I Learn Spanish! … Julie Renton
Julie has made learning Spanish a lifelong dream, her drive and ambition have allowed her to remain consistent in her learning. Her persistence has paid off! Now in the midst of beginning level B1 (Upper Intermediate) she has come a long way since starting at El Patio in 2013! In this interview Julie shares her biggest secrets to successful learning.
La acompañante del tren (C1)
Not everything is as it appears with a lost little girl on a train! This cuento by Ana Ruiz is designed not only to thrill... but to help C1 (Advanced) students with their tenses: pretérito indefinido, pretérito imperfecto, pretérito pluscuamperfecto, condicional y pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo. This tale also comes with some helpful exercises and a translation at the end!
Cenicienta - una versión feminista (Cinderella - a feminist version) (B1-C1)
What if Cinderella never needed Prince Charming after all?
Lynne Ellis, a long-term, advanced student of El Patio entered her twist on a traditional fairytale for our Short Story Competition. Cinderella is re-imagined as a strong, independent, educated woman who escapes the clutches of slavery!
I Teach Spanish! … Beatriz Solera
Meet Beatriz; Spanish language teacher, intrepid traveller and proud new mother! Read about her pathway to Spanish language tuition along with her advice to new and continuing students.
Beatriz has also provided us with a fun song exercise to share!
El Encuentro - The Encounter (B1/B2)
Ever met someones eyes in a bar and thought "Where do I know you from?" Perhaps you've never met at all... Sometimes people just have one of those faces... Or perhaps you've known this person all along.
A short story for levels Upper Intermediate and Advanced (B1/B2) with help in the uses of "se" in all its forms.
Saber Vs Conocer and other Spanglish dilemmas ... (A1-B1)
The temptation to translate English directly into Spanish, or vice versa, is a strong one! But this can lead many Spanish students into nasty traps!
Learn about just some of the words you can't use interchangeably or translate exactly from English: Saber and Conocer, Ir and Venir, Traer and Llevar, Preguntar and Pedir. Use them correctly and get into a Spanish mind!
I Teach Spanish! … Jorge Leiva
Meet Jorge! From growing up in Colombia, Venezuela and the United States, Jorge has settled in Australia as a multi-talented teacher.
His passion for music and language combine in his love of teaching. Read about Jorge's story as he discusses the good and bad of being a Spanish teacher in Australia. (And some advice to take onboard with you!)
La Colmena (B1)
A short tale (cuento) by Ana Ruiz designed for students at the B1 level (Upper Intermediate and above). Explore a hive of busy bees as they happily go about their daily business. From the queen to the humble worker, bees live fascinating lives. Yet there is a serious message to be taken from their tiny lives, as the gentle and fragile balance of nature is being disrupted ...
El camino de Santiago y otras aventuras en bici (The way to Santiago and other bicycle adventures)
¡Hola a todos! (Hello everyone!) I'm Rishi. I've been studying Spanish for 9 years, more or less 8 years at El Patio. Ana has asked me if I want to write a bit about my bicycle adventures in Europe, particularly those in Spain.
Soy Rishi. Hace 9 años que estudio español, más o menos 8 años en El Patio. Ana me ha preguntado si quiero escribir un poco de mis aventuras de bici en Europa, particularmente las de España.
Spanish Idioms - they "Crack us Up"! (A2-B2)
Idioms are often strange and unusual - yet sometimes the perfect way to express ourselves. Have you ever actually seen it "rain cats and dogs"? … in Spanish we'd say "llueve a cántaros" (it's raining buckets). Idioms are a great way to enter into a culture's unique way of thinking, a way to "get to the point". It really pays to learn one or two - you are so going to impress your Hispanic friends if you throw one in at the right moment. Read Ben Wright-Smith's amusing article with his illustrations - which "hit the nail on the head"!
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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…
