If you are reading these words, maybe you find yourself in one of these turning points where you have to make a decision that could change the rest of your life. Perhaps you are about to go to university, or want to undergo a radical change of work, or maybe you just want to embark on a new adventure.

If any of these options have a Spanish-speaking country as destination, and you need to get an official Spanish certificate as soon as possible, the key that will bring your objectives within reach has a name: the SIELE exam. Keep reading this article in English or click here to change to the Spanish version.

The SIELE is recognized and promoted by several international language education organizations: the Instituto Cervantes, the Universidad Autónoma de Mexico, the Universidad de Salamanca, and the Universidad de Buenos Aires.

These organizations guarantee standards for quality and linguistic varieties in the tests.

The exam offers several specific characteristics that make SIELE different from other certificates: it has a validity of 5 years, the exam can be taken the day, time, and place of your choice by electronic means, and something that will make you happy, it’s not possible to fail the test! You will always come away from the exam with a certificate or report for one Spanish level or another.

SIELE offers you up to 4 tests that cover all the areas of knowledge of the Spanish language: reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression and interaction, and spoken expression and interaction. There are 2 ways to take the exam:

• SIELE GLOBAL:  It’s a single multilevel exam that includes 4 tests.  With this exam, you will get the SIELE certificate.
• INDEPENDENT MODALITIES: Choose from 5 exam modalities based on a combination of the 4 tests. Taking one of these exams will allow you to obtain the SIELE Report.

5 STEPS TO ENROLL

Visit the SIELE page.

STEP 1

Choose the exam mode you’re interested in (SIELE Global or the independent modalities) and the country where you want to take the exam.

STEP 2

Select the date and the accredited center of your choice. Remember that you can take the test at any of our schools in Spain.

STEP 3

Register by creating your user account.

STEP 4

Enter your personal information.

STEP 5

Review that your purchase was successful.

When the day of the exam arrives, be cautious! Go to the center 15 minutes before the time of the test and do not forget the official ID that you used to book the exam and your siele.org user account information (email and password).

In a maximum period of three weeks you will receive an email notifying you that you are able to download your SIELE certificate or report from “My page.”

And yes, it’s true that this is an exam you cannot fail, but if you’re getting this certificate in order to reach your goals, that means you are a person that refuses to tolerate mediocrity. At don Quijote we offer  a SIELE preparation course so you can get the highest mark.

Make the beginning of this new adventure official!

If you'd like to learn more about SIELE and other official Spanish exams, take a look at this video we've put together.

Learning a new language requires much time and effort. It can seem unfair that students who have worked so hard over time to develop these language skills must gamble it all on an exam that declares the validity of their skillset. Regardless, this is an unavoidable process. Whomever needs to obtain official certification to apply to a university, attain Spanish citizenship or simply fulfill other legal obligations, has only one choice: to take the DELE.

Luckily, don Quijote is here to make this whole process easier for you. In this article, we would like to guide you through steps necessary for enrolling in the world's most popular Spanish exam. Keep reading this article or click here to change to the Spanish version.

5 Steps to Enroll

The DELE is a Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport of Spain exam. The Cervantes Institute holds authority over the exam since 2002, which is why you'll have to go through their site to enroll and receive your diploma. Though unfortunately, if you have yet to master your Spanish, navigating through their page may be a bit difficult as it is only available in Spanish.

But don't fret! Below, you’ll find the 5 very simple steps that'll guide you through the enrollment process. Now, first things first, let's remind you that you'll have to sign up at 8 weeks before the official date of the exam.

Step 1

Visit the exam page on the Cervantes Institute site and create a profile there. They will ask you to provide your first name, last name, passport number and a few other personal details.

Step 2

Once you've created your profile, you'll receive a welcome email asking you to log in. Click the link found in the email and create a password for your new account.

Step 3

As you log in, click on Mis Inscripciones and after that on Nueva Inscripción.

Then, a new window will appear where you will be able to enter you residency info. and choose a date for the exam. But warning! Not all dates offer the same levels for the exams.

