The 'You" in Spanish can be Confusing when Trying to Learn to Speak Spanish !

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Culture ----- This One's Four You (The Four Spanish You's)

This is a very useful piece of information I recieved in an email and thought it would be useful to share with you guys.

By David Clark

In Spanish there are four ways to say "you" - "tú", "usted", "ustedes", and "vosotros". If you use the wrong one at the wrong time, you could end up offending someone. Luckily, most Latin people will realize that you are a "gringo" and give you the benefit of the doubt, but it is still important to know how and when to use each form of "you". Knowing this will help you sound more educated and possibly avoid causing offense. Some of you (newsletter subscribers) may have already learned about this concept in school; hopefully this newsletter will help clarify things it a little more. Here are a few basic tips for usage:

"Usted" - Is often abbreviated as "Ud.". When in doubt as to which "you" to use, "usted" is the safest and will get you in the least amount of trouble. "Usted" is the formal "you" and shows respect for the person you are talking to. When you first meet someone, if they are around your age or older, you should use "usted" when talking to them. Likewise, if you use a title with someone, like Dr. Martinez, or Mrs. Garcia, you should use "usted" also with them. For example, the phrase "Mrs. Garcia, you are very friendly" would be "Señora Garcia, usted es muy amable." After knowing someone your age for a while, you can slowly transition into using "tú" instead of "usted". To know when to do this, follow their lead; when they do it, you can do it. If you are doing business in Mexico and meet someone for the first time you should always use "usted" regardless of whether they are younger than you or not. Otherwise, they could become offended (because of your lack of respect) and you could lose an important business deal.

"Tú" - Is the informal way to say "you". You should use "tú" when talking to people notably younger than you. Also use "tú" when you are on a first-name basis with someone or if you are very good friends with them. An example of this is, "Juana, you are very smart." - "Juana, tú eres muy inteligente." In any business relationship, when first meeting someone, you should always use "usted" instead of "tú" to show them the proper respect.

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"Ustedes" - Is abbreviated as "Uds.". Use this form of "you" when talking to more than one person, whether formal or informal. For example, "All of you (you plural) are late!" - "¡Ustedes llegaron tarde!"

"Vosotros" - This form of "you" is only used in Spain. It is like the plural form of "tú". If you are with a group of friends around your same age or younger, or if you are on a first-name basis with them, you would use this form of "you" (plural). An example of this would be "All of you (you plural) are tall!" - "Vosotros sois altos." Again, since this form of "you" is only used in Spain, if you learn Latin American style Spanish, you don't have to worry about "vosotros". Also, if you learn Latin American style Spanish (without "vosotros") then go to Spain, they will still be able to understand you and you will still be able to communicate just fine.

Moral of the Story: To sound more educated when you speak Spanish and avoid possibly offending people, it's important to learn when to use which form of "you". I recommend reading about the different forms of "you" (above) until you are thoroughly familiar with them.

If any of you have had experiences with this, I would love to hear from you. Please visit our blog to share your thoughts! Click here!

Sneak peek at next week: A Fun Potpourri of Culture Tidbits

¡Hasta la próxima semana! (Until Next Week!)

David S. Clark -- President / Director
U.S. Institute of Languages
dave_c@spanishprograms.com
http://www.spanishprograms.com
866-9SPANISH

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Learning to Speak Spanish on the Internet ??

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By Jan Angelo


Learning to speak Spanish online is considered as the most convenient method today with the boom of technology's advancements. There are a lot of lessons online available for people's use, and the best thing about it is that they can be learned from home. Most often than not, people who believe in the effectiveness of learning to speak Spanish online are those who need to learn the language in only a short period of time.

Just like in traditional classroom environments, learning to speak Spanish online also requires the user/student to understand and absorb the fundamental of the said language. This will help you build a solid foundation as you move on and learn more about the Spanish language. The only difference with learning to speak Spanish online is that you hold your own time and thus, you will be able to study and focus more on the topics that you are finding hard to understand. And since it is online, there are tons of reading materials you can download to help you familiarize yourself with the lesson. Another advantage of learning to speak Spanish online is that other people who are fluent in speaking the language can also help the beginners by sharing tips and other important information. And since the Internet is something that connects every single person in the world, a beginner can instantly practice their skills in speaking Spanish by voice and text chatting with people who are fluent with it. Your writing skills will also be enhanced because you can meet people who are willing to be your pen pal just to help you be better with the language through electronic mails.

