Imagine having to plan a trip without Internet. You would need to use a real map, ask around to find a hotel, choose a restaurant without reading Google reviews… Sounds tough, right? Well, centuries ago, when the first explorers and merchants sailed the seven seas, they didn’t have machine translation apps in their smartphones.

How do you think they communicated with people from other lands? The answer is easy: they had to find linguistic solutions easy to understand for both parties. Keep on reading this post or click here to switch to the Spanish version of this article and find out about mixed languages and how they originated.

Lingua franca, pidgin and creole

When a cultural exchange between two or more different cultures takes part, speakers need to find a way to communicate effectively. Before translators existed, this was possible thanks to linguae francae, pidgins and creole languages.

A lingua franca is an already existing language which people from different linguistic backgrounds use to communicate. Until the 18^th Century, for example, Latin was the lingua franca for scientists and scholars. Nowadays, English has taken that role on an international level.

In contrast, a pidgin language is a new linguistic variety that arises when two or more groups of speakers need to attain something immediately; for example, a trade deal. It’s the result of the contact between at least two languages, with one of them having more prestige than the other one.

Finally, creole languages, as their name indicates, are those that have developed organically from the colonies’ cultural mixture. With the European expansion in the 16^th and 17^th Centuries, Amerindian languages, European languages and African languages merged, generating new linguistic varieties.

5 Spanish-Based Pidgin and Creole Languages

Due to the History of the Spanish Crown, Spanish is present in many mixed languages around the world. Here’s a list with the top Spanish-based pidgin and creole languages.

1.Chavacano

Chavacano is a group of languages spoken in the Philippines. The vocabulary of Chavacano consists generally of Spanish words and grammatical structures borrowed from the local languages. It is the main language of Zamboanga City, although it is not very common for Filipinos to speak it fluently.

2.Palenquero

In Colombia, about 2500 people spoke Palenque in the early 90s. It is a mixture of Spanish and the slaves’ African languages. Nowadays, it is practically an unintelligible language for Spanish speakers and just some old people speak it, so most probably it’s going to disappear soon.

3.Jopara

Did you know that Guarani is the national language in Paraguay, as well as Spanish? 90% of the population understand it and it is taught in schools, but most speakers mix it very often with Spanish. This Guarani variation is called Jopara.

4.Cocoliche

This pidgin is the language that resulted after several Italian dialects mixed with the Spanish spoken in Argentina during the 19^th and the 20^th Centuries. Like other mixed languages, its use is mostly restricted to the conversational mode. This language has less and less speakers every time, but many Cocoliche words are now part of the Lunfardo speech, a dialect spoken in Buenos Aires.

5.Yanito

And finally, we have the only creole language in Europe: yanito. The old continent has traditionally been migrant, and that’s why most mixed languages in the world are found in colonies. However, there is one example of a creole language in Spain: Gibraltar’s yanito. People in this British territory in Algeciras Bay (Cadiz) speak a peculiar mix of English and Spanish.

Hope you learned a lot about how far a language can get. If you want to learn more on the topic, watch the video below. Are you considering now learning Spanish?

Sergio Leone said that “La vita è un'attesa tra un esame e l'altro” (“Life is a wait between one exam and another”).

The wait is now over and the next call for the official Spanish exam of the Cervantes Institute (the most internationally recognized, the DELE exam) is upcoming very soon.  At don Quijote, we know that this test is necessary for many reasons, we want you to be super prepared so that you can get the best grade you can!

Continue reading if you want to know more or click here to change to the Spanish version.

We assume that you have already completed the DELE exam preparation course with us, but since we do not want you to miss anything, today we bring you a lot of practice (sample DELE Exam Papers divided by levels) with which you will reinforce your skills and review the contents and exercises for the test.

When is the DELE exam?

In previous blog posts, we’ve already given you some tips on how to sing up for the DELE exam in 5 easy steps, and we’ve also talked about the exam dates and registration deadlines for 2019.

As for the next (and last) dates for the DELE exam, these will be next November. The levels convened are the following:

• A1 and A2 / B1 for the youngest

• A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 for adults.

But if you have not registered yet, we regret to tell you that it is already too late for now, since the last day to register was October. However, if this is your case and you have not arrived on time, do not worry! The dates for next year will come out soon and you will be able to complete your registration. Stay tuned, because we will notify you as soon as we have news.

