We are now in Lockdown! In many countries citizens are asked, or forced to stay at home. Hopefully it will be for a short period until Covid19 disappears from the face of the earth! Meanwhile, let's increase our Spanish vocabulary and keep it rich with new words and expressions. ¿De acuerdo? Agreed? El Cierre … … Continue reading Lockdown: Cierre y Parón.
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El Coronavirus
¿Cómo Se Dice En Español? There is no doubt that this virus is present worldwide. I am sure you are curious to know the Spanish words related to this new scenario. Perhaps you are already able to express yourself in Spanish to explain a health issue. Be that as it may, let us explore the … Continue reading El Coronavirus
En el Mercado
Let’s go to the market. In the market we see many colours, many fruits, and many vegetables. En el mercado vemos muchos colores. En el mercado vemos muchas frutas. En el mercado vemos muchas verduras. en el mercado Let us buy (Vamos a comprar) FRUTAS el plátanola piñala papayala naranjala sandía VERDURAS el tomateel pepinola … Continue reading En el Mercado
El Punto y La Puerta
In the Spanish language nouns can be either masculine or feminine. I remember my schooldays in Spanish class and la maestra emphasizing the el or la, the un or una that precedes a noun. Nouns ending in o are usually masculine el disco; while those that end in a are usually feminine la casa. We … Continue reading El Punto y La Puerta
Cocoa Panyol Carnival
Carnival in the twenty first century is quite different from the way it was in the 1920s and 1940s. In days gone by, there was lot of theatre involved and masqueraders covered themselves. Moreover, dance and song were an essential part of the street festival. In the book The Cocoa Panyols of Trinidad; an Oral … Continue reading Cocoa Panyol Carnival
Origins of Cocoa Panyol
"The term “Cocoa Panyol” is peculiar to Trinidad and Tobago. “Cocoa” (Theobroma cacao) is an agricultural product, while “Panyol”, derived from Español/Espagnol, refers to Spanish language and culture.
The Aguinaldo (pronounced ah-ghee-nahl-doe)
In the book Parang Cancionero, the author explains: "Modern Parang comprises music and song derived mainly from traditional Venezuelan folk music, and contemporary popular Latin American music. The former is often described as “authentic” or “heritage” parang rooted in the musical expressions of Eastern Venezuela. In this work the lyrics of contemporary Latin American song … Continue reading The Aguinaldo (pronounced ah-ghee-nahl-doe)
Pedro Segundo Dolabaille, the Cacao Expert
Pedro Segundo Dolabaille, also known as Papa Goon, is a good example of the conuquero and cocoa expert of yesteryear. He bragged about the intensity of his love for work. ‘I was a devil working. When night catch me in the conuco, I get vex because it come to interfere with my work.’ Papa Goon, … Continue reading Pedro Segundo Dolabaille, the Cacao Expert
Colores y Frutas
We were at the market this morning and saw colourful fruits and vegetables. ¿Te gusta el rojo? ¿Qué color te gusta más? Do you like red? SAY which colour you like best. Let's talk about some fruits and colours to see what they have in common. La Fruta y Los Colores Say which is the … Continue reading Colores y Frutas
Sylvestre Betico Mata, parrandero 1905-1987
Sylvestre Betico Mata was born in Güiria, (pronounced Gweereeah), in the Paria Peninsular of Eastern Venezuela, on January 1st 1905. As a little boy in Güiria, Mata had been a participant in the house-to-house parang. In 1916, at the age of eleven, he migrated to Trinidad as a refugee.1 1 Information received from family members. … Continue reading Sylvestre Betico Mata, parrandero 1905-1987
Español en Trinidad 