One meaning since two words or vice versa.

Compound Words are two or more words grouped to create a new word having a different, individual meaning. If we are aware of this learning a language, we will be able to infer many meaning words and profit from it. <h2>How to catch it?</h2>We can explore three ways:Since we have the compound word, we can figure out the meaning of each word.&nbsp;Since we have two words we can infer the compound word.Practicing. <h2>1 Figuring out the meaning of the compound word&nbsp;</h2>Let’s go with an example. The compound word: Abrebotellas - Bottle openerWe can split the compound word in two:<ul><li>Abre → abrir verb (to open)&nbsp;</li><li>Botellas → noun (it is used in plural because there are many types of bottles)&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>So now we catch two meanings from the compound&nbsp;word, enhancing our vocabulary.&nbsp;Let’s go with another example: &nbsp;aparcacoches - parking attendant<ul><li>Aparcar → verb (to park)</li><li>Coches (Carros) → noun (the cars)</li></ul> <h2>2 Inferring the meaning of the compound word</h2>In this case, we have two words inferring a compound word. Sadly, it doesn’t&nbsp;always work, but it could be worth a try.Let’s go practice.&nbsp;Two words: Romper (to broke) and olas (the waves). Give a try!<ul><li>Romper + olas → Romperolas → Rompeolas (the breakwater)</li></ul> Two words: Antes (before) and ayer (yesterday).&nbsp;<ul><li>Antes + ayer → Antesayer →&nbsp;Anteayer (the dau before yesterday)</li></ul> <h2>3 Practicing.&nbsp;</h2>Now that you know what compound words are and how they become formed. Let’s practice with the most popular compound words. Solutions at the bottom.First, split the following compound words in two.The English translation is literally ~ Right translation.&nbsp;<ul><li>Girasol → ... / ... ( To turn / Sun ~ Sunflower)</li><li>Cumpleaños → ... / ... (Accomplish / Years ~ Birthday)</li><li>Telaraña → ... / ... (Fabric / Spider ~ Spiderweb)</li><li>Aguanieve → ... / ... (Water / Snow ~ Sleet)</li><li>Autogobierno → ... / ... (Auto / Goverment ~ Self goverment)</li><li>Baloncesto → ... / ... (Ball&nbsp;/ Basket ~ Basketball)</li><li>Bienvenido → ... / ... (Well / To come ~ Welcome)</li><li>Compraventa → ... / ... (Buy / Sell)</li><li>Criptomoneda → ... / ... (Cryptocurrency)</li><li>Cuentacuentos → ... / ... (To tell / Story ~ Storytelling)&nbsp;</li></ul> Second, join two words to form a compound word.&nbsp;The English translation is literally ~ Right translation.<ul><li>Cubre - Bocas → ... (Covert -&nbsp;Mouth ~ Face mask)</li><li>Cuenta - Kilómetros → ... (Count - Kilometers ~ Speedometer)</li><li>Diez - Ocho → ... (Eighteen)</li><li>Guardar - Bosque → ...&nbsp;(Keep - Forest&nbsp;~ Ranger)</li><li>Hierba - Buena &nbsp;→ ...&nbsp;(Grass - Good&nbsp;~ Peppermint)&nbsp;</li><li>Hispano - Hablante &nbsp;→ ...&nbsp;(Hispano - Speaker&nbsp;~ Spanish-speaking)</li><li>Lava - Platos&nbsp;→ ...&nbsp;(Wash - Plates&nbsp;~ Dishwasher)</li><li>Mal - Gastar&nbsp;→ ...&nbsp;(Bad - Spende&nbsp;~ Waste)</li><li>Medio - Día&nbsp;→ ...&nbsp;(Half - Day&nbsp;~ Midday)</li><li>Pelo - Rojo&nbsp;→ ...&nbsp;(Reddish - Hair&nbsp;~ Redhead)</li></ul> Before finishing, You have noticed that compound words come from two words, but there is one case where it’s formed from three. This weird word is:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Limpia - Para - Brisas&nbsp;→ Limpiaparabrisas &nbsp;(Clean - Stop - Breeze&nbsp;~ Windshield wipers)</li></ul> <h2>Conclusion</h2>Next time we face a new word, if we are aware that we are in front of a compound word, we could split it into two words and likely find two new meanings that make sense of the compound word.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hoping this explanation dawn on you what the compoud words can help you to enhance your Spanish vocabulary. Feel free to ask any questions.&nbsp;Keep practicing!Antonio<a href="https://teach.italki.com/teacher/3020133">https://teach.italki.com/teacher/3020133</a> Solutions.<ul><li>Girasol → Gira / Sol&nbsp;(To turn - Sun ~ Sunflower)</li><li>Cumpleaños → Cumple / Años (Accomplish - Years ~ Birthday)</li><li>Telaraña → Tela / Araña (Fabris - Spider ~ Spiderweb)</li><li>Aguanieve → Agua / Nieve (Sleet)</li><li>Autogobierno → Auto / Gobierno (Self goverment)</li><li>Baloncesto → Balón / Cesto (Basketball)</li><li>Bienvenido → Bien / Venido (Welcome)</li><li>Compraventa → Compra / Venta (Buy and sell)</li><li>Criptomoneda → Cripto / Moneda (Cryptocurrency)</li><li>Cuentacuentos → Contar / Cuentos (Storytelling)&nbsp;</li><li>Cubre - Bocas → Cubrebocas (Face mask)</li><li>Cuenta - Kilómetros → Cuentakilómetros (Speedometer)</li><li>Diez - Ocho → Dieciocho (Eighteen)</li><li>Guardar - Bosque → Guardabosque&nbsp;(Ranger)</li><li>Hierba - Buena &nbsp;→ Hierbabuena &nbsp;(Peppermint)&nbsp;</li><li>Hispano - Hablante&nbsp;→ Hispanohablante&nbsp;(Spanish-speaking)</li><li>Lava - Platos&nbsp;→ Lavaplatos &nbsp;( Dishwasher)</li><li>Mal - Gastar&nbsp;→ Malgastar&nbsp;(To waste)</li><li>Medio - Día&nbsp;→ Mediodía &nbsp;(Midday)</li><li>Pelo - Rojo&nbsp;→ Pelirrojo&nbsp;(Redhead)</li></ul> Click the pic below to meet Antonio!<a href="https://www.italki.com/teacher/3020133"><img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cbovsn2m0ghnv9b2cbcg.jpg"></a>

Spanish Compound Words

Learning a language takes consistency and dedication. The best way to improve is to practice every day.