Step 4

Drag the mouse down until you find one of our don Quijote accredited centers and select the date that you prefer and then go ahead and click Inscribirse.

Step 5

Confirm that all the information provided is correct and explain the reason why you would like to take the exam. After that, you may go ahead and complete the required payment. 

You're finally done! Now, all that's left is to await the day of the exam. In don Quijote, we offer plenty of DELE preparation courses so that you can feel totally prepared. Our rate of success is 95%. Sign up for either of our courses, DELE 20 or DELE 30 to get rid of the stress and be fully equipped to take that exam!

If you'd like to learn more about DELE and other official Spanish exams, take a look at this video we've put together. Good luck!

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been learning lots of common Spanish expressions with parts of the body. To close out this topic, today we’re going to cover expressions about shoulders. Continue reading in English, or if you want us to echarte una mano (give you a hand) with your Spanish reading skills, click here for the Spanish version of this post.

Physical expressions with shoulders

Along with faces and hands, shoulders are one of the most expressive parts of the body. If we pay attention to the positions and movements of someone’s shoulders, we can tell if they are tired, unsure or apathetic about something, or feeling shy.

Perhaps the expressiveness of our shoulders is responsible for the existence of so many popular Spanish expressions featuring shoulders. Below, we’ll show you three of the most common expressions with hombros and how to use them.

Verbal expressions with shoulders

Arrimar el hombro

This set phrase encapsulates a warm message. Arrimar el hombro (to bring the shoulder closer) means to help a person or group achieve something positive. A similar expression that uses another body part is trabajar codo con codo (to work elbow with elbow). Let’s take a look at some examples with English adaptations.

Si todos arrimamos el hombro, saldremos antes de trabajar

(If we all lend a hand, we’ll leave work earlier)

Si trabajamos codo con codo, saldremos antes de trabajar

(If we work side by side, we’ll leave work earlier)

The idea of lending a shoulder, like many popular expressions, has its origins in rural life. Day laborers who worked in the fields used to bend over side by side to sow seeds in furrows. In this position, the workers often bumped shoulders.

Estar manga por hombro

Literally, this expression means that the sleeve (manga) is where the shoulder should be. In other words, something is disorganized or not where it should be. Estar patas arriba (to be legs up) has the same meaning but uses yet another body part.

The best way to illustrate the meaning of this expression is to repeat something every Spanish-speaking mother has said at one time or another:

¡Recoge tu habitación, que está todo manga por hombro!

¡Recoge tu habitación, que está todo patas arriba!

(Pick up your room, it’s a mess!)

Encogerse de hombros

Whatever country you’re from, if you’re familiar with western culture you’ll probably understand someone means if they shrug their shoulders (encogerse de hombros). This gesture may not be used in the same way in Asia, but most people from western countries shrug to express doubt or disinterest. 

A la pregunta de qué tarta prefería para merendar, Martina se encogió de hombros

(When asked what type of cake she’d like for a snack, Martina shrugged)

We hope you’ve learned lots of useful expressions with body parts over these past few weeks. At don Quijote we’re happy to have the chance to accompany you on your journey to Spanish and make learning a little bit easier with videos like the one you’ll find below. Enjoy!

On the basis of our weekly endeavor to find Spanish phrases that incorporate parts of the body, like the neck and fingers, this week we will talk about phrases that use the word mouth. There is a vast abundance of Spanish sayings that use this word, thus allowing us to do something a little different this time around in hopes of helping you memorize them. Today we’re going to tell you a story. 

Continue reading this little story that we have written for you in English and try to guess what the meaning of each Spanish expression is, based on context, or click here to go to the Spanish version. Okay now, pay close attention!  

Once upon a time there was a clown who worked in a traveling circus. Each afternoon, before going on stage, the clown would paint a giant smile on his face to entertain the children who came to watch. Thanks to the boca a boca (mouth to mouth), there wasn’t a single child in the whole nation who hadn’t heard of the Jumper the Clown, and they were all dying to see him peform.

