Author: Maria del Mar Pérez

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Spanish as a language

22 Different Ways to Say Sorry in Spanish

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22 Formas de Disculparse en Español Correctamente | iScribo

Making mistakes is natural among humans and there are many ways to apologise in Spanish. Apologising or asking for forgiveness makes us better people and can make a big difference to others.

No matter what has happened, sometimes we think we are too smart. In any case, we need to be able to express ourselves in any situation if we want to master a language. Whether you wonder how to apologise in Spanish in a formal context or among friends, learn today with iScribo other ways to say sorry in Spanish.

Expressions to Apologise in Spanish

To apologise in Spanish, remember that you must always do it with respect and be truly sorry, only in this way will you be able to settle the matter of concern.

1. Perdón

With all its variants: perdona, perdone.

Perdón, me he equivocado y no volverá a pasar. (Sorry, I made a mistake and it won’t happen again.)

Perdona que te haya molestado, no me he dado cuenta. (I’m sorry I bothered you, I didn’t realise.)

Perdone, me he saltado la cola sin saber. (Excuse me, I jumped the queue without realizing.)

If you notice, what differentiates these phrases is the register, it is not the same to apologise to a friend as to a stranger.

2. Disculpa o disculpe

Disculpa, Mateo, pero es que de verdad que necesito pasar. (Excuse me, Mateo, but I really need to get through.)

Oiga, disculpe, creo que me he llevado su bolsa de la compra por error. (Excuse me, I think I took your shopping bag by mistake.)

3. Lo lamento

Lo lamento sinceramente, era una persona excelente. (I am sincerely sorry, he was an excellent person.)

We can add other words as in this example above to emphasise the seriousness of the apology or the feeling we are concerned about.

4. Te pido disculpas

Te pido disculpas si he herido tus sentimientos. (I apologise if I have hurt your feelings.)

5. Siento lo ocurrido

Siento lo ocurrido, no tenía que haberle hablado así. (I’m sorry for what happened, I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.)

6. Mil disculpas

Mil disculpas, la próxima vez actuaré de otra manera. (I’m so sorry, next time I will act differently.)

7. Lo lamento mucho

Lo lamento mucho pero no podemos darle ninguna cita. (I am very sorry but we cannot give you any appointments.)

8. No sé si podrás perdonarme

No sé si podrás perdonarme, espero que haya algo dentro de ti que diga que sí. (I don’t know if you can forgive me, I hope there is something inside you that says yes.)

9. Lo siento

He llegado muy tarde, lo siento. (I am very late, I am sorry.)

10. Te debo una disculpa

Te debo una disculpa por haberme ido sin despedirme de ti. (I owe you an apology for leaving without saying goodbye.)

Ways to Apologise Without Saying Sorry

Many Spanish-speaking artists have written about forgiveness. The following phrases are related to apologising and are more creative than the previous ones. You can use them to apologise in a more original way.

11. Poco bueno habrá hecho en su vida el que no sepa de ingratitudes (Who doesn’t know about ingratitude must haven’t done little good in their life) by Jacinto Benavente.

12. Destruimos al otro cuando somos incapaces de imaginarlo (We destroy the other when we are incapable of imagining it), by Carlos Fuentes.

13. Quizá haya enemigos de mis opiniones, pero yo mismo, si espero un rato, puedo ser también enemigo de mis opiniones (There may be enemies of my opinions, but I myself, if I wait a while, can also be an enemy of my opinions) by Jorge Luis Borges.

14. El llanto es a veces el modo de expresar las cosas que no pueden decirse con palabras (Crying is sometimes a way of expressing things that cannot be said in words) by Concepción Arenal.

15. Al bien hacer jamás le falta premio (Good work never lacks a prize) by Miguel de Cervantes.

16. A perdonar solo se aprende en la vida cuando a nuestra vez hemos necesitado que nos perdonen mucho (Forgiveness is only learned in life when we have needed a lot of forgiveness ourselves) by Jacinto Benavente.

17. El malvado descansa algunas veces; el necio jamás (The wicked sometimes rests; the foolish never rests) by José Ortega y Gasset.

18. Los humoristas y los filósofos dicen muchas tonterías, pero los filósofos son más ingenuos y las dicen sin querer (Humourists and philosophers say a lot of stupid things, but philosophers are naiver and say them unintentionally) by Noel Carrasó.

19. Cuando la culpa es de todos, la culpa no es de nadie (When it’s everybody’s fault, it’s nobody’s fault) by Concepción Arenal.

20. Hay dos maneras de conseguir la felicidad, una hacerse el idiota; otra serlo (There are two ways to achieve happiness, one is to be taken as an idiot; the other is to be an idiot) by Enrique Jardiel Poncela.

21. Sustituir el amor propio con el amor de los demás, es cambiar un insufrible tirano por un buen amigo (To replace self-love with the love of others is to exchange an insufferable tyrant for a good friend) by Concepción Arenal.

