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Spanish Words That Start With An A

October 28, 2020 by Ana Martín Leave a Comment

Spanish Words That Start With An A

If you are looking at Spanish words that start with an A because you want to try and learn them all then you’re probably better offer learning common words that you’ll actually use first. If you learn the word for wasp now but you’re only learning how to introduce yourself then it’ll be harder to keep these words in your brain. It will benefit you more if you learn words as you’re able to use and practise them rather than cramming all the Spanish words that start with an A in one go. If you already have a good grasp of Spanish but you want to expand your vocabulary then go ahead and take a look.

We’ve divided our list of Spanish words that start with an A into Prepositions, nouns, verbs, adjectives and interjections so you can skip ahead to whichever section you find most useful or that you’re most interested in.

Spanish Prepositions Starting With An A

Starting with prepostision, these are some Spanish words that start with the letter A:

Abajo – down
Abierto – open
Alrededor de – around
Arriba de – above
Arriba – up

Spanish Nouns That Start With An A

This is the largest category that we have, here are the Spanish nouns that start with an A:

La abeja – the bee
Abril – April
El abrelatas – the tin opener
El abrigo – the coat
La abuela – the grandma
El abuelo – the grandad
El acebo – holly
El aciete – oil
La aceituna – the olive
La acera – the pavement
El acuario – the aquarium
La adición – addition
El adulto – the adult
El aeronave cohete – the rocket
África – Africa
El agárico – the toadstool
Agosto – August
El agua
El aguacate – the avacado
El águila – the eagle
La aguja – the needle
El aire libre – the outdoors
El ala -the wing
El alacrán – the scorpion
La alcachofa – the artichoke
La alcancia – the piggy bank
El alce – the elk
La alacena – cupboard
La aldea – the village
La aleta – the fin
El alfabeto – alphabet
La alfombra – the rug
El algodón de azúcar – candy floss
El alicate – plier
El almacén – the shop
America – America
La almohada – the pillow
El almuerzo – lunch
El almanecer – sunrise
Amarillo – yellow
El ámbar – amber
La ambulancia – the ambulance
El amigo por correspondencia – pen pal
El amigo – the friend
Amor – love
La anatomía anatomy
El ancla – anchor
El ángel – the angel
La anguila – the eel
El ángulo – the angle
El anillo – the ring
El animal – animal
El año – year
El anochecer – evening
La Antártica – antarctic
El antifaz – mask
El antílope – antelope
El apio – celery
El apóstrofe – apostrophe
La araña – spider
La axila – the armpit
El árbol – tree
El arce – maple tree
El archipiélago – archipelago
La arcilla – clay
El arco – the arch
El arco – bow
El arco iris – rainbow
La ardilla – squirrel
La arena – sand
La arena movizado – quicksand
El arete – earring
El arquero – archer
El armario – wardrobe
El arpa – harp
El arrendajo – jay bird
El arte – art
El/la artista – artist
El ascensor – lift/elevator
Asia – Asia
La aspiradora – hoover
El asterisco – asterick
El asteroide – asteriod
El/la astronauta – astronaut
La astronomía – astronomy
El atardecer – sunset
El ataúd – coffin
El/la aleta – athlete
El átomo – atom
Australia – Australia
El autobús – bus
El automóvil – automobile
La avenida – avenue
La avispa – the wasp
El avestruz – ostrich
El avión – aeroplane
La azada – hoe
La azucena – lily
Azul – blue
Azulejo – blue bird

Spanish Verbs That Start With An A

These verbs aren’t too exciting and you’ve probably come across most of them before but here are a collection of Spanish verbs starting with A:

Agradecer – to thank
Amar – to love
Andar – to walk
Aplaudir – to applaud
Aprender – to learn
Arder – to burn
Arrodillarse – to kneel
Asustar – to frighten
Aventar – to throw

Spanish Adjectives That Start With An A

Here are some great Spanish adjectives that start with the letter A:

Alto – tall
Amarillo – yellow
Ancho – wide
Andar – to walk
Angosto – narrow
Asustado – scared

Interjections

Adiós – goodbye

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed our article on Spanish words that start with an A and you’ve either found it interesting or it’s helped add to your vocabulary list. If you’ve enjoyed this then take a look at one of our other articles: Spanish words starting with X. This isn’t a good way to learn Spanish if you’re just starting out but if you already have a good grasp of the language then working you way through the alphabet to find new words can be a fun and interesting way to learn. If you think there are any good words we’ve missed off then let us know in the comments below.

