Happy Music Monday! Let’s Start the day with some SALSA to get your feet moving with Luis Enrique! He has always been on the Salsa spot in Nicaragua his native country and considered El Principe de la Salsa! (The Prince of Salsa). But for the rest of the world he is a one-hit wonder with his song “Yo no sé Mañana” (I don’t know tomorrow).  See the lyrics below to practice your comprehension

Want to follow along with the lyrics? See them below and practice your comprehension:

Yo no se mañana

We all relate music to places, people, moments, etc. Music refreshes the memory and more than once we’ve said to our friends, “You know what that song that reminds me of…?” And what about when you fall in love, break-up, or just feeling lonely, and you need that specific song that fits your mood?

Here at Bueno, entonces… we made a list for Hallmarks Special Tuesday; Top 5 Latin Music For Valentine’s Day  Each of them are in a different genre (Salsa, Tango, Pop, Rock, Sevillana), but they share two things in common. They talk about LOVE and they are all in Spanish!

So here is the list:

Joe Arroyo – Noches de Arreboles

It’s a salsa song that will get your feet moving! It has really good lyrics about how the sunset inspires love. Joe Arroyo was a Colombian Salsa singer, that just past away in 2011. Arrebol menas the red skies during sunsets!

Mana – Eres mi Religión

The legendary mexican band Mana, has always had really good romantic songs. Eres mi Religion (You are my religion) is one of them!

Carlos Gardel – El día que me Quieras

“You need to two to tango” right? Well, there is nothing as romantic as tango, especially coming from an amazing singer like Gardel. For generations Argentines have fallen in love with this rhythm, maybe this is your chance!

Cabas – Increíble

A slow guitar with a catchy rhythm on the drums. The lyrics are pretty straight forward but very romantig. “No quiero perderme nada, ni un segundo entre tu y yo” (Don’t want to miss a thing, not even a second between you and me.)

Siempre así – Se te nota en la mirada

Spanish rhythms! Music from Sevilla (Andalucia,Spain) Great lyrics that talk about a breakup, and how he remembers everything from the relation.

So you like practicing spanish to Music? It’s fun right? Just like the classes from Beuno, entonces… Start watching 30 hilarious, addictive Spanish classes on your PC, Laptop and your iPhone, iPad and iPod. - for only US$69.69

 Bueno, entonces… was especially designed for backpackers, study abroad students & expats! You can use the Spanish program anywhere and you’ll save money in hostels and empanadas!

When two cultures collide incredible artist like Kevin Johansen are born! Happy Music Monday! Nothing like some Kevin Johansen to start the week off right!

Son of an Argentine mother and American dad, Kevin was born 1964 in Fairbanks, Alaska. When he was 12 moved, back to Argentina where his first musical notes as an artist were recorded. He is a Pop – Folk – Rock artist, but has also implemented sounds from tango. Several of Kevin Johansen’s songs have a typical milonga 2/4 beat and are used at milongas to dance Argentine tango.  “Sur o no sur” and “Tangómana” are popular with alternative tango DJs in the US. He sings in English & Spanish.

Liniers & Kevin Johansen

Last year he performed around Europe and America with his band “The Nada” and also with the cartoon artist and friend, Liniers. Together the create a great vibe with the tunes and live painting by Liniers in the back. Check out the video “Sur O No Sur Live”, where their arts merge together.

Sing along to Sur o no Sur

To beast or not to beast, that is the hueso.

(Sarampión Mamá, que esto es contagioso!)

Me voy porque acá no se puede,
me vuelvo porque allí tampoco
Me voy porque aquí se me debe,
me vuelvo porque allí están locos
Sur o no sur…

Me voy porque aquí no me alcanza,
me vuelvo porque no hay esperanza
Me voy porque aquí se aprovechan,
me vuelvo porque allí me echan
Sur o no sur…

(Disculpe, la embajada de Italia?)

No sé por qué pasa lo que me pasa,
quizás sea la vejez
Quisiera quedarme aquí en mi casa,
pero ya no sé cuál es

Sur…

(A babor!)

No sé por qué pasa lo que me pasa, quizás sea mi niñez
Quisiera quedarme aquí en mi casa, pero ya no sé cuál es…
(Me voy para la embajada, me vuelvo por no estar visada
Me voy porque soy de por acá, me vuelvo por ser un sudaca
Malaya, qué triste destino, ser o no ser un Argelino
Malaya, qué triste destino, ser o no ser un marraschino…)
Sur o no sur.

Other good songs from him are Guacamole (he sings in English and Spanish)  and Anoch soñe e contigo.

How’d you do? It’s Fast, real fast- but then again that’s how people really speak in Spanish. And if you want to understand people, then you better learn how to understand it at that speed and with the words people actually use.

That’s what so special about Bueno, entonces…Learn Spanish I & II- a program unique in its format and structure. It teaches you Spanish at REAL speed, and treats you like an adult with slang that you don’t hear in the classroom. So you’ll be learning and laughing at the same time.

Best thing of all? You can take it ANYWHERE – on your laptop, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Check out the first Bueno, entonces… class for free & get a discount!: http://www.generallinguistics.com

The Canaval of Barranquilla in Colombia is the second biggest after the Carnival in Rio. Pack your bags because its going to blow!

(18-22  February 2012)

This Carnival began over 100 years ago and it’s precedence is from Europe, more specifically Spain. It was the party where slaves, spaniards and portuguese came toghether, and with the years it shapped until what it’s today: the second biggest carnival in the world! The Carnival was honored by UNESCO as World Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It lasts four days but it takes a whole year to organize it. It’s all about dancing, drinking, partying, music, smiles, and RUMBA!

Marimondas

The carnival begins in the 18th of february with La batalla de las flores (Battle of the Flowers). That is a parade with live music, costumes, and beauty queens, all of which go around barranquilla. During the Carnival there are 3 main icons: El Rey Momo, The Queen of the Carnival, and Joselito Carnaval.

The Rey Momo: It’s the icon you can find in almost all the carnivals around South America. When he appears, the party begins. The elected king is given the “keys” of the city and he is usually a really big guy.

The Queen: She is the one in charge of encouraging the people from Barranquilla to follow the only rule of the carnival : “bailar y gozar hasta que el cuerpo aguante.” (Dance and enjoy until you drop)

Joselito Carnaval: He symbolizes the end of the carnival. Locals reinact the myth of a carriage driver who partied so much during the carnival that the last day he died.

When Joselito Carnaval is ''buried'', the Carnival of Barranquilla ends

Feel like learning Spanish to travel all over South America? Get Bueno, entonces… now and you’ll be speaking and understanding conversational Spanish in just five weeks! We also have clips of our Spanish classes on Youtube – go check ‘em out and get a taste of our teaching style.

Better yet – you can now get the first 40 minute class for free! Try it out here: http://www.generallinguistics.com

With the Reelection of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, people from Argentina are ready to get into the Protesta Mood! The prices are going up, the government is not offering many solutions, and  inflation is growing by two digit numbers (Even though the ‘official stats’ were less than 10% in 2011). 

What is Argentina’s true inflation rate? The Washington Post

First of all we have to say Argentina is an amazing country with lots of potential, and that we enjoy living here. However, there are some things people should know, because history is repeating itself, yet again. One of the aspects of Argentina that you just have to get used to, is the frequent occurrence of manifestaciones (demonstrations), huelgas (strikes), and the like.  We’ve mentioned public transportation strikes before in our Medios del Transporte post, and we’ve talked about the pasión, but now we are going to combine it all into one post about all things passionately ‘anti’!