22. Donde haya un árbol que plantar, plántalo tú. Donde haya un error que enmendar, enmiéndalo tú. Donde haya un esfuerzo que todos esquivan, hazlo tú. Sé tú el que aparta la piedra del camino (Where there is a tree to plant, you plant it. Where there is a wrong to be righted, you make it right. Where there is an effort that everyone else shirks, you do it. Be the one who moves the stone out of the way) by Gabriela Mistral.

iScribo & Arts

The way in which we express ourselves is very important when learning a language. iScribo professes grammar and spelling following the norm, that’s why our spelling and grammar checker is here to help you with your written Spanish. It doesn’t matter if you have a good level, the suggestions of our tool will help you to improve the style of your document. Have you already tried it? If not, you can do it here.

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Culture around Spanish language

11 Typical & Delicious Spanish Food Specialties

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11 Platos Típicos de la Gastronomía Española | iScribo

Authentic Spanish food goes beyond paella and churros. However, these dishes are the standard bearers in terms of the influence of Spanish food specialties in the world.

We could focus on Spanish traditional food by region, but instead, we are going to present you with a list of typical dishes that you cannot miss if you visit Spain or any Spanish restaurant in the world. Some of them are difficult to find outside Spain’s borders, but others are internationally renowned as the best Spanish food. Sit back, relax and have a refreshing drink while you work up an appetite.

Famous Spanish Tapas

1. Tortilla: In many foreign places it is known as tortilla española (Spanish omelette) to differentiate it from Mexican one. Be that as it may, you will love this delicacy made with potatoes and eggs. It is very common to make it with onion, which is a never-ending debate among Spaniards. There are many varieties, some people add peppers and others chorizo, you can even make tortillas with any vegetable you have at home, or with prawns. Your possibilities are endless.

2. Gazpacho: Indulge in summer with this starter made of tomato, pepper, garlic and cucumber. Let yourself be carried away by this cold soup, as they call it abroad, typical of Andalusia. There are other varieties with watermelon, avocado or beetroot.

3. Salmorejo: Another typical Andalusian starter, with almost the same ingredients as gazpacho (salmorejo does not have peppers or cucumber) but a little more consistent with the addition of bread. Add a hard-boiled egg at the end to decorate it – amazing!

4. Pulpo a feria: The difficulty of cooking octopus makes Galician people culinary masters. The paprika and coarse salt give it a special touch that makes it a star dish in many Spanish restaurants. Serve it with a bed of boiled potato, let us know what you think!

Spanish Typical Dishes

5. Paella: This Spanish dish needs no introduction. The rice base and the infinite number of ingredients with which you can combine it make it a delicacy for the enjoyment of the most exquisite palates. Our favourite is the original, Valencian paella, although we won’t turn down any variant.

6. Cocido: A typical Madrilenian dish that is very widespread throughout the country, in a multitude of delicious variations. This dish, highly recommended on a cold winter’s day, will fill your stomach for the whole day. It is made with chickpeas, chicken and beef, and sometimes noodles. Anyway, it would take up this entire blog post just to list the ingredients.

7. Migas: can be made with bread or with a special flour. Also typical of the south, this dish is prepared with fried garlic, peppers, bacon and melon. There are, of course, different variations of this dish, but whatever you put in it, it is still delicious and typical for a weekend in family.

8. Fabada: Asturian gastronomy is made up of very complete and dense dishes like this one. Based on white beans and pork, there is nothing better to combat the cold northern winter.

9. Bacalao al pilpil: we could not ignore fish, which is so important in our Mediterranean diet. This traditional Basque dish combines garlic, chilli and cod. Undoubtedly delicious and special in our culture.

Traditional Spanish Breakfast Foods

10. Torrijas: This dessert, or breakfast treat, is made with bread soaked in milk, or wine for the more daring, and then fried. Some people serve it with vanilla ice cream, an ideal tandem.

11. Churros: worldwide famous, this star product in Spanish breakfasts and afternoon snacks is made with flour and water. Typical in traditional Spanish cafés.

iScribo & the Meaningful Spanish Gastronomy

Typical Spanish dishes are cooked with our star product, olive oil. As the basis of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil not only gives flavour, but is also beneficial for our health. Have you tried any of these dishes? Do you know any Spanish recipe that you like and we have not mentioned? You can write it in our tool, iScribo’s Spanish spelling and grammar checker, have you tried it yet? Tell us about it in the comments.

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Spanish as a language

Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers in Spanish

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Los Números Ordinales y Cardinales en Español | iScribo

Do you know the cardinal and ordinal numbers in Spanish? Learning Spanish numbers is one of the first steps in mastering the language well. To determine which number to use, you will need to ask yourself first ‘what is ordinal numbers and cardinal numbers?’

