Expanding Horizons: The Uplifting Journey of Learning Spanish
As an upbeat, versatile language, spoken by millions of people around the world, it’s easy to fall in love with the Spanish language. Whether you’re a Spanish fan already, or need more convincing, we thought we’d share with you some key reasons to find the Spanish language “estupendo”:
1. There are so many fun Spanish Idioms
A cool part of learning any language is discovering the intriguing and unique ways native speakers express themselves, and picking up a few idioms is a great way to add colour to your Spanish speaking. An idiom is described as ‘a group of words that have a particular meaning that is different from the meanings of each word on its own’. Some examples in English are ‘to bite off more than you can chew’, or ‘once in a blue moon’. These types of expression - which might baffle a non-native speaker if heard without explanation - are a natural part of the Spanish language too. Here are some particularly creative examples of Spanish idioms with their English translation:
Tirar la casa por la ventana - to throw the house out the window
You might hear this phrase when someone has spent an excessive amount of money on something. Of course it’s physically impossible to throw a house out of a window, although the image isn’t too far from the stories of famous rockstars throwing televisions out of hotel windows. That’s the kind of extravagance we’re referring to with this expression.
El mundo es un pañuelo - the world is a handkerchief
It may be a little unusual to carry a handkerchief in this day and age, but essentially the idea is the world is so small and compact, it could fit in your hand. You might use this when you bump into an old acquaintance on holiday, or discover a friend in common with someone. Basically, it’s a small world after all!
Encontrar tu media naranja - to find your half orange
We often talk about our other half in English - that person who is our perfect match, who complements us. For Spanish speakers, there’s a fruity dimension to this classic saying. That other half is the other side of an orange!
Estar Hecho Un Ají - to be made into a chili pepper
Imagine someone becoming so angry, they turn bright red and unleash their fiery side.. Spanish speakers quite fittingly describe this as becoming ‘a chili pepper’.
2. It will put you in a more positive mood
Have you ever thought about how speaking a different language changes your outlook on life? Research shows that your level of optimism is deeply embedded in the language you speak.
And the happiest language? Studies have suggested that Spanish speakers are most likely to use words which are considered positive by the speaker and the listener. So the next time you’re feeling down, try whipping out some Spanish phrases or watching a Spanish film and see how you feel afterwards.
3. An exciting time for Spanish movies
Speaking of Spanish movies, there hasn’t been a better time to develop an interest in Spanish-speaking cinema. Woody Allen responded in a recent interview “Spain is one of the great European contributors to cinema. [Pedro] Almodovar films are inspiring to the entire film industry.” Thanks to the success of other Spanish directors such as Segundo de Chomón, Florián Rey, Luis García Berlanga, and Alejandro Amenábar, Spanish movies have been experiencing a bit of a boom recently. If you’re looking for a fun and topical way to improve your Spanish vocabulary, it’s easy to find good Spanish movies on Netflix or other streaming sites.
Of course, when we talk about Spanish-speaking cinema, we are not just talking about movies from Spain. Mexican directors Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro González Iñárritu are already known worldwide, whilst Argentinian and Colombian directors include Juan José Campanella, César Acevedo and Laura Mora.
If you’re new to learning Spanish, look for Netflix movies with Spanish audio that you can watch with English subtitles. As your vocabulary increases, you can try watching with Spanish subtitles as a fun challenge that will hone your listening skills.
4. You’ll be closer to speaking other languages
As you progress in Spanish, you’ll not only be able to communicate with Spanish speakers, but it’s likely you’ll be able to understand chunks of other languages, such as Portuguese, Italian and French too. This idea is referred to by linguists as “Mutual Intelligibility” and it’s the ability of a speaker of one language to be able to understand the speaker of another. This is seen very typically amongst the Romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Romanian), as they all have their origins in Latin and therefore they have many similar words and structures. According to one study, Spanish people can understand as much as 87% of a written text in Portuguese!
Think of it as a package deal; that time spent on Spanish practice will take you a step closer to speaking other languages too!
5. A growing global community
Finally, with more than 490 million native speakers, Spanish is the second most widely spoken mother tongue in the world. And as the official or national language of 20 countries, including Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, it is a pretty handy language for travelling. A good grasp of Spanish will mean you’ll be able to connect with locals and enrich your travel experience. Why stick to English when you can join the fiesta in Spanish?
But you’re not only likely to meet Spanish speakers in Spain or South America. According to the latest census data, there are over 41 million native Spanish speakers in total in the United States, making it the second largest Spanish speaking country in the world (surpassed only by Mexico). Further data from the US census office predicts that by 2050, the US will have an incredible 138 million Spanish speakers, which will make it home to the highest Spanish-speaking population in the world. If you’re looking for a language with a bright and growing future, Spanish is a great choice!
With so many practical, cultural and emotional benefits to speaking Spanish, there has never been a better time to or start (or continue) your Spanish learning adventure. The great news is that Sally at Spanish Step by Step is ready to help you with fun and effective online classes for any level. Click the ‘Book now’ link to choose your ideal class package, or fill in the contact form on the home page.
