In this 2 part lesson we help you test your Spanish Pronunciation in this fun quiz. Pronunciation is so very important and is often overlooked by many students. Don’t make that mistake! Come and test your Spanish pronunciation with us and have a laugh at the same time. To see more about our BOOKS, just click HERE. If you want to receive two lessons a week from Gordon and Cynthia of LightSpeed Spanish, just click HERE . Remember: Use the FREEMONTH coupon code to get your first month free. Be sure...
Nov 12, 2021•26 min
In this lesson we help you really get to grips with the meanings of Se trata de vs Trata de. They both mean: To be about, yet they are very different. Come and join us and find out how to manage Se trata de vs Trata de and have a laugh at the same time. To see more about our books just go HERE . If you want to receive two lessons a week from Gordon and Cynthia of LightSpeed Spanish, just click HERE . Remember: Use the FREEMONTH coupon code to get your first month free. Be sure to check out our o...
Oct 22, 2021•17 min
In this lesson we help you to test your Gustar and we focus on the A1-A2. Come and join us and see how you do! Remember, after you test your Gustar, visit our website to brush up on the areas that you need help with. You’ll find lots of free content in our Videocasts. To see more about our books , just go HERE . If you want to become a Socio of LightSpeed Spanish, just click HERE . Remember: Use the FREEMONTH coupon code to get your first month free. Be sure to check out our other Spanish studen...
Oct 01, 2021•21 min
In this lesson we help you to test your Spanish level and we focus on the A1-A2. Come and join us and see how you do! Come and join us and test your Spanish level with a fun test. To see more about our books , just go HERE . If you want to become a Socio of LightSpeed Spanish, just click HERE . Remember: Use the FREEMONTH coupon code to get your first month free. Be sure to check out our other Spanish student videocasts here . We release a new videocast each week and vary the level from Beginner...
Sep 03, 2021•19 min
In this lesson we look at the way we use Alguno vs Ninguno and the curious rules that surround these words. Come and have some fun and learn how to navigate your way the Alguno vs Ninguno puzzle. To see more about our Ser and Estar book, just go HERE . If you want to become a Socio of LightSpeed Spanish, just click HERE . Remember: Use the FREEMONTH coupon code to get your first month free. Be sure to check out our other Spanish student videocasts here . We release a new videocast each week and ...
Aug 20, 2021•14 min
In this lesson we have some fun looking at Spanish greetings and the difference between: Igualmente vs Tú también. Although sometimes these two sentences can be used in the same situation, sometimes they can’t be! Come and find out more about Igualmente vs Tú también. If you want to become a Socio of LightSpeed Spanish, just click HERE . Remember: Use the FREEMONTH coupon code to get your first month free. Be sure to check out our other Spanish student videocasts here . We release a new videocas...
Jul 16, 2021•22 min
In this lesson we help you with the Spanish Do for emphasis, for example when we say: I don’t have a dog but I do have a cat. Come and join us and have some fun while you learn about the Spanish DO. If you would like to know more about the Balcony of Terror book for kiddies, then go to our range of books! HERE For those of you interested in becoming a Socio of LightSpeed Spanish, just click HERE . Remember: Use the FREEMONTH coupon code to get your first month free. Be sure to check out our othe...
May 28, 2021•18 min
In this lesson we talk about the putting verbs like Meter vs Poner and how we can know when to use each one. We also cover the key verb Colocar along with some phrasal putting verbs that can catch us out. Learn more about Meter vs Poner here. Be sure to watch to the end where we have a good old laugh about the mistakes that we have made. To get your beginners verb conjugation course, just go HERE . Be sure to check out our other Spanish student videocasts here . We release a new videocast each w...
Apr 30, 2021•19 min
In this lesson we talk about using Pero or Sino and what the differences are between them. They both can mean But, and are often used wrongly. To learn more about Pero or Sino, come and join us now! Be sure to check out our other Spanish student videocasts here . We release a new videocast each week and vary the level from Beginner to Advanced. If you would like to have regular lessons with Gordon and Cynthia, why not consider joining our Ser Socio subscriber group HERE . The first month is free...
Apr 16, 2021•15 min
In this lesson we talk about lots of verbs like Gustar and how we can use them easily. Pay special attention to the verbs that a non-native Spanish speaker wouldn’t choose, like Faltar, Sobrar and Quedar. Come and sharpen up your verbs like Gustar with Gordon and Cynthia. Be sure to check out our other Spanish student videocasts here . We release a new videocast each week and vary the level from Beginner to Advanced. If you would like to have regular lessons with Gordon and Cynthia, why not cons...