With this iScribo post you will learn ordinal and cardinal numbers in Spanish. Read on to learn more about this topic.

Cardinal Numbers in Spanish

Cardinal numbers are a type of natural numbers that we use to count the elements that exist in a group or set. Among the characteristics of cardinal numbers, we can mention that they represent the number of things in a total.

For example: uno (one), dos (two), tres (three), quinientos cincuenta y siete (five hundred and fifty-seven), cinco mil cuatrocientos noventa y dos (five thousand four hundred and ninety-two), and so on.

Nos compramos un coche la semana pasada. (We bought a -one- car last week.)

En el frutero hay quince peras, veintidós fresas y cuatro manzanas. (In the fruit bowl there are fifteen pears, twenty-two strawberries and four apples.)

Cardinal numbers are divided into odd and even numbers.

Even numbers: cero (zero), dos (two), cuatro (four), seis (six) and so on.

Odd: uno (one), tres (three), cinco (five), siete (seven) and so on.

List of Ordinal Numbers in Spanish

Ordinal numbers express order or succession within the natural numbers and indicate the place they occupy within a series. In other words, they are used to indicate position. Note that ordinal numbers vary in gender and number depending on the context and the word they accompany.

For example: primero (first), segunda (second), vigésimos (twentieth), quincuagésimo segundo (fifty-second), and so on.

Remember that the suffix -avo is considered incorrect as an ordinal number and is only used with fractional numbers, so we would say decimoquinto (fifteenth) and not quinceavo.

Quedó octavo en la carrera. (He came eighth in the race.)

Vivimos en el trigésimo segundo piso de la torre norte. (We live on the thirty-second floor of the north tower.)

iScribo Teaches and Helps You

The higher the number, the more difficult it is to write it, and we are aware that ordinal numbers are also more difficult to write than cardinals.

Don’t be discouraged, once you learn how to write the natural numbers and become familiar with the suffixes, you will see that they are all written in the same way.

A trick to make sure you never make a mistake is to use a spelling and grammar checker to help you clarify and learn them well from the very first moment. Have you tried iScribo yet? Tell us about it in the comments.

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Spanish as a language

40 Most Commonly Used Adverbs in Spanish

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Los 40 Adverbios Más Comunes del Idioma Español | iScribo

Adverbs in Spanish are invariable words, that is, they don’t change their gender and number; they modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. While there are different types of adverbs in Spanish, today we are going to discover some common adverbial phrases in Spanish.

It should be noted that when an adverb is composed by several words, it is called adverbial locution, and they are included in our list.

In terms of their function, adverbs provide circumstantial information, whether it’s their mood, time, place, etcetera. If you’ve ever wondered what the most commonly used adverbs in Spanish are, don’t miss out this article by iScribo. We help you to master grammar while learning the culture of the Spanish-speaking countries.

Most Common Informal Adverbs

Learn today the most frequently adverbs used in Spanish. To do so, we are going to classify them depending on their register. Do you know these informal adverbs? They are used in common and daily context, which means that they are colloquial.

1. Superiormente (superiorly): Tiene tallos erectos, algo ramificados superiormente. (Stems erect, somewhat branched at the top.)

2. A tope (all out): Vamos a ir a tope desde el principio. (We are going all out since the beginning.)

3. A lo loco (without thinking): Estás haciendo los deberes a lo loco. (You are doing your homework without thinking.)

4. Chido (awesome): ¡Qué chido! El plan es muy divertido. (Awesome! This plan is so funny.)

5. Allí (there): Has llegado allí muy rápido, ¿no había tráfico? (You got there so fast, wasn’t there traffic?)

6. Rápido (fast): Pablo acabará rápido y se despedirá de todos. (Pablo will finish quickly and say goodbye to everyone.)

7. Guay (cool): Qué guay está tu camiseta nueva, me encanta el color. (How cool is your new shirt, I love its colour.)

8. Pronto (early): Los niños llegaron pronto de las actividades. (The kids arrived early from their activities.)

9. Bien (good): Ha estado muy bien que hayas defendido a tu amiga. (It was very good of you to stand up for your friend.)

10. Mal (bad): La tarde ha empezado mal, a ver cómo termina. (The evening has started badly, let’s see how it ends.)

11. Muy (very): La cena estaba muy buena, tenemos que volver. (Dinner was very good, we have to come back.)

12. También (also): También ha venido Paco, que es de agradecer. (Paco has also come, which is good.)

13. Poco (a little): He venido un poco antes por si te podía ayudar. (I came a little earlier in case I could help you.)

14. Mucho (a lot): Hemos comprado mucho, va a sobrar comida. (We have bought a lot of stuff, there will be food left over.)

