Like in the English language, the Spanish language has both indefinite and definite articles that communicate if we are referring to something specific or to something general. We use definite articles when we are discussing a specific noun and indefinite articles when discussing a general noun. For example, if we are talking about a specific …
Un Gato, El Gato: Indefinite and Definite Articles Read More »
One of the most confusing parts in the experience of learning the Spanish language can be the verbs ser and estar. Both these verbs have the same meaning as English language verb to be but are used in different ways. The simplest way to think about the difference is that ser is used when speaking …
Does the United States have an official language? In short, no, but in reality it is a much more complicated issue that can be difficult to understand. The original constitution of the United States did not enshrine any particular language as the official language, and there continues to be no federal legislation declaring any one …
The United States and the Battle for an Official Language Read More »
The Spanish language is becoming increasingly important in the United States every year, with more Spanish speakers coming into the country both as tourists and as new residents. Since 1990 the number of native Spanish language speakers in the United States has increased from 11 million to 41 million. This demographic is more important than …
Spanish Language: An Integral part of the History of the United States Read More »
It is common to hear Spanish language words like bodega, fiesta or burritos daily across the United states. With 45 million Spanish language speakers, the Spanish language is influencing the everyday language of Americans. With many immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries, words for Mexican and other Latin foods are pervasive. Culturally significant …
Blending Cultures: Spanish Words English Speakers Use Everyday Read More »
If you drive through California you will quickly notice places with Spanish sounding names such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Sacramento and many many more. A first-time visitor would be forgiven for thinking California is an officially Spanish speaking state. However, such as in many areas throughout the United States, California has numerous …
Differences between Spanish dialects and accents spoken around the world can vary considerably from country to country or even from town to town, but none more so than between Spain and Latin America. Spain may be the mother of the language, but like most children’s relationship to their parents, Latin America has differentiated itself over …
Differences between Spanish from Spain and that of Latin America Read More »
One of the more difficult aspects when translating a written document into Spanish, particularly as a native English speaker, is determining the proper placement of accents. The English language does not employ accents, and as such this can be a new and difficult concept to properly master. When translating a document from English into Spanish, …
Accentuating Clarity: The Importance of using proper Accents in Spanish Writing Read More »
Speakers of the Spanish language span an incredibly large portion of the globe, from Europe to both South and Central America, and even the Philippines. It’s relatively easy to understand that there may be variations between local dialects of Spanish in areas that are geographically very separate from each other such as between Spain and …
Tú and Usted: Respecting the Boundaries Translating documents from English to Spanish in this day and age of globalization is essential for many businesses. It can be tempting to attempt these translations on your own, especially if you or someone you know has a reasonable grasp of the Spanish language. Translations, however, are best left …