Italian Boy Names That Start With L

October 28, 2020 by Ana Martín Leave a Comment

Italian Boy Names That Start With L

Italian names just like French, Spanish and Portuguese names are very nice to listen to. They often have multiple syllables, they use lots of vowels, and quite frankly they’re often just beautiful names. Whether you’re Italian or not, whether you’re looking for a baby name or the name of a character in your book, if you just love names it doesn’t matter, we’re here to help you find some amazing Italian boy names that start with L. The selection might not be enormous but we believe these are some of the most common and attractive Italian boy names starting with L to give you that European sound that you’re after.

Lando
Largo
Lave
Lazaro
Lazzaro
Leandro
Leo
Leonardo
Leone
Lorenzo
Luca
Lucan
Lucca
Luciano
Lucio
Ludo
Luigi
Luka

The great thing with Italian boy names that start with L is that there are many famous Italians with these kinds of names. Everyone’s heard of Leonardo da Vinci and Leonardo DiCaprio so if you choose to name your child this it might be unusual but people will have heard of it and they know how to pronounce it.

Italian names are also often associated with the renaissance or Rome or the mystique of being European which seems to attract people from Anglophonic countries. If you’re choosing an Italian name for your child then this could work to their advantage. If you’re looking for something unusual but you still want to pick something that is actually a name then choosing an Italian name could be a great compromise as they are real names but if you live in Australia, the UK, Canada or the USA there aren’t going to be many people that also have that name which will make your child stand out.

As you can see many of the names in the list have multiple syllables, it isn’t often you will find monosyllabic names in Italian which gives them part of their charm. Two and three syllable names are probably the most common but you’ll be able to see three and four syllable names in the list as well. You’ll also probably notice that not one name in our list only has one vowel. Vowels are one of the things that make Italian so pleasing to the ear so it should come as no surprise to you that these Italian boys names that start with L are packed with vowels.

If you’re not only interested in Italian boy names that start with L but you’re also interested in learning a bit of Italian then why not take a look at some of our favourite Italian textbooks to get you started. And if you think we’ve missed any great Italian boys names off our list then let us know in the comments below so we can add them.

Is It Hard To Learn Korean?

October 23, 2020 by Ana Martín Leave a Comment

Is It Hard To Learn Korean?

So you want to know is it hard to learn Korean? We’re not going to give you the answer that you’re looking for, unfortunately yes it is relatively difficult to learn Korean but don’t lose hope!

Why Korean Is Difficult

For a start learning any language is difficult, and Korean is more difficult than many European languages as it is not related to English, it doesn’t use the same writing system and they have very few words in common. Korean is also difficult for English speakers grammar is quite different, for example in English we use and SVO sentence structure which stands for subject – verb – object, where as in Korean they use SOV which means subject – object – verb. Let’s take a look at this with an example:

In English:
I speak Korean
I = subject
Speak = verb
Korean = object

In Korean this would use an SOV structure so would be:
I Korean speak
I = subject
Korean = object
Speak = verb

This of course can be quite difficult to get used to.

Another grammar difference is that English used prepositions where as Korean uses both prepositions and postpositions. When learning Korean people think that the alphabet will be the most difficult but it’s surprisingly easy to manage and it is the grammar that people seem to struggle with.

But don’t lose hope, we’ve covered the more difficult aspects of the language, let’s take a look at why Korean might be easier than we think.

