Lifelong Learning in Foreign Language Teaching: The Secret to True Language Mastery

Unlock the secret to true language mastery! Dive into the world of lifelong learning in foreign language teaching, where every conversation becomes a lesson and passion meets proficiency. Are you ready to transform your language journey? Unlock the secret to true language mastery! Dive into the world of lifelong learning in foreign language teaching, where every conversation becomes a lesson and passion meets proficiency. Are you ready to transform your language journey?

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Must know Spanish Phrases That Gets you Talking

Starting to learn a new language can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to grammar and vocabulary. But don’t worry, you can start by learning simple Spanish phrases and expressions to begin communicating right away.

By mastering just a few basic expressions, you'll be able to handle basic interactions such as greeting people, making small talk, ordering in a restaurant, and more. So let’s get started!

Hola.Hello.Buenos días.Good morning.

Buenas tardes.Good afternoon.Strictly speaking, you should change buenos días to buenas tardes right after noon. 

Buenas noches.Good evening. / Goodnight.Buenas noches is both a greeting and a way to say goodbye. Here are a couple of examples:

  • Buenas noches, ¿tienen mesa para dos? → “Good evening. Do you have a table for two?”

  • Nos vemos mañana. Que descanses, buenas noches. → “See you tomorrow. Sleep well, goodnight.”

As we’ve just seen, buenas noches is a common way to say goodbye . Here are some others:

Adiós.Bye.

Hasta luego.Bye. / See you later.In some regions in Spain, hasta luego is even more common than adiós

Hasta pronto. See you soon.

Nos vemos.See you.

Que vaya bien.Wish you well. / Have a nice one.

Que tengas un buen día. 
[informal]

Que tenga un buen día. 
[formal]

Have a nice day.


Cuidase.Take care.



If you’re meeting someone for the first time, here are some polite Spanish phrases you can use to introduce yourself:

Me llamo…I’m…Soy…I am…


Mi nombre es…My name is…The three expressions above mean basically the same thing. However, Me llamo… is the most common one, and Mi nombre es… is the most formal one.

  • Encantada de conocerle, me llamo Rosita. → “Nice to meet you, I’m Rosita.”

  • Buenas tardes, señor. Mi nombre es Marcos. → “Good afternoon, sir. My name is Marcos.”


¿Cómo te llamas? What’s your name?


Encantado de conocerte.
[masculine]

Encantada de conocerte.
[feminine]Nice to meet you.


Mucho gusto. Nice to meet you.

¿De dónde es? Where are you from?

Soy de…I’m from…

Here are some informal ways to engage a conversation.

¿Qué tal? How's it going? / How are you doing?

¿Cómo estás?How are you?

¿Cómo va? How's it going?The three expressions above mean more-or-less the same thing, and they can be used in most conversations. However, each one has a slightly different shade. 

"¿Qué tal?" is a versatile expression that can serve as a greeting. It can be used to inquire about the well-being of the other person, to ask about a specific situation, or simply as a friendly greeting without expecting a response.

¿Cómo estás? is also used mainly as a small talk phrase. You wouldn't expect the other person to get too deep with their answer unless it's someone close to you or if you have an intimate conversation.

¿Cómo va? is even more casual and generic than the two expressions mentioned above. It can be used as a greeting, too.

¡Hola, Amanda! ¿Cómo va?¿Qué tal, Jaime? 

Estoy bien, gracias.I’m well, thank you.

Que te recuperes pronto.Get well soon.

Me alegro de verte.It is good to see you.

Saluda a … de mi parte. Say hello to … on my behalf.

Now that we got the greetings and introductions, let’s try to keep the conversation going! In this section, you’ll learn the most basic Spanish phrases for beginners that will help you master polite conversations with native Spanish speakers.

Here are the most important courtesy phrases in Spanish:

Gracias.Thank you.

Muchas gracias. Thank you so much.

De nada. You’re welcome.

Por favor.Please.

Perdón can be used in various forms. If you want to directly appeal to the person you’re saying sorry to, you can say the informal version (perdona) or the polite way (perdone). These words can also be used as a way to say “excuse me.”

But if you’re apologizing for something really serious, you should say perdóname (“forgive me”).

  • Perdón. Sorry.

  • Perdone, ¿me podría decir adónde al museo?  → “Excuse me, could you tell me where the museum is?”

  • No debería comer su burrito , perdóname. → “I shouldn’t have eaten your burrito, please forgive me.”

    Lo siento. I'm sorry.

  • Disculpa. 
    [informal]

    Disculpe. 
    [formal]Excuse me.

  • No te preocupes. Don't worry.

    No pasa nada. No worries.

Lo siento. I’m sorry.

No te preocupes.Don’t worry.

No pasa nada. No worries

Dining & Shopping Phrases

Dining out and going to the local Spanish-speaking shops will give you great opportunities to practice your Spanish. If you go to a restaurant, you´ll be able to politely ask for a table or order some food. Or when you go to shops, you’ll need to know how much the item you would like to buy.

  • ¿Podría ayudarme, por favor? Could you help me, please?