Mar 05, 2021•13 min
In this lesson we test your use of Gustar and test your Spanish listening ear in a fun conversation about how Gustar works. If you want to really test your use of Gustar, then this is the lesson for you! If you would like to take a look at our free videocasts the click HERE . To browse our range of Helpsheets to really get your Spanish going, then just click HERE . Un saludo, Gordon y Cynthia:) Video for This Spanish Lesson As well as the lessons that you receive as a Socio, we also offer many o...
Feb 05, 2021•14 min
In this lesson we help you to understand SER and ESTAR with some easy to follow concepts that include a banana and some sand. Come and join us for some great information on how to understand SER and ESTAR and on how to use them the way native speakers do! Un saludo, Gordon y Cynthia:) Video for This Spanish Lesson As well as the lessons that you receive as a Socio, we also offer many other resources to help you make your Spanish move forward at a pace. Free Videocasts Take a look at our range of...
Dec 31, 2020•14 min
In this lesson we laugh our way through the main issues that we have with Spanish pronunciation and we offer some tips on how you can improve your soft Rs. This is the first in the new series of videocasts for all levels. So, if you want to develop some great Spanish pronunciation, then this is the lesson for you! Un saludo, Gordon y Cynthia:) Video for This Spanish Lesson As well as the lessons that you receive as a Socio, we also offer many other resources to help you make your Spanish move fo...
Dec 04, 2020•18 min
Why check my Spanish listening skills? There really is something very strange about what happens to people when they embark on the task of learning Spanish. In our experience, the vast majority of students only want to read and write most of the time. Of course, we know fine well why this is. Reading and writing is a very safe part of learning a language. We have time, we can ponder at our leisure about the meaning of something or how we should structure a particular sentence. What is more, when...
Nov 24, 2015•12 min
Des in Spanish. In this podcast Cynthia and I realised something very important. That was that the verbs with DES in Spanish don’t always have a logical explanation to them. Of course, we have the same kind of verbs in English, only in English they tend to have many and varied prefixes. Sometimes there’s a pattern, sometimes there most certainly isn’t. Some examples. So, let’s take a look at some of the verbs that start with DES in Spanish and see how they work: Destruir = Destroy Here we have a...
Nov 22, 2015•10 min
Lo in Spanish. So, just what is Lo in Spanish and what does it mean? Well, to answer the first question, LO is what we call an indirect pronoun. What that means is that it is a shortened version of certain Spanish words and we use it to speed up our spoken and written language. What it means. (Most of the time.) What Lo in Spanish means is the following: Him/It. Some examples of this would be: Lo conocí en Berlín. = I met him in Berlin. ¿Lo has visto? = Have you seen it? So, the job of LO in Spa...
Nov 19, 2015•11 min
What is so special about the verb Poder in Spanish? Well, that’s an interesting question. A more appropriate one, however, would be: What’s so special about the verb To Be Able in English? Because to be frank, it’s quite weird and very irregular in English. That’s not to say that the verb Poder in Spanish is any less irregular. However, there’s something strange about how we use the To Be Able verb in English that causes us to have problems when we try to use the verb Poder in Spanish. Are you a...
Oct 15, 2015•13 min
What is the Definite article in Spanish? Good question. Before we start to talk about how to use it, we had better clear up just what on earth it is. Actually, when you think about what it’s called, for once the grammatical name that they’ve given it actually makes sense. The definite article in English is THE. The definite article in Spanish is EL, LA, LOS, LAS. The name makes sense for once! If you think about it, when we say: ‘The cat next door.’ we are referring to a definite, actual, real, ...
Oct 08, 2015•11 min
Spanish Prepositions….What the devil are they? Basically, these words are the glue that sticks sentences together. They are words like: with, without, for, from, between, to, along with many, many more. They are the words we use in our own mother tongue with grace, heightened ability and class. However, when it comes to using them in Spanish, everything seems to go a bit ‘patas arriba’. They are the little words. Without even knowing that they were talking about Spanish prepositions, so many of ...
Oct 01, 2015•11 min
Spanish Culture and Gestures. I recall one of the very first times I went to Spain to visit my wife’s family and was introduced to her ‘tía Maribel’. Maribel was chatting animatedly with me and mid flow, without any warning she stuck her two fingers up at me. My immediate reaction was one of shocked surprise. Why? Because in the U.K., that gesture can have three meanings. Two are wonderful, one is terrible and it all depends on which way your hand is facing. Peace/Victory or Vete a la Mi…da. If ...
