essay about yourself in spanish

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How to Write an Essay About Yourself in Spanish

Composing an essay describing yourself in a native language is fairly straightforward, but writing in a foreign language is challenging. Depending on your level of Spanish, the paper will be harder or easier due to your knowledge of vocabulary, tenses, and expressions. In general, keep the essay simple but interesting to read, noting details about your personality and your lifestyle within stories and information you share.

To write an essay in Spanish, about yourself, use your resources to tell a story about yourself:

• start with the basics
• talk about your hobbies
• consult online resources
• tell a story
• talk about the future

Step 1: Start with the basics

​ Begin with basic information ​. Write your name, age, birthday, and where you live in complete sentences. Translate any words you do not know how to write into your essay. You may also add where you go to school or your favorite subject in school.

For example:

• Me llamo Alicia. Tengo dieciocho (18) anos. Mi cumpleaños es el 16 de Julio. Yo vivo en Minneapolis con mi hermano, Pierre.

Step 2: Talk about your hobbies

​ Discuss your hobbies ​. Skip to a new paragraph to talk about the sports, arts, music and/or subjects you like in and out of school. For example, if you play a sport, talk about how much time you dedicate to it.

• Juego futbol cada dia con mis amigos despues de escuela. Quiero jugar futbol professional cuando soy más viejo.

Step 3: Use your resources

Consult a dictionary or online dictionary for phrases and expressions. The Spanish language is full of idiomatic expressions, just as English is.

For example, we have expressions like “It’s raining cats and dogs.” Include at least one or two Spanish phrases, such as: "El hijo de la gato, ratones mata (The son of a cat kills mice)." The English equivalent is “Like father like son.”

Mix the expression in the essay naturally, instead of planting one awkwardly in the middle or very end of your paper.

Step 4: Tell a story

​ Tell a short narrative ​. Describe a small event that happened to you recently. Perhaps you got lost in a park looking for your little brother, you saw a hurricane for the first time on vacation, or you took a trip to the beach to relax. Look up any vocabulary you don't know and make sure you are writing in the correct tense. Use the past, present and future to describe the event or story.

For example, if you went to the beach with your boyfriend in April, write: “Mi novio y yo fuimos al playa en Abril. Cada dia fue como cielo, porque las olas y el viento y areana nos calmo.

Step 5: Talk about the future

​ Conclude your essay using future tense verbs ​. Write the goals you have for the near future.

For example, you might want to study for an upcoming social studies test or apply for a job at a local graphic design business that is looking for new artists.

Write what you will do, or want to do, using the future tense.You can also describe your feelings, like nervousness, excitement or dread (nerviosismo, excitación o terror).

For example: El Martes iré al entrevista de diseño gráfico.

• Indiana University Fort Wayne: The Future Tense in Spanish
• University of Northern Iowa: Best Spanish Websites; Jim Becker

I'm a junior at the University of Missouri studying strategic communications! In my free time I love to play soccer, cook, and read!

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Introduce Yourself in Spanish Posted by sasha on Jun 7, 2017 in Spanish Grammar , Spanish Vocabulary

Hola everyone! I’m the new guy here – to the blog and to the Spanish speaking world. You may have seen a few videos I’ve posted so far giving tours of Mexico City and the ruins of Teotihuacan . In this post I’d like to introduce myself and help you do the same in Spanish.

My Self-Introduction

Mi familia es grande.

Hola! Me nombre es Alejandro, pero todos me llaman Sasha. Soy de los Estados Unidos. Mi familia vive en Michigan. Mi papá es un doctor y mi mamá es una enfermera. Tengo cuatro hermanos y dos hermanas. Mi familia es muy grande! Soy el mas viejo. Tengo treinta y uno años.

Me gusta vivir en Puerto Vallarta.

Ahora vivo en Puerto Vallarta con mi esposa. Su nombre es Rachel. No tenemos hijos. Soy un maestro de ingles y un persona de libre dedicación. Estudié producción de video en la universidad. Antes vivía en China e Indonesia por seis años. Me gusta la música, viajar, y los deportes. Quiero estudiar español y quiero ayudarte a hacer lo mismo!

Soy de Michigan

Hello! My name is Alexander, but everyone calls me Sasha. I’m from the United States. My family lives in Michigan. My dad is a doctor and my mom is a nurse. I have four brothers and two sisters. My family is very big! I’m the oldest. I’m 31 years old.

La Gran Muralla China

Now I live in Puerto Vallarta with my wife. Her name is Rachel. We don’t have any children. I’m an English teacher and a freelancer. I studied video production in college. Before I lived in China and Indonesia for six years. I like music, traveling, and sports. I want to study Spanish and I want to help you do the same!

Introduce Yourself

Now that you’ve learned a little bit about me, let’s learn how to introduce yourself in Spanish. Here are some common introductory questions and how you can answer them:

Cuál es tu nombre?/Como te llamas? What’s your name?

Mi nombre es…/me llamo… my name is…, de dónde es usted where are you from, soy de… i’m from…, cuantos años tienes how old are you, tengo… años. i’m… years old., cuál es tu trabajo what’s your job, soy un/una… i’m a/an…, tienes hermanos/hijos do you have any siblings/children, tengo… hermanos/hijos. i have… siblings/children. no tengo… hermanos/hijos. i don’t have any siblings/children., qué te gusta hacer what do you like to do, me gusta… i like….

Go ahead and practice! Grab a friend and make them study with you, or just say it to yourself in a mirror. Reading is great but nothing beats speaking when you’re learning a language! You can also feel free to introduce yourself in Spanish in the comments section. As a new blogger here, I’d love to get to know some of our readers!

Future Plans

Viajar en México es genial.

As I mentioned in my introduction, my wife and I call Mexico home now. We’re actually doing the “digital nomad” thing as our teaching jobs are online. We’ve been working and studying Spanish here, and we plan to travel to Colombia and other parts of South America starting in September. My Spanish is still at a beginner level. It’s been tough learning my third foreign language. I studied Chinese and Indonesian and you can find me contributing to both of those blogs as well. As a new learner myself, I’ll be focused on sharing beginner-friendly Spanish lessons and videos. I’ll also share posts and videos about history, culture, and more as I travel around the Spanish speaking world. This blog belongs to you, though, so let us know what you want to read about, what questions you want answered, and what kind of videos you’d like to see. Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

I’m sorry I won’t be able to cover very advanced language topics at first, and I apologize for my awful American accent in the videos. Please bear with me – I’m learning just like you are. As an English teacher, I always encourage my students to take chances, speak more, and use what they learn every day. I’ll do my best to do the same with Spanish, and I hope you’ll join me on my journey to study this wonderful language and the many cultures associated with it. Muchas gracias y mucho gusto!

Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.

About the Author: sasha

Sasha is an English teacher, writer, photographer, and videographer from the great state of Michigan. Upon graduating from Michigan State University, he moved to China and spent 5+ years living, working, studying, and traveling there. He also studied Indonesian Language & Culture in Bali for a year. He and his wife run the travel blog Grateful Gypsies, and they're currently trying the digital nomad lifestyle across Latin America.

Abderrahmane:

Hey thanks a lot for sharing your experience with US, i also a beginer i’ll do a little presentation of myself Soy Abderrahmane, soy(from morocco), tengo 22 anos , i sudy network and telecommunications engineering, me gusta musica y sport y new technologies

Introducing myself

Mi nombre es Peace. Soy de Nigeria. Tengo vientinueve anos. Soy una estudiante. Tienes uno hijo( un chica). Me gusta musical, aventura y lectura.

Learning spanish is really fun for me more than French. I’m still a newbie in it but have learnt quite a lot. My challenge is that I don’t see how to be practising it. Please i’ll really like to learn Chinese too. I’ve tried on my own but the characters are really confusing.

