Basic principles

Draw a picture suggested by each word:

• A window• A loaf of bread• A mocajete

Languages are culture-specific: Words exist to express notions relevant to a

particular culture

• You might have drawn a picture of a window that goes up and down. People who speak other languages might draw a window that opens out.

• Your loaf of bread might be rectangular, whereas bread from another culture may be round.

• You might have drawn nothing for a mocajete, because you’ve never even heard of such a thing.

Write a better (idiomatic) version of each awkward phrase:

• To me, basketball is pleasing.• She climbs the bicycle.• I have 16 years.• I have much hurry.• It’s making much wind.

It does not work to translate word for word from Spanish to English

and vice-versa• You have to find the equivalent structure in each

language.• The previous sentences are word-for-word

translations from Spanish. • It is usually possible to convey the same idea in

Spanish and English, but the word order and word choice will often differ.

Don’t just learn words in isolation

• Learn vocabulary in context.• Learn equivalent ways of saying things.• For example: the word “does” is not used in

Spanish for asking a question.

Pronunciation

• This is the easiest part of Spanish. • Spanish is much easier than English.• Vowels and consonants each have only one

sound, making words much easier to sound out and spell.

• Spanish alphabet is almost the same as English. We’ll learn the slight differences soon.

Cognates: Try to guess the meanings of the following Spanish words:

• imaginar• música• profesor• importante• momento• delicioso

• You are probably able to guess the meanings of these words.

• Cognates are similar words in two languages that have the same meanings.

• There are many cognates between English and Spanish

Beware of false cognates! Some examples:

• éxito means “success,” not exit• carpeta means “file folder,” not “carpet”• embarazada means “pregnant,” not

“embarrased”

A word about accents (diacritical marks)

• Accents in Spanish help distinguish the meaning of two words that sound the same but have different meanings

• Accents also help us with exceptions to syllable pronunciation rules.

• Example: tú = you; tu = your

• sí = yes; si = if

• Example: café; cómico

• When memorizing new words, memorize where the accents are.