Me and my wife get along pretty well on everything. We have had very few fights since we first got together. Even when we were getting ready for marriage, we had very little to argue about. We are both pretty strong willed, but we have learned how to work together flawlessly. There is, however, one area in which we disagreed and sometimes argued: wedding invitations and personalized bar signs.

I was a big fan of all American wedding invitations. I wanted our invitations for wedding to sparkle. I wasn’t really into calligraphy or soft colors, and I certainly wasn’t into a crafty, homemade look. I wanted something that was direct, bold, and to the point. If it was clever, all the better. Most importantly however, it needed to have a slick and straightforward design.

My wife, however, had much different ideas about the ideal American wedding invitations. She was all about do it yourself wedding invitations. Of the two of us, she is definitely the artist, but I am the businessman. She thought that her idea of American wedding invitations was better than mine because it showed more art.  But not more art than a few personalized pub signs.  On the other hand, I thought my ideas were better because they showed greater propriety. To me, American wedding invitations should look professional and well made. The ones on so-called fancy paper with uneven grains have always looked cheap to me. I know that they are actually quite expensive to buy, but that is hardly the point. I have always thought that American stationery should dispense with the quaint and crafty in favor of the sleek and modern.

Finally, we compromised on the American wedding invitations as well as personalized pub signs that I was thinking about getting my groomsmen. I got to chose the paper and the layout, and she got to choose the font and the content. This allowed her to get the formal lettering that she likes so much, while allowing me to have the straightforward and modern design that I have always admired. It made us both pretty happy, but to this day we do not discuss the fight we had over American wedding invitations. After all, we are getting along so well. Why bring up an old scuffle, no matter how small. Before that point, I could never have pictured myself getting into an argument about the look of American wedding invitations. It just goes to show you that you never know until you try something. Weddings are very stressful, and it is always surprising how the stress boils over..

phrases spanish

Being able to communicate in Spanish doesn’t mean that you master every aspect of the language. You just need the most common Spanish phrases and surely, you’ll get your message across easily. While it’s sometimes adorable to speak broken Spanish, it’s always way better to be understood during the first tries.

Conversation Phrases: Spanish to Get You By

If your Spanish repertoire is only limited, you can communicate such condition by using the following phrases:

•    No hablo español            -    I don’t speak Spanish
•    ¿Habla usted inglés?             -    Do you speak English?
•    No comprendo            -     I don’t understand
•    Mas lentamente/despacio, por favor-    Speak more slowly, please

Eating Phrases: Spanish to Satisfy Your Food Cravings

Traveling is incomplete without food and wine. Whether you take your meals in the nearby diner, in a private home, in a fancy restaurant or an expensive hotel, these Spanish phrases are necessary in communicating the needs of your stomach:

•    Tengo hambre            -     I’m hungry
•    Tengo sed                    -    I am thirsty
•    Quiero ver el menú, por favor     -    I would like to see the menu, please
•    Quiero pedir, por favor         -     I would like to order, please
•    La cuenta, por favor            -     May I have the bill, please?

In many food establishments, menus come with pictures and famous names such as patatas (potatoes), arroz (rice), pollo (chicken) and ensalada  mixta (mixed salad). Majority of the travelers will just choose these. But then again, are you in Spain to simply taste the same old dishes that you order in your homeland?

Money, Money, Money

Money is a primary requirement in any travel. To avoid having problems with your finances, make use of these familiar phrases:

•    Quiero cambiar algunos cheques de viaje, por favor -    I would like to change some travelers checks, please
•    ¿Dónde se puede cambiar dinero?            -    Where can we change some money?
•    ¿Cuándo abre/cierre el banco?            -    When does the bank open/close?

Knowing the terms related to your money will certainly help you in keeping track of your bills and coins.

Doctor, Doctor I am Sick

Traveling comes with the possibility of illnesses. These phrases will help you get quick medical attention:

•    Estoy enfermo                 -    I am sick.
•    ¿Podría llamar a un médico, por favor?    -    Could you please call a doctor? 

A few hand gestures shall let you express your pains to a doctor. Otherwise, you can get a translator.

Spanish Phrases for 911

Just in case you encounter an emergency, these phrases will be most helpful to get you the assistance that you require:

•    ¡Socorro!                    -    Help!
•    ¿Hay una comisaría de policías cerca?     -     Is there a police station nearby?

Hopefully, the police officers should be able to help you with your problem, particularly when it comes to losing your passport or reporting a theft. Even the simple issue of being lost may also be reported to them.

So grab that pocket English-Spanish dictionary and pack these handful of Spanish phrase and you’re definitely ready for the adventure of your life.  ¡Tenga un viaje seguro!

learn spanish

It is equally astonishing and gratifying to know that a third of the world is able to effectively communicate in Spanish. However, there’s nothing more rewarding in learning the said language than actually going to Spain.

Learning Spanish, when you consider the persons and culture that surround the language, becomes fun and easy. Of course, you can learn all about these people and places in English but still, the best way to learn Spanish is to experience the Spanish people and their culture with all your five senses.

Prominent Spanish-Speaking People

If you Learn Spanish now, you get to enjoy the works of celebrated directors and actors in the Spanish language, all without the need for imperfect subtitles that had nothing to do in expressing the full range of emotions intended by the films.