15. Siempre (always): Siempre llegas tarde, no tienes remedio. (You are always late, what are we going to do with you?)

16. Nunca (never): Nunca te apetece salir y yo me aburro. (You never want to go out and I get bored.)

17. Ahora (now): Ahora me tienen que llamar, no puedo salir. (I’m waiting for a call now, I cannot go out.)

18. Después (after): Iremos al cine después de cenar. (We Will go to the cinema after dinner.)

19. Casi (almost): Casi me caigo de la moto, debo tener cuidado. (I almost fell off the bike, I have to be careful.)

20. Aquí (here): Aquí hace mucho frío, me voy a cambiar de sitio. (It is very cold here, I’m going to swap places.)

Most Common Formal Adverbs

Remember to spot the –mente termination in a word to identify adverbs faster.

You can find here a list f the most frequently used adverbs in formal context so you can improve your Spanish communication with a more elevated grammar:

21. Asimismo (additionally): Asimismo, el cambio climático producirá más problemas. (Additionally, global warming will bring more problems.)

22. Por ende (consequently): Por ende, no iremos a cenar esta noche a tu casa. (Consequently, we will not go to your place for dinner.)

23. Ergo: Ergo, el examen sorpresa no fue una casualidad. (Ergo, the surprise exam was not a coincidence.)

24. Indudablemente (undoubtedly): Indudablemente, suspenderá el examen. (Undoubtedly, they will fail the exam.)

25. Cierto (true): Es cierto que haya más paro. (It is true that there is more unemployment.)

26. Acaso (perhaps): La literatura es acaso lo mejor para curar el alma. (Literature is perhaps the best way to heal the soul.)

27. Ni siquiera (not even): Ni siquiera se ha despedido al irse. (He did not even say goodbye when he left.)

28. Acuciantemente (urgently): Necesito que vengas acuciantemente. (I need you to come urgently.)

29. Cuán (how much):  Se indica cuán de acuerdo se está con el resultado. (Indicate how much you agree with the result.)

30. Entretanto/Entre tanto (meanwhile): Entretanto, ve haciendo la lista. (Meanwhile, start making the list.)

31. Alrededor (around): Alrededor del estanque, crece el césped impecable. (Around the pond, impeccable lawns grow.)

32. Adonde (where): Estas personas no tienen otro lugar adonde ir. (These people do not have a place -where- to go.)

33. Amigable (friendly): Los semáforos amigables con todos son inclusivos. (Everyone-friendly traffic lights are inclusive.)

34.  Cuanto más (the more): Cuanto más llores, menos vas a conseguir. (The more you cry, the less you will get.)

35. Inclusive: Las páginas 20 a 25, ambas inclusive. (Pages 20 to 25 inclusive.)

36. Sin duda (certainly): Sin duda alguna, te esperaremos. (We will certainly be waiting for you.)

37. Incluso (even): Todos me han dado la enhorabuena, incluso tu padre. (Everyone is congratulating me, even your father.)

38. Adelante (forward): El enemigo nos cierra el paso; no podemos ir adelante. (The enemy is blocking our way; we cannot go forward.)

39. Profusamente (profusely): El sacro recinto fue profusamente engalanado con flores y luces.(The sacred enclosure was profusely decorated with flowers and lights.)

40. Antaño (in the past): Antaño, todo esto era campo. (In the past, all this was countryside.)

iScribo & Spanish Grammar

Spanish grammar can be complicated if you have it wrong from the beginning. Having a proper basic grammar will help you to develop the main grounds of the language. But not only grammar, writing correctly speaks about us and our level of Spanish. iScribo spelling and grammar checker helps you to write without mistakes and with impeccable writing, have you tried it yet? If not, you can do it here.

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Culture around Spanish language

14 Influential & Famous Spanish-Speaking Painters

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14 Pintores Hispanohablantes Influyentes | iScribo

Painting encourages communication, creativity and richness between cultures. This is why knowing the most influential and famous Spanish-speaking painters in history can give you a clue about the culture of each country and make you learn much faster. Focusing on a work of art and practising more specific words and terms will make you learn faster and more dynamically.

Learn today the best Spanish-speaking painter, from Spanish contemporary painters to Latin American painters. Today we take an artistic stroll to remember and appreciate the most outstanding artists. Read on to find out who they are and why they are so well known.

Famous Spanish Painters from Spain

There are a few Spanish Baroque painters that we would like to highlight because of what they meant to the period and what they still influence today.

1. Diego Velázquez (1599-1660): ambassador of Spanish art par excellence, he painted for King Philip IV of Spain. He is the author of the emblematic paintings Las Meninas and Las Hilanderas, among others.

2. Francisco de Goya (1746-1828): his work extended beyond the Baroque period during Romanticism, and he is another essential artist in Spanish art. You will know him for his masterpiece La maja desnuda.

However, we would like to name some current and modern Spanish painters, we are sure you know some of them:

3. Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923): a realist painter from an artistic family. He depicted light and the sea like no other, as shown in Los pescadores valencianos.