Jul 16, 2015•13 min
Let’s help you to know how to say ANY in Spanish. What’s really interesting is the fact that in English we use ANY in a couple of ways. We have this way: 1, Do you have any glue in your workshop? and then there’s this kind of ‘any’: 2, I don’t want just any! This difference causes Spanish speakers no end of confusion because in their language they have two distinct words to express these sentiments. In example number 1, the ‘any’ is translated as ‘algún pegamento’ (Other options are: alguno/algu...
Jun 16, 2015•15 min
Your Listening Spanish Test. In this Podcast we offer you a story about a concert that we went to in Barcelona. It was a show put on by Mónica Naranjo to celebrate her 40th birthday. Mónica has probably the best, strongest voice in the whole of Spain and yet during her career her music has maintained a cult status in the world of pop. Her fans adore her and she has gained a massive gay following which is palpably visible in the audience of her concerts. Mónica’s style is theatrical, avantgarde a...
May 12, 2015•14 min
The confusion around Spanish Pronunciation One of the most confusing issues with Spanish pronunciation is knowing how we should pronounce the Y and the LL, closely followed by the B and the V. In this podcast we cover the correct way to pronounce these letters according to what is called ‘Received Pronunciation’. For those not familiar with this expression, it simply means the way that we should speak if we were to use standard Spanish. (That’s free of regional accent.) Of course, the issue is t...
Feb 20, 2015•12 min
Learning grammar is so important for any student of the Spanish language. In fact, it’s a vital part of building up your listening skill. However, there comes a time when the grammar needs to be put to one side and the real work of listening to a genuine conversation in Spanish needs to happen. The Right and the Wrong way to listen to a Spanish podcast. Yes, that’s right! There is a right and a wrong way to listen to Spanish being spoken. Over the years we have come across many people who do not...
Jan 06, 2014•11 min
Learning Spanish ConversationIn the past One of the most frequent reasons we hear for people learning Spanish is so that they can have “a chat” with the locals in their favourite holiday resort. Naturally, “a chat” can mean many things to many people and there are different levels of “chatting” that go from asking someone how they are to asking their opinion on the political climate. During the 90’s in the U.K. there was a surge in the number of people learning Spanish. This was because 80% of p...
Dec 31, 2013•10 min
Easy Spanish? This may sound like a cliché and let’s be clear, what we are saying here is NOT the following: Easy Spanish in one weekend! Easy Spanish with 300 words! Easy Spanish without verbs! or even Easy Spanish whilst you sleep! and the best we’ve seen, Easy Spanish without studying! Así no se hace. No, no, no. Our suggestion is to steer clear of anything that claims to be magical. When we say, Easy Spanish, what we are referring to are ways to make your Spanish easier to use. There are man...
Dec 29, 2013•10 min
What is the Spanish Conditional Tense? The Spanish Conditional tense is a frequently used and important part of Spanish grammar. Its job, in essence, is to give a sense of what could be, what should be, or what would be possible. An old English teacher of mine called it the EXCUSE tense. He said that if he could, he would ban it from use. His reasoning was that when people used it, it more than often was their way of saying they weren’t going to do something. Most often, it’s followed by the wor...
Nov 30, 2013•11 min
An Adverb? Before we look at what a Spanish adverb is, we had better examine just what an adverb is. These are probably one of the little understood parts of English grammar. In fact, so misunderstood are they that they are often omitted from spoken language. An ADVERB is, as it’s name implies, an ADJECTIVE (describing word) that pretends to be a VERB (doing word). How it does that is by tagging LY to its end. So, for example, let’s think of the adjective HAPPY. We know we use it to say things l...
Nov 30, 2013•12 min
Here and There in Spanish. Have you ever been confused by the different words for Here and There in Spanish? There are certainly more than you might imagine. Perhaps you have heard a Spanish speaker say: “Ven aquí.” only to hear another say: “Ven para acá.” Or have you heard someone say: “El mercado está allá.” only to hear someone else say: ” La estación está allí”. Then, of course, there’s always the option of saying: “Mira, está ahí.” Faced with this confusion about just how to say Here and T...
Nov 14, 2013•10 min
Have you wondered how to say, AGO in Spanish? Just as in English, in Spanish there is a specific way to say: “Ten years ago.” or, “Three weeks ago” At first, it might seem a little confusing, given that Spanish speakers put the “Ago” in a different place to us, and that rather than saying, “Ago”, they say, “It makes”. Yes, that’s right. The equivalent Spanish phrase to the English, “Ten years ago .” is “It makes ten years ” Why do they use Hace? There is no real answer to this question. In fact,...
Nov 13, 2013•11 min
