How Culture Shapes Spanish: Part 2 - Arabic When the Moors were in Spain from the 8th to the 15th century, they brought the Arabic language along with them. That old influence is still hanging around in Spanish today. It’s like a piece of history that you can hear in the language every day. One noticeable impact is in the Spanish vocabulary. Many everyday Spanish words actually come from Arabic. For instance, “azúcar” (sugar), “aceituna” (olive), and “alhóndiga” (granary) all trace back to Arabic. These words were picked up during the time of Islamic rule and have become a regular part of Spanish. It’s like the language has kept these old gems around even after all these years. The influence doesn’t stop with just vocabulary. Some Spanish place names, especially in southern Spain, have Arabic origins. Cities like “Almería” and “Granada” give a nod to this history. And if you check out Spanish buildings, you can still spot Arabic touches. Take the Alhambra palace, for example—its stunning tiles and designs are like a reminder of the past that’s still hanging around, even though the Moors left ages ago. And get this—some Spanish words have this smooth, almost musical sound to them. That’s because they’ve picked up a bit of the way Arabic words are pronounced. It’s like Spanish has borrowed some of that rhythm and flow. So, when you consider how Arabic has influenced Spanish, it’s more than just picking up some new words. It’s like Spanish got a whole cultural upgrade, mixing in a bit of Arabic flavor that makes it even more interesting. It’s like finding out there’s a whole backstory to words and accents you’ve always known, adding a bit of surprise to your everyday Spanish.