Spanish Lessons in Wellington

Como Agua para Chocolate - Laura Esquivel

Reading a novel will certainly be more interesting than a glossy textbook, and it will help accelerate your learning by providing you with rich vocabulary. Thus, a novel like “Como Agua para Chocolate”, for example, will greatly appeal, especially if you would like to know more about one of the most important aspects of Mexican culture: its food. Each chapter is titled for a month of the year and starts with a Mexican recipe, like tacos or burritos. This is a coming-of-age story that follows Tita, a woman who wants to become independent from her traditional family. Read this novel if you’re looking for a story of love and self-discovery while learning a lot of Spanish! Read more about the book here!

Nada - Carmen Laforet

If you are looking to improve your Spanish vocabulary and reading skills, there’s nothing better than to grab a cosy blanket, a drink and lose yourself in “Nada” by Carmen Laforet (the writer’s first novel!). This classic Spanish novel was published in 1945 and takes place in post-civil war Madrid, exploring the hardships and poverty faced by most people living in the city at the time through the eyes of Andrea, who leaves the Canary Islands to live with her grandmother in Barcelona. Read “Nada” and you will learn a lot about Spanish history and culture while improving your language skills, including your vocabulary and grammar. Read more about the book here!

La Ciudad de las Bestias - Isabel Allende

“La Ciudad de las Bestias” is a gripping book of more than 400 pages that tells the story of Alexander Cold, a teenager who travels across the Amazon rainforest looking for his ancestors. During his trip, he encounters a magical beast that helps him to achieve his objectives while learning valuable lessons. Read this novel and you’ll not only broaden your knowledge of the language but also you will expand your mind and challenge your comprehension skills. Just consider that “La Ciudad de las Bestias” is not an easy read, as it includes quite complex grammatical structures and vocabulary, so the book is best suited for upper-intermediate students. Read more about the book here!

Agua - Jarabe de Palo

“Agua” by Jarabe de Palo is the perfect starting point for beginner Spanish learners who wish to improve their language skills through music. The tune is slow-paced and sung with very clear diction, so it’s easy for learners to understand exactly what the singers are saying. This song is about a man who falls in love with his friend and does not want to ruin the relationship they have, so you’ll pick up words related to love and friendship like “por ti daría la vida” or “un mensaje entre líneas”. Listen to the song here!

Yo Te Amo - Chayanne “Yo Te Amo” is a timeless song by Puerto Rican singer Chayanne where the poetic persona declares his devotion for a woman and promises her they will be together in the near future. The best thing about this song is that the lyrics don

“Yo Te Amo” is a timeless song by Puerto Rican singer Chayanne where the poetic persona declares his devotion for a woman and promises her they will be together in the near future. The best thing about this song is that the lyrics don’t blend into one another, as Chayanne has excellent diction and pronounces each word very clearly. Thus, the lyrics are easy to understand and repeat, which makes the perfect song for beginners. Soon, you’ll be singing along to Chayanne’s “Yo Te Amo” with flawless Spanish pronunciation! Sing along to this romantic song!

Muñeca de Trapo - Oreja de Van Gogh

If you are looking to improve your Spanish diction and comprehension, there is no better way to do it than by listening to Oreja de Van Gogh. The song “Muñeca de Trapo” is the first single of the album Guapa (which won a Latin Grammy back in 2006). This beautiful song tells of a woman who compares herself to a rag doll when she cannot express her feelings for her loved one. Sing along and increase your vocabulary while becoming acquainted with Spanish regional accents and slang. You will soon find yourself singing in Spanish almost without trying! Sing along to this romantic song!

Rockalingua

Everybody loves songs, especially children, and they are great ways to acquire a language. So, why not try to help your kids learn new words and expressions by listening to songs in Spanish on sites like Rockalingua? There, you can find original songs designed to assist children in learning Spanish. Each piece comes with illustrations and lyrics, so they will soon be singing along to the tunes! Furthermore, nearly all of the songs are available for free, and there are related games and picture dictionaries your kids can access if you create an account as well. Listen to these songs here!

