Updated Articles and Resources

By Gerald Erichsen, About.com Guide since 1998

Which Past Tense of 'Ser' or 'Estar'? Created: Friday, July 18, 2003 Updated: Monday, May 20, 2013
The differences between the preterite and imperfect uses of 'ser' can be subtle.
Instituto de Español Rayuela Created: Saturday, May 18, 2013 Updated: Saturday, May 18, 2013
Student review of a language school in Buenos Aires.
Machine Translation - Spanish Language Created: Friday, August 06, 2004 Updated: Saturday, May 18, 2013
How effective is computer transltion?: verb conjugations altavista translation chess program translation programs translation site
Gerund Created: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 Updated: Thursday, May 16, 2013
Glossary definition of 'gerund' as the term is used the grammar of Spanish and English
Words of Possession Created: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Updated: Tuesday, May 14, 2013
A look the different ways in which Spanish can indicate who owns or is in possession of something. With numerous sample sentences and translations.
More Confusing Verb Pairs Created: Friday, January 23, 2004 Updated: Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Spanish has a number of verb pairs that can be confusing for people learning Spanish. These include verbs meaning 'to have,' 'to take' and 'to play.'
Celebrities Who Speak Spanish as a Second Language Created: Monday, September 10, 2012 Updated: Monday, May 13, 2013
Here are 20 celebrities who learned to speak Spanish as a second language.
Using 'Llamar' Created: Monday, March 19, 2007 Updated: Sunday, May 12, 2013
Explanation of how the Spanish verb 'llamar' is used.
Confusing Verbs: A Quiz - Spanish Language Created: Friday, August 06, 2004 Updated: Sunday, May 12, 2013
Do you know how do differentiate among verbs that are translated the same in English? Find out with this self-correcting quiz.
Confusing Verbs: A Quiz - Spanish Language Created: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 Updated: Sunday, May 12, 2013
Do you know how do differentiate among verbs that are translated the same in English? Find out with this self-correcting quiz.
Direct-Object Pronouns Created: Friday, May 08, 2009 Updated: Sunday, May 12, 2013
Learn what direct-object pronouns are and how they are used in Spanish.
Word of the Day: Apagar Created: Monday, March 24, 2008 Updated: Sunday, May 12, 2013
Learn a new Spanish word each day.
Using 'Hablar' Created: Friday, December 10, 2010 Updated: Sunday, May 12, 2013
How the word 'hablar' is used in Spanish, along with examples and translations.
Caperucita Roja Created: Monday, January 26, 2004 Updated: Saturday, May 11, 2013
Spanish-language version of 'Little Red Riding Hood' with vocabulary guide.
Using 'El' and 'La' With Country Names Created: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 Updated: Saturday, May 11, 2013
Some country and city names in Spanish often are used with the definite article (usually 'el' or 'la'). Here is the list of them.
¿Por qué celebran el Cinco de Mayo? Created: Monday, May 03, 2004 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Las orígenes de la fiesta del cinco de mayo
Capital Letters Used Less Often in Spanish Created: Tuesday, May 07, 2013 Updated: Wednesday, May 08, 2013
More about how capital letters are used (or not) in Spanish. This is part of the Real Spanish Grammar series, which looks at Spanish the way it is used in real life.
Word of the Day: Avión Created: Sunday, March 09, 2008 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
Learn a new Spanish word each day.
City Names in Spanish Created: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
This is a list of major world cities whose names are different in Spanish than in English.
Using 'Bajo' Created: Friday, October 29, 2010 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
How the Spanish word 'bajo' is used. Sample sentences and translations are included.
Using 'Se' as the Equivalent of the English Passive Voice Created: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
Spanish often uses reflexive verbs as a way of indicating that some sort of action is done without indicating who or what performed the action.
Spanish Verbs That Translate 'To Take' Created: Sunday, January 13, 2008 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
The common English verb 'to take' can be translated to Spanish by dozens of verbs. Here are some of the most common.
Trabalenguas (Spanish Tongue Twisters) Created: Sunday, January 11, 2004 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
Here ares some tongue twisters that will challenge your ability to proounce Spanish quickly. But don't despair if these are difficult, for even native speakers find them them difficult.
Word of the Day: Peón Created: Monday, February 25, 2008 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
Learn a new Spanish word each day.
Verbs Often Used Reflexively Created: Friday, February 08, 2013 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
A look at how reflexive verbs are used in Spanish, based on sentences in an article about St. Valentine.
Verbs for 'To Turn' Created: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
A look at the ways in which the English verb 'turn' can be translated to Spanish, including sample sentences with translations.
The Spanish 'H': Always Silent Created: Sunday, October 19, 2003 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
A quick guide to pronouncing the letter 'h' in Spanish (or, to be more precise, not pronouncing it).
Expressing Fear Created: Thursday, October 21, 2004 Updated: Saturday, May 04, 2013
The two most common ways of expressing fear in Spanish are 'temer' and 'tener miedo.'
Orthographic Accents in Statements Created: Saturday, November 04, 2006 Updated: Friday, April 26, 2013
Learn more about when orthographic accents are used in Spanish. Although you may have learned they are used only in questions, there are some types of statements that use them as well.
Placement of Some Adjectives Can Affect Their Meaning Created: Friday, May 15, 2009 Updated: Monday, April 22, 2013
The meanings of some Spanish adjectives can vary depending on whether they come before the noun or afterward. This brief lesson lists the most common ones.
Conjugation of 'Decir' Created: Sunday, January 18, 2009 Updated: Sunday, April 21, 2013
Conjugation of the Spanish verb 'decir.'
Conjugation of Regular Imperfect Indicative Verbs Created: Thursday, July 02, 2009 Updated: Sunday, April 21, 2013
Conjugation of imperfect indicative verbs in Spanish along with examples of their use in sentences.