However, you needn’t always spend hours and hours memorizing textbooks and grammar charts in order to see results.&nbsp;If you are currently able to speak a language at a B1 (low intermediate) level or above, you can improve your abilities in just three minutes a day.&nbsp;In this article, I will explain how.&nbsp; <h2>The “Three-Minute Show” method</h2> When I was teaching English in China, each of the students had one chance each semester to stand up in front of the classroom and spend three minutes talking about whatever they wanted.&nbsp;Some students would plan elaborate PowerPoint, but a lot of the students just talked.&nbsp;They discussed things that they were passionate about.&nbsp;One girl told the class everything she knew about Justin Bieber.&nbsp;A boy talked about his new iPhone, sharing each feature with us as though he were a salesman.&nbsp;Another girl explained why she wanted a pet cat.&nbsp;&nbsp; The three-minute shows helped the students use their grammar and vocabulary in an interesting way.&nbsp;They also gave the students a reason to speak for a longer time than they usually did.&nbsp;They weren’t just quickly giving one-sentence answers to questions.&nbsp;They were pushing themselves to share more complex and detailed thoughts.&nbsp; Wouldn’t you like to do this?&nbsp;The good news is that you don’t need to have a whole class of people watching you.&nbsp;You can do a three-minute show alone in your house!&nbsp;Of course, if you want to find an audience, that is also possible.&nbsp; <h2>Some Example Three-Minute Show Topics</h2> Sometimes it can be hard to think of topics to speak about.&nbsp;If you need some ideas, you can look at this list.&nbsp;These speaking prompts will help you to improve your ability to share both positive and negative opinions.&nbsp;Some of them might take you outside of your comfort zone and help you discover which topics are difficult for you to discuss in your target language. 1. Introduce your hometown.&nbsp;What makes it special?&nbsp;What should tourists do if they visit? 2. Talk about a person who you admire.&nbsp;Who are they?&nbsp;What did they do?&nbsp;Why do you admire them? 3. Talk about your most unusual hobby.&nbsp;Use a dictionary to find words related to it. 4. Talk about a movie you saw.&nbsp;Explain the plot and talk about why you liked or didn’t like it. 5. Talk about your least favorite teacher at school.&nbsp;Why didn’t you like him or her? 6. Talk about something you wish you could say to somebody.&nbsp;&nbsp; 7. Talk about a book that you love. 8. Talk about a book that you hate. 9. Do research on an animal.&nbsp;Talk about what you learned. 10. Discuss an important event from your country’s history. 11. What do you know about space?&nbsp;Can you name the planets?&nbsp;Do you believe in aliens? 12. Talk about your family. 13. Talk about your job. 14. What is the best way to raise children?&nbsp;Talk about your opinions.&nbsp;&nbsp;15. Talk about an interesting dream you had.&nbsp;&nbsp; 16. What is the best way to stay healthy?&nbsp;What do you do to take care of your health? 17. What is the best way to manage stress? 18. Talk about something political that you agree or disagree with. 19. Talk about something that makes you happy. 20. Talk about something that makes you angry. 21. Talk about something that makes you sad. 22. Talk about your favorite song. 23. Talk about a celebrity who you dislike. 24. Show and tell!&nbsp;Show an object that is special to you.&nbsp;Describe it.&nbsp;What is it?&nbsp;Where did you get it?&nbsp;Why do you love it? 25. Talk about your biggest goal in life. <h2>How to do a three-minute show (easy)</h2> Choose a topic.&nbsp;Open the timer app on your phone.&nbsp;Start talking.&nbsp;Don’t worry about mistakes.&nbsp;Nobody is listening.&nbsp;Just talk for three minutes.&nbsp;When you have finished, take a minute to think.&nbsp;Were there any words that you wanted to use but didn’t know in your target language?&nbsp;You can look those up in a dictionary to use next time.&nbsp;Did you need to spend a lot of time thinking or mentally translating between your native language and your target language?&nbsp;Try the same topic again tomorrow.&nbsp;It will get easier and easier.&nbsp;If you can’t talk for three minutes, try talking for one minute.&nbsp;Everybody has to start somewhere.&nbsp;&nbsp; How to do a three-show (more difficult) Choose a topic.&nbsp;Get a notebook and brainstorm some keywords that you will need to talk about that topic.&nbsp;If you don’t know the words in your target language, look them up in a dictionary before you get started.&nbsp;You can also make some notes on the main points you want to express.&nbsp;This will help you stay organized. Do not write out every sentence that you will speak.&nbsp;You should try to speak naturally, not like you are reading from a script.You can use a phone to make a video of yourself speaking.&nbsp;After you are done, watch your video.&nbsp;Can you find your own mistakes?&nbsp;Is there anything you think you could do better next time? How to share your three-minute show Sharing your three-minute show is a great way to get feedback and really take your language learning to the next level.&nbsp;There are a few ways you can do this:&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.&nbsp;You can make a video of yourself doing your three-minute speech.&nbsp;You can post it on a social media platform like TikTok or YouTube.&nbsp;You can ask viewers to give you advice and feedback.&nbsp;Tag #italki! 2.&nbsp;You can share audio of your three-minute speech in the italki community.&nbsp;A friendly native speaker might even help you correct your mistakes!&nbsp; 3.&nbsp;You can book a lesson with an italki teacher.&nbsp;Just tell the teacher that you would like to spend the first few minutes of the class practicing a speech that you have prepared.&nbsp;Most teachers will be happy to help you!&nbsp;In my opinion, this is the most effective method. What are you waiting for?&nbsp;Will you try a three-minute show?&nbsp;Do you have any great ideas for three-minute show topics?&nbsp;If you do, share them in the comments below. Click the pic below to meet Shannon!<a href="https://www.italki.com/teacher/3469507"><img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cbm7dpgog4cskbggfgjg.jpg"></a>