Mocking a SUBE Card (All the prices going up!!)

There is always some kind of controversy going on in this country, whether it is something that the government did to piss off the citizens (100% increase on the subway ticket in one year will do the job), the unionized workers (increase in salaries of about 25% due to a similar inflation rate), the farmers, etc…  Somebody is always unhappy about something.  And we appreciate the fact that they are willing to voice their opinions about anything and everything.  Still, it gets a little frustrating when it interferes with your everyday schedule (subtes (subways) are down, roads are blocked, certain foods aren’t available…)

Piquete

Now, the importance of this aspect of Argentina life is so major that we didn’t only want to inform you about it, but also we wanted to provide you with a list of necessary vocabulary that you will undoubtedly find the need to use at one point or another (‘sorry I was late, there was a protest that blocked the main avenue’).  Here it goes!

Manifestación = Demonstration

Huelga = Strike

Marcha = March

Bloqueo = Blocking (of a road, etc…)

Cacerolazo = Casserole-ing?  When they hit pots and pans together as a sign of protest/obnoxiousness

Piquetes = Picketing or Riot

Piquetero = Picketer or Rioter

Protesta = Protest

Carteles = Signs held at any sort of manifestación

Paro = A hold/stop (as in the stopping of the Subtes = un paro de los Subtes)

There you have it– all the necessary vocabulary to get by in the day-to-day manifestaciones of Argentina & South America!  Can you think of any other words or Spanish phrases that might be useful?  Add them in the comments section here or on our Facebook page – and check our more clips of our Spanish lessons on our Youtube Page. If you want to really learn Spanish, then head on over to our language learning software page get your hands on Bueno, entonces…- you’ll be speaking conversational Spanish in just five weeks!

There is one city in South America where the celebrities around the world migrate to warm up!

In the begining of every year, Punta del Este, Uruguay is the hot spot for celebrities! From Gerard Butler, Naomi Campbell and Eric Clapton to George Clooney and Bob Dylan, these starlets come to the sunny beaches of Uruguay, running from the cold but definetly not from the paparazzis.

Punta del Este is a resort town on the Atlantic Coast in Maldonado, Uruguay. It is located about 140 kilometres east of Montevideo.  The real Population of Punta del Este is about 7,000 to 8,000 but with the summer tourist boom, it often boosts the population an extra 150,000 people!

The city has colonial architecture all around combined with boutique hotels and hostels, but its main attractions are its two main beaches, Brava and Mansa, that are packed with people during summer time. But there is one place where the locals go, and that is playa La Barra del Maldonado. A must see landmark is the Dedos (fingers) in the sand at Playa Brava. During the season, Punta comes alive with concerts, festivals, and parties. It also offers water sports, fishing, whale- or sea lion –watching, and horseback riding on the beach.

So if you guys want to travel to Punta del Este, make sure to do your bookings early on the year. Is an expensive city but it’s worth visiting if you have the time and money!

Feel like learning Spanish to travel all over South America? Get Bueno, entonces… now and you’ll be speaking and understanding native Spanish in just five weeks! We also have clips of our Spanish classes on Youtube – go check ‘em out and get a taste of our teaching style.

Better yet – you can now get the first 40 minute class for free! Try it out here: http://www.generallinguistics.com

Hola Oyentes! Ready to tune in to this music MONDAY?

Today we are listening to the Spanish Musician Miguel Bose, was born in Panama City in 1956. He is son of an actress and a Bullfighter, and you can definitely see that spicy mix in his music. He began as an actor, but decided to jump into the music scene in 1978 with his debut CD “Linda”. Since then he has been really big in Spain and Europe, but in the last 12 years he started touring in South America with great success, even becoming a Colombian citizen after falling in love with the country. His latest tour Papito, was a complete success around the world.

Here are the lyrics to MIGUEL BOSE ft JULIETA VENEGAS – MORENA MIA so you can sing along!

Morena mía
Voy a contarte hasta diez
uno es el sol que te alumbra
dos tus piernas que mandan
somos tres en tu cama, tres
Morena mía
el cuarto viene después
cinco tus continentes
seis las medias faenas
de mis medios calientes.
Sigo contando ahorita
Bien, bien, bien, bien, bien

Morena mía
siete son los pecados cometidos
suman ocho conmigo
nueve los que te cobro
más de diez he sentido…

Y por mi parte sobra el arte
lo que me das, dámelo, dámelo bien
un poco aquí y un poco ¿a quién?

CHORUS:
Cuando tu boca, me toca, me pone y me provoca
me muerde y me destroza
toda siempre es poca y muévete bién
que nadie como tú me sabe hacer café.

Morena agata, ay me mata, me mata y me remata
vamos pal infierno, aúnque no sea eterno
suave y bien, bien
[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/morena-mia-w-julieta-venegas-lyrics-miguel-bose.html ]
que nadie como tú me sabe hacer café

Pero cuando tu boca, me toca, me pone, me provoca
me muerde y me destroza
toda siempre es poca y muévete bien, bien, bien
que nadie como tú me sabe hacer….uff café.
Bien, bien, bien, bien, bien, bien…

Morena mía
si esto no es felicidad
que baje Dios y lo vea
y aunque no se lo crea
esto es gloria…
Y por mi parte pongo el arte, lo que me das,
dámelo y dalo bien
un poco así y un poco ¿a quién?

Pero cuando tu boca, me toca, me pone y me provoca,
me muerde y me destroza
toda siempre es poca y muévete bien
que nadie como tú me sabe hacer café.

Morena agata, ay me mata, me mata y me remata
vamos pal infierno, aúnque no sea eterno
Suave bien bien, que nadie como tú me sabe hacer café

Y es que cuando tu boca, me toca, me pone, me provoca
me muerde y me destroza
toda siempre es poca y muévete bien, bien, bien
que nadie como tú me sabe hacer..uff café.

Bien, bien, bien, bien, bien, bien…

Another good song from him is “Como un Lobo” which he sings with his sister Bimba Bosé.

How’d you do? It’s really important to practice your Spanish listening with how people really sound, accent and all! In fact, training your ear is one of the most important steps to learning a language, because once you can understand people, you will start getting new words, grammar, and sentence structure.

That’s what so special about Bueno, entonces…Learn Spanish I & II- a program unique in its format and structure. It teaches you Spanish at REAL speed, and gets your ears ready for talking folks on the street.

PLUS: You’ll hear Spanish while seeing both the Spanish and English written below, color coded and with road signs so you can pick up grammar and vocabulary easily.

Best thing of all? You can take it ANYWHERE – on your laptop, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Check out the first Bueno, entonces… class for free & get a discount!:http://www.generallinguistics.com

It’s January! There’s no better way to start the year than with the trendiest cities for 2012!

Santiago de Chile

In the top 10 cities for 2012, according to Lonely Planet, we found that two of them are Spanish speaking cities! Cadiz and Santiago! How good is that? It’s another reason to get your tongue twisting in Spanish.

So, what can we say about these cities? Well, Santiago is one of the most promising spots in South America business-wise and in tourism. It’s really well organized (buses actually leave on time!) and the peeps are super really nice. But the best bit is the food – it’s amazing (Chilean Sea bass anyone?)

Cadiz, on the other hand, is located in the old continent, aka Spain. They say it’s always sunny in Cadiz, it has lots of beaches, it’s calm and quiet but lots of fun. Plus, there is a wicked variety of sea food (more fish!) and a raging carnival in February. So, it’s a perfect goodbye to the cold winter up north.

