Learn to count in Spanish, lesson 5

Hola! This is the final lesson on numbers! I will show you how to say the numbers in the hundreds, the thousands, and how to say the millions (don't worry, you won't be counting so much!)

Let's get right to it! It's quite a lot of information, but hopefully it's really simple and you won't have trouble understanding, as long as you've read the previous lessons. If you haven't read them, I encourage you to go read them! If you have read them, you may want to refresh your memory. You can read the previous lessons on how to count in Spanish here, here, here, and here.

The pronunciations, as always, will be in parenthesis.

If you have any doubt about Spanish pronunciation, I have a page dedicated to it with three tables I prepared to help you. You can access it by clicking the link above. You can also click here.

First let's start with the hundreds:

100- (see-ehn) Cien

200- (Doh-see-ehn-tohs) Doscientos

300- (treh-see-ehn-tohs) Trescientos

400- (coo-ah-troh-see-ehn-tohs) Cuatrocientos

500- (kee-nee-ehn-tohs) Quinientos

600- (seh-ee-see-ehn-tohs) Seiscientos

700- (seh-teh-see-ehn-tohs) Setecientos

800- (oh-cho-see-ehn-tohs) Ochocientos

900- (noh-veh-see-ehn-tohs) Novecientos

Most of these numbers end in the word 'cientos'. It's pretty easy to remember once you make this connection. To create bigger numbers, for the numbers in the hundreds it's a special case, but for the rest, the numbers are constructed in the same form.

To count in the hundreds, you need to add the word 'ciento' before the numbers. I'll show you a few, and you will be able to construct any quantity:

101- ciento uno (see-ehn-toh oo-noh)

102- ciento dos (see-ehn-toh dohs)

103- ciento tres (see-ehn-toh trehs)

120- ciento veinte (see-ehn-toh veh-een-teh)

125- ciento veinticinco (see-ehn-toh veh-een-tee-seen-coh)

198- ciento noventa y ocho (see-ehn-toh noh-vehn-tah ee oh-cho)

For the rest of the quantities in the hundreds, simply add the number. Like this:

501- quinientos uno

605- seiscientos cuatro

915- novecientos quince

772- setecientos setenta y dos

Next, the thousands. It's a really simple construct, so I'll show you a few, and with those, you will be able to say the rest:

1,000- Mil (meel)

2,000- Dos mil (dohs meel)

5,000- Cinco mil (seen-coh meel)

7,000- Siete mil (see-eh-teh meel)

12,000- Doce mil (doh-seh meel)

90,000- Noventa mil (noh-vehn-tah meel)

800,000- Ochocientos mil (oh-cho-see-ehn-tohs meel)

As you noticed, simply add the number to the word 'mil' in order to say quantities in the thousands. And to make other quantities with them, it's the same as with the hundreds; simply add the numbers. For example:

1,250- mil doscientos cincuenta

3,500- tres mil quinientos

2,005- dos mil cinco

17,026- diecisiete mil veintiséis

111,002 - ciento once mil dos

Finally, the millions! The word for million is millón (mee-john)

It's the same construct as the thousands; simply add the the number to the word millón but you have to make it plural from the number two and beyond; in plural, it becomes millones (mee-joh-nehs)

1,000,000- un millón (*As you can see, for one million, the word for the number one, uno, becomes un.)

2,000,000- dos millones

14,000,000- catorce millones

Like in the thousands, simply add the numbers in order to make bigger quantities:

1,500,000- Un millón quinientos mil

1,225,113- Un millón doscientos veinticinco mil ciento trece

That was quite a big number there!

But it really is simple; you can say any quantity once you know the basic numbers and the way to construct them. Practice saying the numbers, and reading big quantities. The more you practice, the easier it will become.

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This was the last lesson on how to say the numbers in Spanish! Of course there's more that can be said about numbers and quantities, so surely this isn't really the last you will be reading about numbers here. So hopefully now you have a better idea of how numbers work in Spanish, and hopefully I've helped you either with your class or your self-studies. I hope you have enjoyed this little series, and that you found it useful.

