essay assignment in spanish

Basic Guidelines For Writing Essays in Spanish

Students tend to focus on speaking practice while learning Spanish, so they often neglect writing. However, most educators emphasize its importance for mastering the language. They say it’s impossible to become fluent in a particular language if one doesn’t train writing skills. 

Therefore, teachers give a lot of essay assignments to students. This type of homework is a great way to inspire them to think and communicate in Spanish effectively. It may be quite difficult to complete such a task. However, it’s one of the most effective ways to learn Spanish or any other language.

You may be tempted to go online and find the best essay writing service to have your essay written for you. This may be helpful when you’re pressed for time, but in the long run, you’re missing an opportunity to improve your own essay writing skills. That’s why we are going to provide you with some recommendations on how to ease the writing process.

Some tips on writing in Spanish 

• Be careful with word spelling. Remember that teachers pay special attention to spelling so it can either make or break your student image. Having good spelling makes a positive impression of your writing skills and boosts your grades. 
• Make your essay coherent with the help of connectors. Use them to explain the relationship between the ideas so your essay doesn’t look like just a list of thoughts and facts. 
• Pay attention to syntax or the word order. As you need to stick to the academic style, try to keep the traditional order such as “subject + verb + objects”. This will also help you express your opinion in a simpler way, so it’s more clear to the reader.
• Avoid word repetitions by using synonyms. Frequent repetitions make your text boring and heavy. If you use the same words again and again, your essay will look dull. Hence, try to find synonyms in Spanish thesaurus and replace the most commonly used expressions with them. 
• Before you create a final version of your essay, let someone read it and give feedback. It’s hard to be objective about your writing, so ask another person to tell you which ideas are less clear if your text contains any confusing phrases, and what are the positive aspects that can be reinforced. 
• Do not write the essay in your native language first to translate it into Spanish then. This approach is not viable for mastering a foreign language. The only thing that you are doing by translating the text literally is practicing the grammatical structures that you have learned. This doesn’t help you learn new idioms and collocations that don’t follow the general grammatical rules. 

Now that you know how to make your writing better, let’s consider a step-by-step guide to essay writing in Spanish. 

Pick an interesting topic 

If possible, choose a topic you are truly excited about. Unless the specific title was given to you by instructors, find a theme you want to research and write about. True interest is what will drive you towards creating an excellent piece. If you enjoy reading about the subject you are going to analyze in your essay, then you will definitely succeed in writing. Remember that decent work can be done only if you are passionate about it. 

Brainstorm the ideas 

When it comes to any project, brainstorming is an integral stage of the creation process. This is one of the most efficient ways to gain insights and generate new ideas. You can use this technique to think of the main supporting arguments, an approach for a catchy introduction, and paragraph organization. You can also try freewriting and/or make a brief outline to ease the writing process itself. 

Create an introduction 

Probably the main rule about creating an introduction that you have to stick to is adding a clear thesis statement there. It must be included in the first paragraph to give your essay a certain direction and help the readers focus their attention on the topic. Also, your introduction must be catchy and intriguing to evoke the desire to read the essay further and learn more. 

Organize an essay body 

It’s essential to make the body paragraphs organized logically. You need to make sure that each of them is closely related to the main topic and discusses one major point. Each body paragraph must consist of a topic sentence and supporting arguments with evidence. It’s very important to write sentences in a logical sequence so they follow each other orderly. Also, since paragraphs shouldn’t overlap in content, add smooth transitions from one to the other. 

Sum up the content 

The vital requirement to the conclusion is that it must logically relate to the original thesis statement. Generally, it’s not acceptable to introduce new ideas in the conclusion. Instead, you need to sum up the main points mentioned in the essay’s body. It’s also forbidden to add any off-topic ideas to the last paragraph of your paper.

Check content relevance and cohesion 

Once you complete the conclusion, read through the essay for relevance and cohesion. Make sure that the whole piece is on the topic and in the mode required. In particular, check if body paragraphs support the thesis statement and whether the conclusion relates to it. After that, read your paper once again to see whether the parts connect together well. Think if there are logical links between ideas and if you need more transitions. 

Read for clarity and style

Scan your essay to find out whether some sections may be unclear to the reader. Analyze the text to find out if it sounds academic and polished. Check if there are any vague pronouns, excessive wording, or awkward phrases. Don’t forget to make sure that all points are listed in similar grammatical forms.

The last stage of your writing process is final proofreading. Read your paper the last time looking at grammar, spelling, punctuation, verb tense, word forms, and pronoun agreement. Correct all the mistakes to make your work excellent. 

Remember that the most important thing about learning a foreign language is a regular practice. Therefore, you should use any opportunity provided by instructors to polish your skills. Hopefully, the recommendations given above will help you write an excellent essay and master the Spanish language!

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52 Spanish Writing Prompts to Level Up Your Language Skills

Here’s a method that’s quite effective for helping you build confidence in your Spanish , no matter your level.

You only need two items: pencil and paper.

That’s right, we’re going to get you that much-needed writing practice !

With Spanish writing prompts, you can strengthen your grasp on Spanish verb conjugations , grammatical structures , vocabulary and more.

Ready your writing materials, buckle up and let’s get started.

Spanish Writing Prompts for Beginners

1. daily routine (with a twist), 2. dream vacation, 3. mysterious object, 4. unlikely friends, 5. family portrait, 6. time capsule, 7. unexpected gift, 8. language exchange, 9. lost in the city, 10. the weather today, 11. my favorite season, 12. a visit to the zoo, 13. at the restaurant, 14. a day without technology, 15. a mysterious letter, 16. a visit to the doctor, 17. my favorite book or movie, 18. an unexpected friendship, 19. my ideal home, 20. the magical object, spanish writing prompts for intermediate learners, 21. postcard from paradise, 22. dear diary, 24. never have i ever, 25. lost in translation, 26. haunted house, 27. future professions, 28. unexpected encounter, 29. secret diary, 30. culinary adventure, 31. the mysterious package, 32. childhood memories, 33. social media: yay or nay, 34. the art of persuasion, 35. the time-traveling journal, spanish writing prompts for advanced learners, 36. ideal friend, 37. alternate timeline, 38. eco-friendly habits, 39. artistic inspiration, 40. tangled tales, 41. culinary fusion, 42. lost and found in translation, 43. untranslatable beauty, 44. cultural dilemma, 45. the mind’s canvas, 46. echoes of history, 47. nature’s poetry, 48. evolving traditions, 49. the four-day workweek, 50. cultural collage, 51. ephemeral moments, 52. language odyssey, tips to practice spanish by writing for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners, intermediate.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Focus on: Present simple tense

You’ve probably had to write about your daily routine at some point in Spanish class. This prompt is great because it forces you to practice present simple verbs, which are used to talk about repeated or habitual actions. But writing about your morning coffee and shower routine can get a little dry.

So, for this writing prompt, try to write about a daily routine from someone else’s point of view. Pretend you’re someone else—a celebrity, a farm animal, a person from the future, an alien—and write about “your” daily routine. Not only is this a fun exercise in creativity, it also allows you to incorporate new vocabulary.

Sample: Soy un gato. Cada mañana cazo ratones en el jardín. Luego los llevo a la mesa y se los doy a mi dueño humano. (I’m a cat. Every morning, I hunt mice in the garden. Then, I bring them to the table and give them to my human owner.)  

Keep practicing: Instead of writing from a first-person point of view, write as though you’re reporting on someone’s daily routine. This will allow you to practice third-person verb conjugations. Since in Spanish, first- and third-person conjugations are often quite different in the present simple, it’s worth your time to practice them both.

Focus on: Future tense

You’ve been working hard on your Spanish studies , so you’ve definitely earned that dream vacation—and this fun writing prompt!

Picture this: you’ve been given the golden opportunity to take a dream vacation anywhere in the world. Now, think about where you would go, what you would do and how you would feel during this incredible trip. Since this one takes place in the future, it’ll flex your mastery of the Spanish future tenses.

Sample: En las vacaciones de mi sueños, voy a viajar a las playas hermosas de Bora Bora. Pasaré mis días buceando en aguas cristalinas y relajándome en la arena blanca. (On my dream vacation, I will travel to the beautiful beaches of Bora Bora. I will spend my days diving in crystal-clear waters and relaxing on the white sand.)

Keep practicing: Instead of writing about your own dream vacation, write about the dream vacation of someone you know very well, like a friend or family member. This will give you practice in conjugating verbs in the future tense for third-person subjects.

Focus on: Descriptive adjectives

Imagine you discover a mysterious object in your backyard. (It doesn’t have to be a UFO—it can literally be anything!) Write a description of this object using as many adjectives in Spanish as you can. Make your description as vivid and intriguing as you can.

Sample: Encontré un objeto redondo y brillante enterrado en la tierra húmeda. Era pequeño pero pesado, y tenía un brillo metálico. Su superficie estaba llena de detalles grabados y parecía antiguo y misterioso. (I found a round, shiny object buried in the damp earth. It was small but heavy, and had a metallic sheen. Its surface was full of engraved details and looked ancient and mysterious.)

Keep practicing: Instead of describing an object you found, describe an object that your favorite book or movie character found.

Focus on: Comparatives and superlatives

From simple adjectives, let’s take it up a notch. Write a short story or paragraph about two characters who are very different from each other, but still become close friends. Use comparatives and superlatives to describe their personalities, interests and unique qualities.

Sample: María era la más callada de la clase: siempre estaba más interesada en los libros que en conversaciones ruidosas. Por otro lado, Juan era el más extrovertido, siempre listo para contar chistes y hacer reír a todos. A pesar de sus diferencias, María y Juan se hicieron mejores amigos. (Maria was the quietest in the class: she was always more interested in books than in noisy conversations. Juan, on the other hand, was the most outgoing, always ready to tell jokes and make everyone laugh. Despite their differences, Maria and Juan became best friends.)

Keep practicing: Add a third character into the mix. Compare and contrast this third character with both of your existing characters.

Focus on: Possessive pronouns

I’m sure you’ve seen the “describe your family” prompt at some point. This one turns that prompt a bit on its head.

Imagine you’re describing a family portrait to a friend. Write a paragraph talking about each family member’s appearance and personality, using possessive pronouns to show their relationships.

Sample: En la foto de mi familia, mi hermana lleva su vestido favorito y sostiene a su gato en los brazos. Mi padre está junto a su bicicleta, sonriendo. Mi madre está recogiendo verduras de nuestro huerto y se ve orgullosa. Mis perros están a mi lado, jugando con su pelota favorita. (In my family photo, my sister is wearing her favorite dress and holding her cat in her arms. My father is standing next to his bicycle, smiling. My mother is picking vegetables from our garden and she looks proud. My dogs are next to me, playing with their favorite ball.)

Keep practicing: Write about the family portrait of a fictional family, including extended family members like cousins, aunts and uncles. Not only will this help you practice using possessive pronouns with a variety of nouns, but you’ll also brush up on your family vocabulary .

Focus on: Reflexive verbs

Reflexive verbs refer to action words that the subject of a sentence does to itself. It’s a pretty simple concept, but that doesn’t mean the corresponding writing prompt has to be boring!

For this one, pretend you’re making a time capsule that you’ll bury soon and open years later. In that time capsule, you’re going to include a letter to your future self describing your current interests, hobbies and daily routine. When writing the letter, make sure you practice using reflexive verbs.

Sample: Querido yo del futuro: en este momento, me levanto temprano cada día y me preparo un desayuno saludable. Luego me relajo leyendo un libro o meditando. Me dedico tiempo a mí mismo para crecer y aprender. Espero que sigas manteniendo estas prácticas positivas. (Dear future me: right now, I wake up early every day and make myself a healthy breakfast. Then, I relax by reading a book or meditating. I take time for myself to grow and learn. I hope you will continue to maintain these positive practices.)

Keep practicing: Write a letter to a friend describing their current interests and routines using reflexive verbs. This will give you practice using reflexive verbs in the third person — specifically, the pronoun se .

Focus on: Direct and indirect object pronouns

As you know, there are a ton of pronouns in Spanish . For this exercise, we’re going to focus on direct and indirect object pronouns.

The direct object is the one that receives the action from the subject (e.g., “Juan gave the ball,” where the ball is the direct object). Meanwhile, the indirect object is the thing or object receiving the direct object (e.g., “Juan gave the ball to Maria,” where Maria is the indirect object).

You can practice these tricky pronouns with this prompt. Here, you have to write a story about a character who receives an unexpected gift from a mysterious sender. Use direct and indirect object pronouns to describe the gift, the recipient and the actions involved.