One special summer afternoon, a boy named Carlitos stood right in front of the circus with his friends, waiting for the show that was supposed to start at 6 o’clock sharp. But since el que tiene boca se equivoca (he who has a mouth makes mistakes), he told them the wrong time and they missed the beginning of the show. 

Despite everything, when they finally took their seats and watched Jumper with his huge painted smile, they were left con la boca abierta (with their mouths wide open). The show ended up going a pedir de boca (to ask by mouth) and they went home already wanting to go back and watch it again.

Por la boca muere el pez (the fish dies through its mouth) and Carlitos asked his friends to go back with him to watch Jumper's show without considering that he no longer had any money to buy tickets. Realizing this, Carlitos was saddened, and in seeing how much the young boy wanted to return, his grandfather gave him enough to buy another ticket.  

That day, Carlitos learned a great lesson, that en boca cerrada no entran moscas (flies can’t go into a closed mouth).

So, what do you think? Were you able to capture the meaning of each expression? Some are a little harder than others, so below we have provided meanings for each phrase:

Boca a boca: transferring of specific information from one person to another (word of mouth)
El que tiene boca se equivoca: everyone makes mistakes 
Con la boca abierta: in a state of wonder (with mouth agape)
A pedir de boca: to go according to plan 
Por la boca muere el pez: saying things without thinking them through
En boca cerrada no entran moscas: sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut

We hope that you have learned some Spanish expressions using boca after having read Jumper's story. To learn more phrases pertaining to other parts of the body, we recommend that you check out our YouTube channel, where you’ll find videos like this one:  

Giraffes, swans, ostriches, and flamingoes…  Do you know what these animals have in common? Each has an exceptionally long neck. An adult giraffe’s neck, for example, can come to measure up to 6.5 feet. And necks are precisely our topic of choice for the day.

Similarly to many other parts of the body, the neck has been a great inspiration for many sayings in Spanish. Today we will unfold the meaning of one specifically: estar con el agua al cuello... This would literally translate to being in water up to your neck. Click here if you would like to learn more in Spanish. Let’s go!

Estar Con el Agua al Cuello

In Spanish, this is a common phrase used to describe situations in which we find ourselves in a hurry or faced with a problem, one could say we are con el agua hasta el cuello. Here´s an example:

Martina está con el agua al cuello: debe dos meses de alquiler y se ha quedado en la calle.

In this example we can see how Martina might be going through a hard time. She lost her job and on top that, owes two months‘ worth of rent. 

Cinematic Imagery 

When considering the origin of this saying, surely many cinematic scenes must come to mind. This is because oh so often we find this exact scenario in many Hollywood films, where someone is about drown with water rising as it begins to creep up their neck.

Can you recall that nerve-wracking scene in Titanic where Leonardo DiCaprio finds himself handcuffed to a pole? Water levels rise as the ship continues to sink, and with every second that goes by, Jack comes closer and closer to drowning. Finally, Rose takes an axe and frees him from an almost inevitably horrific death. Thus we see how the protagonist was con el agua al cuello.

Other Similar Expressions

Another variation of this phrase is estar hasta el cuello. Wherein, whether it be in water or something else, we feel submerged up to our heads. This, as you can imagine, is all but relaxing.

Another expression that is very similar is estar con la soga al cuello. This phrase evokes the moment before an execution, where the guilty person finds themselves on the gallows on the brink of being hung. Undoubtedly, a very uneasy scenario that would evoke the same tension as the previous phrase.

If you've enjoyed discovering the meanings of this expression, we invite you to see the following video. In it you will find many other expressions that entail parts of the body such as the fingers or elbows. We hope you like it!

Like so many other parts of the body, fingers (dedos) are the starting point for lots of popular expressions in Spanish. In today’s post, we’re going to learn two of them: quedar como anillo al dedo and estar para chuparse los dedos. Can you guess what these sayings mean?

If so, congratulations! If you have no idea, don’t worry. Stick around and improve your vocabulary by finding out all about them. To read this post in Spanish, click here.

