*Click here for the English version.*
Aprender otro idioma de tu propia voluntad requiere mucho coraje. Empecé a aprender mi segundo idioma hace 15 años a los 12 años de edad. No sabía ni cómo ni dónde empezar, pero tenía un deseo ardiente de aprender. Luego de 2 años y pico, podía hablarlo con fluidez, pero sé que pude haberlo aprendido más rápido si hubiera tenido más dirección. La meta de este artículo es darte la dirección que deseaba tener yo, para que puedas crear hábitos buenos que te darán resultados desde el principio. Abajo encontrarás los 5 errores más comunes que cometen los principiantes al aprender inglés.



1. Centrarse demasiado en el tiempo

Problema: Siempre me sorprende que la pregunta más popular que me hacen es, "Rickie, ¿Cuánto tiempo te tomó lograr hablar tu segundo idioma con fluidez?" Tengo mucho conocimiento sobre mi segundo idioma, pero deciden centrarse en el tiempo que me tomó, en vez de ese conocimiento. Puede que la culpa se deba a la adicción a la gratificación inmediata de la sociedad de estos días, pero no hacen la pregunta correcta.

Solución: Es chévere tener metas y plazos para aprender un idioma, pero esas metas deben basarse en la experiencia del individuo, y no la de otra person que ya ha logrado lo que uno quiere lograr. Si quieres centrarte en una línea de tiempo, céntrate en cuántas palabras puedes aprender en una semana. Céntrate en qué tan bien te gustaría poder hablar dentro de 3 meses. La cosa más importante en cuanto al tiempo es mejorarse todos los días. Aprender un idioma es como el cuento de la liebre y la tortuga. "no llega más lejos quien más corre, sino quien no se desvía."



2. Falta de estructura

Problema: Esto suele pasar con los que aprenden inglés por su cuenta. Me he encontrado con mucha gente que no sabe dónde empezar, o si sabe dónde empezar, no sabe qué hacer después de empezar. Esta gente se encuentra en un lío después de un tiempo.

Solución: Hay que tener estructura al aprender un idioma, pero cómo se encuentra? Puedes ir a google para buscar un sílabo de inglés de gratis. El método que más me gusta es utilizar la tabla de contenido de los libros de gramática y vocabulario para guiarme. A mi juicio, es mejor aprender un aspecto de gramática junto con una categoría de vocabulary. Por ejemplo, si para gramática aprendiera el imperativo, aprendería el vocabulario de los quehaceres a la vez y crearía oraciones que combinaban los dos. Puedes hacerlo como quieras, pero no pases por alto la estructura.


3. Dar toda la responsabilidad al maestro

Problema: Me parece que muchos no saben lo que es el verdadero trabajo de un maestro. Hay un dicho que dice, "Puedo prepararte la comida, pero no puedo masticártela, ni tragártela." Los que estudian idiomas tienen que aprender esto. Tienen que aprender a aplicar lo que se les enseña y expandir su conocimiento sobre ello. Los maestros les dan a los estudiantes las herramientas para ser exitosos, pero a los estudiantes les toca utilizarlas.

Solución: Para aprender inglés, y aprenderlo rápidamente, tienes que asumir la responsabilidad de tu educación para salir adelante. Estudia las cosas que tu maestro todavía no te ha enseñado. Si tienes un sílabo, utilízalo para guiarte, mientras usas tus libros y otros recursos para avanzar. Si no hay sílabo, estudia más la unidad que tu maestro está enseñando en ese momento, ya que todos sabemos que los maestros no nos dan todos los detalles posibles. Llega a la clase con preguntas. Esto te ayudará a no centrarte en una bueno nota, sino en aprender el idioma de verdad.



4. Dudarse

Problema: Pensar demasiado en equivocarse, y el temor de verse "estúpido" impiden el progreso de muchos principiantes. ¡No lo pienses tanto! Me he encontrado con muchas personas que sí saben decir las cosas correcta en inglés, pero por temor a equivocarse deciden callarse. Si tienes miedo de correr el riesgo, nunca alcanzarás tu potencial completo.

Solución: No creo que nadie que aprenda otro idioma es tonto, pero como muchos de mis estudiantes del pasado tenían esa mentalidad, voy a usar el mismo palabreo al ofrecerte estos consejos, "Verse estúpido para lograr aprender es mejor que verse inteligente y no saber nada de verdad." No te preocupes si te ves tonto. Nos han acondicionado para no cometer errores desde chiquito, pero las personas más exitosas te dirían que tus errores son lecciones para hacerte mejor. Acepta tus errores, no te dudes, y habla sin miedo.


Mención Honorífica
A muchos principiantes les gusta utilizar los traductores como el que ofrece google para escribir en inglés. Esto no te va a ayudar nada. Los traductores electrónicos impiden el crecimiento (a menos que los uses para verificar unas palabras o frases). Si quieres ser exitoso de verdad, tienes que aprender a crear tus propias oraciones y frases. Si no puedes hacerlo todo desde el principio, tranquilo, que es el principio. Confía en el proceso y sigue creciendo, pero no lo resuelves con los traductores en línea.



5. No tomar apuntes

Problema: No sé si se debe a que vivimos en un mundo lleno de tecnología, pero últimamente, he enseñado muchos estudiantes que llegan a mis lecciones sin cuaderno/papel, lápiz/lapicero, ni tableta para tomar apuntes. Según los estudios, nosotros los seres humanos solemos recordar solo un 20% de lo que se dice en una conversación, y es por eso que los apuntes son tan importantes. Sin apuntes es casi imposible repasar una lección a menos que tengas tu propio libro de gramática o vocabulario.

