Spanish Language · Español
Tilde: ñ
Spanish double letter
The ~ accent, called a tilde, on the Spanish letter Ñ indicates that the word used to be spelled with two Ns but now the tilde stands in for the second one. Ñ is pronounced like the ni in onion.
It’s very important to include the tilde when writing or typing, because N and Ñ are two different letters. There are words that mean different things depending on whether the word is spelled and pronounced with N or Ñ. Also, Ñ has its own section of the dictionary which comes after the entire N section.
Try to pronounce some words with this letter and send it 🤗
Spanish double letter
The ~ accent, called a tilde, on the Spanish letter Ñ indicates that the word used to be spelled with two Ns but now the tilde stands in for the second one. Ñ is pronounced like the ni in onion.
It’s very important to include the tilde when writing or typing, because N and Ñ are two different letters. There are words that mean different things depending on whether the word is spelled and pronounced with N or Ñ. Also, Ñ has its own section of the dictionary which comes after the entire N section.
Try to pronounce some words with this letter and send it 🤗
Spanish Language · Español
Type Accents
Writing in Spanish
It’s just as important to include accents when writing in Spanish as it is to spell words correctly. It drives me kind of crazy when people say, sorry, I can’t type accents on my computer / tablet / smartphone.
Yes, you can type accents – yes! even on your old computer.
No, you don’t have to buy a Spanish keyboard, or install any software.
Virtually every system has at least one built-in method for typing accents – you just need to follow these links to find out what it is and how to activate it.
Do you type accents?
Writing in Spanish
It’s just as important to include accents when writing in Spanish as it is to spell words correctly. It drives me kind of crazy when people say, sorry, I can’t type accents on my computer / tablet / smartphone.
Yes, you can type accents – yes! even on your old computer.
No, you don’t have to buy a Spanish keyboard, or install any software.
Virtually every system has at least one built-in method for typing accents – you just need to follow these links to find out what it is and how to activate it.
Do you type accents?
Spanish Language · Español
"AND" EN ESPAÑOL:
The words "and" and "or" are coordinating conjunctions. In Spanish, these two words have a few different forms depending on what they’re used with.
And = y, e
"And" is normally translated as y.
José y Ana hablan francés. José and Ana speak French.
Hay templos e iglesias en este calle. There are temples and churches on this street.
The words "and" and "or" are coordinating conjunctions. In Spanish, these two words have a few different forms depending on what they’re used with.
And = y, e
"And" is normally translated as y.
José y Ana hablan francés. José and Ana speak French.
Hay templos e iglesias en este calle. There are temples and churches on this street.
Spanish Language · Español
Spanish Short Stories from Beginner to Advanced
“Tairon el super tramposo” by Hans Wilhelm
This fun little tale is perfect for younger Spanish students as there are large illustrations matching the written text.
Tairon, a large and dominating dinosaur, cheats at all of the games that the other dinosaurs had planned for their fun weekend away—but the other dinosaurs decide to play a clever trick on Tairon. In the end, he learns a valuable lesson.
The story uses some simple past tense constructions so it’s a good pick for practicing this grammar topic and getting exposed to its various uses in different contexts.
You’ll find a few more charming, illustrated short stories for beginners like this one available on the Children’s Library website. Although the Spanish selection isn’t massive, the stories are very high quality and perfect for younger students.
“Tairon el super tramposo” by Hans Wilhelm
This fun little tale is perfect for younger Spanish students as there are large illustrations matching the written text.
Tairon, a large and dominating dinosaur, cheats at all of the games that the other dinosaurs had planned for their fun weekend away—but the other dinosaurs decide to play a clever trick on Tairon. In the end, he learns a valuable lesson.
The story uses some simple past tense constructions so it’s a good pick for practicing this grammar topic and getting exposed to its various uses in different contexts.
You’ll find a few more charming, illustrated short stories for beginners like this one available on the Children’s Library website. Although the Spanish selection isn’t massive, the stories are very high quality and perfect for younger students.
Spanish Language · Español
“Mi casa”
“Mi casa” (My House) is a simple story that’s ideal for beginners to learn adjectives related to houses and family life.
The narrator describes their new home in a bustling urban center, along with all the reasons why they’re happy about living there.
Since the story is hosted on Lingua, you’ll find it comes with a short comprehension quiz at the end, a downloadable PDF and even recordings of the story in a variety of Spanish accents. Check out this site for more fun stories for all Spanish skill levels!
“Mi casa” (My House) is a simple story that’s ideal for beginners to learn adjectives related to houses and family life.
The narrator describes their new home in a bustling urban center, along with all the reasons why they’re happy about living there.
Since the story is hosted on Lingua, you’ll find it comes with a short comprehension quiz at the end, a downloadable PDF and even recordings of the story in a variety of Spanish accents. Check out this site for more fun stories for all Spanish skill levels!
Spanish Language · Español
“Ricitos de oro” by Robert Southey
This is simply the classic fairytale, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” You probably already know it by heart, which makes it a very easy-to-understand short story.
