As you know we love to send you Spanish-packed newsletters with great phrases, and news of new Notes in Spanish audios and videos. You may also know about new European privacy laws that came into effect on May 25th 2018 which mean that we can’t send you any more of our super newsletters unless you re-subscribe to our newsletter list – As the Spanish say, ¡Qué rollo! – What a pain!
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Here’s all the fun Spanish slang and cool phrases from today’s video:
Estoy pletórico – I’m full of life, full of energy
He empezado el día con buen pie – I’ve started the day very well/happily
He empezado el día con el pie izquierdo – I got out on the wrong side of the bed
Dime donde enchufo la pasta – Tell me where to send the money
Está como una cabra – She’s acting crazy, she’s really flustered
Estoy como una cabra, he perdido las llaves – I’m going crazy, I’ve lost my keys
Ha perdido el norte – She’s in a real state
He perdido la cabeza – I’m in a real fluster, in a real state
More cool Spanish like this!
There is plenty more cool Spanish like this in all our free Spanish-learning audios! We also highlight this type of phrase specifically in the worksheets for each level (available in our store).
Ben and Marina answer more great questions from listeners about everyday Spanish expressions, grammar, and language resources. Below are the notes and links from the Q and A audio.
Quiero disfrutar a tope cada día – I want to live every day to the fullest
Ben estás a tope hoy – Ben you are full of beans today
¿Qué tal todo en el trabajo? – How is everything at work
Estoy a tope – I’m completely overloaded
Question 4 – Ni fu ni fa
Ni fu ni fa – I’m indifferent, I don’t mind
¿Te gustan las lentejas? – Do you like lentils?
Ni fu ni fa – They aren’t my favourite dish but I can eat them
Question 5 – Ganar
Serena ganó a Venus el sábado – Serena beat Venus on Saturday
Me ganó a las cartas otra vez – She beat me at cards again
Question 6 – Caer bien/mal
Ese hombre me cae mal – I don’t like that guy
Ese hombre me cae bien – I like that guy
El novio de mi hermana me cae bien – I like my sister’s boyfriend
El novio de mi hermana me cae mal / me cae fatal – I don’t like /really don’t like my sister’s boyfriend
Me cae fenomenal – I really like him
Question 7 – Pillar de camino
Me pilla de camino – It’s on my way
Te puedo dejar en tu casa porque me pilla de camino al supermercado – I can leave you in your house because it’s on my way to the supermarket
¿Qué tal? – How are you?
Regular – Not feeling great, a bit down
You can also use: ‘Regulín’, or, ‘Regulín regulán’
¿Cómo te han tratado en el dentista? – How did it go at the dentist?
Regular – They weren’t very caring or nice
Question 10 – The flat I used to live in
La casa en la que vivía cuando tenia 20 años – The flat I lived in when I was 20
Mi antiguo piso – My old flat
El piso donde vivía antes – The flat I used to live in
Mi piso anterior – My old flat
El coche que tenía antes – The car I had before/used to have
Mi antiguo coche – My old car
Question 11 – No creo que + Subjunctive
‘No creo que’ expresses doubt or uncertainty, and uses the subjunctive – see our Super Subjunctive Rule Book for further explanation.
No creo que haya problema – I don’t think there is a problem – uses subjunctive
Creo que no hay problema – I don’t think there is a problem – doesn’t use subjunctive
Question 12 – Recoger
Te recogeremos a las 8 – We’ll pick you up at 8
Pasaremos a buscarte a las 8 – We’ll pick you up at 8
Question 13 – You decide
¿Quieres beber cava o cerveza esta noche? – Do you want to drink cava or beer tonight?
Tu decides – you decide
Lo que tu quieras – you decide
Question 14 – Excited about something
Estoy emocionada por verte mañana – I’m excited about seeing you tomorrow
Estoy deseando irme de vacaciones la semana que viene – I’m really looking forward to going on holiday next week
Tengo unas ganas que no veas de irme de vacaciones la semana que viene – I’m really really looking forward to going on holiday next week
Me muero por irme de vacaciones la semana que viene – I can’t wait to going on holiday next week
Question 15 – Menos mal
Menos mal – Thank goodness
Menos mal que nos fuimos pronto a la cama ayer porque hoy los vecinos nos han despertado a las 7 de la mañana – Thank goodness we went to bed early last night because today the neighbours woke us up at 7am
Voy a llegar en 5 minutos – I’ll be there in 5 minutes
Menos mal, tu hijo ya te está echando de menos – Thank goodness, your son is missing you a lot.
