Have you ever wanted to tell someone that they’re acting inappropriately?
The other day I didn’t like how a friend’s kids were talking to my kids.
Awkward.
I chose a little verbal aikido and deflected the situation. I said, “In our house we respect others so we’d had better talk about something else.”
What I really wanted to say was “pull those bloody kids into line.” But that would have broken my own rule about respect and set a bad example.
It was a good thing that me callé (I kept quiet).
What if that had been a Spanish speaker acting inappropriately? Here’s a way you can let them know.
To say something isn’t appropriate you can simply say, “no es correcto.”
That’s very easy to remember as it looks like English.
It means the same as it does in English, ‘it’s not correct’ or ‘it’s not right’. However, it also implies that something is not appropriate.
Here are some real-life Spanish sentences you can create with “it’s not correct and other useful expressions.
Por aquí
Around here
You’ll hear that one a lot.
Por aquí no es correcto.
Around here it’s not appropriate.
And here’s one more phrase to give you a trifecta of useful Spanish expressions.
llegar tarde
To arrive late/to be late
All three fit nicely together in a complete sentence full of useful Spanish phrases.
Por aquí no es correcto llegar tarde.
Around here it’s not appropriate to arrive late.
Great little phrase that, and very authentic.
Now I can’t imagine you ever needing to tell a Spanish speaker they should be on time but you never know.
Sorry for the sarcasm. Discúlpame (Forgive me!) I have a lot of experience with that subject.
To recap I gave you three very useful everyday Spanish phrases.
Por aquí
Around here
No es correcto
It’s not right/it’s nor appropriate
Llegar tarde
To be late
I’m putting together a new audio series full of this kind of everyday Spanish.
It’ll be in my usual style where you speak to learn rather than learn to speak.
I enjoy sharing useful phrases with you like the ones on this blog post. If you want to speak authentic Spanish with your amigos that’s what this new series, is all about.
I have seen it time and again, if you start speaking Spanish, the lesson stays in your long-term memory. With just a little practice you can use the Spanish in real life almost at will.
This program is specifically for the intermediate and advanced students. It’s full of interactive audio designed to take you to the next level of speaking Spanish the way Spanish speakers do.
The new lessons are not quite ready yet. However, if it’s sounds like a good fit for you leave your name on this page:
I’ll send you updates and samples as soon as they are available.
Hi, Marcus
I love your courses – I have a few of them now, and use my newly acquired Spanish skills every day when I am in Ecuador. We’ve purchased a retreat property there, and there is a lot of renovating happening, so obviously many Ecuadorians around doing the work. I am able to converse with them and they’ve often told me my Spanish is pretty good (for a Canadian!).
I had Rosetta Stone and I used Duolingo on my iPad and I even tried Pimsleur, but none of those got me speaking useful Spanish. Thanks for your courses!
Kate
Ecuador and Canada
Casas Pacificos
Aussie Man I love the way you teach Spanish. After two winters in Ecuador School I find your approach to be ‘more to point’. I want to speak the language and your format , your approach is
right on the Mark — or should one with a sense of loving humor say on the Mark us.
Dear Marcus,
Thant you for another little gem of a lanquage!
Not in this league yet, but making rapid progress,, creo!
I’m really pleased Marcus. Your constant updates and very talented easy-learn teaching skills are much more than I expected. I thought that I was merely buying some recorded lessons. But now it seems that you intend to teach me to speak Spanish.
Thank you very much too Marcus.
I regret that I’ve had so little time to practice.
I do hope my access to your valuable website will continue until I’ve completed all the practice sessions?
My very best regards to you and your family Marcus.
david
Hi Marcus…I don’t know if I’m ready but if you send it I will tackle it and fight to master it.
Yesterday I turned 76 but I am rockin and rollin with your great approach to learning Spanish.
Gracias
Hola Marcus.
Your are great ! I subscribed to your course when you offered it for $10. and never opened it and have now not been able to find it on my computer. I’m a very active 90 year old, A couple months ago I had the privilege of being 4 months in Puerto Vallarta, then in Bend Oregon for 2 months with my son Noel and family and now for a week in St. George, Utah. Quiero mucho practicar mi español porque no hallar el curso sur mi computer. Could you please look up where I signed up and paid and somehow get me connected again?
Muchas gracias, Ken
Hola Marcus
My wife and I love and enjoy your course, study every morning for two hrs and more.We;ll be in Spain over winter to practice and continue with further learning material from you. Your course makes it so easy for English speaking people, bur we’re Alemanos with a little bit left of Spanish, because we lived there for a while 40 years ago!
muchas cracias, Gunter
Dear Marcus,
I will be in Barcelona in 10 days time and can’t wait to use my little Spanish I have learned so far.
I appreciate all the little extras I get from you all the time.
When I return back to New Zealand from my holiday I should be able to converse in Spanish much more.
Dear Marcus.
I really appreciate your dedication in helping me/us with our Spanish. Am just recovering from an operation so have been rather remiss recently in practising. But, as soon as I am up and about driving again I shall be chatting and, of course, learning, as I drive.
But, thank you so much.
