Thursday, March 26, 2009

Think Spanish Free Article

Explore the beaches of the Dominican Republic and the Ruins of Tulum... while learning Spanish! Click here for this month's free Think Spanish article and audio files.

Driving Signs in Spanish

Review the vocabulary below and take the vocabulary quiz on the following post!

ACOTAMIENTO: Soft Shoulders
ALTO: Stop
AREA DE DESCANSO: Rest Area
ASCENSO Y DESCENSO DE PEAJE A 250 m: Toll Booth Barrier Ahead in 250 m
CALLE SIN SALIDA: Dead End
CAMELLON CENTRAL: Center Divider
CAMINO CERRADO: Road Closed
CAMINO SINUOSO: Winding Road
CARRIL IZQUIERDO SOLO PARA REBASAR: Left lane Only for Passing
CASETA DE COBRO: Toll Booth
CEDA EL PASO AL PEATON: Give Way (Yield) to Pedestrians
CICLOPISTA: Bicycle Path
CON LLUVIA DISMINUYA SU VELOCIDAD: In Rain Reduce Your Speed
CON NEBLINA ENCIENDA SUS LUCES: In Fog Turn on Lights
CONCEDA CAMBIO DE CIERRE SU ESCAPE: Close Muffler By-Pass
CONCEDA CAMBIO DE LUCES: Dim Your Lights Approaching Traffic
CONSERVE SU DISTANCIA: Keep Your Distance
CONSERVE SU DERECHA: Keep to Your Right
CRUCE DE ESCOLARES: School Crossing
CRUCE DE PEATONES: Pedestrian Crossing
CUANDO TOME NO MANEJE: When You Drink Don’t Drive
CUIDADO CON EL TREN: Careful Rail Road Crossing
CURVA PELIGROSA: Dangerous Curve
DESPACIO: Slow
DESVIACION A 500 MTS: Detour in 500 Meters
DISMINUYA SU VELOCIDAD: Slow Down
ELIJA SU CARRIL OPORTUNAMENTE: Select Your Lane At Earliest Opportunity
ENTRADA: Entrance
ENTRADA Y SALIDA DE CAMIONES: Trucks Entering and Exiting
ENTRONQUE PROXIMO: Intersection Near
ENTRONQUE PELIGROSO: Dangerous Intersection
ESTA CARRETERA NO ES DE ALTA VELOCIDAD: This is Not a High Speed Road
ESTACIONAMIENTO SOLO PARA EMERGENCIAS: Emergency Parking Only
ESTE CAMINO NO ES DE ALTA VELOCIDAD: Not a High-Speed Road
EVITE ACCIDENTES: Avoid Accidents
EVITE LA INSTALLACION DE TOPES: Avoid the Installation of Speed Bumps
FELIZ VIAJE REBASE CON PRECAUCION: Have a Good Trip Pass with Caution
GRACIAS POR USAR EL CINTURON DE SEGURIDAD: Thanks For Using Your Seatbelt