Quedar como anillo al dedo

Do you remember the story of Cinderella? Today’s first expression has a lot to do with one its most famous scenes.

When the clock strikes midnight, Cinderella is running from the royal ball where she and the prince have just fallen in love. The magic spell that made it possible for her to go to the ball is about to wear off, and as she flees, she loses one of her beautiful glass slippers.

The next day, the prince finds the slipper and decides to ask all the young women in the kingdom to try it on. The slipper will only fit the foot of the woman he loves, the future princess. Everyone tries on the glass slipper, but Cinderella is the only one whose foot it fits. It fits her like a ring on a finger, como anillo al dedo. Thanks to the perfect fit, the prince finds the woman of his dreams and together they write their love story.

Venir como anillo al dedo means that something is perfect for the situation at hand. There are lots of other common expressions that mean the same thing: ir de perlas, venir que ni pintado, and venir a las mil maravillas are just a few. Let’s see some more modern examples:

A Rosa le ha venido como anillo al dedo mudarse a la capital. Estaba muy aburrida en el pueblo.

A Rosa le ha venido a las mil maravillas mudarse a la capital.

A Rosa le ha venido que ni pintado mudarse a la capital.

(Moving to the capital was the best thing Rosa could have done. She was so bored in the small town.)

Estar para chuparse los dedos

Today’s second expression almost needs no explanation. The idea of someone sucking their fingers after a meal is universal. When we finish eating something truly delicious, it’s hard not to chuparse los dedos to make the flavor last as long as possible. As we say in English, it’s finger-licking good!

Another expression used to describe exquisite flavors is hacerse la boca agua (mouthwatering). Take a look at the following examples:  

Todo lo que había en el banquete de la boda estaba para chuparse los dedos.

Se me hacía la boca agua con todo lo que había en el banquete.

(All the food at the wedding was finger-licking good.

All the food made my mouth water.)

If you found these expressions interesting, you’ll love this video. Watch to learn lots more expressions with parts of the body, like elbows and necks. Enjoy!

When learning a new language, there’s only one thing more fun than picking up common Spanish language sayings: discovering their origin. Many times, the backstory is even more surprising than the sayings themselves. Click here to read the Spanish version of this post. 

Continuing with our series of common Spanish expressions with cats, this week we have a couple of sayings with surprising origins. Take out your pen and paper: when you travel to Spain or Latin America you’re sure to hear these phrases more than once.

Dar gato por liebre

This expression, to give a cat for a hare, is used when you pass something off as something more valuable. It’s usually used when somebody has fallen victim to a scam or deceit upon purchasing a product or service.

The saying first came about many years ago, between the 16th and 17th centuries. At that time, people travelled by foot or on horseback and journeys took a lot longer than they do today. Posadas (inns) were establishments that would provide food and lodging for weary travelers when they stopped along the way.

However, these businesses often took advantage of the customers who were just passing through. One way to do so was to serve them cat meat (cats were street animals) and call it hare (a much more expensive meat). This way, the posadas could save money at the cost of people they would never see again.

This practice was so common at the time that it became popular for travelers to recite a kind of rhyming incantation before meals

Si eres cabrito, mantente frito;

si eres gato, salta al plato.

(If you’re goat meat, stay fried/asleep;

If you’re cat meat, jump on the plate.)

Returning to the present, here’s an example of how this saying might be used today:

La agencia de viajes me dio gato por liebre; pagué por un hotel de cinco estrellas y me enviaron a una pensión malísima.

The travel agency gave me cat for hare; I paid for a 5-star hotel and they sent me to a crummy hostel.

Buscarle tres pies al gato

When we talk about animals in Spanish, it’s correct to use the word patas (paws) instead of pies (feet). However, this expression is an exception.

Buscarle tres pies al gato (to look for three feet on a cat) is to try to explain the unexplainable. You’re probably asking yourself why use this and not another number, since cats actually have more than three paws.

It is thought that this expression has changed over time. At some point, the saying buscarle cinco pies al gato (to look for five feet on the cat) was used to describe something impossible, which makes sense since cats only have four paws.

