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Containers and Portions in Spanish – Spanish Exercises

In every country, in every language, there are different ways of naming containers and portions, like a pint of beer or a glass of wine. You will need to spend a lot of time in Spain if you want to learn how to order specifically what you are looking for in a bar, pub, or a restaurant. However, we might have something that will help you get started and became a master in containers and portions in Spanish.

Would you know how to order a good glass of wine in Spanish in one of those amazing taverns? “Copa de vino“, that’s an easy one, but the names of other containers and portions in Spanish may be a headache, because not only drinks are sizeable, food is too. So, here is a little quiz to help you out.

Match the containers and portions in Spanish with their corresponding pictures and memorize them or… take them wherever you go!

Containers and Portions in Spanish - Spanish Exercises

Do you want to continue your Spanish learning? Check out the infographics of different levels that we have in our Learning resources section page.

If you want to know even more about sizes and amounts, you should check out this post about amounts in Spanish.

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Japanese words in Spanish – Spanish Exercises

Every language has been influenced by other languages, and Spanish is no different. We have a lot of words that come from English called anglicism, such as relax, marketing, backstage, and on and on. English has had an incredible influence around the world since it´s the most used language internationally. But the English language is not the only one that has had an influence on Spanish language; Japanese words in Spanish are influential too!

There are certain words that you will already know come from Japanese, such as sushi. But there are a few that you will probably use without thinking twice about, that also come from Japanese. It is true that Japanese words in Spanish language are quite recognizable since their structure is quite distinctive. But we assure you that there will be a few words that you have used without even realising.

Here are some examples of Japanese words that Spanish people include as common use:

Some examples of Japanese words that have influenced our language.

Now that you have learned that when you say “karaoke” you are actually using a word that came from Japan, you should check out our other infographics on our website.

And now that you have started learning about words from another language, you might want to learn words that are generally used in our “Flamenco” shows, which are really important in our country and they have their own way of expressing themselves.

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Madrid’s Centennial Taverns – After Class Activities

Come join AIL Madrid on an exciting tour of Madrid’s centennial taverns!
AIL Madrid’s after class activities programme allows our students to dive into Spanish culture. The fun, daily outings provide the opportunity to undergo experiences that regular tourists can’t. Therefore, this month we want tell you all about our visit to Madrid’s centennial taverns!

They are enjoying one of the Madrid's centennial taverns

We chose two historical establishments for our special tour: Casa Alberto and Casa Labra. As we walked towards the first one, Sergio, one of the native Spanish speaking teachers from AIL and a true madrileño, told us about traditional dishes we were about to taste and right there our mouths started watering.

The first round of tapas was a couple of classics that are well-known and loved: refreshing gazpacho and patatas bravas. The element of surprise came when our teacher ordered soldaditos de Pavía and chatos de vino. Nobody knew what to expect! A few bites of soldaditos (deep-fried cod) with some sips of chatos (little glasses of wine) was delightful. Good choice, teacher!

Thanks to this tour around Madrid’s centennial taverns, we found some of the best examples of Spanish traditions in the taverns we visited! If you’re looking for fun and sociable way to explore the city, why not join us for the next AIL Madrid’s after class activity?

Also, if you want to learn how to cook Spanish food, check out this post about Spanish cooking classes in Madrid.

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Bullfighting Expressions- Spanish Exercises

There are many different ways to express yourself in Spanish language. Some of them include direct comparisons with animals.  These animals are normally native within Spain. Which animal is Spain’s most representative, not because of its food providing, but because of the shows they offer? They “see red” and are picturised as often being quite angry! Indeed, we are talking about bulls, and especially, expressions related to bullfighting.

In Spanish, there are some expressions that involve certain items related to bullfighting, like “capote”; or that directly involve the bull itself. One common sentence we use, translated literally, is: “catch the bull by the horns”. This usually means confronting some kind of problems with initiative.

In this image you will be able to see other expressions related to bullfighting:

Expressions Related with Bullfighting

If you are thirsty for more knowledge about Spanish and our very curious ways of talking and expressing ourselves, take a look at the infographic section on our website. You will find many great mini-lessons, for all abilities, to help you get better at speaking Spanish!

We have a lot of different articles about Spanish that you can find interesting. For instance, if follow the link you will find out how to order drinks in Spanish, which is very useful if you go out at night in Spain.

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Featured AIL Student – Franco

Franco Imperial, Student in AIL Madrid

Franco
The Philippines
28 years old
“I like Spain a lot and I’m not planning on leaving. This is my country now!”

When and why did you decided to study Spanish?
I started taking Spanish classes when I was 18 years old, just before going to university. I wanted to learn another language and I chose Spanish because of its similarities with my native tongue, Filipino.

You arrived in Spain two years ago to do your Master’s degree. Why did you choose Spain?
I wanted to do my degree abroad, and I chose Spain because it gave me the opportunity to perfect my Spanish skills. Spanish is spoken by loads of people world-wide, which means being able to speak it makes communication on both a personal and a professional level so much easier.

Why did you sign up for classes at AIL?
I was captivated by Madrid and Spanish culture, so after I had finished my Master’s degree, I didn’t want to leave and I started looking for a job here. I was hired by a Spanish banking and consulting company, and after confusing “hipotecas” (mortgages) with hypothesis I realized I really needed Spanish business classes. AIL Madrid was the one that always appeared when searching for the best school in the Internet, so when Steven from AIL’s Student Care Team confirmed the school offered a Spanish Business programme, I signed up almost immediately.

What was your experience like with your teachers?
My teacher, Andrea has always been able to answer all my questions and she is very knowledgable. I benefited enormously; not only did she follow the books, but she used real-life materials filling in “grey areas”, which has been SO helpful.

Would you recommend AIL Madrid?
Of course! I have already recommended AIL Madrid to my American friends who want to come to Spain and learn Spanish. I think AIL can offer a lot to people with busy agendas; I can schedule my classes whenever I need.

Do you want to meet another AIL Madrid Student? You can get to know Sandra, who started as a total beginner, in our Spanish Language Students section.