Solución: Toma buenos apuntes que te ayudarán a entender bien lo que estás aprendiendo. Repásalos frecuentemente y aplícalo todo cuando leas, escribas, escuches, y hables. Los apuntes son buenos para ver dónde empezaste y cuánto has crecido. Eso te ayudará a permanecer motivado. Si vas a aprender inglés de verdad, HAY QUE tomar apuntes.

Los Mejores Libros De Gramática

Domina inglés como los nativos con estos libros. ¡Haz click en cualquier libro para comprarlo en Amazon ya!

Los Mejores Libros De Vocabulario

Aprende las palabras más importantes que usan los hablantes nativos de inglés americano todos los días. Haz click en cualquier libro para comprártelo ya!

      

*Haz click aquí para leer en español*
Taking on a new language on your own volition takes courage. I started learning Spanish 15 years ago when I was 12 years old. I didn't know where to start or how to go about doing things. I just had a burning desire to learn. I reached fluency after a couple years, but I know that I could have learned faster if I had more guidance. My goal with this article is to give you that guidance that I wish I had and to steer you in the right direction, so that you can create good habits that get results from the beginning. Below are the 5 most common mistakes that beginners make when learning Spanish.



1. Focusing too much on time

Problem: It always surprises me that the most frequently asked question that I receive from Spanish learners is, "Rickie, how long did it take you to become fluent in Spanish?" I have a lot of knowledge of the Spanish language, but people choose to focus on time rather than that knowledge. Maybe it is due to the addiction to instant gratification of society these days, but it is the wrong question to ask. It is a great thing to set goals, and to set deadlines when learning a language, but these goals have to be based off of yourself and your own experience as opposed to someone else who has already done it.

Solution: If you want to focus on a timeline, focus on how many words you can learn in a week. Focus on how well you would like to be able to speak 3 months from now. The most important thing involving time is that you should be improving every single day. When learning a language, it's like the tortoise and the rabbit. Slow and steady wins the race.



2. Lack of structure 

Problem: This pertains more to those who decide to take the route that I took and learn Spanish on their own. I have found that many people just don't know where to begin, or if they do know where to begin, they don't know where to go after that. These people tend to get themselves into a mess that is hard to get out of.

Solution: You need to have structure when learning a language. How do you find structure? You can search for free Spanish learning syllabuses on google. My method of choice was to use Spanish vocabulary and grammar books to guide me through the language. I found it best to focus on one aspect of grammar and combine that with a category of vocabulary at the same time. For example, if I was learning the imperative form (commands) for grammar, I would learn the vocabulary for doing chores and create sentences where I would be giving commands about which chores to do. You can use any combination you'd like, but structure is needed, so don't sleep on it.



3. Relying too much on your teacher

Problem: It seems that many people do not understand the true role of a teacher. There is a saying that says, "I can prepare your food for you, but I can't chew and swallow it for you." Language learners need to understand this and learn to apply what they are taught and expand on it.  Teachers give you the tools that you need in order to succeed, but it is up to you to use those tools.

Solution: In order to learn Spanish, and learn it quickly, you should take more responsibility for your learning do your best to get a head of the game. Study things that your teacher is not teaching yet. If you have a syllabus, then use that as your guide for structure, while using the book and other resources to focus on that. If you do not have a syllabus, learn more about the topic that your teacher is teaching since the teacher is most likely not going as in depth as they could. Come to class with questions. This will teach you to not focus on a grade, but rather on learning the language for fluency.



4. Doubting yourself

Problem: Thinking too hard about messing up and the fear of looking "stupid" hinder a lot of beginners from achieving good progression. Get out of your head! I come across so many people who know how to say things in Spanish, but stay quiet in conversation, because they second guess themselves. If you are to afraid to take risks, you will never reach your full potential.

Solution: I don't think anyone who is learning a language is dumb, but to put it in to terms of how my students have thought in the past, I offer you this advice, "Looking dumb to get smart is better than looking smart while only staying dumb." Don't worry about looking dumb.  We are conditioned to not make mistakes since childhood, but the most successful people will tell you that mistakes are only lessons that make you better. Embrace your errors. Be bold, and speak without fear.

Honorable mention
Many beginners use online translators like Spanishdict.com, or the one provided by google when they want to create long text messages. This does not help you. Using translators hinders growth. If you really wish to succeed, you have to learn to generate your own sentences and phrases. If you cannot do it all yet don't worry. Trust the process and continue to grow, but don't resort to using online translators.



5. Not taking notes during lessons

Problem: Maybe it's because we are in a world full of technology, but lately, I have come into contact with students who come to our sessions without a notebook, a pen/pencil, or a tablet to record their notes. Studies show that we remember about 20% of what is said in a conversation, and this is why notes are so important. There are some people who do not prefer pen and paper notes, (which I believe are the best) but there are always other ways to take notes on our electronic devices. Without notes, it is almost impossible to review the material you have learned unless you have your own vocabulary an grammar books.

Solution: Take good notes that will truly help you to understand what you are learning. Review your notes frequently and then apply what is learned through reading, writing, speaking and listening. Notes are also good for you to see how far you have come, so that you can be motivated to continue. If you are serious about learning a language, you MUST have notes.

My Favorite Vocabulary Books

Here are the books that I used to master Spanish vocabulary! Buy yours from Amazon now by clicking on an image below. You won't regret it!

