# Helping You Learn Spanish > Your resource for real world conversational Spanish ## Posts - [Zoho Signup Form Test](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/zoho-signup-form-test/) - [3 Ways To Use "Qué Tal" In Conversational Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/3-ways-to-use-que-tal-in-conversational-spanish/): Today we’re going talk about what ¿Qué tal? means, and learn three ways native speakers use it in everyday conversational Spanish. To start with, it’s a very common expression that you can quickly and easily incorporate into your Spanish toolbox. With that said, a lo que venimos (let’s get to what we came here for). Usage #1: You can use ... Read More - [Siga Recto Por Favor](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-phrases-for-your-gps/): Tijuana, Mexico City, Oaxaca, it doesn’t matter where I am, my GPS never fails to lead me in circles, taking me everywhere except my destination. It doesn’t happen a lot, but when it does it’s really frustrating. But those experiences led me to a rather interesting epiphany. Absolutely no one teaches you any Spanish related to using a GPS. Today ... Read More - [Recordar, Recordar de or Recordarse de? The right way to remember in Spanish.](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/recordar/): ¡Feliz Año Nuevo atrasado! I know what you’re thinking, isn’t it a little late to be wishing someone Happy New Year?  And yes, you’re correct, I’m culpable de los cargos (guilty as charged).  But if you’re behind on your new years greetings like me, you can just use the word atrasado to wish someone a belated happy new year.  And ... Read More - [6 uses of Volver in Conversational Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/6-uses-of-volver-in-conversational-spanish/): Your Spanish textbook says the verb Volver means “to return”, but it actually has several other meanings native speakers use daily. Listen to this podcast to learn what the Spanish verb volver means and 6 extremely common ways native speakers use it in everyday conversations.     Volver isn’t the only Spanish verb with multiple meanings Like Volver, there are many ... Read More - [10 Common uses of the Spanish verb Ir](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/10-ways-to-uses-the-spanish-verb-ir/): Did you know there are at least 10 uses of the Spanish verb IR?  Most Spanish books just teach you that the verb IR means to go, but it has many more uses in everyday conversation. Boost your learning withthe companion materials If you enjoyed the podcast and want to improve your Spanish even more, you can download the audio ... Read More - [Using the verb Dar to talk about what's showing on television or at the movies](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/dar-una-pelicula/): Being able to tell or ask someone about what’s showing on television or in the theater is one of those things you never think about until you realize that you have no idea how to say it, which is always in the middle of a conversation. Hopefully you’re reading this before you find yourself tongue tied and speechless like I ... Read More - [How to use Hacer and Estar to talk about the weather in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-use-hacer-and-estar-to-talk-about-the-weather-in-spanish/): A few days ago I was teaching a class about weather vocabulary in my conversational Spanish class and one of my students asked: When do you use estar instead of hacer in Spanish when you talk about the weather? I thought it was a great question and worthy of a blog post, so let’s get to it. The good news ... Read More - [11 Uses of the verb Echar to improve your Conversational Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/11-uses-of-the-verb-echar-to-improve-your-conversational-spanish/): If you’ve been learning Spanish for a while, there’s a good chance you’ve come across the verb Echar before.   Spanish speakers use the verb echar constantly, and if you don’t know what it means, you’re going to be lost in the conversation. So what does the verb Echar mean in Spanish? The answer to that question isn’t as straight-forward as ... Read More - [8 Uses of the word Madre in Mexican Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/8-uses-of-madre-in-mexican-spanish/): There’s a Mexican restaurant close to my house that I’ve driven by on several occasions, but it wasn’t the food that really intrigued me, it was the name of the restaurant (pictured above).   Let me explain why. You see, Mexicans don’t really give their restaurants willy-nilly names, they’re typically named after the owner or a family member, the city ... Read More - [How to tell someone you forgot what you were going to say](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-tell-someone-you-forgot-what-you-were-going-to-say/): It never fails. You’re in middle of  a conversation and you lose your train of thought.  Maybe you got distracted, or maybe you’re like me and the mind just isn’t as sharp as it used to be. Regardless of the reason, you’re going to have to explain why you have you that confused look on your face. Let’s get to ... Read More - [13 Subjunctive expressions for everyday use](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/13-subjunctive-expressions-for-everyday-use/): The subjunctive mood in Spanish is going to be a major thorn in your side when it’s time to buckle down and learn it.  And if your goal is to be conversational or fluent one day, you’re going to have to learn it. But guess what?  Even if you don’t know anything about the subjunctive you can still use it ... Read More - [Beyond Cómo te llamas](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/beyond-como-te-llamas/): Your Spanish teacher taught you how to tell someone your name and ask for theirs.   The problem is when it comes to real world conversations, that’s hardly enough.   In today’s podcast I’m going to take your Spanish beyond “¿Cómo te llamas?” and teach you what everyone else left out. Here are a few more episodes of the Real Life Spanish ... Read More - [How to order chips and salsa like a true Mexican](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-order-chips-and-salsa-like-a-true-mexican/): We all love getting those free chips they give us in Mexican restaurants, and today we’re going to learn what they’re actually called in Spanish, or at least in Mexican Spanish.   