Sample: Juan recibió un paquete en la puerta de su casa. Al abrirlo, encontró un reloj elegante. No sabía quién se lo había enviado, pero le agradeció al misterioso remitente en una tarjeta que decía: “Para ti, con cariño”. (Juan received a package at his front door. When he opened it, he found an elegant watch. He didn’t know who had sent it to him, but he thanked the mysterious sender on a card that read, “To you, with love.”)

Keep practicing: Using the character above, imagine that they sent their unexpected gift to a friend or other third-party.

Focus on: Using different tenses

Now this will be probably be a relatable prompt for you personally. For this one, you’ll write a dialogue between two language exchange partners discussing their language learning experiences. Use a variety of tenses (present, past and future) to describe their progress and goals.

Sample: María: He estado estudiando inglés durante dos años. Quiero visitar Nueva York algún día y poder comunicarme sin problemas. (Maria: I have been studying English for two years. I want to visit New York someday and be able to communicate without any problems.)

John: Yo aprendí francés en la escuela, pero lo dejé. Si pudiera, lo retomaría y viajaría a París. Tú aún puedes lograr tu meta. (John: I learned French in school, but I stopped. If I could, I would take it up again and travel to Paris. You can still achieve your goal.)

Keep practicing: Write a dialogue where one character talks about their language learning journey, and the other character offers advice and encouragement using different tenses.

Focus on: Giving directions

You’ve probably had plenty of practice asking for directions as a tourist in a Spanish-speaking country . Imagine being on the other side of the conversation for a change!

This time, pretend you’re a tour guide in a foreign city. Write a conversation between a lost tourist and yourself, giving them step-by-step directions to a popular landmark or attraction in the city.

Sample: Turista: ¡Disculpe! Estoy perdido y quiero llegar a la catedral.  (Tourist: Excuse me! I’m lost and I want to get to the cathedral.)

Tú: Claro, no te preocupes. Gira a la derecha en la esquina y sigue recto dos cuadras. Luego cruza la plaza y verás la catedral a tu izquierda. Será imposible que no la veas. (You: Sure, don’t worry. Turn right at the corner and go straight for two blocks. Then cross the square and you’ll see the cathedral on your left. It will be impossible for you to miss it.)

Keep practicing: Imagine the tourist you’re talking to has no sense of direction whatsoever—i.e., if you tell them to “go left,” they will just look at you quizzically as if they don’t know what “left” means. In other words, come up with the most creative ways to give directions to someone who’s directionally-challenged!

Focus on: Weather expressions

How’s the weather right now for you? Whether it’s good or bad, now’s the time to write about it—in Spanish!

For this exercise, you need to describe the current weather in your area, including temperature and conditions.

Sample:   Hoy está soleado y cálido. La temperatura es de 25 grados Celsius o 77 grados Fahrenheit. (It is sunny and warm today. The temperature is 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Keep practicing: Listen to the weather forecast for the next week, and write a summary about it. Imagine you’re giving that summary to a friend.

Focus on: Seasons and related activities

Going off of the weather theme, let’s jump into seasons. This time, talk about your favorite season and the activities you enjoy during that time.

Sample: Mi estación favorita es el otoño. Me encanta recoger hojas y tomar chocolate caliente. (My favorite season is autumn. I love collecting leaves and drinking hot chocolate.)

Keep practicing: Write about a season you don’t particularly like and explain why.

Focus on: Animal vocabulary

If you like to marathon animal documentaries on YouTube, now’s your chance to put your knowledge of common animals to good use in your Spanish studies.

For this one, imagine visiting a zoo. (Even better, write about your last visit to the zoo.) Mention the animals you saw (or imagined you saw) and what they were doing.

Sample: Vi elefantes jugando en el agua y leones descansando bajo el sol. (I saw elephants playing in the water and lions resting in the sun.)

Keep practicing: If you want to move beyond statements like “The tiger has stripes,” you can try describing a zoo visit from the perspective of one of the animals.

Focus on: Ordering food

I’m sure you have at least one favorite restaurant. It doesn’t have to be a Spanish restaurant—the great thing about studying languages is learning about their specific words for specific food or ingredients .

For this exercise, write about your experience at a restaurant, including what you ordered and how the food tasted.

Sample: Pedí una hamburguesa con papas fritas y estuvo deliciosa. (I ordered a burger and fries and it was delicious.)

Keep practicing: Write a dialogue between a waiter and a customer in a restaurant.

Focus on: Daily routines without technology

Can you imagine a world without smartphones and desktop computers?

If that sounds like a lot to wrap your head around, imagine just one day of it. In Spanish, describe a day where you can’t use any technology (phones, computers, etc.), and explain how you spent your time.

Sample: Pasé el día leyendo libros, dibujando y paseando por el parque. (I spent the day reading books, drawing and walking in the park.)

Keep practicing: Now that you’ve managed to imagine a world without modern conveniences, you probably appreciate just how useful your devices are. This time around, write about these wonderful pieces of technology and what role they play in your daily life.

Focus on: Writing a short message

This one may seem like a simple, straightforward exercise, but it’s really not. This one allows you to practice being concise in Spanish—that is, conveying as much as you can in as few words as you can.

Here, you’ll write a short letter to a friend inviting them to a mysterious event, providing clues but not revealing the details of it.

Sample: Hola, amigo; te invito a un evento especial que se realizará este viernes. ¡Espero que puedas venir! (Hello friend, I invite you to a special event taking place this Friday. I hope you can make it!)

Keep practicing: Imagine that your friend gave you a response asking for more information about the event, and write what you think your friend would have said.

Focus on: Expressing symptoms and health issues

Do you remember the last time you paid a visit to the doctor’s office? You can write about that experience, describing your symptoms and what the doctor told you. You can also write about an imagined visit and what that would’ve been like.

Sample: Fui al médico porque tenía fiebre y dolor de garganta. Me recetó medicina y me dijo que descansara. (I went to the doctor because I had a fever and a sore throat. He prescribed medicine and told me to rest.)

Keep practicing: Instead of describing the visit to a third party (like a family member or friend), write a dialogue between a patient and doctor using all of the medical vocabulary you know.

Focus on: Expressing opinions

If you’re the sort who has an opinion on everything, I’ll bet you’ll enjoy this one! For this exercise, write about your favorite book or movie, explaining why you like it and what makes it special. The book or movie doesn’t have to be originally in Spanish—the important thing is that you can express your honest thoughts about that piece of media in Spanish.

Sample: Mi libro favorito es ‘Harry Potter’ porque tiene magia y aventuras emocionantes. (My favorite book is ‘Harry Potter’ because it has magic and exciting adventures.)

Keep practicing: Now that you’ve written about books and movies you like, write about those you don’t like.

Focus on: Describing relationships

You could say this is an offshoot of our earlier exercise “Unlikely Friends,” in that you have to write about an unexpected friendship between two very different people. The difference is that you’re going to go beyond just comparatives and superlatives, and describe the relationship as a whole. Talk about how you and your friend met and what activities you enjoy together, for example.

Sample: Conocí a Pablo en un taller de arte y ahora pintamos juntos todos los fines de semana. (I met Pablo in an art workshop and now we paint together every weekend.)

Keep practicing: Write about a friendship that starts off on the wrong foot but eventually becomes strong. It can be from your own experience, from someone else’s or entirely made-up.

Focus on: Describing living spaces

I’m sure we all have a certain kind of house we’d like to live in—and this exercise is your chance to talk about your ideal home . Describe details like the location, size, rooms and special features you’d like your dream home to have.

Sample: Mi casa ideal estaría cerca de la playa, tendría un jardín grande y una cocina moderna. (My ideal house would be close to the beach, have a large garden and a modern kitchen.)

Keep practicing: After describing your ideal home, try to write about a less-than-ideal home for you.

Focus on: Creative writing and imaginary scenarios

For our last beginner-friendly Spanish writing prompt, let’s give you a bit more free rein. Don’t worry about the particular grammatical concept you need to master—just express yourself in Spanish as best you can.

Imagine you find a magical object that can grant you just one wish. Describe the object, your wish and what happens next.

Sample: Encontré una lámpara mágica y pedí viajar al pasado para conocer a mis abuelos. (I found a magic lamp and asked to travel back in time to meet my grandparents.)

Keep practicing: Write a different story where finding the magical object has unexpected consequences. For example, for every wish you ask from the magic lamp, the wish-granting genie has to stay inside it for another 100 years. (If that sounds a bit too tragic, feel free to make it a bit more lighthearted and fun!)

Focus on:  Present continuous

For this writing prompt, write a postcard to a friend or family member as though you’re on vacation. Describe what’s going on around you and what you’re doing as you write.

This particular prompt is great for practicing the present continuous tense, which is used to talk about actions happening in the moment of speaking.

Sample: Estoy tomando un café al lado del mar. Hay mucha gente en la playa. Algunas personas están caminando en la orilla y otras se están bañando. ¡Lo estoy pasando muy bien! (I’m drinking a coffee next to the sea. There are a lot of people on the beach. Some people are walking on the shore, and others are swimming. I’m having a great time!)

Keep practicing: Find a classmate or a writing partner. Each of you should choose a vacation location and write a postcard to the other, without mentioning what place you’re writing about. Instead, try to convey it through your description of what’s happening around you. Then, switch postcards and try to guess where the other person wrote about.

Focus on: Preterite and imperfect tenses

Reflecting on events in your life in a diary format is a great way to practice preterite and imperfect verbs. There are many ways to do this.

You could simply write about what has happened to you that day, write about a day in the past (a fun vacation day, for example) or invent a diary entry from someone else’s perspective—whatever stokes your creativity!

Sample: Hoy fui con mi madre al parque. Empezó a llover y nos fuimos a casa. Cuando llegamos, ya eran las ocho, así que puse la mesa mientras ella hacía la cena. (Today I went with my mother to the park. It started to rain and we went home. By the time we arrived, it was eight o’clock, so I laid the table while she made dinner.)

Keep practicing: Why not turn this writing prompt into a nightly routine? Keeping a journal can be a great way to get in your daily Spanish writing practice. Plus, it’s a great way to keep track of your progress over time.

Focus on: Commands

Choose a task that you know how to do well, and write a step-by-step explanation of it as though you were guiding a friend through the process.

This prompt is a great way to practice the Spanish commands. Plus, depending on what your specific hobby or area of expertise is, this could be a great way to learn new, specific vocabulary relevant to your interests.  

Sample: Para empezar, pon aceite en una sartén y pica dos dientes de ajo. (To begin, put oil in a pan and chop two cloves of garlic.)

Keep practicing : In Spanish, the way to give a command changes based on who you’re talking to. You say a command differently depending on if you’re talking to one person or multiple people. The form also changes based on whether you’re in a formal or informal situation.

So now, re-write your step-by-step instructions, but this time pretend you’re giving those directions to your boss (use the usted form), a group of friends (use the vosostros form ) or the Spanish royal family (use the ustedes form).

Focus on: Present perfect

Have you ever played the party game “Never Have I Ever”? The point of the game is to reveal things you’ve never done, in order to get others to reveal that they have done them. In Spanish, the game is called Yo nunca (I never). It’s great for getting to know people—and, incidentally, it’s also great for practicing the present perfect tense.

For this writing prompt, write sentences about things you’ve never done, starting with the phrase Yo nunca (I’ve never) followed by a present perfect verb.

Sample: Yo nunca he viajado a China. (I’ve never traveled to China.)

Keep practicing: Convert your phrases into questions as though you were asking a friend if they have ever done the action in question. You can start your questions with the phrase “Alguna vez has…” (Have you ever…)

Focus on: Idiomatic expressions

Like all languages, Spanish has its fair share of idioms—phrases that mean something much different from their literal translations. There’s usually a historical or cultural basis for how the idiom came to be and why it means the way it does, but that’s for another discussion altogether.

This time, think of a common idiom or expression in your native language. Write a short story that incorporates this expression, but translate it directly into Spanish. Try to make the translated idiom fit naturally within the story.

Sample: Mi amiga estaba nerviosa antes de su audición, así que le dije que se rompiera una pierna. Ella me miró confundida y preguntó si en verdad quería que se lastimara. Tuve que explicarle que en inglés, “romperse una pierna” es un deseo de buena suerte. (My friend was nervous before her audition, so I told her to break a leg. She looked at me confused and asked if I really wanted her to hurt herself. I had to explain to her that in English, “break a leg” is a good luck wish.)

Keep practicing: Instead of translating an idiom from English, think of a common Spanish idiom and write a short story that includes it. This will help you practice incorporating Spanish idiomatic expressions in context.

Focus on: Conditional tense

The conditional tense allows you to express ideas about hypothetical situations—things that never happened, things that you’d like to happen, etc. That sounds very dry and academic, so let’s pair it with a fun writing prompt!

Imagine you’ve just inherited an old house from a distant relative. Write a letter to your best friend describing your thoughts and plans for the house.