How to Improve Your Language Skills in Just Three Minutes

How to use the preposition POUR? And above all, understand what it indicates depending on the context of course!

Learn new French expressions known, already heard, or to discover... Finally, understand what you are talking about and use POUR appropriately.&nbsp;<h2>POUR: 1 word, 27 indications</h2>&nbsp;POUR (FOR) is probably the preposition of time that gives you a hard time, and for good reason! It can indicate so many things. Follow me and shed some light on this mystery... Well, almost... Let's go! Let's focus on this notion. Do you need help? Let me know by booking a lesson on my calendar. See you soon!&nbsp;POUR (for)preposition(Low Latin por, from Classical Latin pro)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Indicates:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. The place to which one is going: Partir pour Paris. = Leaving for Paris.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The time when something must be done: Viendrez-vous pour Noël ? = Will you come for Christmas? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In this situation, POUR (FOR) has as synonyms:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;au moment de - vers = at the time of - to&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. The circumstance: C'est tout pour aujourd'hui. = That's all for today.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. The purpose: La lutte pour le pouvoir. = The struggle for power. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In this situation, POUR (FOR) has as synonyms:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;afin de - dans le but de - en vue de = in order to - in order to - in order to&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. The destination, use, purpose: Une crème pour les mains. = A hand cream.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. The addressee, the person to whom something is addressed: Une émission pour tous. = A programme for everyone.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. The beneficiary: Travailler pour un patron. = To work for a boss.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. The person or thing in whose interest or for whose benefit something is done: Se battre pour une noble cause. = To fight for a noble cause. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In this situation, POUR (FOR) has as synonym:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;en faveur de&nbsp;= in favour of&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. The option, preference, side one has taken, etc.: Je suis pour partir sur-le-champ. = I am for leaving at once.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10. The person or thing to which a feeling, affect, or behavior is directed: Son amour pour elle. = His love for her. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In this situation, POUR (FOR) has as synonyms:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;à l'égard de - envers = towards - towards&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11. The cause: Condamnée pour vol. = Convicted of theft.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12. The consequence, the result observed, expected, foreseeable: Pour son malheur, il n'avait pas prévu cela. = For his misfortune, he had not foreseen this.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13. The thing or person concerned, which is in question: Pour la pétition, qu'est-ce qu'on fait ? What are we going to do about the petition? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In this situation, POUR has as synonyms:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;au sujet de - en ce qui concerne = about - with regard to&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14. The point of view: Pour moi, il n'avait pas tort. = For me, he wasn't wrong. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In this situation, POUR (FOR) has a synonym:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;selon = according to&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15. The point of reference from which a comparison, an observation, a concession, a restriction, an opposition is established: Il est très avancé pour son âge. = He is very advanced for his age.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16. The element from which a ratio or proportion is established, especially in percentages: Trente pour cent du chiffre d’affaires. =&nbsp;Thirty percent of the turnover.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17. Followed by a noun measure, the relative quantity of something in a whole, the importance, role, and share of something, of someone in a situation: Vous y êtes pour quelque chose. (formel) / Tu y es pour quelque chose. (Informel) = You have something to do with it. (You = Vous: formal / Tu:Informal)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18. The duration, the price: J'en ai pour une minute. = I'll be back in a minute.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19. Compensation, payment, consideration: En avoir pour son argent. = Getting your money's worth.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20. The time needed: Il faut dix heures pour aller à Marseille. = It takes ten hours to go to Marseille.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;21. The exact equivalence between two nouns without an article: Cela fera un an jour pour jour. = It will be one year to the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22. The substitution, the replacement: Signe pour moi. = Sign for me. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In this situation, POUR (FOR) has a synonym:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;à la place de = instead of&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23. Between two identical words without an article, the possibility of making a choice between two possible aspects: Perdu pour perdu, je préfère que ce soit chez toi. = Lost for lost, I prefer that it be at your place.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24. The beginning of an emphasis: Ça pour une surprise, c'est une surprise ! = It's a surprise, it's a surprise!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;25. An attribute of the subject or object: On l'avait laissé pour mort. = He was left for dead.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26. Followed by an infinitive, a simple coordination, with an idea of succession in time: Elle s'est endormie pour ne plus se réveiller (= et elle ne s'est jamais réveillée). = She fell asleep so as not to wake up again (= and she never woke up).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;27. Alone after a verb, the aim, destination, intention, orientation, option, in colloquial language: Sers-toi de ce verre, c'est fait pour. = Use this glass, it's made for.&nbsp;While most of the time POUR is a preposition, POUR (for) can also be a masculine noun. As in this example.Pour (for) n.m.Le pour et le contre, les avantages et les inconvénients. = The pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages. Click the pic below to meet Cécile!<a href="https://www.italki.com/teacher/6694925"><img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cbp02p0og4cskbggraag.jpg"> </a>

POUR 1 mot, 27 indications

“I’ll never be able to speak English!” Have you ever found yourself saying something similar?

