Spanish Word of the Day: Ladrón (thief)

The Spanish word ladrón originates from the Latin word latronem, meaning robber or bandit. Ladrón is a person who steals or takes someone else’s property unlawfully. In English, we refer to this person as a thief.  Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Ladrón is a masculine noun that represents a person who commits the action of …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Estafa (scam)

The word estafa originates from the Latin word stapha, which to this day still means to trick or deceive. The English translation is scam or fraud, which typically involves deceit to gain money or property.  Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Estafa is a feminine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles:  Estafa is …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Costar (to cost)

The verb costar is one of the first you should learn if you are planning to visit a Hispanic country. Costar comes from the Latin verb constare, which means to stand firm or to consist of. Over time, this meaning evolved into having a price or requiring a certain effort or value. Latin American Pronunciation …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Alma (soul)

The word alma comes from the Latin word anima, meaning soul or spirit. The Latin anima comes from the Greek ἄνεμος (ánemos), meaning ‘gust/gale/wind.’ (In Latin, anima was used in the sense of “breath of life.”) Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation The word alma is grammatically feminine in Spanish, so you would expect it to use the article la (feminine article). …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Tener (to have)

The verb tener is one of the most useful and versatile verbs in Spanish.  Tener comes from the Latin verb tenēre, which means to hold or to possess. The Latin root ten- is found in various Romance languages and retains similar meanings related to possession or holding. The Indo-European root ten- means to stretch or …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Robar (to steal)

The word robar comes from the Latin verb robare, meaning to seize or take by force. The word describes the act of taking something that does not belong to you, or in other words, stealing. Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Robar is regular verb that follows the standard conjugation patterns for -ar verbs that you …

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