Question 16 – The food is to die for
Esta comida está de muerte – The food is to die for/is incredible
Esta comida está que te mueres – The food is to die for/is incredible
Esta comida está que te mueres de buena – The food is to die for/is incredible
Also available: with 90 minutes of exclusive audio, our “Real Spanish Phrase Book” is your ultimate guide to speaking Real Spanish and fitting in with the locals immediately! Check it out in our store!
And if you just want to support our work, feel free to make a donation.
In episode 20 Ben and Marina pay homage to Madrid, the city where Marina was born and Ben has lived since 1998.
We discuss the city’s most beautiful neighbourhoods, its classic bars and restaurants, and how the gentle art of meeting friends at one of the many terrazas in the city’s plazas may be where its real magic lies.
In episode 19 Ben and Marina discuss the art of relaxation. We look at how the after-lunch ‘sobremesa‘ is one of the most relaxing customs in Spain, and how it resembles an ancient Chinese concept of lazyness.
Plus we reveal all of our relaxation secrets, including walking, reading (travelling by novel! Recently with Isabel Allende…), films, yoga, and much more.
In episode 18 Ben and Marina discuss the excessive use of smartphones and social networks in the younger generations, and what effect it can have on our minds, ability to reason, and even our democracy.
We look at how many of the founders of these technologies now reject them for themselves and their children, and ask, is this just progress? Is the human being evolving in new ways? Or should we be looking more closely at this as a society?
Photo: Wall mural, “El que lee mucho y anda mucho, ve mucho y sabe mucho” – Miguel de Cervantes (He who reads a lot and walks a lot, sees a lot and knows a lot).
In episode 17 Ben and Marina discuss etiquette in Spain, covering Spanish punctuality, inviting people to your home in Spain, and how to be polite with food.
Are the Spanish generally punctual? How late will people arrive if you invite them to lunch? How late can you arrive at a restaurant? Can you refuse food at a friends house? Should you take the last croqueta on the plate? And what do the Spanish say about people that sing at the table while everyone is still eating?
Photo: Arriving on time by horse in the Jerez fiestas.
In episode 16 Ben and Marina talk about the endless ways of greeting people in Spain – should you shake hands, give two kisses, a hug, or a combination of all of them?
If they are a neighbour, an old friend, an elderly lady? A persona a friend is introducing you to for the first time? How does this all differ for men and women, or from people who aren’t Spanish, like Ben? We hope to clear everything up!
In episode 15 Ben and Marina discuss a new device that translates real time conversations into different languages on the go, and ask if it’s the end of language learning – no way!
We also discuss whether learning languages makes you more intelligent, how it helps explore the depths of a culture and can lead to greater acceptance in a community when you life abroad, and how the musicality of another language can reach parts of you that your own language can’t touch.
Tu and usted – what is the rule of thumb? Marina tends not to use ‘usted’ much these days, but would use it in smart restaurants, with a hotel receptionist, the King, an elderly neighbour she met for the first time, and whenever someone addressed her with ‘usted‘ first.
Getting the hang of – coger el truco
E.G. Estoy aprendiendo a tejer y creo que ya lo estoy cogiendo el truco. – I’m learning to knit and I think I’m getting the hang of it.
Lamenting past decisions:
Debería de haber comprobado la documentación correctamente – I should have checked the documentation properly
Debería de haber pedido a un mecánico que comprobase el estado del coche – I should have got a mechanic to check the state of the car
Debería de haberme comprado un coche nuevo – I should have bought a new car
Tendría que haberme comprado un coche nuevo – I should have bought a new car
What else to listen to after Notes in Spanish? If you’ve listened to everything we have (Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced, Gold…) then watch Spanish films via filmin.es, or try the Cadena Ser or RTVE radio podcasts. Marina used to like La Ventana from Cadena Ser.
In episode 14 Ben and Marina discuss Paco de Lucia, the famous flamenco guitarist who took this very Spanish music onto the international stage.
We look at his childhood, from how he first picked up a guitar, to his first steps onto the international stage, plus the great influence of Jazz on his work, and his very interesting personality.
This podcast was inspired by the fascinating documentary, Paco de Lucía. La Búsqueda You can watch it here on filmin.es, a service we often use to watch films at home.
In episode 13 Ben and Marina discuss why everyone is stressed these days, the number of things we have going on in life, the quantity of inputs overwhelming us all, and how to solve this 21st century problem.
We talk about changes in work culture and deadlines, how our parents’ generation faired differently, and how a walk in nature is our solution to everything.