Perhaps you’ve been practicing a language for what feels like forever, but you still can’t speak fluently, master the grammar, or understand native speakers. You’re frustrated. Tired. Bored. What’s a language learner to do? Almost everyone who has learned a language has felt a lack of motivation at some point along the way. Maybe you feel like your progress has plateaued, or you don’t feel the same joy as when you first started learning. It’s a normal part of the journey. But what can you do to get motivated again? Here are 5 super tips on how to spice up your routine and enjoy learning a language: <h2>1.Go back to basics</h2>If you’ve reached an intermediate or advanced level, congratulations! You’ve probably worked really hard to get to this point, and maybe you’re running out of steam. That’s okay! If the last thing you feel like doing is drilling advanced vocabulary, why not review some easy stuff? Go back to the basics and make sure you really understand beginner vocabulary and grammar. This will give you a good foundation to keep progressing and help you to refresh your memory. And, the best part, it’s easy! Before you know it, you’ll be ready for a challenge again. <h2>2. Incorporate your interests</h2>Are you bored with language learning? Doing hours of flashcards and grammar exercises can be quite a drag. Why not incorporate some of your other interests into your language learning routine? Watch your favorite tv show in your target language. Read an article about something you enjoy.&nbsp;Learn some words related to your hobbies and chat with a teacher about them. Try to learn more about the culture and interests of the people that speak the language. What do they like to do in their free time? What sports do they like? What kind of dishes are popular in their country? You could try following a recipe in your target language and try a new dish. Or try planning a trip to visit a country where the language is spoken. If you make your practice sessions fun and interesting, you might find your boredom disappears in no time.&nbsp;<h2>3. Find a partner</h2>Practicing a language by yourself can get lonely. Why not look for a learning partner? You can practice together, share your struggles and successes, and talk about why you are learning the language. A language partner can encourage you when you feel like giving up, and you’ll always have someone to practice conversation with. If you don’t know anyone who’s learning the same language as you, you can search online communities to find a language learning partner. <h2>4. Try short sessions</h2>Consistency is key when learning a language. But let’s face it, life can get hectic. It can be hard to buy out several hours each week to practice. And if you have a short attention span, maybe you can’t stay focused for hour long practice sessions. The solution? Try practicing a few minutes every day. Set a timer for 15 minutes, or even 5. Focus on one thing you want to learn or practice. Practicing even a little bit every day will help you to keep making steady progress, and you won’t feel as overwhelmed. Little by little, you can start increasing your practice time. <h2>5. Reflect on your progress</h2>Whether you’ve been learning a language for a short time or for years, no doubt you’ve made progress. Think back to when you first started learning. You didn’t know any words, and you certainly couldn’t form sentences. You’ve come so far since then. And if you keep at it, you will continue to progress and meet your goals, just as you have been doing. If you are struggling to progress and feel like you have reached a “plateau,” don’t give up! Start making a note of each small success along the way, whether it’s learning a new word, or finally feeling confident conversing with a native speaker. That way you’ll have a record to look back on when you start to get discouraged. If you have recordings of old classes, go back and watch one of your first ones. You may be surprised by how much you have improved. Reflecting on your progress and why you started this journey can help you see the bigger picture and motivate you to keep up the hard work.&nbsp; Learning a language is a process, and everyone learns at a different pace. But one thing we all have in common is that at times, we start to lose our motivation or even think about giving up altogether. You’re not alone. Talk to your teacher or a friend, and ask them what helps them. Try these tips, and hopefully before you know it you will enjoy language learning again.&nbsp;

5 Tips to Spice Up Your Language Learning Routine

The Dominican Republic has known for many things: the beaches, the food, the people, and much more; but when it comes to how we speak, everyone knows us for our slang and insults of course, but of course, I won’t be teaching you any bad words today haha.

Today, I’ll show you 7 popular Dominican slang terms and phrases that will give you an insight into the way we Dominicans express ourselves.&nbsp; <h2>1) Vaina</h2> If you’ve ever heard any Dominican speak, “vaina” filled your ears at least 200 times per sentence. Vaina can’t be directly translated into English, which can make it hard for non-Dominicans to utilize it, since it means “thing” it can be used nearly anywhere in a sentence. Like: <ul><li>Dame esa vaina! (Give me that thing)</li><li>Me va a dar una vaina (I’m going to come down with something/pass out)</li><li>¡Que vaina! (Damn, what a bunch of crap) - This is used to complain.</li><li>Deja esa vaina (Leave that alone)</li><li>Me gusta echar vaina (I like to flaunt)</li></ul> Did you forget to say anything in Spanish? Just point at it and call it vaina and based on context clues any Dominican will easily understand you.&nbsp; <h2>2) Baraja / Barajar</h2> Barajar means to shuffle, usually when speaking about playing cards. But we use it quite differently. Are you the type of person that typically cancels plans last minute? Then that means you are always barajando. To barajar means to scrap something. Whether it is plans of going out or a certain offer that you don’t want to accept.&nbsp; Is there a certain person that has a crush on you and keeps confessing their dying love? Tell them “Baraja eso” (Scrap that) and he won’t ask you out again.&nbsp; <h2>3) En olla</h2> Being “en olla” is probably a situation we can all relate to after the pandemic; it means to be broke. The literal definition of “en olla” is to be in a pot, relating to how being broke is a horrible pot-boiling hot situation, almost like hell. But we’ll make it through this guys! <h2>4) Aficiao’/a’</h2> Being “aficiao’” is definitely something we have all been before. The literal definition of aficiado is to be asphyxiated, but we use it to describe someone that is head over heels over someone. You can call yourself this if you are extremely in love with someone. Know that being aficiao’ is more than just a crush, it’s when you fall HARD! Ex: Diablo loco, estoy aficiao’ de esa tipa, no sé que hacer. (Damn dude, I’m head over heels over that chick, I don’t know what to do) <img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cbfmt9n5hc30bq046n4g.png"> <h2>5) Quillao’/a’</h2> Quillao’ is a word that is used a lot by Dominicans especially those that get angry very easily, which are many by the way (including myself). You say you or someone is “quillao’” when you are pretty mad, annoyed, and/or irritated. For example, the number #1 person that can make me instantly quillao’ is my sister.&nbsp; Who easily angers you? Ex: Ese tipo me quilla solo mirándolo. (That dude angers me just by looking at him) <h2>6) Popi&nbsp;</h2> If you ever go to Santo Domingo and enjoy the main areas where you can find all luxurious malls, cars, and restaurants; you will definitely run into some popis. Popis are those young Dominicans that belong to a much higher social class, due to their money, last name’s legacy, private school, living area, car, etc. Classism is quite common in the Dominican Republic which is something that many don’t realize or take action on, unfortunately, classism is not taken seriously as a social issue and silly labels like ‘popi’ are created to lighten the situation. <h2>7) Wawawa</h2> Finally, we have “Wawawa” which is the opposite of “popi”. This word was made popular by famous urban artists like El Mayor and Rochy RD. This word is used to describe those that live in “los barrios”, which are the more urban areas of the country. Wawawa, in general, has quite different hobbies and ways of expression from Popis which usually can create some separation when socializing between these social classes. But using words like Wawawa and Popi can soften the division, looking at more of a positive outlook on classism as a social issue in the Dominican Republic.&nbsp; That’s it!Those are 7 iconic Dominican slang terms but of course, that’s not even 1/4 of all of them, I will let you learn the rest when you visit my beautiful country, it is an unforgettable experience for everyone that gets to step foot into the beautiful island (the most beautiful in my opinion but I might be biased).

