| How to Speak Spanish (Basics) Posted: 08 Jul 2020 05:00 PM PDT Believe it or not, Spanish is the second-most spoken language on the planet.[1] Developing your Spanish-speaking skills is a great way to meet new people, communicate with Spanish speakers, and immerse yourself in a new way of thinking. If you want to speak Spanish, start by learning the common phrases and vocabulary terms. Once you feel a little more comfortable with the language, you can learn a lot more by immersing yourself in the language, taking classes, and practicing daily to develop fluency in the language. [Edit]Learning Common Phrases - Memorize the common introductions so you can say hello. One of the easiest things to learn is how to greet others. This is a good introduction to the language since it gives you a foundation for a basic conversation. While you'll have to do some memorizing, you can easily commit these basic introductory phrases to memory in a day or two.[2]
- "Hola" (OH-la) means hello in Spanish. Other common greetings include "buenos días" (booEHN-os DEE-as), which means "good morning," and "buenos noches" (booEHN-os NO-chehs), which means "good evening."
- Following a hello, you may say "¿Cómo estás?" (KOH-moh ess-TAHS), which means "How are you?" This might be answered by saying "estoy bien" (ESS-toy bee-EHN), which means "I'm fine."
- You may also reply with "mucho gusto" (MOO-choh GOOS-toh), which means "nice to meet you." Then learn how to say "my name is" by saying "me llamo" (meh YAH-moh). Put them together, and you might greet someone in Spanish by saying, "Mucho gusto, me llamo Juan," which means, "Nice to meet you, my name is John."
- Remember Spanish words you already know to make things easy. Although you probably don't pronounce them exactly the way a Spanish-speaking person would, there are a number of Spanish words that you probably already know in your native tongue. Relying on these words in a basic conversation is a great way to build on your speaking skills while you acquire new vocabulary words.[3]
- Making a list of Spanish words that you already know can be a good way to build your Spanish vocabulary. This will give you a solid, basic foundation.
- For example, there probably are a number of Spanish foods that you already know, such as "taco," "avocado," and "burrito."
- There also are a number of words that are the same in Spanish and in English (although they may be spelled or pronounced differently), such as "animal" and "chocolate."
- Study the -o and -a endings to learn the gendered nouns. One of the things that makes Spanish very different from some languages is the fact that all nouns are gendered. Generally, if a noun ends in an "o" it is masculine, while if it ends in "a" it is feminine.[4]
- Unlike many other languages, there is no version of "it" in Spanish. All nouns have a gender, and even inanimate objects are referred to with gendered pronouns. The third person pronouns are "el" (masculine), and "la" (feminine). Words that end in -o almost always use "el" while words that end in -a typically use "la."
- Keep in mind that the gender you use must match the gender of the word, not the gender of the thing. This can be an issue when the thing you're talking about is an animal. For example, if you're talking about a dog, you would say "el perro" (ehl PEH-rroh) even if the dog was female.
- Practice memorizing the essential Spanish pronouns. Spanish verbs are conjugated according to the pronoun you need to use. However, it isn't strictly necessary to say the pronoun or even include it in the sentence. Any Spanish speaker will understand which pronoun you're implying based on the conjugation of the verb.[5]
- For example, if you want to say you want something, you could say "yo quiero" (YO kee-EHR-OH), which means "I want," but you could also simply say "quiero" and the pronoun would be understood.
- Spanish pronouns include "yo" (I), "nosotros" (we), "él" (he), "ella" (she), and "ellos" and "ellas" (they). Use "ellas" if you are referring to a group that is entirely feminine and "ellos" for a group that is either all male or a mixed-gender group.
- The plural of you (meaning "you all") is "ustedes." In Spain, there is another familiar form of the plural you: "vosotros" or "vosotras." In other Spanish-speaking countries, only "ustedes" is used.