Sample: Si restaurara esta casa antigua, tendría que reparar los techos y renovar las ventanas. También instalaría un jardín hermoso en el patio trasero. Si decidiera venderla, podría sacar una buena ganancia; pero si optara por vivir aquí, tendría un lugar único y lleno de historias. (If I were to restore this old house, I would have to repair the roofs and renovate the windows. I would also install a beautiful garden in the backyard. If I decided to sell it, I could make a nice profit. But if I chose to live here, I would have a unique place full of stories.)

Keep practicing: Instead of inheriting a house, imagine you won a large sum of money. Describe how you would use it using the conditional tense. You can talk about traveling the world, giving it away to charity—whatever you’d like to do with a huge sum of money.

Focus on: Future tense with probability

When I say “future tense with probability,” I mean emphasizing future actions with how likely they are to happen. You can say the Spanish equivalent of “I think I will be …” or “I will probably be …”

For this prompt, imagine that you’re attending a career fair at your school. Imagine a dialogue between yourself and a classmate about your future professions and write about it. Use the future tense with probability to discuss your aspirations and potential careers.

Sample: Tú: En el futuro, creo que seré médico. Me encanta ayudar a los demás y tengo buenas notas en las ciencias. (You: In the future, I think I will be a doctor. I love helping others and I have good grades in the sciences.)

Amigo: Yo probablemente seré ingeniero. Siempre me ha gustado resolver problemas y construir cosas. (Friend: I will probably be an engineer. I’ve always liked solving problems and building things.)

Keep practicing: Instead of writing about you and your friends’ future, write a dialogue discussing what your parents’ occupations were when they were your age. Again, practice using the future tense with probability.

Focus on: Past progressive tense

The past progressive tense is also known as the past continous tense, and for good reason: it talks about actions that happened continously at some point in the past. It’s pretty easy to construct: get the imperfect tense of estar (to be), conjugate it according to the pronoun it’s paired with and combine it with the gerundio form of the verb.

Now, you’re going to write a short story about your unexpected encounter (imagined or otherwise) with a famous person or a character from a book. Use the past continuous tense to describe what was happening when the encounter took place.

Sample: Estaba caminando por el parque cuando vi a mi actor favorito sentado en un banco, hablando por teléfono. Me emocioné tanto que me tropecé con la raíz de un árbol y caí al suelo. Él me miró con una sonrisa y me ayudó a levantarme. (I was walking through the park when I saw my favorite actor sitting on a bench, talking on the phone. I got so excited that I tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground. He looked at me with a smile and helped me up.)

Keep practicing: This time, write about two characters who unexpectedly run into each other while doing different activities. Use the past continuous tense to create a sense of simultaneous action.

Focus on: Indirect speech (reported speech)

When you’re talking about what another person said (as opposed to quoting them word-for-word), you are using indirect or reported speech. For example, “John says he likes cats” is indirect speech, while “John said: ‘I like cats.'” is direct speech.

For this exercise, imagine you found an old diary with someone’s secrets written in it. Write a story about the person who wrote the diary, using indirect speech to report what they wrote and their feelings.

Sample: Según relataba en sus escritos, Elena confesaba haber estado enamorada en secreto de su mejor amigo de la infancia, Alejandro. Ella escribía que su corazón latía con fuerza cada vez que él entraba a la habitación, y que se sonrojaba cuando él le dirigía la palabra. Aunque nunca se atrevió a confesarle sus sentimientos, las páginas del diario se convirtieron en el refugio de sus emociones más íntimas. (According to her entries, Elena confessed to having been secretly in love with her childhood best friend, Alejandro. She wrote that her heart would race every time he entered the room and that she would blush when he spoke to her. Although she never dared to confess her feelings to him, the diary’s pages became the refuge for her most intimate emotions.)

Keep practicing: Write a story about a conversation between two characters where one character reports what the other character said, using indirect speech to convey the dialogue.

Focus on: Past simple vs. Present perfect

If you often mix up the past simple and past perfect, this is a good exercise to help you set things straight. Also, it’s literally an exercise you can sink your teeth into!

This time, describe a memorable meal you’ve had recently. Explain what you ate, where you were and how it tasted.

Sample: Anoche cené en un restaurante japonés. Pedí sushi y sashimi fresco. No he probado nada tan delicios o desde entonces. (Last night, I had dinner at a Japanese restaurant. I ordered sushi and fresh sashimi. I haven’t tasted anything so delicious since then.)

Keep practicing: Write a short paragraph about a restaurant experience from your past using both the past simple and present perfect tenses.

Focus on: Past perfect

I know “pluscuamperfecto” is quite a mouthful, but trust me: it’s easier than its tongue-twisting appearance might suggest. And if you like reading or writing mystery stories, this will be a fun prompt for you.

For this story, imagine that a mysterious package arrived at someone’s doorstep. (That someone could be you, someone you know or a completely made-up character.) Use the past perfect tense to narrate events that happened before the story’s main events.

Sample: Cuando María abrió el paquete, se sorprendió al ver que alguien ya había abierto el sobre interno. Alguien más había estado curioseando antes que ella. (When Maria opened the package, she was surprised to see that someone had already opened the inner envelope. Someone else had been snooping before her.)

Keep practicing: Describe a moment in which you had already made a decision that significantly impacted your life. Use the Spanish past perfect tense to narrate the events leading up to that decision and its consequences.

Focus on: Past simple vs. past continuous

Narrate a childhood memory where you were engaged in an activity when something unexpected happened. Use both the Spanish past simple and past continuous tenses to vividly depict the sequence of events, your ongoing actions and the interruption that took place.

Sample: Cuando era niño, solía pasar largas tardes jugando en el parque cerca de mi casa. Un día, mientras mis amigos y yo estábamos jugando fútbol, un gato salió de la nada; estaba temblando y se veía triste. Me lo llevé a casa y lo llamé Chicle. Desde entonces, Chicle se volvió parte de nuestra familia. (When I was a child, I used to spend long afternoons playing in the park near my house. One day, while my friends and I were playing soccer, a cat came out of nowhere; he was trembling and looked sad. I took him home and named him Bubblegum. Since then, Bubblegum became part of our family.)

Keep practicing: Describe a memorable event from a vacation you took. Use the Spanish past simple and past continuous tenses to vividly narrate the background actions and the specific moments that stood out during your trip.

Focus on: Conditional clauses with si and future tense.

This time, you’re going to combine what you know about conditional tenses and the simple future in Spanish.

Craft a dialogue between two friends debating the pros and cons of social media usage. Use conditional clauses with si and the future tense to discuss hypothetical outcomes.

Sample: Si no pasara tanto tiempo en las redes sociales, podría concentrarme más en mis estudios y pasatiempos en el futuro. (If I didn’t spend so much time on social media, I could focus more on my studies and hobbies in the future.)

Keep practicing: Do the same exercise, except replace “social media usage” with a different issue.

Focus on: Formal language

For this prompt, you’re going to practice writing in Spanish in the formal register.

Imagine that you’re hosting a formal business event, such as a conference or a networking dinner. Write an invitation email to a respected industry expert, inviting them to speak at the event. Use formal language to convey professionalism and respect.

Sample : Espero que esta carta le encuentre bien. En calidad de organizador del [Nombre del Evento], me complace extenderle una cordial invitación para participar como ponente en nuestro prestigioso evento empresarial que se llevará a cabo el [Fecha] en [Lugar]. Su destacada trayectoria y experiencia en [Área de Conocimiento] lo convierten en un referente indiscutible en la industria. (I hope this letter finds you well. As the organizer of the [Event Name], I am pleased to extend a warm invitation to you to participate as a speaker at our prestigious business event, scheduled to take place on [Date] at [Venue]. Your outstanding career and expertise in [Area of Expertise] make you a true authority in the industry.)

Keep practicing: Imagine that the one you invited responded to you with either a “Yes” or “No.” Write your response to either or both. If they say “No,” write in a way that would gently persuade the other party to change their mind.

Focus on: Narrative tenses

Let’s cap off the intermediate Spanish writing prompts with something that’ll allow more of your creative juices to flow.

This time, write a short story about a person who discovers a magical journal that allows them to travel to different time periods. Use appropriate narrative tenses to describe their experiences.

Sample: Al abrir el diario, me encontré en el antiguo Egipto. Mientras exploraba las pirámides, me di cuenta de que podía entender el idioma y comunicarme con los habitantes. (When I opened the journal, I found myself in ancient Egypt. As I explored the pyramids, I realized I could understand the language and communicate with the inhabitants.)

Keep practicing: Write a paragraph about another adventure the character has using different narrative tenses.

Focus on: Present subjunctive

The subjunctive can be difficult for English speakers to wrap their heads around, especially because it has many different uses. One is to talk about hypothetical situations. So in this writing prompt, you’re going to write about a hypothetical perfect friend.

What qualities would they have? What kinds of things would you do together? Use the phrase “Quiero un amigo que…”  (I want a friend that…) because it’ll necessitate use of the subjunctive mood.

Sample: Quiero un amigo que juegue al futbol conmigo. (I want a friend who plays soccer with me.)

Keep practicing: Write about other hypothetical “ideal” people. What would your ideal employee look like? Your ideal partner? Roommate? Pet? All of these prompts will necessitate a different set of vocabulary, allowing you to practice even more conjugations.

Focus on: Third conditionals

We use third conditionals to talk about impossible hypothetical events. An example of a third conditional in English would be something like, “If you hadn’t arrived so late, you would have gotten a piece of pizza.” Since the speaker is talking about a past event, the outcome described is impossible.

To practice third conditionals, turn to the world of counterfactuals. Think of an event in history or in your own life. How would things be different if the event had never happened, or had happened differently?

Here are some examples to get you started:

• How would the world be different if the Internet had never been invented?
• How would the world be different if chocolate didn’t exist?
• How would your life be different if you had never met your best friend?
• How would your life be different if you had grown up in Spain?

Sample: Si no hubiera conocido a mi mejor amiga, nunca habría aprendido a tocar la guitarra. (If I had never met my best friend, I never would have learned how to play the guitar.)

Keep practicing: Try writing this prompt in second-person question form, as though you were asking a friend. This way, you practice both the construction of a third conditional question as well as the tú conjugations of verbs. For example, you might ask: Si no me hubieras conocido, ¿habrías aprendido a tocar la guitarra? (If you had never met me, would you have learned to play the guitar?)

Focus on: Subjunctive in recommendations

If you need more practice with Spanish subjunctives, I suggest using related writing prompts about topics you enjoy. For example, if you’re all about eco-friendly living, this prompt may be right up your alley.

Here, you’re going to write a blog post encouraging readers to adopt eco-friendly habits in their daily lives. Use subjunctive expressions to give recommendations.

Sample: Es fundamental que reciclemos cada día y que reduzcamos nuestro consumo de plástico para proteger el medio ambiente. (It’s essential that we recycle every day and that we reduce our plastic consumption to protect the environment.)

Keep practicing: Write a list of eco-friendly tips using different subjunctive expressions.

Focus on: Present subjunctive with verbs of influence

On the other hand, if you think that subjunctives are too easy, here’s one way to spice things up: add verbs of influence.

This time, write a letter to an artist you admire, using the present subjunctive with verbs of influence to express how their work has inspired you.

Sample: Espero que continúes creando arte increíble que inspire a generaciones futuras. (I hope you continue creating amazing art that inspires future generations.)

Keep practicing: Write letters to other people you admire, using present subjunctive expressions to convey your admiration.

Focus on: Complex sentence structures

At this point, you’re probably tired of reading and writing the same stock phrases over and over. So now, you’re going to create a narrative with intricate sentences that include relative clauses, participial phrases and other advanced grammatical structures.

Sample: En un bosque encantado, donde los árboles susurran secretos y las estrellas tejen destinos, vivía una criatura misteriosa que solo se revelaba en las noches de luna llena. (In an enchanted forest, where trees whisper secrets and stars weave destinies, lived a mysterious creature that only revealed itself on full moon nights.)

Keep practicing: Rewrite simple sentences from a children’s story using elaborate structures.

Focus on: Incorporating specialized vocabulary

Are you someone who unabashedly loves fusion cuisine and has no second thoughts about shouting that fact on top of the Empire State Building? You’re in luck: not only will this prompt let you do the written equivalent of that, but you’ll also learn to pick up the kind of vocabulary you’d normally not encounter in your Spanish studies.

Specifically, you’re going to write a menu description for a dish that blends elements from two or more culinary traditions.

Sample: Presentamos el “Sushi Mexicano”: tortilla crujiente rellena de delicado pescado fresco, acompañada de aguacate y salsa de soja picante. Una fusión que une a Japón y México en un bocado. (Introducing “Mexican Sushi”: crispy tortilla filled with delicate fresh fish, accompanied by avocado and spicy soy sauce. A fusion that brings together Japan and Mexico in one bite.)

