In this article, we explain how to spell "Ciao" and why it is spelled the way it is.
What makes a good online language teacher?
My name is Sean Cook and I am the owner and founder of Ciao Languages. As a business owner, I am accustomed to wearing lots of different hats. I am involved in the details development of learning materials, shaping of learning goals, marketing, budgeting, social media. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera! But, when I stop to reflect...
Italian Course – Laguna Beach
To enroll:Directly with the City of Laguna Beach Ciao Languages is delighted to announce that in collaboration with the Recreation Department of Laguna Beach it is organizing an in-person Italian course. Course information: Dates:April 2 – May 14 Meeting times:Wednesdays 5:30 pm – True beginners course Location:Laguna Beach Community Center + Susi Q Center380 3rd...
Idiomatic Expressions in Spanish
First of all, what is an "idiomatic expression"? An "idiomatic expression" is a phrase in a language that wouldn't make sense if taken literally. We take for granted that the expression "to rain cats and dogs" does not refer to some feline- or canine-based precipitation because we have decided as a group that the expression...
Essential Expressions in Spanish
Survival Spanish You’ve just landed in South America for the first time. You’re thrilled to finally be able to cross Machu Picchu off your bucket list, saunter through the coffee fields of Colombia and visit the salt mines in Bolivia. And the best part of it all? You don’t need Google Translate to guide you...
How do you pronounce “Hola” in Spanish?
How To Pronounce “Hola” - The silent "H" ¡Hola! You might be wondering why I just greeted you without pronouncing the “h”. There’s a simple explanation - we don’t pronounce the “h” in Spanish. Unless it forms a “ch” in which case the pronunciation is the same as English, you’re better off just pretending like...
How do you order in Spanish?
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been to a restaurant in a foreign country and wanted to order everything on the menu. Now raise your hand if you’ve ever been to a restaurant in a foreign country, wanted to order everything on the menu, but were unable to do so because of the language barrier....
¿When do you say “Ser” or “Estar”?
In English we ask ourselves, “To be or not to be?” In Spanish we essentially ask ourselves, “¿Ser o estar?” - Which in English translates as "To be or to be"! So, what gives? The answer to that question largely depends on the context. We use “ser” if we are referring to a permanent state, whereas...
How do you talk about the weather in Spanish?
In this article, we give you some basic information about how to describe the weather in Spanish.
I’m American and I want to live in Italy!
In this article, we give an answer to the question, "How do you live in Italy if you are American?"