Why Korean May Be Easier

For a start Korean isn’t a tonal language! That’s right, you heard us correctly. Unlike most forms of Chinese and Vietnamese, Korean doesn’t use tones which is one of the things that people struggle with the most when learning an Asian language.

Secondly people tend to look at the Korean writing system and panic. Quite frankly it looks like alien script. However you shouldn’t worry about this, Korean is thought of as the most intuitive writing system in the world. If you concentrated on nothing but the Korean alphabet for a week you would easily be able to learn it as it is a phonetic alphabet you would be able to pronounce any Korean word you read (you just might not understand what it means yet).

These two factors may not seem like a lot but they really set Korean aside from other Asian languages and make them much more accessible for English speakers. So when someone asks is it hard to learn Korean? You can say it depends what you find difficult. If you struggle with tones and new writing systems then no, you’re probably going to be just fine.

Resources For Learning Korean

Although it’s difficult to learn a language like Korean, luckily there are many resources available now to help you. Apps like Duolingo make learning Korean fun and provide you with immediate feedback. There are also a load of learn Korean websites that can help you to work through grammar, vocab and writing in a systematic way. And of course don’t forget the textbooks you can use. If you prefer to cram vocab then you have anki to help you.

If you don’t like this learning approach and prefer a more real life way of learning then why not look for a language partner on italki? Or take skype classes where you can see your teacher face to face and interact with them. Whatever your learning method, with the internet and changing attitudes to languages there should be something that works for you.

So there you have it, our answer to is it hard to learn Korean? Yes it is difficult, especially compared to European languages, however it is not a tonal language which gives it an advantage over many other Asian languages and people say that the Korean alphabet is the easiest alphabet to master in the world.

Spanish Words Starting With X

October 20, 2020 by Ana Martín Leave a Comment

Spanish Words Starting With X

Just like in English, there aren’t actually that many Spanish words starting with X. Many of these words have come from Catalan, Galician or Basque but are not used commonly throughout Spain. Other words that you’ll come across are incredibly similar to English words starting with X but may be scientific or only used by people within certain industries. Some of these words you won’t even have heard of in English. Regardless of what the word is, let’s get right into it and take a look at some Spanish words starting with X.

Spanish Nouns Starting With X

We’ve started with Spanish nouns, but to be honest we can’t see you using many of these in day to day life.

Xantofila – Xantophyll – The plant pigment that causes the reds, yellows and browns we see in leaves during the Autumn
Xenón – Xenon – The noble gas xenon
Xenófilo – Xenophile – Person who loves culture, customs and people from other countries
Xenofobia – Xenophobia – Irrational hatred or phobia towards stranger or people from other countries
Xenofilia – Xenophile- Love of foreign culture or people
Xerografiar – Xerograph
Xifoideo – Xiphoid
Xilofón – Xylophone
Xilografía – Wood cutting
Xylofagus – Xylophagous
Xenotransplante – Xenotransplantation
Xerófito – Xerophyte
Xifoidea – Xiphoid
Xilofonitsa – Xylophonist

Spanish Adjectives Starting With X

Just like with the Nouns beginning with X, the adjectives aren’t words that are commonly used and you probably won’t need them unless you’re using technical language.

Xerófila – Xerophilous
Xilófaga – Xolophagous

Spanish Verbs Starting With X

Finally, let’s take a look at the verbs. Again these aren’t common but you may have more of a chance to use them than you do with the adjectives and nouns.

Xapurcar – to churn
Xerocopiar – to xerocopy

So there you have our list of Spanish words starting with X. If you think we’ve missed off any important ones then please let us know in the comments below and we’ll add them to our collection. Spanish words starting with X may not be common, but if you can learn them and add them to your vocabulary list then your Spanish will definitely move up a notch in terms of your ability to use technical and specialised language.