Gracias. Hasta luego

How to Introduce Yourself in Spanish

Almost No Knowledge of Language Needed

• History & Culture
• Pronunciation
• Writing Skills
• B.A., Seattle Pacific University

No matter how little Spanish you know, it's easy to introduce yourself to someone who speaks Spanish. Here are three ways you can do it:

Introduce Yourself: Method 1

Simply follow these steps, and you'll be well on your way to making a connection with someone even if that person doesn't speak your language:

• To say hello or hi, merely say " Hola " or "OH-la" (rhymes with "Lola"; note that the letter h is silent in Spanish).
• To introduce yourself, simply say " Me llamo " (may YAHM-oh) followed by your name. For example, " Hola, me llamo Chris " ("OH-la, may YAHM-oh Chris") means " Hi, I'm Chris. "
• To ask someone's name in a formal way, say " ¿Cómo se llama usted? " or "KOH-moh say YAHM-ah oo-STED." (The "oo" rhymes with "moo.") This means, "What is your name?"
• In an informal setting, or if speaking to a child, say " ¿Cómo te llamas? " or "KOH-mo tay YAHM-ahss." That also means, "What is your name?"
• After the person responds, you may say, " Mucho gusto " or "MOOCH-oh GOOSE-toh." The phrase means "much pleasure" or, less literally, "pleased to meet you."

Introduce Yourself: Method 2

This second method may be a slightly less common way of introducing yourself, but it's still perfectly acceptable and is easier to learn.

Most of the steps are the same as above, but for the second step, where you actually introduce yourself, merely say " Hola " followed by " soy " and your name. Soy is pronounced basically the same as it is in English . " Hola, soy Chris " means "Hello, I'm Chris."

Introduce Yourself: Method 3

The third method also isn't as common as the first in most areas, but it may be the most straightforward way for those who have English as a first language.

For the second step, you can use " Mi nombre es " or "mee NOHM-breh ess" followed by your name. Thus, if your name is Chris, you can say: " Hola, mi nombre es Chris. "

Whichever method you use, don't be afraid to sound silly. You'll be understood by following these directions, and in nearly any Spanish-speaking area even the feeblest attempts to speak Spanish will be honored.

Spanish Introductions

• The most common way to introduce yourself in Spanish is to say " Me llamo " followed by your name.
• Alternatives include " Mi nombre es " or " Soy " followed by your name.
• " Hola " can be used for either "hi" or "hello."

Grammar and Vocabulary Behind These Introductions

You don't need to understand the precise meanings of what you're saying or how the words relate to each other grammatically to introduce yourself. But if you're curious, or if you're planning on learning Spanish , you may find them interesting to know.

As you might have guessed, hola and "hello" are basically the same word. Those who know etymology, the study of word origins, think the word goes back to at least the 14th century, before English and Spanish existed in their current form. Although it is unclear how the word entered Spanish, it probably originated with German as a way of trying to get someone's attention.

Me in the first method above means "myself" (obviously, there's an etymological connection with the English "me"), and llamo is a form of the verb llamar , which usually means "to call." So if you say " Me llamo Chris ," that's a direct equivalent of "I call myself Chris." Llamar is used in many of the same ways as "to call" is, such as for calling out to someone or calling someone on the telephone. In both Spanish and English, verbs in which the person is referring to doing something to him- or herself are known as reflexive verbs .

The reason two methods are used with llamar for asking someone's name is because Spanish differentiates between formal and informal (sometimes called formal and familiar) ways of addressing people. English used to do the same thing — "thou," "thee" and "thine" were all informal terms at one time, although in modern English "you" and "your" can be used in both formal and informal situations. Although there are regional variations in how Spanish distinguishes between the two forms, as a foreigner you are safer in using the formal form ( ¿Cómo se llama _____? ) with adults and especially with authority figures.

Soy is a form of the verb ser , which means "to be."

In the final method, " mi nombre es " is a word-for-word equivalent of "my name is." Like soy , es comes from the verb ser .

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• Using the Spanish Verb ‘Llamar’
• 4 Spanish Words and a Phrase You Can Use for 'What'
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• Use and Omission of the Definite Article in Spanish
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• Using the Spanish Verb ‘Ser’
• How To Use ‘Un’ and ‘Una’ in Spanish (or Leave Them Out)
• Learn About Spanish Interrogative Pronouns
• False Friends in Spanish and English
• The Difference Between 'Introducir' and 'Presentar'
• 5 Differences Between Spanish and English Object Pronouns
• Two Verbs Meaning ‘To Be’: ‘Ser’ and ‘Estar’
• Introduction to Reflexive Verbs in Spanish

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How to Introduce Yourself in Spanish Like a Native

An introduction tells people who you are.

It often also conveys your basic personal information, such as your profession and your relationship to the people or person you’re meeting.

Get off to a good start with your new Spanish friends, associates and acquaintances by hitting all the introduction marks.

Read on to learn all the essential steps to a perfect Spanish introduction!

Basic Words and Phrases for Introducing Yourself in Spanish

Saying hello, introducing yourself, responding to an introduction, introducing others, showing relationships, asking questions, leaving and saying goodbye, the culture of kissing cheeks, and one more thing….

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

¡Hola! (Hello!)

Buenos días. (Good morning.)

Buenas tardes.  (Good afternoon.)

Buenas noches.  (Good evening.)

Me llamo… (My name is…)

Me llamo Susan. (My name is Susan.)

Soy… (I am…)

Soy Susan. (I am Susan.)

If you need to ask someone’s name, it’s a simple question. Just keep in mind the se (formal)/ te (informal) (your) distinction, which shows the level of formality.

¿Cómo se llama? (What’s your name?—formal)

¿Cómo te llamas? (What’s your name?—informal)

Mucho gusto. (Nice to meet you.)

¡Encantado! (Happy to meet you! — masculine)

¡Encantada! (Happy to meet you! — feminine)

Estoy encantada de conocerla/conocerlo. (I’m pleased to meet you. — formal)

Este es…  (This is…)

Se llama… (His/her name is…)

Permíteme presentarle a Señor Gonzales. (I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Gonzales. — formal)

After you introduce someone, you may want to indicate the relationship you have to that person.

Este es mi…  (This is my…)

Madre (Mother)

Padre (Father)

Hermana (Sister)

Amigo (Friend)

Marido (Husband)

Esposa (Wife)

Jefe (Boss)

Novia (Girlfriend)

The all-purpose …y tú? / …y usted? (“…and you?”) is used to ask questions to further conversation. Keep in mind that the version used is dependent on the level of formality . 

Consider the questions below for getting the conversational ball rolling!

¿A qué te dedicas? (What is your profession?—informal)

¿A qué se dedica? (What is your profession?—formal)

Soy…  (I am a…)

Abogado (Lawyer — masculine)

Autora (Author — feminine)

Profesosa (Teacher — feminine)

Estudiante  (Student)

For 90 more profession words and many more phrases to talk about work and careers, click over to this post .

¿Estás visitando? (Are you visiting? — informal)

¿Está visitando? (Are you visiting? — formal)

Estoy aquí por negocios. (I’m here on business.)

Estoy aquí por placer. (I’m here for pleasure.)

Estoy estudiando en la universidad. (I’m studying at the university.)

¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?—informal)

¿De dónde es? (Where are you from? — formal)

Soy de Estados Unidos. (I’m from the United States.)

Adiós.  (Goodbye.)

¡Un placer conocerte! (Pleasure meeting you! — informal)

¡Un placer conocerla/conocerlo! (Pleasure meeting you! — formal)

¡Hasta mañana! (Until tomorrow!)

¡Hasta luego!  (Until next time!)

When meeting someone in the Spanish-speaking world, the very first obstacle you’ll encounter is whether or not to greet with a beso (kiss) or two. 

The norms for kissing vary around the world . But in almost any Spanish-language social interaction, some form of kissing will be involved. And, just to be clear, there’s no flirting involved when this is part of the greeting!

Be aware that it’s not actually a “real” kiss , merely a touching of cheeks. Sometimes, cheeks hardly graze each other. 

There are regional differences to this practice . In Spain, people do two kisses and in many parts of Latin America, it’s just one kiss, so observe those around you to see exactly what to do. The rules also vary by gender. In some regions, men will only kiss women, but in other parts of the Spanish-speaking world, men will also kiss one another.

If you’re uncomfortable, though, never fear: Most Spanish-speakers will completely understand if you, as a foreigner, aren’t accustomed to this practice. If you don’t want to do the kiss, a firm handshake, a smile and a greeting will be enough.

And if you do say hello with a cheek kiss, it’s good form to also cheek kiss goodbye.

Whether you’re in a Spanish-speaking environment for academic reasons, business , or you’re just traveling around, knowing how to greet others will make your experience much more meaningful . Watch these phrases in use by native Spanish speakers on the FluentU program to get even more context on how and when to use each.

With these basic introductory phrases under your belt, you’ll be able to make friends and acquaintances without any trouble at all.