In the movie industry, the name of Pedro Aldomovar rings a bell as a tribute to his magnificent works like Entre Tinieblas and Habla con Ella. Seeing his films in their original language explains why he is dubbed as the enfant terrible of Spanish cinema. Famous Hollywood stars in the persons of Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz will surely catch your eye.

Remember the suave and romanticism of father-and-son balladeers Julio and Enrique Iglesias? If you think that their English songs are suave and romantic enough, how much more are those that were written in their mother tongue? In this scenario, learning Spanish shall literally make you capable of listening to their songs with all your heart and mind. 

Famous Places

Spaniards like to declare that Spain is different and your travels to the said country will explain why.

The best Spanish territory for you if you are into parties is Ibiza. Acquaint yourself to a different kind of partying, ever heard of disco sunrises? Shake your bon-bon to famous international hits and select from a variety of parties ranging from foam to water parties. Ibiza is not just all fun as it also houses World Heritage sites.

Cordoba, with its array of ancient ruins, religious buildings (Mezquita) and civil and military buildings (The Palace of Viana), is the place for the architecture lover. You may also visit Barcelona and Madrid, among other historical places, for their magnificent architecture and equally munificent people.

True, you may visit these wonderful places without having to learn Spanish but this puts you among the average tourists. So why not be among those who stepped up? Otherwise, you will just be adding to the population of those who go to Spain not prepared with Spanish phrases.

Spain is also famous for its fine wine and food. Who shall ever forget siesta? As you partake in the fiesta-like meals of the Spaniards, you might also want to grab that opportunity to know more about their language. After all, nothing is better than learning the language from the masters themselves. And no other circumstance can lead to such proximity with them than indulging yourself into a Spanish holiday.

learn to speak spanish

Today, millions of opportunities are unlocked if you try to learn a new language. Sometimes, however, you commit mistakes and people, in turn, may laugh at you. Do not be disheartened as this is part of the learning process.

Learning how to speak Spanish need not be complicated and there are many positive effects of adding this language to your repertoire.

Widespread Use

To review your European history lessons, Spain once reigned over the second-largest empire in history on which the sun never set, for about 400 years. You can’t expect an empire with that span and longevity not to leave a trace of its language to its colonies!

Are you aware that today, Spanish is the second most-spoken language? With this, knowing how to speak Spanish makes you communicate with more than 320 million people worldwide. In fact, Spanish is among the dominant languages used in Europe, Latin America and Africa. These pieces of information demonstrate that a number of opportunities are unlocked if you know how to speak Spanish.

Emerging Economic and Political Powerhouse

Economists think that Latin America shall be the new European Union. Because of its rich natural resources and able human resources, Latin America will undeniably surge into development in no time. Therefore, learning Spanish will give you an advantage over all these emerging possibilities.

Another very good reason to learn to speak Spanish is the fact that it is an official language of a number of powerhouses such as the United Nations, European Union and Union of South American Nations. If you’re not into professional opportunities, then how about the job opportunities you can get from these organizations?

Cultural Benefits

International artists like Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz all have a commonality: they speak Spanish. The paella, Bakalao, and bullfighting are some of Spain’s cultural contributions.

Singing and dancing to the tunes of these artists in their original language will generate a different kind of high as compared to doing the same in the English language. It would be a completely special experience if you’re able to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s works in Spanish or to enjoy Pedro Aldomovar’s films without using subtitles.

Indeed, some things are lost in translation!

In conclusion, learn speak Spanish gives you opportunities for employment, business, creativity and fun and adventure. After all, there is nothing better than developing your horizon and continuously making yourself a better you.

Might be a bit unnerving to begin with but talking dirty to your partner can revitalize flagging relationships faster than just about any other method.

Although it may well seem to “be a bit too tough to do” or just “something you don’t do” in general, using dirty talk in a relationship can be done with the intention of doing more than just titillating your partners libido.

If you learn how to talk dirty to your partner and you do it right and do it even passably well, you can actually revive and energize a flagging relationship or a relationship that is just trundling along.

But you do have to learn how to talk dirty to your partner the right way, not the wrong way. Right way equals looks of amazement and, potentially, lust. The wrong way equals looks of disgust, puzzlement and an early trip to a relationship counselor!

Golden rule Number One in the world of talking dirty? Work out your partners acceptance levels and start below them!

If your guy or girl is used to you helping out at the church social each week and watches you baking cookies for the neighbors, (or if they actually do the baking themselves!) then having you suddenly trip out a string of expletives and lustful stories as you snuggle down together under the duvet is likely to make them reach for the phone and the nearest help line!

Work out what sort of things your partner finds erotic - not lusty - erotic, there is a huge difference here. Think less brazen and more suggestive, half hidden as opposed to fully exposed!

Settle for a level of suggestion that you believe they will not feel threatened by or uncomfortable with and start to slowly, quietly whisper your thoughts to them.

Lean in close, let them feel your presence without bearing over them, let them sense you as opposed to actually feel you, smell you and let them feel the faintest tickle of your warm breath as you murmur dirty talk into their ear.

As you talk, carefully watch their reactions. If they relax and sink into what you are saying, then you have the level of erotic v comfort just right. If they tense and try to flee or just lie stiffly and have a nervous look on their face, you have either pitched into talking dirty too strong or you haven’t reassured your partner with the right amount of closeness and intimacy needed for introing something this radical and new into your daily life!

Warm them up - make them aware of just how electric you can be and you’ll find the combination of your closeness and your suggestive talk will really get them straining at the bit to hold you.

After that - it’s totally up to you what you do next!