Spanish Word of the Day – Fuego (fire)

In days gone by, the center of the household was the fire, used for both cooking and heating. The Spanish word for fire, fuego, comes from the Latin focus, meaning hearth or fireplace. Like other Spanish words derived from Latin, the o changes to the diphthong ue. Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Being a masculine …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Despedida (farewell / parting)

Today, let’s explore a word that you can use when discussing farewells or goodbyes. Despedida is a noun derived from the past participle of the verb despedir, which means to say goodbye. Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Despedida is a feminine noun and takes the following definite and indefinite articles: La despedida fue agridulce The …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Ciego/a (blind)

The word ciego, meaning blind in English, originates from the Latin word caecus, which also means blind. Over time, caecus evolved into ciego in Spanish, describing the lack of sight or the inability to see. Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Ciego is a masculine adjective that describes a masculine noun and ciega is the feminine …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Verde (green)

The colour green is all around us in nature, from trees to plants and the fruits and vegetables we eat. Verde is the Spanish word for green. It originates from the Latin word viridis, which also means green.  Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation When used as an adjective, verde agrees in gender and number with …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Sobremesa (table talk)

I visited my family in Spain earlier this year, and we spent a lot of time at the table eating and talking. Having two or three dishes per meal is the norm there, but the most important part is the conversation you have while eating. Sobremesa is a term with no direct translation in English …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Playa (beach)

My family is very lucky because we live right by the seaside, and just a stone’s throw away from our doorstep is an expansive playa (beach). If my son could have his way, he would spend hours there every day! Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation The word is derived from the Late Latin plagia, which …

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