Ser or Estar … Dying to Know the Answer? (A1-C1)

When students first learn that there are two very different forms of 'to be' in Spanish they are often confused and perhaps even a little annoyed! "But why!?" is a very common reaction! Yet grasping the difference between 'ser' and 'estar' is often a watershed moment in the Spanish acquisition journey!

Podcasts, in Spanish!

Podcasts can be seriously entertaining, funny, informative - and a wonderful resource for practising your Spanish!

Check out El Patio's Spanish podcast recommendations. There's something for every level!

Which Course or Workshop for my Level in the Summer Intensives?

¡Yupi! 2022 is the year of learning Spanish! (well, every year is ... but this year is THE year). And the Summer Intensives are an excellent way to get things started. If you're wondering whether to take a Conversation Course or are thinking about completing the next level up in two weeks, here's where to find out which options are right for you.

Receta de pimientos del piquillo rellenos de bacalao (B1-B2)

Esta receta es muy típica del norte de España, especialmente de Euskadi (País Vasco). Los pimientos del piquillo son una variedad de pimiento que se produce en La Rioja y Navarra. Aunque esta receta puede parecer complicada, es de fácil elaboración.

Hernán

En el trimestre 4 (Term 4, 2020) El Patio ofrece un curso de conversación de nivel intermedio alto/ avanzado/superior (B1/B2/C1), en torno a la nueva serie "Hernán" que actualmente se emite en el canal de televisión SBS. La coproducción hispano-mexicana corresponde al periodo histórico que va desde la llegada de Hernán Cortés a la costa mexicana hasta la caída de la ciudad de Tenochtitlan, la actual Ciudad de México. Lee más ...

El caballo en América

How did horses get to the Americas? When did they arrive, and from where? With this blog, we open an exciting, new category entitled 'Things you didn't learn in history books'. This opens up a range of possibilities, so El Patio would like to invite both teachers and students to contribute. Read the blog and then find out how to participate - there will be cash rewards!

5 películas de Almodóvar para conversar

¿Te gusta el cine de Pedro Almodóvar? Ahora tienes la oportunidad de aprender más sobre sus películas mientras practicas la conversación. Cinco semanas, una hora a la semana para profundizar y disfrutar del cine de este maestro.

El tesoro (B2-C1)

The Treasure recounts the story - mixing fiction and reality - of the discovery in the late 19th century of the most important legacy of Visigothic Hispania*. Due to the complexity of the case and its ramifications over time, we are giving an outline of some historical facts in the hope of provoking curiosity about a story as unheard of as it is true.
*Hispania is the name given by the Romans to what is now Spain.
*The Visigoths were a Germanic people who occupied Hispania between 507 and 711, the year of the Muslim invasion.

El Patio Photography Competition 2020

Calling out to all Instagram fanatics, travel photography whizz-kids and landscape framing afficionados - here's your chance to get more than just 'likes' on Instagram for your efforts! Enter into our photography competition and we will display your beautiful piece for an entire month in both of our centres AND you could win a whole 15 hour course!

To make it both more fun and fair - the winner will be selected by popular vote: a people's choice award!

Read how to enter here! (It's super easy)

Mujer sin nombre (B1-B2)

España, principios de la década de los sesenta (Presente, Imperfecto e Indefinido).

"Mujer sin nombre" es una historia sobre el desarrollo turístico en la costa del levante español y las consecuencias que tuvo en su población y paisaje. A la par, se nos presenta una mujer cualquiera que se queda sin su medio de subsistencia, sin que se le ofrezca ninguna otra alternativa que la de ir a servir a la ciudad. Esta historia, aunque inventada, podría ser la vida de muchas mujeres que tuvieron que abandonar sus pueblos para ir a trabajar de sirvientas a las grandes urbes.

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