GRAVA SUELTA:
Loose Gravel
GUARDE SU DISTANCIA: Keep Your Distance
HOMBRES TRABAJANDO: Men at Work
LUCES: Dim Your Lights
MANEJE CON PRECAUCION: Drive with Caution
MAQUINA TRABAJANDO: Heavy Machines at Work
NO CIRCULAR POR EL ACOTAMIENTO: No Driving On the Shoulders
NO DE FRENTE: No Entry
NO DEJE PIEDRAS EL ACOTAMIENTO: No Driving On the Shoulder
NO DOBLE RODADO: No Trucks with Duals
NO ESTACIONARSE EN ACOTAMIENTO: No Parking On Shoulders
NO FRENE CON MOTOR: No Engine Breaks
NO MALTRATE LAS SENALES: Don’t Disregard the Signs
NO REBASE CON RAYA CONTINUA: No Passing on a Continuous Line
NO TIRE BASURA: Don’t Throw Trash
NO TRANSITE POR FRANJAS LATERALES: Do Not Drive on Shoulders
NO UTILIZAR FRENO CON MOTOR: No Engine Breaking
OBEDEZCA LAS SENALES: Obey the Signs
PARADERO: Bus Stop
PEREMENTO DERRAPANTE AL ESTAR HUMEDO: Pavement Slick When Wet
PLAZA DE COBRO: Toll Both
POBLADO PROXIMO: Town Near
POR TU SEGURIDAD REPETE LAS SENALES: For your Safety Respect The Signs
PELIGROSO: Dangerous
PRECUACION CRUCE DE PEATONES: Caution Pedestrian Crossing
PRECAUCION ZONA ESCOLAR: Caution School Zone
PRECAUCION ZONA DE GUANDO: Caution Livestock Zone
PRECAUCION ZONA DE TOLVANERAS: Precaution Wind Zone
PRINCIPIA TRAMO EN REPARACION: Main Highway Under Repair
PRINCIPIA ZONA DE DERRUMBES: Begin Rockslide Area
PRINCIPIA ZONA DE VADOS: Begin Area of Dips
PROHIBIDO ESTACIONARSE: No Parking
PROHIBIDO TIRAR BASURA: Throwing Thrash Prohibited
PUENTE ANGOSTO: Narrow Bridge
REDUCCION A DOS CARRILES: Reduction to Two Lanes
REDUCTOR DE VELOCIDAD: Speed Bumps
RESPETE LIMITE DE VELOCIDAD: Obey the Speed Limit
RETURNO A 2KM CARRIL IZQUIERDO: U-Turn In 2km Left Lane
RUTA DE CAMIONES: Truck Route
SALIDA: Exit
SEAMFORO EN OPERACION: Stop Light In Operation
SE USARA GRUA: Tow-Away Zone
SI TOMA NO MANEJE: Don’t Drink and Drive (If you drink, don't drive)
TERMINA AMPLIACION: End of Shoulders
TERMINA ZONA DE DERRUMBES: End Rockslide Area
TOPES: Speed Bumps
TRAFFICO PESADO: Heavy Traffic Go Right
TRAMO EN REPARACION: Road Repairs
TRANSITO LENTO CARRIL DERECHO: Slow Traffic Keep Right
UN SOLO CARRIL: Single Lane
VADO PELIGROSO: Dangerous Dip
VEHICULOS LIGEROS: Light Vehicles
VEHICULOS PESADO: Heavy Vehicles
ZONA DE FALLAS: Landslide Area
ZONA DE GANADO: Cattle Area

ZONA URBANA: Urban Zone Slow Down

Spanish Driving Signs Quiz

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Think Spanish Recommends!

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Visit www.ejerciciosdeespanol.com and you will permanently have new material for adults and children in three varieties of Spanish!!!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

” March Cool School” – ECELA in Cusco

While researching schools in South America we keep coming back to Peru and it has become quite clear that Cusco is our favorite South American City! And studying Spanish at a school in Cusco is truly an unforgettable experience!

The Spanish School ECELA allows you to learn Spanish while learning all about the Incan Culture; the way the Incan people live and also how they think. While you’re studying at ECELA we highly recommend that you stay with a local family. At first, you might think that living with strangers is “not for you.” But, trust us!! Living with a family is the best way to practice your Spanish and to fully immerse yourself in the culture. The families that work with the ECELA school are trusted and kind. They will go out of their way to make you comfortable and they want your study abroad trip to be an educational and treasured experience. The ECELA school is located in the centre of Cusco 5 minutes from the well-known Plaza de Armas, in an Inca-Spanish house. Imagine talking a walk down the colorful streets with the llamas walking with you! Or take a break from your classes and practice Spanish with children at the main square.

ECELA has comfortable classrooms surrounding a courtyard creating a nice environment to learn and improve your Spanish. All of the ECELA teachers hold a University degree and have years of experience teaching Spanish as a second language. They often implement visual aids such as CDs, music, movies, and documentaries into the learning process.

In addition to the classroom learning, they provide the students with weekly outings to visit well-known places such as Incan temples and historical museums. They also have adventurous activities such as horseback riding, rafting and quads tours.

If interested, ECELA can offer academic credit to students. For those of you not interested in receiving Academic credit the Spanish + Volunteer program might be the best choice. With either program, you will leave Peru speaking better Spanish; and you will return home with a new found respect and admiration for this beautiful country, Perú.


Read what Barbara, had to say about her study abroad trip with ECELA:
“In ECELA Cusco I learned more spanish there than anywhere else. I absolutely loved my time there. Cusco is a perfect sized city which is very touristic, but still retains a lot of it's cultural herritage and charm. Both the student house and the school were in a great area and very close to Plaza de Armas. The staff in Cusco was so friendly and helpful!!. Everyday there was something fun planned, from horseback riding in the nearby ruins, to shopping at the local markets. At night I felt comfortable going out with the group, and the places we went to were very nice. I also went to Machu Picchu, and even though I didn't go with the school, they were so very helpful in helping me plan my trip. I highly recommend doing the entire Inca Trail as there are many impressive ruins along the way. But ending at Machu Picchu was the best. My only regret is that I wish I could've had more time there!" - Barbara Mislan, US.

Read what other students have to say about ECELA!