Sample DELE Exam Papers

Here you can find some sample DELE Exam Papers, which have been broken down into the different levels according to the European Framework Language Levels. Click on each link to go directly to the Instituto Cervantes’ DELE webpage and download the sample exam papers for each level:

DELE Exam Sample Papers A1

DELE Exam Sample Papers A2

DELE Exam Sample Papers B1

DELE Exam Sample Papers B2

DELE Exam Sample Papers C1

DELE Exam Sample Papers C2

We trust that these exercises will be useful and can serve as a guide for preparing the DELE exam. We can only wish you the best of luck and encourage you to continue studying Spanish or other languages. We'll be waiting for you!

Popular slang words among young Spaniards (and their Spanish counterparts)

Although 60% of Spaniards say they can’t speak English, there are more and more foreign terms that end up slipping through their everyday conversations. New tech, the rise of the Internet, and globalization explain somehow the Shakespearization of Spanish. But, are all these loans actually necessary?

Read this post in Spanish.

In 2016, RAE (Royal Spanish Academy) launched a campaign against anglicisms called “Lengua madre solo hay una”, which encouraged the use of Spanish counterparts for popular words such as brainstorming or casting.

However, Spanish youngsters have taken the lead in the use of anglicisms due to their exposure to the Internet. We have compiled some of them in this list with the trendiest English words (and their Spanish meaning). From now on… there’s no excuse to get Spanish back on track!

1. Crush

A crush is an intense and usually short-lived infatuation commonly translated into Spanish as flechazo (‘arrow wound’, referring to Cupid’s). Another Spanish counterpart that we recommend is amor platónico (platonic love).

2. Hater

Social media are a breeding ground for anglicisms. This term was born right there to describe people who complain about everything or who present intense hostility online. We agree that the direct translation odiadores doesn’t sound like a match, but what about criticones (fault-finders)?

3. Stories

Instagram has changed the way young people speak. Even the different posts types are now part of the Internet vocabulary. Just as it occurred with the Facebook’s timeline in the past, Instagram Stories (easy to translate to Historias) are such a thing nowadays.

4. Mainstream

Since the boom of the underground culture, this word has been on everyone’s lips. Mainstream music, art, fashion, or literature are the ones that get promoted through mass media, reaching large audiences. Although we don’t have an exact counterpart in Spanish, we recommend you use cultura de masas instead.

5. Hype

The hype has become such a popular term in the Internet. This expression, short for hyperbole, depicts excitement or expectation. When Fundéu, a linguistic non-profit organization, asked Twitter how to translate this word into Spanish, bombo or flipe were two of the top-rated options.

That was it for our 5 trendiest anglicisms today. If you want to look at things from another perspective, watch our video about 5 Spanish words that have no English translation.

Traveling abroad to learn Spanish can be a great challenge, but it can also help you open new doors and paths, both academically and professionally. In order to make the challenge a little easier for you and taking advantage of the fact that we are in the month of computer learning, today we are going to talk about computer vocabulary in Spanish.

Click here to read this blog post in Spanish.

The Advancement of New Technology

You already know that emerging technologies are increasingly present in our routines, so we are forced to memorize new concepts frequently, even when we learn another language. New technology has really become part of our every day’s life, whether we are sitting in front of a laptop, using a desktop computer, or even surfing the web on our tablet or smartphone. Besides, it is also important to be able to hold a conversation and to use these concepts in a general context as they may come up time and time again!

Although the vocabulary of technology, especially that of information technology, is full of English origin words which you should identify, many of these terms have been translated or adapted to Spanish so they sound more natural to native speakers. Since it’s important to be accurate and to have a good command of vocabulary, this list will be very useful for you, particularly if you are interested in working in a Spanish speaking office environment or in doing business with Spanish clients or partners that might be using new technology items.

In this section, you will find the most commonly used words in Spanish to refer to hardware, software and interaction with programs which you might have to put in practice in computer related situations. If you are going to be in a situation where it is likely that you need these words, we recommend that you keep them close at hand until you have learned them off by heart, so that you can refer back to them in whatever situation may arise.

Computer Terms in Spanish

And if you want to write the word español properly when using a computer, you will need a keyboard that contains the letter <ñ>. The other options are to copy and paste it or even enter its own symbol code:

• <Ñ> Uppercase: ALT + 0209
• <ñ> Lowercase: ALT + 0241

At don Quijote, we hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post and, especially, that you put these terms into practice so that you will be able to use them as a real native speaker.