- Understand the basic sentence structure of Spanish. While the basic sentence structure in Spanish is quite similar to many other languages, there are some key differences. Getting the sentence patterns down will make it much easier to learn Spanish. For many learners, the hardest part is remembering to put adjectives after the noun they describe, which is uncommon in many other languages.[6]
- Like English, Spanish sentences are formed with a subject, followed by a verb, followed by the object of that verb. For example, suppose you said "yo quiero un burrito." This means "I" (subject) "want" (verb) "a burrito" (object).
- Unlike English, Spanish adjectives usually go after the thing they describe. For example, if you were talking about a red book, in English you would put the adjective (red) first. In Spanish, you would be talking about a "libro rojo" (LEE-bro ROH-ho), which literally translates to "book red" in English.
- There are exceptions to the rule. For instance, demonstrative adjectives (such as ese, este, and aquel) and possessive adjectives (including mí, tu, and su) come before the thing they describe.[7]
- Pick up situational words and phrases as you hear them. Whether you want to learn Spanish for school, work, or travel, there may be particular words that will be more useful to you as you're starting to learn the language. Starting in a familiar area will help you build the foundation you need.[8]
- Think about words or phrases that you say frequently throughout your day. For example, "por favor" (pohr fah-VOR), which means "please," and "gracías" (gra-SEE-ahs), which means "thank you," are essential phrases in basically every conversational setting.
- If someone says "gracías" to you, you can respond by saying "de nada" (deh NA-da), which means "you're welcome" (literally "it was nothing").
- You also want to learn the Spanish words for "yes" and "no" early on, if you don't already know them. They are "sí" (see), for yes, and "no."
[Edit]Immersing Yourself in the Language - Visit a Spanish-speaking country or neighborhood to get exposure. If you have some basic conversational phrases down, travelling to a Spanish-speaking place will help you learn new phrases and words. It also gives you an opportunity to eat some great food and meet new people![9]
- The process of immersion may be the quickest way to learn any language. If you think about it, that's the way you learned your first language.
- Foreign exchange and study abroad programs are a great way to immerse yourself if you're in school.
- Talk to fluent Spanish speakers to practice your speaking skills. There are millions of Spanish speakers in the world and you don't have to travel to Spain or Latin American to find native speakers who are willing to converse with you. Ask a fluent classmate, friend, or family member to help you practice your Spanish skills.[10]
- Talking and listening to Spanish speakers can help you better understand the flow of conversation. Native speakers also can correct errors you're making before you embarrass yourself or end up committing errors to memory.
- Watch Spanish-language TV shows and films to learn over time. Watching Spanish language television can help train your ear to distinguish the sounds. It's also a great since you can put the closed captioning on to figure out what each line of dialogue means as it is being spoken. Look up some foreign films or find the Spanish stations on TV to start waching.[11]
- As you get better at the language, add Spanish subtitles while listening in Spanish to train yourself to commit the words and sounds to memory.
- Listen to Spanish-language music to test your ear for Spanish. Music is a good way to start identifying individual words and connecting them in your mind with their written form. It's also a great way to memorize words since they tend to be repeated in songs during the chorus. Try listening to and singing along with the same song repetitively until you become familiar with the pronunciation and understand the lyrics.[12]
- Depending on where you live, you may even be able to find a Spanish-language radio station on the AM or FM dial.
- Apart from radio, you can easily find Spanish music online.
- Find some songs you like, then do an internet search for the lyrics. That way you can read along as the song plays to better connect the written and spoken word in your mind.
- Change the language on your phone or computer. Using the settings on your smartphone, computer, or tablet, you can change the default language from your native language to Spanish. Since you already know where menu items are, this change will help you learn those words in Spanish.[13]
- Many websites and social media platforms also allow you to change your default language. You could even change the language for your web browser, or use a translate plugin to translate web pages into Spanish.
- You also can look for Spanish-language websites and try to read those. Many news sites will have a video along with a transcript of the video, so you can read and listen at the same time.