Have fun and good luck!

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Spanish essay example and how to write it.

Today, I will share a  Spanish essay example   in the end of the article and talk about the steps and hacks to help you craft the perfect Spanish essay.

As an experienced writer, I understand how hard it can be to write in a language different from your mother tongue. But, know that learning  how to write a good Spanish essay  has more to do with following a structure than it has to do with understanding the language.

Of course, you need to have a basic understanding of spelling and grammatical practices; as well as a vast vocabulary to avoid sounding monotonous. 

However, learning  how to write a Spanish essay  is not impossible if you follow these simple steps:

• Draft an outline 
• Create a list of words and terms 
• Start writing the body of your essay
• Write the introduction 
• Formulate the conclusion 
• Proofread and edit 

As you can see, learning how to write a good Spanish essay requires a lot of planning and organization. And although it might be counter-intuitive at first, following the structure above will save you a lot of time. Plus, once you have the system down, you will be able to create exciting pieces without breaking a sweat!

Before we dive in, I always recommend you do a little research. So, look up  Spanish essay examples  online and analyze the way the writer structured the piece. Bonus points if you can find useful examples of essays within your topic of choice. The idea is not to copy what others are saying but to understand  how to write a Spanish essay  that is well crafted, appealing, and informative — all at the same time. 

Now that you have done your homework; it is time to start writing your essay by following the steps I mentioned earlier:

1. Draft an outline

An outline is vital when you are learning  how to write a Spanish essay , as it will allow you to organize your arguments and ideas. Plus, given that you are not writing in your first language, an outline will help you translate keywords or phrases from English to Spanish (if need be).

As you can see from the Spanish essay example, I have shared it after the text . You must keep it simple. Nonetheless, make sure you have enough information to elaborate on 6-7 paragraphs. Also, do not forget to include any quotes, statistics, or other information (from credible sources) that could support your arguments.

2. Create a list of words and terms 

I always recommend that before you start writing, you create a list of keywords or phrases that are vital to your essay. More often than not, these terms will appear as part of your outline, but, in other instances, these could be hard-to-translate terms. 

You do not need to write every word or term you will be using throughout the piece as you can always use a English-Spanish dictionary if you cannot recall a specific term.

The list is a way of double-checking. keywords to make sure you are using the correct term in Spanish and not using a literal translation. For instance, in the list of our Spanish essay example, the word “ must-have ” is not translated to “ debes tener ,” as that would be a literal translation. Instead, the phrases “ cualidades indispensables ” is used, which would be the appropriate term in Spanish.  

3. Start writing the body of your essay

The body of the essay is where you fully develop your argument. It might seem odd, but you should ignore your essay’s introduction and go straight to the body . 

If your goal is to master  how to write a good Spanish essay  make sure your body has a good flow in between paragraphs, so they do not end up being separate mini-essays. It is also essential that each body paragraph contains only one main argument or claim. However, this central idea can (and should) be supported by approximately 5 to 6 other sentences.

Spanish essays are usually wordier/more complicated than your average English essay as the language is richer. So, do not be afraid to write longer sentences to get the message across.  

Lastly, do not forget to add relevant examples, evidence to support your arguments, and quotes from experts or credible sources (i.e., academic books and journal articles).   You can see one example of a quote here.

Let’s be honest, most students do not do that, but shows the teacher you have put effort to research your topic.

 Go back to our Spanish essay example and dissect each paragraph. Pay attention to the transitions here and here , the way we incorporated quotes, and how each paragraph’s main idea is developed. In doing so, you will be gaining valuable insight as to how to structure your document. 

4. Write the introduction 

Once you have finished writing your entire essay’s body, write the introduction. Why? Simple. If the job of an introduction is to set the tone for what will follow. You will have a more precise and more detailed idea of what that is once you’ve written the entire piece. 

An introduction should state a problem or introduce a subject of discussion. It should also tell the reader  why  you are writing this essay and why he/she should feel compelled to read it. 

Let’s look at our Spanish essay example. Here, the introduction , although it is short, gives us enough information. It allows us to understand that we will know how to manage a remote team by choosing the right candidates and establishing an effective strategy after reading this essay. And that is precisely what you want an introduction to be doing!  

5. Formulate the conclusion 

When learning  how to write a Spanish essay , you have to be really careful with how you formulate the conclusion. In Spanish, your conclusion should always begin by restating your main argument. In other words, this is your chance to tie all of your main points together and give the reader a succinct takeaway. 

For instance, in our Spanish essay example, the conclusion is everything. Think about it, if you only read the title and this last paragraph, you almost do not need to read the body. All the main points are there, and as a reader, I got what I came looking for: strategies to manage a remote team effectively. 

6. Proofread and edit 

To finish our easy steps on  how to write a Spanish essay,  we must not leave our editing and proofreading! This step is critical to composing a great essay. Most readers will not even finish reading articles if they spot a spelling mistake, typo, or grammatical error. Thus, take the time to go over your essay.

Furthermore, when editing your essay, pay attention to:

• Readability 
• Consistency of the language
• Argument reasoning and rationale
• Transition between paragraphs
• Writing style
• Citations and referencing 

Lastly, given that Spanish is not your first language, I always recommend having someone else proofread your final draft before sending it out or printing it. A native Spanish speaker can easily spot mistakes that you might have missed, which could affect your article’s natural flow. 

Do you need help?

Contact me!

How to Make your Spanish Essay More Persuasive 

Now that you have finished writing a good Spanish essay, you might want to go the extra mile by making it more persuasive. 

A  Spanish persuasive essay  or any persuasive essays’ goal is to convince the reader to think like you or validate your perspective. But, some topics can be more subjective than others. Thus, to make sure your essay is effective, always rely on others. 

In other words, don’t let your argument stand-alone—research statistics, graphs, information, and data that can back up what you are saying. Citing or quoting experts in the field is also a great way to go about it as it allows your message to carry more weight. 

Nonetheless, make sure you are only using reliable sources. Below a list of ways to vet a reference to make sure your  Spanish persuasive essay  uses only the best sources:

Verify the information you already have against the data found in the source.

• Authority

Make sure a dependable author or institution writes the source.

Depending on your subject, your currency needs will vary. Thus, make sure to check when was the book or article written/published.

As a rule of thumb, I consider a reliable source:

• Materials published within the last five years

• Official websites (.gov., .edu,.org)

• Academic databases

• Articles published by well-known authors or experts in a specific topic

There you have it! Six easy steps that will help you write a good Spanish essay and a few tips and tricks to make it more persuasive.

Spanish essay example – See below

Cómo desarrollar una estrategia efectiva de teletrabajo.

[Start of the Introduction section]

El Covid-19 ha llevado a muchas empresas a migrar de un trabajo presencial al teletrabajo. Según Global Workplace Analytics [ and in the end you can add the reference to your Bibliografía ], unos 75 millones de trabajadores de los EEUU podrían teletrabajar al menos un parte de su jornada de trabajo. Sin embargo, para muchos sectores esto se ha convertido en un verdadero reto.

Aunque para muchos no sea obvio, los beneficios de trabajar con equipos remotos son incontables, siempre que construyas una política realmente efectiva y diseñes el proceso de reclutamiento acertado. Así es que si buscas desarrollar una estrategia efectiva de teletrabajo, debes asegurarte de que tus empleados o candidatos para trabajar a distancia, cuenten con las herramientas adecuadas.

[End of the Introdution]

[Start of the body section]

Cuando comiences a reclutar personas (nuevas o dentro de tu mismo equipo de trabajo), asegúrate de informarles de las cualidades indispensables que buscas en un candidato. No todo el mundo podrá unirse a la modalidad de teletrabajo por más que la situación lo requiera.

Por ejemplo , si una de las características más importantes para el desarrollo del proyecto es la conectividad, los candidatos adecuados deben poder estar a tu disponibles a través de sus computadoras o dispositivos móviles. Mónica Zent [ another reference in our Bibliografía section ], fundadora de Foxwordy la primera red social privada para abogados, recomienda que a todos los candidatos se les debería preguntar acerca de sus hábitos digitales. Pues, los candidatos ideales para el teletrabajo son aquellos que tienen disponibilidad y buena disposición para mantenerse conectados o conectarse en el momento en que sea necesario.