My Favorite Grammar Books

Master Spanish grammar with the same books I used. Click on one of the books below to purchase yours on Amazon now! It's how I became fluent and you can too!

Thought you knew Spanish, because you learned it in school? Well, guess again! Every country has their own way of speaking Spanish and Mexico is no exception. Many of us are used to hearing a little bit of Mexican slang. However, It goes way beyond, "¿Qué onda, güey?" 

Mexico mixes native indigenous languages and many anglicisms into their Spanish. Not to mention they also have a way of giving nicknames to almost everything. This is why I have compiled a list of the best Mexican slang resources. A lot of these lists may repeat some of the same words and phrases, but that is OK, because on each one there are plenty of different words and phrases. If Mexican Spanish is the dialect that you intend to learn, you will want to bookmark these sites to be able to reference them again later!

Sites Written In English

1*.Güey Spanish (*Contains vulgar language*)


This site has a very extensive list of Mexican words. When I first found this list I was amazed, because Mexican Spanish is so different. Make sure that you write words and phrases down and study them, so that you can study them and commit them to memory. This site contains vulgar speech, which I am not a fan of,  but it is important to know it, so that you can know what someone is saying to you, or about you or someone else in a heated moment.


2. No Hay Bronca
This site has more than the typical words that you will see on every single Mexican Spanish site that just teaches you words like, "órale." I was impressed with the word selection here, and how they were separated by category.

3. Speaking Latino
Interested in seeing how Mexican Spanish and Puerto Rican Spanish relate? Check out this page which translate Mexican Spanish words to Puerto Rican Spanish words, and then to English.

Sites that Are Only In Spanish 

4. Es La Moda

Explaining Mexican Spanish is easier to do in Spanish than in English. Check out this site to find some of the common words and phrases that Mexicans use all of the time.




5. Diccionario Digital

This site gets straight to the point with a long list of Mexican words from A-Z. I recommend that you break these words up and study them for weeks until you have completely learned them. I wouldn't tackle these all in one day.



6. El Portal De México

     This list is full of words and phrases used in Mexico. It is lengthy which is good for long term learning. Pace it out, so that you don't get overwhelmed with these words.

Alternate Resources For Mexicanismos

The sites above are good for learning Mexican words here and there, but if you want a few resources that are more organized, and teach you things not found in these lists, Click on one of the books below to check it out and purchase it from Amazon.




ARE YOU IN LOVE WITH MEXICO? GET YOUR MEXICAN MERCH HERE:

 

*Read in English here*

Por fin has decido salir de tu zona de confort y poner en práctica todo lo que has estado estudiando en inglés. Estás conversando con un hablante nativo de inglés y todo va muy bien. Te sientes como si valiera la pena todas las horas que pasaste estudiando, pero de repente, sucede lo que temías.. Te quedaste estancado en la conversación. Debes saber cómo responder, pero es que se te ha olvidado cómo decir lo que quieres decir. Ahora sientes pánico y decides dejar la conversación, y te vas de inmediato.

La situación anterior suele pasar a menudo con los que aprenden un idioma nuevo. Aunque los momentos en los que uno pasa vergüenza o comete un error pueden ayudar y ser motivadores para que uno se corrija, y para no tener que sentirse así de nuevo, creo que todo el mundo preferiría no cometer ese error en primer lugar. Me gustaría ofrecerte unos tips para ayudarte a retener lo que aprendes en inglés y poder recuperar las palabras y las frases que necesitas cuando las necesites.

Cosas que uno debe considerar de antemano
1. ¿Estás tomando apuntes escritos a mano? 2. ¿Es un estilo de vida tu proceso de estudiar o es limitado por el tiempo?
Si ya sabes las respuestas para esas dos preguntas, estás en un buen lugar. Ahora, compartiré contigo mis tips.

Actividades Directas

1. Identificar tu estilo de aprender y concentrarte en él

Hay 4 estilos de aprender: Leer/Escribir, Visual, Auditivo, y Kinestético. En las escuelas, los maestros enseñan a su manera, que no siempre corresponde con el estilo de aprendizaje de todos los estudiantes. Nosotros nos acostumbramos a ese estilo de aprender y percibimos información de esa misma forma cuando no es necesariamente el estilo de aprender mas eficaz para nosotros.

Es bueno usar todos los estilos de aprender para aprender, sin embargo, cuando encuentres el estilo que funciona mejor para ti, ése debe ser la forma que más utilizas para aprender cosas nuevas.

• 👀 Si eres de los que aprenden visualmente, debes utilizar fotos y videos juntos con el vocabulario que estás aprendiendo. 

• 👂 Si eres de los que aprenden auditivamente, debes escuchar más audios.

• ✋ Si prefieres el estilo kinestético, debes hacer actividades físicas que te ayudarán a recordar lo que estudias. 

• 📖✍ Si escribir y leer son los estilos que funcionan para ti, es probable que ya te hayas acostumbrado a aprender así, ya que así es cómo se enseña en la escuela. Solo tienes que estar seguro de que estás leyendo las cosas correctas y tomando buenos apuntes.

2. Repasar apuntes y lecciones nuevos y viejos frecuentemente
Al aprender algo nuevo, es fácil memorizarlo. La memorización es una ilusión falsa que nos hace creer que hemos aprendido algo de verdad. Empollar para un examen es un ejemplo de la memorización. Aprender es estudiar para entender bien, y poder aplicarlo en cualquier momento.
Repasar constantemente te ayudará muchísimo. Establezca un horario y asegúrate de que estés repasando todo hasta que se convierta en una segunda naturaleza para ti. A medida que avances, no te olvides de repasar los fundamentales. Es muy fácil olvidarse de ellos, así que el repaso consistente y constante te servirán muchísimos en cuanto a lo que aprendes.



