Spanish Lessons in Queens

Macarena - Los del Río

Have you ever danced to the rhythm of Macarena? This was a massive hit in the 1990s and it’s still heard today in many bars and nightclubs across Latin America. The song is very simple: it talks about Macarena and her moves on the dancefloor. The song is extremely catchy and will surely get stuck in your head, which you can use in your favor to improve your language skills. Research shows that music activates the auditory cortex part of our brains, helping us repeat the song over and over while learning new vocabulary and structures. Dance to the rhythm of this catchy song!

Livin La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin

It can be very useful to listen to familiar songs dubbed in the language you want to learn. Luckily for language students, there are many singers who sing both in English and their native language, like Ricky Martin. So, why not try and listen to “Living la Vida Loca” in Spanish? Released in 1999, the song topped the charts and is still very popular today. It talks about the “crazy life” lived in Puerto Rico and there is a lot of vocabulary repetition and very few tenses, so it’s very easy to understand, even for beginner-level students. Click here to listen to the song!

La Tortura - Shakira

“The Torture” is a song that follows the story of a man who cheats on his partner and wants to win her back. Shakira describes her tortured feelings and how hard it is for her to say no to him, knowing he will never change. Apart from being really catchy, the song tells an interesting story, so it’s worth the effort to understand it. Plus, it’s a very powerful way to get some Colombian words and expressions like “no te rajes” or “yo se que no he sido un santo” to stay in your mind long-term. Click here to listen to the song!

Learn Vocabulary Watching Soccer

Learning Spanish is much simpler and more motivational when you use materials about topics that really interest you. Some of the most famous soccer teams in the world, like Barcelona or Real Madrid, are from Spain and the Spanish are huge fans of the sport as a result. So, if you are looking to connect with Spanish speakers, what could be better than talking to them about football? Gather together with Spanish speakers and watch some matches on TV networks, like Univision, and soon you’ll soon start to pick up important soccer vocabulary, like how the referee is called árbitro or that a forward (like Messi) is called delantero. Learn more about Spanish teams here!

Use Ligas to learn Spanish

If you ever go to Spain, you’ll see that the most popular sport in the country is soccer. Every weekend, fans put on their teams’ shirts and sit in front of the TV or attend the local stadium to watch football matches of La Liga, la Liga de Campeones o la Liga del Rey. Watching soccer matches is the perfect way not only to learn some new vocabulary (polivalente, for example, is a player that can take different positions in the field) but also to engage in interesting discussions with your Spanish friends. All of them will have heard about Messi or Suárez, so ask them their opinions on the players with your Spanish skills. Click here to know when the Liga starts!

Watch the World Cup in Spanish

The soccer World Cup is one of the most prestigious sporting tournaments in the world. It takes place every 4 years and attracts millions of attending fans and excited TV viewers, ready to cheer on their nation’s team. But did you know that, for decades, the World Cup has been transmitted inboth English and Spanish in the USA? This is a great chance for Spanish learners to enjoy a world-class sports event while increasing their Spanish vocabulary. Plus, you’ll have an exciting topic to discuss with your Latin American or Spanish friends! Learn more about the World Cup here.

Fisher-Price Videos

Are your kids learning Spanish? Do you find it difficult to have them sit down and do the homework? Then Fisher-Price videos for toddlers and children of early school age can help! The site has a huge selection of videos that range from teaching the names of animals and colors to everyday vocabulary related to school and other environments and scenarios. Each new word is displayed on screen, so these videos are great resources to teach children spelling. They’re super fun too, so you can be sure your child will be thoroughly entertained while practicing their Spanish! Click here to start playing with your kids!

Spanish Kid Stuff

Textbooks and flashcards are highly recommended to learn and retain vocabulary, especially when it comes to children, as using visual reinforcement is a great way to commit terms to memory (and avoid boredom). And while these elements are certainly expensive, you can also find great resources online for free, such as at Spanish Kid Stuff. The website promotes language learning by offering hundreds of resources for children to learn Spanish. You’ll find all the materials conveniently divided into categories, like “Animals,” “Clothing,” “Time,” and so on, so it will be easy for you to find the materials you want your child to practice! Click here to start playing with your kids!

Pandora

Do you remember the songs your family used to sing to you when you were a baby? Lullabies are one of the most natural and memorable ways to learn a language. So, if your child is learning Spanish, it’s a great idea to enter Pandora and listen to some lullabies (canciones de cuna) together. You’ll find a lot of options on the site, like “Estrellita donde estás.” In most cases, you can find an English counterpart (like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”), which is even better because your child will already be familiar with the soothing tune. Listen to these songs here!

El Chavo del 8

Who ever said that learning a new language is boring? One of the biggest mistakes that students make is to just use textbooks to learn. Of course, flashcards and books are very useful but watching comedy in Spanish is a great method to improve your vocabulary and grammar while having a laugh. For instance, El Chavo del 8 is a Mexican show that follows the adventures of a poor orphan boy called el Chavo and other low-income characters who live in the same housing complex (la vecindad). Put away the books and turn on the TV to pick up some Mexican slang! Click here to learn more about this Mexican series!

La Casa de las Flores

Watching movies and series is a great strategy to improve your Spanish. Even if you are just starting with your course, try not to watch dubbed series but the original Spanish and use English subtitles instead. This will help develop your ear for the language, and once you become more proficient, you can use Spanish subtitles or none at all! If you like comedy, we recommend trying The House of Flowers. This is a very popular black-Mexican comedy television series you can watch on Netflix. You’ll develop a greater awareness of contemporary Mexican society and culture while having some fun and improving your Spanish. Click here to learn more about this series.

Allí Abajo

Allí Abajo is a comedy that playfully depicts the cultural differences between one of the northernmost regions in Spain, el País Vasco, and Andalucía in the south. It follows Iñaki, a man from the north, who falls in love with Carmen, a nurse from the south. This is a great series that can help you understand the cultural differences between Spanish regions and will serve to increase your awareness and understanding of dialects in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. This series is great for any level of proficiency and will help you to pick up some slang and expressions from Andalucía and País Vasco! Wanna know more about the movie? Click here.

Sunday Football - Argentina

Argentina is known as the country of tango, asado (barbecue), and, of course, football, one of the most important traditions for men (and women, too!). The passion people hold for this sport extends to all corners of the country. Those who live in Buenos Aires have the privilege of going to “la cancha” (football stadiums) to watch the most exciting matches live, while those who live elsewhere frequently get together with their friends and family on the weekends to watch their favorite teams, like River Plate, Boca, San Lorenzo, and more! Learn more about Argentinian football here!

Take a Siesta - Spain

Have you ever listened to “La Isla Bonita” by Madonna? Then, you’ll probably know that, after lunch, Spanish people take their siestas. Throughout the country, almost every shop closes during the hottest part of the day so people can rest and take naps. The period traditionally occurs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., but it can be longer or shorter, depending on the region of Spain. Spanish people take this habit very seriously, even holding sleeping competitions, so don’t be surprised if you ever go to Spain and find all the shops closed in the afternoon! Click here to know more about the "siesta"!

Go for Beer at Tapas Bars - Spain

A tapa is an appetizer in Spanish cuisine that is eaten before dinner. From chips (papas fritas) to chicken fingers or croquettes (croquetas de papa o acelga). And though they are served in small portions, you’ll soon discover they are more than enough to be a complete meal on their own. Combine a few tapas with some beers with friends and taste the best Spanish cuisine on offer. You’ll even find that most regions have their own specialties! For example, Madrid bars use a lot of potato in their tapas, while Barcelona bars use more fish. Want to know more about tapas? Click here!