Progressive tense in Spanish grammar

Posted by Amit Schandillia at 11:17 AM

As you may have already learned in the lesson on the present tense, you usually say something like "I am speaking" in Spanish in the same way as you say "I speak": hablo. Similarly, you can say "he is eating" in the same way as you say "he eats": come.

However, Spanish does have a way of specifically saying verbs such as "eating" and "speaking," although they are used less often than in English. The verb forms that are the equivalent of the "-ing" form in English are known as present participles or gerunds. The important thing to keep in mind, however, is that while the Spanish present participle is roughly the equivalent of the "-ing" form in English, there are significant differences in the way they are used.

The Spanish present participle of regular verbs is formed removing the -ar ending and replacing it with -ando, or by removing the -er or -ir ending and replacing it with -iendo. Here are examples of each of the verb types:

hablar (to speak)--> hablando (speaking)

beber (to drink)--> bebiendo (drinking)

vivir (to live)--> viviendo (living)

The verbs that have irregular present participles still use the same -ando and -iendo endings, but they have changes in the stems. For example, the present participle of venir (to come) in viniendo (coming), and the present participle of decir (to say) is diciendo (saying). To prevent awkward spellings, a few verbs use a -yendo ending in the participle instead of -iendo. For example, the present participle of leer (to read) is leyendo (reading).

As a beginning Spanish student, the way you are most likely to use the present participle is with the verb estar (to be) to form what is known as the present progressive tense. Here are some examples of that usage: Estoy estudiando. (I am studying.) Está lavando la ropa. (He is washing the clothing.) Estamos comiendo el desayuno. (We are eating breakfast.) The present participle can also be used with other tenses of estar to indicate past and future action.

The progressive tenses are used less in Spanish than they are in English. As a general rule, they place an emphasis on the continuing nature of the action.

One of the major differences between the present participles in English and Spanish is that while the English present participle can frequently be used as an adjective or a noun, in Spanish the present participle is nearly always used in conjunction with other verbs. Here are some examples of the present participle in use: Estoy pensando en ti. (I am thinking about you.); Anda buscando el tenedor. (He is walking around looking for the fork.); Sigue estudiando los libros. (She keeps on studying the books.); Haces bien estudiando mucho. (You're doing well by studying much.) At this stage, you do not need to analyze these sentences or understand the details of how the present participle is used. Note, however, that in all these examples the gerund is used to indicate some form of continuing action, and that it can be translated using an "-ing" verb (although it doesn't have to be).

Cases where you wouldn't use the Spanish participle to translate an "-ing" verb include instances where the English present participle is used as a noun or adjective. Note these examples: Ver es creer. (Seeing is believing.); Tiene un tigre que come hombres. (She has a man-eating tiger.); Hablar español es divertido. (Speaking Spanish is fun.); Me gusta comer. (I like eating.); Compré los zapatos de correr. (I bought the running shoes.)

Also note that while in English we can use the present progressive tense to refer to a future event (as in "We are leaving tomorrow"), that can't be done in Spanish. You must use either the simple present tense (salimos mañana) or the future tense (saldremos mañana).

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Latino culture: Interesting tips

Posted by Amit Schandillia at 10:42 AM

Spanish culture can differ greatly from your own. Traveling South America, Spain, or anywhere else can be more enjoyable if you understand the culture of the place you want to visit. For this purpose, we have compiled some fun facts about Latin America that can help you get a hint of the Spanish world.

The same way that foreign languages feel strange to us, some everyday things in American life can seem strange to people in different countries and vice-versa. Something as innocent as tossing a pen can be misunderstood in Spanish culture. We may also be offended by some innocent action or word of a Latin American. In order to avoid misunderstandings when vacationing foreign lands, you will find a few cultural highlights below.

1. In Latin American it is considered impolite to toss things to each other. If you need to give something to a native, make sure you walk over and hand it to them.

2. You may pick up a few slang words while visiting South America, Mexico, or Spain. Just remember that slang words vary from region to region. For example, the slang word for friend in some areas of South America is choche or pana, in Central America it can be pasiero or vato depending on the region and country.

3. Saying the word "stupid" in the English language is common and innocent enough. But in Spanish culture the translation is very strong and offensive. Avoid using the Spanish word for stupid at all times.

4. Don't be offended when Latinos call you a gringo. To them the words simply describes someone as foreign and isn't meant to degrade. The word came from war time when American soldiers wore green uniforms. The Mexicans knew enough to say "Green, go!" in order to express their wishes for the American soldiers to leave. This eventually became gringo and is used for any stranger, especially if you have light hair and eyes.