Cádiz

So I will leave you with the article from Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel: top 10 cities for 2012:

After globe-trotting research and fierce debate, Lonely Planet has come to a decision on its favourite cities for 2012. As always, our shortlist has some known gems and a few to raise a quizzical eyebrow, but each one is poised for greatness in 2012. While sporting events are bringing new adrenaline to a couple of classic destinations, other cities in our list have bounced back from difficult times with a renewed lease of life. The coming year will put all of these cities in a fresh light, whether they’re showing new flair with music and art festivals or dusting off preconceptions by showing their wilder streak. Without further ado, here’s our top 10 cities for 2012.

1. London

London is going for the knock-out blow in 2012. The Olympics are riding into town and a whole swath of the capital is being transformed in the process. London’s east will be thrust into the spotlight but the rest of the capital will be rolling out the red carpet too. Seeing Tower Bridge lift its bascules to let a tall ship pass beneath is all stately grace, as opposed to your first rush-hour trip on the tube, getting up close and personal with strangers of every colour, creed and nationality. Mind the gap! Whoever you cheer for, you won’t be alone in this most international of cities.

2. Muscat

Oman is firing on all fronts to attract international visitors, expanding everything from its museums to its resorts. Muscat is the focus for the revamp, with cultural events, luxury accommodation and aquatic activities taking centre stage. This year it’s all about Qurum’s trendy designer outlets, Old Town souks and wacky water sports enlivening its coastline alongside traditional dhows. Muscatis are still genuinely interested to see visitors, so much so that first-timers might have the odd feeling of returning to the house of an old friend. ‘Tomorrow will be a new dawn on Muscat,’ the Sultan pledged upon attaining power in 1970. Today in Muscat, the sun has well and truly risen.

3. Bengaluru (Bangalore)

The undisputed Elvis of South Asian megacities, Bengaluru is in a class of its own when it comes to redefining flamboyance. Perpetually drunk on the good life, this South Indian metropolis packs in the best brews, the scrummiest cuisines, and the liveliest arts and music scene, not to mention the hippest population you could hang out with. This year, evenings in the ‘capital of cool’ are poised to get even more intoxicating. And if the maddening traffic has always been your concern, take heart: Bengaluru’s new high-speed Metro network now ensures that your favourite watering hole is easier to reach than ever. There’s only one thing you could say to that: ‘Chillmaadi!’

4. Cádiz

It might normally look like a peaceful pocket of old-world Spain, complete with old men in flat caps shuffling about in cafe-lined squares. But once a year, sleepy Cádiz undergoes a Superman-like transformation and hosts Spain’s most raucous carnival – a 10-day bender of drinking, singing and dancing. The locals are famed throughout Spain for their wit, and this is put to the test during February’s carnival where groups wearing lipstick and neon wigs perform satirical skits. Cádiz has found itself named Ibero-American Capital of Culture for 2012 – the first time a European city has held the honour. It may not pull the same crowds as Seville or Córdoba, but few places embody the spirit of gutsy Andalucían living like Cádiz.

5. Stockholm

The film release of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo might have prompted a new wave of Stieg Larsson fans to look for the grimy side of Stockholm. Unfortunately they’ll have to look quite hard, because Stockholm looks as perfect as it’s ever been. This is as seductive a capital city as can be imagined – cosy yet cosmopolitan, wilfully alternative and effortlessly picturesque. With its trendy design shops and bohemian bars, the island of Södermalm is one of the coolest kids on the block, while the stately parks of Djurgården make it the best island for an evening stroll. Admittedly Stockholm has never been a cheap date. But even if Stockholm leaves you with a lighter wallet, you’ll inevitably still leave it with a heavy heart.

6. Guimarães

This northern Portugal city is breathtakingly beautiful, as recognised by its place on the Unesco World Heritage List, yet mysteriously it doesn’t figure on the radars of many foreign visitors. The old city is a beguiling tangle of medieval, red-roofed, colonnaded buildings, punctuated by awe-inspiring mansions and palaces, and centred on a spikily crenellated castle. Now is the moment to visit, as the city has been anointed the European Capital of Culture in 2012. Building on an already impressive cultural scene and fired up by its significantly youthful population, the city will be a hot spot of artistic endeavour throughout the year, with creative artists gathering from across Portugal and Europe to showcase their work.

7. Santiago

Calamity came calling to Chile, first through an 8.8-magnitude earthquake and later when 33 miners were trapped in the country’s north. With the world watching, Chile displayed its defiant optimism, and these experiences have seemed to ignite a seismic shift in the capital. Culture and sports have come to the fore and new museums have opened to acclaim. Dining is now top-notch, nightlife exhilarating and this year also marks the inauguration of the tallest building on the continent, the 70-storey Torre Gran Costanera. Day trippers can scale an Andean peak in summer, ski its powder-clad slopes in July, or cycle through the idyllic vineyards of the Casablanca, Maipo and Colchagua valleys. Visit Santiago and you’ll feel the buzz.

8. Hong Kong

The mood in China’s most liberated city is edgier and more vocal than ever. This will be a particularly exciting year for Hong Kong, as it continues its march towards full democracy. Rallies are infused with theatrics and eruptions of song, dance and poetry, reflecting the city’s vibrant indie music and literary scenes. Enjoy views of skyscrapers marching up hills from the Star Ferry, before challenging your senses at a wet market or divining your future at a temple. Go shopping, gallery hopping and check out the bars of Soho. Explore walled villages or go hiking on Asia’s most breathtaking trails. Whatever you do, sprinkle your day generously and boldly with some of the city’s 11,000 restaurants.

9. Orlando

This should be a great year for Orlando as it’s hosting the 61st NBA All-Star Weekend  (25 and 26 February). The hippest sporting event in the USA , it brings much of the basketball and music worlds together for slam-dunk contests, after-hours parties and concerts, as well as the all-star game itself. Most visitors will head for the theme parks but it’s worth poking around the city, too. Keep an eye on the boho ‘Milk District’, a neighbourhood on the rise with its motley crew of eateries, bars serving microbrews, bookshops and tattoo parlours, just a short drive east of downtown. Orlando, hip? Who knew?

10. Darwin

It was once easy to dismiss Darwin as a frontier town full of brawling fishermen, dreamy hippies and redneck truckers. But with a pumping nocturnal scene, magical markets and restaurants, and world-class wilderness areas just down the road, today Darwin is the triumph of Australia’s Top End. Beat the crowds to the redeveloping Waterfront Precinct with its wave pool, bars and wharf eateries; or score some brilliant Indigenous art before East Coast galleries snap it up and charge double. Nose your way through the food stalls at Mindil Beach Sunset Market, then watch the sun melt into the Timor Sea. When southern Australia is chilling through winter, here it’s blue skies, party nights and sleeping late.

Feel like learning Spanish to travel all over South America? Get Bueno, entonces… now and you’ll be speaking and understanding native Spanish in just five weeks! We also have clips of our Spanish classes on Youtube – go check ‘em out and get a taste of our teaching style.

Better yet – you can now get the first 40 minute class for free! Try it out here: http://www.generallinguistics.com

If you are a child in a Spanish-speaking country, today is pretty freaking awesome. You receive presents, have an excuse to throw grass in your shoes and you get to eat bread with figurines hidden inside!

Each Spanish-speaking country celebrates the day in a different way, but the story of the Three Kings is pretty consistent among the countries. The holiday–called ‘Epiphany Day’–tells the story of the three Kings (Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar) who arrived on horse after following a star in the heavens to bring baby Jesus gifts. Melchior represented Europe, rode in on a horse, and brought gold; Gaspar represented Arabia, rode a camel, and brought frankincense; Balthazar represented Africa, rode an elephant, and brought myrrh to baby Jesus. (Some say that all rode camels, but who really knows?)