I’m also going to share something with you that you might find disappointing. How to order nachos/chips Let’s start with what these tasty things are actually called. The terms ... Read More - [El Sofá más grande del mundo](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/habana-cuban-spanish-on-the-malecon/): I took a short vacation to Cuba not too long ago, and I have to say it was an awesome experience.   The classic cars, the famous boardwalk, Habana Vieja,  lots of rum and Cuban cigars. It was a great cultural and linguistic experience.   Being able to speak Spanish with the locals is always something I enjoy immensely, it really motivates ... Read More - [3 Ways to say you're going grocery shopping in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/3-ways-to-say-grocery-shopping-in-spanish/): When it comes to shopping in Spanish, “ir de compras” is about as far as your Spanish book is going to take you.  Ir de compras means to go shopping, but not for groceries.    It’s used to refer to going shopping for clothes, shoes, etc. When it comes to going grocery shopping, you need a different way to say ... Read More - [Aseré qué bola and other Cuban Spanish terms](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/asere-que-bola-cuban-spanish/): Cuba is a beautiful island with a lot of unique cultural aspects, and it’s Spanish is no different.  I took a short vacation to La Habana, and today I’m going to share some of the Cuban Spanish I learned while I was there. I doubt you’ll find many expressions more Cuban than this one: ¿Aseré qué bolá? So what exactly ... Read More - [8 Cuban Spanish words to talk about money in Cuba](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/cuban-spanish-terms-for-money/): I took a short vacation in La Habana, Cuba, and I’m going to share the Cuban Spanish words I learned about the currency (moneda) used in Cuba. In most other Spanish speaking countries the only term you really need to know is pesos, but money in Cuba is somewhat of a different animal. Let’s get started. When you get to ... Read More - [A more effective approach to learning Spanish verb conjugations](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/more-effective-approach-to-learn-spanish-verb-conjugation/): Conjugating verbs in Spanish involves learning hundreds of verbs and over a dozen conjugations for each one. Needless to say, the process can sometimes feel overwhelming. Once you’ve learned the mechanics of verb conjugation, you’re left with the tremendous task of learning hundreds of verb conjugations, and many beginners start down a random path of trying to learn how to ... Read More - [9 Ways to use the word YA in conversational Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-ya-mean-in-spanish/): The Spanish word YA is widely used.   Learn when and how Spanish speakers use it in daily conversation.   It isn’t hard to understand, but it can be confusing because it’s used in a variety of situations. Here are a few more episodes of the Real Life Spanish podcast series to help you improve your conversational Spanish and understanding of the language. Qué ... Read More - [Spanish for your cell phone: Conversational phrases and vocabulary you should know](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-cell-phone-phrases-and-vocabulary/): In today’s world cell phones have become a routine part of daily conversation.   In this post you’re going to learn some basic vocabulary and phrases surrounding cell phones, so let’s get to it. To start with, to make a call is hacer una llamada. Tengo que hacer una llamada, ya regreso I have to make a call, I’ll be right ... Read More - [Beyond Cuánto Cuesta: The many ways native speakers ask how much things cost](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/beyond-cuanto-cuesta-how-native-speakers-ask-how-much-things-cost/): Sooner or later you’re going to have to ask the price of things in Spanish, and I’m going to guess many of you were only taught the classical (and very reliable):  ¿Cuánto cuesta? There’s nothing wrong with that and it may very well be all you need for most situations, but it’s not the only way to ask the price ... Read More - [Beyond Feliz Navidad: Conversational Christmas Spanish for chatting with native speakers](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/beyond-feliz-navidad-conversational-christmas-spanish-for-chatting-with-native-speakers/): The holiday season is here and if your Christmas vocabulary is a little lacking, this article is going to help you change  that so you can join in on all the holiday talk with your Spanish speaking amigos and amigas. Let’s jump right into it. To start with, the Christmas holidays are known as las fiestas navideñas. Now let’s get ... Read More - [Saber vs Saberse: To know and To know something by heart](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/whats-the-difference-between-saber-and-saberse/): When you start learning Spanish, it doesn’t take long before you’re taught the verb saber.   The problem is you aren’t fully taught all of it’s uses, so you only develop what I describe as a passing acquaintance with the verb.   It has a lot more meanings and uses than you think, and today we’re going to get into some of ... Read More - [Orar and Rezar: Two ways to pray in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/the-difference-between-orar-and-rezar/): If you’ve been learning Spanish long enough (and it doesn’t take long), you’ve already discovered there are often multiple verbs that have the same meaning.  Or appear to on the surface.  Orar and Rezar are two of those verbs. They both mean to pray, and although many Spanish  speakers use them as synonyms, there is a difference between the two.  ... Read More - [What's the difference between vegetales and veduras?](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/whats-the-difference-between-vegetales-and-veduras/): If you don’t know, there are two words for the English word vegetables in Spanish, vegetales and verduras. As you might imagine, I get the question “what’s the difference?” a lot.   In fact, if you’re reading this, you probably have the same question.   I certainly did, so I started asking my Spanish speaking friends. How my friends explained it When ... Read More - [11 Responses to "Cómo estás" that will make you sound like a native speaker](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/11-common-responses-to-como-estas/): When it comes to answering the question “¿Cómo estás?”, your Spanish book typically only offers you a limited number of responses: Estoy bienI’m fine Estoy malI’m not well Those responses are pretty boring, right?   