- Label household items with their Spanish words to memorize them. Giving yourself a visual reminder of the Spanish word for something you encounter on a daily basis will eventually set that word firmly in your mind. This is a really easy way to build your vocabulary. Use a label maker, post-it notes, or stickers to label each common item in your home.[14]
- Make sure you're using an adhesive that won't peel paint or damage the item you're labeling, since you'll probably want to take it off later.
- Don't try to label everything at once. Start off with 5-10 items, look up the Spanish word for those things, and label them. Once you know those words, take the labels off and move on to a different set of items. If you forget a word, simply go back and do it again.
[Edit]Taking a Class and Practicing - Enroll in a formal class or hire a tutor to learn the grammar rules. You can learn conversational Spanish without any formal training, but the grammar can be a little difficult to learn without help. Look into taking a class at your local community college, seek out a night class for adult learners, or pick up a Spanish class for your next semester. You can even hire a private tutor to help you learn the more complex material.[15]
- The benefit of having a coach or tutor is that you have someone else who is holding you accountable.
- If you can't afford to hire someone yourself, or don't have the opportunity to take a class, consider learning the language with a friend so the two of you can hold each other accountable.
- Sites like OpenLearn (https://www.open.edu/) and Open Yale (https://oyc.yale.edu/) have free online classes you can take from the comfort of your own home. You won't get any one-on-one practice or feedback, but these courses are great if you're looking for something free!
- Practice your Spanish and teach yourself with free resources online. There are numerous websites and mobile apps that will teach you the basics of Spanish, and many of them are free. Don't expect these resources to bring you to fluency, but they can help your skills in limited areas.[16]
- Websites and mobile apps are good for drilling vocabulary and basic phrases, but you'll end up with a pretty scattered understanding of Spanish if you rely on them alone. Be prepared to do some immersion (either at home or abroad) if you want to become truly fluent.
- Spend at least 45 minutes a day practicing your Spanish. You aren't going to learn to speak Spanish overnight—it will take time. Decide how long your sessions are going to be, and try to have them at the same time each day so practicing becomes habitual. You won't retain much from a 10-minute session and you're likely to burn out after more than 2 hours, so try to spend 45-60 minutes a day practicing.[17]
- Set a notification on your computer or phone to go off at the same time every day and remind you that it's time to practice.
- Set small, measurable goals to learn new concepts over time. The idea of learning an entire language can be overwhelming, especially when you think about how long it took you to learn your first language. Breaking the work down into smaller, reachable goals enables you to monitor your progress.[18]
- For example, you may set the goal of memorizing the Spanish pronouns in one week, learning the words for common foods in two days, or writing a paragraph in Spanish at the end of your first month.
- Write your goals down and evaluate your progress each week. If you fail to meet a goal, try not to get too down about it. Simply reassess and figure out what went wrong. If it's something you can correct by making an adjustment, make that adjustment and try again next week.
- Learning a second language can be difficult. Don't be too hard on yourself if you forget something or make mistakes. Try to practice every day, and have patience.
- Try learning at least one phrase a day. Common phrases like, "How are you," "What is your name," and, "What time is it," are great places to start.
- Keep in mind that there are pronunciation differences in different countries. Someone from Spain is going to sound very different from someone who learned to speak in Mexico, and someone from Mexico will have a different accent than someone from Colombia—just as people from Great Britain speak English differently than Americans.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Fix a Wrap Dress Neckline Posted: 08 Jul 2020 09:00 AM PDT Wrap dresses are versatile garments that look great on many different body shapes. A common issue with them, though, is the neckline—they tend to sit too low or gape open. If this is the case with your dress, don't worry! There are lots of ways you can fix it quickly with things you likely already have at home. There are even a few different ways to alter the dress to fix the neckline. [Edit]Securing the Neckline - Use a safety pin to hold your wrap dress in place on-the-go. Put on your wrap dress and pin it where the dress crisscrosses at the waist. Push the safety pin through the under-layer of fabric instead of all the way through, if possible, so the safety pin isn't visible.[1]
- Pinning the dress where it crisscrosses near your waist will hold the neckline in place without causing it to pull.
