Spanish Lessons in Saint Peters

Gran Hotel - Netflix Series

If you like period dramas, then you will surely enjoy “Gran Hotel”, a superb production with plenty of romance and intrigue. The story is set in the 1910s and follows Julio, a man who arrives at the Gran Hotel to speak with his sister, head chambermaid Christina, only to find out she has disappeared. So, he decides to pose as a footman to find out what happened. This Spanish drama has more than 80 gripping episodes for you to binge-watch while improving your European Spanish. Even if the series is set in the previous century, you will certainly learn useful words and expressions for modern-day interactions! Here you can find more information about the series

Spanish Film Festival

Every year, London hosts the fantastic Spanish Film Festival, established in 2002, where you can find more than 50 ground-breaking Spanish and Latin American movies screened in their original language. This event features the most representative films from Spanish-speaking countries of the year, so why not attend this festival and watch classic and traditional Hispanic films without English subtitles? This way, you’ll pick up new words, improve your listening comprehension skills and learn more about Spanish and Latin American cultures. Most of the time, actors and directors also attend the festival, so you can approach them afterwards and speak to them in Spanish! Click here to know more about the festival.

The House of Bernarda Alba - Play

“The House of Bernarda Alba” is a classic play written by the Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca in 1936. It is entirely set in Bernarda’s house, where you can take a peek at her family life with her five daughters, her maid and many other servants. It explores the themes of sexual repression, inheritance and violence among three generations of women who live in the same house. You can watch this award-winning production at the Cervantes Theatre in London, where it is delivered entirely in Spanish. So, as it’s fast-paced and uses complicated grammatical structures, this play is recommended for intermediate to advanced students. Click here to learn more about this play.

Cuentos de la Selva - Horacio Quiroga

If you are looking to unlock a whole new world of stories while improving your Spanish skills, then don’t hesitate to read “Cuentos de la Selva” by Horacio Quiroga, an Uruguayan writer who published this novel in the 1920s. The tales are set in the Argentinian jungle and the main characters are animals that take on human characteristics, serving as a metaphor for how people interact with nature. These tales were originally written for children, so they are short and use fairly simple language, making this book the perfect choice for beginners eager to know more about the Argentinian culture. Click here to find out more about the novel.

La Sombra del Viento - Carlos Ruis Zafón

Reading a novel will help you familiarise yourself with Spanish sentence structure and grammar in real-life contexts. Forget about reading overly simple sentences and grab a novel like “La Sombra del viento”. Set in Barcelona, this is the story of 10-year-old Daniel, a boy who visits one of the biggest libraries in the city and finds a book called “La Sombra del Viento”. But, as soon as he draws it from the shelves, something strange happens and a seemingly innocent action transforms into a race to save the ones he loves. This novel by Zafón is the perfect choice for those who love mystery books and would like to know more about what happened in Spain after the civil war. Click here to find out more about the novel.

El Amor en los Tiempos de Cólera - Gabriel García Márquez

Developing proficiency in reading in Spanish has a positive effect on your listening and speaking skills as well, so it’s a great option for beginners who want to build their confidence. For example, you can start reading one of the most well-known books ever written in Spanish: “El Amor en los Tiempos del Cólera” by Gabriel García Márquez. This is a multiple-character story set in the 1800s that depicts forbidden love and draws a comparison between love and illness (in this case, cholera). The novel tells a captivating story but also carries a lot of deep, potentially unanswerable questions about the human condition and love itself. Click here to find out more about the novel.

Me Voy - Julieta Venegas

Julieta Venegas is a praised Spanish artist and “Me Voy” is the perfect example of her singing skills. This song follows the story of a woman who leaves her partner and says goodbye to him because of personal reasons, though she does not want to abandon him. It is very slow and uses simple vocabulary, which makes it perfect for Spanish learners who have just started their course. Furthermore, “Me Voy” is mostly sung in the present tense, so you won’t have problems understanding the grammar. Your brain will remember this catchy song and soon you’ll be saying “qué lástima” with flawless pronunciation! Check out the song here!