7 Iconic Dominican Slang Terms

How to choose the auxiliary verb for compound tenses in Italian

How do I say “I went home” in Italian? If you said 'Sono andato a casa'' you are doing well in your lessons, but I know that many of you thought about '*Andato* a casa', '*Ho* andato a casa', why cannot we say that?&nbsp;You cannot use just 'andato' because the tense is defined by the auxiliary verb and you must choose the right one.&nbsp;&nbsp; The use of the auxiliary verb in compound tenses is one of the most frequent doubts among Italian students. Do you also have problems choosing between 'essere' or 'avere'? I'll explain it all to you in four points. <h2>1. COMPOUND TENSES</h2> So, in Italian, we have some compound tenses, that is, a verb that needs two words to be conjugated: the auxiliary verb 'essere' or 'avere' conjugated in a given tense and the main verb at past participle. Here are the same verb conjugated in the first person singular for all compound tenses: <ul><li>the “passato prossimo” (past simple/present perfect) of 'cantare' is “ho cantato”, 'ho' is the auxiliary verb 'avere' in the present tense and 'cantato' is the 'participio passato' (past participle) of 'cantare'.</li><li>the 'trapassato' (past perfect) of 'cantare' is “avevo cantato”, 'avevo' is the auxiliary verb 'avere' in the 'imperfetto' (imperfect) and 'cantato' is the 'participio passato' (past participle) of 'cantare'.</li><li>the 'futuro anteriore' (future perfect) of 'cantare' is “avrò cantato”, 'avrò' is the auxiliary verb 'avere' in the 'futuro' (future) and 'cantato' is the 'participio passato' (past participle) of 'cantare'.</li><li>the 'condizionale passato' (past conditional) of 'cantare' is “avrei cantato”, 'avrei' is the auxiliary verb 'avere' in the 'condizionale' (conditional) and 'cantato' is the 'participio passato' (past participle) of 'cantare'.</li><li>the 'cogiuntivo passato' (past subjunctive) of 'cantare' is “abbia cantato”, 'abbia' is the auxiliary verb 'avere' in the 'congiuntivo presente' (present subjunctive) and 'cantato' is the 'participio passato' (past participle) of 'cantare'.</li><li>the 'cogiuntivo trapassato' (pluperfect subjunctive) of 'cantare' is “avessi cantato”, 'avessi' is the auxiliary verb 'avere' in the 'congiuntivo imperfetto' (imperfect subjunctive) and 'cantato' is the 'participio passato' (past participle) of 'cantare'.</li><li>the 'trapassato remoto' (absolute perfect) of 'cantare' is “ebbi cantato”, 'ebbi' is the auxiliary verb 'avere' in the 'passato remoto' (absolute past) and 'cantato' is the 'participio passato' (past participle) of 'cantare'.</li></ul> As you can see, the auxiliary choice is the same in all tenses, that is, if a verb uses 'essere' at “passato prossimo”, it will be the same at “trapassato”, “futuro anteriore” and at any other compound tense. <h2>2. THE AUXILIARY VERB 'AVERE'</h2> Most of verbs use the auxiliary verb 'avere', grammars say all transitives and inergatives intransitives verbs. In more intuitive words: we use 'avere'&nbsp;when the action expressed by the verb starts from the subject and reaches/includes another element and there are no changes in the subject. For example: Paolo (subject) ha costruito una casa (object). (Paul built a house); La TV (subject) ha trasmesso il film (object). (The TV has broadcast the film.) The verbs in these examples are transitive. With inergatives intransitive verbs, even if there is no object, we can imagine it in some way and, in any case, there is no subject transformation. For example: Ho dormito [un sonno] (I slept [a sleep]); Ho pianto [un pianto] (I cried [a cry]); Ho corso [una corsa] (I ran [a run]). Beyond dormire, piangere e correre also parlare (to talk), camminare (to walk), ballare (to dance), nuotare (to swim), viaggiare (to travel), etc. belong to this group. <h2>3. THE AUXILIARY VERB 'ESSERE'</h2> The actions expressed by the other intransitive verbs, on the other hand, does not have at all this second element that participates in the action. For example, in Paolo è andato a casa (Paolo went home), only Paolo participates in the action and, moreover, we have a displacement, that is, a change in the subject position. This is the main one characteristic of verbs that use the auxiliary verb 'essere': the subject changes, that is, it gets a transformation or changes his position. The same happens when the verb indicates the subject position or state, for example, Paolo è rimasto a casa (Paolo stayed home), Paolo è stato male (Paolo got sick).&nbsp; Therefore, verbs that express the subject state, transformation or displacement use 'essere' as auxiliary verb. For example: Siamo rimasti tutto il giorno a casa. (We stayed at home all day); Maria è sparita. (Maria has disappeared); La città è cresciuta. (The city has grown); Siamo tornati in Italia. (We came back to Italy.). Among the intransitives with 'essere' as auxiliary verb we also find impersonal verbs, such as sembrare (to seem), bisognare (to need), piacere (to like), succedere (to happen), bastare (to be enough).Examples: Cosa è successo? (What happened?); Ti è piaciuta la pizza? (Did you like the pizza?). Finally, we use the auxiliary verb 'essere' with all reflexive and pronominal verbs.Examples: Paolo si è svegliato alle 7. (Paul woke up at 7am.); Non si sono accorti di niente. (They didn't notice anything). <h2>4. SOMETIMES 'ESSERE' AND SOMETIMES 'AVERE'</h2> Lastly, we have verbs that are sometimes transitive and sometimes intransitive, like cominciare (to begin), finire (to end) and passare (to pass), therefore, they use 'avere' when transitive and 'essere' when intransitive.For example: Ho finito i compiti. &lt;&gt; Il film è finito. (I finished my homework. &lt;&gt; The film is finished); Ho passato una bella giornata. &lt;&gt; Sono passato per la strada principale. (I had a great day. &lt;&gt; I went through the main road.). If you have other doubts or want more examples, leave a comment below.Ciao,Desi

