Heather Broster
Heather is a graduate in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario and an aspiring polyglot. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction. When she isn’t studying languages, she enjoys the great outdoors, exercising and spending time with her young son.
Today we’re going to be investigating a Spanish word that is both a tasty noun and an ice-cold adjective: helado. Its origin can be traced back to the Latin gelātus, the perfect passive participle of gelō (meaning “to freeze”). Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Helado, as a noun, means ice cream. It is a cognate …
The word arcoíris is the combination of the words arco (meaning arch or bow) and iris (meaning rainbow in Latin, the language from which Spanish is derived). Latin American Pronunciation European Spanish Pronunciation There is some debate surrounding how to properly spell ‘rainbow‘ in Spanish. You’ll come across both arcoíris, written as one word with an accent on the í, …
The origin of the Spanish word bicicleta can be traced back to its components: bi-, a Latin prefix meaning two; kyklos, a Greek word signifying wheel; and -ette, a French diminutive. Latin American pronunciation European pronunciation Bicicleta is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Similar to the English word …
If you’re looking to shed some weight or incorporate a nutritious element into your diet, it’s always a wise choice to include ensalada (salad) in your meal plan. Latin American pronunciation European pronunciation Ensalada is a feminine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles: ¿Vamos a cenar una ensalada grande esta noche? Shall …
The Spanish word for colour, or color if you live in the United States, is color. Both words can be traced back to the Latin color. Latin American Pronunciation European Spanish Pronunciation Color is a masculine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: The seven most commonly cited colours of the rainbow (colores del arcoíris), as defined by Isaac Newton, are …
Each hour (hora) of the day comprises sixty minutes, known in Spanish as minutos (singular: minuto). The term is derived from late Latin minutum, signifying a particle, and represents the neuter noun form of the adjective minutus. Latin American Pronunciation European Spanish Pronunciation Minuto is a masculine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite …