Learn Spanish At Home

Cognates, Borrowed Words, Pronunciation, & Other Rules
Cognates In Spanish, there are several cognates that are extremely similar to those in English. Using cognates will help you understand surrounding words in a text even if you don't know what they entirely mean. The following is a list of a few cognates in Spanish to English.

aire = air
editor/a = editor
médico = medical
policía = police
dentista = dentist
similar = similar
piano = piano

Borrowed Words: Most, if not all languages have at least one borrowed word form another language. Borrowed words also act as cognates. A list of words in English borrowed from Spanish include: rodeo, patata, corral, rancho. The words mean rodeo, potato, corral, and ranch respectively. A list of words in Spanish borrowed from English include: pudin, jersey, teléfono. The words in respective order mean pudding, jersey, and telephone.

Pronunciation: One of the easiest things about Spanish is its pronunciation: almost everything is pronounced as it is written. However, there are some exceptions. The following is a list of pronunciation rules in Spanish.

a is pronounced as in English as ah.

c is pronounced as in English as k; if the c is before e or i, is pronounced as in English as s in South America or as th in Spain.

h, by itself, is never pronounced.

e is pronounced like e in the English word hey.

i is pronounced like i in the English word police.

j is pronounced with a breathy huff of air from the throat (like a hard "h" sound).

ll is pronounced like y.

ñ is pronounced like the ny in canyon, but in a nasal way. In compañía, for example, the ñ must have an independent nasal ny than í. It's like italian gn.

o is pronounced as in English like the o in dog.

r is pronounced by tapping the tip of the tongue against the gum ridge in the back of the upper teeth.

rr is pronounced as the same way as r but rolled-this may take some practice to get right.

s is pronounced as the s in lesson.

u is pronounced similar to the u in rule.

v is pronounced same as b.

x is pronounced ks, like in taxi /taksi

z is pronounced like english "th" in theater. It's the same sound as in c, but before a, o and u.

accent marks shown where the accent is. It's written when the word it's accented in the 3º syllable (esdrújula: brújula), and in the 1º syllable if it finishes in n, s or vocal (aguda:acción, revés, está, redIl). It's also written when it's accented in the 2º, when it doesn't finish in n, s or vocal (grave o llana: fácil, júcar, ayUda).

Other Rules: In Spanish, the adjective usually comes after the noun (unlike in English, where the adjective comes first). Most adjectives, like nouns, are classified by gender: masculine nouns and adjectives usually end in o and feminine nouns and adjectives usually end in a. Adjectives that have gender in this course will have the femine form in parenthesis.
In Spanish, an upside down question mark or exclamation mark is placed before a question or exclamation. Examples: ¿Qué? ¡Hola!

Retrieved from "http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Spanish_1/linguistic_characteristics"

If you're interested in learning basic Spanish,you can start right here. This site"Learn Spanish At Home" will give you some of the basic words, but we'll also give you links where you can go to study Spanish much as you would in college except you'll be able to learn at your own pace.

This is the Wikiversity link to get started: "The Basics!

Buenos días. - Good morning.
Buenas noches. - Good evening.
Buenas tardes. - Good afternoon.
Hola. - Hello.
¿Cómo te llamas? - What is your name?
Me llamo... - My name is...
Encantado(a). - Delighted.
Igualmente. - Likewise.
Mucho gusto. - Pleased to meet you.
Señor (Sr.) - sir, Mr.
Señora (Sra.) - madam, Mrs.
Señorita (Srta.) - miss, Ms.
¿Cómo estás? - How are you? (familiar)
¿Cómo está usted? - How are you? (formal)
¿Qué pasa? - What's happening?
¿Qué tal? - How are you?
¿Y tú? - And you? (familiar)
¿Y usted? - And you? (formal)
bien - well
nada - nothing
regular - regular, okay
gracias - thank you
Adiós. - Good-bye.
Hasta luego. - See you later.
Hasta mañana. - See you tomorrow.

Complete List Of Links To Wikiversity Course

Introduction, Countries, Linguistic characteristics

Chapter 1 (The Basics)
Including country focus on Mexico
Chapter 2 (Activities)
Including country focus on the United States
Chapter 3 (Adjectives)
Including country focus on Cuba
Chapter 4 (School)
Including country focus on the Dominican Republic
Chapter 5 (The Classroom)
Including country focus on Puerto Rico
Chapter 6 (Food & Drink)
Including country focus on El Salvador
Chapter 7 (Health)
Including country focus on Guatemala
Chapter 8 (Destinations)
Including country focus on Honduras
Chapter 9 (Recreation & Lifestyle)
Including country focus on Nicaragua
Chapter 10 (Family & Celebrations)
Including country focus on Costa Rica
Chapter 11 (Adjectives & In a restaurant)
Including country focus on Panama
Chapter 12 (The Bedroom)
Including country focus on Colombia
Chapter 13 (The Household)
Including country focus on Venezuela
Chapter 14 (Shopping)
Including country focus on Ecuador
Chapter 15 (At the Mall)
Including country focus on Peru
Chapter 16 (Vacation)
Including country focus on Bolivia
Chapter 17 (Community)
Including country focus on Paraguay
Chapter 18 (Television)
Including country focus on Chile
Chapter 19 (Computers)
Including country focus on Argentina, Uruguay, Spain, and Equatorial Guinea

Spanish 2 - New!

Welcome to Spanish 2! You've already begun to understand, speak, read and write in Spanish. You've also learned about Spanish-speaking countries and their cultures. In Spanish 2 you'll be using and building what you learned in your first year of Spanish.

Review
Chapter 1 (Classroom Events)
Including cultural insight on Mexico City
Chapter 2 (Free Time)
Including cultural insight on comparison of school in the United States and Hispanophone countries
Chapter 3 (Daily Activities)
Including cultural insight on ponchos
Chapter 4 (Fashion)
Including cultural insight on parties
Chapter 5 (Errands)
Including cultural insight on open-air markets
Chapter 6 (On the Road)
Including cultural insight on neighborhoods
Chapter 7 (Childhood)
Including cultural insight on childhood songs

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Much of the information used here has been researched from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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