Nothing in the Spanish language can seem quite as confusing to English speakers as the subjunctive! It’s not surprising, as this is one area of grammar in which English and Spanish are very different. The use of the subjunctive in English is very limited and can often sound arcane or old-fashioned whereas it is a fundamental part of everyday Spanish […]
Read moreGrammar Tips ~ The Subjunctive
Biography ~ Shakira
Shakira is a very popular Colombian singer. She was born in Baranquilla in February 1977. Her father’s family is of Lebanese origin and her mother’s family comes from Catalonia and Italy. Their ethnic roots have had a great influence on the music of Shakira.
Read moreChe Guevara
Ernesto Che Guevara was born on June 14, 1928 in Argentina. After studying medicine, he became a Marxist revolutionary and fought during the Cuban revolution of 1959 with Fidel Castro.
Read moreBiografía ~ Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz was born on October 21, 1925 in Havana, Cuba. She was a very positive person and a great singer.
Read moreBiography ~ Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso was born in 1881 in Malaga, Spain. His father was an art teacher and drew very well. Pablo began taking classes from his father when he was ten. Just a few years later he was drawing better than his father!
Read moreWeihnachten ~ German Christmas
Biography: Porfirio Diaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz was a Mexican soldier and politician Born in Oaxaca Mexico in 1830. Diaz was of mixed Spanish and indigenous blood. His father died when he was only three years old and he was sent away to school at the age of six. His family was devoutly Catholic and he began training for the priesthood but he was called out to serve as a soldier during the Mexican American war.
Read moreLast night I had the pleasure of watching the German film the Woman with the Five Elephants. Filmed in 2010, this documentary showcases the life of the famous Russian to German translator Svetlana Geier. It is predominately in German with English subtitles with the small portion in Russian occurring when she finally returns to her place of birth some 60 years after she was forced to flee during the second world war.
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