Alright, that may have been a bit too Sunday school for your taste, but it’s important to know the background to understand some of the common practices. If you are traveling to Spain, for example, you may see children (and some adults) polish their shoes and leave them to receive the King’s gifts before they go to bed on January 6th (or sometimes on the eve of January 5th). Just like children leave cookies and milk for Santa Clause, children in Spain leave sweet wine, fruit, milk, and munchies for the Kings and their animals. In some parts of Mexico, children leave their shoes and a list of toy requests near their beds or a family nativity scene. In Northern Mexico, it is common to leave hay in the shoes (for the camels, obviously) and leave the shoes under the Christmas tree. Children in Puerto Rico do the same, and leave the hay or grass-filled shoes under their beds. Christmas trees are also taken down on this day; luckily, as children as distracted by their gifts and candies, it’s no biggie.

In the afternoon, the Rosca de Reyes(sometimes called Roscí³n de Reyes in Spain) is brought out and shared with family and friends. This bread is sort of like a round, bread-ier version of fruitcake and baked inside is a small doll representing Jesus. If you are in Mexico or Guatemala and find the doll, you have to throw a party on February 2^nd, “Candelaria Day,” and offer atole and tamales to the guests. If you celebrate El dí­a de los Reyes in Spain and find the doll, you are crowned king of the day. In Spain they also hide a bean in the Roscí³n, and if you find the bean, you pay for the bread. Nice.

Some say that because of globalization, Christmas Day has now become more popular than Dí­a de los Reyes, but again, that’s personal opinion. Learning traditions (whether they are still practiced or not) is an integral part of learning Spanish–knowing either one is fine, but know both and you are GOLDEN! In the Bueno, entonces…Learn Spanish Levels I & II, you can rest assured that you are getting the full package: grammar + colloquial Spanish + local culture. Try and look for another program that teaches you real, useful Spanish for under $150. Go ahead, we dare you.

Shopping in Spanish? This is what you need!

Plaza Serrano - Buenos Aires

Most of us like going shopping, or just buying little souvenirs to reminds us of our travels. But most of the time in South America you’ll get the Gringo price, it even happens to us in Bueno, Entonces… when we are trying to get projects done.

We can’t teach you directly how to know if you are getting a gringo price or the real price … that involves common sense and intuition. Most of the street stores/ people are willing to negotiate the price, and sometimes offering cash (efectivo) in stores may get you a discount.

(Note: When trying to buy things on the street from artisans or people that do their own crafts, don’t negotiate with them! Pay them what they ask for, because for most of them it’s their only income.)

So here in Bueno, entonces… we found a list of words that you should know while you go shopping!  We hope its useful for your travelling!

Want to know more Spanish vocabulary? Start your Bueno, entonces.. Spanish classes! You can get the first 40 minute class for free and see what you think.

Grab it here: http://www.generallinguistics.com

When learning a language, cognates become your best amigo. What are cognates? Cognates are words that have the same meaning, and look the same in two different languages. Examples: Alcohol = Alcohol, Falso = False, Ofender = Offend… you get the idea. Now, all is good and fun with these cognates until they become your amigo falso (false friend).

Embarrassed and embarazada

Amigos falsos, or what we like to call cog-nots, are words in Spanish that look like an English word, but actually mean something completely different. Example: Carpeta doesn’t mean carpet, it mean’s folder. They’re nasty little words that no one likes, but you’re just going to have to learn to deal with them. Here, we will give you fair warning of a few amigos falsos that you might come across in your Spanish studies.

First and foremost, one of the most common amigos falsos that is notorious for causing embarrassment is… well, embarazada. Estoy embarazada, more specifically. I am embarrassed? Nope. Embarazada actually means pregnant, so when you exclaim that you are so embarazada,’ for something you just did, you’re really just making things worse for yourself.

Secondly, estoy excitado/a does not mean that you are excited. Well, it somewhat does, but in Spanish, excitado/a is typically associated with sexual excitement rather than regular excitement. Instead, you might want to say estoy emocionado/a.

Here are a couple other amigos falsos to be aware of:

Sensible = Sensitive, sensible

Éxito = Success, exit

Actual = Current, actual

Assistir = To Attend, assist

Atender = To Serve/ To Take Care Of, attend

… And the list goes on…

There are loads of amigos falsos in Spanish, but you will learn them as you come across them in your studies. Don’t be too worried about them now, though. Just make sure you’re aware that cognates can also be cog-nots!

To check out David and Jimena’s conversation about amigos falsos, along with the rest of the program, visit the Bueno, entonces…learn Spanish website and become a fan on Facebook to learn useful Spanish phrases.

Want to see clips of our Spanish classes to see how they’re set up? Check out our Youtube page!

Rejection.  It’s just a fact of life.  For some, it is more common than others, but at one point or another, everyone gets rejected.  That is why we have dedicated a clip of Bueno, entonces… to the art of Spanish rejection.

And, aside from David being all-too-familiar with rejections from Jimena, we brought in another pair of experts to help you out– Wayne and Garth from Wayne’s World!

No Way!

Way!

You’ll laugh.  You’ll cry.  You’ll hurl.  Check it out!

Man, you gotta love them.  The colors and symbols used on the Pizarra Magica (Magic Whiteboard) are the key to our subliminal teaching method– your brain picks up on what these colors and symbols represent, and CHAN!  You’re learning without even knowing it!  However, to speed up that process a bit, go ahead and take a look at the Color & Symbol Key.

Take a look at a review of this class as well as the rest of the posts in the series by going to http://juniperenbsas.blogspot.com

If you like this way of learning and want to look at a few more demos, visit the Bueno, entonces… website http://www.generallinguistics.com– and watch the first class for absolutely nada. Now how convenient is that?

So by this point in time, David has definitely learned to put together sentences and actually SPEAK Spanish (and hopefully you have, too!)  Unfortunately, when speaking a new language, we all fall into the robot trap at one time or another.

What is the robot trap, you ask?  Watch and learn.  Well, no, don’t learn it– but be aware so you don’t fall into it, too!

See?  It’s tricky, when you get into the mindset of focusing so much on what you are saying and the conjugations, you sometimes forget that someone is listening to you.  Thus, you stop using intonation or any form of enthusiasm, so your listener loses interest within the first 30 seconds.  It’s bound to happen at one point or another, but we just want to warn you so you can be aware when it does!

If you think this way of learning on the Pizarra Mí¡gica is useful, check out our Color & Symbol Code to help you better understand exactly what is going on.  The Pizarra Magica is the base of the Bueno, entonces… program, and we feel that it combines several teaching concepts in such a way that your learning ability is maximized.  

AND we make sure that our classes stay fun, quirky, and at times a little risque, to that you, the student, will stay interested.  

Check it out: http://www.generallinguistics.com

Go today and you can watch the first class for nada!

Party party with cheap hats

For those of you down in South America, this weekend is one of the last of summer and a four day weekend on top of that. So not surprisingly, everyone is getting their party-party on.

Those of you in the northern hemisphere are enjoying the first throws of Spring, and therefore should be party-partying as well.

Whatever the reason, here is some essential vocab to get you there.

Puede traerme…? = Can you bring me…?

Te puedo pedir…? = Can I order…?