This Spanish translation on the Cuentos infantiles website is a shortened version that follows the same, well-trodden storyline, and includes cute cartoon images for extra context.
As in the classic story, there are lots of adjectives and comparatives to describe the differences between the bears, beds and bowls of porridge—too hot, too cold, just right, you know the drill here.
You’ll find 300 more fun Spanish stories on Cuentos infantiles, many of which are based on classic English stories. The stories are suitable for all ages, but the site also offers a recommended age range for each one.
This is simply the classic fairytale, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” You probably already know it by heart, which makes it a very easy-to-understand short story.
This Spanish translation on the Cuentos infantiles website is a shortened version that follows the same, well-trodden storyline, and includes cute cartoon images for extra context.
As in the classic story, there are lots of adjectives and comparatives to describe the differences between the bears, beds and bowls of porridge—too hot, too cold, just right, you know the drill here.
You’ll find 300 more fun Spanish stories on Cuentos infantiles, many of which are based on classic English stories. The stories are suitable for all ages, but the site also offers a recommended age range for each one.
Spanish Language · Español
“Me siento alegre” by Andrae Ovalle
This interactive and positive short story is perfect for learners who are working on mastering basic Spanish nouns and descriptive adjectives.
“Me siento alegre” (I Feel Happy) is told from the perspectives of young children recounting the people, places and things that make them feel happy.
This interactive and positive short story is perfect for learners who are working on mastering basic Spanish nouns and descriptive adjectives.
“Me siento alegre” (I Feel Happy) is told from the perspectives of young children recounting the people, places and things that make them feel happy.
Spanish Language · Español
“La ratita presumida”
“La ratita presumida” (The Smug Little Mouse) is a story that’s been floating around for centuries. Starting off orally, it was put to paper in “Lágrimas” by Fernán Caballero in 1839.
There are quite a few different versions of this story, but it usually involves a soon-to-be-wed mouse, her many suitors and a cat. While this tale may sound a little dark, it’s widely used as a children’s book because of its moral and educational value.
If it’s your first time reading a short story in Spanish, this is a great one to start with. Having just a few hundred words in length, it’s short, simple and easy to get through.
“La ratita presumida” (The Smug Little Mouse) is a story that’s been floating around for centuries. Starting off orally, it was put to paper in “Lágrimas” by Fernán Caballero in 1839.
There are quite a few different versions of this story, but it usually involves a soon-to-be-wed mouse, her many suitors and a cat. While this tale may sound a little dark, it’s widely used as a children’s book because of its moral and educational value.
If it’s your first time reading a short story in Spanish, this is a great one to start with. Having just a few hundred words in length, it’s short, simple and easy to get through.
Spanish Language · Español
“El cuento envenenado” by Rosario Ferré
The daughter of Puerto Rico’s third elected governor, Ferré’s career might have been helped by her family’s status and wealth but it certainly doesn’t rely upon it.
“El cuento envenenado” (The Poisoned Story) is quite complicated, but at the same time a lot of fun. The story plays with the very building blocks of literature, exploring the potential of different narrators in this tale about a young girl named Rosaura (or was it Rosa?).
For a playfully masterful tale that also explores serious topics like the evolving nature of social class by one of the Caribbean’s greatest living female writers, you can’t do much better than “El cuento envenenado.”
The daughter of Puerto Rico’s third elected governor, Ferré’s career might have been helped by her family’s status and wealth but it certainly doesn’t rely upon it.
“El cuento envenenado” (The Poisoned Story) is quite complicated, but at the same time a lot of fun. The story plays with the very building blocks of literature, exploring the potential of different narrators in this tale about a young girl named Rosaura (or was it Rosa?).
For a playfully masterful tale that also explores serious topics like the evolving nature of social class by one of the Caribbean’s greatest living female writers, you can’t do much better than “El cuento envenenado.”
Spanish Language · Español
“Doce cuentos peregrinos” by Gabriel García Márquez
“Doce cuentos peregrinos” (Twelve Pilgrim Tales) is a collection of twelve stories written and edited by Gabriel García Márquez over eighteen years.
The constant discussion of “foreignness” and feeling like “the other” make this collection a fantastic read for learners and future travelers. Each story is about six to ten text-heavy pages, not too long and not too short for advanced learners.
The length and difficulty level make these stories best suited for focused reading practice. The language is all about leading readers through a clear, straightforward narrative, so there is little romantic, poetic or lofty language to tackle.
“Doce cuentos peregrinos” (Twelve Pilgrim Tales) is a collection of twelve stories written and edited by Gabriel García Márquez over eighteen years.
The constant discussion of “foreignness” and feeling like “the other” make this collection a fantastic read for learners and future travelers. Each story is about six to ten text-heavy pages, not too long and not too short for advanced learners.
The length and difficulty level make these stories best suited for focused reading practice. The language is all about leading readers through a clear, straightforward narrative, so there is little romantic, poetic or lofty language to tackle.