Staff Picks - Ben's Summer Playlist!
Suggestions for your summer listening - in Spanish!
Our first Spotify playlist of songs has been created by Ben Wright-Smith, not only one of our Melbourne admin assistants, but a singer-songwriter in his own right. Listen, follow or share!
The El Patio guide to dreams, visions and goals
Whether you're just starting your studies or have been studying for a while, the dream of speaking Spanish can sometimes feel a little distant.
Here we look at dreams, visions and goals, and how breaking things down into smaller parts can help you get where you want to go, little by little.
Spanish through Song - La cumbia del mole (all levels)
Music is a great way to approach language learning, as it can be a back door to your brain. As well as being a good way to learn new vocabulary, music carries culture, and in this case, more than one.
Mexican-American singer, Lila Downs, sings about MOLE, the thick, brown, spicy Mexican sauce. Mole is concocted by grinding together lots of ingredients - so it's apt that this song about a very Mexican sauce is deliciously mixed with a Colombian musical style, cumbia.
The Surprising Benefits of Being a Beginner
What is it to be a beginner? Is it something we get to leave behind? And if not, then how might the attitude of being a beginner help us as we learn?
Latin music heaven this weekend!
The Night Cat (137 Johnston St, Fitzroy) will be synced up with the Johnston St Hispanic Fiesta this weekend, November 18-19, 2016, putting on a festival of its own.
El adiós de Anisa (B2-C2)
Ana's latest story takes place during the final moments of Moorish Spain - in 1492 - a time when the world was changing fast. Written for students at advanced levels, it follows the exile of a young woman named Anisa, her hopes for her family of birth, but also the love she has found with her new kin.
Ana has crafted the story to reflect the time in which it is set, using words and expressions that trace the origins of Spanish we use today (if you look closely you'll see where of the terms ustedes and ojalá come from).
A beautiful story for anyone with an interest in the history of the Spanish language and in this pivotal point in the history of Spain.
What to expect on your first trip to Bolivia
Most first-timers to Bolivia say they have a love-hate relationship with this troubled country. Bolivia is the least developed country in South America. And it's true: there are many dangers but there are also some pretty wonderful and unique opportunities. It is a country with hundreds of worthy tourist attractions, but a nation not quite set up for tourism yet.
Here are just some of the things to expect:
Hay vs Está/Están (A1-B1)
Is there any …? Where is the …?
Do you get confused when asking trying to ask either of these questions? Differentiating is easy when you know why to use either Hay or Está/Están.
Spanish through Song - Me gustas tú (A1/A2)
Music touches us. It's a universal language that needs no translation. Language and music share stuff - rhythm, melody, pitch, volume, tone, pauses, stops.
Spanish through Song explores the artist, the lyrics and why you should incorporate it in your learning routine.
Let's look at Manu Chau's "Me gustas tú" - perhaps THE MOST USED SONG in Spanish language classes all over the world.
Learn Imperfecto and Indefinido using Poetry (A2/B1)
To help her students intuitively differentiate the Preterito Indefinido and Preterito Imperfecto tenses, Raquel designed a poetry exercise. The idea here was to use rhythm and rhyme to facilitate memorisation. Poetic form helped expand vocabulary while the task cemented the irregular conjugations of the two most confusing tenses.
What was the result?
Poems that are hilarious, abstract, entertaining yet still very grammatically useful!
Browse
- Beginners (principiantes)
- Courses (cursos)
- Events (eventos)
- Grammarbits (gramática)
- Learning (aprender)
- Level A1
- Level A2
- Level B1
- Level B2
- Level C1
- Recipes (recetas)
- Songs (canciones)
- Stories (cuentos)
- Students (estudiantes)
- Teachers (profesores)
- Travel (viajar)
Courses
- Popular Language
- Express Language
- Rápido Language
- Introductory Bargains
- Travel & Interest
- Workshops
- Intensives
- Online Modules
- Private Tuition
El Patio Tote Bag
What's cooler than a tote bag? A tote bag filled with your Spanish books - duh! But seriously, these bags are strong, made from natural canvas and built to last. Perfect size for your textbooks…