Una cerveza = A beer

Un champí¡n = A champagne

Una copa de vino (tinto/blanco) = A glass of wine (red/white)

Un whiskey = A whiskey

Un vodka con jugo de naranja/Coca/Sprite/agua = A vodka with orange juice/Coke/Sprite/ water

With ice = Con hielo

Without ice = Sin hielo

paja, bí¡lago; pajilla, paja para beber, popote = Straw —> OJO! The word changes from country to country.

Watch as David learns how to order a cafí© con leche and a milanesa in Spanish:

There you have it. Now you can order your milanesa and eat it, too.

Enjoy your brindis (cheers) and have a safe and enjoyable party- party weekend.

If you are a child in a Spanish-speaking country, today is pretty freaking awesome. You receive presents, have an excuse to throw grass in your shoes and you get to eat bread with figurines hidden inside!

Each Spanish-speaking country celebrates the day in a different way, but the story of the Three Kings is pretty consistent among the countries. The holiday–called ‘Epiphany Day’–tells the story of the three Kings (Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar) who arrived on horse after following a star in the heavens to bring baby Jesus gifts. Melchior represented Europe, rode in on a horse, and brought gold; Gaspar represented Arabia, rode a camel, and brought frankincense; Balthazar represented Africa, rode an elephant, and brought myrrh to baby Jesus. (Some say that all rode camels, but who really knows?)

Alright, that may have been a bit too Sunday school for your taste, but it’s important to know the background to understand some of the common practices. If you are traveling to Spain, for example, you may see children (and some adults) polish their shoes and leave them to receive the King’s gifts before they go to bed on January 6th (or sometimes on the eve of January 5th). Just like children leave cookies and milk for Santa Clause, children in Spain leave sweet wine, fruit, milk, and munchies for the Kings and their animals. In some parts of Mexico, children leave their shoes and a list of toy requests near their beds or a family nativity scene. In Northern Mexico, it is common to leave hay in the shoes (for the camels, obviously) and leave the shoes under the Christmas tree. Children in Puerto Rico do the same, and leave the hay or grass-filled shoes under their beds. Christmas trees are also taken down on this day; luckily, as children as distracted by their gifts and candies, it’s no biggie.

In the afternoon, the Rosca de Reyes(sometimes called Roscí³n de Reyes in Spain) is brought out and shared with family and friends. This bread is sort of like a round, bread-ier version of fruitcake and baked inside is a small doll representing Jesus. If you are in Mexico or Guatemala and find the doll, you have to throw a party on February 2^nd, “Candelaria Day,” and offer atole and tamales to the guests. If you celebrate El dí­a de los Reyes in Spain and find the doll, you are crowned king of the day. In Spain they also hide a bean in the Roscí³n, and if you find the bean, you pay for the bread. Nice.

Some say that because of globalization, Christmas Day has now become more popular than Dí­a de los Reyes, but again, that’s personal opinion. Learning traditions (whether they are still practiced or not) is an integral part of learning Spanish–knowing either one is fine, but know both and you are GOLDEN! In the Bueno, entonces…Learn Spanish Levels I & II, you can rest assured that you are getting the full package: grammar + colloquial Spanish + local culture. Try and look for another program that teaches you real, useful Spanish for under $150. Go ahead, we dare you.

We love Julieta Venegas–she’s TRI-lingual, super hot, down to earth, and her music videos are the cutest damned things we’ve ever seen. We’ve taken her song “Me Voy” and Pizarra Magica‘d it up so that you can see and hear the words in Spanish and English simultaneously.

Porque no supiste entender a mi corazí³n
lo que habí­a en el porque no tuviste el valor de ver quien soy
porque no escuchas lo que esta tan cerca de ti
sí³lo el ruido de afuera y yo
que estoy a un lado desaparezco para ti

No voy a llorar y decir que no merezco esto
porque es probable que lo merezco pero no lo quiero
por eso me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios me despedio de ti

Porque se que me espera algo mejor
alguien que sepa darme amor
de ese que endulza la sal y hace que salga el sol
yo que pense nunca me irí­a de ti
que es amor del bueno de toda la vida
pero hoy entendí­ que no hay suficiente para los dos

No voy a llorar y decir que no merezco esto
porque es probable que lo merezco pero no lo quiero
por eso me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios me despedio de ti

Me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti
me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti
me voy

Have an iPhone, Android or Blackberry? Take the quiz here: http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=bueno-entonces-class-20

A few years ago when you told your friends that you were coming to South America,most of them would have said to you: “You know it’s Dangerous”, “Are you going to be safe?”

Well, we are not going to lie about it, South America has its issues, but who doesn’t? Countries in Latin America have their pros and cons (los pros y los contras), and one of their main pros is that there is a big RISK (Peligro) of  falling in love with the country you visit. Have you ever talked to a Colombian about the civil war in their country, or better yet, read the appropriate articles about the situation and not ONLY the sensationalist press(Prensa Amarillista)? That is the biggest outcome on the image of Latin America in general, it only pops-up on the news every time something bad happens.

But times are changing (Pero los tiempos están cambiando) and in that contient that begins with Colombia and ends in Argentina, holds 371,000,000(Trescientos setenta y un millones) happy enthusiastic souls. Good things happen in Latin America everyday, that’s why they wake up every morning with a smile, because their issues are just a little part of their lives, and they try to overcome them every  day, just like you. When you step a foot in Latin America you will receive a “smile-tan” all over your face, and that would be reflected on your experiences of traveling or living in Latin America. The three things we recommend you are basic, be respectful (respetuoso), comprehensive(comprensivo), and have a positive attitude (actitud positiva) -  the recipe  to a successful experience with the Latinos!

So come to Latin America, read about it, practice your spanish, experience the culture, and try new things! It would be a mind opening, this culture is more than amazing! Here are some useful links for countries in South America!

www.colombia.travel

www.peru.travel

www.ecuador.travel

www.paraguay.travel

www.chile.travel

________________________________

Feel like learning Spanish to travel all over South America? Get Bueno, entonces… now and you’ll be speaking and understanding native Spanish in just five weeks! We also have clips of our Spanish classes on Youtube – go check ‘em out and get a taste of our teaching style.

Better yet – you can now get the first 40 minute class for free! Try it out here: http://www.generallinguistics.com

So here are a few jokes(chistes) just to end the week with some humor.

Un hombre cae a un rí­o y es salvado por un habitante del lugar.
- Gracias por salvarme la vida. Le darí­a cincuenta dólares en agradecimiento, pero sólo tengo un billete de cien.
- Bueno, en ese caso, tí­rese al agua y lo rescato de nuevo.

A man fell into a river and was saved by someone who lived there
-Thanks for saving my life. I would give you $50 dollars in gratitude, but I only have a $100 bill.
-Well, in that case, throw yourself in the water and I’ll rescue you again

Un átomo viendo la cara de preocupado del otro le pregunta:
- ¿Por qué llevas esa cara?
- Es que perdí­ un electrón
- ¿Estás seguro?
- Sí­, estoy totalmente positivo

One atom, looking at the worried face of another, asks
“Why do you have that look on your face?”
-”It’s because I lost an electron”
“Are you sure?”
-”Yes, I am completely positive”

_______________________________

See how quick and painless that was? Bueno, entonces… is the most effective, entertaining Spanish learning software on the market–and our user community is growing rapidly because of it. Join us on our Learn Spanish Facebook Page!

Want to watch the first Bueno, entonces… class for Free? Check us out here: http://www.generallinguistics.com

Click here to order the 6-DVD set or Instant Download and learn Spanish today!