Any doubt, you can reach me in my Twitter page, or Facebook page. I will try to explain anything you need to know more about the numbers.

Until next time! :)

Say hello in Spanish! A lesson on greetings

Hello! And welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish. Today I'll be showing you some greetings, and at what time of day to use which.

It's really one of the first things your want to learn and that you should learn. This is a simple lesson that surely will be very useful.

If you need to know more about how to pronounce Spanish, I have prepared three tables to help you. You can see them here.

Let's begin!

- Hola (Oh-lah) - Hello

Hola is the most common greeting you will hear anywhere Spanish is spoken. It's for any occasion, any time of day. Depending on your tone, you can make it more casual or formal. Just like the English greeting 'hello' or 'hi'.

- ¿Cómo estás? (koh-moh es-tahs) - How are you?

Follow Hola with this one to ask the other person how they're doing. Just like in English when you say 'hi, how are you?' (Remember, the accent's function is to add strength to the syllable.)

Say 'Hola, ¿Cómo estás?' to your friends or family next time you meet with them and show them that now you can greet them in Spanish! To make this greeting formal, simple change estás with está. It becomes Hola, ¿Cómo está? And you can also add usted which is the formal version of tú, and translates to 'you'. Hola, ¿Cómo está usted? Add 'usted' when you're meeting a person who is not in familiar terms with you or someone like your boss, for example. To greet friends, co-workers, and family, use Hola, ¿Cómo estás?

* A variation can be ¿Cómo está todo? Which translates to 'How's everything?' or 'How's it going?'

And also ¿Cómo estamos? Which translates to 'How are we?' Here in Puerto Rico I hear men greet each other with this one all the time. ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estamos? 

- Saludos (Sah-loo-dohs) - Greetings, Regards

This one is used when you're addressing people, like when talking in public. Here in Puerto Rico I hear older men greet each other with it, too. Jovially, ¡Saludos! ¿Cómo estás? Or ¡Saludos! ¿Cómo está todo? And also ¡Saludos! ¿Cómo estamos? So it seems it was very common to use it casually some time ago.

- Buenas (boo-eh-nahs) Hello, regards (Literally it's a variation of 'Bueno' and translates to 'good')

I use this when I make a phone call, like for example when I call a doctor's office. I would say 'Buenas, ¿es la oficina del doctor?' (Hi, is this the doctor's office?). Also when I approach a person who is working, like a store cashier for example, to ask a question. It's a short little greeting that's useful for both casual and formal settings. I use it for the situations I mentioned.

- Bienvenido (bee-ehn-veh-nee-doh) Welcome

When a person enters a place, he or she is received by Bienvenido. Exactly like in English. To mention the place where you're receiving the person, add 'a'. For example: ¡Bienvenido a Your Daily Pinch of Spanish! (Welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish!)

- Buenos días (boo-eh-nohs dee-ahs) Good morning; good day

Use this greeting during the morning hours. Also used when it's still daytime, even in the afternoon. But for the afternoon, we have the next one I'm going to mention now.

- Buenas tardes (boo-eh-nahs tahr-dehs) Good afternoon

Use this after midday, like in English.

- Buenas noches (boo-eh-nahs noh-ches) Good evening; good-night

This is the greeting for evenings and nights, but you can use it too when saying good-night to a person before they go to bed.

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Here you have them, some greetings in Spanish. I hope you've found this lesson useful, and that you can understand. There's a lot of information here, but I think it's pretty simple and easy to understand. If you have any doubt, don't hesitate in contacting me! Here is my Twitter page and here is my Facebook page. Hit follow and like! I'm there to answer your questions and comments. :)

Keep looking forward to more free lessons and tips! Until next time!

~ María

How to say thank you in Spanish – Expressing gratitude

Hola! And welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish.

You have another pinch of Spanish for today! And it's all about expressing gratitude. Many of you probably already know how to say thank you in Spanish (gracias), after all, this expression is one of the most important ones you can learn in any language, and one of the first things you'll come across when starting to research the language and learn.