In episode 12 Ben and Marina discuss Cataluña, and the wonders of Catalan cuisine, landscapes, restaurants, pueblos, and of course, the great city of Barcelona.
We talk about how Spain is a nation of huge cultural and geographic diversity, and how our friends Pep and Tom keep us in touch with the joys of life in Cataluña.
In episode 11 Ben and Marina discuss the idea that Denmark is the happiest country on earth because it brings up happy children that turn into happy adults.
We look at ideas from a new book that attempts to explain how this is done, and compare to our own experiences of life and education in Spain and the UK.
Photo: Happy Children during the fiestas in Jerez.
In episode 10 Ben and Marina discuss why Spain still has such a crazy timetable for shops, office work, and meals.
We explore how the roots of this problem lie in Franco’s Spain, when people often had two jobs, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and see if anything can be done to bring Spain into line with the rest of Europe’s timetable.
All the other llevar phrases used in the video (not all are in the PDF!):
Llevarse bien/mal – To get on well or badly with someone
Llevarse como el perro y el gato – Te get on terribly with someone
Me llevo muy bien con mi vecina – I get on really well with my neighbour
Me llevo fatal con mi tío – I get on terribly with my uncle
Mis niños se llevan como el perro y el gato – My kids fight like cats and dogs
Llevarse un buen recuerdo – To have a great memory of something
Me llevo muy buen recuerdo de mi visita a Paris – I have great memories of my trip to Paris
Llevar encima – To carry something with you
¿Llevas el pasaporte encima? – Have you got your passport with you?
¿Llevas el movíl encima? – Have you got your mobile with you?
Lo llevo en modo avion – It’s in aeroplane mode
Llevo una vida de locos – My life is crazy
Llevarse un susto – To get a big shock
Tuve un accidente y me llevé un buen susto – I had an accident and I got a really big shock
Llevarse un premio – To win a prize
He escrito un libro sobre como sobrevivir el siglo 21 y me he llevado un premio – I wrote a book about how to survive the 21st century and I won a prize.
In episode 9 Ben and Marina discuss Musicophilia, starting with the curious case of the man who was struck by lightening and quickly developed a life-changing obsession with music.
Plus, music in our own lives, and musicality in Spain – do the Spanish tend to learn instruments at an early age? Do they love to sing when they get together?
In episode 5 Ben and Marina discuss the surprising landscapes of Almería, and what shocked them about the cultivation of fruit and vegetables there, compared to the Pyrenees.
Plus, we look at the rise of organic food culture in Spain.
In today’s video we discuss the word ‘ya’, a super useful Spanish word that is incredibly common in day-to-day conversation in Spanish. You can start using it more too!
Notes from the video:
1,2,3… ¡Ya! – 1,2,3, Go!
Ha subido el precio del café – ¡Ya te digo! – The price of coffee has gone up – You’re right there!
Si le estoy haciendo cosquillas… – ¡Basta ya! – If I’m tickling Marina. Stop it!
Ya que estás aquí, ¿me puedes arreglar la lámpara por favor? – Seeing as you are here, can you fix the light for me please?
¿Estás ya? ¡Ya Voy! – Are you ready to go yet? I’m coming!
¿Cuando comemos? – ¡Ya! – When are we going to eat? Now!
¡Comemos Ya! – It’s time to eat!
Están pasando una situación difícil… Ya… – They are having a tough time… I know…
¿Estás ya? Ya estoy – Are you ready yet? I’m ready.
¿Has hecho tus deberes? ¡Ya está! – Have you done your homework? It’s done!
¡Ya me levanto! – I’m getting up! Really!
¡Venga ya! No me cuentes tonterías – Come on, don’t talk nonsense.
Y luego ya – And finally…
Vamos a comer, luego vamos a hacer las compras, y luego ya vamos a casa – We are going to eat, then we are going to go shopping, and finally/after that we’ll go home.
Given the choice, we’d rather be listening to this song by Paco de Lucia and Camarón de la Isla on Christmas day – ¡Nos pone los pelos de punta! It makes our hair stand on end! (But if you prefer a super well know tacky Spanish carol, see below too, plus our Christmas audios!)
(Song should start at 2m03s)
Christmas Audio Specials Here On Notes In Spanish
If you want to dig deeper into Christmas in Spain, and pick up lots of Spanish Christmas vocab and phrases, then we have special Christmas audio for every level:
Do take 10 minutes to listen to the audio for your level with the appropriate worksheet (available in our store), and make this a very Spanish Christmas!