The names of your groceries may change in the translation, so how do we call…

Lets start by the personal hygiene while traveling, things you always forget to pack! And they are the things you will need to buy as soon as you land.

Deodorant – Desodorante

Soap – Jabón

Toilet paper – Papel higiénico

Toothbrush – cepillo de dientes

Toothpaste – crema dental

Foot deodorant – talco para píes

Sunscreen – Protector Solar

Dental Floss – Hilo Dental

Panty Pads – Toalla higiénica.

Hopefully this will help you around if you land in a new country, but forgot a few things- the things that are necessary to keep yourself clean during your visit! We will continue with this lesson next week!

This is simple vocabulary, but Want to learn more Spanish? Head to our site to get the first 40 min Spanish class for free! Go here today:http://www.generallinguistics.com

You can also see funny Spanish classes on our Youtube Page.

Created by linguists, teachers and students from a half-dozen countries, General Linguistics developed Bueno, entonces… to incorporate all the best elements of the software and audiobook language learning methods like Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone that have been around for decades.

We mixed the comprehensive learning material of the audiobook courses with the addictive, fun and universally beloved format of a television show to create the Bueno, entonces… series. Each of the 30classes is 30-40 minutes long, proven as the perfect length for a language course – long enough to cover vocabulary and grammar topics but short enough to keep you interested the whole time. The challenging fast pace and edgy, entertaining style of Bueno, entonces… will keep you coming back for more.

Learning Spanish doesn’t have to be boring and monotonous. Bueno, entonces… infuses a witty, engaging storyline into the learning process – and by following along you absorb more Spanish, morequickly than you ever thought possible. By the end of the 5-week, 30-class series, you
will be speaking and understanding native conversational Spanish!

Bueno, entonces… incorporates the following 5 principles to make learning Spanish fun, painless and effective:

1. Make The Classes Interesting & Engaging With Wit and Charm.

If you are not engaged, you are not going to learn or remember anything. Learning doesn’t have to be boring — remember your favorite teachers? Well, wait until you meet David & Jimena…

2. See The Words On The Screen.

Some people are audio learners, some people are video learners – most people are both, and learn different things in one way or the other. With Bueno, entonces… every word in Spanish is written on the screen so you can see how it is spelled while you hear it being pronounced. Old-fashioned audiobooks only get your half-way there.

3. Color-Coding.

Everything on the screen is color-coded in Spanish and English to help you understand word usage and sentence structure. You’ll start to quickly see and understand which words in Spanish correspond with similar words in English, and how those words are used in a sentence.

4. Symbols & Illustrations.

The symbols will help you learn and remember verb tenses and grammar concepts. The illustrations will burn iconic images into your brain so you remember vocabulary easily and instantly.

5. REPETITION Is The Key To Learning Languages.

Any teacher will tell you that, and it’s one of the big problems with traditional audiobooks and software programs – they are mind-numbingly boring. Bueno, entonces… is engaging and fast-paced and fun. You can use these classes over and over and get something new every time.

Hello everyone, I hope you had a great weekend and that this monday goes well for you!

To start the week we are listenning to this emerging artist from Bueno Aires, Argentina, Javier Zuppi.  His Pop Rock style, began in 2008 as soloist, featuring numerous shows in Buenos Aires andother cities of the province of Buenos Aires, such as, La Plata and the Atlantic coast, having among his guests the participation of musicians of Barassiinternational and Mario ”Super Mouse” and Fernando Nale, bassist from “GustavoCerati”.

His first CD “Sin excentricidad” was launched on 2010, and has been played on the radio stations in Argentina and Colombia. He would be touring in Colombia and Argentina during summer 2012. Check him out he has some cool catchy tunes.

Here is one of latest videos: Cientos de Variantes 

This are the lyrics so you can sing along!

Dame el tiempo para conocerte un poco más,

aeropuertos ya nos separaron y no volverá a ocurrirnos,

por eso estoy tranquilo, yo quiero desnudarte!

Por tu espalda corren cientos de deseos míos,

cientos de variantes para  amarte.

Un distante y cítrico mensaje  vuelve a amenazar,

ya sabemos como resolverlo ya pasamos mas de una lección de riesgo,

por eso estoy tranquilo, yo quiero desnudarte

Por tu espalda corren cientos de deseos míos,

cientos de variantes para  amarte.

Demostrame que tenes lo que yo interpreto,

de tu cuerpo no se escapa mas!!

Por tu espalda corren cientos de deseos míos,

cientos de variantes para  amarte.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=b0oyEqVG1j8

______________

How’d you do? It’s really important to practice your Spanish listening with how people really sound, accent and all! In fact, training your ear is one of the most important steps to learning a language, because once you can understand people, you will start getting new words, grammar, and sentence structure.

That’s what so special about Bueno, entonces…Learn Spanish I & II- a program unique in its format and structure. It teaches you Spanish at REAL speed, and gets your ears ready for talking folks on the street.

PLUS: You’ll hear Spanish while seeing both the Spanish and English written below, color coded and with road signs so you can pick up grammar and vocabulary easily.

Best thing of all? You can take it ANYWHERE – on your laptop, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Check out the first Bueno, entonces… class for free & get a discount!:http://www.generallinguistics.com

There is only one reason for today’s Blog. There are only 24 hours left. Of what, is the question. Let’s see what can we do in 24 hours.

“24hrs left” is such a cliche, it even became a tv show! But is 24hrs hours a lot of time?  What can you get done in a day? Time magazine always has a section of what you can do in 24hrs in different cities around the world. It’s interesting but we all know it’s just impossible to do it all. And honestly, I think that when you are traveling it’s better to take your time, it’s quality not quantity.

At Bueno Entonces we really focus on making your lessons as useful as possible, that’s why Jimena and David (the Main Characters of the classes) go through everyday situations, which real travelers face, including SEX<DRUGS<ROCK & ROLL. Because this is Spanish for real world situations. Books and Spanish schools usually don’t teach you the real thing, they probably teach you the ‘right’ thing, but you will sound like a robot. Plus! Most people don’t actually say the ‘right’ thing, and you want to understand them!

SLANG & EXPRESSIONS make Spanish fun, interesting and RICH! So this is why we think in 18hrs (NOT 24HRS) we can give you what is needed.

The total class footage is 18hrs. We know you won’t sit in front of your TV or PC for 18 straight hours and learn it all! Language practice must be involved, but we assure you that if you take them regularly you will learn spanish! AND you only have 24hours left to get it all at HALF PRICE ! So what does this deal include?

• 6 DVDs with all 30 classes for learning Spanish Levels I & II which you can watch on your TV or PC.

• Over 18 hours of David and Jimena hi-jicks that’ll keep you entertained and learning.

• All the backup files so you can save, store and view the classes on your laptop, as well as most mobile devices (like iPhones, iPod, and iPads).

• The BE Unique style of teaching, which replicates the immersion process while you learn grammar, gender, vocabulary and sentence structure subtextually.

• Free Lifetime support in addition to an electronic Study Guide and Slang Dictionary.

• A US$197 product, which for the next five days only, will be on sale for US$99. 

• Did we mention Free shipping and handling???

So get yours now! If you don’t like them, we have a 100% return policy, no questions asked- we like making people happy! This is the link to buy the DVD’s http://bit.ly/HalfOffDvds 

 24hrs left of half price + 18hrs of Spanish = Learning Spanish in a fun way!

No matter where you are in the world you can immerse yourself in learning Spanish. Designed for students, travelers, and people on the move, Bueno, entonces… allows you to learn Spanish on your laptop, netbook, or any portable media device; wherever, whenever you have time.