3. Aprender a usar los desencadenantes para aprender

Los desencadenantes son las cosas que nos recuerdan de una memoria o una experiencia del pasado. Por ejemplo, si menciono el cafe, puede que pienses en le cafeína, despertarse por la mañana, un incremento en energía, etc. El cafe es el desencadenante de todas esas cosas. Ya que sabes que existen los desencadenantes, podemos crear para nosotros mismos desencadenantes que significan algo para nosotros cuando estamos aprendiendo.

Si estas aprendiendo el vocabulario que se usa en la cocina, aprender y utilizar esas palabras mientras cocinas tu plato preferido puede ser tu desencadenante. Esa experiencia también sería una experiencia muy memorable.



4. Diviértete

Nadie quiere pensar en las cosas no divertidas. Si ves aprender inglés como algo aburrido y difícil, así será tu experiencia. Tienes que encontrar una manera para entretenerte mientras aprendes. Sé que en las escuelas quieren que todo el mundo se calle, y que hagan lo que se le diga pero es muy importante ser libre con tu aprendizaje y que sea algo con el que puedes relacionarte. Crea juegos y juégalos con amigos. Haz reto en publico para poner en práctica lo que has estado estudiando. Haz videos en YouTube. Éstas son tan solo algunas ideas, pero tienes que hacer lo que es divertido para ti.



5. Utilizar muchas fuentes diferentes

Una de las ventajas de vivir en el mundo hoy en día es que hay tantas personas que enseñan las mismas cosas y todo el mundo lo hace a su manera. Tenemos acceso a todo en las palmas de nuestras manos. Explora. Encuentra fuentes fiables y aprende de ellas con frecuencia. Si descubres que no te gusta la forma en la que un maestro enseña algo, consulta con otro que te lo explique mejor.  Un maestro puede conocer bien la materia, pero puede que no sepa trasmitirla a tu mente, pero el otro puede decirlo de una manera más simple para ti. Como dice el refrán, "No pongas todos los huevos en la misma cesta."


Actividades Indirectas

1. El Ejercicio

Puede que no parezca mucho el ejercicio, pero cuando uno está activo físicamente, el cuerpo funciona mejor. Cuando uno no es sano, el cuerpo no está funcionando en su óptimo nivel.

2. Tomar descansos estratégicos

¡No te exijas demasiado! De vez en cuando, la mente tiene que tomar un descanso. Cuando no estás estudiando activamente, puedes aplicar lo que has aprendido, pero tus ojos no tienen que estar fijados un papel el día entero.

3. Reposar 

El reposo es tanto importante para el cuerpo cómo el ejercicio. Si trabajas sin descansar, te haces más daño que bien. Ser sano afecta la mente de verdad.

4. Masticar chicle mientras estudiar

Aprendí este tip de mí profesor de anatomía. Masticar goma de masticar mientras estudiar puede ayudar con recordar la información que estudias.

Al final y al cabo, tienes que hacer lo que funciona para ti. Retener información no tiene que ser difícil. ¡Relájate, no seas tan duro contigo mismo y disfruta la experiencia!

Los Mejores Libros De Gramática

Domina inglés como los nativos con estos libros. ¡Haz click en cualquier libro para comprarlo en Amazon ya!

Los Mejores Libros De Vocabulario

Aprende las palabras más importantes que usan los hablantes nativos de inglés americano todos los días. Haz click en cualquier libro para comprártelo ya!

      

*Leer artículo en español*

You've finally decided to go out on a limb, and step out of your comfort zone by putting into practice what you've been studying in Spanish. You're finally having a conversation with a Spanish speaker and it's going so well. You start to feel like your studies have paid off, but then it happens.. You're stuck. You should know how to respond, but you just don't remember what you need to say! You are now in panic mode and you decide to cut the conversation short and leave in a hurry.
The above scenario happens way to often to those who are learning a new language. Although embarrassing moments and public mistakes can be helpful motivators and can push us to correct our mistakes, so that we never have to feel that way again, I think we'd all prefer to not make those mistakes at all. I'd like to offer you some tips on how to retain what you learn in Spanish and be able to retrieve the words and phrases that you need at the right time.
Things that you should consider beforehand
1. Are you taking physical handwritten notes on what you are studying?
2. Have you made your learning process a lifestyle or is it limited by time?

If you have the above things figured out already, then you're in a good place. Next, I will share with you my tips for retaining what you learn and study.


Direct Activities

1. Know your learning style and focus more on that

There are 4 different learning types: reading/writing, auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.
In school, we are taught in whatever way the teacher feels like teaching. The teachers that we have may not cater to our teaching style, but since we are used to learning that way, we continue to teach ourselves that way without realizing that it is may not the most effective way for us to learn.

It is a good practice to use all forms of learning, however, when you find the learning style that is the most effective for you, that should be your primary and most frequent way of introducing new information to yourself.

• 👀 If you are a visual learner, then you should use pictures and videos accompanied by the vocabulary words that you are learning. 

• 👂If you are an auditory learner, you should be listening to a lot of material. 

• ✋If your are a kinesthetic learner, then do physical activities that will help you remember what you are studying. 

• 📖✍If you learn by reading and writing, You are probably already used to learning this way from school. You just have to make sure that you are reading the proper material and taking clear notes in a way that you understand. 