Del mismo modo , debes infórmales sobre de tus reglas para el teletrabajo y ayudarlos a mejorar sus métodos de gestión del tiempo. La idea es que te apoyes en un equipo eficiente, pero que además sea capaz de lograr un buen equilibrio entre la vida y el trabajo. Aunque la flexibilidad es una de las características inherentes del trabajo remoto, debes construir una política firme según las necesidades específicas de tu proyecto para poder dirigir un equipo eficiente y efectivo.

Las horas laborales oficiales, dependerán de los requerimientos de tu proyecto, por lo que es importante que los miembros de tu equipo sepan a qué horario atenerse. En caso de que los miembros de tu equipo tengan distintos husos horarios, define uno oficial con el que todos se sientan cómodos.

Determina los días que necesites una videoconferencia con todo el equipo dentro del huso horario oficial. Estas llamadas les permitirán recordar que trabajan con otras personas aunque por lo general hagan sus tareas aislados. Promueve el uso de la webcam para que todos estén concentrados en la conversación y estén realmente presentes. El verse las caras permite la comprensión del lenguaje corporal y una mejor comunicación.

[End of body section]

[Start of the conclusion section]

En conclusión, una estrategia efectiva de trabajo remoto dependerá de la forma en la que buscas y vetas los candidatos en tu empresa. No todo el mundo tiene la capacidad de trabajar desde casa de manera efectiva.

Además , recuerda hacer hincapié en la modalidad de trabajo y plantea una estructura clara donde se establezcan horarios, reuniones y seguimientos para lograr los mejores resultados.

Si logras incoporar todas estas prácticas dentro de tu modelo de negocio, tendrás un equipo remoto efectivo, compenetrado y eficiente. Tres factores de vital importancia para sobrepasar la crisis mundial que nos ha tocado vivir este 2020.

Bibliografía

• Global Workplace Analytics, 2020. How many people could work-from-home . Consultado a 04.10.2020 en [https://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/how-many-people-could-work-from-home].
• Zent, Mónica, 2015. Monica Zent’s 5 Ways to Effectively Lead Remote Teams . Consutlado a 04.10.2020 en [https://medium.com/@MonicaZent/monica-zent-s-5-ways-to-effectively-lead-remote-teams-the-most-cutting-edge-companies-of-the-ab409c3db16a]
• Introducción
• “En los EE. UU., 4.7 millones de empleados trabajan desde casa al menos la mitad de la semana.”
• Qué estas buscando
• Conectividad
• Disponibilidad
• El candidato ideal
• Tip de Mónica Zent
• Flexibilidad
• Modalidad de trabajo
• Estrategia/planificación
• Video conferencias/Uso de la webcam
• Fechas de entrega

List of words

• Work remotely = Trabajo remoto/teletrabajo
• Flexibilty = Felixbilidad
• Availability = Disponibilidad
• 24/7 Connectivity = Conectividad las 24 horas
• Must-haves = Cualidades indispensables
• Video conference = Video conferencias
• Deadlines = Fechas de entrega
• Time zone = huso horario
• Webcam = webcam

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Tell Me About Yourself in Spanish

Introduction.

When meeting new people or engaging in conversations, it’s common to be asked about yourself. In this article, we’ll learn how to respond to the question “Tell me about yourself” in Spanish. By understanding the appropriate vocabulary and sentence structures, you’ll be able to introduce yourself confidently in Spanish-speaking settings.

Introducing Yourself

To effectively answer the question “Tell me about yourself” in Spanish, it’s important to be familiar with the necessary vocabulary and grammar. Let’s break it down:

– Mi nombre es: My name is- Soy: I am- Tengo: I have- Vivo: I live

When introducing yourself in Spanish, you can use various sentence structures to convey your personal information. Here are a few examples:Mi nombre es [name]. (My name is [name].)Soy [name]. (I am [name].)Tengo [age] años. (I am [age] years old.)Vivo en [city]. (I live in [city].)You can combine these sentence structures to provide a more comprehensive introduction about yourself.

Now, let’s see some examples of how to respond to the question “Tell me about yourself” in Spanish:Mi nombre es Ana. Tengo 25 años y vivo en Madrid. Soy estudiante de arquitectura. (My name is Ana. I am 25 years old, and I live in Madrid. I am a student of architecture.)Soy Juan Carlos. Tengo 30 años y vivo en México. Soy ingeniero de software. (I am Juan Carlos. I am 30 years old, and I live in Mexico. I am a software engineer.)Me llamo María. Tengo 40 años y vivo en Barcelona. Soy médica. (My name is María. I am 40 years old, and I live in Barcelona. I am a doctor.)Remember to adapt the examples according to your own personal information, such as your name, age, occupation, and place of residence. These examples will provide you with a foundation to construct your introduction in Spanish.

Being able to introduce yourself confidently in Spanish is a valuable skill when engaging in conversations or meeting new people. By incorporating the vocabulary and sentence structures mentioned above, you’ll be equipped to respond to the question “Tell me about yourself” in Spanish. Practice constructing and personalizing your introduction to become more comfortable expressing yourself in Spanish-speaking environments. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!) Thoughts in Spanish Translation Thirty Dollars in Spanish

Tell Me About It in Spanish

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Talk about yourself in Spanish

Being able to talk about yourself is really important if you are learning Spanish. You can’t get by without i! So let’s see how to do it.

But first notice that this is the SECOND UNIT of our beginner course and the GCSE SPANISH 9-1 course.

Introduce yourself: PRESÉNTATE

When you want to introduce yourself or give some personal information you must say, for example, your name, nationality, profession, where do you live, how old you are… But also, you need to understand and produce questions correctly.

We are all going to learn how to do all these things with the video below. While you are watching the video, stop it when you need it to repeat every sentence several times.

In Spanish we can refer to others in an informal way or formally, you will see both in the video, now focus in first part, the informal way, but click in the link if you want to learn more about this topic.

Now practice what you have learned in the video.

Now you can talk about yourself in Spanish for sure. Anyway,  we are going to review the sentences we have seen  in the video and some more that you will find quite useful . We will also learn some grammar tips.

• ¡Hola! Me llamo Enrique (Hello! I am called Enrique) *
• Tengo catorce años ( I am 14 years old)
• Soy británico, de Manchester (I am British, from Manchester) 
• Soy estudiante (I am a student)
• Vivo en Valencia, en el este de España (I live in Valencia, in the east of Spain)
• Mi cumpleaños es el cinco de agosto (My birthday is the 5th of August)
• Nací en Manchester el 5 de agosto de dos mil quince (I was born in Machester the 5th of August 2015)
• ¿Cuál es tu apellido ? (What is your surname?)
• Mi apellido es Fernández (My surname is Fernández).
• ¿Cuál es tu teléfono ? (What is your phone number?)

* The most common way of saying our name in Spanish is to say « Me llamo Enrique ( I am called Enrique ), but we can also say “ Mi nombre es Enrique ( My name is Enrique )” or « Soy Enrique ( I am Enrique )».

Spanish grammar tips

1. In Spanish you «have» an age, so you need the verb TENER to say or ask the age :

¿Cuántos años tienes ? (How old you are?)

Tengo quince años (I am 15 years old)

TENER is a radical-changing verb. Click on the link to learn  how to form and use this very important Spanish verb .

2. Nationalities in Spanish must agree in gender with the person they are refered to , as you can see in the example of the right.

Most nationalities are also the languages (el idioma), in this case  they are always masculine:

Sarah es inglesa y habla inglés y español (Sarah is English and speaks English and Spanish).

Have you noticed that nationalities in Spanish are not capitalized . Click on the link to learn more about countries and nationalities in Spanish ,  and how to change from masculine to feminine.

Other nationalities you must know are: inglés/inglesa ( English ), escocés/escocesa ( Scottish ), galés/galesa ( Welsh ) and irlandés/irlandesa ( Irish ).

3. Something similar happen, about the gender, when we say someone profession . So we have to learn the name of professions in Spanish and how to change from masculine to feminine too. 

4. To say your telephone number, your age or your date of birth you will need numbers. Actually numbers are everywhere, so practice them until you feel really confident using them: números hasta el 30.

How do you spell it?: ¿CÓMO SE DELETREA?

Take it for granted that you will have to spell -DELETREAR- a lot , especially your first and last name. So make sure you know how to pronounce the letters of the Spanish alphabet . It must be one of your main priorities.