Anglicism - Definition

Ludwig Wittgenstein said that "the limits of my language are the limits of my world", and at don Quijote, we couldn’t agree more.

Today, we are going to talk about foreign words. They are loan words that one language takes from another to cover a semantic void or to offer a lexical alternative.

Read this entry in Spanish if you want to practice.

In a globalized world like the one we live in nowadays, ideas travel at great speed and cross borders. For this reason, new concepts arise sometimes, and with them, the need for a word to name them.

But we are going to focus on some loanwords that come from the English language (also called anglicisms) and have made their way into the Spanish vocabulary. In some cases, the loan word is assimilated into the receiving language with changes in spelling and/or pronunciation.

However, those who learn Spanish as a second language find some of these adjustments very comical. 

10 Examples of Anglicisms Adapted to Spanish

Next, we present 10 examples of hilarious anglicisms adapted to Spanish in terms of spelling and pronunciation that have been accepted by the RAE (Spanish Royal Academy).

Here at don Quijote, we hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post. Besides, we’d like to say thanks to the English language since Spanish wouldn’t be the same without these fantastic loan words!

If you want to learn more about the Spanish vocabulary, have a look at our last video 5 Palabras que existen en español pero no en inglés.

English has become the de facto global language — just look at international airport signs, press releases, the media, and the internet. However, every language has its limits, including English. So much so that some Spanish speakers might say that this Germanic language is missing some words.

Beyond just a means of communication, each language is also a way of interpreting reality, which explains why there are lots of cultural concepts that have a name in some languages but not in others. In today’s article we’ll show you 5 Spanish words with no English equivalent. Click here if you want to read this entire article in Spanish.

1. Estrenar

Estrenar is a verb that means to use something for the first time. Sounds super useful, right? You can estrenar your new jeans, estrenar a new notebook, etc. In this case, contrary to what usually happens, we have to use a whole phrase in English to communicate what Spanish manages to say in a single word. Here’s an example:

Ayer estrené unos zapatos nuevos

Yesterday I wore my new shoes for the first time

2. Sobremesa

La sobremesa is the time people spend sitting together chatting or having a drink after a meal. This word is cultural in nature. It’s not so much that English is missing a term, but rather that the concept of sobremesa isn’t as present in English-speaking countries, and therefore not enough people have felt the need to have a name for it.

In Mediterranean cultures, including Spanish, the shared moment after a meal can go on for hours and hours. However, in other European countries this practice is not as common.

Another cultural word is siesta. Spanish has a word for this custom because it’s something that Spanish people do. But if there was a country where nobody took naps, would they have a name for it?

3. Tocayo

This one is a bit harder to explain. A tocayo or tocaya is someone who has the same name as another person. For example, the Spiderman actor James Franco and the famous soul singer James Brown are tocayos.

Fun fact! The word tocayo comes from Náhuatl. In this indigenous language from Mexico, tocaitl means name, honor, or fame.

4. Entrecejo

Let’s be honest: What would the iconic image of Frida Kahlo be without her entrecejo? As the name indicates (entre meaning “between” and ceja meaning “eyebrow”), the entrecejo is the space between one eyebrow and the other. For some people, this area is just a few centimeters of bare skin, while in others, like the famous Mexican artist, it’s covered in hair, forming the middle third of a unibrow.

5. Madrugar

Today’s last word is the most useful of all: madrugar. You can save a lot of time saying “wake up early” with just one word. Madrugar is such a commonly used word in Spanish that it comes with its own saying:

A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda

(God helps those who get up early)

Our equivalent phrase in English is “The early bird catches the worm.”

There you have the 5 Spanish words we think should exist in English. If you liked this article, share it in video form with your friends and start using these words! Remember, new terms can be accepted into the English dictionary if people start using them in everyday life, so hop to it!

As the song of the Spanish music band Los Piratas says, "No te echaré de menos en septiembre" (I won’t miss you in September). Every year, Spanish schoolchildren get prepared for the new course that begins with the arrival of the fall.

Click here to read this post in Spanish to improve your reading skills.

1.- The beginning of a new term:

While in Canada and the US back-to-school shopping is associated with Labor Day (first Monday of September), in Spain, we know the new term is approaching when we see publicity campaigns advertising the back-to-school season. Now it’s time to buy textbooks and cover them with great care, a ritual I imagine will be disappeared soon since the tendency is to change paper for modern tablets.

