Spanish

Last night was my first Spanish class with Nolan Readegui. He is the Son-in-Law of my history teacher's daughter. Joanna (daughter) went to Peru a few years back and met him there. They now live in Franklin, Tennessee. His English isn't perfect but not bad either. He says he is a little uncomfortable when speaking English and I understand. I feel the same way in Chinese and sometimes Spanish. One thing I love about the language barrier is that when he doesn't know a word in English and can just say it in Spanish I generally understand what he's talking about.

In the class we only speak Spanish. It is sooooooo cool! You know that exciting feeling you get when you are having an amazing time and don't want it to end? Well, I get that feeling when I'm in the class. I love understanding a different language. I understand much better than I speak. I can say most everything I understand but I might put the pronouns or use a conjugation that is okay but doesn't sound right. Understanding the language helps me understand the grammar and connects that dots. I was surprised of how much Spanish I knew. I had to ask him to repeat himself twice the whole time but otherwise understood every word. I was taught Mexican-ish Spanish and he speaks Peruvian Spanish (which is considered the most proper) so I'll bet there will be some confusion but we'll manage. I hope to be fluent pretty soon! Maybe by next summer! That would rock!

Now for the point of this blog post.. I am going to post 20 Spanish words a day and memorize them. It'll take me 50 days to memorize 1,000 words (in a 1,000 Spanish Words book) and I'm excited about that. Here we go! (I might know some of these words but I'm going to post them anyways.)

abajo: down, downstairs, below
--Te espero abajo.
abanico: fan
--Las damas usan abanicos cuanda hace color.
abierto: open
--El banco queda abierto desde las ocho hasta los dos.
abrazar: to embrace, to hug
--Abrazó a sus parientes antes de salir.
abrazo: hug, embrace
--Abrazos para los niños de todos nostros.
abrigo: overcoat
--Siempre llevo un abrigo caunda hace frío.
acá: here
--Venga acá, rápido.
acabar: to finish
-Nuestro trabajo nunca acaba.
acción: action
--Sus acciónes me confuden.
aceptar: to accept
--¿Aceptan ustedes cheques da viajero?
acerca de: about
--Busco un libro acerca de los Ustados Unidos.
acercarse: to approach (reflexive)
--Acérquense y podrán ver mejor.
acompañar: to accompant, to go with
--¿Me permiten acompañarlos?
aconsejar: to advise
--¿Qué me aconsejan hacer?
acordarse: to remember (reflexive)
--¿Se acuerdan ustedes de nosotros?
acostarse: to go to bed (reflexive)
--Siempre nos acostamos trade cundo visitamos un país extranjero.
actual: present, current
--El globierno actual tiene muchos problemas.
acuerdo: agreement
--Estamos de acurdo con usted.

I didn't put the English translation because if I look back I want to be able to read the Spanish and understand how to use the word in a sentence. ¡Hasta la vista!