While doing all of these things, you should still be taking notes regularly and reviewing your material, and applying it to real life regularly.




2. Consistently review new and old material

When learning something new it's easy to memorize things. Memorization is a false illusion that makes one believe that they have actually learned something. Memorization is cramming for a test. Learning is studying to make sure that you understand, and can apply the material in life.

Consistently reviewing will really help you to learn. Set a schedule and make sure that you review certain things until you feel like it has become second nature to you. As you advance, never forget to review the fundamentals. It gets easy to forget the fundamentals, so consistent and constant review will be huge help when it comes to remembering what you learn.





3. Create triggers for yourself

Triggers are things that spark a memory and remind you of something that you have experienced in the past. For example, if I mention coffee, you may think of caffeine, waking up in the morning, energy boosts, etc. Coffee is a trigger for all of those things. Since we know that triggers exist we can create them for ourselves when we are learning.

If you're learning the vocabulary words for food or things in a kitchen, perhaps your trigger can be learning the vocabulary by cooking your favorite meal which would make it more of a memorable experience.



4. Make it fun for yourself

No one wants to think about things that aren't fun. If in your mind you think of learning Spanish as boring, and difficult, it will be so. You have to find a way to entertain yourself while learning. I know in school, they teach you to be quiet, and to do what you're told. It is very important to be free with your learning, and make it relate to you. Make it real to you. Make games, and play with friends. Create challenges to do in public. Make YouTube videos. These are just a few ideas, but act based off of what is fun to you!



5. Use multiple sources to learn

One of the advantages of living in our world today is that there are many people teaching the same thing, and everyone has their own spin on how they teach it. We have access to everything in the palm of our hands. Explore. Find reliable sources and learn from them frequently. If you discover that you don't like how one teacher teaches a certain topic, find another who explains it better. One teacher may know a topic very well, but just can't get the idea across to you, while another may be able to put it in words that create the perfect image in your head. As the saying goes, don't put all of your eggs in one basket.



Indirect activities

1. Exercise

Exercising may not seem like a lot, but when you are physically active, your body runs better. When you are not healthy your body is not working at its optimal level.

2. Take strategic breaks

Don't overdo it! Your brain has to take a break sometimes. When you are not actively studying you can be applying what you studied in real life scenarios, but don't have your eyes on paper all day.

3. Rest 

Just like exercise, sleep is important for your body. If you go too hard with no rest, you're doing more damage to yourself than good. Being healthy really does affect your brain.

4. Chew gum while you study

This tip I learned from my high school anatomy teacher. Chewing gum while you study may help you to recall what you previously learned.

At the end of the day, you have to find what works for you. Retaining information doesn't have to be hard. Relax, don't be so hard on yourself, and enjoy the journey!






RESOURCES FOR LEARNING SPANISH The Best Spanish Vocabulary Books
Here are the books that I used to master Spanish vocabulary! Buy yours from Amazon now by clicking on an image below. You won't regret it!

My Favorite Spanish Grammar Books

Master Spanish grammar with the same books I used. Click on one of the books below to purchase yours on Amazon now! It's how I became fluent and you can too!

     

        At Bilingüe Blogs, we pride ourselves on teaching authentic Spanish, so that students can understand and communicate with natives in a natural way. Many slang words, and colloquial phrases are not taught in schools or other courses. Many dictionaries do not seem to contain them either. Typically, in order to learn these things, you have to befriend someone from the country that uses the dialect that you want to learn. Another option could be to travel or move to that country. Sometimes, neither of these options are possible, but there is no need to worry. You can learn practically anything online nowadays. With that being said, I would like to share with you some of the best sites for learning colloquial phrases and slang in Spanish. In this article we will only be investigating the Caribbean since they are close in proximity, and all have a very similar spoken dialect. 

**DISCLAIMER** This article is intended for intermediate and advanced students since MOST (not all)  of these websites translate slang into neutral Spanish that everyone can understand. The Spanish-English dictionary websites will have an asterisk (*) next to the number.


Universal Slang Sites         I refer to the following sites as universal slang sites, because they do not teach the colloquial phrases and words of just one country, but rather all of them. Some of these are very similar to Urban Dictionary. You can type in a term, or phrase that you heard in a Reggaeton song, or in a movie or TV show, and most of the time you will find an accurate definition. Some of them will also tell you which countries use the phrase or term. This is extremely useful, because some words mean one thing in one dialect, and another thing in a different dialect. 


Sites that reveal the country to which a phrase/term belongs

        If you are looking for a certain phrase, but you are uncertain of the country that uses it, I recommend that you try one of the sites below. If you can not find your expression or word on one site, try searching for it on one of the others. 



1. Click here to visit site
2. Click here to visit site

3. Click here to visit site

4.* Click here to visit site
(This site translates to English, but I don't love the format. It is still very helpful!)

Sites that do not reveal the country         These sites do not allow you to search for terms, but it offers a decent-sized list of idioms and colloquial phrases, from many different Spanish speaking countries.


5.* Click here to visit site
(This site translates to English and has an awesome format.)



6.* Click here to visit site
(This site translates to English. Check the side panel to see what it has to offer.)
It may seem like a lot to go through, but do not worry. You do not have to check out all of them at once. Feel free to use them as resources to figure out things that you hear from natives, or just to learn vocabulary and colloquial phrases in your spare time.