4. Pablo Picasso (1881-1973): the artist from Malaga needs no introduction as he is known worldwide. He brought about an artistic revolution in the 20th century, with works such as Autorretrato and Las señoritas de Aviñón.

5. Salvador Dalí (1904-1989): for many, Dalí is the master of surrealism, for others he was simply a madman. Whatever the case, Dalí is world famous for the originality of his works, such as La persistencia de la memoria and Tristán e Isolda.

6. Ferran García Sevilla (1949- ): as a versatile and complete artist, in addition to being a painter he is also a sculptor, video artist and much more. He is a benchmark of contemporary abstract art in Spain.

7. Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682): his naturalistic style and delicacy can be seen in most of his religious paintings. We can appreciate his influence on later artists.

Outstanding Latin American Painters

The Latin American art scene is quite diverse and many of its artists are world-renowned. Pre-Columbian art was already an outstanding expression, but it began to show its full potential after the arrival of the Spaniards.

8. Frida Kahlo (Mexico, 1907-1954): Frida speaks for herself! The surrealist artist continues to influence us day after day. Her worldwide recognition doesn’t need an introduction, as all her self-portraits show.

9. Fernando Botero (Colombia, 1932- ): the Colombian artist uses bright colours in his paintings, which has attracted the attention of art lovers and followers. He is also a sculptor and draughtsman, a very complete artist!

10. Oswaldo Guayasamín (Ecuador, 1919-1999): a painter noted for his depiction of human suffering and tragedy. His expressionist dark art has earned him a place among the world’s leading 20th century artists due to the quality of his masterpieces.

11. Wifredo Lam (Cuba, 1902-1982): if you are looking for a fusion of Caribbean art with surrealism and cubism, this artist will surprise you.

12. Guillermo Kuitca (Argentina, 1961- ): this famous Argentinean painter and engraver specialises in abstract and expressive art. He likes to represent issues of current importance such as space, memory and identity.

13. Carlos Mérida (Guatemala, 1891-1984): his Guatemalan painter and muralist was appreciated for the modern expression of his works. He is considered one of the best Latin American painters.

14. Fernando de Szyszlo (Peru, 1925-2017): born in Lima, this artist is still an influential painter and benchmark for abstract art in Latin America today.

iScribo & Culture

Learning a language is not only about mastering the grammar, it also means learning the culture of the countries where it is spoken. Whether it is musical, literary or artistic expression, iScribo introduces you to the most important cultural figures in the Spanish-speaking world.

To practice and improve your written Spanish you can use our tool, as it improves your writing in real time.

Today we have introduced you to the most influential and famous Spanish-speaking painters, do you particularly like someone we haven’t mentioned? Tell us in the comments.

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Spanish as a language

10 Autumn Quotes for this Change of Season

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10 Citas de Otoño Para el Cambio de Estación | iScribo

Have you already prepared for the falling leaves season? For many people autumn is the most romantic season. Beyond Pablo Neruda‘s autumn phrases and words, there are autumn expressions and sayings to help you communicate like a true Spanish speaker and find inspiration for the time being.

Read this iScribo article to learn autumn phrases and quotes. If you want to learn phrases from other seasons, visit our blog.

Autumn Quotes By Famous Authors

Here are our favourite autumn quotes from Spanish-speaking authors:

1. El otoño es un segundo respiro de la naturaleza (Autumn is a second breath of nature) by Lope de Vega.

2. El otoño es esa época del año en la que las hojas se visten de poesía y la naturaleza nos muestra su arte más hermoso, (Autumn is that time of year when the leaves are dressed in poetry and nature shows us its most beautiful art) by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.

3. Bienvenido otoño, estación de encuentros con uno mismo, de reflexión y de nuevos comienzos (Welcome autumn, the season of meeting oneself, of reflection and new beginnings) by Isabel Allende.

4. El otoño es la estación donde la naturaleza nos muestra que soltar es necesario para renacer (Autumn is the season where nature shows us that letting go is necessary to be reborn) by José Saramago.

5. El otoño es un tiempo de transformación, donde las hojas nos enseñan que es hermoso cambiar (Autumn is a time of transformation, where the leaves teach us that it is beautiful to change) by Gabriela Mistral.

Welcome Autumn Quotes and Sayings

6. Otoño lluvioso, invierno frondoso (Rainy autumn, lush winter): this saying implies the importance of weather conditions for harvest and nature. If it rains in autumn, winter will be prosperous with lush vegetation and abundant natural resources.

7. En otoño, la cosecha llena el granero (In autumn, the harvest fills the granary): in autumn, many crops are harvested to supply us during the winter. This expression of abundance can be extrapolated to our lives, in the sense that we should harvest our fruits and be prepared for what the future may bring.