Keep practicing: Design more dishes that combine unexpected ingredients.

Focus on: Humor and wordplay

Speaking of vocabulary, if you pride yourself on your ability to not mix up similar Spanish words, this is your chance to flex your chops in this regard.

In this prompt, you’re going to share funny anecdotes involving misunderstandings or linguistic mishaps while trying to speak Spanish or English.

Sample: Intenté pedir un “embarazado” en lugar de un “empanizado”. ¡Nunca olvidaré la mirada de confusión del camarero y las risas en la mesa! (I tried to order a “pregnant” dish instead of a “breaded” one. I’ll never forget the waiter’s confused look and the laughter at the table!)

Keep practicing: Write a humorous dialogue in which characters misinterpret each other’s words.

Focus on: Cultural nuances

Explore a word or concept in Spanish that doesn’t have an equivalent in English . Discuss its cultural significance and why you find it intriguing.

Sample: Explora la palabra “sobremesa”, que se refiere al tiempo pasado charlando después de una comida en compañía, capturando la importancia cultural de la conexión humana. (Explore the word “sobremesa,” which refers to the time spent chatting after a meal in company, capturing the cultural significance of human connection.)

Keep practicing: Research and write about other untranslatable words in Spanish.

Focus on: Ethical considerations

As an advanced learner , you probably don’t need to zero in so much on specific vocabulary and grammar points anymore. From here on out, I’m going to give you writing prompts that will push your Spanish mastery to the limit.

For this writing prompt, draft an essay discussing a cultural dilemma or ethical issue that you think is important. Explain different perspectives on the matter and offer your own viewpoint.

Sample: El dilema de preservar tradiciones culturales contra adoptar nuevas normas es un tema complejo. Si bien es crucial mantener nuestra identidad, también debemos ser abiertos a la evolución y al progreso. (The dilemma of preserving cultural traditions versus adopting new norms is a complex issue. While it’s crucial to maintain our identity, we must also be open to evolution and progress.)

Keep practicing: Write a sentence expressing a personal opinion on another cultural or ethical issue.

Focus on: Expressing abstract concepts

Write a metaphorical description of the human mind. Compare it to something unexpected and explain the connection.

Sample: La mente humana es como un vasto océano, donde las olas son pensamientos y las profundidades albergan los misterios más oscuros. (The human mind is like a vast ocean, where waves are thoughts and the depths hold the darkest mysteries.)

Keep practicing: Describe other abstract concepts using creative metaphors.

Focus on: Historical narratives

Step right up, history buffs: this writing prompt is for you.

Choose a historical event and narrate it from the perspective of someone who experienced it firsthand. Try to capture their emotions and reactions in a way that’s believable.

Sample: Desde el rincón de mi memoria, revivo aquel día en que la libertad finalmente alzó sus alas sobre nuestra tierra. Las lágrimas de felicidad llenaron los ojos de todos nosotros. (From the corner of my memory, I relive that day when freedom finally spread its wings over our land. Tears of happiness filled all our eyes.)

Keep practicing: Explore the same event from multiple viewpoints.

Focus on: Symbolism

Now it’s time to channel your inner Neruda .

Choose a natural element (e.g., a tree, a river, a mountain) and write a poem that uses it as a symbol to convey a deeper meaning or emotion.

Sample: El árbol anciano, raíces profundas como historias enterradas, sus hojas susurran cuentos al viento, testigos silenciosos de la vida que fluye. (The ancient tree, roots deep like buried stories, its leaves whisper tales to the wind, silent witnesses of flowing life.)

Keep practicing: Create poems using different symbols and themes.

Focus on: Sociocultural changes

Reflect on a traditional aspect of your culture that has evolved over time. Discuss the reasons for these changes and their impact.

Sample: La festividad ancestral del solsticio ha evolucionado de rituales agrarios a una celebración de unidad cultural en la era moderna, reflejando nuestra cambiante relación con la tierra y entre nosotros. (The ancient solstice festival has evolved from agricultural rituals into a celebration of cultural unity in the modern era, reflecting our changing relationship with the land and each other.)

Keep practicing: Predict how current traditions might change in the future.

Focus on: Persuasive writing

Write a persuasive essay arguing for or against the implementation of a four-day workweek in businesses, highlighting its potential benefits or drawbacks on productivity, employee well-being and overall work-life balance.

Sample: La implementación de una semana laboral de cuatro días es una propuesta que merece una consideración cuidadosa. Desde mi perspectiva, esta medida podría beneficiar tanto a los empleados como a las empresas. (The implementation of a four-day workweek is a proposal that deserves careful consideration. From my perspective, this measure could benefit both employees and businesses.)

Keep practicing: Write persuasive pieces about other contemporary issues.

Focus on: Multiculturalism

Write a story in which characters from various cultural backgrounds come together for a common purpose, celebrating their differences.

Sample: En las calles bulliciosas de la ciudad, personas de diversas culturas tejieron un tapiz de amistad y colaboración, demostrando que la diversidad es nuestra mayor fortaleza. (In the bustling streets of the city, people from diverse cultures wove a tapestry of friendship and collaboration, showing that diversity is our greatest strength.)

Keep practicing: Craft narratives that highlight cross-cultural friendships.

Focus on: Reflective writing

Choose a moment from your past that left a lasting impact on you. Describe it in detail and analyze its significance.

Sample: Aquel atardecer en la playa, cuando las olas parecían acariciar el horizonte y el tiempo se detuvo, me recordó que la belleza efímera puede dejar una huella eterna en el corazón. (That sunset at the beach, when the waves seemed to caress the horizon and time stood still, reminded me that ephemeral beauty can leave an eternal mark on the heart.)

Keep practicing: Reflect on other pivotal moments in your life.

Focus on: Language learning journey

Let’s end this entire list with a bang! And I have just the writing prompt for you.

For this last exercise, you’re going to write a letter to your future self reflecting on your Spanish learning journey. Discuss challenges, accomplishments and your aspirations for further language development.

Given the nature of this exercise, I suggest bookmarking this post and going back to this prompt once you feel you’ve already reached your desired level of fluency in Spanish.

Sample: Querido yo del futuro, al mirar atrás en este viaje de aprendizaje del español, veo desafíos conquistados, metas alcanzadas y un amor más profundo por la diversidad de las palabras. ¡Que continúe esta emocionante odisea lingüística! (Dear future self, looking back on this journey of learning Spanish, I see conquered challenges, achieved goals and a deeper love for the diversity of words. May this exciting language odyssey continue!)

Keep practicing: Write letters to your past self at different stages of your language learning journey.

No matter your level of Spanish, writing is an important part of learning Spanish and practicing various aspects of the language. Here are some tips to get the most out of these prompts.

If you’re a beginning Spanish learner, there will inevitably be vocabulary words you don’t know. Don’t fret or get frustrated! Instead of reaching for a dictionary every time you’re at a loss, simply leave a blank space.

When you’ve finished your composition, go back and look up the words you didn’t know. At this point, you can make a list of those new vocabulary words that you can reference later. Use a program like FluentU to learn in context and make sure you’re using the vocabulary correctly.

The same goes for verb conjugations. If you don’t remember how to conjugate a verb, write it in its infinitive form and flag it with a star or question mark. At the end, go back and look up the correct conjugation.

No more leaving blank spaces on the page! Once your Spanish is at an intermediate level , it’s time to focus on making yourself understood in any situation, even if you can’t always think of the right word.

Whenever the right word feels like it’s beyond your grasp, find a way to describe or express it. Flag this with a star or question mark to remind yourself to later look up the actual word.

Advanced Spanish speakers should be able to communicate in almost any situation. Now, it’s time to focus on diversifying your word usage. Why not make your compositions into mini-competitions with yourself?

For example, if you’re practicing verbs, get a timer and try to write as many verbs as you can in as many conjugations as you can. Once the time is up, count up all your verbs. Give yourself one point for each distinct verb you used (that you conjugated correctly!) and subtract one point for each verb you repeated or conjugated incorrectly.

Whether you’re practicing for your Spanish AP essay or working on your writing skills in general, prompts are a fantastic way to get started. The most important thing is just to write anything about any subject.

Working to form sentences and narratives in Spanish can be difficult at first. But just like any other skill, as you keep working on it, it’ll feel more and more natural.

Writing prompts are a great way to practice Spanish, and you just might have some fun while you study!

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10 Creative Ways to Practice Your Spanish Writing Skills

Are you ready to start your Spanish writing practice?

Writing is one of the four core aspects of language learning. You simply can’t master a language without it! It’s time to learn about the types of Spanish writing and the best ways to practice your Spanish writing skills. 

The 10 creative and fun practices in this post will have your words flowing onto paper with ease. 

New skills come with time and Spanish writing practice. Keep writing regularly and you will see improvement in your abilities.

Ready? Set? Write!

How to Start Writing in Spanish

Writing in Spanish doesn’t have to be complicated. Just follow these three simple steps and you’ll be writing away in no time!

1. Start with Simple Sentences

Learning to write in Spanish takes practice and patience. Begin by writing simple sentences. These types of sentences normally have a single subject and verb. Stick with easy vocabulary words that you are already familiar with. 

Here are a few example sentences to get you started!

Mi gato es naranja. My cat is orange.

Tengo hambre. I am hungry. 

Quiero dormir.  I want to sleep. 

Esperó al tren. He waited for the train. 

2. Add Transition Words

Transition words are an easy way to connect your sentences. They show the reader how your ideas are related. Common transition words include

• however – sin embargo
• finally – finalmente
• still – todavía
• additionally – adicionalmente

Memorize this list of useful transitions so that you can easily add them into your paragraphs as you write. 

Here are a few ways to use transition words!

Primero, reúne los ingredientes. First, gather the ingredients.

Sin embargo, no estoy de acuerdo. However, I do not agree. 

Todavía estoy esperando. I am still waiting. 

3. Expand Your Vocabulary

Spice up your sentences! 

Strong writers stand out thanks to their illustrative and descriptive vocabulary words. Replace generic words like “good,” “bad,” and “said” with something more creative. Start with this guide to 100 describing words in Spanish !

Check out the before and after of these example sentences. 

Él dijo que no. He said “no.” 

El gerente enfadado gritó, “¡no!” The angry manager yelled “no!”

Me gusta comida.  I like food. 

La tarta de cereza es mi postre favorito. Cherry pie is my favorite dessert. 

Quería una bebida. He wanted a drink. 

El estudiante necesitaba desesperadamente otra taza de café.  The student desperately needed another cup of coffee. 

Types of Spanish Writing 

Not all Spanish writing practice is the same! Your school essays in English probably look a lot different than your text messages with your friends. Spanish is the same way. Knowing the difference between casual and formal writing in Spanish helps you sound appropriate and natural in every situation. 

Casual Writing

Casual writing includes messages, friendly letters, and journal entries. Each region and country has its own slang and colloquial terms that appear in casual writing.

What to Look For

• Informal you ( tú )
• First-person perspective
• Colloquial terms

Formal Writing

Formal writing appears in books, articles, essays, and other important documents. It takes a more objective and scientific approach. Formal writing is usually written in third person. 

What to Look for

• Complex structure
• Objective approach
• Third-person perspective
• Scientific terms

10 Easy and Free Spanish Writing Practices

Grab your pen and paper—it’s time to jump start your Spanish writing practice! These creative exercises will help you master writing in your second language. 

1. Daily Journaling  

Journals are perfect for Spanish sentence writing practice! Pick up a new notebook or grab your laptop to start. Label each entry at the top to practice writing dates in Spanish . 

2. Download WordReference

WordReference is a must-have for any language learner! It’s the ultimate online language dictionary. Look up the translation of any word or phrase, even slang! Find out how to conjugate verbs, use words in a sentence, and pronounce words.

3. Use Spanish Writing Practice Prompts

Have a case of writer’s block? Don’t worry! There are thousands of writing prompts online to help inspire your creativity. 

4. Visit the Library

Ask your local librarian where the Spanish section is! Reading in Spanish is an excellent way to learn new vocabulary and writing skills. 

5. Add a Spanish Keyboard to Your Phone

Want to text your friends in Spanish? Whether you have Apple or Android , it’s super easy to add another language to your keyboard! This new keyboard will enable you to type in Spanish and add accent marks more easily. 

6. Start a Blog

Blogging is not only a fun way to document your life experiences, but also an amazing opportunity to write about your life and adventures in Spanish! Keep up your blog just as you would in English, but challenge yourself to use Spanish writing practice as much as possible. 