- Use safety pins to fix a gaping neckline.
- Hold your neckline exactly where you'd like it using double-sided tape. Purchase double-sided tape made specifically for clothing so that it sticks to your skin properly without causing irritation. Put on your dress and cut a strip of the tape. Place the tape along the inside edge of your dress's neckline before pressing it down on your skin to keep it in place.[2]
- Double-sided tape for clothing can be found at a big box store or online.
- The tape will attach right at the neckline's hem in a V-shape.
- This is a great option if your neckline is too low.
- Attach a snap button to the neckline to hold it together. Put on the wrap dress and decide where you'd like the snap button to go so it holds your neckline together without pulling too much. This is usually where the bottom of the V-shape is in your dress's neckline. Mark this with a safety pin and sew the bottom of the snap button on the bottom layer and the top of the button on the top layer by pulling a needle and thread through the holes of the snap button parts.[3]
- If your neckline is way too low, move the snap button up about from the bottom of the V-shape.
- Snap the button into place and enjoy your dress's new neckline.
- Snap buttons can be found at a local craft or big box store.
- Use a snap button to fix a neckline that's too low or gaping.
- Sew a hook-and-eye clasp onto the neckline for a permanent solution. These clasps are a little more noticeable but will hold your neckline together similar to a snap button. Position the clasp where the fabric gapes or put it higher than the V if the neckline is too low. Sew each piece onto one side of the wrap dress's neckline by looping a needle and thread through the holes in the clasp pieces. Once it's sewed on, put on your dress and hook the clasp to show off your new neckline.[4]
- Look for hook-and-eye clasps at a craft or big box store, along with a needle and thread to attach them to the dress.
- Hook-and-eye clasps will fix gaping necklines as well as necklines that are too low.
- Wear the wrap dress over a camisole or slip for a quick fix. Pick out a camisole or slip that matches your wrap dress and wear it underneath so you don't have to worry about your neckline. Wearing a modest layer of clothing under your wrap dress is a great way to fix a neckline that's gaping or too low.[5]
- Choose a cami or slip that's the same color as your dress so it blends in seamlessly.
- Slips or camisoles with V-necks are best since your wrap dress has a V-shape too.
- Let a lacy bra peek out from your dress to add texture. If your neckline is just a little too low, letting a little bit of lace show can be a nice way to cover up more skin while still creating a stylish look. Pick out a lacy bra or bralette that matches your wrap dress and wear it under the dress to show off some contrasting textures.[6]
- For example, you might wear a black lace bralette under a black, blue, and white floral wrap dress.
- Add lace or ribbon to the neckline to make it more modest. Purchase strands of lace or ribbon that match your wrap dress. Measure the neckline's length and cut the lace or ribbon so it's long enough to go around the entire neckline. Use a needle and thread to attach the ribbon or lace to the edge of the neckline, making the neckline taller. Sew the ribbon or lace onto the inside of the dress so the stitching isn't super visible.[7]
- Choose wide ribbon or lace for more coverage.
- If you have a sewing machine, you can use this to attach the ribbon or lace instead.
[Edit]Altering the Neckline - Take in the shoulder seam to fix a big neckline gape. Undo the sewed seams in each shoulder of your wrap dress using a seam ripper or scissors. Pull up the fabric so that the neckline is slightly shorter and sew the shoulder seams back together at the new fabric points. Use sewing pins to hold the seams in place as you sew them.[8]
- Try your dress on to see how much fabric you should take in at each shoulder seam before pinning it, if you'd like.
- Create a drawstring gathering to make your neckline smaller. If you don't mind part of your neckline looking scrunched up, this is an easy way to bring the neckline in so it fits you better. Sew a straight stitch along the area you'd like gathered, such as near the shoulders or at the base of the 'V' shape. Tug on the fabric to scrunch it up before knotting your thread so the fabric stays in place.[9]
- Use thread that matches the color of your wrap dress neckline so it blends in well.