September is the month to get hold of back-to-school supplies: a new diary, some pencils, pens and an eraser (I still can remember that characteristic smell of stationery shops). Some will even have to get a new backpack as the old one is tattered after so much rattle!

But what we really need before starting this new stage are a good attitude and a lot of enthusiasm to commence this new cycle and take up new projects: studying languages, doing some sport, and, especially, being persevering students.

In don Quijote, we encourage you to visit us if you are considering learning Spanish in Spain or improving your level.

Here you go some basics you should know if studying in Spain and want to be prepared for the new school year.

2.- Education in Spain

In Spain, we talk about Centros de Educación Primaria and Centros de Educación Secundaria (the so-called institutos), as far as compulsory education is concerned. Children must go to school since they’re 6 years old (although most start at the age of 3) and remain studying at least until they’re 16.

When students finish compulsory education in Spain, they have different options to continue studying: they can do either bachillerato (High School) to access to a ciclo formativo de grado superior (Higher Professional Training) or University; or just a ciclo formativo de grado medio (Basic Vocational Training).

If you want to go further, go to our website and learn more about the Spanish Education System.

3.- When does the school year begin in Spain?

The new school year will begin between the first and second week of September , depending on the region and the corresponding educational stage.

In the case of the so-called escuelas de primaria (Primary Schools), the academic year starts around September 10; while institutos (High Schools) and centros de FP (Vocational Education Centers) get started around September 15. Besides, university students normally wait until the end of September or even the beginning of October to go back to their lessons.

4.- The length of the school year in Spain:

The school year in Spain lasts over nine months, distributed into three different trimestres (trimesters) separated by vacation periods at the end of each term. The first one coincides with fall months (from September to December), and closes with the Holiday Season. The second one comes with the entry of winter, and ends with the arrival of spring and the Easter holidays (January - April). Finally, we reach the end of the term with the third trimester, which runs until the end of June.

At universities, the academic year is divided into cuatrimestres (quarters). The first one goes from October to January and the second one from February to May.

5.- The longed-for vacations

If there’s something we all like (whether we are students or workers), that is the vacation period. After months of routine and daily effort, we count the days we have left to enjoy that rest we were waiting for so much.

The first holiday period comes with Christmas. Spain is a country of Catholic tradition, and two of the three main holiday periods commemorate this kind of festivities. At Christmas, holidays are usually extended for two weeks for schoolchildren. This is because the day of the Three Wise Men (January 6) is an important celebration, as most of us receive and make gifts throughout that day.

After the Holiday Season, we must wait until Easter to have a break again (except for students in the Canary Islands, who enjoy a week in carnival). This vacation period (10 days in the Peninsula and Balearic Islands and 7 in the Canary Islands) is usually re-scheduled every year since it comes from a pagan holiday and it’s celebrated on the first full moon of the spring season.

Finally, we close the cycle again with summer vacations. In Spain, this period lasts from the last week of June (for most educational stages) until the month of September (the week depends on the different regions and the educational stage as we have already commented before). Besides, many schoolchildren take advantage of these months to sign up for summer camps to make the most of their time.

Apart from these and depending on each term’s school calendar, there are other public holidays and celebrations.

We hope this post helps you to organize the new school term. Ready to keep your studies up-to date?

Ordering food abroad can be tricky sometimes. Eating out is often one of the first things people do when they travel, so at that early stage you may not know the expressions and vocabulary to communicate properly.

Don’t worry! Here you’ll find everything you need to know to get by fluently and order your food in Spanish without batting an eye.

You can also read this post in Spanish.

How to get a table

The most important thing if you want to sit down to eat is to get a table. You can call the restaurant in advance to book, or just go in person and try your luck. If you are with a large group, we recommend you make a reservation ahead of time to ensure you can get a table.

Remember that meal times in Spain may be different from what you’re used to. (How does dinner at 10 p.m. sound?)

Here are some expressions you can use as an example to get a table:

Cliente (customer) —Buenos días/ buenas tardes/ buenas noches, ¿para comer / cenar?

(Good morning/afternoon/evening. For lunch/dinner?)

Camarero (waiter) —¡Hola! Claro, ¿tienen reserva? / ¿cuántos son?

(Hello! Of course, do you have a reservation? How many people?

Cliente —Sí, tengo una reserva a nombre del señor Smith. / No, solo somos dos personas

(Yes, I have a reservation for Mr. Smith. / No, we need a table for two.)

