Spanish Language Blog

¡Hola a todos!

Today, we are going to see how to manage when travelling in a Spanish speaking country. When you are on holiday or on a business trip in Spain or Latin America you have the perfect opportunity to really speak with the locals as you find your way around the country. In this video lesson I will provide you with essential vocabulary and phrases that will help you to ask for information, buy tickets and understand prices.

Let´s see first some basic travelling vocabulary:

• Transporte: Transport
• Billete: Ticket
• Ida: Single
• Ida y vuelta: Return
• Billete de ida: Single ticket
• Billete de ida y vuelta: Return ticket
• Bono: Travel card/Season ticket
• Precio: Price
• Taquilla: Ticket office
• Plaza: Seat
• Información: Information
• Día: Day
• Salir: To leave
• Sale: It leaves
• Llegar: To arrive
• Llega: It arrives
• Reservar: To book
• De ……a………..: From….. to…….
• De Barcelona a Madrid: From Barcelona to Madrid

Let´s see now how to buy a travel ticket and how to ask for travel information in Spanish:

• Necesito información sobre…: I need information about…
• Necesito información sobre el tren de Madrid a Sevilla: I need information about the train from Madrid to Sevilla
• Necesitamos información sobre…: We need information about….
• ¿Para qué día?: For what day?
• Para el día (date): For the (date)
• ¿A qué hora sale el tren de Madrid a Sevilla?: At what time does the train from Madrid to Seville leave?
• ¿A qué hora llega el tren de Madrid a Sevilla?: At what time does the train from Madrid to Seville arrive?
• ¿Puedo reservar una plaza?: Can I book a seat?
• Quiero un billete de ida y vuelta de Madrid a Sevilla: I want a return ticket from Madrid to Seville
• ¿Cuánto cuesta un billete de ida y vuelta de Madrid a Sevilla?: How much is a return ticket from Madrid to Sevilla?
• ¿Cuánto es?: How much is it?
• Aquí tiene: Here you are
• Vale/Bien: OK

With all this information I hope that you will feel much more confident the next time you travel in Spain or Latin America. Try to get stuck in and speak Spanish right from the start. Speaking well is a lot about confidence and the best way to get over any nerves is to jump right in. Don’t forget that you can always ask the person to repeat something you haven’t understood by saying: “¿Puedes repetir?”. Or ask them to speak slower by saying: “Más despacio, por favor”. For sure they will really appreciate you trying to communicate in their language and you may surprise yourself at how much you know!

Enjoy your Spanish studies and any future trip you take to Spain or Latin America. I hope that the locals look after you and you have a fantastic time!

¡Hasta pronto!

En la noche del 5 de enero, todos los niños del país se deben marchar pronto a la cama, no sin antes dejar en su ventana sus zapatos bien limpios, un poco de agua, y un poco de leche. Este ritual se realiza porque en esa madrugada se espera la llegada desde oriente de los “Reyes Magos”, y los niños que se portaron bien durante todo el año, y recibirán regalo, intentan aliviar así tan largo viaje tanto a sus majestades como a sus monturas, los camellos.

El 6 de Enero, sólo se celebraba la Epifanía en Oriente, mientras que en Occidente únicamente era la fiesta el nacimiento de Cristo, el 25 de Diciembre. Ambas fechas fueron adoptadas por la cercanía a la celebración de las antiguas saturnales romanas, fiestas donde incluso los esclavos disfrutaban de “libertad”, y la conexión con el solsticio de invierno, y las fases lunares. Con el paso del tiempo, estas fechas fueron cobrando importancia, hasta ser celebradas ambas hoy día. Según la tradición popular, tres magos, reyes de Oriente, fueron a ofrecerle exóticos presentes al recién nacido en Belén: oro, incienso y mirra. Desde principios de la edad media se generalizó en España la costumbre de hacer regalos a los pequeños en honor a este acontecimiento bíblico. Y fue en el siglo XV cuando se determinó finalmente no solo el número y procedencia de los magos, sino también que Baltasar fuese de raza negra.

Desde aquel momento, Melchor, Gaspar y Baltasar realizan un largo viaje para visitar a aquellos pequeños que se portaron bien, y recibirán su regalo. El resto, siempre nos podremos conformar con un enorme trozo de carbón. Así que, amigos, a portarse bien, ¡que todavía estamos a tiempo de recibir regalo!

In the night of January 5th, all children in the country must go soon to bed, but not without leaving in his window his clean shoes, a bit of water, and some milk. This ritual is made because in this dawn they wait for the arrival of The Three Wise Men from the east, and the children who behaved well all year long, and will receive a gift, try to relieve in this way so long trip both to their majesties and to their mounts, the camels.