Puerto Rican Slang
        There is a saying that big things come in small packages. With Puerto Rico that is true, in regards to the culture, as well as with the vocabulary. Since the early 2000s, thanks to Reggaeton, Puerto Rico has been sharing it's rich vocabulary throughout the world. However, it is sometimes not that easy to understand. Here are a few websites that will allow you to understand exactly what the Reggaeton songs are saying. Beyond that, these sites will allow you to see many of the typical phrases used in everyday Puerto Rican conversations.

1.Click here to check it out!* (Great source and is in English)




2. Click here to visit site



3. Click here to visit site





4. Click here to visit site




Dominican Slang

        The Dominican Republic is the home of Merengue, Bachata, and Dembow. Sometimes in these musical genres, artists will use words that Spanish speakers or students from external countries might not understand right away. Check out these sites to find a few helpful phrases and slang that you may use as you become more acquainted with this beautiful dialect. 

1. Click here to visit site
(One of my favorites)


3. Click here to visit site




4. Click here to visit site




5. Click here to visit site




Cuban Slang
        Cuba is the biggest Spanish speaking island in the Caribbean. Just like the other islands have come up with their own way of communicating amongst each other, so have the people of Cuba. Learn the colorful vernacular of the Cubans with any and/or all of the websites below. Maybe you can surprise a few native Cubans by using the words and phrases that you learn here. Good luck!

1. Click here to visit site


2. Click here to visit site


3. Click here to visit site



4. Click here to visit site
(This site is actually in German, but the definitions and words are in Spanish.)

        Sometimes the phrase or word that you are looking for just can not be found online. At times like these, it would be wise to pose a question on a forum on sites like Wordreference.com. These forums are very helpful when dealing with a new colloquial word or phrase, because you get answers directly from natives of that country. Other's (non-natives) are allowed to pitch in as well, and usually do so, if they are pretty certain that they know the correct answer to the question. Hopefully you found these sources resourceful. If so, please share this post!

**Read this article in English here.** 


        Cuando empecé a estudiar una lengua extranjera, no sabía casi nada. Una cosa que sí sabía, era que me gustaba una chica que hablaba ese idioma. Para intentar impresionarla, decidí escribirle una carta en su lengua materna. Llevé a cabo esta tarea con la ayuda del traductor gratis de Google, y el diccionario que tenía. Era muy difícil para ella entender lo que escribí porque el traductor no era capaz de traducir bien algunas frases y palabras. Obviamente, no la impresioné. De hecho, lo único que logré hacer fue avergonzarme.
         Aprendí par de lecciónes muy valiosas. La primera es que no se debe usar los traductores en línea para escribir una carta entera de amor. Otra, es que si se decide usar un traductor, se debe usar uno que sea fiable. Quiero que todo el mundo aprenda de mis errores y es por eso que quisiera compartir contigo, mis 3 diccionarios en línea, preferidos. Si estás de acuerdo con mi lista, o si no, déjame saber en los comentarios!

1. Linguee.com
        Ni siquiera estaba buscando por este sitio, pero me alegro de que lo haya encontrado. Linguee.com me ha ayudado demasiado a través de los años. Si quieres un sitio que te traduzca frases completas, te va a encantar Linguee. No tan solo traduce las frases, pero provee varios ejemplos de las frases en distintas situaciones y ofrece traducciones parecidas a la vez. Además, todas las traducciones son acertadas. Esta característica es la más útil porque no siempre tenemos problemas con una palabra, sino también con la gramática. Yo le llamaría a Linguee.com el diccionario de frases. Linguee también funciona como diccionario tradicional para los que quieren definir palabras. Es por eso, que Linguee es primero en mi lista.

2. Wordrference.com
        Cuando quiero buscar una sola palabra, paso por Wordreference.com. Me encanta porque no siempre quiero traducir una palabra a mi lengua materna. A veces prefiero buscar la definición de una palabra desconocida, en el idioma que estoy estudiando. Hago esto porque me hace más fluido. Wordreference es un sitio que me permite hacer eso. Si no eres capaz de entender la palabra basado en su definición, Wordreference te permite traducir la palabra a tu lengua materna.
        Otra cosa que me encanta de Wordreference es que allí se ofrecen foros. Gracias a los foros se puede hacer preguntas y obtener consejos, y respuestas de hablantes nativos de inglés (o cualquier idioma). Es muy eficaz aprender palabras de los nativos, por que a veces son los únicos que pueden explicar las reglas extrañas de su idioma. Pensándolo bien, los foros son una buena forma de aprender otro acento o dialecto (jerga) también.

3. Spanishdict.com
        Nunca le doy el crédito que se merece, pero tengo que admitir que Spanishdict.com es un buen sítio. Es por eso que ocupa el último espacio en mi lista. Spanishdict provee todas las definiciones posibles de una palabra. Eso me encanta porque algunas palabras tienen doble sentido, o varios usos y Spanshdict siempre aclara todo eso.  (Wordreference and Linguee son capaces de hacer esto también, pero a la gente le gusta más el formato de Spanishdict.)
        Los otros sítios se dedican a varios idiomas, pero Spanishdict solamente se enfoca en el inglés y el español. Uno puede repasar los tiempos verbales, y estudiar la gramática con Spansihdict. También se ofrecen ejercicios para comprobar que se ha aprendido bien una materia. Por eso, es mucho más que un diccionario, pero puesto que, en este artículo, estamos hablando de los mejores diccionarios, todo eso no es de importancia, y sigue ocupando el tercer espacio de la lista.

Conclusión

        Hay varios diccionarios en línea, pero a mi juicio, estos son los mejores de los mejores. Espero que  este artículo te haya sido muy útil. Favor de compartirlo, suscribirte, y comentar abajo. La proxima vez hablaremos de los mejores sítios para aprender la jerga Estadounidense. Gracias!