I’m going to share some simple but very common ways to respond to “cómo estás” with you. Enough chit-chat, let’s get to it. Use these when ... Read More - [11 Uses of the verb Estar you have to know](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/11-ways-to-use-the-spanish-verb-estar/): Like the verb Ser, Estar is another one of the Spanish verbs you absolutely have to master. Listen to this podcast to learn 11 of the most common uses of the verb estar. Boost your learning withthe companion materials   Season 1 covers a total of 19 high frequency Spanish verbs and teaches you everything your Spanish teacher didn’t about ... Read More - [Ser, the Spanish verb you have to master](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/13-ways-to-the-use-spanish-verb-ser/): The verb Ser is one the fundamental building blocks the Spanish language is built on. This isn’t a verb you have to learn, it’s a verb you have to master. Listen to this podcast to learn thirteen of the most common ways this verb is used. If you enjoyed the podcast and want to improve your Spanish even more, you ... Read More - [4 Things beginners should do to build their conversational Spanish skills](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/build-conversational-spanish-skills/): As a beginning Spanish student the first challenge you’re going to face is figuring out where to start, especially if you’ve decided to learn Spanish on your own.  This article is going to give you some initial direction to help you get started down the right track to achieving your goal of becoming a Spanish speaker. Let’s get started. In ... Read More - [How to get one of the best learning spanish audio courses for free](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/get-pimsleur-spanish-free/) - [6 Spanish Phrases for checking into your hotel](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-hotel-check-in-phrases/): If you’re going to be traveling to Spanish speaking countries and staying in hotels or hostels, these six Spanish phrases will make checking in a little easier. Here are two phrases you can use for checking into a hotel.   There are other variations, but these are the most common, in my experience. Hacer el check-inRegistrarse en el hotel Let’s take ... Read More - [3 Awesome books to improve your conversational Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/3-books-to-improve-your-conversational-spanish/): As a self-taught Spanish speaker, organizer of a Spanish conversation group and a conversational Spanish language coach, I get a lot questions from people asking  for my advice on how to improve their conversational Spanish. Part of that answer is simply having conversations with as many Spanish speakers as possible, discussing a variety of topics and asking a lot questions.  ... Read More - [14 Spanish Travel phrases you'll need in a currency exchange](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-travel-phrases-for-currency-exchange/): If you travel to Spanish speaking countries, exchanging money is something you’ll find yourself doing, so in this post we’re going to talk about the Spanish you need to do this successfully. First things things first, let’s talk about what you call a currency exchange in Spanish in the first place. Depending on where you travel to, they’ll be called ... Read More - [How to say I'll be right back in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-say-ill-be-right-back-in-spanish/): Like many things in Spanish, I didn’t know I needed this until I was in the moment and it was too late. Once again I was caught speechless.   I know that eventually something is going to stump me, but I hate it when it’s something this simple. I don’t want to this to happen to you, so today I’m going ... Read More - [How to ask for a ride in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-ask-for-a-ride-in-spanish/): Asking someone for a ride is one of those common everyday things that everyone does, and sooner or later you’re going to need to know how to ask for a ride in Spanish. Whether you’re asking a friend for a ride or asking a taxi or Uber driver, this bit of Spanish is going to be a lifesaver. To ask ... Read More - [10 Ways to use dar like a native speaker](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/10-ways-to-use-spanish-verb-dar/): The verb dar means a lot more than to give.   Learn ten of the of most common ways to use dar like a native speaker and improve your conversational Spanish. If you enjoyed the podcast and want to improve your Spanish even more, you can download the audio for the entire series as well as the transcripts and the accompanying ... Read More - [Understanding the difference between Ven aquí and Ven acá](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/understanding-the-difference-between-ven-aqui-and-ven-aca/): It’s not uncommon for my Spanish students or Spanish conversation group members to ask me what’s the difference between ven aquí and ven acá, so that’s exactly what I’m going to address today. But before we try to figure out what the differences are between them, we should probably talk about what they mean first. What does ven aquí and ven ... Read More - [65+ Spanish Hotel phrases](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/50-spanish-hotel-phrases/): I remember when I first started traveling to Spanish speaking countries I was foolish enough to think that all the Spanish I needed to know for staying in a hotel was how to check in and check out.   Silly me. I had learned a few expressions and set off to travel Mexico and Latin America without even realizing just how ... Read More - [Tener, The meanings beyond the classroom](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/tener-the-meanings-beyond-the-classroom/): You’ve been taught that the verb tener means to have, but there’s so much more your Spanish teacher left out.   