Spanish Answers

"Lo" is one of those really versatile words in Spanish, and can be pretty tricky for English speakers to wrap their minds around (even I struggle with it sometimes!). So today's episode finishes our overview of the main ways that "lo" is used in Spanish. As a reminder, "Lo" can be used as 1) a direct object pronoun, 2) a neuter definite article, 3) a neuter relative pronoun, 4) combined with the preposition "de", 5) after the verbs Ser and Estar, and 6) in various Spanish phrases. We went over the first 3 in Episode 56, so today we'll finish up with the last 3. Let's dive in to what it all means!Remember, learning a language is a lifelong journey.¡Aprovéchalo, Disfrútalo y Compártelo!SHOW NOTES© 2021 by Language Answers, LLCBlog for Episode 57Intro and Closing Music by Master_Service from FiverrCultural Tip Transition Music edited from song by JuliusH from PixabayResource LinksEpisode Content  Episode 56: What´s Up With "Lo"? Part 1 "How to Use ‘Lo’ in Spanish" by Gerald Erichsen, updated February 03, 2020, f

"Lo" is one of those really versatile words in Spanish, and can be pretty tricky for English speakers to wrap their minds around (even I struggle with it sometimes!). So today's episode gives an overview on the 6 main ways that "lo" is used in Spanish, focusing on the first three in this episode and the last three in the next! Remember, learning a language is a lifelong journey.¡Aprovéchalo, Disfrútalo y Compártelo!SHOW NOTES© 2021 by Language Answers, LLCBlog for Episode 56Intro and Closing Music by Master_Service from FiverrCultural Tip Transition Music edited from song by JuliusH from PixabayResource LinksEpisode Content  Episodio 48: Los Pronombres de los Objetos Directos e Indirectos "The Neuter Relative Pronouns "Lo Cual" and "Lo Que"" by SpanishDict.com  "How to Use ‘Lo’ in Spanish" by Gerald Erichsen, updated February 03, 2020, for ThoughtCo. "4 Ways to Use “Lo” to Replace or Create Any New Idea" by Real Fast Spanish "Bueno" by HarperCollins Publishers, via Collins online dictionary "How to use LO QUE

Do you have trouble remembering which adverb of place (or rather, adverbios demostrativos) to use in Spanish for saying where something is? Is the cat aquí, ahí, or allí? Or maybe it's acá? If so, then this episode is for you!Remember, learning a language is a lifelong journey.¡Aprovéchalo, Disfrútalo y Compártelo!SHOW NOTES© 2021 by Language Answers, LLCBlog for Episode 55Intro and Closing Music by Master_Service from FiverrCultural Tip Transition Music edited from song by JuliusH from PixabayResource LinksEpisode Content  RAE.es  Wordreference.com  "Translating "Here" and "There" While Speaking Spanish" by Gerald Erichsen for ThoughtCo.com, updated November 4, 2019 "Adverbios demostrativos de lugar" by Paco from EspañolPlus Episode 53: This, That, These, and Those in Spanish Episode 6: Spanish Contractions, Part 2  Cultural Tip "National Holidays in Argentina in 2021" from OfficeHolidays.com (click on the links there to read more about each holiday, which is how I gathered my information.) "Carnival Mond

It's been a bit since our last song sampler (see Episode #40), so today's episode is going to focus on 4 unique styles of dance music that come to us from Spain and Puerto Rico! (With a heavy emphasis on the Dance!)Remember, learning a language is a lifelong journey.¡Aprovéchalo, Disfrútalo y Compártelo!SHOW NOTES© 2021 by Language Answers, LLCBlog for Episode 54Intro and Closing Music by Master_Service from FiverrCultural Tip Transition Music edited from song by JuliusH from PixabayResource LinksPast Song Samplers Episode 42: A Merry Christmas Song Sampler!  Episode 40: Song Sampler #2  Episodes 33-35, regarding Nursery Rhymes Episode 24: Spanish Christmas Songs!  Episode 20: Song Sampler #1  Episode Content (and Cultural Tip) "Essential Guide to Flamenco in Spain" by Spain Traveller "Flamenco: Music and Dance" by Ninotchka Devorah Bennahum for Britannica.com on Jan. 12, 2000, last updated Jan. 20, 2021 "Sevilla, Spain: Home of Flamenco" by Rick Steves' Europe, uploaded to YouTube on Nov. 1, 2017 "This