     

**Para leer este artículo en español, haz click acá.**

        When I first started to learn Spanish at the age of 10, I did not know much at all. I did, however, know that I liked a Spanish speaking girl at my school. To try to impress her I would write her "love notes" in Spanish. How did I accomplish this? By using my good old English-Spanish dictionary, and typing phrases into google translator of course. It turns out that most of what I had written was incorrect due to the my lack of knowledge, the horrible translations from google, and using the wrong definitions in my handheld dictionary. Needless to say, I did not end up impressing her.
        Would you like to REALLY impress your Latin lover? Are you looking to cheat on your essay for Spanish class? (I do not condone this!) Do you simply want to make sure that you are using the correct phrases/words? Well in this article, you can learn from my mistakes as I share with you my favorite online resources that I use to double check my Spanish when I am in doubt. If you agree or disagree with my selection, go ahead and leave a comment below.  I would love you to read what you think!
1. Linguee.com
        I stumbled across Linguee.com a few years ago, and ever since then, it has been my favorite. I love Linguee because when you search for a word in English or Spanish, it not only gives the correct definition every time, but it gives various examples of the word used in context. It has been the most useful to me over the years.          What made me fall in love with Linguee, was that it was, at the time, the only site to give accurate and abundant translations of complete phrases. Sometimes your issue is not with a vocabulary word, but rather with the grammar. Linguee helps to make sure that you are on the right track by providing several useful examples of the phrases. It also highlights the words used so that you can know exactly where your phrase fits in the sentence, in case you were unsure. This feature alone makes Linguee number one. Other sites have recently added this feature, but most of the time they're not as accurate, and the ones that are accurate, don't have as many examples as Linguee. 
2. Wordreference.com
        When searching for a single word, my go-to site is always wordreference.com. My favorite feature about this site is that it allows one to look up a Spanish word in Spanish (meaning that it will give the definition of the word in Spanish instead of English, while also providing synonyms). This is the best thing for intermediate and advanced students to do to stop thinking in English.  If you still can not understand the word, you can switch from the completely Spanish dictionary to a Spanish-English dictionary, where the English translation of the word can be found. If you are looking to translate an English word into Spanish with word reference, you can do that as well.          Another reason that wordreference is a top option for me, is that they have forums. Many online dictionaries only know standard Spanish. This means that while the information that they give may be correct, it may not necessarily be the way that native speakers would say it. The forums give native speakers or fluent speakers the chance to tell others how they would say it. It is a good opportunity to learn different accents, because different countries say the same things in different ways. 
3. Spanishdict.com
        In the past, I have not given Spanishdict.com credit, but I have to admit that it is a great site and is worthy of the final spot in my list. There is nothing wrong with Spanishdict at all, but I still prefer the other two. Spanishdict is great, because it gives you every possible definition of a word. (In Spanish 1 word can have 100 different meanings.) Wordreference and Linguee do this as well, but some people like Spanishdict's format better. Spanishdict also generates phrases like Linguee, but they are not as numerous. They are pretty accurate, however.          Spanishdict is different than the other two because it is dedicated completely to Spanish. The other two work with multiple languages. This allows Spanishdict to go beyond being just a basic dictionary/phrase translator. For example, it has a blog through which it gives quick Spanish lessons and provides a mini quiz afterwords. Since this blog is specifically about the best dictionaries for quick translations, Spanishdict did not come in first place, but I do think that it has much to offer for those who are learning Spanish. 
Conclusion
        There are various other good online dictionaries, but in my opinion these are the best of the best. Hopefully you found this article helpful. If so, please share, and/or subscribe. Also stay tuned for the next entry about the best dictionaries to learn Spanish slang. If your goal is to sound super native, you won't want to miss it!

Welcome to the Real Spanish podcast from Bilingüe Blogs. In this episode, you will learn the names of the vowels in Spanish, the sounds that the vowels make in comparison to the English vowels, the Purpose of this podcast, and who Melvin War is.
Feel free to visit https://bilingueblogs.blogspot.com/ for more Spanish learning tips, and lessons.  You can also check out the Bilingüe Blogs Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bilingueblogs. 
While you are at it make sure to check out the song in the intro and outro of this Podcast. Melvin War - Feel No Ways https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NebO-PMNRs If you enjoy this podcast, stick around for more and share it with other learners! 

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        I have given you all many methods and tips for learning Spanish but I have never told you which tools to use. This post is for those who need a little more guidance in regards to what to use to teach yourself Spanish or to help supplement you while you are taking separate courses. I will share my grammar books, vocabulary books, and also helpful reading books (found in the top right corner of the page). If you like the content from this post, please share it with others! Thank you! Feel Free To Purchase These Books. They Will Be Cheaper If You Purchase Them Through The Links That I Have Provided For You, And It Is Worth The Investment If You Really Want To Learn!

        Music always seems to comfort the brokenhearted. There are certain songs that speak to our hearts and put our pain into such poetic phrases that we cannot think of on our own. Others, like myself, just love sad songs even when they are not brokenhearted.  Since I loved sad songs, and I loved Spanish, I combined the two and started to listen to Spanish breakup songs in order to help me learn Spanish. I listened to the same songs over and over to use context clues to figure out the meaning of words. Also, I would take note of the popular words that were heard across the board from many songs.  Below is a list of my top 14 Spanish breakup songs (w/ lyrics). Since I know that everyone likes different genres, I tried my best to include songs for a all tastes of music. I also have them separated by reason for the breakup. Let me know what your favorite songs were from this list, and what songs you think I should have added to the list.