'ESSERE' or 'AVERE'?

Punctuation is essential for the readability of the text.

It is used to organize the syntactic flow and the progression of ideas. Punctuation also allows the separation between words or sentences or between the ideas of sentences. It also gives an idea of ​​the function of the sentence, whether it is an exclamatory, declarative, or interrogative sentence. In addition, introducing explanations or quotations serves as a presentation or illustration tool. Indeed, punctuation is: " the set of conventional signs used to indicate, in writing, facts of oral language such as pauses and intonation, or to mark certain breaks and certain logical links " Maurice Grevisse and André Goosse (2007: 115). Each punctuation mark has a function to exploit in its writing. Generally, we traditionally identify ten or twelve punctuation marks that are inserted into the text:&nbsp;question mark (?),&nbsp;exclamation point (!), comma (,), semicolon (;), colon (:), ellipsis (…), parenthesis (()), quotation marks (“ ”), hyphen (–), etc. <h2>Period or full stop</h2>The period is among the main punctuation marks. It marks the end of a sentence or a paragraph, it is at the end of a declarative sentence to mark its end. The period does not separate from the last letter of the word that ends the sentence. If another sentence follows on the same line, its capital letter is separated from the point by a space. <h2>Comma</h2>The comma is a sign marking a pause of medium duration without changing the intonation during reading. It is important in any syntactic structure, but it is difficult to use in a precise place. To this end, Albert Doppagne (2006: 13) asserts that: "Of all the punctuation marks, the comma is perhaps the most important, but the trickiest to use wisely. » The comma specifies the elements incised or inserted inside a sentence, an enumeration, or it is used to separate words, groups of words of the same nature, or juxtaposed propositions. In fact, it is used to separate words, groups of words, or coordinated propositions by the coordinating conjunctions and, or, nor, but, because, etc. In the case of ni, the comma is rarely used if it is used twice. If it is repeated several times, we put the comma. Again, in the case of the preposition but the comma precedes this conjunction when it indicates an opposition. The comma is also placed after the circumstantial elements of a sentence. <h2>Semicolon</h2>This sign is used to connect two propositions linked by a semantic sequence without them being linked by a grammatical link. That is to say, it separates independent propositions, united by meaning and juxtaposed. Thus, it marks a medium pause, neither short like that of the comma nor long like that of the period. <h2>Colon</h2>The colon marks the presentation of an explanation or definition. As well as they serve to introduce a quotation as an argument or to cite elements as examples. <h2>Ellipses</h2>They are also called suspensive points, always three in number, showing that the thought or the expression expressed is incomplete and interrupted for various reasons: interrupted sentence, a shortened enumeration. They are thus used in quotations to mark the deletion of a passage. <h2>Exclamation point and question mark</h2>The exclamation mark is placed at the end of an exclamatory sentence or a sentence expressing surprise, admiration, or order. It is a melodic sign marking the end of a direct interrogative sentence. These two signs are rarely used in scientific writings (the question mark is used in the problematic). <h2>Parenthesis</h2>Parenthesis are signs that are used in pairs. Generally, in writing, Parenthesis is used to mention or clarify a detail. They are also used to:<ul><li>Indicate a word, a group of words, sometimes even an entire clause within a sentence.</li><li>Parenthesis specifies an explanation or a comment that has no syntactic link with the rest of the sentence.</li><li>Make up for a remark, reference, or secondary note.</li><li>Indicate a reference, the year, and the page or also to the studies of a researcher.</li></ul> <h2>Quotes and dashes</h2>The quotation marks were inspired by the printer Guillaume, where their name comes from. They are used in pairs: opening quotation marks and closing quotation marks. They mark the change of author in a speech, they frame any quotation, any intervention of a character in a direct speech. The hyphen presents a hyphen of a few compound words, it serves to unite several elements to form a lexical unit. This sign is used in the enumeration of elements. In conclusion, punctuation is a typographical and technical system that makes text readable and understandable. The rules of punctuation are methodological requirements that come from conventions among grammarians. These rules develop and undergo changes through time and context as well as they differ from one language to another.