Do you ever get confused as to which Spanish word, este or esa, means this or that? Then today’s episode is for you! :) And due to the hectic nature that this past week has been, the cultural tip will focus on three fun Spanish sayings.***My apologies! I need to make a correction. In this episode, I incorrectly attributed the first two phrases in the cultural tip section to "Gramática para la composición" by M. Stanley Whitley and Luis González [Affiliate link to Amazon]. This book was used as a reference for writing the episode. The book that the phrases actually come from is "The Street-Wise Spanish Survival Guide: A Dictionary of Over 3,000 Slang Expressions, Proverbs, Idioms, and Other Tricky English and Spanish Words and Phrases Translated and Explained" by Eleanor Hamer and Fernando Díez de Urdanivia [Affiliate link to Amazon]. So this episode actually has 2 affiliate links. I have updated the blog and show notes accordingly***Remember, learning a language is a lifelong journey.¡Aprovéchalo, Disfrútalo

For 2021, I decided to do something new for Spanish Answers and incorporate three special episodes throughout the year that would focus on interesting holidays celebrated in Spanish-speaking countries around the world. They're kind of like one big cultural tip regarding  a country's unique celebration. Today's episode is my first one, focusing on El Año Andino Amazónico, which is celebrated today (June 21st)!  Remember, learning a language is a lifelong journey.¡Aprovéchalo, Disfrútalo y Compártelo!SHOW NOTES© 2021 by Language Answers, LLCBlog for Episode 52Intro and Closing Music by Master_Service from FiverrCultural Tip Transition Music edited from song by JuliusH from PixabayResource LinksEpisode/Cultural Content  "Andean New Year in Bolivia in 2021" by OfficeHolidays.com "Año Nuevo Aymara en Bolivia" by Eabolivia.com  "Willkakuti" by BoliviaTravelSite.com  "The Almara People" by Rolando Y. Wee April 25, 2017 in Society for World Atlas "Where And What Is The Altiplano?" by Amber Pariona on August 1, 2017

Do you enjoy reading science fiction (a.k.a., sci-fi) or dreaming about space travel? Then today's episode is for you!Remember, learning a language is a lifelong journey.¡Aprovéchalo, Disfrútalo y Compártelo!SHOW NOTES© 2021 by Language Answers, LLCBlog for Episode 50Intro and Closing Music by Master_Service from FiverrCultural Tip Transition Music edited from song by JuliusH from PixabayResource LinksEpisode Content  My Language Resource Library! (Here is a direct link to the English Resource Library) Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing The History of English Podcast by Kevin Stroud The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White [Affiliate Link] Wordreference.com  "Hipermotor" from Stars Wars Fandom "Curvatura (Desplazamiento)" from Wikipedia Cultural Tip "The Most Famous Mythical Creature of Every Country in the World — Illustrated" from The Gate with Brian Cohen "El Güije, el cagüeyro, la tatagua y otros seres de la mitología cubana" by Ricardo Acevedo for Amazing Stories

