Spanish Word of the Day: Helado (ice cream / very cold)

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 …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Arcoíris (rainbow)

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, …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Nieve (snow)

When temperatures are cold and the conditions are right, some of us are lucky enough to see snowfall in the winter time. The Spanish word for snow is nieve and it comes from the Latin nix, nivis with the same meaning. Latin American Pronunciation European Pronunciation Nieve is a feminine noun that takes the following …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Bicicleta (bicycle)

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 …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Ensalada (salad)

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 …

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Spanish Word of the Day: Color (color / colour)

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 …

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