By the way, instead of «¿Cómo se deletrea? ( how do you spell it? )» You can also say « ¿Cómo se escribe? ( how do you write? )» It is probably easier to remember.

How to talk about yourself in Spanish: Test

Don’t forget that to complete the lesson «talk about yourself in Spanish», you have to visit the included links and study its grammar and vocabulary and do all the exercises. Once you have finished everything, it is time for you to check your knowledge with the test.

If you have less than 70%, you  may need to make a revision. Your  tutor will get in touch with you to give you further instructions and comments . Don’t you have a Spanish tutor yet?

Now you know the necessary grammar and vocabulary to be able to talk about yourself in Spanish. So it is time for you to practice your speaking  and writing skills , for this you can book a personal tutorial online .

Spanish Examples

How to introduce yourself in Spanish

Introducing yourself in Spanish is an important skill to have when meeting new people or starting a conversation in a Spanish-speaking environment. Whether you’re traveling to a Spanish-speaking country, taking a Spanish class, or just want to learn more about the language and culture, being able to introduce yourself in Spanish is a great way to make a good first impression. Being confident when introducing yourself and having more vocabulary than just being able to say hello in Spanish is a solid base for building longer lasting relationships in a different language.

To introduce yourself in Spanish, you can use the phrases “Me llamo” (My name is) or “Soy” (I am) followed by your name. For example, if your name is Maria, you can say “Me llamo Maria” (My name is Maria) or “Soy Maria” (I am Maria).

Here are a few more examples of how to introduce yourself in Spanish:

• Hola, soy Juan. ¿Cómo te llamas? (Hello, I am Juan. What is your name?)
• Hola, me llamo Teresa. ¿Y tú? (Hello, my name is Teresa. And you?)
• Hola, soy Carlos. Mucho gusto. (Hello, I am Carlos. Nice to meet you.)

In addition to your name, you can also include other information about yourself when introducing yourself in Spanish. For example, you can mention your occupation, where you’re from, or your interests. Here are some phrases you can use to share more information about yourself:

• Soy de… (I am from…)
• Trabajo como… (I work as…)
• Me gusta… (I like…)

Here are some examples of how you can use these phrases to introduce yourself in Spanish and share more information about yourself:

• Hola, soy Ana. Soy de México. Me gusta bailar y leer. (Hello, I am Ana. I am from Mexico. I like to dance and read.)
• Hola, me llamo David. Soy de Colombia. Trabajo como abogado. (Hello, my name is David. I am from Colombia. I work as a lawyer.)
• Hola, soy Marta. Soy de España. Me gusta hacer senderismo y cocinar. (Hello, I am Marta. I am from Spain. I like to hike and cook.)

It’s also important to remember to use formal and polite language when introducing yourself in Spanish. In Spanish-speaking countries, it’s common to use formal language when meeting someone for the first time or in more formal settings, such as a business meeting or a job interview. To show respect and politeness, you can use the formal pronoun “usted” (you) instead of the informal pronouns “tú” (you, singular informal) or “vos” (you, singular informal, used in some countries). You can also use the formal verb conjugation endings -a/-an instead of -o/-as/-a.

Here are some examples of how to introduce yourself in a formal way in Spanish:

• Buenas tardes, soy Luis. Mucho gusto en conocerlo. (Good afternoon, I am Luis. Nice to meet you.)
• Buenas noches, me llamo Ana. Mucho gusto en conocerla. (Good evening, my name is Ana. Nice to meet you.)
• Buenos días, soy Marta. Mucho gusto en conocerlo. (Good morning, I am Marta. Nice to meet you.)

A very important point to be aware of is that in some Spanish-speaking regions, particularly in Latin America, it is common to use “lo” when addressing someone formally. For example, “Mucho gusto en conocerlo” used in the example above.

On the other hand, in certain regions, including Spain itself, you are more likely to hear “le” instead of “lo” in formal introductions. For instance, “Mucho gusto en conocerle.”

For a Spanish learner, understanding these variations is crucial for effective communication. The choice between “lo” and “le” depends on the specific rules followed in the region or country where the language is spoken.

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How to Introduce Yourself in Spanish (+ Free MP3)

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June 22, 2019

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One of the first things you need to know in order to speak Spanish is how to start. If you can’t start a conversation, how are you ever going to practice? And, what better way to start a conversation than by introducing yourself?

That’s where this post comes in. Here, you will find some quick tips, phrases, and different ways on how to introduce yourself in Spanish, and learn to get the conversational ball rolling.

Get the audio files

You can also download free audio files of the examples provided in this article! If you want to learn how to introduce yourself in Spanish and practice your speaking and listening skills, grab a copy of the recorded audio by clicking the button below. 

Learn how to introduce yourself in Spanish with ease by watching this video

How to Introduce Yourself in Spanish: Getting Started

Let’s look at the very basics of how you’ll go about letting the Spanish speaking world know just who you are.

How boring would it be if the only way we said “hello” to each other was by simply saying “hello”? We have a wide range of choices we can select from when greeting other people--hi, good morning/ afternoon/ evening, hey, what’s up?, and the list goes on.

In Spanish you have more options than just “hola” to choose from as well:

• Buenos días. Good morning.
• Buenas tardes.  Good afternoon/ evening.
• ¿Qué tal? How’s it going? (A little more informal)
• ¿Qué hay? (Loosely translated) What’s up? (Very informal--use only with friends, family, etc.)
• Buenas.  Hello (something you’ll hear a lot on the streets, or when you walk into shops, etc.)

Yo me llamo…

The logical next step, after saying “hello” to someone would be to tell them your name!.You can’t very well carry on a conversation with someone if you don’t know who they are or let them know who you are. Once again, you have some options.

• (Yo) me llamo…- The most commonly used, and literally translated means “I call myself”.
• Soy*…- If you’re a fan of brevity, this introduction is for you! It’s like saying “I’m…”
• Mi nombre es- The very practical “My name is…”

*This verb (which comes from ser ** one of the two ways in Spanish to say “to be”) will come in handy when introducing yourself, so make sure you keep it in the back of your mind, as we’ll be seeing it again.

**This verb is used with permanent qualities. I am short; I am American; I am awesome--these things won’t change! Temporary qualities take the verb estar . Estoy enfadada -I am angry. Estoy triste -I am sad, etc.

Getting Deeper

While it is important to know someone’s name in order to strike up a conversation with them, if that’s all you say, the chat will be very short-lived. So, what else can you say about yourself?

Soy de… Vivo en…

The verb soy was mentioned before, and means “I am…”. If you add the (very useful to remember) preposition “de” after it, you’re saying “I am from…”

Soy de Chicago.  I am from Chicago.

Just because you’re from somewhere, doesn’t necessarily mean that you live there. So, that’s probably a good little piece of information to give someone about yourself. It’s said vivo en (I live in…) Soy de Chicago, pero vivo en Madrid.  I’m from Chicago, but I live in Madrid.

Tengo X años.

Saying your age is a little different. Surprisingly, you don’t use ser or estar for this one. Pay attention here, because this is something that really gets a lot of English speakers in trouble. In Spanish you are not 20 years old... You have 20 years!! (I repeat you “ have x years”) Tengo 20 años- I have 20 years (Meaning- I am 20 years old).

Hey! There’s that verb again! I told you it’d be important.

Another important thing you should be able to mention about yourself is what you do--as in “what’s your job”?

Soy un(a) estudiante/ profesor(a)/ abogado(a)/ dentista - I am a student/ teacher/ lawyer/ dentist (notice that this last one doesn’t change gender).

Another useful expression you may want to know when introducing/ talking about yourself is “me gusta…”. This can be a tricky expression for English speakers, because it’s construction is a little different than how it’s said in English. Literally translated it means “To me it is pleasing…”

So as not to get too complicated, let’s just stick with using this construction with some verbs in infinitive to say “To me it is pleasing to do (insert verb here).”

Me gusta leer/ jugar al baloncesto/ cocinar/ ir al cine - I like to read/ play basketball/ cook/ go to the movies.

Let’s take everything we’ve seen and put it all together. Below you will find two examples of people introducing themselves. They are both native English speakers who live/study in Spain. They will use the aforementioned phrases, as well as add in a few extra things about themselves.

