Native Spanish Teacher (MA Education) — Relaxed, Friendly Online Lessons, Grab a Cup of Tea and Learn :)

Find out more about Mercedes

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I speak Spanish because I was born in Spain, on the border with Portugal, that's why I also speak Portuguese. I have always enjoyed traveling and learning languages. I moved to England to learn English 5 years ago, and now I want to help others learn Spanish because I understand how hard the language learning journey is :)

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  I fondly remember the poems I used to read as a child by Gloria Fuertes, who sparked my interest in literature and the Spanish language. What I am most passionate about is that she was a brave, self-taught woman, and I admire her a lot.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behavior in the language that you particularly like?

  I could say thousands! Spanish is a living language that has been enriched by contributions from different cultures over time. For example, we have more than 4000 words that come from Arabic, such as 'Ojalá' - 'I wish' - (in sha'a Allah) 'if God wills,' which is one of my favorite expressions in Spanish.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  For me, speaking Spanish is of great importance as it is an integral part of my roots. My entire childhood, my friends from my youth-they are all Spanish, and I hold a special affection for my mother tongue. Being kind and affectionate is not only a part of Spanish culture but also ingrained in my personality. I love spreading this essence worldwide, teaching not only the language but also the culture to others.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  Almost all people learning Spanish who are English speakers tend to complain a lot about Spanish grammar, as verbs are conjugated differently. I usually recommend starting by learning the simple forms of the indicative mood-present, future, conditional, imperfect, and perfect-before moving on to the compound forms. You can't learn everything at once! It's important to always acknowledge our limits and be compassionate with ourselves. And understand that the beginning will be challenging, but gradually, we will make progress.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  As a child, I loved reading a lot. I learned it from my mother, who I copied with much love the habit of always reading before bedtime. I lived in a small town, and the library wasn't very big. I enjoyed reading so much that I ended up reading all the young adult literature books in the library until they ran out! I love to tell this anecdote because I am really proud of my teenage self.

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  When I traveled to Latin America, I learned a lot, especially during my trip to Mexico. I enjoyed learning words that come from Nahuatl, such as 'cuate,' which means twin and is commonly used today to refer to a friend. I loved to learn that 'aguacate' comes from Nahuatl 'ahuacatl,' which means 'testicle.' It is very interesting to learn where words come from.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  What makes me a Superprof in language is how much I enjoy teaching my language and culture. I savor every class and always strive to give my best. I am a very patient and friendly person, which students appreciate. It brings me great joy to see my students progress and when they feel proud of being able to communicate in the language. It's great celebrating their achievements together :)