We made it to 50 episodes!! To celebrate, I'm launching a surprise just for my listeners/readers! Check out the podcast episode (or blog) to find out what it is. :) SHOW NOTES© 2021 by Language Answers, LLCBlog for Episode 50Intro and Closing Music by Master_Service from FiverrCultural Tip Transition Music edited from song by JuliusH from PixabayResource LinksEpisode Content  My new Language Resources Library!  "Doorway to Mexico" by Paulina "No Hay Tos" by Beto and Héctor  "The Everything Spanish Grammar Book" by Julie Gutin [Affiliate link to Amazon.] "GoGo Lingo CD" [Affiliate link to Amazon.] This CD by GoGo Lingo is a fun way to teach your kids Spanish! Instead of traditional songs, GoGo Lingo has created fun and humerous, even a little hip!, songs that are sung in both English and Spanish. "Cocinando Corea" by Yuna Kim"Diccionario de la Lengua Española" by the Real Academia Española (RAE).  Cultural Tip [Affiliate link to Amazon.] "The Street-Wise Spanish Survival Guide" by Eleanor Hamer & Fer

Do you enjoy reading fantasy or learning more about mythical creatures from other countries? Then today's episode is for you!Remember, learning a language is a lifelong journey.¡Aprovéchalo, Disfrútalo y Compártelo!SHOW NOTES© 2021 by Language Answers, LLCBlog for Episode 49Intro and Closing Music by Master_Service from FiverrCultural Tip Transition Music edited from song by JuliusH from PixabayResource LinksEpisode Content  Wordreference.com Cultural Tip "The Most Famous Mythical Creature of Every Country in the World — Illustrated" from The Gate with Brian Cohen "¿Existe Nahuelito? Un documental que promete develar el misterio" by Alejandro Rapetti for La Nacion on Nov. 17, 2020 "The Nahuelito Enigma" by Contenidos Patagonia for patagonia-argentina.com  "Terrifying Legends of Peru #2: El Muki" on August 8, 2017 by Traveling & Living in Peru "The mischievous Muki" by Jordan Faries on Sept. 21, 2018 "Shape Changes, Fear Does Not: The Mythical Monster Coco" updated on March 20, 2016 by Natalia Klimczak fo

In this final part of our 3-part series on reflexive verbs (see Episodes 46 and 47), we will look at 10 examples of verbs that significantly change their meaning when you use them as reflexive verbs.

As we continue this 3-part series on reflexive verbs, today we will begin looking at how making a verb reflexive can sometimes significantly change its meaning. At times, this change is subtle, such as preguntar vs. preguntarse, and other times it can be big enough to be a potential social blunder, like with dejar vs. dejarse. In today's episode, we'll focus on examples where the change is subtle.

Have you ever wondered what the deal is with "se" in Spanish words like ducharse, vestirse, or levantarse? In the first part of this 3-part episode series on reflexive verbs, we're going to go over the basics of what reflexive verbs are.

Sometimes, words in Spanish that look familiar may not mean what you think they mean. Here are 10 examples to help you avoid making those rookie mistakes!

To kick off our new episodes for 2021, we'll talk about the "official" language levels and how you can apply that to level up your Spanish! Today's episode is a bit long and has a lot of links (which I'll of course include as a list in the show notes!), so be prepared; there's a lot of information out there!

In preparation for new episodes from Spanish Answers, here is a 2021 update! I am so excited for this year, and I hope you are too! :)

Merry Christmas! In preparation for the holiday this week, we talk about some Christmas traditions in Argentina and Columbia! :) Also, a quick announcement about the podcast and Language Answers for the new year!

Let's enjoy the beginning of the Christmas season with another Christmas Song Sampler! In today's episode, we look at 10 traditional and modern Spanish Christmas Songs!

Have you ever wondered what word pairs like bow (as in, an arrow) and bow (as in, a ribbon wrapped around a present) are called? The answer is, "Homonyms"! And yes, they have them in Spanish, too! In today's episode, we'll cover 10 examples of Spanish homónimos.

Considering the stress of the elections, let's have some fun this week and do our second song sampler! :)

Considering that the 2020 election is right around the corner, we're going to take a break from our normal episode lineup and discuss vocabulary associated with Election Day! (Don't worry, it's politics-free!)