8. Otoño adelantado, invierno anticipado (Early autumn, early winter): means that if autumn comes early, it is very likely that winter will come early too.

9. En otoño, cada hoja es una flor (In autumn, every leaf is a flower): autumn may be the season with the most colour changes, followed by spring, when the colour of flowers is compared and admired.

10. En otoño, el rocío matutino es la lágrima del verano (In autumn, the morning dew is the tear of summer): some sayings seem to be taken from poetry, like this one. It means that the morning dew with which we wake up in the morning represents the end of summer as a season.

iScribo & Popular Spanish Sayings

We love Spanish culture, that’s why we ask you, do you know any famous autumn quotes or popular sayings from other Spanish-speaking countries? iScribo is a tool powered by artificial intelligence with which you can write in Spanish without fear of making mistakes. Try writing your autumn phrases with our corrector here.

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Improving language

The 40 Most Commonly Used Adjectives In Spanish

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Guía De Los 40 Adjetivos Más Usados en Español | iScribo

Adjectives are words that express the quality of a noun. Spanish adjectives are essential in Spanish grammar to describe objects, people, feelings and sensations.

Bear in mind that the most common adjectives in Spanish are, as a rule, variable words. By this we mean that they agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. They are often accompanied by other words of a different grammatical category, such as adverbs.

Do you need to expand your vocabulary to express yourself better and more fluently? iScribo shows you today which are the most commonly used Spanish adjectives, both informal and formal, with examples so that you can go beyond the borders of the language.

List Of Common Spanish Informal Adjectives

These types of adjectives are the ones we use the most on a daily basis and they are also the easiest to learn when you are a beginner. The description of simple, everyday objects is always accompanied by these adjectives:

1. Bueno/a (good): Este plato está muy bueno (This dish is very good.)

2. Pequeño/a (small, little): La niña pequeña se cayó en el parque (The little girl fell in the park.)

3. Grande (big):El barco grande ha naufragado esta mañana (The big ship has sank this morning.)

4. Bonito/a (beautiful, pretty): Encontrarás la casa bonita al final del parque (You will find the pretty house at the end of the park.)

5. Feo/a (ugly): No debes decirle a la gente si es fea o guapa (You shouldn’t tell people whether they are ugly or pretty.)

6. Nuevo/a (new): La televisión nueva nos está dando problemas (The new TV is giving us problems.)

7. Malo/a (bad):Este ventilador nos ha salido malo (This fan has turned out badly.)

8. Aburrido/a (boring): El libro que me he comprado no es para nada aburrido (The book I bought is not at all boring.)

9. Feliz (happy): Se está criando en un entorno feliz (They are growing up in a happy environment.)

10. Triste (sad): Se ve a leguas que ese chico está triste (You can tell that this boy is sad.)

11. Importante (important): Encontrar tu propósito en la vida es muy importante (Finding your purpose in life is very important.)

12. Lento/a (slow): La trama de esta obra de teatro es lenta, no avanza (The plot of this play is slow, it doesn’t move forward.)

13. Alto/a (tal): El niño alto es la estrella del equipo de baloncesto (The tall boy is the star of the basketball team.)

14. Bajo/a (short): No importa que seas baja, te harás un hueco en el equipo de balonmano (It doesn’t matter that you’re short, you’ll make the handball team.)

15. Cansado/a (tired): No admito que estés cansado como excusa. (I won’t admit that you’re tired as an excuse.)

16. Simpático/a (nice):Una persona simpática tiene cabida en cualquier lugar (A nice person has a place anywhere.)

17. Antipático/a (unpleasant, nasty): Ha resultado ser una persona antipática (They have turned out to be an unpleasant person.)

18. Viejo/a (old): El atril viejo no servirá para el discurso (The old lectern won’t do for the speech.)

19. Difícil (difficult): Nos han puesto un examen difícil (They gave us a difficult test.)

20. Frío/a (cold):Esta casa es fría, necesita calefacción (This house is cold; it needs heating.)

Most Common Formal Adjectives

There are situations in which we need to express ourselves in more formal contexts, or we simply like to use more sophisticated words. Here is a list of the most commonly used formal adjectives.

21. Eficaz (effective):El quitamanchas es eficaz en todos los tejidos (The stain remover is effective on all fabrics.)

22. Notable (remarkable):El calor latente es más que notable (The latent heat is more than remarkable.)

23. Destacado/a (outstanding):El estudiante fue el más destacado en su categoría (The student was the most outstanding in their category.)

24. Significativo/a (significant): No hay cambios significativos en el temario (There are no significant changes in the syllabus.)

25. Ilustre (illustrious): Fue ilustre su presencia en la conferencia (the student’s presence at the conference was illustrious.)

26. Épico/a (epic):Una noche épica sin lugar a duda (An epic night indeed.)