In this blog I'm all about keeping it simple for you, and give you knowledge that you can use. I will teach you four ways to express your gratitude, and explain in which settings to use each one.

Let's begin! Four ways to express your gratitude:

1- Gracias (grah-see-ahs)

2- Muchas gracias (moo-chas grah-see-ahs)

3- Te lo agradezco (teh loh ah-grah-des-coh)

4- Estoy en deuda contigo (Ehs-toy ehn-deh-oo-dah con tee-goh)

Let's start with the simple gracias. It translates to 'thanks' or 'thank you', and can be used in any setting.

Next, muchas gracias. It translates to 'many thanks', which is basically like saying 'thank you very much' in English. It can also be used in any setting, but by adding the word 'muchas' (many), you are adding emphasis, so this is better used when you need to express gratitude for a favor, or have received a gift, or something like that. Difference between simple 'gracias' and 'muchas gracias' is just this, the stress the word 'muchas' is adding, the emphasis. To make this even more marked, instead of adding the word 'muchas', you can add the word 'muchísimas', which would make it muchísimas gracias. (You have probably heard singers or actors say it after a performance or accepting an award.)

The expression Te lo agradezco is another way to express your gratitude in Spanish, less common than simply saying gracias or muchas gracias. It translates to 'I thank you'. This one is more intimate than the other two, and you should use it when something meaningful has been done for you. To make it formal, instead of using 'te', use 'se', which makes it Se lo agradezco. You can also add 'mucho' (many, much) at the end to stress it more, becoming Te/Se lo agradezco mucho. And to add even more weight to the expression you can add 'muchísimo' instead of 'mucho', this emphasizes your gratitude even more. It becomes 'Te/Se lo agradezco muchísimo', and really isn't too common.

Lastly, the expression Estoy en deuda contigo. This translates to 'I'm in debt with you', which is like also like saying 'I owe you one'. So you would use this expression when a favor has been done for you or someone has gotten you out of a tight situation. To make it formal, instead of saying Estoy en deuda contigo say Estoy en deuda con usted. A similar expression to this would be 'Te debo una', which literally translates to 'I owe you one'. It's more casual, but has the same effect.

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So here you have them, four ways you can express your gratitude in Spanish. Gracias for reading this blog! I hope you have enjoyed this little lesson, and as always, I hope you can find it useful. Here I'm all about keeping things simple for you and to the point, giving you Spanish that you can use. If you have any doubt, don't be shy and ask me in the comments! You can also ask me on my Twitter page, or my Facebook page.

Continue to look forward to more lessons! Until next time!

Learn to count in Spanish, Lesson 4

Hello! Welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish. Today we continue the series on how to say the numbers in Spanish, picking up from the number thirty and taking it up to ninety!

It's really simple.

Let's get right to it, now. As always, the pronunciation is in the parenthesis:

30- (treh-een-tah) treinta

40- (coo-ah-ren-tah) cuarenta

50- (seen-coo-en-tah) cincuenta

60- (seh-sen-tah) sesenta

70- (seh-ten-tah) setenta

80- (oh-chen-tah) ochenta

90- (noh-ven-tah) noventa

To count, the numbers from thirty to ninety all have a common construction. We'll count from thirty to thirty-five, and then from forty to forty-five to illustrate this:

30- (treh-een-tah) Treinta

31- (treh-een-tah ee oo-noh) Treinta y uno

32- (treh-een-tah ee dohs) Treinta y dos

33- (treh-een-tah ee tres) Treinta y tres

34- (treh-een-tah ee coo-ah-troh) Treinta y cuatro

35- (treh-een-tah ee seen-coh) Treinta y cinco

Now from forty:

40- (coo-ah-ren-tah) Cuarenta

41- (coo-ah-ren-tah ee oo-noh) Cuarenta y uno

42- (coo-ha-ren-tah ee dohs) Cuarenta y dos

43- (coo-ah-ren-tah ee tres) Cuarenta y tres

44- (coo-ah-ren-tah ee coo-ah-troh) Cuarenta y cuatro

45- (coo-ah-ren-tah ee seen-coh) Cuarenta y cinco

Did you notice? Simple add 'y' and the number. It's the same no matter if you're counting in the fifties or eighties. I should also mention that these numbers have an alternate spelling, and that is to write it together in one word, like for example treintaitrés instead of trenta y tres. You simply change the 'y' with an 'i' and write it together in one word. I give you both because you'll see it written both ways. The correct way to write the numbers from thirty to ninety, though, is to write them separate, like noventa y ocho (98). It became accepted with time to write it all in one word, especially the numbers in the thirties, as a simplification; the pronunciation is the same, regardless of how it is written. To write these numbers in one word, you will have to add an accent to the numbers 2, 3, and 6. Like for example, treintaitrés, ochentaiséis, noventaidós.

This is it for the numbers today, I hope you can understand well and that you find this little lesson helpful! Any doubts, you can reach me in Twitter or Facebook, or simply comment and I'll try to answer your doubt. :)

Learn to count in Spanish, lesson 3

Hola! Welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish. For the third lesson on numbers, I'm going to show you how to say the numbers from twenty to thirty.

If you want to see the previous lessons on numbers, they're right here, and here.

Let's get right to it! It's really simple, As always, to make it easier, the pronunciations have been provided in parenthesis (for more on pronunciation, click here):

20- (veh-een-teh) veinte

21- (veh-een-tee-oo-noh) veintiuno

22- (veh-een-tee-dohs) veintidós

23- (veh-een-tee-trehs) veintitrés

24- (veh-een-tee-coo-ah-troh) veinticuatro

25- (veh-een-tee-seen-coh) veinticinco

26- (veh-een-tee-seh-ees) veintiséis

27- (veh-een-tee-see-eh-teh) veintisiete

28- (veh-een-tee-oh-choh) veintiocho

29- (veh-een-tee-noo-eh-veh) veintinueve

30- (treh-een-tah) treinta

Did you notice? To count in the twenties you simply add the word 'veinti' to the numbers. It's that simple. Some of the numbers now also have an accent. As I told you before, all the accent is doing there is adding strength to that syllable.

My homework to you now is to count from one to thirty, so that you can refresh your memory and start putting it together in practice.

This is it for today! Up next, the numbers from thirty-one to ninety! Don't worry, I won't make you read and count all that; the construct for all those numbers is quite simple, you'll see.

Keep looking forward to new lessons here on Your Daily Pinch of Spanish! As always I hope you have enjoyed this lesson and that you found it useful.

Until next time!

*This was originally posted on my old website (yourdailypinchofspanish), which no longer exists. If it is still running, it is a person or bot using my content without my permission.

Learn to count in Spanish, lesson 2

Hello! And welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish. Are you ready for another simple lesson?

I hope so! Here is the second little lesson on numbers. Today I bring you the numbers from 11 to 19.

To refresh your memory, the numbers from zero to ten go like this: cero, uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez.

If you want to refresh on the pronunciation, just click here to see the previous lesson. I hope you've been using these números! Remember that the key to learn a new language is to be consistent in your practice, even if at first you really don't sound like the native speakers at all.

Now, the numbers from eleven to nineteen.

This set of numbers have something in common; from eleven to fifteen, and from sixteen to nineteen. I'll show you how easy it is.

First let's see the numbers from eleven to fifteen. As always, the pronunciation is presented in parenthesis:

11 - (ohn-seh) once

12 - (doh-seh) doce

13 - (treh-seh) trece

14 - (cah-tohr-seh) catorce

15 - (keen-seh) quince

Did you notice? From eleven to fifteen, all numbers end in 'ce'. It's really simple.

The numbers from sixteen to nineteen also have something in common with each other:

16 - (dee-eh-see-seh-ees) dieciséis

17 - (dee-eh-see-see-eh-teh) diecisiete

18 - (dee-eh-see-oh-cho) dieciocho

19 - (dee-eh-see-noo-eh-veh) diecinueve

As you can see, all you have to do is add the word 'dieci' to the numbers from sixteen to nineteen, and you have added a value of ten to that number. Super easy. In the case of sixteen, you also add an accent to the word seis.