If you really want to know how to use it like a native speaker, listen to this podcast and learn 10 of the most common uses of the verb tener. If you enjoyed the podcast and want to improve your ... Read More - [29 Spanish Movie Recommendations](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/29-spanish-movie-recommendations/): If you’re wondering why I created a list of Spanish movies, it’s because I get asked for recommendations about movies in Spanish all the time and nothing ever comes to mind when the question comes up.   So I figured why not make a list I can point people to and not have to reveal that my memory is awful. The ... Read More - [Giving your condolences in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/giving-your-condolences-in-spanish/): Tarde o temprano (sooner or later) the time will come when you need to give someone your condolences in Spanish.   Thankfully it hasn’t been something that I’ve needed to do often, but not having the words to do it makes that situation even more uncomfortable, so today I’m going to share with you some of the basic vocabulary and phrases ... Read More - [8 Uses of Hacer to improve your conversational Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/8-uses-of-hacer-to-improve-your-conversational-spanish/): If you want to achieve conversational fluency in Spanish, knowing how Spanish speakers use the verb hacer in everyday situations is a must.   Listen to this podcast to learn 8 uses of the Spanish verb Hacer that go beyond your Spanish textbook. Supplement your learning with the companion materials Want to improve your Spanish even more? Download Season 1 of ... Read More - [30+ Spanish Travel Phrases for catching the bus](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/35-spanish-travel-phrases-for-catching-the-bus/): Whether you’re an expat catching the local bus across town, a tourist traveling across the country on luxury bus or a back packer riding on one of the famous chicken buses, this collection of phrase for catching the bus in Spanish will make your journey much easier. If you’d prefer to skip the fluff and just download the phrases, here’s ... Read More - [6 Uses of the Spanish verb Ver you need to know](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/6-uses-of-the-spanish-verb-ver-you-need-to-know/): You’ve probably only been taught that Ver means to see, but it has 6 other uses  you need to know.    Listen to this podcast to learn the most common uses of the verb ver. If you enjoyed the podcast and want to improve your Spanish even more, you can download the audio for the entire series as well as the ... Read More - [3 Spanish grammar books that don't suck](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/3-spanish-grammar-books-that-dont-suck/): You can find a dozen Spanish grammar books on the shelves of your local bookstores and probably hundreds on Amazon.  How is a budding Spanish speaker to know which one to choose? I’ve certainly bought my share of grammar books on my journey to becoming  fluent in Spanish.   But to be honest, most of those sat on my bookshelf collecting ... Read More - [How to say If I were You in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-say-if-i-were-you-in-spanish/): This is a handy expression that’s good to know if you ever find yourself giving advice to someone in Spanish.   And it’s probably a good idea to recognize this phrase so you know when someone is giving you advice. Let’s take a look at the ways to say “If I were you” in Spanish. Using the verb ser, you can ... Read More - [Learn the 10 most common meanings of the verb poner](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-poner-mean/): You learned that poner means to put, but what about all the other meanings? In this podcast you’ll learn nine additional meanings of the verb poner that will make you sound like a native speaker. If you enjoyed the podcast and want to improve your Spanish even more, you can download the audio for the entire series as well as ... Read More - [How to say I can't wait in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-say-i-cant-wait-in-spanish/): Sooner or later you’re going to be really anxious about something you really want to do or someone you really want to see and you’re going to want to express that excitement to your Spanish friends.   In this post you’re going to learn how to do just that. There a number of ways we can skin this cat, so let’s ... Read More - [How to say I'm excited to see you](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-say-im-excited-to-see-you/): Sooner or later you’ll need this one.    Maybe you’re catching up with an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time or maybe you’re going on a date.    It doesn’t matter what your reason is, this phrase is something you’ll want to have in your Spanish toolbox. The first thing you need to know is the verb excitar ... Read More - [7 Ways to say traffic in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/7-ways-to-say-traffic-in-spanish/): For many years I thought I knew the only word there was for traffic in Spanish.  Well, turns out I was wrong.  Spanish has a funny way of surprising you with these things. Here are 7 ways to say traffic in Spanish that will have you sounding like a native speaker. 1. Tráfico This is the literal translation for the ... Read More - [Demystifying the verb Faltar](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-faltar-mean/): The Spanish verb faltar is rarely mentioned in the classroom but is extremely common in spoken Spanish. It has a number of uses and can sometimes be confusing, but this podcast will teach you everything you need to know so you can make the verb faltar a part of your everyday Spanish vocabulary and start sounding like a native speaker. ... Read More - [Getting familiar with Conocer](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-conocer-mean/): If you think the Spanish verb conocer is just for making introductions then you need to listen to this podcast. The verb conocer is typically one of the first verbs you learn in Spanish, maybe you first heard it in a sentence like this one: Es un placer de conocerte It’s a pleasure to meet you But the Spanish verb ... Read More - [The meanings of pasar your Spanish teacher never taught you](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-spanish-verb-pasar-mean/): Pasar has at least 13 uses that you need to know if you want to achieve Spanish fluency. Your first encounter with the verb pasar was probably “qué pasa” (what’s happening) but it means so much than that. Learning these 13 uses of the Spanish verb pasar will put you on the fast track to speaking like a native and ... Read More - [4 Ways to say maybe in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-say-maybe-in-spanish/): Just when you think something should be pretty straight-forward in Spanish you find it out it’s not. Like when I learned how to say “maybe” in Spanish. And then I learned a second way to say maybe in Spanish.  