Spanish History and Culture

Learn how Spanish developed from earlier languages, especially Latin, and how the varied cultures of its many native speakers continue to influence the language today.

  • Generational family watching girl blowing out birthday candles
    Las Mañanitas Mexican Birthday Song Lyrics
  • Spanish proverbs
    35 Spanish Proverbs, Quotes, and Sayings
  • Christopher Columbus
    How Did Colón Become Columbus?
  • Castile-Leon
    Where Did Spaniards Get Their ‘Lisp’ From?
  • Bridal couple near Tulum, Mexico on the beach with the sun and water in the background.
    How Spanish Surnames Are Created
  • Downtown San Diego, Calif.
    How is Diego the Same as James in Spanish?
  • Cinema in Bogota
    Most Popular Movies for Spanish-Language Students
  • Seville, Spain on a sunny day.
    Spain's Arab Connection Influenced the Language
  • What Is a Quinceañera and How Is It Celebrated?
  • Call Me Francis
    10 Spanish-Language Movies You Can Watch on Netflix
  • Chevy Nova
    The Chevy Nova That Wouldn't Go
  • Easter Mass in Spain
    Spanish Vocabulary for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter
  • A typical street scene in Centro in Havana, Cuba
    10 Myths About Spanish and the People Who Speak It
  • Miguel de Cervantes, Pioneering Novelist
  • People walking at La Rambla street during Christmas and New Year holidays in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
    Holidays of the Spanish-Speaking World
  • Jingle Bells
    'Jingle Bells' in Spanish
  • Los peces en el río
    Learn Christmas Song ‘Los Peces en el Río’ in Spanish and English
  • Memorial in Madrid, S0ain
    What You Need To Know About Spain
  • Silent Night, nativity scene in Compostela, Spain.
    Sing 'Silent Night' in Spanish
  • Origin of the piñata
    Piñata History and Meaning
  • Moon over Spain
    All About the Names of the Days of the Week in Spanish
  • partridge in a pear tree
    'The 12 Days of Christmas' in Spanish
  • Spanish in the United States
    5 Countries Where Spanish Is Spoken but Not Official
  • Alpaca
    When Spanish Words Become Our Own
  • Will Smith, a celebrity who learned Spanish
    Celebrities Who Speak Spanish as a Second Language
  • Mexican currency and coins
    Currencies and Monetary Terms for Spanish-Speaking Countries
  • La Natividad
    Oh santa noche (‘O Holy Night’ in Spanish)
  • Cathedral in Chiclayo, Peru, at Christmas.
    ‘Joy to the World’ in Spanish
  • Christmas sand sculpture from Canary Islands, Spain
    ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ in Spanish
  • Almudena Cathedral
    ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ in Spanish
  • Segovia
    Why Spanish Is Sometimes Called Castilian
  • A Linguistic Look at Spanish
  • Stained-glass nativity scene
    ‘Away in a Manger’ in Spanish
  • Santo Domingo
    Facts About the Dominican Republic for Spanish Students
  • Old Jerusalem
    What Is the 'Jewish' Spanish Language?
  • flor-de-nochebuena.jpg
    La flor de Nochebuena
  • Cervantes
    Quotes and Sayings from Cervantes
  • A lesson in fractions
    Pronouncing the Decimal Comma
  • Chichén Itzá
    10 Facts About Mexico
  • Fiesta of Los Enharinados in Ibi, Spain.
    Equivalent of April Fools’ Day Celebrated in December
  • Keyboard showing the Spanish letter Ñ
    Why and How Does Spanish Use the Ñ?
  • Globe of Earth with South America facing viewer
    Regional Differences in Spanish
  • Cervantes sculpture
    Cervantes and Shakespeare: What They Had in Common (and Didn’t)
  • Bird in hand
    31 Spanish Sayings With English Translations
  • Llama at Machu Picchu, Peru
    Peru for Spanish Students
  • Flag of Catalonian, where Catalan is spoken
    Languages of Spain Not Limited to Spanish
  • cannon at Loreto Fort
    ¿Por qué celebran el Cinco de Mayo?: Cinco de Mayo in Spanish and English
  • Christmas sand sculpture from the Canary Islands
    ‘What Child Is This?’ in Spanish
  • Hark the Herald Angels
    ‘Hark, the Herald Angles Sing’ in Spanish
  • Spanish Flag
    Spanish National Anthem
  • Student writing Spanish on a blackboard
    10 Mistakes To Avoid While Learning Spanish
  • Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
    ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ in Spanish
  • Buildings in Bethlehem
    Sing ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ in Spanish
  • Sculpture of Mary, Joseph and Jesus
    Luke’s Christmas Story in Spanish
  • Couple decorating Christmas tree
    ‘O Christmas Tree’ in Spanish
  • deck the halls in Spanish
    'Deck the Halls' in Spanish
  • girl smelling a flower
    Contronyms: Words That Are Their Own Opposites
  • Road sign for Guatemala under a blue sky.
    7 Facts About Guatemala You Never Knew
  • Hänsel and Gretel; Darstellung von Alexander Zick (1845 - 1907)
    Hansel y Gretel: Children's Story in Spanish With Vocabulary Lessons
  • Cathedral in Bogotá, Colombia
    Facts About Colombia for Spanish Students
  • Panama City
    Panama for Spanish Students
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