Nada Valgo Sin tu Amor - Juanes

Listening to songs in Spanish can massively improve your vocabulary and grammar. You can avoid the monotony of learning with a textbook, and you will probably remember words more easily if you learn them in a song rather than by memorising a long list. So, if you are looking for a jazz-inspired song to take your Spanish to the next level, “Nada valgo sin tu amor” is a great choice. This is the beautiful confession of a man who sings about how much he loves his partner and does not want to lose her. It uses a lot of complex grammatical structures (including the subjunctive mood), so it’s more suitable for intermediate students. Check out the song here!

Vivir mi Vida - Marc Anthony

Marc Anthony is one of the most famous Latin American singers and “Vivir mi vida” is one of his most famous songs. In the last few years, it has become an anthem that celebrates life and talks about the importance of staying positive, no matter how many hardships we face. The lyrics are simple and powerful and include a lot of repetition, so you’ll surely be able to follow the song, even if you are not very familiar with Spanish yet. You will also find a few interesting expressions and slang like “pa’ que?”, so make sure you read the lyrics closely to practise later! Check out the song here!

Green Line

Green Line is a Spanish app that is currently available in more than 300 municipalities throughout the country. It aims to improve the quality of life of Spanish citizens by solving incidents on public roads, promote communication with public officers and more. So, using the app, users can let the town hall know about broken street benches, defective street lamps or traffic lights, etc. If you decide to collaborate, you will even get a notification when the problem is resolved. And the best part is that you don’t need to be an advanced-level Spanish speaker to operate it and the app is intuitive and easy to use; so, it is handy for Spanish learners as well as native speakers. Download the app here!

Busuu

Spanish grammar can be a bit tricky sometimes and requires a lot of practise. Fortunately, you can download an array of apps that can help you take your grammar to the next level with very useful exercises and resources, such as Busuu. Regardless of your level, you can take advantage of their audio files, pictures and multiple-choice exercises to improve your skills. Furthermore, it has a forum that gives you the chance to connect with other students. So, you’ll be able to share experiences, talk about the exercises and even practise your speaking skills via the sharing of audio files. Click here to find out more about the app.

Mi No Dieta

If you are looking for help to start more healthily, Mi No-Dieta (My no diet) is here to help! Designed by expert nutritionists, the app guides the user to create a 30-day eating plan depending on their needs and preferences. If you don’t like fish, for example, the app will recommend vegetables and eggs instead. And not only will you get a list of recommended meals but you can contact specialists any time via the app. This is a great way to practise your foreign language vocabulary and learn more about food and meals in Spanish while staying healthy! Learn more about the app here!

Drink Some Mate - Argentina

Argentinians are known for carrying their mates everywhere they go, but what are these exactly? A mate is a drink made up of yerba, hot water, a straw and sugar. But mate is much more than just a drink: it’s a tradition. Although you can drink mate on your own, most people share it with friends, family or even strangers. Also, you should consider that some people prefer to drink mate dulce (with sweetener or sugar) or mate amargo (without sugar). Have a taste of both and decide which one you like best! Click here to learn more about mate!

Dance Flamenco - Spain

Flamenco is a highly expressive dance form originally from Spain, characterised by clapping, percussion and movements of the body, arms and hands. Most of the time, the dancer is a woman, who dances to the rhythm of a song and guitar. If you plan to learn it, there are some terms associated with flamenco that you should learn, like “corto” (a singer skilled only in some styles but not in others) or “braceo” (the movement of the dancer’s arms). Improve your mind-body coordination and build your confidence while embracing this cornerstone of Spanish culture! Learn more about Flamenco here!

Celebrate el Dia de los Muertos - Mexico

El Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican traditional celebration that honours those who have passed away. It’s celebrated every year on the 1st and 2nd November. In Mexico, it is believed that those who are not remembered by their families will just fade away and never reach paradise. So, during these days, people pray for the ones who died to be welcomed into Heaven. Some other traditions include visiting the graves of family and loved ones and preparing altars at the cemetery with food, candles, flowers and photographs to remember them. Learn more about the Day of the Death here.