Dora la Exploradora

Dora la Exploradora (Dora the Explorer) is incredibly famous all around the world, airing in dozens of languages, including Spanish. This cartoon follows the adventures of Dora, a girl who loves embarking on quests with her friends. The characters (including the fox and the monkey) take some time during the episode to teach kids specific words and phrases. If you have pre-school-aged children learning Spanish, this is the perfect show for them to watch. You can stream the videos using Nickelodeon Jr.’s website, which also includes memory games and word searches to allow your kids to practise the vocabulary and structures they learn in the show. Check out Dora's videos here!

Spanish-Games .net

Thanks to online games, your children can learn Spanish without getting bored. Using websites like Spanish-Games.net, they can reinforce grammar skills, improve their listening ability or learn to incorporate new vocabulary into their repertoire. Visit this site and you’ll find an array of games for children that can help them acquire the essentials of the language. These games are classified into different topics, like “Food”, “Family”, “School” or “Animals”. And the best part is that you can switch between European Spanish and Latin American Spanish, so your kids can study the dialect that’s most useful to them. Click here to start playing with your kids.

SBS Español

SBS Español is one of the most popular Australian multicultural and multilingual broadcasters. You can watch the news, sports and entertainment programmes, documentaries and film, all in Spanish! You can watch their daily “telediarios” to train your listening skills, as presenters speak in a very clear, articulate manner. Some of the shows even have subtitles, which is great for students still training their ear. The channel focuses on delivering news about Australia, which is especially useful as you will be familiar with the events and places covered while attempting to understand what the presenters and reporters are saying. Check out the channel here.

TeleSur

TeleSUR is one of the leading news outlets in Latin America which focuses mostly on the political situation of different countries throughout the region. You can expect to find a lot of coverage about the governments from Mexico to Argentina and everywhere in between, and sharp criticism of right-wing policies. Watching TeleSUR’s telediarios can be a great opportunity to acquire political and economic vocabulary if you are an upper-intermediate or advanced level student. You will not find these programmes on TV but you can live stream them in Australia and New Zealand for free. Check out this website for the best news in Spanish.

BBC Mundo

This news outlet provides content in Spanish from a European point of view. The content is more suitable for advanced students, as the hosts and reporters speak very quickly and use complex vocabulary. Also, they provide quite in-depth analyses of what is happening around the world. Though the website does not offer 24-hour streaming, it does upload free-to-watch video clips regularly. Also, the site publishes written articles for free, so you can combine hearing the day’s headlines with reading the details develop both sets of skills at the same time. Check out the channel here.

Eat Some Tapas with Friends - Spain

In the past, Spanish tapas referred to a specific type of food, eaten before dinner. But today, anything can be tapas: croquettes, cheese on toast, chips with bacon. The only thing that matters is that it’s a small portion that can be served with beer or wine. At some bars, tapas may be free of charge after you buy drinks. However, watch out: others might offer you tapas without saying that you will be charged later (especially in touristic destinations). Go for some tapas with your friends, drink some beer and enjoy the night like a true Spaniard! Want to know more about tapas? Click here!

Celebrate el Dia de los Muertos - Mexico

If you ever go to Mexico, you’ll see that on the 1st and 2nd of November, people visit cemeteries with food, candles, flowers, photographs and other elements to remember them. This happens because they celebrate a special date called El Dia de los Muertos, when they honour family members and loved ones who passed away. Mexicans believe they have to keep their memories alive, otherwise their spirits would fade away and never reach paradise. So, el Dia de los Muertos is a day of remembrance and prayer so people’s loved ones are able to get to Heaven. Click here to know more about Dia de los Muertos

Take a Siesta - Spain

If you ever travel to Spain or would like to emulate the Spanish lifestyle at home, you should definitely take a “siesta” (nap) after lunch! As the hours between 2pm and 5pm are hot throughout the country, most shops close and people go home to nap. Of course, the duration of each siesta varies according to each shop and the local climate. Either way, siestas are sacred, especially in the centre of Spain during the summer, so don’t be surprised if you ever come for a visit and find all the shops closed in the afternoon! Want to know more about the siesta? Read here!