7. Find a Penpal

Write Spanish with a friend! Start sharing letters back and forth with a Spanish-speaking friend or acquaintance. Your penpal can give you writing pointers and help you sound like a native speaker!

8. Make To-Do Lists

Spanish writing is all about practice! An easy way to add a quick language lesson to your week is by writing all of your to-do lists in Spanish. You will automatically learn relevant vocabulary as you detail your chores, groceries, and errands. 

9. Make Sure Your Auto-Correct is in Spanish

If you plan to practice your Spanish on a laptop or computer, it’s important to check spelling and grammar in the proper language. Microsoft Word and Google Drive enable you to set the proofing language or even set it automatically.

10. Interact with Spanish Social Media

The best way to get better at Spanish is by making practice a daily habit. Spanish social media is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the Spanish-speaking world while also improving your language skills.

Engage in Spanish Writing (and Speaking) Practices

Did you know that Spanish writing practice actually improves your cognition and decision-making abilities ? When you switch between languages, you’re actively working the neurons in your brain and strengthening their pathways. This is one of the many benefits of being bilingual!

Homeschool Spanish Academy enables you to gain fluency faster by practicing with native-speaking instructors from the comfort of your own home! Our flexible, 1-to-1 online classes are hosted by certified teachers from Guatemala who help you take your Spanish to the next level. Try out a free trial class today!

Want more free Spanish lessons, fun content, and easy learning strategies? Check these out!

• The Beauty of Spanish Sign Language
• Multilingual Mastery: How Many Languages Can You Learn?
• The Journey of Becoming Trilingual
• Saying It Like a Native: Exploring Spanish Idioms
• Adapting Education: Spanish Lessons for All Learning Styles
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Spanish Writing Practice

Spanish writing exercises by level.

Practise your Spanish writing skills with our ever-growing collection of interactive Spanish writing exercises for every  CEFR level from A0 to C1! If you're unsure about your current proficiency, try our  test to get your Spanish level before diving into the exercises.

All writing exercises are made by our qualified native Spanish teachers to help you improve your writing skills and confidence.

Kwizbot  will give you a series of prompts to translate to Spanish. He’ll show you where you make mistakes as you go along and will suggest related lessons for you.

Boost your Spanish writing skills by adding the lessons you find most interesting to your  Notebook and practising them later.

Click on any exercise to get started.

A1: Beginner Spanish writing exercises

• A business meeting Employment Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Noelia tells us about her business meeting.
• A declaration of love Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Read this declaration of love from Enrique.
• A hotel booking Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Borja is going to spend a week in Barcelona and tells us about the hotel that he is going to book.
• A love story Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Apócope Marta and Andrew meet in a bar...
• A march for rare diseases Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Diego is participating today in a charity march.
• A mysterious invitation Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Guillermo tells us about a mysterious note he found inside his locker.
• A new space suit Technology & Science Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Sergio is going to travel to the moon in a new space suit!
• A perfect day in Granada Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Travel with Enrique to Granada.
• A piece of cake, please Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Carolina loves celebrating her birthday in style with her favourite cake.
• A purple tide Politics, History & Economics Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Learn about the purple tide in Spain.
• A royal dinner in Santo Domingo Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Indulge yourself with a royal dinner experience in Santo Domingo.
• A sunny Christmas in the Southern Cone Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Artículo definido Humberto tells us about Christmas in Uruguay.
• A ticket for Malaga, please! Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio Artículo indefinido César wants to get a train ticket to travel to Malaga.
• A trip to the Sierra de Atapuerca Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Pedro and Miguel are visiting Atapuerca tomorrow.
• A very interactive lesson with Kwiziq Language & Education Technology & Science Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adverbio Clara is using kwiziq for the first time and tells us about a lesson she is taking.
• Alexis Sánchez: a famous soccer player Famous People Adjetivo Adverbio Artículo indefinido Learn about Alexis Sánchez, a famous soccer player.
• Amelia Valcárcel: a famous Spanish philosopher Famous People Language & Education Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Learn about Amelia Valcárcel, a famous Spanish philosopher.
• An exhibition by Frida Kahlo Art & Design Famous People Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Marcos is going to a Frida Kahlo exhibition.
• An exotic flower Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Learn about this Argentinian flower.
• An original costume Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Adverbio Lucía's mum tells us about her daughter's costume.
• Ana's baby shower Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Artículo definido Some friends are planning Ana's baby shower.
• Animal welfare Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Step into the realm of animal welfare, where compassion guides us to protect and care for our animal companions.
• Arón Bitrán: a Chilean violinist Music Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Learn about Arón Bitrán, a famous Chilean violinist.
• At El Corte Inglés Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Have you ever been to El Corte Ingles?
• At the cocktail bar Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Raúl is having a refreshing cocktail in Majorca.
• At the nutritionist Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Sheila is at the nutritionist looking for a healthier lifestyle.
• At the opera Music Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Ana plans to go to the opera tonight.
• At the science lab Technology & Science Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Marta and Javier love spending time in the lab.
• Bank of Spain Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Adjetivo Artículo definido Artículo indefinido Learn about Bank of Spain.
• Benefits of sport Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Mara tells us about exercising at the gym and its benefits.
• Blanca Paloma: Spanish candidate 2023 Music Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adverbio Meet Blanca Paloma, Spain's candidate for Eurovision 2023.
• Booking a table in a restaurant Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Artículo indefinido Learn how to book a table in a Spanish restaurant.
• Breakfast at home Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Raúl loves having a healthy breakfast at home every morning.
• Buenos Aires International Book Fair Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo demostrativo Artículo definido Artículo indefinido Learn about this cultural event in Buenos Aires.
• Calva: a traditional Spanish game Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Learn about calva, a traditional Spanish game.
• Carnival in Rio de Janeiro Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Julio is in Rio de Janeiro to visit its famous carnival.
• Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Artículo definido Contracción de artículo El Futuro Próximo John would like to visit the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
• Celebrating a new year Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Artículo definido Juan tells us his plans for New Year's Eve.
• Chocolate and roses Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Patricia describes us the most common presents for Saint Valentine's Day.
• Cibeles: a monument in Madrid Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Learn about Cibeles, a famous monument in Madrid.
• Climate change Technology & Science Adjetivo Adverbio Aspecto progresivo Patricia doesn't feel happy at all about climate change.
• Coco: a lovely poodle Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Meet Coco, a lovely poodle.
• Colombian coffee Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Adverbio There is always a nice cup of Colombian coffee at Carlos Alberto's house!
• Colon Theatre in Buenos Aires Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Pedro tells us about a famous theatre building in Buenos Aires.
• Cuban rum Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Patricia tells us about her favourite Cuban drink.
• Cycle-ball Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Learn about cycle-ball, an exciting sport.
• Different types of wind in Spain Technology & Science Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Unleash your senses as Spain unveils a symphony of diverse winds, from the cool Mistral to the warm embrace of the Levant.
• Discovering the majesty of the ceiba tree Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Discover the mighty ceiba tree.
• Dreaming Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Artículo definido Contracción de artículo Do you enjoy dreaming?
• Easter in Ecuador Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido María Isabel explains how Easter is celebrated in Ecuador.
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A2: Lower Intermediate Spanish writing exercises

• A Christmas cocktail Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Celebrate the season in style with our special cocktail.
• A Spanish course in Bogota Language & Education Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Patrick tells us about his Spanish course in Colombia.
• A creepy recipe for this Halloween Food & Drink Adjetivo Adverbio El Futuro Próximo Enjoy a terrifying Halloween recipe!
• A cruise to Puerto Rico Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Manuel feels excited about his next cruise trip to Puerto Rico.
• A day in Las Burgas Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo posesivo Borja tells us about a relaxing day in Las Burgas.
• A day outside Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Julián tells us about his amazing weekend.
• A different look Art & Design Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Adverbio de cantidad Carmela went to the beauty salon and tells us about her experience.
• A documentary about the Sun Film & TV Technology & Science Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Artículo definido Javier watched a documentary about the Sun last night.
• A ghost tour Celebrations & Important Dates Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido David has booked a ghost tour for Halloween night in Madrid.
• A horrible campsite Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio María describes us her unpleasant experience at a campsite.
• A horror film Film & TV Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Aspecto imperfectivo Marta watched a terrifying film yesterday.
• A job interview Employment Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo posesivo Ainhoa is ready to do her first job interview.
• A letter to Melchior Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo El Presente Alberto wrote a letter to Melchior, his favourite wise man.
• A luxurious day in Marbella Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Aspecto imperfectivo El Pretérito Imperfecto El Pretérito Indefinido Aurelia tells us about her luxurious visit to a friend in Marbella.
• A memory-based challenge Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Embark on an enchanting journey with Julia through the enigmatic labyrinth of memories.
• A movie marathon Film & TV Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Carlos plans to have a movie marathon this weekend at home.
• A postcard from Madrid Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Conjunción Raquel received a postcard from her best friend.
• A story of personal triumph Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Pedro tells us his story of personal improvement after being in an accident.
• A stunning car in the newspaper Sports & Leisure Aspecto imperfectivo El Pretérito Imperfecto El Pretérito Indefinido Discover Antonio's latest passion.
• A superbike event Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adverbio El Futuro Próximo Two friends have been to a superbike event.
• A surprise party Family & Relationships Adverbio Adverbio de cantidad Adverbio interrogativo Raquel doesn't know where her family is today.
• A tour of Buenos Aires Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio El Futuro Próximo Manuel tells us about his visit to Buenos Aires.
• A very healthy barbecue Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo posesivo Discover Pedro and Maribel's recipes for their barbecue.
• A very noisy neighbour Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Sara has to deal with a really noisy neighbour living downstairs.
• A wedding in Las Vegas Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Discover what a wedding in Las Vegas means!
• A weekend in Sierra Nevada Monuments, Tourism & Vacations El Pretérito Indefinido Expresión idiomática con "estar" Gender of nouns in Spanish: masculine Mercedes tells us about her weekend in Sierra Nevada in the south of Spain.
• Acid rain Technology & Science Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Learn about some interesting facts about the acid rain.
• Ainhoa Arteta: a Spanish soprano Famous People Music Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Aspecto imperfectivo Learn about Ainhoa Arteta, a famous Spanish soprano.
• Aire fresco: an Argentinian film Film & TV Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Adverbio Learn about the Argentinian movie that Rodrigo saw yesterday.
• An afternoon in Caracas Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido María Elena spent an exciting afternoon with her friend Gabriela in Caracas.
• An aromatherapy session Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Conjunción subordinante El Futuro Próximo Discover what an aromatherapy session is like!
• An interview with Juanes Famous People Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Learn about Juanes' music with this interview.
• An unusual taxi ride Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Pretérito Imperfecto Juan tells us about his strange experience in a taxi. In this exercise you'll practise El Pretérito Imperfecto and El Pretérito Indefinido.
• Aragonese jota Music Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Pilar tells us about her local dance, the Aragonese jota.
• Argentina's journey towards a zero-waste lifestyle Technology & Science Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo invariable Argentina is striving for zero waste, prioritizing reduction, reuse, and recycling for a sustainable future.
• Arguiñano and his set menu Famous People Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Adverbio Minerva loves Zarauz and Arguiñano's restaurant.
• Armed Forces Immigration & Citizenship Politics, History & Economics Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Learn about The Spanish Armed Forces
• Art therapy in Spain Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Learn about some art therapy exercises.
• At Cartagena beach Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adverbio Adverbio de cantidad Aspecto imperfectivo Juan went to the beach with some of his friends yesterday.
• At a barbecue Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Grill and chill at Sandra and her friends' barbecues.
• At a karate competition Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Gabriel just participated in a karate competition.
• At our deli shop Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Are you looking for something different to eat? If so, visit Leila's deli.
• At the circus Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adjetivo posesivo Irene tells us about a circus afternoon with her son.
• At the dry cleaner's Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Raquel just left the dry cleaners with a lovely just-ironed shirt.
• At the florist Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Adjetivo posesivo Marta is at the florist to buy her sister some flowers.
• At the office gym Employment Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo posesivo Artículo indefinido Do you have a gym in your office?
• At the restaurant Free Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adverbio Mónica and Raúl are at a restaurant next to the beach.
• At the shoe shop Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Raquel is at the shoe shop looking for some fancy shoes.
• At the train station Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Join Clara and her friend Isabel who travel to Zaragoza by train every weekend.
• Aztec culture Art & Design Artículo definido Artículo indefinido El Presente Learn about the Aztec culture.