Learn how to use French punctuation

In Buenos Aires, people speak Castellano Rioplatense or Español Rioplatense. This is a dialect of the Castilian or Spanish language spoken in the Río de la Plata basin area, in Argentina and Uruguay, and in other neighboring regions.

Let's see the most distinctive features. Pronunciation <ul><li>A peculiar form of yeismo. Yeísmo is a mode of pronunciation characteristic of several regions that consists of pronouncing the LL (“elle”) in the same way as the Y (“ye”). In this way, yeísmo leads to saying “cabayo” instead of “caballo” and “zapayo” instead of “zapallo”.&nbsp;</li><li>Seseo: We don´t use the voiceless interdental fricative consonant /θ/ . In Spain it distinguishes the spelling c or z from the written [s] s. In Buenos Aires Spanish this causes numerous cases of hominy that do not exist in peninsular Spanish, and has therefore led to changes in the vocabulary. For example: terms such as “cocer” (cooking) or “caza” (hunting) are homophones with “coser” (sewing) and “casa” (house)&nbsp;respectively, and the former is always replaced by “cocinar”.</li></ul> Voseo The substitution of the standard second person singular pronoun tú by vos, as an accepted form in the spoken and written dialect. The phenomenon also carries modifications in the conjugation of verbs. The form usted remains unchanged; as in the Iberian Peninsula, and unlike other Latin American dialects, it has a value of respect and is extremely unusual among speakers who know each other, in informal contexts, and among relatives. On the contrary, the plural ustedes replaces vosotros in all cases, losing the distinction between family and respect forms. Although the verb conjugation for the pronoun vos appears to vary only in stress from the standard form (showing the pattern tú amas &gt; vos amás, tú comes &gt; vos comés), it actually closely follows the classical form of the second plural person amar, comer (to love, to eat), in which the diphthong has elided its second term. In verbs in which the root shows vowel alternations with the conjugation, this difference is preserved in the form of vos, which maintains the vowel of the infinitive. For example, tú mientes (you lie), but vos mentís (you lie). Verbal inflection <ul><li>The periphrastic forms of the past like the preterite perfect (he vivido) and the past preterite (hube vivido) are very rare in Castellano Rioplatense, although they appear in written use. They are usually replaced by past simple (viví).</li><li>The future simple conjugated form has disappeared. It is replaced by a periphrasis, made with the modal verb ir (to go) + the infinitive of the verb. For example, iré is replaced by voy a ir (I will go &gt; I am going to go), comeré is replaced by voy a comer (I will eat &gt; I am going to eat). The use of the future with predictive value is maintained: ¿Qué hora será? (What time will it be?) ¿Habrán ganado el partido? (Will they have won the match?)</li></ul> Lunfardo Lunfardo is a slang, a popular speech created outside the official vocabulary. <ul><li>It was formed between 1870 and 1880, when the first batches of European immigrants began to arrive, specifically Italians. In the first stage, lunfardo contains approximately 50 percent of standard Italian words, which would be Tuscan or Genoese. They are the two languages ​​that contribute the most to lunfardo during its first 30 years of existence.</li><li>In other cases there is a complete adaptation to the phonetics of the Spanish speaker from the Río de la Plata. And there is, furthermore, a previous popular vocabulary, made up of words that did not come from Italian but were taken from popular speech, or from the speech of African slaves, Brazilianisms, or words from the rural area, possibly Spanish originally but later they passed through gaucho literature.</li><li>The lunfardo formed a linguistic synthesis, a living memory of the history of Argentina, which accounts for the different social groups that have shaped our country and remind us at every moment who we are and where we come from.</li><li>This is the only popular vocabulary in the world formed originally and in a high percentage by immigrant terms, brought by European immigrants, especially Italians and Spanish, but the successive internal migrations to the city of Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires should not be forgotten, which took place in Argentina in particular during the first half of the 20th century. Lunfardo received the contribution of aboriginal languages.</li></ul> Some lunfardo words:&nbsp;<img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cb8e3nv5hc30bq036730.png">

Learn the main characteristics of Buenos Aires Spanish

Do you need to keep improving your English, but feel stuck? Do you feel you cannot make any more progress? How do you push through and keep improving?