Self-Introduction in Spanish: Example 1

¡Buenos días! Soy Ana. Tengo veintisiete años. Soy de Chicago, pero ahora vivo en una ciudad de España que se llama Zamora. Soy profesora de inglés en un instituto. Al volver a los Estados Unidos, voy a seguir con mis estudios.

Me gustaría hacer un doctorado en la literatura española. Pero, por ahora, estoy contenta de vivir en España y ir mejorando mi español y aprendiendo más de este país tan maravilloso. En mi tiempo libre me gusta leer, ver la tele, y pasar tiempo con mis amigos, mi marido y mi perro. Estudio español porque la historia del país me fascina. No es solo eso, sino también la cultura me encanta y la gente es muy amable.

Translation: Good morning! I’m Ana. I’m 27 years old. I’m from Chicago, but now I live in a Spanish city called Zamora. I’m an English teacher in a high school. Upon returning to the United States, I’m going to continue my studies. I would like to get a doctorate in Spanish literature. But for now I’m happy living in Spain and improving my Spanish and learning more about this wonderful country. In my free time I like to read, watch TV, and spend time with my friends, my husband, and my dog.

I study Spanish because the history of the country fascinates me. It’s not only this, but also I love the culture and the people are lovely.

Self-Introduction in Spanish: Example 2

Hola, me llamo Nick y soy de los Estados Unidos. Vivo en España y soy profesor de inglés. Tengo veintiséis años. Tengo una mujer que se llama Ana y un perro pequeño cuyo nombre es Joey. Llevo 8 años estudiando español, y tengo un masters en la linguística española. Me gusta estudiar español porque siempre me han gustado las lenguas y las palabras y poder hablar con otro grupo de gente es algo que puede ser muy gratificante y beneficioso.

Translation: Hello, my name is Nick and I’m from the United States. I live in Spain and am an English teacher. I’m 26 years old. I have a wife named Ana and a little dog whose name is Joey. I have been studying Spanish for 8 years, and I have a Masters in Spanish Linguistics. I like studying Spanish because I have always like languages and words, and being able to speak with another group of people is something that can be very rewarding and beneficial.

Introducing yourself is a very important part of taking your first steps to speaking Spanish. If you want to take your language to the next level, you need to practice speaking it. And if you can’t tell people who you are, how do you expect to have a conversation with them?

The aforementioned phrases, tips, etc. are just a handful of the different ways that you can go about letting people know who you are. So, now that you have a nice little base to start, get out there and find someone to talk to. Practice as much as you can, and you’ll be well on your way to speaking Spanish in no time!

A Quick Shortcut to Spanish Tenses

How to Make Small Talk in Spanish

How to Describe Yourself in Spanish

Once again, you can download a copy of the MP3 by clicking the button below. You'll also get so many other awesome freebies when you do!

Writing practice

How would you introduce yourself in Spanish? Try writing a self-introduction in the comments section below!

About the author 

Anastasia is a Chicago, Illinois native. She began studying Spanish over 10 years ago, and hasn’t stopped since. Living in Spain since 2012, she loves Spanish tortilla, vino tinto, and anything that contains jamón ibérico.

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GCSE Spanish

Talking about yourself in Spanish

Talking about yourself will be really important during your GCSE Spanish-speaking exam. You just can’t get by without it, so let’s make sure you are able to do it confidently, we have some vocabulary and grammar notes, a podcast, a video, some activities to practice, and, of course, a personal tutor to check all your progress .

Preséntate (Introduce yourself)

When talking about yourself in Spanish, the first thing you’ll have to do is say your first and last name, even spell it out . You will also need to say your age, where you are from, or where you live . We are going to see some vocabulary that will be very useful to you.

In Spanish, you «have» an age , so you need the verb « tener » to say how old you are . «Tener» is a radical-changing verb: Tengo 16 años (I am 16 years old).

This vocabulary is useful, but let’s see how to use it in context.

* Have you noticed? Using these resources, we have used one future tense and two different past tenses: pretérito indefinido (preterite) and pretérito perfecto (present perfect) .

You will also need to know how to say the dates and numbers in Spanish. In addition, the following nationalities may be useful to you :

• inglés/inglesa (English)
• escocés/escocesa (Scottish)
• galés/galesa (Welsh)
• irlandés/irlandesa (Irish)

Notice that nationalities in Spanish are not written with capital letters and they have to agree in gender with the people they are referred to.  Do you want to learn more about nationalities in Spanish ? By the way,  many nationalities are also used as languages:

« Soy colombiana, mi lengua materna es el español, pero también hablo inglés bastante bien y un poco francés «. Can you translate this sentence into English  in the  comments below? We will corret it for you.

In this video, you can see a Spanish girl talking about herself, something similar to what you will have to do in the exam . Much of the information she uses may be of use to you. Stop the video from time to time to repeat what she says but use your own information .

Laura, the girl in the video, has spelled her last name  and has told us about its origin and the languages she speaks. She has also told us about her family and her best friends . She has described her room a bit, maybe that is not very useful, but you can also talk a little about the city where you live.

VIP students' revision and practice

Remember you can get in touch with your tutor by email , with any questions you have. You will need to click on all the links and study the information related to finishing this module , which will take you between five to eight hours of self-study.

Once you feel prepared, click on the link to access the mini revision test_01 , to check everything done during this lesson .

When you receive your tutor notes will be the moment to ask for a  conversation lesson to practice everything you have learned. Although you will need to be registered as a VIP student to enjoy all these benefits .

Introduce Yourself in Spanish

¡Hola! Learn how to introduce yourself in Spanish ! Specifically, learn how to do the following in Spanish:

• tell someone your name

• ask someone their name

• say what you do for a living

• ask someone what they do for a living

• say where you are from

• ask someone where they are from

Let's start off with the vocab words in these lessons!

Greetings/Farewells

Spanish accents.

Some Spanish words, such as adiós , have a written accent . If you leave out the accent when writing these words, it'd be like writing the English word I'm without the apostrophe ( Im ) - it wouldn't make sense!

Professions/Occupations

Remember that all Spanish nouns are either masculine or feminine .

• Profesor is a masculine noun used to talk about men.

• Profesora is a feminine noun used to talk about women.

• Estudiante is both masculine and feminine and can be used to talk about men or women.

Country Names

Spanish capitalization.

Just like in English, country names in Spanish begin with a capital letter !

In these lessons, you learn how to use the verbs llamarse (literally, to call oneself ) to talk about names and ser ( to be ) to talk about professions and where someone is from . Let's review the conjugations you learned!

Spanish Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns like yo ( I ) and tú ( you ) are often not used before a conjugated verb in Spanish. In other words, most of the time Spanish speakers will simply say me llamo instead of yo me llamo .

Other Useful Words

Here are some other useful words from these lessons!

Here are some of the phrases used in these lessons!

Spanish Punctuation

Spanish questions begin and end with a question mark .

¿Cómo te llamas?

Cómo te llamas?

Pronunciation

In these lessons, you learn some words containing y and ll . Let's talk about how to pronounce the ll in Spanish and the y in Spanish !

Pronunciation of Ll

The Spanish ll is often pronounced like the y in the English word yes , though you may hear some native speakers pronounce it more or less like the j in the English word judge or the sh in the English word show . Click on the words in the table below to listen to the pronunciation of the ll in Spanish!

Pronunciation of Y

• In words like yo , y is considered a consonant and is usually pronounced the same way as ll . In other words, most Spanish speakers pronounce the y and the ll in yo me llamo using the same sound.
• When y comes at the end of a word like soy , it is considered a vowel and is pronounced like the e in the English word me .
• When y is used on its own as a conjunction meaning and , it is also pronounced like the e in the English word me .

Click on the words in the table below to listen to the pronunciation of the y in Spanish!

Quiz Yourself!

Want more practice with the vocabulary you learned in these lessons? Click here!

Spanish Conversation

Let's take a look at an example of a Spanish conversation using the above words and phrases!

Want to learn more about how to introduce yourself in Spanish? Check out the following articles!

• Using "Ser" with Origins

• Professions in Spanish

• Spanish-Speaking Countries

• Subject Pronouns in Spanish

• The Difference between "¿Como Te Llamas?" and ¿Cómo Se Llama?"

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• The Case for Marrying an Older Man

A woman’s life is all work and little rest. An age gap relationship can help.

