Hola
Have you ever looked up a word in the dictionary only to find what you were trying to interpret still made no sense?
In fact, it made even less sense after you looked up the word.
It happens a lot and there is a very good reason for it.
You see there’s a part of the Spanish language that you’ll struggle to find in the dictionary.
Yet, walk down any street where Spanish is spoken and you’ll hear it all day, everyday.
What I am talking about is how words join together in collocations to create new meanings.
The best way to explain this is to show you some colocations that you already know well. Ones from English that you use and hear everyday.
Like these:
As far as I know
At the latest
Just in case
Don’t hesitate to call
The most important thing
In other words
Enough is enough!
Can you imagine hearing or using any of those in the next few days? They are common everyday language, aren’t they?
But how would you say them in Spanish?
And if someone spoke to you in Spanish using colocations would you understand them?
Do you know any of these?
Que sepa yo
A más tardar
Por si acaso
No dudes en llamar
Lo mas importante
Es decir
¡Basta ya!
Hint: They are the same as the English ones.
If you have ever found it hard to understand what Spanish speakers are saying to you, it’s a good bet you don’t know enough “collocations”.
How do you get to know them?
I have put together a series of free resources to help you get there, including:
An ebook “Más Alla Del Dicionario Español” (Beyond The Spanish Dictionary), with more than 100 of the most commonly used Spanish collocations.
I’m also making a series of audios and podcasts, so you can get to use this “other Spanish” when you speak to your amigos.
You can also get hints, tips and insights. You’ll discover how to speak with extra authenticity and clarity as well as understanding more of what Spanish speakers say to you… even when they speak really fast.
By the way, what I’ll show you are not rare examples. Once you know them, you’ll start noticing them everywhere.
And that will help you understand a whole lot more Spanish in ways that you’ll never find in a textbook, class or dictionary. Yet, you’ll hear it all the time in the cafés, streets and plazas.
Enter your details below to get your resources, son gratis (they are free).
Hi Marcus, I am just back from a holiday in Mexico and I visited all the places I strolled through when learning spanish with you. Oaxaca, Tobasco, Mexíco city and followed the trail down to Cancun, and of course saw Chitzan Iza. It all came alive from the association of these places in my course work. I also learned some new phrases from the locals. Thanks again for openin up the spanish language to me.
I love it! Fantastic to hear about you using Spanish in real life.
Muchísimas gracias. Yo aprecio mucho!
Thank you for your relentless support of out learning and the merriest of holidays to you and family!!!
Muchas Gracias!
I recommend ANYONE to take up learning Spanish with Marcus. I am able to converse in the Spanish they use not this textbook stuff most courses teach.
Look forward to learning how to communicate on an every day basis. Thank you for your help
You make learning Spanish so much easier thank you
When do one uses: como no, claro, porsupuesto?
And when: cogerlo, trapar?
The first 3 are interchangeable. Atrapar when you mean “to catch” as in, “to capture”.