B1: Intermediate Spanish writing exercises

• 5G network Technology & Science Adjetivo Adverbio El Futuro Simple Learn about the 5G network.
• 6th of January Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Futuro Simple Eduardo is thinking about the 6th of January in order to get his Christmas presents.
• A Christmas jumper Art & Design Adjetivo El Futuro Simple El Presente de Subjuntivo Marcos must wear a Christmas jumper (US: sweater) for a party, but he is not very excited about it.
• A Halloween wish Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Daniela tells us about her special Halloween wish.
• A Mediterranean breakfast Food & Drink Adjetivo Adverbio de cantidad Adverbio interrogativo This food company has prepared a magnificent Mediterranean breakfast for you to start your day!
• A Tinder date Family & Relationships Technology & Science Adjetivo Adverbio de duda Artículo neutro Learn about Tomás's Tinder date.
• A bumpy flight Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Rosa tells us about her bumpy flight to Costa Rica.
• A day among dolphins Family & Relationships El Futuro Simple El Presente El Presente de Subjuntivo Marisa tells us about her mother's passion: dolphins.
• A family lunch on Easter Sunday Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Conjunción Javier tells us about what lunch on Easter Sunday is like for his family.
• A gala evening Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Sara has received an invitation for a special event.
• A jungle trip Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Conjunción subordinante Andrea tells us about her ideal holiday.
• A luxurious stay in Madrid Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Conjunción Stay in a top luxurious hotel in Madrid!
• A magic show in hospital Employment Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Apócope Alberto is starting a new job next week in a hospital.
• A night hike Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio de cantidad Experience the thrill of a night hike with María and Alberto.
• A photo of our grandparents Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Adjetivo invariable Two brothers show us a heartwarming snapshot of their cherished grandparents.
• A second chance Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Comparativo Manuela is asking Mateo to give their relationship a second chance.
• A trip to Majorca Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio interrogativo Discover the beautiful city of Majorca.
• A video game night Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Imperativo Learn about the benefits of playing with video games.
• A wonderful gardener Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Learn about Pedro, a high-skilled gardener.
• Acupuncture Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Learn about acupuncture in Spanish.
• Adventures with friends Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Raquel loves spending time with her friends and going on trips with them.
• All Saints' Day Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Artículo neutro Learn about how All Saints' Day is celebrated in Spain.
• As bestas by Rodrigo Sorogoyen Film & TV Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio interrogativo Discover As bestas, a Spanish thriller by the film director Rodrigo Sorogoyen.
• At Carlos Baute's concert Music Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio interrogativo María Fernanda went to a Carlos Baute's concert, a famous Venezuelan singer.
• At summer camp Employment Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Conjunción Maribel feels very excited about working as a group leader at a summer camp.
• At the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Apócope Ester plans to start the New Year at the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc.
• At the butcher's Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Learn how to order some meat at the butcher's.
• At the gym Sports & Leisure Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Conjunción Samuel wants to lose some weight and keep healthy.
• At the local gym Sports & Leisure Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Pedro tells us about his workout at the local gym.
• At the pediatrician Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Lucia's baby is not feeling well and she is at the pediatrician to get some advice.
• At the street market Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Learn about the most famous street market in Madrid.
• At the tourist office Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Mónica and Ángel are at the tourist office to get some information for their day trip to San Jose.
• At the vet Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Rodrigo takes Max to the vet as he is not feeling well.
• B-Travel Barcelona: a tourism fair Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adverbio de duda Learn about this interesting tourism fair in Barcelona.
• Baroque in Latin America Art & Design Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Learn about the baroque in Latin America.
• Bartering Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Condicional Simple Interested in exchanging your stuff without using money?
• Buena Vista Social Club: a Cuban band Music Adjetivo Apócope Aspecto progresivo Learn about the Buena Vista Social Club, a famous Cuban band.
• Buying a second home in Spain Politics, History & Economics Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo This couple feels very excited about buying a house in Spain for their retirement.
• Captain Thunder Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjetivo El Pretérito Imperfecto El Pretérito Indefinido Ramiro tells us about Captain Thunder.
• Changing schools Language & Education Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Conjunción María is starting at a new school.
• Cheap smart homes Technology & Science Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Learn about how to set up a cheap smart home.
• Circuit of Jarama Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adverbio Apócope Learn about Rodrigo, a high-speed motorcyclist.
• Classical music in Mexico Music Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Apócope Learn about classical music in Mexico.
• Climbing up and down stairs Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo invariable Explore the benefits for your health and well-being by climbing the stairs.
• Coaching to improve family relationships Family & Relationships Adjetivo demostrativo El Condicional Simple El Imperativo Learn about coaching techniques to improve family relationships.
• Coffee in the morning Food & Drink Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Mar really enjoys having a coffee in the morning.
• Costa del Sol in Málaga Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Lucía has booked a holiday in Málaga.
• Courtyards in Cordoba Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo demostrativo Adjetivo indefinido Learn about this famous festival in Cordoba.
• Cuban collective memory Politics, History & Economics Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Apócope Immerse yourself in the vibrant tapestry of Cuban collective memory.
• Darien National Park Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adverbio Apócope Discover Darien National Park, a beautiful nature reserve in Panama.

B2: Upper Intermediate Spanish writing exercises

• 12 self-portraits by Pablo Picasso Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Learn about Pablo Picasso's self-portraits.
• A Christmas surprise Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio de cantidad Daniela is wondering who wrote her an anonymous message.
• A Christmas tale Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adverbio A forgotten Christmas gift sparks a heartwarming holiday story.
• A big surprise! Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo El Presente de Subjuntivo El Pretérito Imperfecto Adela tells us about an axciting surprise she got from her boyfriend.
• A change of career Employment Language & Education Adjetivo Apócope Conjunción Discover Vanessa's career plans.
• A delayed train Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo El Condicional Simple El Futuro Perfecto Ana is furious about the fact that her train is delayed.
• A family of potters Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo invariable Adverbio Get into the fascinating world of a family of master potters.
• A gift woven with care Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Clara's skilled hands knit more than just a sweater.
• A homemade costume Art & Design Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Adverbio de negación Conjunción coordinante Amalia plans to make her own costume for carnival.
• A letter to Santa Celebrations & Important Dates Adjetivo Conjunción El Condicional Simple Read this letter from my nephew.
• A letter to my love Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Sandra wrote a romantic letter to her love.
• A lost Nazarene Celebrations & Important Dates Adverbio Adverbio de duda Adverbio interrogativo Rodrigo got lost during a celebration!
• A magic piano Music Adjetivo Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Adverbio interrogativo Learn about Pablo Alborán and his excellent piano skills.
• A saeta Celebrations & Important Dates Music Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Futuro Simple Jaime tells us about his experience in Seville during Easter celebrations.
• A snow storm Technology & Science Adjetivo Apócope El Pretérito Imperfecto Have you ever experienced a big snow storm?
• A special lunch Food & Drink Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Arancha enjoyed a special lunch today.
• A tourist in my own city Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio de duda Artículo neutro Marta tells us about the pleasure of being in an empty city during the summer.
• A true friendship Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Apócope What does a true friendship look like?
• A very nosy parrot Family & Relationships Aspecto progresivo Conjunción El Condicional Simple Meet Beru the parrot. It's hard to have a secret conversation with him around!
• A walk along the Guayas river Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio Conjunción Have a fun learning jorney with this tourist leaflet about the Guayas river in Ecuador.
• A weekend without new technology Family & Relationships Technology & Science Adjetivo Adverbio de cantidad Conjunción coordinante Carlos' mum was concerned about his health and recommended him to spend a weekend away.
• An afternoon around the fire Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Aspecto progresivo Conjunción subordinante What do you think of a warm afternoon around the fire?
• An appointment with the ENT specialist Family & Relationships Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Adverbio interrogativo Conjunción Carlos got an appointment with the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor to get a treatment for his anosmia.
• An inspiring extreme sports story Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Unleash your adrenaline with an inspiring story of extreme sports triumph.
• An oasis in the middle of the desert Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo In the barren desert, a hidden oasis offers solace to weary travelers.
• An online Carnival party Celebrations & Important Dates Technology & Science Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Victoria is very excited about her upcoming online Carnival party.
• An online shopping gift voucher Technology & Science Adjetivo El Condicional Simple El Futuro Simple Lorena feels very lucky today with her online shopping gift voucher.
• An undercover investigation Employment Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo In the shadows of the drug underworld, an undercover investigation reveals the truth.
• Apology letter to a client Free Language & Education Adjetivo Conjunción Conjunción subordinante Learn how to write a formal letter of apology in Spanish.
• Are you ready to adopt an animal? Family & Relationships Conjunción subordinante El Condicional Simple El Futuro Simple Find out if you are ready to adopt an animal.
• Art therapy exercises Art & Design Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Learn about some art therapy exercises.
• At the hairdresser's Art & Design Adjetivo indefinido Adjetivo interrogativo y exclamativo Adverbio de duda Clara goes to the hairdresser to change her look.
• Athleisure on social media Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Laura loves following social media athleisure accounts.
• Basque Pottery Museum Art & Design Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Have you ever been to the Basque Pottery Museum?
• Be my Valentine! Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Miguel is declaring his love for Jimena in front of everyone!
• Blanca Suárez: a Spanish actress Famous People Film & TV Adjetivo Conjunción coordinante El Pretérito Perfecto Subjuntivo Learn about the famous Spanish actress Blanca Suárez
• Breakfast, the most important meal of the day Food & Drink Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo Discover why breakfast is such an important meal for performing well at work.
• Campervan trip Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio Jesús and Mateo love their campervan and travelling around Spain
• Campsite activities Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Apócope Artículo neutro Get some fresh ideas for things to do when you go camping.
• Casa Decor Madrid Art & Design Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Apócope Adriana plans to attend an exclusive exhibition next year.
• Casillero del Diablo Food & Drink Adjetivo El Presente de Subjuntivo El Pretérito Imperfecto Rosa and Enrique tell us about their experience with this Chilean wine.
• Changing my wardrobe Art & Design Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio interrogativo María plans to change the clothes in her closet for the new season.
• Chupachups: the Spanish lollipop Food & Drink Adjetivo Apócope El Pretérito Imperfecto Did you know that these lollipops were a Spanish invention?
• Colombia in the world Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Apócope Conjunción Why is Colombia a great place to visit?
• Couchsurfing in Spain Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adjetivo indefinido Adverbio interrogativo Learn about Couchsurfing, a service that connects a global community of travelers.
• DIY Art & Design El Condicional Perfecto El Futuro Perfecto El Futuro Simple Do some DIY with Marta!
• Dancing an aurresku Music Adjetivo Adverbio El Imperativo Learn about the aurresku, a famous dance from the Basque Country.
• Dream trips Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Have you ever experienced a dream trip?
• Driving in Lima Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio de cantidad Learn about what driving looks like in Lima.
• Easter Empanadas from Chile Food & Drink Adjetivo Adverbio Adverbio de cantidad Agustín tells us about his delicious Easter empanadas from Chile.