27. Reflexivo/a (reflective):Una persona reflexiva tiene más probabilidad de éxito (A reflective person is more likely to succeed.)

28. Cordial (cordial):Fue el más cordial oponente al que me enfrenté (He was the most cordial opponent I have ever faced.)

29. Consistente (consistent): La textura consistente de la salsa fue la clave del plato (The consistent texture of the sauce was the key to the dish.)

30. Sagaz (sagacious):Su actitud sagaz le dio la victoria (His sagacious attitude gave him victory.)

31. Pulcro/a (neat):No me importaría tener un animal pulcro (I wouldn’t mind having a neat pet.)

32. Grato/a (pleasant):Su presencia grata me alegró la jornada (Their pleasant presence made my day.)

33. Intachable (impeccable):Los visitantes manifestaron un comportamiento intachable (The visitors showed impeccable behaviour.)

34. Imparcial (impartial):En estas competiciones, se nota que los árbitros son imparciales (In these competitions, you can tell that the referees are impartial.)

35. Respetable (respectable):Tus ideas políticas son respetables, mas no las comparto (Your political ideas are respectable, but I don’t share them.)

36. Preciso/a (accurate):En tu trabajo has de ser precisa (In your work, you must be accurate.)

37. Reservado/a (reserved):Se trata de una persona de carácter reservado (This is a person with a reserved character.)

38. Disciplinado/a(disciplined):Los jóvenes del instituto son disciplinados (The young people at school are disciplined.)

39. Convincente (convincing):No me parece un argumento convincente (I don’t find this argument convincing.)

40. Versátil (versatile): Las bolsas reciclables tienen propiedades versátiles (Recyclable bags have versatile properties.)

iScribo & Grammar

Adjectives deserve special consideration because of their importance in language. Here we have basically dealt with some aspects regarding their understanding. In terms of usage, adjectives have different functions depending on their context. For example, to emphasise the action or highlight the value of the noun they modify, you can put the adjective before the noun. iScribo corrects the use of written Spanish in real time. If you have doubts about how to write a sentence, use our spelling and grammar checker. Find out how to use this powerful tool and how to get the most out of it here.

Categories
Spanish as a language

12 Spanish Summer Phrases And Expressions

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12 Expresiones de Verano Para tus Vacaciones | iScribo

The richness of the Spanish language gives us the gift of Spanish summer expressions to use when travelling or other types of expressions in Spain, which may at first glance seem to be about travelling, that we use in our day-to-day lives.

Spanish phrases for travelling and summer moments are related to the number of memories we create along the way. These positive experiences will always lead to happy travel quotes.

iScribo reminds you today some popular Spanish phrases for tourists and Spanish speakers, so that you can enjoy your summer trips with your family, friends or alone. Anything goes when it comes to having a good time in summer.

Spanish Travel Language & Expressions

1. Dar la vuelta al mundo (go around the world): to visit many places in a single trip or in a short period of time, even if it is in several trips.

Este verano he visitado cuatro países diferente, al final voy a dar la vuelta al mundo.

(This summer I have visited four different countries, so in the end I am going to go around the world.)

2. Andar con la mochila a cuestas (backpacking, literally): it means travelling a lot. The adventurous spirit of people also generates beautiful expressions!

Andas con la mochila a cuestas, ¿cuándo vas a dejar de viajar?

(You’re travelling all the time, when are you going to stop?)

3. Perderse por la ciudad (getting lost in the city): visiting a place with intensity, even sometimes without a specific plan, and enjoying it by discovering new places.

Nos perdimos por la ciudad y encontramos la cafetería más romántica que hemos visto nunca.

(We got lost in the city and found the most romantic coffee shop we’ve ever seen.)

4. Hacer la maleta (packing): with this one, we make it easy for you. You can also use the verb preparar. This expression means to pack your luggage for your trip.

Voy a hacer la maleta para las vacaciones.

(I’m going to pack for my holiday.)

Travel Expressions for Everyday Life

5. Poner tierra de por medio (to get out of the way) this is interpreted in its literal sense. It means to go far away to escape from a problem or a situation that causes us discomfort.

Para olvidar a Juan puso tierra de por medio.

(To forget Juan, he got out of the way.)

6. Salir volando (to rush off): also salir pitando, it means to leave quickly from a place, usually because there is a hurry or there is an urgent need to leave it.

Salgo volando a recoger a los niños del colegio.

(I’m flying off to pick up the kids from school.)

7. Estar en las nubes (be daydreaming): to be distracted, it can be to let your mind go blank or to withdraw from a conversation and think about something completely different.

Perdona, ¿qué decías? Estaba en las nubes.

(Sorry, you were saying? I was daydreaming.)

8. Dejar volar la imaginación (let your imagination run wild): unleash your creativity. Daydreaming, imagining situations and stories, anything goes!

Dejé volar mi imaginación y se me ocurrió la solución al problema.