5. Latin Americans will usually greet friends and relatives more personally than do Americans. They give hugs: even the men! Men usually also greet woman with besitos meaning they touch cheeks while making a kissing noise with their lips. Woman also greet other woman with besitos. These little kisses are purely friendly and have no romantic meaning.

6. When traveling abroad, bargaining for a lower price in markets, small shops, and even for taxi rides is expected. Tourists are often given ridiculously high prices when shopping. Bargaining is a sport and can be very entertaining. So make sure you never accept the first bid. And remember, most things cannot be returned.

Non-verbal Communication in Latin America (hand gestures)

The non-verbal language in Spanish culture is different from the non-verbal culture in the United States. Be careful with hand gestures when visiting other countries. A thumbs-up to someone in the United States might mean something else in a different country.

1. For example, the hand gesture we use for come here, the hand palm up with the index finger extending in and out three or four times, has a very different meaning in Latin America. It means that you are very romantically interested in the person and is considered a solicitation. To motion to someone in Latin America to come here, extend your hand palm down and move all four fingers in and out together three or four times.

2. Watch for the thief gesture on buses when you travel. When standing in the aisles, pay attention to the grandmothers and mothers. They will let you know if a pickpocket is nearby by placing their hand sideways with all four fingers extended, and then moving one finger at a time to touch the palm. It takes only a few seconds to do, but can be important. When you see this hand gesture, hold on to your things!

We hope you have enjoyed these facts on South America and other parts of the world. Understanding differences in Latin culture will help you better understand the people. You will appreciate their openness. The more you learn about the language and the culture, the more you will enjoy your vacation and other encounters with the Latin culture and its people.

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The king of Valencian kitchens: Paella

Posted by Amit Schandillia at 9:22 AM

Paella (pronounced: pa-ey-yah) is a rice dish, originally from Valencia, Spain, where it is traditionally eaten on Sundays. The name paella is the word for frying pan in Catalan/Valencian (from Latin patella).

Paella is usually garnished with vegetables and meat or seafood. The three main ingredients are rice, saffron, and olive oil.

There is an old story of how the Moorish kings' servants created rice dishes by mixing the leftovers from royal banquets in large pots to take home. It is said by some that that word paella originates from the Arabic word baqiyah, meaning leftovers.

It is, in fact, commonly believed that paella was served among kings in France and Spain. The Romans may have produced a first form of paella.

INGREDIENTS:

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 green pepper, finely chopped

½ red pepper, boiled until soft and then cut into long thin strips

2 medium-sized tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

100g peas, cooked

200g shrimps (if using cooked prawns substitute fish stock for the water)

200g small clams

200g squid 12 mussels

350g rice (traditionally short grain rice is used but I prefer to use long grain)
2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

a pinch of saffron strands (if you can't get saffron, use yellow food colouring instead and add it once you have added the liquid)

a sprig of parsley, finely chopped

olive oil

about 800ml water

PREPARATION:

MUSSELS: Wash the mussels, removing the beards. Throw away any that don't shut on contact with water.

FRESH SQUID: Rub off the outer dark skin. Pull out the insides (including the transparent back bone) and pinch the eye away from the tentacles. Save the tentacles. Cut the squid into rings.

CLAMS: Wash in water and then put in a bowl with some salt so that the grit comes out. Throw away any that are open.

SHRIMPS: Whether you peel them or not is up to you. If you decide to peel them, save the shells and boil in water for about ten minutes. Save the liquid and add later instead of water.

GARLIC: In a pestle and mortar, grind the garlic, saffron (if using), parsley and a pinch of salt.

RECIPE:

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, green pepper and carrot and fry gently for about five minutes. Add the chopped tomato and squid (with the tentacles) and fry on a low heat for another ten minutes.

Add the rice and stir well to make sure that it is thoroughly coated. Add water (or the water from boiling the prawn shells or fish stock if using frozen fish), clams and the garlic/saffron/parsley mixture and bring to the boil. Season with salt. Put a lid on it, turn the heat right down and cook very slowly for about ten minutes. Add the prawns and peas and give it a stir. Arrange the mussels and strips of red pepper artistically on top, put the lid back on and leave for another ten minutes - checking that it has enough water. Add more water if you think it is getting too dry, but shake the handle of the pan rather than stir so as not to upset the pattern. Once the rice is cooked and the mussels have opened, it is ready to eat.

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