Now you can count up to nineteen!

This is it for today, I hope you can find this little lesson useful.

We have now three more lessons on numbers to come, all simple, short, and fun. Until next time!

*This was originally posted on my old website (yourdailypinchofspanish), which no longer exists. If it is still running, it is a person or bot using my content without my permission.

Learn to count in Spanish, lesson 1

Hello! And Welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish. Since I'm still inaugurating this blog, I thought I'd do a series of beginner lessons, starting today with the numbers.

This will be the first of a short series, showing you the numbers from zero to ten. A simple little lesson of great value to you.

First of all, in Spanish, the word for 'number' is número, that is pronounced: noo-meh-roh. The accent over the letter 'u' just means that the strength in the word goes right there, in that first syllable. To say it in plural, just add an 's' at the end, números. 

Since the word ends in 'o', the appropriate article to use with it is 'el': el número. In plural, 'el' turns into 'los': los números.

Now, let's get started! The pronunciation for each number will be written in a parenthesis; the translation follows.

0 - (seh-roh) Cero

1 - (oo-noh) Uno

2 - (dohs) Dos

3 - (trehs) Tres

4 - (coo-ah-troh) Cuatro

5 - (sin-coh) Cinco

6 - (seh-ees) Seis

7 - (see-eh-teh) Siete

8 - (oh-cho) Ocho

9 - (noo-eh-ve) Nueve

10 - (dee-ehs) Diez

Here you have them, the números from zero to ten. I hope you have enjoyed this little lesson!

Read and repeat los números aloud, and today, whenever you need to use numbers, try replacing them with their Spanish pronunciation. Play with them, count, say your phone number in Spanish, etc.

Remember to have fun! :)

Up next, the numbers from eleven to nineteen.

Until Next time!

#5 Learn to count in Spanish lesson 2

Hello! And welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish. Are you ready for another simple lesson?

I hope so! Here is the second little lesson on numbers. Today I bring you the numbers from 11 to 19.

To refresh your memory, the numbers from zero to ten go like this: cero, uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez.

If you want to refresh on the pronunciation, just click here to see the previous lesson. I hope you've been using these números! Remember that the key to learn a new language is to be consistent in your practice, even if at first you really don't sound like the native speakers at all.

Now, the numbers from eleven to nineteen.

This set of numbers have something in common; from eleven to fifteen, and from sixteen to nineteen. I'll show you how easy it is.

First let's see the numbers from eleven to fifteen. As always, the pronunciation is presented in parenthesis:

11 - (ohn-seh) once

12 - (doh-seh) doce

13 - (treh-seh) trece

14 - (cah-tohr-seh) catorce

15 - (keen-seh) quince

Did you notice? From eleven to fifteen, all numbers end in 'ce'. It's really simple.

The numbers from sixteen to nineteen also have something in common with each other:

16 - (dee-eh-see-seh-ees) dieciséis

17 - (dee-eh-see-see-eh-teh) diecisiete

18 - (dee-eh-see-oh-cho) dieciocho

19 - (dee-eh-see-noo-eh-veh) diecinueve

As you can see, all you have to do is add the word 'dieci' to the numbers from sixteen to nineteen, and you have added a value of ten to that number. Super easy. In the case of sixteen, you also add an accent to the word seis.

Now you can count up to nineteen!

This is it for today, I hope you can find this little lesson useful.

We have now three more lessons on numbers to come, all simple, short, and fun. 

Until next time!

*This was originally posted on my old website (yourdailypinchofspanish), which no longer exists. If it is still running, it is a person or bot using my content without my permission.

9 tips for learning a new language

Learning a new language it's like an adventure, and it can be intimidating, but also - and most importantly - it can be fun and rewarding. You get to see the world through a new perspective, understand better another culture or multiple others, and open new horizons and possibilities to yourself. For me, learning a new language, even if we're talking about the very basics, it really is like opening the door to a new world.