However, in the times of Quixote, the expression had already evolved into its more modern version. In one of the book’s passages, we find this interesting piece of dialogue:

—Y enderécese ese bacín que trae en la cabeza y no ande buscando tres pies al gato.

—¡Vos sois el gato y el rato y el bellaco! —respondió don Quijote.

(“Put that basin straight that you’ve got on your head, and don’t go looking for three feet on a cat.”

“’Tis you that are the cat, rat, and rascal,” replied Don Quixote.)

If you want to learn more expressions with gato, click to watch the video below.

Here don Quijote we’re very open about our love for cats. That’s why we couldn’t leave our whiskered friends out of our weekly overview of the most interesting Spanish expressions. Thanks to them, Spanish is a little bit richer.

Are you ready to learn some sayings about gatos? Continue reading this post in English or click here to switch to Spanish. (Tip: if you read the English version first, you’ll have an easier time understanding the Spanish and improving your reading comprehension later.)

Defenderse como gato panza arriba

A picture is worth a thousand words. If you saw a cat lying on its back with its claws in the air, approaching it would probably be the last thing you’d want to do. Right?

When applied to people, the expression to defend oneself like a cat belly up means to aggressively defend oneself from someone or something. You see, cats assume this position when they want to protect themselves from danger. This way, they’re protecting their back and are free to attack with their teeth and claws.

María se defiende como gato panza arriba de los ataques de su compañera. No quiere ganar mala reputación en la oficina.

(Maria defends herself against her coworker’s attacks like a cat belly up. She doesn’t want to get a bad reputation at the office.)

In this example, Maria works hard to defend herself and prevent her image from being tarnished by another person. Defenderse con uñas y dientes (to defend oneself with nails and teeth) is a similar expression that also makes use of classic kitty characteristics.

El sindicato defendió con uñas y dientes los derechos del trabajador.

(The union fought tooth and nail to defend the worker’s rights.)

De noche, todos los gatos son pardos

Today’s second expression means that at night or in a poorly lit setting it’s easy to hide the defects of people or things. Let’s see an example to better understand how to use it.

• ¡Qué vergüenza! Hoy me he pintado fatal los labios.
• De noche, todos los gatos son pardos. Nadie se va a dar cuenta.

• How embarrassing! I did a horrible job with my lipstick today.
• At night, all cats look the same. Nobody’s going to notice.

Where could this saying have come from? Well, there are at least two explanations. We’ll start with the most obvious one.

Cat coats come in different colors. In Spanish, one of them is pardo, a brownish mixture of different colors. When it’s dark, the human eye has difficulty seeing colors. Therefore, at night, all cats are the same color (or they might as well be, because that’s how we see them).

Using the example above, while the daytime someone might notice a flaw in your makeup, after nightfall the same flaw will probably fly under the radar.

 This expression is also used to express the idea that when the sun goes down it’s easy to hide or disguise dishonest or embarrassing actions. This points to the second theory of the saying’s origins.

People who live in Madrid are commonly known as gatos. In the past, when the street lights of the city were far and few between or non-existent, it was hard to tell who was who in the darkness. That made nighttime ideal for committing crimes or dishonorable acts.

If you’re a fan of cats like we are, you’ll love the video below, where you’ll find lots of other feline expressions. We also encourage you to put your love of cats into action with our volunteer program in Playa del Carmen.

With this program, you can learn Spanish in Mexico while you take care of cats and dogs looking for a second chance at a local animal shelter. We hope to see you there!

Pets have a lot in common with their owners. Sometimes it’s funny to observe how domestic animals only respond to orders given in the language their owner has chosen to speak with them. Animals and languages have a give-and-take relationship: the way we speak to them influences their behavior, and at the same time, their behavior has inspired new expressions in our daily language.

Spanish is full of sayings related to animals, especially with man’s best friends: cats and dogs. In today’s post, we’ll discover the meaning of a couple of them. Click here if you prefer to read this post in Spanish.

