Learn how to say “both” and other common Spanish words using the award-winning Rosetta Stone app.
Both in Spanish
If you want to say “both” in Spanish, you would simply say “ambos” when referring to a masculine object or “ambas” when referring to feminine ones. You can also use “los dos” or ”los das,” but that varies with context.
Getting down the basics in Spanish is often straightforward for beginners, especially those who speak languages like English, French, or Italian. When languages come from the same family, they often share words that are highly related (cognates) or have clear similarities because they are directly linked to the same mother tongue (root language). That’s why you’ll find English words like “attention” that sound remarkably similar in French (attention), Italian (attenzione), and Spanish (atención). In addition to familiar-sounding vocabulary, you’ll quickly notice Spanish also has a refreshingly clear system of pronunciation, with far fewer irregularities than you’ll find in many other languages. The alphabet, too, is an almost exact match to the English one. Aside from the 26 letters you already know, there are just three more you’ll need to master: ch (chay), ll (elle), and (eñe).
With Rosetta Stone’s immersive approach, you’ll learn the language, not just the words. What makes Rosetta Stone effective is that we prepare you to use your new language in your everyday life. So it’s not just about the features, but what you’re able to do because of them. That way, you’ll be ready to handle any situation with ease and confidence.
Learning & Pronouncing Spanish Words
Many people decide to learn Spanish because they encounter it so often in their everyday life. Spanish is prominent in our culture, whether it be in music, restaurant fare or casual conversation. Other people choose to learn Spanish because they have plans to travel to or to work in one of the 20 countries around the globe where Spanish is the official language. Regardless of whether you want to learn Spanish for leisure travel or business need, you can get off to a great start by familiarizing yourself with some of the most common Spanish words and phrases. Learning Spanish words and phrases is essential, because learning grammar alone won’t help you understand how Spanish is used by the estimated 437 million Spanish speakers around the world.
The key to learning to confidently speak Spanish is to focus on pronunciation rather than simple vocabulary acquisition. So very often, new language learners get caught up in trying to master long lists of phrases or memorise flashcard decks full of words. This approach leads only to an inability to understand or be understood in actual Spanish language conversations. That’s why it’s so important to learn to pronounce and understand commonly used Spanish phrases. Focusing on pronunciation first will go a long way towards helping you gain the comfort and confidence to engage in conversation with locals.
As you may have noticed—Spanish does have a few crucial differences in pronunciation that can make it a bit of a challenge for some learners, at least early on. One example is found with the letter r which is pronounced differently and takes some practise for most new learners. This distinct sound is formed by tapping the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth, about a third of the way back in the mouth. Some Spanish language experts counsel new Spanish learners to practise making the “tt” sound, as it sounds in the English word butter.
Perfecting your pronunciation will depend on getting immediate feedback and then making any needed corrections, and then practising until your mouth can comfortably shape the sounds that make up the Spanish language. Rosetta Stone embeds our patented speech-recognition engine, TruAccent, into every language lesson. TruAccent provides real-time feedback that helps you match your accent to the accent of native Spanish speakers. TruAccent was developed by scanning, studying, and integrating the speech of Spanish speakers. TruAccent can be a highly effective tool in helping you learn to understand and be understood in the Spanish language.
After beginners have learned the basics of Spanish, it’s natural to move on to the longer phrases that are the backbone of Spanish conversations. Rosetta Stone’s brief, 10-minute lessons are built in just this way. They are structured for vocabulary acquisition in context with real-life situations, and lead to an ability to speak Spanish confidently. Remember that in order to broaden your Spanish skills, it helps immensely to concentrate on specific tactics that can accelerate your understanding of the language.
Try Our Award-Winning App
Surround yourself with Spanish (Latin America) whenever, wherever with the Rosetta Stone app.
Download a unit and knock it out on the train or a flight. Select a 5-10 minute lesson and sneak it in while you wait in line or for your ride to show up. And explore dynamic features, like Seek and Speak, where you can point at an object in the real world and get a translation.
The best part? You don’t have to choose between app or desktop. Both come with your subscription and sync, so you can switch between devices seamlessly.