- Use stay tape along your neckline to keep it from stretching out. Take out the stitches in your neckline's hem and cut strands of stay tape that fit along each edge of your neckline. Secure the stay tape using steam or its sticky coating in a straight line along the fabric's edge before folding it over into the neckline. Stitch the fold together so your wrap dress looks just as it did before, but it now has stay tape to keep it from stretching.[10]
- Use a straight stitch or zig-zag stitch to hold the folded neckline hem in place.
- Some types of stay tape need steam for them to adhere to the fabric while others already have a fabric glue on them.
- Make darts in the fabric to remove excess fabric so the neckline fits. Take out the stitching of the entire bodice of your wrap dress so that you can lay the front flat. Mark the fabric where you'd like to create the darts and cut a slim triangle on either side of the chest area to form them. Pinch the fabric together to gather the material and sew the triangle together so there isn't any empty space anymore.[11]
- Put your wrap dress on and create two darts on either side of your chest by pulling the fabric into an overlapping triangle with your fingers to see how big the darts need to be.
- Sew the wrap dress bodice back onto the dress once you're finished making the darts.
- If you bring your wrap dress to a tailor, they can fix your neckline for you.
[Edit]References |
| How to Build a Longbow Posted: 08 Jul 2020 01:00 AM PDT Building a longbow from scratch isn't quite so simple as finding a long piece of wood and attaching a string to it. That said, it isn't beyond the skills of the average DIYer, and it can be a very rewarding project. If you take the time to choose, shape, string, and finish your bow properly, you can build yourself a functioning longbow that might last for years. [Edit]Shaping Your Bow - Buy or find a long, straight, knot-free hardwood stave. Your stave—the piece of wood that will become the bow—needs to be sturdy yet somewhat flexible, and have few if any twists and knots. It should be about long and in diameter.[1]
- You can buy a piece of hardwood at a home improvement store, or build a more rustic longbow by using a tree branch. Fallen branches often work just as well or even better than fresh-cut branches. Look for a fallen branch that has dried out somewhat but isn't brittle.
- Some of the best bow woods include yew, ash, and hickory. That said, pretty much any hardwood, including maple and oak, will do the job. Softwoods like pine and cedar aren't good candidates.
- Scrape off any bark on the stave with a knife or other sharp tool. A pocket knife or wood carving knife works well here, but pretty much any type of sharp blade will do. Use short, shallow strokes to scrape away the bark. Try not to remove the wood beneath the bark at this point, though.[2]
- It's not essential to remove the bark, but it makes it easier to get a better look at how the wood flexes and make adjustments as needed. It also improves the appearance of your DIY bow!
- Press the stave while it's upright to find its natural curve. Hold the stave upright, with a loose grip on the top and the bottom set against your foot. Gently press outward against the center of the stave. The stave will rotate and its natural curve will point away from you.[3]
- This maneuver identifies the inside and outside—also called the "belly" and "back"—of the bow. The "belly" will be closest to your body when you draw the bow.
- You may be making some cuts to the inside of the stave, but the outside must be left untouched. Any cuts made to the outside will severely affect the longevity and structural integrity of the bow.
- Mark the handhold at the center of the stave. Find the middle of the stave, using a tape measure if available, or by making your best guess. Measure or estimate in both directions along the stave from the center point, and mark these with a permanent marker or a shallow notch with your knife.[4]
- This center section is the handhold—the spot where you'll hold the bow while drawing it. Like the outside of the stave, leave the handhold untouched to preserve the structural integrity of the bow.
