You know you have workplace language issues if…
As the Latino population in the United States grows, no business, sector, or industry remains unaffected by this huge demographic. While many businesses are adapting to and marketing to Latinos …
Medical Spanish Professions: Just call me Doctor
Basics of medical Spanish: Why the names of medical professions can be tricky… One of the first topics we cover in our Medical Spanish courses is las profesiones – …
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Spanish Immersion and the 5 C’s of Foreign Language Education
Spanish Immersion in Costa Rica and the 5 C’s of Foreign Language Education The 5 C’s of Foreign Language Education have been developed by ACTFL as the national standard for …
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Beyond Hola: Spanish Greetings in Costa Rica (and beyond)
Informal Spanish greetings If you’re traveling to Costa Rica with Common Ground this spring or summer, you’ll be greeted a lot of different ways by Ticos (Costa Ricans). Greeting people …
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Versatile Medical Spanish Verbs
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. …
From Personalismo to Confianza: Building relationships and Latino Culture
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 …
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Unique Online Spanish Teacher Resources
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: …
Ok, so I take another grammar quiz…then what? Tips for aspiring bilingual students
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 – …
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Top 10 Beginner Medical Spanish Errors (Part 2)
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 …
Saying “for” en Español: Por vs. Para
If you’ve ever had trouble saying “for” in Spanish, you’re not alone! Let’s talk about por vs. para: The key to understanding por vs. para is to think of the …
Medical Spanish words to know ¿Cómo se dice?
Let’s talk medical Spanish. What is the best word to use? There are many medical Spanish words and phrases that can stump a medical professional. Some words that have similar …
Donations needed for upcoming medical mission
Can you help us help the under-served in Costa Rica for our medical missions? Each year Common Ground International leads a medical mission in Costa Rica for student and professional …
Spanish Resources Online: Where to get your daily dose of Spanish
Spanish Resources Online: Supplement your Spanish Learning! Whether you want to follow international news, work on your pronunciation, or just find the right Spanish word, here are a few online …
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Day of the Dead – What is that?
Day of the Dead- A celebration of loved ones who have passed on The Day of the Dead, El día de los muertos, is one of Mexico’s most important holidays. …
Texting in Spanish…Ayuda! Cómo se dice LOL?
Abbreviations for texting in Spanish Ever wonder how to spice up your text messages with some Spanish abbreviations? Here are a few to help you stay on the cutting edge …
Top 10 Beginner Medical Spanish Mistakes
Medical Spanish Mistakes: Avoid these common Errors! Everyone makes mistakes, especially when learning a new language!Hopefully your Spanish mistakes have given you and your pacientes a few laughs.Here are the …
Latino customer relations & loyalty
Cultural Values: Working with Latinos When we talked about agreeableness in the medical setting, we saw how the “cultural taboo against expressing negative feelings directly” translated into misunderstandings and ultimately, …
Reaching Latino Clients and Consumers
Making a connection with Latino clients and consumers Since we started our blog, we’ve addressed cultural issues that arise with both Latino patients and employees across many industries. We have …
Working with Latinos: Paternalism
Working with Latinos and how to be a successful manager: Over the years, we’ve spoken with a number of non-Latinos who manage Latino employees, but one of the most striking …
Medical Spanish Students, Find us on Facebook!
Have you lost touch with your Medical Spanish classmates? Find Common Ground on Facebook for information about upcoming classes, trips, social events, as well as cultural information, news from Latin …
Working with Latinos: Workplace Safety
Working with Latinos: Understanding Culture and High-Risk Industries Although workplace safety requirements are generally far more comprehensive in the U.S. than in Latin America, accidents still happen in high-risk industries …
Using bilingual employees as interpreters
Potential drawbacks of using bilingual employees as interpreters So far we’ve discussed the intricacies of working with Latino patients in the medical setting, but many of the same language obstacles …
Personalismo – What’s your approach?
Latino Culture- Personalismo Last week we explored the cultural basis of latino agreeableness and its effects in the medical setting. We mentioned that the rate of patient compliance can be …
Latino Culture and Agreeableness in a Medical Setting
Understanding Latino Culture: Agreeableness As with the cleaning staff manager we wrote about a few weeks ago, the topic of agreeableness comes up a lot with our Medical Spanish students …
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Working with Latino Patients & Families
Latino Patients: Understanding the Family and Latino Culture “Why are there so many people in the room?” is a question often asked by our medical Spanish students when talking about …
U.S Latinos: Where does communication break down?
U.S. Latino, Chicano, Hispanic? Latinos are the second largest ethnic group in the United States, and about 61% of U.S. Latinos were foreign-born. This means that as of last year, …
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Cross-cultural communication – Where to Start?
Cross-Cultural Communication with Latinos Having interacted with people of many other cultures, we’ve seen that often the true stumbling block in relating to people of another culture isn’t just lack …
Welcome to the Common Ground International Blog!
Who is Common Ground International and what do we do? Common Ground International, LLC is a Colorado-based company that strives to provide high quality Spanish and English Language services to …
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