Which was eventually followed by a third and a fourth way to say “maybe” in Spanish. The good news is despite ... Read More - [My Top 3 Learning Spanish YouTube Channels for Intermediate and Advanced Learners](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/my-top-3-learning-spanish-youtube-channels-for-intermediate-and-advanced-learners/): If you’re doing your due diligence in regard to your Spanish studies, it won’t take you too long to reach an intermediate level of Spanish.   And when you do, one of the things you should do is transition from using English to learn Spanish and start learning Spanish in Spanish.   Let me give you a few reasons why ... Read More - [11 uses of the Spanish verb Llevar no one bothered to teach you](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-llevar-mean-in-spanish/): Your Spanish teacher probably taught you that the verb Llevar means to carry and if you’re lucky you also learned it means to wear. But that’s barely scratching the surface of the many meanings of the Spanish verb Llevar. In this podcast you’ll learn 11 uses of llevar that will make you sound like a native speaker. Supplement your learning ... Read More - [How do I start learning Spanish?](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-learn-spanish/): I talk to a lot of people who’ve made the decision to learn Spanish and the question they always ask is “How do I get started?”. Some people immediately gravitate towards grammar books and start doing all sorts of written exercises.  Well, that approach has its place, but in my opinion it’s best to jump right in and start learning ... Read More - [Getting down with Bajar - 8 Uses you need to know](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-bajar-mean-in-spanish/): The meaning of the verb bajar in Spanish is to go down.  Or should I say that’s one of it’s meanings.  Bajar seems simple enough on the surface but it actually has more than eight different uses.   Listen to this podcast to learn some of the most common uses of the Spanish verb bajar. If you enjoyed the podcast ... Read More - [Top 3 Learning Spanish YouTube Channels for Beginners](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/top-3-learning-spanish-youtube-channels-for-beginners/): Over the years YouTube has become a fantastic source of learning materials.  In fact, using YouTube channels for learning Spanish has become my primary method of language learning. While there are many really good YouTube channels for learning Spanish out there, it’s simply information overload.  How do you know which ones to choose?  Well, that’s where this post comes in. ... Read More - [Saber - The meanings no one told you about](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-saber-mean/): Saber has a couple of surprising uses that you may not know about.  Your textbook says it means to to know facts, but it’s used for so much more than that.  Listen the podcast to learn everything you really need to know about the verb saber to help you get closer to Spanish fluency. If you enjoyed the podcast and ... Read More - [18 Common uses of the verb Dejar](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-verbs-dejar/): You may have heard the Spanish verb dejar before but did you know it has over 18 different uses in Spanish? In this podcast I explain the 18 most common uses of the verb dejar.  Dejar is very much a high frequency verb that you’ll hear daily in spoken Spanish, so you need to have a solid understanding of how ... Read More - [3 Ways to ask for happy hour specials in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/happy-hour-spanish/): There’s nothing better than sipping on a refreshing margarita during happy hour no matter if it’s on the beaches of Cancun or at your local Mexican restaurant. Here are three ways to ask your bartender about happy hour drink specials.   ¿Tiene especiales de bebidas? Do you have any drink specials? ¿Tiene ofertas de happy hour? Do you have happy ... Read More - [10+ Uses of the Spanish verb Quedar](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-verbs-quedar/): The Spanish verb quedar has a wide variety of meanings on it’s own, but on top of that it’s very often confused with quedarse, which is reflexive and has completely different meanings. In this podcast I’ll explain the most common uses of quedar and remove the mystery and confusion surrounding this very flexible and useful Spanish verb. If you enjoyed ... Read More - [Making plans - Letting people know when you'll be there](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/making-plans-when-to-expect-you/): In the last quick tip I gave you some handy phrases to help you make plans with your Spanish speaking amigos, How to say I’m on the way. Today I’ll give you five sentences you can use to let them know when to expect you. Voy a llegar tarde – I’m going to get there late Voy tarde – I’m running ... Read More - [Learn to ask "What did you say?" like a native Spanish speaker](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/the-real-life-spanish-podcast-series-what-did-you-say/): Spanish teachers and textbooks typically teach you to use the verb repetir to get someone to repeat what they said.  But if you want to sound more like a native speaker there are several other options that will keep you from sounding like you learned Spanish from a grammar book. In this episode of the Real Life Spanish podcast series we take a ... Read More - [A little bit of Nicaraguan Spanish - The Verb Dilatar](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/nicaraguan-spanish-dilatar/): About two weeks ago I caught up with an old friend who had spent a bit of time in Nicaragua.   As we were talking about various things she said ¿Cuánto tiempo dilata? .   With what I’m sure was a perplexed look on my face, I said ¿Cómo?.  