Camarero —Por aquí, por favor

(Right this way, please).

Cliente— ¡Gracias! (Thank you!).

Frequently Asked Questions about Spanish menus

Although you can often find an English version of the menu, it’s good to know what to order and how to do it so that no one has an unpleasant surprise.

There’s one question almost always comes up if you order meat (especially beef). The waiter will usually ask you how you’d like your meat, or as Spanish would say,

¿Cómo quiere el punto de la carne? / ¿Cómo quiere la carne?

You can answer with poco hecho (rare), al punto (medium), and “muy hecho / pasado” (well done). If they don’t ask, don’t hesitate to tell them anyway (e.g. “me gustaría tomar la carne al punto.”)

In Spain, it is also very common to ask what the specialty is. You can say, for example, “¿Qué nos recomienda tomar?” (What do you recommend) or “¿Cuál es la especialidad de la casa?” (What is the house’s specialty?)

If you need to know the specific ingredients of a recipe, you could ask something like this: “¿Este plato lleva algo de marisco / gluten / cebolla…?” (“Does this dish contain seafood/gluten/onion?”), “Soy alérgico al huevo, ¿me puedes recomendar algo que no lleve?” (“I’m allergic to eggs, could you recommend something for me?”).

Also, don’t forget about the menú del día. It is a set-price menu usually offered Monday to Friday at midday. It generally consists of a first and second course and a dessert or coffee, and a drink and some bread are usually included, too.

How to order food in Spanish

When the moment to order comes, the confusion arises. This may occur since protocol varies from one culture to another and depends on the different customs of each country.

Here are some useful expressions in Spanish to use in restaurants:

Camarero (waiter) —¿Ya saben lo que van a tomar? / ¿Qué quieren tomar? (Are you ready to order? / What would you like to order?).

Cliente (customer)—Sí. De primero tomaremos la crema de verduras y una ensalada mixta. (Yes. We’ll have the creamy vegetable soup and a salad to start.)

Camarero —Perfecto. ¿Y de segundo? (Perfect. What about the main course?)

Cliente —De segundo tomaremos solomillo de ternera. (We’ll have the sirloin steak.)

Camarero —¿Cómo prefieren la carne? (How would you like the meat?)

Cliente —Al punto y muy hecha, por favor. (Medium and well done, please.)

Camarero —¿Qué quieren para beber? (Anything to drink?)

Cliente —Para beber, una botella de agua y una Coca-Cola, por favor. (Sparkling water and a Coke, please.)

Camarero —¿El agua fría o del tiempo? (Do you want the water cold or room temperature?)

Cliente —Fría, por favor (Cold, please.)

Camarero —¿Desean algo más? (Anything else?)

Cliente —Así está bien de momento, gracias. (That’s all for now, thanks).

How to order dessert and coffee in Spanish

As a rule, the waiter will ask if you are going to have dessert or coffee when you finish the second course:

Camarero (waiter) —¿Desean algo de postre o café? (Would you like any coffee or dessert?).

Cliente (customer) —Sí, por favor ¿podría traernos la carta de postres? (Yes, please. Could we see the dessert menu?)

Camarero —¡Claro! Aquí tienen. (Sure! Here you go.)

Cliente —Probaremos el arroz con leche y la tarta de chocolate. (We’ll have the rice pudding and a piece of the chocolate cake).

You might also want to have a coffee or tea. In Spain, the most popular options are café cortado (espresso with a small amount of milk), café solo (espresso, which you can ask for “con hielo” or with ice in the summertime), and poleo menta (mint tea). Café con leche is usually enjoyed in the morning, but you can order it any time you want.

Asking for the check in Spanish

In some countries it’s common for waiters to bring the check automatically when customers finish their meal, but Spain is not one of them. Spaniards like to take it easy and enjoy what they call la sobremesa. This means people like to chat while they have a coffee or even a digestif. But, if you’re in a hurry,

Cliente (customer) —¿Me/Nos puede traer la cuenta, por favor? (Could you bring me/us the check, please?).

Camarero (waiter) —¿Van a pagar en efectivo o con tarjeta? (Cash or card?)

Cliente —Con tarjeta. ¿Me puede traer el datáfono? (Card. Could you bring the card reader?)

*Note that in Spain when you pay with card, the waiter will usually bring a wireless card reader to the table.

Camarero —¡Por supuesto! (Sure!)

