Since the points of the compass — el norte (north), el este (east), el oeste (west) and el sur (south) — are all masculine, why would you ever want to say la sur in referring to something southern? That question and more are answered in our newest lesson, on Spanish gender and agreement, in our Real Spanish Grammar series. As with the other lessons in the series, you may get most out of the lesson by translating the opening paragraph as best as you can before proceeding.

Now that "Sí, se puede" has become a rallying cry of those who support the immigration reform bill that is making its way through the U.S. Congress, the question is being asked again: Does "sí, se puede" mean "yes, we can"?

Rather than rehash the issue, I'll direct you to two earlier conversations on this blog: a 2006 post "Does ‘Sí, Se Puede’ Mean 'Yes, We Can'?" and its 2008 followup. We had a great conversation the first time around and a few good comments the second time as well.

Meanwhile, here's my short answer: Read More...

This is a guest blog post from Charlie Courtis, who works with Latinos in a Georgia prison ministry:

A short story about learning a language:

Around 1941-42 (when I was 6 years old) the Normandie, the French Line steamship, burned and capsized in Pier 88 on the Hudson River. The chef of the ship came to live with us in Greenwich Village for about a year, and I was introduced to the French language by virtue of the fact that the chef, Balistra, spoke no English. I call it table French, but the accent and the most basic words were linked in my brain. In 1950 mom and dad took me and my sister to southern France for the summer. I played with the kids in the neighborhood around the hotel where we stayed for most of that time. I can still read the newspaper and get what I need in France.

No books, no vocabulary, and voilà, I could communicate at my level. Read More...