Simplify your medical Spanish with these verbs!

Medical parlance is laden with very specific, nuanced verbs, which often trip up our Medical Spanish students – even at the higher levels. Expressing a thought in the simplest possible way is a skill that often comes very late in game for language learners. With this in mind, we’ve developed a list of some very versatile verbs (and some examples of how you might use them) that can help you simplify your Medical Spanish right away!

SUBIR = to go up, to rise

Si su dieta tiene mucha grasa, usted va a subir de peso. =
If your diet has a lot of fat, you’re going to gain weight.

Cuando come fruta, su azúcar sanguíneo sube. =
When you eat fruit, your blood sugar rises.

Tomar mucho alcohol sube el riesgo del cáncer. =
Drinking a lot of alcohol increases the … Read More »

Overarching ideas in Latino culture

Whether or not you do business internationally, chances are you work with Latinos in some capacity, be they clients, employees, or colleagues, and therefore deal with the differences found in Latino culture.

In the business world, the differences between Latino and mainstream U.S. culture are visible in everything from employee management to negotiation style. While Latino cultural tendencies can range from the paternalism of supervisors to familismo among medical patients, most can be traced back to a basic cultural value: Personalismo.

Personalismo in practice is an emphasis on politeness and courtesy, and establishing a good rapport with someone — a personal connection — before getting down to business or the task at hand. However, personalismo is more than just making polite conversation at the beginning of a meeting. As stated by Dr. Fernando Mederos, at a deeper level … Read More »

The internet is full of Spanish teacher resources. Interactive quizzes and printable worksheets abound, but here are some of our favorites that serve 5 distinctly different purposes:

1.  Word Reference.com: We trust this multi-language dictionary because of it’s thorough definitions – which identifies which term is used in which regions; full verb conjugations; and language forums, which include different forums for specialized terminology (i.e. medical, legal, financial, IT, science, etc.). All-around this website is one of our favorite Spanish teacher resources.

2. Google News: Want to expose your students to news from the Spanish-speaking world? Google News compiles up-to-the-minute news from a variety of sources in Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Spain and Peru. Just pick your country, and it’s all organized by topic.

3. Volunteer Match.org: Want to challenge your students to become involved with the Latino community through volunteer work? This website … Read More »

What’s in store for High School Spanish students who stick with the language…stay on that path bilingual students!

Start studying Spanish in high school – and stick with it – and you’ll have an edge that will last a lifetime. Here’s a little taste of the advantages that aspiring bilingual students will encounter, in the order they’ll come his or her way:

1. Scholarship opportunities

You don’t have to be a native speaker to earn college scholarship money for your language skills. In fact, you don’t even have to know where you’re going to college yet! Your high school may have a chapter of the Spanish National Honor Society, a Spanish Club, or other organizations that awards scholarships to graduating Spanish students.

2. Better study abroad options in college

College study abroad is a life-changing experience for most, and certainly an excellent way to solidify … Read More »

In our Top 10 Beginner Medical Spanish Errors, we looked at some of the most common errors our students make at the Beginning I level. Here´s another round of common errors that we see across Beginning I and II courses.

1. ¿De dónde está usted?

De dónde = from where, indicating origin
Dónde está usted = where you are, indicating current location
So, the above question simply doesn´t make sense. Should be:

¿De dónde es usted? = Where are you from?
OR
¿Dónde está usted? = Where are you (right now)?

2. El paciente es 43.

Should be:
El paciente tiene 43 años. = The patient is 43 years old.

Remember: In Spanish, age is expressed as the number of years one has (tener*).
*Tener is also used for several other states of being that would be expressed with the verb “to be” in English: tener frío, tener calor, tener … Read More »