C1: Advanced Spanish writing exercises

• 2021: the Year of the Ox Celebrations & Important Dates El Infinitivo Compuesto Jerga/ Expresión idiomática Modo subjuntivo Learn about the new Chinese year for 2021.
• A TikTok dance challenge Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adverbio Adverbio de duda Artículo definido Celia's dance got popular in TikTok.
• A coffee shop for cats Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Artículo neutro Gerundio/Spanish present participle Discover this unusual coffee shop where cats are the stars!
• A film review Film & TV Adjetivo Artículo neutro Aspecto progresivo Antonio makes us a review of a movie.
• A rock 'n' roll grandmother Family & Relationships Music Adjetivo Artículo definido Artículo neutro Sandra tells us about her unconventional grandmother, Carmen.
• A tornado Family & Relationships Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción A fierce tornado struck Mar Azul, turning its tranquil shores into a tempestuous battleground.
• Alcoy and its textile industry Art & Design Adjetivo Artículo definido Artículo neutro Inés is telling her son Alberto about Alcoy's industry.
• Antonio Gaudi's architecture Art & Design Famous People Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción coordinante Learn about Gaudí's architecture in Barcelona and practise relative pronouns and the passive voice.
• Benefits of art therapy Art & Design Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción coordinante Have you ever heard about art therapy?
• Bilbao Book Fair Literature, Poetry, Theatre El Infinitivo Compuesto El Presente de Subjuntivo El Pretérito Imperfecto Subjuntivo Ready to visit the Bilbao Book Fair?
• Bungee Jumping Sports & Leisure El Condicional Perfecto El Condicional Simple El Futuro Perfecto Candela tells us about her first bungee jump.
• Castile comes from 'castle' Language & Education Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción coordinante Learn about the etymological origin of the word 'Castile'.
• Cataract surgery Family & Relationships Artículo definido Artículo neutro Aspecto perfectivo Cecilia tells us about her upcoming cataract surgery.
• Centennial oak trees Sports & Leisure Artículo neutro Conjunción subordinante El Presente de Subjuntivo Shelter beneath the magnificent centennial oak trees.
• Charity Kings Parade Celebrations & Important Dates Artículo definido Artículo neutro Conjunción Are you a fan of The Three Wise Men?
• Chinese horoscope Technology & Science Artículo neutro Aspecto progresivo Conjunción Learn about the Chinese horoscope.
• Climbing the Gorbea Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Aspecto progresivo Conjunción Learn about this hill in the north of Spain.
• Cognitive inclusion at school Language & Education Artículo definido Artículo indefinido Artículo neutro Learn about this cognitive inclusion project.
• Combat sports: sport or violence? Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Conjunción coordinante Expressing need and obligation (deber, tener que, haber que, necesitar [que]) Do you think that combat sports are violent? Look at what Pedro thinks about them.
• Corruption Politics, History & Economics Adjetivo Aspecto progresivo El Presente Corruption in Spain is a serious problem that dates back centuries.
• Council housing challenges Art & Design Aspecto progresivo Conjunción subordinante El Condicional Simple Learn about the council housing situation in a Spanish city.
• Eating in the heights of Barcelona Food & Drink Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Interested in getting a high-flying meal?
• Frozen Film & TV Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción Experience the magic of ice and adventure in 'Frozen'.
• Handicrafts Art & Design Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción Discover what the traditional Honduran handicrafts are.
• Hatless women Politics, History & Economics Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Condicional Simple Learn about the hatless women from the twenties.
• History of Valencia FC Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Pretérito Imperfecto Learn about Valencia FC's history.
• History of ceramics in America Art & Design Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Pretérito Imperfecto Trace the evolution of American ceramics through the centuries.
• How to become an au pair Employment Language & Education Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Presente Are you looking for a host family to do some au pair work while improving a foreign language?
• I'm going everywhere with my GPS! Sports & Leisure Artículo definido Artículo neutro El Infinitivo Compuesto Pedro tells us about the GPS he just bought.
• Ice on the moon? Technology & Science Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Aspecto progresivo Is there or was there water on the Moon?
• Intarsia Art & Design Adjetivo Expresión idiomática con "ser" Infinitivo Learn about intarsia, a very old traditional woodwork technique.
• Is it cake? Film & TV Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Learn about an amazing TV show on Netflix.
• Jose Ortega y Gasset: a Spanish philosopher Famous People Language & Education Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Pretérito Imperfecto Learn about Ortega y Gasset and his philosophy.
• Last minute travelling Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Artículo definido Marisa is tempted to travel last minute this summer.
• Lost among cacti Family & Relationships Adjetivo Conjunción subordinante El Pretérito Imperfecto Lucía found herself adrift in a prickly sea of cacti.
• Madeira Centro hotel Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjetivo Conjunción coordinante Gerundio/Spanish present participle Discover this beautiful hotel in Benidorm.
• Marmitako to keep warm Food & Drink Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Condicional Simple Blanca feels like cooking a hot tuna dish to warm herself up after a rainy day.
• Mexicans in the USA Immigration & Citizenship Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción coordinante Amelia is impressed by Mexican culture and cuisine in the USA.
• Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Conjunción Expresión idiomática con "ser" Expressing need and obligation (deber, tener que, haber que, necesitar [que]) Have you ever visited the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba?
• My father's self-portrait Art & Design Adverbio de cantidad Expresión idiomática con "estar" Gerundio/Spanish present participle Daniel had a lot of fun with his father's self-portrait.
• My relationship with my parents Family & Relationships Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción Learn about Pablo's relationship with his parents.
• On the moon Technology & Science Adjetivo Adverbio interrogativo Adverbio relativo Learn about Clara's adventure in an unknown place.
• One day on the radio Film & TV Adjetivo Adverbio de duda Artículo neutro María is looking forward to participating in a radio session.
• Our energy bill Technology & Science Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción Samuel and his wife are not happy at all with their last electricity bill.
• PISA report: Spain Language & Education Adjetivo Artículo neutro Conjunción coordinante Carlos, headmaster of a Spanish school, shares his thoughts about the latest PISA report.
• Paid to sleep! Employment Artículo neutro Conjunción coordinante El Imperativo Learn about this relaxing business.
• Putting yourself first Family & Relationships Artículo neutro El Pretérito Perfecto Subjuntivo Infinitivo Isabel is giving Maria some advice following her breakup with her boyfriend.
• Really hard January Politics, History & Economics Adjetivo Adverbio de duda Conjunción subordinante Manuel is regretting having spent so much money on Christmas.
• Sailing in Majorca Sports & Leisure Adjetivo Artículo neutro El Imperativo Sara has received an exciting proposal to sail in Majorca.
• San Isidro in Madrid Celebrations & Important Dates Adverbio de cantidad Expresión idiomática con "estar" Expresión idiomática con "ser" Learn about this popular celebration in Madrid.

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Spanish Essay Phrases: 40 Useful Phrases for an Impressive Writeup

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May 30, 2019

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Do you need to write a lot of essays in Spanish? If you do, don’t worry. It's about to get a little bit easier for you because here in this article, we’ve listed many useful Spanish essay phrases that you can readily use in your essays.

Feel free to pepper your essays with the words and expressions from this list. It would certainly elevate your essays and impress your teachers. You're welcome!

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Spanish Essay Phrases

Additional Resources

You can also check out the following resources:

84 Spanish Expressions for Agreeing and Disagreeing

Common Spanish Verbs

Expresiones útiles para escribir en español

Looking for more Spanish phrases? Check out this e-book with audio!

Try to use the essay phrases in Spanish that you learned in this lesson and write a few example sentences in the comments section!

About the author 

Janey is a fan of different languages and studied Spanish, German, Mandarin, and Japanese in college. She has now added French into the mix, though English will always be her first love. She loves reading anything (including product labels).

VERY VERY useful !! Gracias

Amazing! This will definitely help me in tomorrow’s spanish test 🙂

Sounds good

Thanks for the assistance, in learning Spanish.

Amazing article! Very helpful! Also, this website is great for Spanish Beginners.

It’s easy when you put it that way

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Spanish Written Assignment Examples

1. La tarea escrita de español 2. Ejemplos de tareas escritas en español 3. Muestras de trabajos escritos en español 4. Ejercicios escritos en español como tarea 5. Documento escrito en español como tarea

Spanish Written Assignment Examples: Enhancing Your Language Skills

Introduction.

When studying Spanish, written assignments play a crucial role in improving your language skills. They allow you to practice grammar, vocabulary, and composition while expressing your thoughts in a structured manner. In this article, we will explore examples of Spanish written assignments to help you gain a better understanding of different writing styles and formats, and to provide you with inspiration for your own assignments.

Example 1: Descriptive Essay

Topic: describe your favorite city in spain..

In this example, you can showcase your descriptive writing skills while highlighting your personal connection to a particular city in Spain. Start by introducing the city and explaining why it is your favorite. Describe its location, architectural features, cultural attractions, and the unique experiences it offers. Use sensory details to paint a vivid picture and convey the atmosphere of the city. Wrap up the essay by summarizing the main reasons why it holds a special place in your heart.

Example 2: Argumentative Essay

Topic: should schools require students to learn a second language.

This example allows you to develop your persuasive writing skills while discussing a relevant topic. Start by presenting the thesis statement, stating your position on whether schools should require students to learn a second language. Provide supporting arguments, such as cognitive benefits, cultural understanding, and improved job prospects. Counter potential counterarguments and refute them with strong evidence. Conclude by summarizing your main points and reinforcing your stance.

Example 3: Letter to a Pen Pal

Topic: introduce yourself and describe your daily routine..

This example focuses on informal writing and practicing basic conversational skills. Begin by introducing yourself to your pen pal, including your name, age, and interests. Describe your daily routine, including activities like waking up, going to school or work, hobbies, and spending time with friends or family. Ask your pen pal questions about their daily life and express interest in learning about their culture. Conclude the letter by expressing excitement about continuing the correspondence.

Example 4: Book Review

Topic: write a review of your favorite spanish novel..

This example allows you to showcase your analytical skills and comprehension of Spanish literature. Begin by providing an overview of the book, including its title, author, and genre. Summarize the plot without giving away any spoilers. Discuss the themes, character development, and writing style of the novel. Provide your personal opinion and support it with examples from the book. Conclude by recommending the novel to others and explaining why it had a significant impact on you.

Example 5: Travel Blog Post

Topic: share your experience visiting a spanish-speaking country..

This example combines personal narrative with informative writing. Start by introducing the country you visited and your motivation for choosing it. Describe your travel itinerary, including notable landmarks, cultural experiences, and interactions with locals. Share anecdotes, observations, and reflections on the cultural differences you encountered. Provide practical tips for future travelers. Conclude by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to visit the country and how it has broadened your horizons.

Spanish written assignments are an excellent way to enhance your language skills and demonstrate your understanding of the language. By exploring different writing styles and formats through examples such as descriptive essays, argumentative essays, letters, book reviews, and travel blog posts, you can develop your vocabulary, grammar, and composition skills. Embrace these assignments as opportunities to express your creativity, convey your thoughts, and deepen This article has not yet been reviewed by our team Spanish Bilingual Huerto Angry Family Spanish Angelus in Spanish

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65 spanish phrases to use in an essay.

If Spanish is not your first language, memorizing specific phrases can help you improve your essay-writing skills and make you sound more like a native speaker. Thus below, you will find a list of useful phrases categorized by groups to help you appear more proficient and take your essays to the next level!

Introductory Phrases

Based on my vast experience as a freelance writer , I can say that starting an essay is undoubtedly the most challenging part of essay writing. Nonetheless, many phrases have proven to help organize my thoughts and form cohesive and intriguing introductions, such as:

• “Para empezar” – To begin with

• “Al principio” – At the beginning… 

• “En primer lugar” – To start… 

• “Empecemos por considerar” – Let’s begin by considering/acknowledging 

• “A manera de introducción” – We can start by saying…

• “Como punto de partida “ – As a starting point

• “Hoy en día” – Nowadays… Notice that these introductory phrases are not exactly the same than those you would use in a conversation. For that, I suggest reading my article about Sentence Starters in Spanish .

You can also use phrase to introduce a new topic in the text such as:

• En lo que se refiere a – Regarding to
• Respecto a – Regarding to
• En cuanto a – Regarding to
• Cuando se trata de – When it comes to
• Si pasamos a hablar de – If we go ahead to talk about

Concluding Phrases

It is also crucial that you know how to finish your essay. A good conclusion will allow you to tie all your ideas together and emphasize the key takeaways. Below, a few ways in which you can begin a concluding argument:

• “En conclusion” – In conclusion

• “En resumen/resumiendo…” – In summary

• “Como se puede ver…” – As you can see

• “Para concluir” – To conclude

• “Para finalizar” – To finish

• “Finalmente, podemos decir que…” – We can then say that…

• “ En consecuencia, podemos decir que…” – As a result, one can say that…

• “Por fin” – Finally

Transitional Phrases

Transitions phrases are crucial if you wish your essay to flow smoothly. Thus, I recommend you pay special attention to the following sentences:

• “Además” – Besides

• “Adicionalmente” – In addition…

• “Dado que…” – Given that…

• “Por lo tanto” – Therefore

• “Entonces” – Thus/So

• “Debido a…” – Hence

• “Mientras tanto” – Meanwhile

• “Por lo que” – This is why

• “Desde entonces” – Since then

Argumentative Phrases

When writing essays, it is very common for us to need to include argumentative phrases to get our message across. Hence, if you are looking for new ways to introduce an argument, below a few ideas:

• “Por otro lado…” – On the other hand…

• “En primera instancia…” – First of all 

• “A diferencia de…” – As oppossed to

• “De igual forma” – More so

• “Igualmente” – The same goes for… 

• “En otras palabras” – In other words

• “A pesar de que…” – Although 

• “Aunque” – Even though 

• “En contraste” – By contrast 

• “De hecho…” – In fact… 

• “Sin embargo” – Nevertheless

• “No obstante” – However

Opinion Phrases

There are many formal (and less formal ways) to express your opinions and beliefs in Spanish. Here, a few examples: 

• “Considero que…” – I considerthat…

• “Mi opinión es” – It is my opinion

• “Pienso que…” – I think that…

• “Opino que” – In my opinion…

• “Afortunadamente” – Fortunately

• “ Lamentablemente” – Unfortunately

• “Me parece que…” – It seems to me that…

• “En mi opinión” – I believe that…

• “En mi experiencia” – Based on my experience

• “Como yo lo veo…” – As I see it…

• “Es mi parecer” – My pointview 

General Phrases

Finally, I wanted to include a group of useful common phrases that can enrich your essay’s vocabulary:

•   “En realidad” – In reality

• “Actualmente” – Today/Nowadays 

• “De acuerdo a…” – According to… 

• “Por ejemplo” – For example

• “Cabe recalcar que…” – It is important to note that… 

• “Vale la pena resaltar que…” – It is important to highlight that… 

• “No podemos ignorar que…” – We can’t ignore that… 

• “Normalmente” – Usually/Normally 

• “Por lo general” – In general

• “Es normal que…” – It is normal to…

• “Otro hecho importante es…” – Another relevant factor is… 

• “Podría decirse que…” – One could say that… 

• “Para ilustrar” – To illustrate 

There you have it! A list of 60 useful phrases you can memorize to make your essays sound more professional and become more appealing to readers. However, if you are struggling and need further assistance with your essay, here you can see an Spanish essay example that can help you to structure and edit your work.