I had most certainly not heard the word dilata (from the verb dilatar)  before. ... Read More - [Learning Spanish with Gritty Spanish 2](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/gritty-spanish-2/): Today I decided to write about one of my favorite learning Spanish products, Gritty Spanish 2. I’ve purchased numerous other Spanish dialog collections in the past, and they’ve all been helpful and worth the time, money and effort I invested in them.   But none of them have been as interesting and captivating as Gritty Spanish.   I’ve found it to be ... Read More - [Making plans - How to say I'm on the way](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-say-im-on-the-way/): Welcome to another installment of Say it in Spanish.  This series of posts is designed to teach you common, everyday Spanish your textbook leaves out. Let’s jump right into things. It’s really common to make plans with your friends, so in today’s post you’ll learn a few simple sentences to let them know you’re on your way. 1. Casi salgo ... Read More - [5 of the most common uses of the Spanish verb Quedarse](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-quedarse-mean/): Do you know the meaning of the verb quedarse? You might think you do, but the Spanish verb quedarse doesn’t have just one meaning, it has several. You don’t need to know them all right away, but you should certainly know the most common ones. If you want to greatly improve your understanding of the Spanish language and significantly enhance ... Read More - [Alcanzar - The Spanish verb you need to know but no one talks about](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-alcanzar-mean/): Alcanzar is verb that’s rarely talked about, but it has a several uses you should know about. If you don’t master this verb, you’ll never alcanzar your goal to become fluent in Spanish. If you enjoyed the podcast and want to improve your Spanish even more, you can download the audio for the entire series as well as the transcripts ... Read More - [How to say Every Two Weeks in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-to-say-every-two-weeks-in-spanish/): Welcome to the first installment of Quick tips to improve your Spanish.  This series of posts offers short and simple Spanish tidbits that you can use immediately.  Let’s jump right into things. Sooner or later you’re going to need to know how to say “every other week”.  And as you might guess, cada dos semanas is one way to say ... Read More - [7 uses of the Spanish verb coger](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-coger-mean/): Today we’re going to take a look at the verb coger. Coger has a lot of great uses and you should definitely add it to your toolbox of Spanish verbs. Some countries use it more than others, like Spain, Peru and the Dominican Republic, and in other countries like Mexico and Argentina you may want to avoid using it altogether, ... Read More - [Real Mexican Spanish from the streets of Tijuana](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/espanol-en-las-calles-de-tijuana/): In today’s podcast I’m going to talk about the Spanish I’ve learned during my visits to Baja Norte, or Northern Baja, primarily the city of Tijuana. You won’t find these words and expressions in your Spanish textbook, but you’ll hear them all the time as you travel throughout Mexico. Be sure to also listen to my other free podcasts All About ... Read More - [Qué tal - More than just an informal greeting](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-que-tal-mean/): You see the expression qué tal in Spanish books on occasion, but most of the time they just tell you it’s an informal greeting and case closed.  That hardly does the expression qué tal any justice, so I put together a podcast about some of the most common uses for this expression and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at some of its other uses. Here ... Read More - [9 Uses of the word cuenta](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/uses-of-the-word-cuenta/): Recently a friend of mine asked me to write something about the word cuenta and being the blogger that I am agreed to it without hesitation.  And for a brief moment I thought “the word cuenta is pretty straight-forward, what is there to write about?” A few days later when I really sat down and started thinking about all the ... Read More - [The hidden meanings of que rico, sabroso and delicioso](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/que-rico-sabroso-and-delicioso/): Welcome to another episode of the Real Life Spanish podcast series where you’ll learn the Spanish you need for real life conversations and situations. You’ve probably heard the words que rico, sabroso and delicioso before when it comes to talking about food, but they can be used for so much more.   In this podcast you’re going to learn about several other ... Read More - [Learn the right way to say excuse me in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/saying-excuse-me-in-spanish/): In Spanish there are three different ways you can say excuse me using the words perdón, con permiso and disculpe, but you can’t always use them interchangeably. In today’s podcast we’re going to look at the differences between them so you can learn how to use them properly. Here are a few more episodes of the Real Life Spanish podcast series to ... Read More - [What is Voseo?](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-is-voseo/): I was several years into my Spanish studies when I started hearing and seeing things like: Hola, ¿Cómo estás? Bien, ¿y vos? ¿De dónde sos? ¿Vos qué hacés? Vos?  Sos? Hacés?  Say what?  I couldn’t help but think, is that even Spanish?  How could I have gone all these years and never have heard these terms before? So what is ... Read More - [A list of podcasts to help you learn Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/learn-spanish-podcasts/): I’m constantly on the look out for new learning Spanish resources to help me improve, refresh my memory and sometimes just to entertain myself.  In fact, most Spanish learners are doing the same thing, so I thought why not share my collection of learning Spanish podcast links to help out my faithful readers. This list of learning Spanish podcasts is far ... Read More - [22 Colombian Spanish Words You Should Know](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/colombian-spanish-slang/): A lot of people say Colombian Spanish is the “best Spanish in the world”. Well, I don’t know about all of that, but I will say based on my experiences in Colombia and talking to Colombianos in general, the people from Medellín and Bogotá speak pretty clearly and are relatively easy to understand. However, if you don’t understand the local ... Read More - [4 Idiomatic Expressions With the Verb Tener](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/4-idiomatic-expressions-with-the-verb-tener/): Today we’re going take a look the verb tener and some of it’s many uses.  