(I let my imagination run wild and came up with a solution to the problem.)

Travel Expressions for Both Travel and Everyday Life

9. Estar de paso (to be passing through): to visit a place for a short period of time.

He venido a hacerte una visita rápida, estoy de paso.

(I’ve come to pay you a quick visit, I’m just passing through.)

Estoy de paso por la ciudad, mañana me voy en tren.

(I’m passing through the city, tomorrow I’m leaving by train.)

10. Echar raíces (to put down roots): to settle in a place for a long period of time, with the intention of staying forever. It can also mean to enter a lasting relationship with someone.

Echó raíces en Viena, el lugar en donde siempre quiso estar.

(They put down roots in Vienna, the place where they always wanted to be.)

Manuel y Ángel han echado raíces, era cuestión de tiempo.

(Manuel and Angel have put down roots, it was only a matter of time.)

11. Tener el mundo a tus pies (having the world at your feet): it can mean travelling with great intensity and, above all, having a range of possibilities and opportunities.

Elisa viaja mucho, tiene el mundo a sus pies.

(Elisa travels a lot, she has the world at her feet.)

No te agobies con la búsqueda de trabajo, tienes el mundo a tus pies.

(Don’t be overwhelmed by the job search, you have the world at your feet.)

12. Callejear (to wander): although it is just a word, it is used both for travelling (to express that a person goes aimlessly) and for everyday life (to express that you go from one place to another through different streets and you don’t take the straight and direct way).

Callejeé por Marruecos y encontré un buen Bazar.

(I wandered around Morocco and found a good Bazaar.)

Hoy he callejeado para ir al trabajo para no hacer siempre el mismo camino.

(Today I wandered to go to work so as not to always take the same route.

iScribo & Expressions

Spanish is a language that comes in handy when speaking and writing. Spanish phrases and expressions are as rich as the language is varied. You just must travel, immerse yourself in culture, speak and write a lot. Mastering the language is in your hands.

With iScribo’s spelling and grammar checker you have the world of Spanish at your feet. Have you tried it yet? By the way, can you tell us about any expression you know related to travelling? Tell us in the comments.

Categories
Spanish as a language

The Ultimate Guide About How To Tell Time In Spanish

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Las Mejores Claves Para Decir la Hora en Español | iScribo

Every language course talks about how to tell time in Spanish, but it is not always an enjoyable way to learn. Some questions always arise, such as How to write time in Spanish?, What are the rules for telling time in Spanish? Telling the time in Spanish is easy if you learn the format and know the numbers.

Today iScribo teaches you the ways to tell the time in Spanish so that you have the basics when practising the language.

How to Write Time in Spanish

The time in Spanish follows a clear structure:

Son las [número] y [minutos] de la mañana/tarde/noche.

(It is the [number] and [minutes] of the morning/afternoon/evening/night.)

Some examples are:

Son las ocho y cuarto de la mañana.

(It is a quarter past eight in the morning.)

Son las nueve y veinticinco de la tarde.

(It is twenty-five past nine in the evening.)

However, when the main number of the hour is 1, the format is used:

Es la una y diez de la mañana/tarde.

(It is ten past one in the morning/afternoon.)

How do you Add Minutes When Telling Time in Spanish

If you are going to tell the time (we speak orally), in most Spanish-speaking countries the twelve-hour format is used, so it is necessary to specify morning, afternoon or evening:

Es la una de la tarde.

(It is one o’clock in the afternoon.)

Although it is true that it is used in a minority of Spanish-speaking countries, there are places where the parameters of y cuarto, y media and menos cuarto are not used:

Son las doce y treinta.

(It is thirty past twelve.)

When the minutes are 00 or almost 00, it is said en punto:

Son las cuatro en punto.

(It is four o’clock.)

When writing numbers, especially in the formal context, the 24-hour format is used and they are always written in letters and not in numbers:

Son las veinte horas y cuarenta y tres minutos.

(It is twenty hours and forty-three minutes.)

If it is an informal context, you can write the time in numerals without any problem:

Son las 18 horas y 49 minutos.

(It is 18 hours and 49 minutes.)

Tips for Learning the Time in Spanish

1) Listen and repeat: if a native speaker gives you the time, remember it and repeat it. Learning is based on repetition and this happens with all languages. The news always gives the time, so maybe it’s a good time to watch it on TV.

2) Learn the vocabulary: knowing the numbers and the type of format is essential.

3) Practice in real situations: tell your friends and family the time, there is no better way to practice.

4) Write down the time: another good way to practice and learn.

iScribo & Learning As we have just seen, practice is the best way to learn. Listen, repeat and, above all, write. When it comes to writing in Spanish, use the iScribo tool to correct yourself in real time. Not only will you learn correct Spanish, but you will also broaden your vocabulary horizons thanks to its suggestions. Have you tried it yet?

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