Interesting Fact: Not all authorities agree on which letters make up the Spanish alphabet. Crazy, right? This here is the closest thing to an official Spanish alphabet (from the Real Academia Español. )

A: a
B: be
C: ce
CH: che
D: de
E: e
F: efe
G: ge
H: hache
I: i
J: jota
K: ka
L: ele
LL: elle
M: eme
N: ene
í‘: eñe
O: o
P: pe
Q: cu
R: ere
S: ese
T: te
U: u
V: ve
W: uve doble
X: equis
Y: i griega (E griega)
Z: zeta

Want to hear the words? Check out this great site that has the Spanish alphabet audio clips. Yup, they don’t include the ‘ch’ or ‘ll’ on that site. Because sometimes they take those ones out. Or they add ‘rr’. And sometimes the ‘w’ is called ‘doble v’ or ‘doble u’ or ‘w’ is not included at all. Oh yeah, and the ‘v’ (as in Victor) is sometimes ‘uve’.

Come on Spanish, get your act together.

To find out more about Spanish grammar, check out Bueno, entonces…Learn Spanish and speak and understand native Spanish in five weeks! (You can also check out clips from our Spanish classes on Youtube!)

Hi Everyone,

Here is a funny argentine Quilmes Beer advertising. Is a different way to develop your listening skills, hopefully you could understand the dialogues without a problem, it also includes English Subtitles.

The comercial talks about how guys react to the different situations of their group of friends specially jealousy and friendship! You are going to find different type of questions in the dialogues like:

- “que estas haciendo?”
- Nada tomando algo…
- Porque escucho voces de hombres????

- De donde son?
- De acá del bar
- El señor tiene otro grupo de amigos, otro grupo de amigos.. doble vida, no, no le alcanzamos precisa dos grupos ehh

It’s a fun way to practice your Spanish! Just like we do it in Bueno Entonces, with humor!

Remember that this Christmas we have different offers, so you can give Bueno Entonces as a Christmas Gift to your loved ones! Click Here for this weekends sale!

Includes the Instant Download, 6 DVDs, with a back up disc with all the files, AND a FREE copy of the Lonely Planet Latin American Spanish phrase book.

Get the perfect gift for yourself and others! Delivered to your door, complete with Holiday Packaging! DVDs work on your TV, PC, Mac – also includes a version for mobile devices!

While many of you in the Northern Hemisphere may be complaining about snow and freezing temperatures, us Gringos in South America are burning our pasty Gringo skin and being eaten alive by bichos (bugs/little critters). It’s the holiday season, after all!

We all know that whenever one leaves their country (or region) they encounter all sorts of new bichos. They may be different. They may be larger. And if you’re in a tropical location, they are most likely much more aggressive.They bite, suck your blood, or burrow themselves beneath your skin.

It’s disgusting, we know. But these situations do happen, and we at Bueno, entonces…feel that it is imperative that you, Gringo, learn Spanish and know how to explain a) what has bitten you, b) what has burrowed itself in your skin, or c) what has infested your house.

Plaga=Infestation

Repelente de Insectos=Insect repellent

Picadura=Bite

Tengo alergia a las picaduras de…/I am allergic to (type of bug) bites.

Tengo una garrapata.=I have a tick.

Araña=Spider

Mosquito=Mosquito

Hormiga = Ant

Escarabajo=Beetle

Pulga=Flea

Chinche=Bedbug

Mariquita/Vaquita de San Antonio=Ladybug

Mantis Religiousa=Praying Mantis

Abeja=Bee

Garrapata=Tick

¡OJO!Each bug name (and whether to refer to a bug as an insecto or bicho) varies from country to country, so make sure to double check with a local or Googlearlo antes de irte (Google it before you go). Yes, Googlear is a verb in Spanish, too.

So there you have it’s mosquito bites? No problem. Bedbug infestation? Piece o’ cake. Tick burrowed beneath your skin? Well, not great, but at least you know how to explain yourself!

If you want to further explain what the hell is going on with your skin, we recommend you buy whole Bueno, entonces… program. We also have clips of our Spanish classes on Youtube – go check them out and get a taste of our style. Become a fan of Bueno, entonces… on Facebook to interact with other users in our Spanish-learning community and learn useful (and hilarious) Spanish phrases!

 We are used to the idea that Friday the 13 is a day of bad luck due to the Hollywood movie that goes by it’s name. But in Latin America its on Tuesdays! MARTES 13

Are you scared at your desk while you are reading this? Well you should be! Martes 13 it’s a very serious day and nobody leaves their houses unless they are wearing black! I am just playing with you guys it’s like any other tuesday, but the story behind this day, is very interesting.

Number 13 (número 13) around the world has been considered a bad luck number for several reasons, especially in religion:

• Paganism (Paganos): 13 is the age when people start learning witchcraft (magia negra).
• Christianity (Cristianismo): There were 13 attendees of the Last Supper and the 13th dinner guest, Judas, betrayed Jesus to the Romans. It was on Friday, the 13th of October, 1307 that King Philip IV sent out his guards to systematically massacre the Templar Knights.

• Sikhism (Sijismo): It is a lucky number in Sikhism, in which it means ‘yours.’ The holy word of Sikhs ‘Waheguru’ appears only 13 times in the Holy Sikh scripture. The Baisakhi festival is celebrated on April 13
• Judaism (Judaismo): God has 13 attributes of mercy. 13 years is the age of maturity. 13 circles, or “nodes” make up Metatron’s Cube in Kaballistic teachings.

Many of the buildings around the world don’t have a 13th floor, ( just went to check my elevator but it does have floor 13, I guess my building was built by an unsuperstitious architect) or they just skip the number 13 in the elevator. But that does not mean there is no 13th floor! They say that in government buildings 13th floors are not open to the public, and used for top secret activities.

Por qué un Martes? (Why a Tuesday?)

At the end of the  Medieval Age ,specifically, Tuesday 29 of 1453, the Christians lost control of one of the most important cities of their empire; Constantinopla. This was such a slap in the face for the Pope, Genoa and the Venetian States that they marked this day as a day of bad luck. Also, the name “Martes” is related to the planet Mars (Planeta Marte) that was seen as  the “small hex planet” (pequeño maleficio) in the middle ages. That is why it’s Martes the 13th not Viernes the 13th like the Hollywood movie says!

That is why in Spanish there is a saying : En un Martes 13 ni cases ni te embarques. (Tuesday the 13th neither get married nor start a journey (take a boat or a plane)).

What do you think about all this? Are you a Triskaidekaphobia (someone who has a phobia of the number 13?)

Now you know about Tuesday the 13th! There are a bunch of traditions and superstitions to learn about here in Latin America. We are more than welcome to be writing about them, this is what is all about sharing knowledge. Follow us on #Facebook! Facts, Lessons, and many other #spanish things! http://www.facebook.com/buenoentonces . You can also start learning Spanish with our program! Try it for free! http://bit.ly/BEFreeTrial

This is how we do it! 

BUENO ENTONCES – Video Presentation on Vimeo.

______________________________

Bibliography:

• Home of beliefs : http://www.homeofbeliefs.com/the-number-13-superstition/
• Wikipedia: Martes 13

Christmas in South America is totally different! Lets begin by saying there is NO snow!

The City is full of lights, specially the Rio Medellin covered with lights like the picture shows. Beautiful!

Even though we may be sunbathing and having asados in Argentina, Lechona in Colombia, ceviche in Perú for Christmas here in South America, it doesn”t mean that we”ve lost our holiday spirit! Things are a bit different down South–but we could say the exact same thing from household to household up North.