  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? How much is it?

  • ¿Cuánto es? How much is it?

  • ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? Can I pay with a credit card?

  • ¿Puedo pagar con efectivo? Can I pay with cash?

  • ¿Tienen mesa para + number+ personas? Do you have a table for … people?

  • Querría una mesa para … personas por favor. - I’d like a table for … people.

  • Tengo una reservación. I have a reservation.

  • Querría pedir…I’d like to order…

  • No como…I don’t eat…

  • Soy vegetariano / vegano. 
    [masculine]

  • Soy vegetariana / vegana. 
    [feminine]I’m a vegetarian / vegan.

Asking for Help

Some of the most common situations where you might need to speak Spanish is when you’re in need of assistance.

  • ¿Habla inglés? Do you speak English?

  • No le entiendo, lo siento. I don’t understand you, I’m sorry.

  • No hablo muy bien el español. I don’t speak Spanish properly.

  • ¿Cómo se dice … en español? How do you say … in Spanish?

  • ¿Dónde está…? Where is…?

  • ¿Cómo puedo llegar a…? How can I get to…?

  • ¡Ayuda!/¡Socorro! Help!

  • Necesito un médico. I need a doctor.

  • Llama a una ambulancia. Call an ambulance.

5. Final Thoughts

In this guide, you’ve learned the most common Spanish expressions for different situations. It’ll be a useful tool for you as you navigate your very first conversations in Spanish, and you can always refer back to it even as you progress in your studies. 

Happy Learning

Techniques to Assess the Foreign Language Level of Adult Student

Gauging the proficiency of adult students can be a challenging task. Let’s learn and dive into techniques that assess their linguistic capabilities and weave a fabric of trust and understanding. Discover how prior experiences, nuanced questioning, and keen observation can unveil a learner's true language potential, ensuring a tailored educational journey for every student

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Beginning Spanish for Medical Professionals-Making commands

The imperative mood is a helpful tool for giving instructions, whether for exams, follow-up explanations, or prescriptions, giving directions, or simply informing your patient what you want him or her to do.

Let’s take a look at the “Usted” form in the chart below. When talking to your patients I will recommend in using the “Usted” form.

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To make an usted command, use the él/ella/usted form of the present simple subjunctive. To review, it takes three steps to form the subjunctive:

  1. Conjugate the verb in the yo form. (Hablar becomes hablo, tener becomes tengo, decir becomes digo.)

  2. Remove the –o. (Habl-, teng-, dig-)

You didn’t think I was going to leave you hanging without the other endings, did you? I only suggested when talking to the patients to use the “usted form”

AR: -e, -es, -e, -emos -éis, -en
ER: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an
IR: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an

In English the same form of the verb is used in the present tense as is used in the command form.

Present Tense Command Tense

I take pills everyday Take your pills.

Yo tomo las pastillas cada día. Tome las pastillas.

Here are some common “-AR” verbs that are used in the medical field.

To tell someone to not do something.use the following sentences structureNo + verbo (presente del subjuntivo) + complemento.  "Don't" + verb (present subjunctive) + complement.

To tell someone to not do something.use the following sentences structure

No + verbo (presente del subjuntivo) + complemento.
"Don't" + verb (present subjunctive) + complement.


And here are some common “ER and IR” verbs

To tell someone to not do something.No + verbo (presente del subjuntivo) + complemento.  "Don't" + verb (present subjunctive) + complement.

To tell someone to not do something.

No + verbo (presente del subjuntivo) + complemento.
"Don't" + verb (present subjunctive) + complement.


In Spanish, for regular verbs, the last letter is different in the present tense yo form and in the command form. (There are a few other letter changes in irregular verbs and the g-changing verbs in the yo form that you will see. Here is the formation of conjugating irregular verbs.

Note: With these verbs, as with regular verbs, add -e, -en to -ar verbs and add -a, -an to -er and -ir verbs.

Note: With these verbs, as with regular verbs, add -e, -en to -ar verbs and add -a, -an to -er and -ir verbs.

To make a command with an irregular verb:

Here is a list of typical commands or structures that you will use frequently. We highly suggest memorizing the ones in the left-hand column that you use repeatedly. You may find the ones in the right-hand column (Favor de + infinitive—the shortcut!) to be easier to use, particularly if you draw a blank or if you only refer to them from time to time. Memorize the ones that you handle with the most ease. But, at least now, you can understand how they are formed and can deduce how to do so with other verbs not included here.

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Conversation time.png

Let’s use some of the following vocabulary and use it to give a physical exam!

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DOCTORA: Buenas tardes, señora… Hoy necesito examinarle. ¿Okey? Primero, voy a examinar sus ojos. Por favor, mire la luz. Bueno, saque la lengua, por favor. Gracias. Por favor, abra la boca y diga “Ah.” Trague, por favor. Gracias. Ahora, quiero escuchar sus pulmones. Respire profundo por la boca, por favor. Otra vez… otra vez. Tosa, por favor. Acuéstese. Doble las rodillas, por favor. Relájese, necesito palpar su estómago. Gracias. Siéntese otra vez. Afloje la pierna… gracias. Bueno, es todo. Puede vestirse ahora (Puede ponerse la ropa), y regreso en un momento .