Joy
Hola Marcus, como estas esta noche?
Estoy disfrutando todos de sus programas de espanol.
Hasta luego,
Ricardo
Have just enjoyed your video on verbs ending with “se” I just need to keep practising. Am also enjoying “Synergy Spanish”. Makes learning a pleasure. Many thanks Marcus
The new lessons sound really good, I would love them Marcus, thanks very much for all your excellent teaching.
Hi Marcus,
My husbandd and I are currently travelling through Argentina and Chile. Having done Synergy Spanish and up to module 5 in Bola, I am finding great fun speaking with the locals. It is very helpful and I am so chuffed when they understand me. Understanding them is a little trickier but gets easier each day.
Muchas gracias,
Jennifer
Hei Marcus!
Jeg er veldig takknemlig for den måten du kommuniserer med oss på. That was norwegian. Perhaps you want to learn something of that? I wrote: i am very thankfull for the way you communicate with us .
I like that form of learning.
Best regards
Rolf
Hello Marcus
My wife and I have started learning Spanish using your lessons about 2 months ago. I have to say that we are making great progress. Your method of teaching is just fantastic!
Thank you so much.
Great to hear you’re making good progress.
Dear Marcus, I am really looking forward to future emails and actually start a lesson. You make it seem so easy! I have struggled with Spanish for years now and I think you are my ticket to finally making Spanish easy for me.
Muchas Gracias! Patty
Thanks Marcus I am enjoying your newsletter as well as the level 1 disc set and book course I purchased from you. You take the fear out of learning.
Hi Marcus, I have been receiving your newsletters and updates, they are great, I am living in Mexico now for about ten years, and still having difficulty, I understand 100 %, write 100 %, but when it comes time to speak it comes out rare. I joke telling the people when you can flush toilet paper down your toilets I’ll speak Spanish good, lol you know what I am saying if you have been here. maybe because all my life I had to speak Italian with my parents immigrants to the usa as a child and they found it necessary for me to communicate to them in their language, or pourtugese, I had to learn this while living in Brazil with my ex wife. I teach English here as a second language, and use a technique to teach. I am finally using my college degree, lol., It doesn`t pay much because the people don`t have a lot of money , but as soon as I can get up some free cash I will sign up for your downloadable course. thanks for the help you sent me so far… Johnny Monterrey, Mexico
Great simple lesson. I learn much más with short sentences.
Thanks.
What is Website box asking for?
I have been following your spanish learning for some time and have the disc set and book. I have enjoyed learning with your methods. Its great thank you.
I have already learned so much from your lessons.
Your way of teaching is the best way to start communicating with people immediately.
I am looking forward to your emails and enjoying them.
Thanks.
P.S: Where can I purchase the complete course?
Nadia
Hi Marcus I love your course. I like the way you combine the English with the Spanish speakers. It makes such a difference to hear the Spanish, as often it can be difficult to know how to pronounce the words. After studying Spanish for a number of years and getting no place. I am now striding ahead because of your course and all the tips you send . Thank you soo much. X
Que Bueno!
I soon will be 90, and would love to be able to use some of your lines?
Russ ( mr- panman)
Looking forward to your updates! I, too, love your mini lessons.
Sounds good – I want to subscibe – but need to get a few things sorted with my time first.
Hi my wife purchased a course from you some time ago (sorry do not know the name) which was sent over the Internet. You introduce new words in the conversation I find this very good. I also purchased a 6 disc course complete with a book from you. I still find the original one purchased by my wife the best. Look forward to your new course please keep me informed on your progress
Kind regards Keith
* Please note the email address indicated above will be in effect as of Sept 27th 2013. Prior to that date, please use [email protected] I have been taking Spanish lessons with a “maestra” here in my home town ( she is orig. from Uruguay ) and she has indeed improved my previously limited Spanish. However, I will be going back to Mexico for a vacation in March next year to the Yucatan area and I want to enlarge my ability with the language in any practical ways; I do not strive to be fluent but certainly proficient in understanding and speaking such that a native of the area can easily understand me ( and the reverse if spoken more slowly than they otherwise might ). I’d be interested to see if what you offer here supports my aim.
Dear Marcus, I just love your spanish lessons, I am slowly getting there, won”t be long and
l will be ready for the next phase. Keep up these little tid bits they are very useful Thanks so much
for your dedication Have not had much opportunity to practice. Everyone I know who speaks
Spanish here wants to learn English Ha ha. Thanks, Anna.
Enjoying your short free lessons and am close to purchasing a course on-line.
I purchased the ‘Beginners’ CD pack a while back and have listen to the disc’s while driving and found them very informative and easy to listen to and understand.
Can you please advise me what CD’s I should purchase next.
Should I wait for the new lessons or is there something available now?
Kindest regards
Shane
Hi, I love your mini lessons. You seem to make it easy. I spend a month in Mexico in Dec/Jan each year. I have taken some Spanish lessons but tend to forget what I have learned the rest of the year pourque no practico.
