Learn Spanish with Bueno, entonces... Thanksgiving sale!

Ok, so the guys at General Linguistics have a special offer for Thanksgiving!
Check it out here:
Give the gift of tongue!

Also, here's a clip of one of their classes so you get a grasp of what's all this about:



Happy Thanksgiving everyone or Feliz Día de Acción de gracias as my Spanish speaking friends would say!

Lesson Seventeen: Lluvia, Viento, y Una Canción con David

Ah, useful Spanish phrases. Today's Spanish lesson couldn't have come at a better time: Buenos Aires weather is crazy at the moment, and today we discuss all of the ways to describe what's goin' on with the clima.

After a chat about a possible Bueno, entonces... pijama party (yes, random), we learned about the clima, or weather, with Jimena and David. Terms we learned included sol, despejado, nubes, nublado, viento, tormenta, niebla, hace frio, hace calor, llueva, nieva, etc. In addition, we learned the terms for the estaciones, or seasons: verano, primavera, invierno, and otoño.

I was able to use a number of these words with the lluvia de mierda that was falling durante todo el dia here in BA. Check out how many are in the following phrase: “Se fue el sol! Está todo nublado. Casi hay una tormenta—hace frio, hay viento y todavía está lloviendo….che, cuando empieza primavera? Por Dios!” I mean, kudos to me for being a good Spanish student and using my Bueno, entonces... vocab! I just wish I would have been able to use the terms for good weather. Sun, clear skies, warm weather...instead of rain, wind, and freezing temperatures. Dees-gus-ting.

On another note, we got to hear David sing again. I was waiting for another tune after his tango bit a few lessons back. So, David was asking Jimena what her signo (astrology sign) was—apparently, it’s the only way to start up a conversation with an Argentine girl—and she told him that she was a Virgo. Well, one thing led to another and we have David singing “Like a Virgin” in Spanish. I don’t know if it will stick like “poorrr unnaa cabeeezzaaa”, but it was equally as entertaining.

Lesson Twelve: Me Frustro Tener Un Ganso Como Vos de Alumno

Today was David’s Saturday repaso or review.

Bad news. David’s mother isn’t leaving Buenos Aires. Apparently, she and David’s father are having a bit of a fight, and they might separate. Very sad for David.

Jimena, however, thinks that it is good that there is some sort of crisis. If they don’t have a crisis after 37 years of marriage, how are they going to clear up any unresolved issues? I think that there is a very different understanding of arguments and crises in Argentina. I can’t tell you how many times I have had my Argentine friends tease me for avoiding an argument. Isn’t this what we are taught to do? Arguing is frowned down upon in our culture, or where I am from at least; I mean, who wants to fight if they don’t need to? After much discussion with my friends here, I realize that we (Yanquis) just take it more seriously—when we argue, we argue. We get offended, we don’t talk to the other person. Here it’s so normal—it shows that people can talk about everything—even the controversial topics. People argue with their friends and then hug it out. Such a different way to look at it.

Anyway, we also learn some Spanish during this lesson too, in case you were wondering. We learn about the object pronouns, the direct and indirect objects, prepositions, and we learn that Simon gets around. David and Jimena play Simón Dice to practice the imperative tense, and after Jimena says, "Simón dice: Cante un tango" we are serenaded by David and his, ahem, beautiful singing voice. "Pooorrr una cabeeezzzaaa"

And then, in true David fashion, he turns into an ass and gets estrellitas negativas.

Lesson Seven: Jorge Chan!

David is frustrated. He comes to class a little depressed today—he really, really wants to tell Jimena about what happened to him last night, but he doesn’t know how to conjugate verbs into the past tense. Jimena reminds him that he has only been learning Spanish for a week now, and that it is a bit early to start on past tense, but that if he puts it into context, people will understand. Yet another reason why Jimena is a great teacher--no one learns Spanish overnight, and if we take on too much at once, we beat ourselves up for making mistakes. Jimena obviously understands this and knows that the best way to learn Spanish is by mastering each level before moving on. Aw shucks, Jimena, you're the best darndest Spanish teacher ever.

Anyway, David tries this context thing. He had a terrible night. He had a date with the Latin woman in Lycra, and they went to dinner together. David asks the waiter for food, but his Spanish is really terrible. Another guy comes up to the table (Jorge) and starts making fun of him. Chan! Then, apparently those two (Lycra and Jorge) have dinner AND go to a hotel, leaving our poor David all alone. Chan!

I think David is kind of a bullshitter, and that probably didn’t happen, but I am stoked that I learned a term that I had never heard before. Chan! When something is surprising, people say Chan! I was telling my dad about Chan! this morning during our walk through Palermo parks, and he hadn’t heard of it either. Chan! I attempted to do the cool sound effect that accompanies Chan! in the lesson, but mine sounded pretty awful. I don’t have a clip of it to share here, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Chan!

The clip I do have is of AWESOME, AWESOME REFLEXIVE VERBS. Mmm negative. At least David is as confused as I am. Check it out—I laugh myself. I wet myself. I become a river.