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Even though it seems like learning to speak Spanish online is quite intense compared to the other methods of learning because of the exposure to different kinds of people, one should not be worried because there are also activities available to entertain them. These fun games and activities should help you shake off the nerves and concentrate on the important lessons presented to you. These entertaining activities can also help you interact properly with the person assigned to help you learn the language.

It's evident that with the help of advancements in technology, learning to speak Spanish online gives its users the ease and convenience that will encourage them to work harder. Aside from the ease of use, the most important thing is that there are also advantages that can be experienced from these programs that will not be possible when other methods are used.

Don't have the time to spare for regular classroom courses? Then why not start Learning to Speak Spanish Online?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Angelo

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Everyone Should Learn to to Speak Spanish at least a little bit....

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,learn spanish)

Well, this is a question some people ask and to me it is pretty obvious why we should all take time out to learn some Spanish. . The World we live in is ever changing and with that change comes the fact that Cultures are intertwining themselves with each other. Now is this a bad thing ??

I say NO !! It is actually a positive thing because not only do you get to know new people and new cultures but you also get to participate in it and really have more enriched lives.
Learning Spanish is something that every American should at least familiarize themselves with a little bit. The fact is that millions of people south of our border are making the Exodus over here and there is nothing negative about that at all.
So instead of bickering on and on about this situation you should embrace it and the best way to start at doing this is learn how to speak a little Spanish.

Learning and speaking Spanish is by no means an easy task. It takes some time, patience, and effort to do.
But what you start to get the hang of it , it will open up some doors you never even thought about opening.

You will socially be able to communicate a larger scale than ever before. Make more friends in your Community and neighborhoods as well as network on a larger scale.

Business wise you will have more opportunities than ever to advance in a position if you know some Spanish.

So you ask me why this Blog ?? I think it is pretty easy to see that Spanish is a big part of all of our Lives and the smart thing to do is embrace it !! ;)

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Learning to Speak Spanish in Emergency Situations Can be very Beneficial.....

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If you are in the field of emergency medicine, police officer, or firefighter then learning Spanish could be an extremely useful tool to acquire. Having the ability to speak to a wide array of people in an emergency will only help you be more efficient at what you do. Obviously talking to people during any emergency situation is a given but if you are not restricted by the language barrier it can make your job a little easier. Aside from this, it can aid you in doing a better job to help people.

With the growing number of Hispanic immigrants across the globe we are always going to come in contact with people who natively and primarily speak Spanish. This is something there is no getting around. Imagine the ease in which a situation could be handled at the scene of a car accident that involves a Spanish speaking person or even two Spanish speaking people on either side. It will make finding out what happened a million times easier if you are able to understand and converse with them in Spanish. Instead of trying to piece the scenario together with fragments of English and hand signals you would be able to get down to the core of the accident in a matter of minutes. It would be the same as if they were English speaking natives.

This works the same for the ambulance crew that pulls up to aid the situation. They will be able to decipher what treatment needs to be done to make things more efficient. Even the fire fighting crew will be able to handle the situation better. The reasons that this is necessary can go on and on but it's the reasons we can't think of that makes it the most useful.

Spanish speaking people inhabit the planet at every turn and understanding what they are saying will help any event, especially one that involves an emergency of any kind. If you are thinking of taking up a career in one of these areas perhaps you should think about learning Spanish to do the best job possible.

You are going to be able to speak at a restaurant, at an airport, with new friends... in basically every situation you can think of! So, whether you are interested in learning Spanish for your job, to communicate with neighbors, or if you are planning to travel to a Spanish speaking country, learning a new language online has never been easier!
Learn Spanish Online with the Best Spanish Course Online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_J._Wyne


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2 Great Reasons that You Should Learn to Speak Spanish.....

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1.Social Environment - It is a very known fact that the US is growing by leaps and bounds each and every year. It is getting downright crowded here and you can only serve our Country well by totally embracing this exciting change. One of the main reasons why our population is exploding is the realization that hispanic people from the South are moving in the US to find more opportunities. We live in California and many of our friends and neighbors do speak Spanish as it has become so popular. As a result, it is very good socially to learn to speak Spanish so you can better interact with your neighbors around you.