Here I give you some pieces of advice from my own experience studying languages:

1 - Don't be afraid!

Learning a new language can present a challenge, and it can be hard for a lot of people, but the fact that something has some difficulties doesn't automatically rule it out as frustrating or boring. It can be intimidating at first, but don't let it get to you; learning a new language isn't really too hard, crossing the threshold to start may be the hard part. You'll soon become familiarized with the sounds and basic words of your new language and you'll be able to recognize it wherever you hear it or see it.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes, and don't be afraid to use what you've learned; don't be afraid to practice, and if you're just considering starting a new language now, don't be afraid to start!

2 - Don't expect to know too much when you're just starting 

Expecting to be really good really quickly is what brings frustration to most people and eventually brings them to quit. Many people get frustrated because they can't sound like the native speakers, or because they can't be fluent when reading, etc, and they make the mistake of thinking they're just no good or that the language is too hard for them, and eventually they quit. Truth is, not everyone can start learning a new language and be really fluent from the get go. Of course some people can do it, but most people will start without much fluency and make progress from there.

We have to start at the basics and progress in our skill and understanding; we can't expect to be perfect right from the start, because this is where frustration happens. When you're just beginning, don't expect to be perfect; strive to be a perfect beginner.

3 - Don't pressure yourself 

Go at the pace that's comfortable for you. Learning a new language is not a race or a competition. Some people will advance very quickly, and in reality they're not really learning; just consuming too much information at once that they will soon forget. It's best to take your time and learn and understand well. Stay calm and positive and you will make real progress.

4 - Try to practice every day if you can 

Once you start, try to set a time to practice everyday, even if it's just for a few minutes. You don't have to learn something new everyday, some days you'll just want to review previous lessons or concepts. A pinch a day you can make mountains of progress. Practicing every day helps you stay familiarized with the language and to gain fluency.

5 - Don't cram too much new information in one study session

I should know, this can result in a headache. Study as much new stuff as you feel comfortable with in one sitting, if you're studying on your own. If you're in a class, you can take the new information and divide into different smaller sessions until your next lesson day if you find that the information was too much.

6 - That said, don't study new concepts when you're tired; instead, take the time to review what you've learned

Use your time to its fullest benefit, especially if you're busy and only have a few minutes to practice a day. If you get home too tired, perhaps studying something new is not a good idea, unless you feel it relaxes you. In my experience, sometimes studying something new when I'm tired just results in a waste of time, since the next day I don't remember much of it, but other times, sitting down to study helps me relax.

It all depends on how you feel.

7 - Review often

Reviewing it's important to keep things fresh in your mind and eventually make them second nature when practicing your new language. Reading old lessons if you're studying with a book is all you need to do for a quick review; watching old videos and reading old blogs you've studied with before, if this is your method. I find it fun. Whatever your method of out of classroom studies, if you're taking a class, (surely you don't only study in the classroom!) reviewing will help you make progress as much as practicing and studying new things.

8 - Set a time and a place that's free of distractions 

You've probably heard this one before a lot. Having a time of day and a place where you can sit down to study calmly will keep you organized and give you a better feeling of commitment to your language study. It will help you absorb the knowledge better if you're not distracted, too.

9 - Have fun! Keep it interesting

Last but not least, keep it fun! Making your studies fun and interesting is the key to make progress, in my experience. If you see it as work or as a daunting task chances are you won't want to keep studying at all. Learning a new language can be really fun, and when you're having fun, you don't even notice you're learning and things just come naturally! Look for ways to keep things interesting, to keep you motivated. There are many activities you can do to keep it fun, like watching movies in that language, listening to songs and reading news articles online; the possibilities are pretty much endless on what you can do.

Be creative!

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I hope this little page of advice can be of help to you, and I wish you much success and joy with your new language. To sum things up, the most important advice here is to make sure your studies bring you joy, comfort, and fun; not any stress or pressure.

Until next time! 

*This was originally posted on my old website (yourdailypinchofspanish), which no longer exists. If it is still running, it is a person or bot using my content without my permission.