In the summer, in the south of France, my husband and I like to play, rather badly, the lottery. We take long, scorching walks to the village — gratuitous beauty, gratuitous heat — kicking up dust and languid debates over how we’d spend such an influx. I purchase scratch-offs, jackpot tickets, scraping the former with euro coins in restaurants too fine for that. I never cash them in, nor do I check the winning numbers. For I already won something like the lotto, with its gifts and its curses, when he married me.

He is ten years older than I am. I chose him on purpose, not by chance. As far as life decisions go, on balance, I recommend it.

When I was 20 and a junior at Harvard College, a series of great ironies began to mock me. I could study all I wanted, prove myself as exceptional as I liked, and still my fiercest advantage remained so universal it deflated my other plans. My youth. The newness of my face and body. Compellingly effortless; cruelly fleeting. I shared it with the average, idle young woman shrugging down the street. The thought, when it descended on me, jolted my perspective, the way a falling leaf can make you look up: I could diligently craft an ideal existence, over years and years of sleepless nights and industry. Or I could just marry it early.

So naturally I began to lug a heavy suitcase of books each Saturday to the Harvard Business School to work on my Nabokov paper. In one cavernous, well-appointed room sat approximately 50 of the planet’s most suitable bachelors. I had high breasts, most of my eggs, plausible deniability when it came to purity, a flush ponytail, a pep in my step that had yet to run out. Apologies to Progress, but older men still desired those things.

I could not understand why my female classmates did not join me, given their intelligence. Each time I reconsidered the project, it struck me as more reasonable. Why ignore our youth when it amounted to a superpower? Why assume the burdens of womanhood, its too-quick-to-vanish upper hand, but not its brief benefits at least? Perhaps it came easier to avoid the topic wholesale than to accept that women really do have a tragically short window of power, and reason enough to take advantage of that fact while they can. As for me, I liked history, Victorian novels, knew of imminent female pitfalls from all the books I’d read: vampiric boyfriends; labor, at the office and in the hospital, expected simultaneously; a decline in status as we aged, like a looming eclipse. I’d have disliked being called calculating, but I had, like all women, a calculator in my head. I thought it silly to ignore its answers when they pointed to an unfairness for which we really ought to have been preparing.

I was competitive by nature, an English-literature student with all the corresponding major ambitions and minor prospects (Great American novel; email job). A little Bovarist , frantic for new places and ideas; to travel here, to travel there, to be in the room where things happened. I resented the callow boys in my class, who lusted after a particular, socially sanctioned type on campus: thin and sexless, emotionally detached and socially connected, the opposite of me. Restless one Saturday night, I slipped on a red dress and snuck into a graduate-school event, coiling an HDMI cord around my wrist as proof of some technical duty. I danced. I drank for free, until one of the organizers asked me to leave. I called and climbed into an Uber. Then I promptly climbed out of it. For there he was, emerging from the revolving doors. Brown eyes, curved lips, immaculate jacket. I went to him, asked him for a cigarette. A date, days later. A second one, where I discovered he was a person, potentially my favorite kind: funny, clear-eyed, brilliant, on intimate terms with the universe.

I used to love men like men love women — that is, not very well, and with a hunger driven only by my own inadequacies. Not him. In those early days, I spoke fondly of my family, stocked the fridge with his favorite pasta, folded his clothes more neatly than I ever have since. I wrote his mother a thank-you note for hosting me in his native France, something befitting a daughter-in-law. It worked; I meant it. After graduation and my fellowship at Oxford, I stayed in Europe for his career and married him at 23.

Of course I just fell in love. Romances have a setting; I had only intervened to place myself well. Mainly, I spotted the precise trouble of being a woman ahead of time, tried to surf it instead of letting it drown me on principle. I had grown bored of discussions of fair and unfair, equal or unequal , and preferred instead to consider a thing called ease.

The reception of a particular age-gap relationship depends on its obviousness. The greater and more visible the difference in years and status between a man and a woman, the more it strikes others as transactional. Transactional thinking in relationships is both as American as it gets and the least kosher subject in the American romantic lexicon. When a 50-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman walk down the street, the questions form themselves inside of you; they make you feel cynical and obscene: How good of a deal is that? Which party is getting the better one? Would I take it? He is older. Income rises with age, so we assume he has money, at least relative to her; at minimum, more connections and experience. She has supple skin. Energy. Sex. Maybe she gets a Birkin. Maybe he gets a baby long after his prime. The sight of their entwined hands throws a lucid light on the calculations each of us makes, in love, to varying degrees of denial. You could get married in the most romantic place in the world, like I did, and you would still have to sign a contract.

Twenty and 30 is not like 30 and 40; some freshness to my features back then, some clumsiness in my bearing, warped our decade, in the eyes of others, to an uncrossable gulf. Perhaps this explains the anger we felt directed at us at the start of our relationship. People seemed to take us very, very personally. I recall a hellish car ride with a friend of his who began to castigate me in the backseat, in tones so low that only I could hear him. He told me, You wanted a rich boyfriend. You chased and snuck into parties . He spared me the insult of gold digger, but he drew, with other words, the outline for it. Most offended were the single older women, my husband’s classmates. They discussed me in the bathroom at parties when I was in the stall. What does he see in her? What do they talk about? They were concerned about me. They wielded their concern like a bludgeon. They paraphrased without meaning to my favorite line from Nabokov’s Lolita : “You took advantage of my disadvantage,” suspecting me of some weakness he in turn mined. It did not disturb them, so much, to consider that all relationships were trades. The trouble was the trade I’d made struck them as a bad one.

The truth is you can fall in love with someone for all sorts of reasons, tiny transactions, pluses and minuses, whose sum is your affection for each other, your loyalty, your commitment. The way someone picks up your favorite croissant. Their habit of listening hard. What they do for you on your anniversary and your reciprocal gesture, wrapped thoughtfully. The serenity they inspire; your happiness, enlivening it. When someone says they feel unappreciated, what they really mean is you’re in debt to them.

When I think of same-age, same-stage relationships, what I tend to picture is a woman who is doing too much for too little.

I’m 27 now, and most women my age have “partners.” These days, girls become partners quite young. A partner is supposed to be a modern answer to the oppression of marriage, the terrible feeling of someone looming over you, head of a household to which you can only ever be the neck. Necks are vulnerable. The problem with a partner, however, is if you’re equal in all things, you compromise in all things. And men are too skilled at taking .

There is a boy out there who knows how to floss because my friend taught him. Now he kisses college girls with fresh breath. A boy married to my friend who doesn’t know how to pack his own suitcase. She “likes to do it for him.” A million boys who know how to touch a woman, who go to therapy because they were pushed, who learned fidelity, boundaries, decency, manners, to use a top sheet and act humanely beneath it, to call their mothers, match colors, bring flowers to a funeral and inhale, exhale in the face of rage, because some girl, some girl we know, some girl they probably don’t speak to and will never, ever credit, took the time to teach him. All while she was working, raising herself, clawing up the cliff-face of adulthood. Hauling him at her own expense.

I find a post on Reddit where five thousand men try to define “ a woman’s touch .” They describe raised flower beds, blankets, photographs of their loved ones, not hers, sprouting on the mantel overnight. Candles, coasters, side tables. Someone remembering to take lint out of the dryer. To give compliments. I wonder what these women are getting back. I imagine them like Cinderella’s mice, scurrying around, their sole proof of life their contributions to a more central character. On occasion I meet a nice couple, who grew up together. They know each other with a fraternalism tender and alien to me.  But I think of all my friends who failed at this, were failed at this, and I think, No, absolutely not, too risky . Riskier, sometimes, than an age gap.

My younger brother is in his early 20s, handsome, successful, but in many ways: an endearing disaster. By his age, I had long since wisened up. He leaves his clothes in the dryer, takes out a single shirt, steams it for three minutes. His towel on the floor, for someone else to retrieve. His lovely, same-age girlfriend is aching to fix these tendencies, among others. She is capable beyond words. Statistically, they will not end up together. He moved into his first place recently, and she, the girlfriend, supplied him with a long, detailed list of things he needed for his apartment: sheets, towels, hangers, a colander, which made me laugh. She picked out his couch. I will bet you anything she will fix his laundry habits, and if so, they will impress the next girl. If they break up, she will never see that couch again, and he will forget its story. I tell her when I visit because I like her, though I get in trouble for it: You shouldn’t do so much for him, not for someone who is not stuck with you, not for any boy, not even for my wonderful brother.

