Spanish and English differ in that Spanish uses double or even triple negatives and the meaning stays negative. Once any one part of the sentence is in the negative the entire sentence must stay in the negative!
Read more 06 Jun 2018
Grammar Tips: German Word Order
In statements, the initial conjugated verb is always the second element. All other words appear in the following sequence: Time + Manner + Place Time: “tomorrow” or “Wednesday of next week.” Manner: how something is carried out “with my sister” or “on foot.” Place: can refer to any location “Toronto” or “in the garden.” Option A: (Time) + (verb) + […]
Read more 01 Nov 2017
Common German Idioms
Idioms can be fun and a challenge to learn in a foreign language. Here are some great ones in German!
Read more 09 Sep 2017
Grammar Terms for German Students
20 Jul 2017
Grammar Tips ~ The Subjunctive
Nothing in the Spanish language can seem quite as confusing to English speakers as the subjunctive! It’s not surprising, as this is one area of grammar in which English and Spanish are very different. The use of the subjunctive in English is very limited and can often sound arcane or old-fashioned whereas it is a fundamental part of everyday Spanish […]
Read more 14 Mar 2016
Grammar Tips – What are Idioms?
It seems that nothing frustrates learners of a foreign language more than idioms. Idioms are those phrases that cannot be translated directly from one language to another. They often involve turns of phrase, animals, colors or emotions in strange combinations!
Read more 02 Feb 2016
Grammar Tips: Uses of Werden
Students new to German will repeatedly encounter the verb werden. As it has three distinct functions it often proves confusing. Here we will outline the three main functions with example sentences.
Read more 11 Mar 2015
Grammar Tips: Spanish Subjunctive Part I
There are few things in the Spanish language more difficult for English speakers to get a grasp on than the subjunctive. One common fallacy is that students believe the subjunctive is a tense when in fact it is a mood. There are two moods in the Spanish-language: the indicative and subjunctive. The indicative mood is used to describe all that is concrete and habitual whereas the subjunctive describes that which is in any way hypothetical.
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Apocopation is a linguistic term given to the practice of shortening specific words when they precede certain other words. This occurs in Spanish with nine fairly common words.
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Nothing is more confusing for the beginner student of a language than words that look similar. Over the years I have seen students struggle with remembering the following verbs simply because they are common and all begin with a the letter ‘v’. In addition, a large number of them also have to do with travel. Below is a complete list of these verbs along with some example sentences.
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