Back home, oftentimes the presents are opened on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas morning; some families have elaborate dinner while others eat Dim sum; and some decorate their house to the max while others go for a more sparse look. In my experience, because of the widespread Catholicism in the Spanish-speaking countries, the holiday is more religious and less about presents. Generally there is a large dinner on Christmas Eve and another large lunch on Christmas Day, but the hooplah that exists up North is absent here. There are decorations, though, and the image of Papá Noel does exist—people just kid about how he wears less clothing.

Our Lovely models from Bueno Entonces!

In the Spanish-speaking world, each country (and family) has different traditions (dinner, when to open presents, etc.), but the vocabulary stays the same. Here are some useful vocabulary terms that you can use to show off your Spanish skills this holiday season!:

Nochebuena = Christmas Eve

Dí­a de Navidad = Christmas Day

(el) regalo = present

(el) muérdago = mistletoe

(el) Árbol de navidad = Christmas tree

¿Qué te regalaron para Navidad? =What did you get for Christmas? (What did they give you for Christmas?)

Año Nuevo = New Year

Nochevieja = New Year”s Eve

El dí­a de año nuevo = New Year”s Day

Túrron = A typical Spanish sweet eaten during the holidays, made of almonds, nougat, and sometimes rice or chocolate

Una rosca de reyes = a bread eaten on the 6th of January (stay tuned for a more in-depth post about this day in the New Year)

There you have it. Now, spike some eggnog, grab some muérdago, and make this holiday season an unforgettable one!

Felices fiestas from Bueno, entonces…!

Don’t get bored.

That’s our philosophy here is Bueno, entonces…—make it as fun, culturally relevant, and engaging as possible. Check out our videos if you aren’t familiar with the program!

Also, try out Bueno, entonces…. Class 1 for Free! Click here to get started

We will be very honest with you! It’s a pain in the arse! And we understand if you guys are upset! Our programmers are working 24/7 to fix our App and make it fully functional and user friendly as possible ASAP.

Delete, Reinstall and Restore= Solving the problem

Most people have been able to view their classes by deleting the app from the device and from iTunes. Then re-installing it from the app store. You will not lose any of the classes you purchased (go to settings -> restore purchased classes), but this allows you to re-download it cleanly, which fixes more than 90% of the problems. If that doesn’t work, let us know and we will try to replicate the problem on our end. Please email us at support@generallinguistics.com and we will respond within 24 hours.

YOU WON’T LOSE YOUR CLASSES OR YOUR MONEY

We are really sorry for the inconvenience, our programmers are currently working on fixing the problem to ensure this doesn’t happen again or inconvenience our oyentes! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING.

If you have any problems don’t hesitate to write us at our support service, your opinion is very important to us!

support@generallinguistics

Here is some vocab in Spanish:

Fix: Arreglar

Sufriendo

Lose: Perderas

Restore: Restaurar

Allows: Permite

Replicate: Replicar

Inconvenience: Inconveniente

Comprehension: Comprensión

———————————–  WHAT THE USERS ARE SAYING ——————————-

Facebook Comments!

Itunes Comment! After Fixing it

December the 28th, what’s up with this date?

Well in Spain, Latin America and the Philippines, it’s the date of the Holy Innocents. It’s a day for the Christians because it was the date when all the newborns in Belen where sent to killed by King Herodes el Grande, because Jesus de Nazareth was born.

Well, to commemorate, Spain and Latin America celebrate el ‘Día de los Santos Inocentes’ and during this day all they do is pranks, the equivalent to April Fool’s Day in many countries.  On ‘innocent day’ they say you shouldn’t trust anybody or lend money, but the traditions vary depending on the country. For example in Mexico they call it ‘inocente palomita’! (remember this Simpsons episode? See how it was translated to spanish)

It is very big, specially in the Media. Newspapers make special editions mocking politicians, famous people, the News on TV shows all the bloopers of the year, and it’s a good way to disconnect a bit from all the stress of the year before the new year begins.

Nowdays with twitter and Facebook, pranks became better including pregnancy tests, airline tickets around the world, quitting jobs, firing employees etc, Scaring the shit out of friends and family!  So keep and eye on what you read Oyentes from Bueno, entonces….

_______________________________

Bueno, entonces… is the most effective, entertaining Spanish learning software on the market–and our user community is growing rapidly because of it. Join us on our Learn Spanish Facebook Page!

Want to watch the first Bueno, entonces… class for Free? Check us out here: http://www.generallinguistics.com

Click here to order the 6-DVD set or Instant Download and learn Spanish today!

It’s that time of year again. Christmas is over but we still have New Years eve coming and The post Christmas SALES!

Oh, you know you love it. Being stuck in traffic for hours? Waiting in line for ages at the airport? Nothing says happy holidays like a delayed flight, we all have a Grinch face when it comes to this situations.

We thought we”d take this opportunity to help you brush up on your transportation vocab—we know you”ll need it! While the post is a vintage one and is a bit focused on Buenos Aires transportation in particular, the vocab can be used anywhere you go. We know that an insultos post would also be appropriate at this time, but you”ll have to wait for that:

Driving in Buenos Aires is a total and complete nightmare.  It’s as if lanes don’t exist, and there is no right-of-way for anyone– it’s all fair game.  Heck, crossing streets as a pedestrian feels like you’re putting your life at risk.  But that’s besides the point, the point being that public transportation is very, very important here.

However, Buenos Aires residents are all-too-familiar with having to find alternative transportation on a regular basis.  Why is that?  Because public transportation workers have a tendency to strike.  A lot.  If it’s not the trains, it’s the buses, if it’s not the buses, it’s the subway… In fact, these past few weeks the subways have been shut down on random days due to huelgas (strikes), because they are fighting for a raise on their salaries. Which leads us to our next item of business: transportation vocabulary!

So, like we mentioned, there are various ways to get around in the city.  First, there are coches (cars–can also be called carros or autos), which can come in the form of personal coches, taxis (same in English), and remises (private cars for hire).  Next, you have the colectivos (buses).  A slang term for buses in Argentina is bondi, but you might hear someone refer to a bus as a micro, too.  A bondi and colectivo are for short-distance buses (inner-city) and micro is for long-distance buses (between cities).

Next up, we have the trenes (trains).  First, there is the actual tren, which can also be referred to as the ferrocarril (but this is an old-fashion term– you will see it written, but not often spoken, like railway).  Then, there is the underground train, better knows as the subte (subway).  Subte is short for subterráneo (underground).

To buy boletos (tickets) on the colectivo or bondi, you need monedas (coins) or a Sube Card wich you can add credit on the subte stations or in kiosocos (Stores),  but on the other modes of transportation, you can use billetes (bills).  On the subte or the tren, you wait in an estación (station), but on a bondi or colectivo, you wait at a parada (stop).

The vocabulary regarding transportation varies from country to country, but for the most part, auto, taxi, colectivo, tren, and subte will be understood everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world.  Lastly, if you are trying to find your way around in Buenos Aires, treat yourself to a five-peso Guí­a-T– this is the public transportation Bible.  Every zona (zone), every bondi, everything you need to know to get around the city.

Want to improve your Spanish even more?  Visit the Bueno, entonces… Learn Spanish website, where you can find over 18 hours of fun, interesting Spanish classes on DVD or as downloads for your computer, ipod, or iphone.

Other vocab not mentioned in the post include: el avión (the airplane), el vuelo (the flight), and el barco (the boat, ship).

Suerte y felices fiestas!