Gracias
Andrea
I’ve wanted to learn Spanish for a long time. I searched around and decided to buy synergy. I like it except I have no one to practice with. I’m hoping to learn quite a bit by december.
please let me know when this is become available. I love your course. my friend will amaze the improvement that I have made in Spanish.
kwee
I’m interested but I still have to finish your other lessons bola de nieve but for sure keep me informed.
I have my greatest difficulty ¨hearing¨ and understanding spoken Spanish except by Jose Luis y Elena. Is you ¨ear training¨ course available?
Yes, it’s at:
http://www.spanisheartraining.com/
I like these short emails from Marcus. I am 6 months into his Spanish courses (‘Synergy/Shortcuts/Informal & BOLA) and I am learning a lot. Just as important as ‘learning a lot’ is the fact that I also enjoy them a lot. A HELL OF A LOT!
Joe Stevens
I wish I could find a job. As soon as I do, one thing I will do is subscribe to one of your sites/lesson plans. I’d like to be able to call and talk to you to ask which you’d suggest. As to this article, from what I understand if you are dealing with a person who is a native Spanish speaker, Latino if you will, and inviting them to your home or a meeting, other than maybe business, if they get there within the hour you’d agreed upon, “they’re on time!”. I guess the word “about” is just unspoken but should be understood. As to saying something is inappropriate, you’ve set out good examples.
Love getting your updates and have many of your lessons.Your the best teacher and have learned so much.Thanks Marcus now I just need to make time to learn this beautiful language
Hola Marcus, I am enjoying learning Spanish very much with all your different emails. I look forward to all your help. Thank you so much.
I’m told that every letter of the Spanish alphabet is pronounced exactly the same way in every word/phrase/tense it is used. Is this true and do you have such an alphabet written out with it’s proper pronunciation?
(The email to which I’m replying is a perfect demonstration of your excellent method by the way …)
Thank you.
Keith.
That’s only partly true, there are variations in pronunciations. The main variations are outlined in the free video course on this blog post:
http://www.synergyspanishsystems.com/blog/red-faced-in-a-foreign-country/
Hi Marcos,
I bought all of your beginners lessons and a study book and I took conversation classes in Holland.
why do you keep me sending acquisition mails. Its like being an AMEX customer and receiving invitations for the next 20 years. Just send us some updates or expeansions.
No es Correcto
Sallutos
Jacobus
Here in Uruguay, I find a repeated disrespect people do to me. It’s always people whom we are not familiar with. When I am speaking in English (because I’m still learning Spanish) to my husband, who is a native Uruguayan, people will just all of a sudden talk right over the top of me to him. They don’t care that I was speaking.
Is there a respectful way that I can tell them “Excuse me, but I was talking and just because I was speaking in a different language does not mean that you have the right to speak over me.”.. well basically. I’m still on the annoyed level because this happened less than two hours ago when I was out assisting on a work site with my husband… I’d like to be able to say something that points out that they are truly being rude, but keeps me looking like the person with the higher standard in manners.
All of your tips here and in the newsletters are wonderful! Please keep up the wonderful work Marcus!!!
Marcus, I am really looking forward to the new audio series. You anticipate just what one needs to really be able to use the Spanish language. I’m ready to learn more! Through your e-maiils I really believe you want all your students to succeed in Spanish and have fun in the process of learning. It’s working for me! Thanks so much!
Hi Marcus, very interested to have these phrases in my repetoire. However, I have been unavailable to download my lessons for months, I pay each month through “citi” something and have really benefitted from past lessons. Will the lessons I have missed still be available to me on line from where I left off or is there some kind of procedure for me to catch up. Sorry to use this forum for this unrelated situation, but thought I’d try as I have to get back on board now. Thanks, Elaine
Thank you Marcus for your constant emails of encouragement and help making learning interesting and fun. Im rather old to expect rapid results but with your help I will succeed and hopefully go on to a more advanced level.Muchas Gracias. Dorothy.
Hola Marcus,
I am definitely at the very beginner level in learning Spanish, but know that I will thrive with this new course because it adds the fun element. Learning a new language seems to me to be so formalistic and stilted, whereas I find language a way to inject personality, with humor, sarcasm interesting twists and pairing of words, and just plain fun!! Please continue in your approach, and keep Jose Luis around!! I know intuitively that I will remember these phrases better with my head, since my funnybone is involved and tickled.
Dear Marcus.
In the spanisheartraining Jose Luis said that Columbus descubrió America en mil novecientos cuartenta y dos. This must be one of his little jokes that you referred to.
Hace dos años que puedo leer las instrucciones para el uso de los electrodomésticos en español, y leer Mi País Inventado de Isabel Allende, pero no podía conversar con fluidez con mi profesor. Ahora, después de solo dos meses haciendo Spanisheartraining es diferente: el viernes pasado por primera vez hablé una hora con él. Nos vemos cada viernes en la mañana en un café en Fremantle.
Marcus eres mago,
This sounds great to me, as I walk a lot and listen to the lessons as I go along. I am now ready for the next step and found Shortcut to Spanish and Informal Spanish to be a great way for me to learn, I hope this new course will be in the same format. All the very best to you and thanks.
Andy