- Bend the stave again and take a closer look at the curve. Hold the stave upright with your hand and against your foot once again. This time, though, apply a bit more pressure to flex the wood further—the center should push outward by at least . Look closely at the curve of the stave and identify any spots where the wood isn't flexing as easily.[5]
- Shave wood from the inside of the bow to adjust the curve. Using the blade of your knife or other sharp tool, shave away a few layers of bark and wood from one of the spots where the wood isn't flexing properly. By removing wood, you will increase the flexibility of the stiff areas. Keep shaving away wood and testing the flexibility of the bow until it bends in a uniform shape, both above and below the handhold.[6]
- Cut wood only from the inside of the curve. Leave the outside of the bow untouched.
- The handhold and tips should remain relatively straight compared to the rest of the bow.
- The amount of carving required will vary greatly depending on how thick the stave is.
[Edit]Stringing the Bow - Cut notches on the inside and outside of each bow tip. These notches will hold the bow string in place. Make the notches on the outside curve no more than deep, and the notches on the inside no more than deep.[7]
- Cut the notches about in from the tips of the bow.
- Tie your chosen bow string around the notches you cut. The bow string should be about shorter than the stave. Tie one end around the notches at the bottom of the stave, then tie a slipknot at the other end of the bow string. Flex the bow until you can get the slipknot over the notches at the top of the bow.[8]
- Once in place, there should be a gap of about between the bow string and the handhold. Choose a different length of bow string if the gap is substantially smaller or larger than this.
- Purchase a bow string, or use any string or cord material that is strong and durable, and that stretches only slightly under tension. Good options include nylon paracord, a long shoestring, or even twisted-together plant fibers if you really want to get back to nature!
- Do not pull back on the string yet—the bow is not complete and could break.
- Hang the bow horizontally so it's positioned above you. Your aim is to rest the bow on the center handhold, above your head height but within your reach, with the string perpendicular to the ground. If you're at home, you can, for instance, hang the handhold from a bicycle hook screwed into a roof rafter or ceiling joist. In the woods, find a sturdy, low-hanging tree limb that you can feed the bow over until it's nearly against the trunk.[9]
- Pull down on the bowstring and fine-tune the bend of the bow. Pull the string down about and look at the curve of the bow. Visually identify spots that aren't bending freely, release the string, and use your knife to shave away wood from the inside of the bow in these areas. Pull the string again and repeat the process until the bow curves evenly.[10]
- Don't stop yet, though! Pull the string down and shave wood from the bow as needed. Repeat the process at and as well.
[Edit]Finishing Your Bow - Apply a coat of a protective oil to keep the wood from drying out. Linseed oil and tung oil are good options here. Apply an even coat of your chosen oil with a natural bristle paint brush, then wipe away the excess with a rag. Allow the oil to dry for at least 4 hours, and possibly overnight.[11]
- Throw the oil-soaked rag in a bucket of water and leave it there while the bow dries. Then, hang the rag out to dry and throw it in the trash once it's no longer damp. This eliminates the chance of the oil-soaked rag catching on fire.
- Applying a protective oil is an optional step, but it will help your bow last longer and look better.
- Rub the dried finish with fine sandpaper, then apply more oil if desired. Once the coat of oil is completely dry, lightly rub the entire bow with fine-grit (360 or higher grit) sandpaper. If you want to apply a second coat of oil, wipe down the sanded bow with a tack cloth, then apply the second coat in the same manner as the first.[12]
- Try out your new bow. At this point, the bow is ready to be used. Nock an arrow, get into firing position, draw the bowstring, zero in on your practice target, and let it fly!
- If you want to go completely DIY, try making your own arrows as well.
- Do not test fire the bow without an arrow, as this can damage the bow and cause it to break.
- Make safety your first priority when using your longbow. Never aim an arrow anywhere close to another person.
[Edit]Warnings - A longbow can be a deadly weapon. If you're hunting, never point it at something you don't intend to kill.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Wood stave
- Knife or carving tool
- Bow string
- Overhead hanging location
- Protective oil
- Paint brush
- Rags
- Bucket of water
- Fine grit sandpaper
- Tack cloth
- Arrow
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
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