Just Truly Brokenhearted

1. Reik - Te Fuiste De Aqui (Pop)
English Translation - "You Went Away From Here"

Reik has SO MANY great heartbreak songs, that I thought about doing a post on them alone. This song here is so deep, and poetic.  I think that it has useful descriptions of how it feels when someone that you love breaks up with you. From the instrumental to the words, this is a great song to listen to, and also a great song from which to learn Spanish. If this is not your style, don't worry. There is are plenty of other options. 


2. Marc Anthony - No Sabes Como Duele (Salsa) English Translation - "You Don't Know How It Hurts"

This song is for the Salseros! (People who love Salsa).  One thing that I love about latin music is that you can dance to some of the sad songs. Even though the lyrics are about heartbreak, the instrumental is full of life and rhythm that makes you want to move. I love to dance around my kitchen to this type of stuff. Marc Anthony's voice is soothing, yet powerful at the same time making the song very easy to listen to. Go ahead and give this song a listen. See if you can get the gist of what he is saying.


3. Banda MS - A Lo Mejor (Banda) English Translation - "Maybe"
So he/she left you and you just don't know why, or how they could move on so fast if you were there true love.. Yeah the same thing happened here in this song. This song is sung with so much emotion as well as composed terrifically. Translate this one into English and see if it speaks to you. 



4. Vicente Fernandez - Por Tu Maldito Amor (Ranchera/Mexican) English Translation - "Because Of Your Cursed/Damned Love"
Before listening to this song, go ahead and grab yourself a cold one. This is one of those songs that you just drink to because you can hear the pain in Vicente's voice. The man is practically crying. I love the lyrics of this song. I feel like at one point I could relate to this song, so deciphering the lyrics was really fun to me, and when I could fully understand the song, I would sing it at the top of my lungs. If you dno't like Mexican music, give this one a try anyway. You may be surprised. 
Tired Of Their Crap

5. Romeo Santos ft Mario Domm - Rival (Pop) English Translation - "Rival"


These 2 kings of poetry came together to create this masterpiece. This song talks about a rocky relationship that you just can't stand anymore. If you've been there before, check this one out. Learn what they are saying and blast it at 100% in your car every time thoughts of that relationship pop into your head!


6. Bachata Heightz - Dime Porque (Bachata) English Translation - "Tell Me Why"
You must know that modern day Bachata is pretty much Latin R&B. This song right here is an example of the influence that R&B has had on this Dominican genre. Many of my haircutting clients loved this song when I would play it, and I think you will to. If you've been wronged before and never got closure listen to this smooth song and try to interpret what is being said, while feeling it at the same time!


7. Bad Bunny - Soy Peor (Trap) English Translation - "I'm Worse"
Yes! Latin Trap does exist, and this is the first trap song that I have heard about a broken heart. I'm sure that more exist, but I don't really listen to trap music. If your ex created a numb, careless, monster out of you, then you already know what to do with this song. This song is the real deal, and lets you hear some Puerto Rican slang.


8. Jesse y Joy - La De La Mala Suerte (Pop) Enlgish Translation - "The One With The Bad Luck"
He just couldn't get it right.. All she wanted was for him to love her honestly and sincerely Unfortunately, just like her other attempts at love, she ended up hurt again because of her "bad luck". You've been there before huh? Well, listening to this will touch your soul!
So.. You're the one who messed up this time..




9. Aventura - El Perdedor (Bachata)
English Translation - "The Loser"

If one man won't do it, another man will. If you didn't treat her right and lost her to another who did, and you now hate the guy that took her from you, this is your song. I've almost been there before. regardless, I love the song!



10. Reik - Ciego (Pop)
English Translation - "Blind"


This song is for those of us who lost our significant other because we didn't see their worth, and now we regret it. You'll feel it when the course hits. It'll make you wanna sit in a chair in the corner and cry. Go ahead and translate it. 

11. Camila - Alejate de mi (Rock) English Translation - "Leave Me"


You faked who you were in the beginning to win her heart, but now you feel guilty because you see how wonderful she truly is, so you let her know how bad you really are and give her the choice to leave.. Yeah.. No one ever does that, but in this song it happened. How considerate!

Agreeing To Let It Go


12. Reik - Con La Cara En Alta (Ballad/Rock)
English Translation - "With Our Heads Up"

Trying to end it on a good note with no hard feelings? Guess it's better than ending it as enemies who hate eachother... 



 13. Luis Fonsi - Se Supone (Ballad)
English Translation -  "They Suppose/It Is Supposed"

"Just because you guys split doesn't mean that the feelings magically disappeared. I'm still cool with your family, and I miss you." That's the moral of this song. Luis Fonsi is one of the strongest singers out there in any language. Listen and enjoy while attempting to grasp the language. 




14. Selena Quintanilla - No Me Queda Mas (Ballad)
English Translation - "I Don't Have Any Other Option."

Selena had so much hope that it would work out, but she had no other option but to give up. such a sad and common story to us all. Have fun interpreting this beautiful song! #RIPSelena

I learned about half of my Spanish through songs like these. You can do it too if you really try to see what they are saying and take notes of common words. This is a fun way to do it, other wise you have to read boring books and other stuff that you can't relate to. Why hate learning when you can enjoy it? As I mentioned before please let me know what you think of my list. Do you agree with it? Or do you wish I had added something else. I'd love to hear your opinion. If you liked this post. Please share! Thanks!