Please answer these questions and send the answers to me at my profile at TakeLessons

1. ¿Qué va a examinar el doctor primero? _____________________________________________________________

2. ¿Qué dice el doctor de la luz?

______________________________________________________________

3. Favor de escribir cinco cosas que el doctor dice al paciente.

1.___________________________________________________________2.___________________________________________________________3.___________________________________________________________4.___________________________________________________________5.___________________________________________________________

Beginning Spanish for School Educators

As you begin to learn Spanish, there are some expressions that are key to greeting, introducing yourself, getting to know the parents, students, and support staff in your school. While you are studying these expressions, please note that Spanish has both a formal and an informal way to address a person (you). If you are talking to someone older, someone you are meeting for the first time, or someone in a higher position like a boss or a supervisor, you should use usted (Ud.) [OOS-TEHD]. After knowing the person for a while, or after they ask you to address them informally, family and friends you may use the tú [too] form. Keep in mind that Spanish-speaking countries, parents and children use usted [OOS-TEHD] to address their teachers and in some countries, parents use the usted [OOS-TEHD] form to make an authorative statement. When you address a student, you will normally use the tú [too] form, but at times—such as to emphasize the serious nature of what you are saying—you may use the usted [OOS-TEHD] form when addressing him or her.

GREETINGS

To start off a conversation you can always start with the most basics of greetings.

Greetings1.png

If you want to introduce yourself and others, there are a couple of ways to do this in Spanish.


Terms Made Easy.png

If you are the person being introduced, you may respond with any of the following expressions.



A pleasure. Mucho gusto

It's a pleasure meeting you Es un placer


In Spanish, when you are talking about a teacher or other person with a title, you use the definite article (el, la, los, las [ehl, lah, lohs, lahs]) with the title,For example, if I wanted to say ¨She is Mrs Ruiz the Spanish teacher.” It would be “ Ella esla Señora Ruiz la maestra de español.”


To ask “How are you”  there are 2 ways to learn


How are you?     ¿Cómo estás? ( koh-moh ehs-tahs) (Informal)

How are you?     ¿Cómo está? ( koh-moh ehs-tah) (formal)


Responses

I’m fine thank you, and yourself?  ¿Estoy bien gracias, y usted? ehs-toi bee-ehn grah-see-ahs)

I’m great!    ¡Muy bien! (Mooi bee-ehn)

I’m worried    Estoy muy preocupada.


To say goodbye, there are various ways of doing this besides saying ADIOS (ah-dee-ohs)- goodbye

Have a great day! Que le vaya bien (keh leh vah-yah bee-ehn)


To say goodbye to your students, colleagues and parents for when there is an event that you know you will see them again.


ways to say goodbye.png

Other expressions you can use with “hasta” are

Next week La semana próxima

Next Month El mes próximo

Next Year El año próximo


Let’s do some exercises!

What would you say in Spanish? Use the expressions that we went over!

1. You have just met the parents of one of your students, and you want them to meet your student teacher. Introduce him/her. _________________________

2. You have met the mother of one of your students. During Parents' Night you are introduced to the father. What do you say? _________________________

3. At the end of Parents' Night, you want to say good-bye to the parents. What do you say? _________________________

4. Introduce yourself to the mother of one of your students. _________________________

5. It is Friday, and one of your students is leaving the classroom. Tell him/her that you will see him/her on Monday. _________________________

6. You have made an appointment with the parents of one of your students. They are supposed to come back next week. Tell them that you will see them then. _________________________


Why do we Sing?

Why do we sing instead of speak? It's an honest and serious question. Why do we? We can talk for hours but when it comes to singing we only get so lucky! Well, in singing there is an emotional meaning stronger than regular speech. Embracing this fundamental fact is the joy of singing; having control and understanding of it is the challenge of all vocalists.

What is it about what you’re feeling, what you’re experiencing, what you’re listening that must be sung? Getting specific and detailed with this question in every moment of a song is sure to bring out the clarity in one’s performance like no other point of analysis can. Close friends of mine who are professional performers have shared that, due to the size of the houses they perform in front of, details like these are essential to communicating the intimate details and to share their realizations alike to their fullest potential. However, it wasn’t the idea of performing and getting people engaged that brought this question to my immediate attention. Her voice had energy and sounded smooth. 

What inspired me to write this articles were my students. When they are singing a song  after class they get so expressive, they are sharing their emotion, sharing how they feel. One specific example: my 11 year old student was singing "Sad Song" by We the Kings thinking and showing how she felt about her crush. When singing becomes lazy, when vocals don’t appear motivated, when catchy riffs or embellished arrangements dominate a song above its message it becomes a burdensome thing to watch or it just makes you sleepy.

We sing because we feel a relation to a song and it is easier to express when we don't have the words to describe when speaking. It is a way that we can express us without not thinking about it. This is why we sing. Singing is the extension of communicating what we want to say and feel.