Questions, Songs, Verbs, Vocabulary 2 September 2010

There are several children’s songs in Spanish that teach or reinforce the question word dónde (where). These songs also teach estar, the Spanish verb for “to be” that is used to express location.
¿Dónde están las llaves? (Where are the keys?) is a traditional song with several versions. It can be …

 House, Songs, Verbs, Vocabulary 18 August 2010

This song uses the verb tener, and other useful verbs, in the first person. This verb form, the yo form, is one of the first children learn and it lets them talk about what they do. Through actions, the song also teaches a common meaning of así – “this way”, …

 Songs, Verbs, Videos, Vocabulary 16 August 2010

This song, Si tú tienes muchas ganas de aplaudir (If you feel a lot like clapping) is the Spanish version of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” It reinforces the meaning of the common Spanish phrase tener ganas de + infinitive (to feel like doing something). It also uses …

 Animals, Songs, Verbs, Vocabulary 13 August 2010

In addition to using tener to talk about what we have, we often use tener to express the way we feel. These are phrases that we use everyday.  Use them with your child to model the verb tener in its different forms.
Comment on how you feel before you ask your …

 Body parts, Songs, Verbs, Vocabulary 13 August 2010

This song teaches the Spanish verb forms tengo (I have) and tienes (you have) as children sing about the parts of the face. Point to yourself when you use tengo (I have) and to your child when you use tienes (you have) to clarify the change in subject. …

 Days of the week, Songs, Vocabulary 5 August 2010

This is a song for learning the days of the week in Spanish.  The week on Spanish-language calendars starts on Monday, just as the list of days does in this song.
Click here to listen to the song for the days of the week in Spanish.
Here are the words in Spanish …

 Body parts, Pronunciation, Songs, Videos, Vocabulary 19 July 2010

If I could choose one song for my university students learn as children, it might be this one. In addition to correct Spanish pronunciation and useful vocabulary, it exposes children to several key structures that are much more difficult to learn later.
These are just a few examples of the Spanish …

 Day and night, Outside-Nature, Songs, Vocabulary 10 July 2010

This short, simple song asks the sun to warm the Earth.  It is a good example of how word families extend a child’s vocabulary as she learns Spanish.  Children can hear the relationship between the common words calor (heat) and frío (cold) and the verbs calentar (to heat something)  and …