On January 6th, only the Epiphany was celebrated in the East, whereas in the West it was only the celebration of Christ’s birthday, on December 25th. Both dates were adopted, being the closest to the celebration of the former Roman saturnales, holidays where even the slaves enjoyed a kind of “freedom”, and the connection with the winter solstice, and the lunar phases. As time went by, these dates became more and more important, being celebrated both of them nowadays. According to the popular tradition, three magicians, kings of East, went to offer to the newborn child in Bethlehem some exotic presents: gold, incense and myrrh. From the beginning of the middle ages, it became widespread in Spain the habit of giving gifts to the small ones in honour to this Biblical event. And it was in the 15th century when it was finally decided not only the number and origin of the magicians, but also that Balthazar was of black race.

From that moment on, Melchor, Gaspar and Balthazar make a long trip to visit those little children that behaved themselves well, and will receive their gift. The rest of us will have to resign ourselves with an enormous chunk of coal…  Therefore, my dear friends behave yourselves quite well, because we are still in time of receiving a gift!

La globalización no solo se refleja en la economía, sino también en nuestras tradiciones. El libre mercado ha permitido que Papa Noel se cuele en España, cada vez con más fuerza, plantándole cara a nuestros tradicionales Reyes Magos. Aunque las familias son muy fieles a la figura de esos entrañables magos venidos de Oriente, bien es cierto que una determinada lógica se va imponiendo, y muchos niños reciben sus regalos, o al menos un adelanto de ellos, en la noche del 25 de Diciembre. Esto les permite tener más tiempo para disfrutar de ellos, durante sus vacaciones. Hoy me gustaría indagar un poquito más en estos personajes, conocer su trasfondo real, y como se convirtieron en portadores de ilusiones para los más pequeños de la casa, y los que no lo son tanto.

De San Nicolás a Santa Claus y  Papá Noel

Comencemos por la figura de ese  abuelo bonachón que nos visita en Nochebuena. San Nicolás fue obispo de Mira (Turquía), y tras su muerte comenzaron a circular numerosas leyendas tanto sobre su vida, como sobre su muerte. Cuenta la leyenda que una noche, cuando transportaba unas bolsas de oro como dote para tres doncellas de familia pobre, una cayó dentro de un calcetín tendido en la chimenea. Se dice que el santo dio esa limosna a escondidas para evitar que las jóvenes fuesen prostituidas. Desde entonces se cuelgan calcetines para recibir regalos. También se le reconoce como protector y patrón de los niños, ya que se le atribuyen resurrecciones milagrosas de infantes. Es santo muy popular en Rusia, Grecia, Italia, el Norte de Europa, Alemania e Inglaterra, donde se ha encarnado en la figura del bonachón Papa Noel, personaje de barba blanca y vestiduras rojas que reparte regalos con la ayuda de duendecillos, y es transportado por renos. En EEUU el sinter Klaas que llegó con la inmigración se convirtió en Santa Claus. Y en la zona mediterránea, San Nicolás sirvió para transformar las ancestrales fiestas en honor a Poseidón, rey de los Mares en festividad cristiana. La asimilación de estas figuras hace que hoy se le vea en ocasiones representado cargando las bolsas de oro con que libró a las doncellas de la deshonra, los tres niños resucitados, y un ancla, como protector de los marineros.

Esto es todo por hoy, pronto hablaremos de nuestros Tres Reyes Magos. Por cierto, ¿Recibisteis regalo anoche? ¡Yo si!

Globalization is not only reflected on the economy, but also in our traditions. The free market has allowed Father Christmas to slip past in Spain, every time with more force, letting him face our traditional Three Wise Men. Though families are very faithful to the figure of these intimate magicians come from East, it is true that some logic is imposing, and many children receive their gifts, or at least an advance of them, in the night of December 25. This lets them to have more time to play with them them during their holidays. Today I would like to investigate a bit more about these prominent figures, to know their real background, and how they were turned into bearers of illusions for the smallest of the house, and those who are not so much.

From Saint Nicholas to Santa Claus and Father Christmas

Let’s begin with the figure of this easy-going grandfather who visits us in Christmas Eve. Saint Nicholas was a bishop of Mira (Turkey), and after his death there began to circulate numerous legends both about his life, and his death. It counts the legend that one night, when he was transporting a few bags of gold as dowry for three maidens of poor family, one fell inside a sock stretched in the chimney. It is said that the saint gave this alms furtively to prevent the young women from being prostituted. Since then, socks are hung to receive gifts. He is also recognized as protector and patron saint of children, because there are infants’ miraculous resurrections attributed to him. He is a very popular saint in Russia, Greece, Italy, North Europe, Germany and England, where he has been personified in the figure of the good-natured Father Christmas, personage of white beard and red vestments that distributes gifts with the help of elves, and is transported by reindeers. In the USA the sinter Klaas that came with the immigration turned into Santa Claus. And in the Mediterranean zone, Saint Nicholas served to transform the ancient holidays in honor to Poseidon, king of the Seas into christian celebration. The assimilation of these figures makes that we can see  him nowadays represented loading the golden bags with which he freed the maidens from disgrace, three resurrected children, and an anchor, as protector of the sailors.

This is all for today, we will speak about our Three Wise Men soon. And let me ask, did you received your presents last night? I did!