As a beginner, this is a verb you need to get really familiar with, and some of it’s uses just might surprise you. While you’ll find these four idiomatic expressions with tener helpful, the verb tener has many more uses you need to know. I ... Read More - [Gritty Spanish: A Spanish Immersion audio program to improve your listening and reading skills](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/up-close-and-personal-with-gritty-spanish/): I just recently came across Gritty Spanish and it grabbed my attention as soon as I saw it. There are a lot of products to help you learn Spanish, but not many like this one. I’m going to give you a (relatively brief) tour of Gritty Spanish and tell you why it’s so different from everything else and why I ... Read More - [3 Uses of the Spanish verb faltar you need to know](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/falta-mucho/): The verb falter is one of the many verbs you’ll need to have in your Spanish toolbox,  so today we’ll take a look some examples to give you the basics of how to use the verb faltar. Faltar is a very useful, high frequency verb, meaning that you’ll hear it a lot, so it’s important to really understand this verb.  ... Read More - [6 Uses of llevar](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/6-uses-of-llevar/): Your Spanish book will most likely tell you the verb Llevar means to take, and it does.  But the verb Llevar has several uses that your Spanish book might have left out.  Let’s take a look at a few of them. 1.  To talk about what you’re wearing No llevo gorrasI don’t wear ballcaps Ella decidió llevar la blusa rojaShe ... Read More - [¡Tardaste mucho!](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/tardaste-mucho/): The verb tardar is is really useful and will make a great addition to your Spanish tool box.   If you want to talk about how long it takes to do something, then this is the verb you need.  Let’s look at some examples. You can use it to talk about how long it will take you or someone else to ... Read More - [Great learning Spanish podcasts for beginners](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/learning-spanish-podcasts-for-beginners/): I run a Spanish conversation group and every Saturday I get asked the same question, what should I do to help me learn Spanish? To answer that question, I can’t help but flash back to how I learned a significant percentage of my Spanish – through podcasts.  I consider podcasts a fantastic way to learn Spanish, for a variety of ... Read More - [How I learned to conjugate verbs](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/how-i-learned-to-conjugate-verbs/): Verb conjugation is one of the most brutal parts of learning Spanish because there are no shortcuts, you have to put in a lot of hard work. In another article I give you some practical advice that will add some clarity and direction in your efforts to learn how to conjugate verbs in Spanish, making the process more efficient, focused ... Read More - [Using Pasar for more a lot more than just saying que pasa](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-pasar-mean/): Today we’re going to take a look at the verb pasar, and you can use it to say a lot more than ¿Qué pasa?. I don’t think there are to many people who don’t know what ¿Qué pasa? means. It’s not the most exciting phrase you can use the verb pasar for, but it is a good place to start. ... Read More - [15 Spanish phrases every beginner should know](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-phrases-every-beginner-should-know/): Here is a short list of phrases that every beginning Spanish learner should know.  Let’s get to it. One of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a beginner is understanding what’s being said to you, because everything sounds like one huge run-on sentence.  You might actually understand what’s being said to you if they just didn’t talk so fast.  Well, ... Read More - [How to say you 'almost' did something in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/casi-me-caigo-de-culo/): Let’s start with a translation: Casi me caigo de culo I almost fall on my ass Hmm.  “I almost fall…”.  That doesn’t sound quite right does it?  At least not in English it doesn’t.  The correct English translation would be: I almost fell on my ass So what’s going on here?  There’s a simple explanation for this. While in English ... Read More - [The Spanish contractions your textbook didn't tell you about](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-contractions/): According to your Spanish textbook there are only two contractions in Spanish. Your Spanish textbook and most likely your Spanish teacher probably neglected to teach you several other Spanish contractions that are used so much I considered it the equivalent of criminal negligence not to teach it. Let’s talk about the official Spanish contractions first. We’ll start with the contraction ... Read More - [Yo te invito](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/yo-te-invito/): The verb invitar means to invite, and it’s usage is pretty straight-forward. Quiero invitarte a mi casa I want to invite you to my house ¿Hiciste una fiesta y no me invitaste? You threw a party and didn’t invite me? Te invito a festejar mi cumple I invite you to celebrate my birthday While we’re on the subject of birthdays, ... Read More - [Informal Spanish Greetings](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/informal-spanish-greetings/): If you’re completely new to Spanish, then you should learn the basic greetings, and here’s a great lesson to help you with that:  Basic Spanish Greetings While knowing the basic greetings is really important, they aren’t very exciting.  In this post I’m going to talk about some very colloquial greetings that your Spanish book or teacher may not have mentioned. ... Read More - [Improving your listening skills](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/improving-your-listening-skills/): A critical part of being able to speak Spanish is being able to understand it when you hear it.  