Writing in Spanish is truly not as difficult as you may believe. With a bit of preparation and these tips, you can create stellar written works for school, the workplace, or your day-to-day life.
Identify the register of formality
Before you begin to write, try to identify a suitable register of formality for your piece. Are you composing a letter to a friend or a persuasive essay for an unknown authority figure? The register of formality that you choose will ultimately affect factors like diction, pronoun choice, and sentence structure. If the document is formal, it is often best to opt for the simple future tense ("will") over the periphrastic future tense ("going to"). If you plan to directly address your reader, decide whether 'tu' or 'usted' would be a more appropriate pronoun. Whatever the tone of your piece, be sure to avoid controversial and slang terms. By reflecting on the register of formality in advance, you can limit your later editing.
Limit use of regional language
The Spanish language varies tremendously from one location to another. Certain words even assume different meanings in different countries. In some instances, a term used in one place is replaced by another word elsewhere; in Spain, the word for peach is "melocoton," but the preferred term is "durazno" in Latin America. If you employ highly regional language, your reader may misinterpret your meaning or fail to understand you at all. When you write in Spanish, it is thus best to omit regional expressions that might confuse your reader. Instead, choose neutral language that is likely to reach a broader audience.
Look for synonyms
A great piece of writing has a rich and varied vocabulary, so do your best to avoid repeating the same words over and over. For instance, imagine you are working on an essay about pollution. Perhaps you have used the word "basura" (garbage) several times. To enliven your vocabulary, you could substitute "desperdicio" (waste) in its place. A wide vocabulary is likely to impress your reader, and for students of Spanish, there is no shortage of synonyms within the language. For each term in Spanish, there is generally at least one word with a similar meaning. If you feel that you need an essay help finding synonyms, you can consult a thesaurus. However, you should be aware that this is not always permitted for in-class writing assignments.
Learn connector phrases
Many written works depend heavily on connector phrases to ensure that their ideas flow smoothly and logically. If you are able to employ a handful of Spanish connector phrases, the difference in your writing may be dramatic. Helpful phrases include "ademas" (moreover), "sin embargo" (however), and "por lo tanto" (therefore). Expressions like these can serve to bridge your thoughts or to solidify an argument.
Adhere to punctuation rules
While punctuation is used quite similarly in English and Spanish, there are several important differences to note. For example, in Spanish, questions and exclamations receive both inverted punctuation marks (at the beginning) and upright punctuation marks (at the end). Many Spanish words require written accent marks to indicate pronunciation, verb tense, etc. Certain teachers may deduct points for absent accent marks, so it can be wise to make a point of learning the rules for accents.
Now that you know the keys to writing well in Spanish, pick up your pen and give it a try! After all, practice is one of the best ways to improve in this area.