Too much work had left my husband, by 30, jaded and uninspired. He’d burned out — but I could reenchant things. I danced at restaurants when they played a song I liked. I turned grocery shopping into an adventure, pleased by what I provided. Ambitious, hungry, he needed someone smart enough to sustain his interest, but flexible enough in her habits to build them around his hours. I could. I do: read myself occupied, make myself free, materialize beside him when he calls for me. In exchange, I left a lucrative but deadening spreadsheet job to write full-time, without having to live like a writer. I learned to cook, a little, and decorate, somewhat poorly. Mostly I get to read, to walk central London and Miami and think in delicious circles, to work hard, when necessary, for free, and write stories for far less than minimum wage when I tally all the hours I take to write them.

At 20, I had felt daunted by the project of becoming my ideal self, couldn’t imagine doing it in tandem with someone, two raw lumps of clay trying to mold one another and only sullying things worse. I’d go on dates with boys my age and leave with the impression they were telling me not about themselves but some person who didn’t exist yet and on whom I was meant to bet regardless. My husband struck me instead as so finished, formed. Analyzable for compatibility. He bore the traces of other women who’d improved him, small but crucial basics like use a coaster ; listen, don’t give advice. Young egos mellow into patience and generosity.

My husband isn’t my partner. He’s my mentor, my lover, and, only in certain contexts, my friend. I’ll never forget it, how he showed me around our first place like he was introducing me to myself: This is the wine you’ll drink, where you’ll keep your clothes, we vacation here, this is the other language we’ll speak, you’ll learn it, and I did. Adulthood seemed a series of exhausting obligations. But his logistics ran so smoothly that he simply tacked mine on. I moved into his flat, onto his level, drag and drop, cleaner thrice a week, bills automatic. By opting out of partnership in my 20s, I granted myself a kind of compartmentalized, liberating selfishness none of my friends have managed. I am the work in progress, the party we worry about, a surprising dominance. When I searched for my first job, at 21, we combined our efforts, for my sake. He had wisdom to impart, contacts with whom he arranged coffees; we spent an afternoon, laughing, drawing up earnest lists of my pros and cons (highly sociable; sloppy math). Meanwhile, I took calls from a dear friend who had a boyfriend her age. Both savagely ambitious, hyperclose and entwined in each other’s projects. If each was a start-up , the other was the first hire, an intense dedication I found riveting. Yet every time she called me, I hung up with the distinct feeling that too much was happening at the same time: both learning to please a boss; to forge more adult relationships with their families; to pay bills and taxes and hang prints on the wall. Neither had any advice to give and certainly no stability. I pictured a three-legged race, two people tied together and hobbling toward every milestone.

I don’t fool myself. My marriage has its cons. There are only so many times one can say “thank you” — for splendid scenes, fine dinners — before the phrase starts to grate. I live in an apartment whose rent he pays and that shapes the freedom with which I can ever be angry with him. He doesn’t have to hold it over my head. It just floats there, complicating usual shorthands to explain dissatisfaction like, You aren’t being supportive lately . It’s a Frenchism to say, “Take a decision,” and from time to time I joke: from whom? Occasionally I find myself in some fabulous country at some fabulous party and I think what a long way I have traveled, like a lucky cloud, and it is frightening to think of oneself as vapor.

Mostly I worry that if he ever betrayed me and I had to move on, I would survive, but would find in my humor, preferences, the way I make coffee or the bed nothing that he did not teach, change, mold, recompose, stamp with his initials, the way Renaissance painters hid in their paintings their faces among a crowd. I wonder if when they looked at their paintings, they saw their own faces first. But this is the wrong question, if our aim is happiness. Like the other question on which I’m expected to dwell: Who is in charge, the man who drives or the woman who put him there so she could enjoy herself? I sit in the car, in the painting it would have taken me a corporate job and 20 years to paint alone, and my concern over who has the upper hand becomes as distant as the horizon, the one he and I made so wide for me.

To be a woman is to race against the clock, in several ways, until there is nothing left to be but run ragged.

We try to put it off, but it will hit us at some point: that we live in a world in which our power has a different shape from that of men, a different distribution of advantage, ours a funnel and theirs an expanding cone. A woman at 20 rarely has to earn her welcome; a boy at 20 will be turned away at the door. A woman at 30 may find a younger woman has taken her seat; a man at 30 will have invited her. I think back to the women in the bathroom, my husband’s classmates. What was my relationship if not an inconvertible sign of this unfairness? What was I doing, in marrying older, if not endorsing it? I had taken advantage of their disadvantage. I had preempted my own. After all, principled women are meant to defy unfairness, to show some integrity or denial, not plan around it, like I had. These were driven women, successful, beautiful, capable. I merely possessed the one thing they had already lost. In getting ahead of the problem, had I pushed them down? If I hadn’t, would it really have made any difference?

When we decided we wanted to be equal to men, we got on men’s time. We worked when they worked, retired when they retired, had to squeeze pregnancy, children, menopause somewhere impossibly in the margins. I have a friend, in her late 20s, who wears a mood ring; these days it is often red, flickering in the air like a siren when she explains her predicament to me. She has raised her fair share of same-age boyfriends. She has put her head down, worked laboriously alongside them, too. At last she is beginning to reap the dividends, earning the income to finally enjoy herself. But it is now, exactly at this precipice of freedom and pleasure, that a time problem comes closing in. If she would like to have children before 35, she must begin her next profession, motherhood, rather soon, compromising inevitably her original one. The same-age partner, equally unsettled in his career, will take only the minimum time off, she guesses, or else pay some cost which will come back to bite her. Everything unfailingly does. If she freezes her eggs to buy time, the decision and its logistics will burden her singly — and perhaps it will not work. Overlay the years a woman is supposed to establish herself in her career and her fertility window and it’s a perfect, miserable circle. By midlife women report feeling invisible, undervalued; it is a telling cliché, that after all this, some husbands leave for a younger girl. So when is her time, exactly? For leisure, ease, liberty? There is no brand of feminism which achieved female rest. If women’s problem in the ’50s was a paralyzing malaise, now it is that they are too active, too capable, never permitted a vacation they didn’t plan. It’s not that our efforts to have it all were fated for failure. They simply weren’t imaginative enough.

For me, my relationship, with its age gap, has alleviated this rush , permitted me to massage the clock, shift its hands to my benefit. Very soon, we will decide to have children, and I don’t panic over last gasps of fun, because I took so many big breaths of it early: on the holidays of someone who had worked a decade longer than I had, in beautiful places when I was young and beautiful, a symmetry I recommend. If such a thing as maternal energy exists, mine was never depleted. I spent the last nearly seven years supported more than I support and I am still not as old as my husband was when he met me. When I have a child, I will expect more help from him than I would if he were younger, for what does professional tenure earn you if not the right to set more limits on work demands — or, if not, to secure some child care, at the very least? When I return to work after maternal upheaval, he will aid me, as he’s always had, with his ability to put himself aside, as younger men are rarely able.

Above all, the great gift of my marriage is flexibility. A chance to live my life before I become responsible for someone else’s — a lover’s, or a child’s. A chance to write. A chance at a destiny that doesn’t adhere rigidly to the routines and timelines of men, but lends itself instead to roomy accommodation, to the very fluidity Betty Friedan dreamed of in 1963 in The Feminine Mystique , but we’ve largely forgotten: some career or style of life that “permits year-to-year variation — a full-time paid job in one community, part-time in another, exercise of the professional skill in serious volunteer work or a period of study during pregnancy or early motherhood when a full-time job is not feasible.” Some things are just not feasible in our current structures. Somewhere along the way we stopped admitting that, and all we did was make women feel like personal failures. I dream of new structures, a world in which women have entry-level jobs in their 30s; alternate avenues for promotion; corporate ladders with balconies on which they can stand still, have a smoke, take a break, make a baby, enjoy themselves, before they keep climbing. Perhaps men long for this in their own way. Actually I am sure of that.

Once, when we first fell in love, I put my head in his lap on a long car ride; I remember his hands on my face, the sun, the twisting turns of a mountain road, surprising and not surprising us like our romance, and his voice, telling me that it was his biggest regret that I was so young, he feared he would lose me. Last week, we looked back at old photos and agreed we’d given each other our respective best years. Sometimes real equality is not so obvious, sometimes it takes turns, sometimes it takes almost a decade to reveal itself.

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