Whether you're a beginner just starting out or an advanced learner looking to refine your skills, I hope you'll find my videos and resources (with a focus on Latin American (Mexican) Spanish) helpful.

Español Para Ti (Spanish For You!)

In this episode, we talk about the pleasure we get from hearing stories, and I share with you a beautiful tale about the joy that comes from helping others. Listen now, and then read the (shortened) transcript below to check your understanding.

This story takes place in a hospital, many years ago. And there was a room where there were two men, both seriously ill. One of those men was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend of all his time lying flat on his back. He couldn’t see anything, except the ceiling.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke about their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, where they’d been on vacation, and the things they’d learned in their lives. And every afternoon, when the man in the bed next to the window, could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the wonderful things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods when his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and the colour of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every colour of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all of this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.......... 

If you'd like to read the rest of the transcript, send me a message on italki and I will gladly send you a copy. Or better still, book a lesson with me now, so that I can help you on your English learning journey. 

Learn English with Cambridge David

The one about storytelling

Ahora escucha y repite las siguentes palabras.

¿Sabes qué significan?

A1.1. Español básico para principantes. 

Clase 1. Vocabulario básico.

Today we're talking about the word "setback" and a word that people commonly confuse with it, "drawback". I hope you find it a useful discussion.

Don't forget that if you're an international professional who want's to improve the way they use English at work then I help people like you every day, right here on iTalki. Feel free to book some of my time and let's get to work!

DAILY Business English VOCABULARY builder

I hope this doesn't cause you any setbacks!

"口" - kǒu

Meaning (字义)
Primary Meaning: The primary meaning of "口" is "mouth."
For example: 
她张开口唱了一首美妙的歌。 (Tā zhāng kāi kǒu chàng le yī shǒu měi miào de gē.)
 She opened her mouth and sang a beautiful song.

Extended Meanings: It can also refer to anything that resembles a mouth, such as an opening, entrance, or a measure word for people in a household.

Usage (用法)

The character "口" is used in various contexts in the Chinese language, including as a radical in other characters, in compound words, and in idiomatic expressions.

As a Radical:
    "口" is a common radical in Chinese characters, often related to speech or the mouth, such as "吃" (chī, to eat) and "唱" (chàng, to sing).

Measure Word: 
"口" is used as a measure word for counting family members or things with openings.

例如：
一家四口。 (Yì jiā sì kǒu 。) -A family of four.
两口井。 (Liǎng kǒu jǐng .) -Two wells

In Compound Words:

口语 (kǒu yǔ): Spoken language
 For example: 
他学习汉语口语非常努力。 (Tā xuéxí Hànyǔ kǒuyǔ fēicháng nǔlì.)
 He studies spoken Chinese very diligently.

人口 (rén kǒu): Population
For example: 
这个城市的人口超过了一百万。 (Zhège chéngshì de rénkǒu chāoguò le yī bǎi wàn.)
The population of this city exceeds one million.

出口 (chū kǒu): Exit or export
For example:
请从出口离开。 (Qǐng cóng chūkǒu líkāi.)
Please exit through the exit.

Idiomatic Expressions:
心口如一 (xīn kǒu rú yī): (literal: heart and mouth as one) 

Epitomizes honesty and integrity. It describes a person who expresses their true thoughts and feelings without deception, earning the trust and respect of others.

For example:
他是个心口如一的人。 (Tā shì gè xīn kǒu rú yī de rén.)
He is a person who says what he thinks .

口是心非 (kǒu shì xīn fēi):  (literal: mouth is, heart isn't)
it is an idiom used to describe people who are insincere or deceitful, saying one thing while meaning another. 

For example:
她总是口是心非，让人难以信任。(Tā zǒng shì kǒu shì xīn fēi, ràng rén nán yǐ xìnrèn.)
She always says one thing but means another, making it hard to trust her.

每日一字

Vol.52 日本旅行物語 5 Reading Practice Japan Travel Story 5


[前回より]  男は私が渡したペットボトルの水をゆっくり飲み始めた。それから、大きく深呼吸をした。


その男はゆっくりていねいに私に質問した。

男　「日本語上手だね〜、どこ出身ですか？」

私　「イタリア出身です。」

男はとても驚いているようだ。

男　「えっ、イタリア人！？、どこ？」

私　「シシリアです。」

男　「まじで〜！　行ったことあるよ、少し住んでいた。」

男は50才くらいだろう。初対面なので、ていねいな話し方だったが、私がイタリア出身の事と私より彼が年上なので、ていねいな話し方とくだけた話し方を混ぜている。

男　「昔にイタリア料理の勉強で1ヶ月いたんだ。なつかしいなー、、　日本は観光で？」

私　「今回は2回目です。」

男　「そうなんだ〜、いいね〜！」

私は声を出さずに笑顔でうなずいた。

男　*「　ところでさ〜、俺が　み•え•る•の？」


[単語リスト]

シシリア

まじ

出身　しゅっしん

初対面　はつたいめん

観光　かんこう

うなずく

ところで


[文法説明]


ていねいな話し方

くだけた話し方



~ずに　➕　動詞


私は声を出さずに笑顔でうなずいた。

例、

朝ごはんを食べずに学校に行った。

疲れていたので、シャワーを浴びずに寝た。



[From last time] The man began to slowly drink from the plastic bottle of water I had given him. Then he took a deep breath.


The man asked me a question slowly and carefully.

The man said, "Your Japanese is very good.

I said, "I am from Italy.

The man seemed very surprised.

The guy "What, Italian?  Where?

Me - "Sicilia.

Guy - "Seriously!　I've been there, lived there for a while."

The guy must have been about 50 years old. Since we had never met before, he was very polite, but since I was from Italy and he was older than me, he mixed polite and casual speech.

The guy "I spent a month studying Italian cooking a long time ago. I miss it. Are you in Japan as a tourist?

Me "This is my second time."

Guy - "Oh yeah, that's great!"

I nodded with a smile without speaking.

Guy *"By the way, do you see me?


[word list]   [単語リスト]

Sicilia  シシリア

Seriously    まじ


birthplace  出身　しゅっしん

first meeting  初対面　はつたいめん

sightseeing   観光　かんこう

to nod   うなずく

by the way  ところで




SAMURAI BROADCAST　侍放送

Vol.52 読む練習　日本旅行物語 5 Reading Practice Japan Travel Story 5

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w0DsxTUsoJBTAKr2_IeHfwbTPEc9FRCl/view?usp=share_link

Amrutham 

prepositions

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KQuGcptCadgGJt_VfX4DUct5pUV3XIeQ/view?usp=drivesdk