Llevarse como el perro y el gato

No one is a stranger to the idea that dogs and cats aren’t exactly the best of friends. Of course, you can always find an exception, but the fact is that there is an ancient rivalry between these two animals, similar to the contentious relationship between cats and mice. (Remember Tom and Jerry?)

So, it won’t come as a surprise that the expression llevarse como el perro y el gato (to get along like the dog and the cat) describes an antagonistic relationship with lots of conflicts. Let’s see an example:

Mis hermanos pequeños se llevan como el perro y el gato. Están siempre peleándose por los juguetes.

(My younger siblings get along like the dog and the cat. They’re always fighting over toys.)

Where does this hostility come from? Well, lots of places. The experiences the animals have had with members of the other species undoubtedly plays a key role in the relationship. However, we can’t overlook the differences in the animals’ personalities, their connection with their owners, and above all, their socializing styles.

Llevarse el gato al agua

Today’s second expression is about one of our favorite furry friends: cats. They’re clearly adorable, but it’s hard to deny that they can be a bit stubborn. This headstrong nature points to the origin of the expression llevarse el gato al agua (to take the cat to water).

It’s common knowledge that cats can’t stand water and will avoid coming into contact with it at any cost. Getting a cat wet is quite an achievement, which is why this expression is used to describe a hard-won victory. Here’s an example:

Parecía que el equipo no iba a remontar el partido, pero al final consiguieron llevarse el gato al agua y ganar por dos puntos.

(It looked like the team wasn’t going to turn the game around, but in the end they managed to take the cat to water and won by two points.)

Now that you know two more expressions with perro and gato, we encourage you to check out the video below to learn even more. And if you’re an animal lover, we’ve got something special just for you.

In Playa del Carmen, Mexico, we have a volunteer program where you can learn Spanish and take care of homeless cats and dogs at the SOS El Arca animal shelter. Help us help animals!

Want to boost your brain power, improve your memory, increase your ability to multi-task, and build cultural intelligence? These are just a few of the many benefits of learning a second language.

As with most things, getting started is the hardest part. So why not learn your second language the way you learned your first, in a way that’s natural and fun?

Picking up a colorful, featherlight children’s book is easy! That’s why today we’re bringing you a quick sample of children’s books in Spanish to reawaken your childlike sense of wonder as you explore beautifully illustrated worlds and learn new words.

If you’re ready, why not try reading this post in Spanish?

Teo viaja por España by Violeta Denou

Looking for a friend to share your new adventures with? Teo is a friendly redhead with lots of different books that will put you in contact with basic Spanish vocabulary, like numbers, family members, and household items, and take you on fun trips to a farm, the beach, or all across Spain! The three women who write and illustrate the books under the pseudonym Violeta Denou started working together in Barcelona in 1977.

Fábulas by Félix María Samaniego

This book of fables is a Spanish classic that has been around since the 1780s. You may need a dictionary to learn some of the words, but each fable is very short and easy to digest. Most of the stories are about animals, and they all have a moral at the end. The fables are available online along with audio recordings to help with pronunciation.

Mafalda by Quino

This iconic Argentinian comic strip features a young girl with short black hair who questions the world, society, politics, and the meaning of life with a healthy dose of humor. (Her pet turtle is called Bureaucracy because he moves so slowly.) The strip ran in newspapers in Argentina from 1964 to 1973, but Mafalda continues to be a beloved figure across the world today. There’s even a statue of her on a much-visited bench in Buenos Aires. As Noble Prize winner Gabriel García Marquéz said,

"Después de leer a Mafalda me di cuenta de que lo que te aproxima más a la felicidad es la quinoterapia"

After reading Mafalda, I realized that what gets you closest to happiness is Quinotherapy

Childhood in translation

If you’re feeling nostalgic, you can always look for the Spanish versions of your old favorites. Try Buenas noches, Luna; La oruga muy hambrienta; or El gato ensombrerado!

Whether you’re looking to take baby steps towards language learning as an adult or get your children speaking Spanish from a young age, these books will get the ball rolling. For best results, read aloud and let your mouth and tongue get a feel for all the new words you’re learning!