and allow you to go through it anytime. No doubt, a very useful tool to learn a language in a fun and simple way.

3- Language learning with Netflix

This is another Google Chrome plug-in that you should install on your browser in order to optimize your learning experience by watching TV shows and movies on Netflix. Language learning with Netflix is even better than Fleex for users that don’t count with enough knowledge of the language to understand subtitles in it. The most interesting part of this tool is that it allows you to see the subtitles in two languages, which allows the user to compare the original text and audio with a translation into the user’s mother tongue. This plug-in also offers the possibility to listen to the subtitles separately, change their speed and to use a pop-up dictionary of the language.

4- TV shows or movies?

Even though language learning by watching Netflix is more relaxed and fun than a formal lesson, the truth is that learning a new language does require some effort and can be quite exhausting.  Given this, for the basic and intermediate levels the best way would be to begin by practicing with TV shows that have short episodes, of no more than 20 or 30 minutes. Among them, the easiest ones to understand by the vocabulary used by their main characters are comedies. 

Some of the most simple to understand and popular shows available on Netflix are:

  • Friends
  • The office
  • That ‘70s show
  • Grace & Frankie

5- Advanced level

Because of the reasons explained on the previous item, watching movies in the language you wish to learn with subtitles in the same language would be the best option to practice the language for people with a more advanced level. Mainly because of the duration of movies (usually of more than 90 minutes) it can turn out to be too overwhelming to make the effort of understanding the language and learn new words for such a long period of time. Therefore, if you do have an advanced level of the language you will be able to enjoy the movie while perfecting your skills in it.  

From the thousands of movies available on Netflix, we have chosen the easiest ones to understand for people who know the language:

By following these tips and suggestions you will be able to make the most out of the hours you spend enjoying Netflix while learning or perfecting your languages skills. We hope this article will help you achieve your goals.   

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5 main differences between Latin American Spanish and Spanish from Spain

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5 main differences between Latin American Spanish and Spanish from Spain

The Spanish language is so rich and particular that it allows for many different forms not only between different Latin American countries, but also among the different regions, municipalities or provinces that confrm those countries. 

Eventhough Spaniards and Latin Americans can understand each other perfectly and without much effort, the use of the Spanish language shows great differences on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. 

In this article, we invite you to analize which are their main differences and where do these idiomatic and cultural discrepancies come from.

1- The "voseo"

The most distinguishable difference between the Spanish language that is spoken in Spain and the one from some Latin American countries – given that between them there are very distinctive uses of the language as well – is the “voseo“. The form “vos” (you) used in the second person singular (unlike “tu” – also “you”) is never used in Spain, while in Argentina and Uruguay – and in some regions of other Latin American countries –  the use of this personal pronoun is the norm. 

The use of “vos” in Latin America began with the arrival of the Spanish conquerers by the end of the XV century, since this was originally a more formal and polite way of talking to someone. In Spain this formality fell into disuse, however it remainsused by many Latin Americans.

2- The use of "ustedes"

The use of the personal pronoun “ustedes” (you – plural) for the second person plural (instead of “vosotros”) is another ones of the main differences between Latin American Spanish and the one spoken in Spain. Mainly in South American countries, the pronoun “vosotros” is never used, while in Spain – except for the Canary Islands – is most commonly used. On the other hand, the word “ustedes” is considered extremely formal, for which it is only used in special occasions or to speak about the elderly. The advantage for Latin Americans, is that by using the word “ustedes” in Spain, they will not only be understood but they will also be considered very polite.

3- The vocabulary

Linguists, semiologists and language scholars remind us continuously that language is constantly evolving, the users of the language modifiy it’s structure by using it daily, incorporating new laws and stopping the use of others. Therefore, the different countries and regions show differences in the vocabulary of their language. Some examples are: 

  • Teléfono móvil (España) / Celular (Latinoamérica) – Mobile phone / Cellphone
  • Ordenador / Computadora – Computer
  • Lavabo / Pileta, lavamanos, lavatorio – Sink 
  • Coche / Auto, carro – Car
  • Gafas / Anteojos, lentes – Glasses
  • Zumo / Jugo – Juice
  • Tarta / Torta, pastel – Cake
  • Calcetines / Medias – Socks
  • Grifo / Canilla, llave – Tap / Faucet
  • Frigorífico, nevera / Heladera, refrigerador – Fridge

4- Accent and pronunciation

At first, it is possible to believe that Spanish is pronunced and sounds the same in all Spanish speaking countries. However, beyond the signature accent of Spaniards, in Latin America there are many different accents, even within one country, like in Argentina where Cordoba’s accent is very famous or the different ways that certain letters combinations are pronunced in different areas of Buenos Aires.

For example, Spaniards pronunce the “Z” with a sound equal to that of a “TH” in English, just like the “C” when it proceeds the vowels “E and “I”. Meanwhile, in Latin America both “Z” and “C” that proceed an “E” or “I” are pronunced as an “S”. In the Caribbean region and some areas by Southern Spain the letter “R” is pronunced as an “L”. Additionally, in some provinces of Argentina and Uruguay, the “LL” in words like “llamar” (to call), “llave” (key), “lluvia” (rain) and “llanto” (cry) is not pronunced as a “Y” (like in most parts of Spain and Latin America), but as “SH”.

5- Bonus track: The greeting

The greeting is a form of communication, specially of the non-verbal kind. Therefore, before traveling to a new country it is important to know certain basic rules that are part of their communication and a respectful approach to others. 

In Spain, traditionally women will greet people with two kisses, while men greet women with one kiss on each cheek and other men with a handshake. However, in some Latin American countries – like Mexico and Colombia – women greet people with only one kiss and men will also greet with one kiss when greeting women only. In Argentina, for example, everyone will greet by kissing each other on the cheeks independently of their gender.

We hope you found this list of differences and similarities between the languages and cultural customs of Spanish speaking countries interesting. Thank you for reading!

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