By the way, tips aren’t mandatory in Spain, but they are very common. The better the service, the higher the tip should be.

Useful Spanish phrases to use in a restaurant

To finish, we propose some helpful language you might want to use at the restaurant:

• La comida está muy fría/caliente – The food is too cold/hot
• ¡Felicite al cocinero! – My compliments to the chef!
• ¿Dónde están los aseos / el baño / los servicios / los lavabos, por favor? – Where is the bathroom, please?
• No estoy satisfecho con el servicio. ¿Tenéis hojas de reclamaciones para clientes? —I’m not satisfied with the service. Are there any complaint sheets available for customers?

¡Que aproveche! (Enjoy your meal!)

The excitement of immersing oneself in a new language and culture as a study abroad student isn’t just reserved for the 20-something crowd. It’s never too late to have an eye-opening travel experience and learn something new. In fact, people over 50 often find they’re at an ideal age to take the cultural plunge, which is why several of our schools in Spain and Latin America offer Spanish immersion programs for seniors. If that sounds right up your alley, here are 5 reasons to get in on the study abroad action today.

Click here to keep on reading in Spanish!.

1. It may be the most practical time in life

Seeing the world and experiencing a different culture through a study abroad course takes the type of free time many younger adults just don’t have. Too often, people feel like they missed their chance to live in the country of their dreams once they assumed career and family responsibilities. Others, who’ve cherished lifelong memories of astudy abroad course they took in college, mistakenly believe that these types of experiences belong only to a romantic and carefree time enjoyed earlier in life, a time they’ve passed on like an Olympic torch to new generations.

However, people over 50 are more likely to have stable careers that may allow for extended periods of time off and older children that may have even moved out of the house. Adults currently enjoying retirement have even fewer excuses not to choose a travel destination that inspires them and embark on a fantastic international adventure.

2. Build your ability to adapt, stay younger longer

The ability to adapt seems to be one of the personality traits most shared by seniors who stay healthy and function mentally and physically at levels normally seen in people decades younger. Adapting to your host country while making new friends and discovering new passions is an invigorating challenge that can help boost your cognitive flexibility.

Numerous studies also confirm that learning a language exercises the brain in ways that keep it strong, elastic, and healthy. We’ve all heard the expression “use it or lose it,” and the brain is certainly no exception.

3. A rewarding experience at any age

Who said you have to be a certain age to relax on the beach between Spanish classes and learn Spanish in Costa Rica or hit the tapas bars with classmates in Spain? There’s no law, written or unwritten, that says you can’t step away from your routine and take a week or semester abroad at any age. Mature students are generally more used to being independent, have clearer goals, and show a stronger ability to focus on studies than their younger counterparts. Gaining intimate insight into the rich cultural heritage of a foreign country is always a valuable experience.

4. An important time for personal reflection

Taking a break from your everyday environment can allow you to observe your life from a different perspective. Getting to know classmates from around the globe and sharing your own culture and view of the world can teach you about who you are, an opportunity that may have special meaning for students over 50. If you’ve always considered searching for a new direction in life, or reinventing yourself in some way, taking a study abroad course will give you the chance to make exciting personal discoveries that will help you fulfill those types of goals.

5. Spanish courses for seniors and students over 50

The idea of learning and practicing Spanish with classmates in their age group appeals to many older students. At don Quijote, our Spanish for 50+ program includes interactive Spanish classes plus cultural activities outside the classroom to help you explore your destination more while enjoying the company of your peers.

On the other hand, some of our older students prefer to join a community of students of all ages in one of our intensive Spanish courses, while yet others choose to learn at their own pace with private Spanish lessons. No matter what your interests are, there’s a Spanish course out there for you. Take a look, choose a destination, and prepare yourself for an incredible journey. 

Last week, we explained when to use ser and when to use estar. Today, we’ll go over some words you can use with both ser and estar. Careful — this doesn’t mean that you can use ser and estar indiscriminately. Some words change their meaning depending on which verb you choose.

Read on to learn how you can change the meaning of a sentence just by changing ser to estar, or click here to read this post in Spanish.

As you can see, the meaning can change quite a bit if you mix up ser and estar. If you don’t pay attention, you might really confuse whoever you’re talking to! Sign up for one of our Spanish courses in Spain and Latin America and get all the ser and estar practice you need!

In the meantime, stay tuned for next week, when we’ll be posting the third and final part of our online guide to differences between ser and estar.