And now for the tacky Spanish carol (you grow to love it over the years!), then a final bit of news…
Campana Sobre Campana
If you feel like supporting our free audios, donations are welcome via the form on our Donate page. ¡Mil gracias!🙂
Welcome to Episdoe 2 of our brand new Advanced Season 2 Series! This week we discuss life without death. As scientists promise that by 2040 we’ll be able to live forever, even go back to the age we’d like to stay at, we discuss what this means for the human race, for doctors, religion, and much more.
When I learnt Spanish I was thrown in at the deep end, constantly! Here in Madrid every trip to the bank, every night out with Spanish people, every encounter in a shop, every real Spanish situation I walked into was, well, the real thing! Even when I was a complete beginner!
That’s why I say in the blog post for the first Advanced Season 2 episode that these new audios are suitable for Intermediate listeners too: “Don’t panic if the Spanish feels really challenging! It should! Listen to the Spanish conversation, ideally with the transcript from the worksheets – …this ‘real immersion’ is the best possible thing you can do for your Spanish!”
“No te pases” I thought when I wrote that, don’t push your luck, maybe it’s too hard for intermediate learners! But this comment on the first post made me very happy and reassured me that I was spot on:
“I am very much enjoying your new podcast. I’m one of those you describe as a “motivated intermediate”. I want to assure others in that category that this podcast is definitely approachable with the aid of the notes [transcript/worksheet]. I wasn’t surprised that I understood little listening to the podcast without the notes, but I was amazed at how much I could understand having the notes to read alongside.”
Real immersion in a language is ‘reality!’ It doesn’t do you any harm at all if you have the right support. In my case I walked around Madrid with a small dictionary in my pocket (1998, pre Google Translate!) Nowadays, you have our super worksheets to explain all the best bits, making sure you learn the real Spanish you’ll never find in a text book!
Welcome to Notes in Spanish Advanced Season 2! We’re back with our best real Spanish conversations to help you stay at the top of real-world Spanish today!
In this first episode, Ben and Marina discuss ‘La Magia del Orden’, by Marie Kondo, a book that has changed their lives, and the relationship between living with minimal possessions and clutter, and our happiness.
We’ve got another great Notes in Spanish video for you below, this time connected with food and pronunciation. Either watch the video through once first to see if you understand it all, or if you would like some help, see the context and language notes below first:
Language notes and context:
In this video we discuss the word ‘un manjar’, which means a food which is really special, or a real delicacy, in this case a German blue cheese that Ben bought after not having had any for a long time. We discuss what is a ‘manjar’ for us, and go on to say that Ben learnt the word from his friend Jorge, who only just recently, after about 4 years, taught me to pronounce his name correctly.
Here are some useful phrases from the video:
Un queso exquisito – A delicious cheese
Un queso azul – A blue cheese
(Un queso) que llevábamos sin tomar como ocho años – (A cheese) that we hadn’t eaten for about 8 years
Tengo un manjar – I’ve got a real delicacy
Unas gambas blancas de Huelva a la plancha – Grilled white prawns from Huelva
Me suena árabe, de origen árabe – It sounds arabic to me, of arabic origin
Dices mi nombre mal – You say my name wrong
Estaría el muy orgulloso – He would be very proud
Tiene un sentido del humor muy interesante – he’s got a very interesting sense of humour.
Next Monday November 20th we release the first of our new audio series, Notes in Spanish Advanced Season 2! — Update: Episode one is available now!
You have been asking us for ages for new audios, so…
Nos pusimos manos a la obra – We got to work! (that’s one of the many useful phrases we highlight in the worksheet for the first episode!)
Perfect for Advanced and Motivated Intermediates!
The new audios will be the same as the original Advanced series – 10 to 12 minutes of Ben and Marina with our best ever real Spanish conversation on real life, interesting topics – the kind of things YOU want to talk about in Spanish when you have a real Spanish conversation with real people you meet out in the world today.
If you are an Advanced or Motivated Intermediate learner, the combination of the new worksheets and audios will rocket you forward with your Spanish.
The new audios will be released free as a podcast as always, and for those of you that want to double or triple what you get from the audio and really supercharge your Spanish, you will be able to join a special members area where for a small monthly fee you can get the worksheet for every episode as we release them each week (plus another exciting members bonus we’ll announce on Monday!)
As usual the worksheets will include a full transcript of our conversation, a list of the essential vocab and phrases you must know from the audio, plus discussion questions and useful exercises.
As a monthly member you will be hugely improving your Spanish!
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In episode 20 Ben and Marina pay homage to Madrid, the city where Marina was born and Ben has lived since 1998.
Saludos desde Madrid!
Dear friends,