I can help…just read below! <h2>Create clear and realistic goals:</h2> For many English learners, they feel like they stop making sufficient progress once they hit a specific level, especially for intermediate learners. There is a reason for this. When you first start learning a language, you pick up new words, vocabulary, and ideas very quickly. However, once you reach a certain level, your fluency slows down and you see many words again and again. The first time you unbox a new computer or phone, you might spend all day playing it, but after a while, you might not use it much at all. The novelty has worn off, and it is no longer as interesting or fun as when it was new. This is the same with your English learning journey.&nbsp; So, the solution? Set clear and realistic goals. It is a good idea to set 3 goals you can follow, one that is easier, one that is challenging, and one that is hard. By doing this, you can start to make progress again quickly, while reaching the second goal a little later, before ultimately reaching your final goal at the end. <h2>Track your progress:&nbsp;</h2> <h3>How can you make progress if you do not track your steps?</h3> The first step is to set a routine to improve your English and keep a track of what you have done each day. If you read for 20 minutes, make a note of it. What did you read? A book, an article, a magazine? What did you enjoy about it?&nbsp; When listening, how long did you listen to the video, podcast, or radio show? What were the topics discussed? Was it easy to understand? Can you explain its content to someone else? Or write a short summary of it, to check your learning/comprehension.&nbsp; If you have a conversation or do some speaking practice, record it, get feedback, and check your errors, so that you can improve upon them later. Try to speak with a native speaker, or your teacher, so that you can track your progress more easily and so you are able to clearly identify which areas you need to keep working on.&nbsp; If you like to write, keep a learning journal or an English diary, where you can write down your ideas in English. Writing is a great way to better understand your thinking in another language, foster stronger retention and not only keep a note of what you learned, but also expand and develop it when writing it down.&nbsp; <h2>Challenge Yourself:</h2> Many times, we plateau because we don’t push ourselves enough. This makes sense, as we are not robots. When we do not challenge ourselves, it is easy to give up and lose motivation. So how can you challenge yourself?&nbsp; We start to make real progress when we push ourselves out of our comfort zone. Many of my students found that by creating a clear plan, and working on it day by day, they were able to make progress quickly, especially when they have short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals to work towards. When you read something, do you take time to check the vocabulary you do not know? Do you put those words into sentences, then put them into a paragraph, and then record yourself reading it? This can be a great way to challenge yourself to go beyond your usual approach.&nbsp; When speaking or listening, do you check and ask questions if there is something in a conversation you do not understand? Do you know how to get ‘unstuck’ when you are lost, or how to get the conversation back on track? Do you regularly write summaries or a journal of things you have read, seen, or heard? Do you challenge yourself to try reading more difficult texts, turn off the subtitles to your favorite TV show, or only listen once to a recording or podcast? Of course, these steps can seem difficult at first, but once you build practice and confidence, you should be able to succeed very quickly! Get expert help to get you to the next level: If you want to run faster, do you run more? Do you buy better shoes? Or do you get a specialist coach to help you understand ‘how’ to run faster, looking at mechanics, skills, and techniques? Just like running, the same is true when you have hit your language Plateau. If you are looking to improve your speaking, take a professional speaking/communication course with a teacher on italki. If you want to be more effective in your writing, get an expert writer to help you. Just like anything in life, if you have an expert by your side, coaching you and giving you the right information, you can soon begin to see progress! Did you find this article useful?Feel free to share your comments below, and if you would like to learn more, feel free to reach out to me. I’ll be happy to help!

How to Overcome the Language Plateau

Motivation partly determines our actions and moves us to achieve what we want.

Learning a language is not something that happens overnight. It takes time, even dedication, and effort, so it is very likely that our children's motivation will decrease or disappear before reaching the goal. Therefore, it is very important to be alert to trigger the necessary mechanisms that arouse the child's interest. In other words, kids have to desire what they need, so that they can get motivated in this long-distance race.&nbsp; We can, and should, be the external factor that helps our children achieve the much-desired language development. As a mother and teacher, I wage this battle daily, without a doubt, with more joy than sorrow. It is not an easy task, which gives more value to each milestone reached. I want to share my method, which is actually my principle and without which education would be meaningless. <h2>OBSERVE</h2>Children have their own life, and their individuality is emerging. They need harmony, calm, and peace. It is very important to observe how they feel at all times, to have empathy with them, and to take care of them so that they do not wither and lose vitality. Children don't always ask questions when they don't understand. The world is new to them and they are constantly processing information. Despite being used to novelty, learning can be very stressful. If you observe their reaction, gestures, their eyes... you will know when you should change the activity, sometimes to a simpler one, sometimes to a more challenging one. You can return to the interrupted activity at any other time. <h2>ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY</h2>Fostering their interests is giving them wings to fly, to want to go further. Children are not interested in just talking and listening, they need movement and they need to create. Any tangible creation you may have on your desk will remind you of the moment you created it, and activate the target language in your brain. Their hands are the tools of their brain. Long lists of vocabulary will not help motivate children, but the process of recreating jobs, the city, and routines... will encourage their creativity and desire to know more about the topic they are working on. Time flies when we add pleasure and action. Inventing dances for songs, and gestures,... is also bringing learning to their world of games and movement. <h2>PROVIDE CONFIDENCE</h2>We have to be aware of the difficulty of acquiring a language and never penalize mistakes since it is not synonymous with failure, it is synonymous with progress. The vital force that children have must serve to express themselves, to achieve communicative autonomy. Any attempt to communicate, even inventing words, reflects the children’s need for the freedom to explore. It is essential not to get frustrated. We must support the little ones at all times and applaud their efforts. They are doing it great. Positive reinforcement will pique their interest. <h2>BE PATIENT</h2>'Rome was not built in a day. Everything takes time and stress is a bad travel companion. We must respect the rhythms of children and not insist on something that does not work at a given time. We need to channel all their energy with our patience and repeat as many times as necessary. <h2>RESPECT THEIR INTERESTS</h2>It is us, the adults, that must adapt to their interests and let them freely choose what to do and how to do it at all times. We know what they need, so we can give it to them in different patterns. If the child is moved by soccer, for instance, and we want to work on the topic of food, let's make the perfect menu for a soccer player. Let's find out what their idols do and don't eat. It is a really precious moment to take an interest in what moves our children at the moment, so that you can get to know each other better and know how we can be more efficient in our helping their learning development. <h2>PERSEVERE</h2>Of course, a high percentage of success is due to the insistence on achieving it. We should not obsess over how much time they will have to invest. We must remember what it means to be a child and how we live in the present (neither future nor past). They enjoy the journey, let's do the same. Let's enjoy the trip so that it is the stimulus for their future. If we play, if we laugh, if we sing, if we enjoy ourselves, if we are happy, we will want to keep on being so. If we learn in this way, we will want to continue learning and the time will come when our children will be able to communicate in the target language. In conclusion, the best tool is ourselves, proactive parents and teachers. You have to get involved and actively participate in your child's world. Language teaching must be adapted to the interests of the child. This is the motivation for the light switches to lighten their bright future.

How to enhance children’s interests in language development

All of a sudden, we don’t know what’s going on anymore 🤪 We can’t be the only ones that feel like this 😂

Learning a language at an early age promotes healthy development and many cognitive and social benefits will last a lifetime. 

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