2. Career and Profession - My wife is a very intelligent and beautiful young lady. I know when she was looking to go to College she got accepted into some really stellar major Universities. The fact that she knew how to speak Spanish fluently was a determining factor in getting accepted into a great college. Many Businesses from all walks of Life are looking to hire people who know how to speak Spanish and English. Another relative of mine works in a Bank and makes a considerable amount of money because she speaks both Spanish and English.
And also being a business owner and sole proprietor will help your line of work if you can converse with Spanish speaking people. You will acquire new clients who don't speak English if you know Spanish.


I think as time goes by most people will agree that the Spanish language will become a bigger and bigger part of our lives as time goes by. Whether we like it or not.the possibilities!


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It Should be Mandatory for Spanish to be Taught to Our Children in US Schools .........

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Some people are hard pressed to commit to any changes in their lives. Especially here in the US where people develop a systematic way of life and just do not feel like changing it after a period of years.

One such change that I think Americans should undertake in their lives is implementing standard classes in public schools to learn to speak Spanish.

Why might you ask this? Well, lets look at it from a practical point of view. Worldwide, Spanish is spoken by over 1 billion people. And that is growing each and every year. Here in the US with the population growing from Mexican and South American immigrants, the Spanish language is starting to catch up to the English language in popularity.

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The main reason that children should learn to speak Spanish in American Schools is that it will better prepare them for a World of diverse cultures and people. If you bring up a bilingual child who knows Spanish and English, that child will have better opportunities to advance in School and later on in their chosen career. For instance , let's say that child one day becomes a Financial Lending Agent. He will find himself more in demand by mortgage companies if he can learn to speak Spanish as well as English. So many Spanish speaking individuals are looking to buy new homes every year in the US!

Also , being a upstanding leader in your community is something that our society places great value on. If you can speak Spanish as well as English fluently , you will better equip yourself to be a role model and leader in your community. And this only better serves our society as a whole in a productive and effective way!

I personally know where I live in California we have a mix of English speaking families and Spanish speaking ones. Being able to speak both is such a great advantage ,and it enables you to network and communicate with more of the people around you.

Learning to speak Spanish is a win-win situation for everyone!

Robert Marsh owns a Site where he provides helpful resources for ALL people to learn to speak Spanish effectively and efficiently! Also visit his other site where provides the top mobility aids resources for Hispanic people and others who are disabled!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Marsh

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Learning to speak Spanish and How to Tell Time in Spanish.....

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Spanish is such a beautiful language. And for many Americans it is almost becoming a necessity to at least learn a little bit of Spanish to function in the World we live in. The influx of new Immigrants each and every year from Mexico and South America makes this so true and hits home for many of us.

One of the basics of Spanish which many of us need to learn is how to tell time.
First of all, to ask this question in Spanish, "what time is it", we use the phrase '¿Qué hora es?'

Now taking it one step further to say it is 1 oclock we say 'es la una' .

In this example we use the singular form of 'is'. The reason is because we we are saying its the fist hour. Now if we are talking about later hours like 4 and 5 oclock we will use the plural form 'son' .

When we refer to it being 2 oclock we reply in Spanish,'son las dos'.

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To say that it is five o'clock, use the reply, 'son las cinco'.

and so on and so on ............using all the numbers up to twelve.

Now say you want to be more particular and specific. And the time is in the morning or that it is in the afternoon you will then be able to put on the following expressions:-

de la mañana which equal 'in the morning')

de la madrugada which means 'in the wee hours of the morning'

de la tarde means 'in the afternoon'

de la noche is equal to 'in the evening')


For example, to say eight in the morning, use

Son las ocho de la mañana.

Here are some questions for you t test yourselves
¿Qué hora es? Saying what time its in Spanish and, based on the specified numerical time.

1. ¿Qué hora es? (5 pm)



2. ¿Qué hora es? (8 am)

......................................

3. ¿Qué hora es? (10 am)

......................................

4. ¿Qué hora es? (2 pm)

......................................

5. ¿Qué hora es? (3 am)


Hope you enjoyed this brief but important lesson. Learning Spanish for many of us is a lifelong pursuit. But realize the rewards of learning it will be more than worth it in the long run.

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