Tapas
Tapas are small portions of hot or cold food. [Las tapas son pequeñas porciones de comida caliente o fría.] Many people believe this tradition started in Andalusia (a region of Southern Spain). [Muchas personas piensan que esta tradición se inició en Andalucía (una región del sur de España).] In Andalusia it is customary to “cover” the wine glass with a saucer to keep the flies out. [En Andalucía se acostumbra “cubrir” la...
Chorizo in Spanish
Chorizo can be purchased two ways. As fresh sausage [salchicha fresca] or as a fermented, cured, smoked sausage [salchicha fermentado, curado, ahumado]. Fresh chorizo must be cooked before eating [debe ser cocinado antes de comer]. Like any fresh sausage it should be cooked in a pot or baked in the oven, fried [cocinado en una olla o cocido al horno, frito] – whole or sliced [entero o...
Spanish Dictionaries
Spanish Dictionaries See also Spanish Dictionaries Online, Spanish Grammar Books If you are going to study Spanish, you will need a good Spanish dictionary. I have several different Spanish-English and Spanish-Spanish dictionaries over the years, including small pocket dictionaries and large hard-cover books. This page offers a few tips on which dictionaries are best for the average Spanish language student. Start with a good, pocket...
Spanish Grammar Books
Spanish Grammar Books Learning Spanish grammar may not be the most exciting thing in the world but it is an essential part of learning the language. Whether you are taking Spanish classes, working with a tutor, or studying on your own, you’ll need a good grammar book. On this page I’ve described some of the books that I found most helpful when I was learning Spanish. Spanish the Easy Way My favorite Spanish grammar book is...
Spanish Newspapers
Spanish Newspapers If you are an intermediate or advanced Spanish student, I recommend setting your homepage to one of the Spanish newspapers listed on this page. This will give you regular exposure to the Spanish language and will help keep you focused on your studies. As an added benefit you’ll learn about what’s going on in other parts of the world and expand your global view. I’ve spent a lot of time in Buenos...