If you’re trying to learn Spanish words beginning with the letter X in order to improve your Spanish for an exam then why not take a look at some of our best DELE textbooks to help you prepare. Using exam based textbooks can also help you to improve your Spanish more generally as they deal with specific themes that are appropriate for each level that you may not have come across naturally in your learning.

Do People Speak English In Germany?

October 18, 2020 by Ana Martín Leave a Comment

Do People Speak English In Germany?

The official language of the country may be German but do people speak English in Germany? The short answer to this would be yes. Not every person speaks English and not everyone who does speak English does so to the same level, however enough people speak it to a high enough level that you should be able to get by in Germany only using English. Especially within the tourist industry, if you visit museums, tourist sites, restaurants and hotels in popular areas, then people should speak enough English for you to get by without Germany.

Saying this, it is still important to make an effort to speak the language of the country you’re in, even if everyone can speak English. For a start it shows respect if you make the effort to learn the language of the country you’re visiting. Of course it’s not realistic to learn every language of every country you visit but learning the basics and how to say please and thank you will go a long way. If you want to learn some German to get you started then take a look at our article of useful German phrases.

Do People Speak English In Germany Outside The Tourist Industry?

Yes they do. It’s not just the tourist industry where you’ll hear English spoken. Throughout Europe scientific papers tend to be written in English so many people in scientific roles will have had to learn English in order to access academic papers. The finance industry also use English to communicate across countries. Another cool industry that needs English is aviation. English is the language of the skies so anyone living in Germany who works as a pilot or in air traffic control will also speak English.

Do People Speak English In Germany Socially?

So we’ve spoken about English being spoken in different industries but do they speak it socially? In groups of friends that are all German, you’re probably going to hear German spoken. However, there are many cities in Germany with international populations such as Berlin and it’s in these cities that you’ll hear English being spoken socially as the common language to communicate with people from all over the world. Even German people will speak English to socialise with their international friends. This doesn’t mean that non Germans aren’t also learning German, just that English is a useful common language for people to speak.

So to summarise: do people speak English in Germany? Although not everyone in the country does, enough people speak it for it to be considered a common language spoken in Germany and for tourists to survive in the country without having to learn German. (Though that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make an effort to learn some useful phrases!)

German Names That Start With L

October 16, 2020 by Ana Martín Leave a Comment

German Names That Start With L

Whether you’re looking for a baby name and you love Germanic names or you’re just interested in names from different countries, it can be difficult to find baby names of a certain origin starting with a particular letter. However, German names starting with the letter L are a surprisingly popular bunch. It can be difficult to know the exact origin of names as they change over time, especially in Europe where borders have changed throughout history and different countries claim different names. But don’t worry, the names we have selected are German names or names that are popular and have been for a long time in Germany.

Girls German Names That Start With L

Girls German names that start with the letter L can be particularly pretty and still have that strong European sound to them. Here are some of our favourites:

Liesl
Liezel
Liesel
Lotte
Lise
Linda
Lilo
Lina
Lisa
Landra
Lisbeth
Lorelai
Lorelei
Lore
Lieselotte
Liselotte
Lisbet

Boys German Names That Start With L

Here we have some brilliant German names that start with L for boys. Germanic names starting with L can sound strong and deliberate which is one of the reasons we like them so much.

Ludolf
Lang
Lutz
Luitgard
Luitger
Luitpold
Lutgard
Loman
Leonhard
Lear
Louis
Lukas
Lynde
Ludger
Lou
Lorenz
Lothar
Linus
Lanzo
Ludwig

If you’re thinking of naming your baby a beautiful German name that starts with the letter L then hopefully we’ve been able to help you. Germanic names are great no matter what letter they have at the start, they’re strong, they sound interesting and if you don’t live in a German speaking country then they’re definitely unique. Couple that with German names that start with the letter L and you have an amazing collection of fantastic sounding names that would be fit for your baby (or fictional character).

If you’re not only looking for interesting Germanic names but you’re also considering taking a little look at the German language then check out these German phrases to get you started.