Easier said then done right?  Sure it’s hard, but there are things you can do to improve those wanna-be Spanish ears of yours. Let’s look at some of the ways you can improve your listening skills. Movies, Television and video Turn ... Read More - [Hazme caso por favor](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/hazme-caso-por-favor/): Welcome to the first in a series of posts I’m going to call All About Verbs.  I’ll be discussing the real life use of a montón (a ton) of Spanish verbs.  We’ll get things started with hacer, so let’s get to it. Your Spanish book will tell you the verb hacer means to make or to do, but it actually ... Read More - [Tengo que lavar los trastes](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-tener-que-mean-in-spanish/): Sometimes there are things that we just have to do.  Well, if you ever need to tell someone what that something you have to do is in Spanish, then you’ll need the expression tener que. Tener by itself means “to have”. Tengo 21 años I’m 21 Tengo dos coches I have two cars Add the word que after it and ... Read More - [The right way to say I had a good time in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/what-does-pasarla-bien-mean/): I love to help people with their Spanish.  Every week I’m exposed to many beginners and people just starting their journey down the road to Spanish fluency.  With that said, I hear a lot of the same errors over and over again.  So this is the first of a new series of posts called Spanish Blunders to help you identify ... Read More - [Expressing accidental actions in Spanish](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/expressing-accidental-actions-in-spanish/): While I don’t consider myself a teacher by any stretch of the imagination, today I’m going to try and simplify a concept that can be a sticking point for many learners of Spanish, expressing accidental actions. Let’s pretend you accidentally broke a glass and need to fess up to it in Spanish.  You may be tempted to think of translating “I ... Read More - [6 Places to find someone to practice your Spanish with](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/places-to-practice-your-spanish/): At about the 2 year point in my learning Spanish journey, I had two short trips to Mexico under my belt.   The first trip served to rekindle the desire I had to learn Spanish and the second trip taught me that the I was learning a lot, but what I was learning wasn’t nearly enough. I was building a really ... Read More ## Pages - [Thanks for Subscribing!](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/newsletter-welcome/): You’ll find lots of great content on the blog, so let me highlight a few things for you. I have very informative collection of podcasts available that will teach you how Spanish is in used in everyday conversation. You can find them here: The Real Life Spanish Podcast Series. Go beyond the textbook and focus on how Spanish is used ... 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If you stumbled across this page by accident, then I recommend taking a look at the class offerings and consider joining my Conversational Spanish Group. Here’s the link to join and/or get more information about the group: Conversational Spanish Classhttps://www.meetup.com/ConversationalSpanishClass ... Read More - [MailChimp Sign Up Form](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/mailchimp-sign-up-form/): Subscribe * indicates required Email Address * - [Transcripts](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/transcripts/): For redirect purposes only. If you arrive at this page you can find what you’re looking for on the main page of the site, helpingyoulearnspanish.com  or by browsing the site menu.     - [Transcript](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/transcript/): For redirect purposes only. If you arrive at this page you can find what you’re looking for on the main page of the site, helpingyoulearnspanish.com  or by browsing the site menu.     - [You're all set!](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/thank-you-for-your-purchase/): Thank you for purchasing the All About Spanish Verbs Season 1 audio and transcript files.   Your transaction completed successfully and you’ll receive an email with the download link and details of your purchase.   Be sure to check your spam folder if you don’t see the email in your inbox. You can also download your files immediately using the download ... Read More - [Store Action](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/estore-action/): This page has been created by WP eStore plugin. Please do not delete it. You can hide this page from your navigation menu. - [Learn Conversational Spanish with All About Spanish Verbs](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/spanish-verbs/): What is All About Spanish Verbs? It’s a collection of podcasts that improves your comprehension of the language and your ability to communicate by going beyond the classroom, revealing the many meanings of Spanish verbs that you were never taught, and how to use them in daily conversation with practical examples. Listen to all 19 episodes for free Season 1 ... Read More - [Saludame](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/contact-me/) - [Language Learning Tips](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/language-learning-tips/): [post_grid id=”2454″] - [Site Library](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/articles/) - [](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/hola-soy-rodney/): Hola, Soy Rodney Traveler. Blogger. Podcaster. Self-taught Spanish speaker. Your Conversational Spanish Coach I’ve been helping people learn Spanish by sharing my language, travel and cultural experiences that I’ve since 2005. 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I’m a self-taught Spanish speaker that has spent almost 2 decades (and still counting) facing the challenges of language learning and talking with native speakers, and nearly ten teaching and coaching others how to improve their conversational Spanish. I’m going to help you learn what textbooks and most other learning Spanish books ... Read More - [Browse the complete list of articles (Deprecated)](https://helpingyoulearnspanish.com/archives/): This page in no longer in use.   [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)