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• UConn Library
• Spanish Studies Subject Guide
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Spanish Studies Subject Guide — Thinking about Topics

• Exploring Broad Topics in Spanish Studies
• Narrowing Topics in Spanish Studies
• Forming a Research Question
• Finding Primary Sources
• Finding Secondary Sources
• Finding Open Access Sources
• Finding Audiovisual Materials
• Finding Current News
• Finding Materials on Microform
• Citing Sources
• Finding Additional Resources

Exploring broad topics in Spanish Studies scholarship is a good way to start thinking about potential topics for your essay, research paper, or project. As you explore some of the broad topics in recent scholarship, consider:

• What are the expectations around the essay, paper, or project? Are there specific geographic or temporal requirements for the assignment?
• What interests you most about some of the broad topics? What are some of the ways that they connect with your interests inside and outside of the classroom?

If you have identified a broad topic, the next step is to adapt or narrow the topic to match the course expectations and requirements for your essay, paper, or project. As you narrow your topic, consider: 

• What are expectations around the length of the paper or project?
• What are the requirements around the use of primary and secondary sources?

Identifying a topic and sources to support your analysis is an important first step in the research process. For many essays and projects, forming a research question and thesis statement is an important next step. As you form a research question, plan to use additional resources: 

• Visit your professors during drop-in office hours or make an appointment with them to discuss your research question and thesis statement early in the process. 
• Use the  UConn Writing Center  to formulate or revise a research question or preliminary thesis statement. The writing center offers free in-person and online tutoring. You can make an appointment, drop-in with a quick question, or request written feedback.
• Email or make an appointment with the  Research Services Librarian for Spanish Studies  for help finding additional primary or secondary sources. 
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Spanish Writing Examples

The following shows writing examples at various proficiency levels. These were produced by real language learners and may contain errors. See Writing Section Tips at the bottom of this page.

Spanish Proficiency Tests and Resources

Writing Examples

At this level, I am able to create individual words that have no extended meaning.

I can share some simple vocabulary, which deals with the prompt/task/situation, but I tend to struggle to connect those words to create meaning.

mi madre negro pello mi padre negro pelo mi café pelo.

At this level, I am beginning to develop the ability to create meaning by grammatically connecting words.

Specifically, I can connect some basic subjects and verbs or verbs and objects, but I may be inconsistent at doing this.

I am often limited in my vocabulary to Novice level topics that I experience in my every-day life or that I have recently learned.

Es mi padre, madre, hermana. mi familia. Es mi hermano. Perro y gato tambien

At this level, I can create simple sentences with very basic grammatical control and accuracy.

There are often errors in my responses, while at the same time I might have good control with some very simple structures and functions of the language that I have just learned or studied.

At the Novice levels, errors are expected as I try to create simple sentences. Generally, the sentences that I am able to create are very basic and simple with few, if any, added details.

Mi familia es muy muy bonita. no padre .mi madre es bonita y muy bajo . mi hermano es alto. Me gusta mi familia. Jugamos juegos. Comemos almuerzo, lonche y cena. t

At this level, I can create simple sentences with some added detail; such sentences help create VARIETY.

At the Intermediate Low level, simple sentences are enhanced by use of prepositional phrases, helping verb usage, as well as some adverbs and a variety of adjectives.

I generally create independent sentences (ideas) that can be moved around without affecting the overall meaning of the response. There are still a number of errors in my response, but I have fairly good control of more basic sentences. I am feeling more confident in using different structures and expanding vocabulary and taking more risks with my responses.

Mi familia es pequeño. Tengo un hermano y un mama y un padre. Mi papa es alto y blanco y trabaja en un escuela con mi tio. Ellos le gustan jugar futbol con mis amigos. Es tan divirtido. Mi mama es baja y cocina para nosotros. Mi hermano es alto y blanco con ojos azuls. Jugamos futbol con mis amigos cada sabado – y con mi papa y tio.

At this level, I can now create enough language to show groupings of ideas.

My thoughts are loosely connected and cannot be moved around without affecting meaning.

I can also create a few sentences with complexity and am able to use some transition words.  I am also able to use more than just simple present tense, but often make mistakes when I try to use other tenses.

My vocabulary use is expanding and I am able to use more than the usual, high frequency or most common vocabulary. I feel that I am able to create new language on my own and communicate my everyday needs without too much difficulty.

Los estudiantes en la primaria deben tener un celular. Yo pienso que es importante porque hay paginas de educacion que pueden ayudar a educar los estudiantes. Los niños deben usar celulares por una hora cada dia – no mas. Los padres tambien deben ayudar. Ellos tienen que enseñar sus hijos los paginas deben ir y los paginas no deben ir. Pueden usar mas cosas en su celular cuando van a la escuela secundaria. Los cellulares pueden ser una cosa buena pero tambien pueden ser mal. Es importante que los padres ensenan a sus hijos la differencia de lo bueno y lo malo.

At this level, I have good control of the language and feel quite confident about an increasing range of topics.

There are still some occasional errors in my language production, but that does not hinder my ability to communicate what I need to share.

I can use circumlocution to explain or describe things for which I do not know specific vocabulary or structures. I can understand and use different time frames and am just beginning to develop the ability to switch most time frames with accuracy. I can use transition words and concepts with some ease. My language has a more natural flow, but I still may have some unnatural pauses or hesitations.

En mi opinión, los niños deben tener un móvil solamente para llamar a sus padres o otra gente sin acceso de Internet. La mayoría de los adolecentes tienen una addición a Internet o sus moviles y este es un gran problema. Cuando tienen un movil, es posible que ellos no quieren jugar con sus amigos. Niños deben pasar tiempo afuera con sus amigos, no quedar en las casas o jugar videojuegos en sus moviles. También, el uso del moviles será un impacto negativo en la salud mental. Cuando entran el colegio, va a ser más díficil para aprender y prestar atención en las clases. Si tienen un móvil, ellos pueden llamar a alguien en caso de una emergencia. Al final, el uso de los moviles no son bueno y es mejor para los niños a jugar con sus amigos y hacer otras cosas que no son la técnologia.

At this level my response contains a number of complexities with higher degree of accuracy.

Such language allows me to address each aspect of the prompt more completely and with more depth of meaning.

I am able to use Advanced vocabulary or Advanced terms, conjugations etc. with confidence. I feel that I can create natural flow using as much detail and descriptive language as possible to create a clear picture. Errors with more complex structures may still occur. My ability to switch time frames begins to increase in accuracy.

Hace algunos años el uso de teléfonos celulares en estudiantes de primaria a aumentado. En mi opinion, es algo irresponsable que estudiantes de esa edad tengan ese tipo de tecnologia a su alcance. Siento que es aceptable que tengan otro tipo de tecnologia comó una tableta electronica o un ipod. Es muy importante mantener la seguridad de nuestra generación mas pequeña, ya que están siendo expuestos a riesgos muy graves a temprana edad. Comó por ejemplo, el hecho de que ellos tengan acceso ilimitado a muchas cosas en el internet que podrian ser dañinas o que eventualmente les afecte emocionalmente y mentalmente. De hecho, yo sugiero que si ellos tienen acceso a el internet, que sea limitada y vigilada por un adulto responsable. Algunos de los riesgos que están expuestos serian, el contacto con personas que podrian tener una intencion dañina. Tambien, como son pequeños y no tienen ninguna experiencia con tales peligros, ellos podrian dar información confidensial a tales personas. El bienestar y la seguridad de ellos es nuestra responsabilidad como adultos. Su salud podria tambien estar en riesgo, ya que el uso de aparatos electronicos a aumentado asi tambien el riesgo de que su salud esté comprometida. Ase algun tiempo leí un articulo sobre como el uso de los aparatos electrónicos a temprana edad puede afectar la vista de ellos a largo plaso. Tambien puede ser que si pasan mucho tiempo cerca de los electrónicos, el riesgo de que las posibilidades de desarrollar cancér aumenten. Comó mencione anteriormente, es inaceptable que niños de temprana edad tengan acceso ilimitado a aparatos electrónicos.

At this level my response demonstrates my ease with the language.

I am able to create a response which not only addresses each aspect of the prompt, but delves into each point with clarity and concise language.

I am able to incorporate a number of more complex structures as well as Advanced vocabulary and Advanced phrases with a higher degree of accuracy throughout the majority of the response.

The language I create has a natural flow due to the way I incorporate a variety of patterns and complexities into my response. My response shows my ability to create language that has sophistication of language skills and syntactical density. My ability to switch time frames accurately is evident, if called for in the prompt.

Hoy en día, el uso de los teléfonos celulares es más común en la vida cotidiana al igúal que en la vida laboral. Muchos adultos consideran importante que los niños de edades primarias tengan a su alcanze un celular ya que lo consideran necesario en "momentos de emergencia." Desafortunadamente con el uso de los celulares los niños están siendo expuestos a muchas cosas que muchos padres no se dan cuenta. El uso de celulares en edad primarias debe de ser cuidadosamente calculado. A esta edad los niños no deben de estar solos y por lo tanto, no tienen necesidad de un teléfono celular. A ésta edad los niños pueden recibir más daño que beneficios ya que puedan envolverse en actividades no apropiadas para su edad y pueden ser más vulnerables a comunicarse con personas extrañas que pueden estar dispuestos a hacerles mal. Legalmente los niños de edad primaria no deben de estar solos en ningún momento. Los padres deben de llevarlos a la escuela y en la escuela están acompañados de maestros y todo el personal escolar, y al salir de clases, deben de estar acompañados por una persona adulta. En este aspecto, darle a un niño un teléfono celular no es necesario ya que si necesitan comunicarse con sus padres, pueden encontrar a un adulto de confianza que les facilite esa comunicación. Muchos niños de edad primarias superiores, es decir en cuarto o quinto grado, reciben mucho maltrato emocional en las escuelas durante la hora del almuerzo o receso y al darles un teléfono, se les facilita a los estudiantes un modo extra de maltratar a otros, incluso cuando no están en el mismo lugar. Vale la pena mencionar que en ocasiones muchos estudiantes participan en actividades extracurriculares en las que participan solos y necesitan comunicarse con sus padres. En estos casos, pueda que sea necesario, pero tambien es importante comprender de la necesidad de ese aparáto, si solo es necesario para hacer llamadas o mandar un mensaje de texto entonces los estudiantes no tienen la necesidad de tener un teléfono inteligente con acceso a la internet. Muchos estudiantes se dejan llevar por la curiosidad y al usar la internet están expuestos a ciertos páginas de internet que los padres no aprovarían. Desafortunadamente muchos padres no se toman el tiempo de revisar y limitar lo que sus hijos pueden hacer con estos celulares. Teléfonos con aceso a la internet son mas apropiados para estudiantes que ya van a una escuela secundaria ya que muchos de ellos son más independientes, llegan a casa muchas veses solos, participan en actividades muchas veses solos y necesitan mantenerse en comunicacion con los padres más amenudo.

Writing Section Tips

Additional resources can be found in the Power-Up Guide and on our Video Tutorials page.

• Be a ‘show-off’ – this is the time to show what you can do!
• Be organized in your writing.
• Challenge yourself to go above and beyond what you normally write.
• Be creative and don’t stress out over possible errors. Perfection is not the goal!

Simply do your best and enjoy creating and communicating in the language that you are learning.

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Spanish Writing Activities, 25 Spanish Writing Projects

In this series on teaching Spanish writing skills, we’ve discussed using templates to model good writing , as well as the importance of Spanish transition words to decrease choppiness.  This post will continue the writing discussion with ideas for great Spanish writing activities and Spanish writing projects to use all year long with your high school or middle school students.

Without further ado, here are some ideas:

Spanish Writing Activities (Level 1)

For level 1, I focus primarily on speaking and communication skills for at least the first half of the year before adding in a whole lot of writing.  Sentences or short paragraphs are fine, but avoid long compositions until they are more confident and competent with their communication skills.

That said, here are a few shorter projects:

Postcard Project (Level 1) 

Students pretend they are on vacation in a Spanish Speaking country.  Pass out an index card and have students draw/print and paste photos of the scenery on one side and describe their vacation on the other.

Teach them a little bit of preterite to help them talk about where they went and what they saw.  (Fui a . . ., Fuimos a, Vi, Vimos, Fue  muy divertido, muy interesante, un viaje fantástico.).  Don’t teach them the whole verb conjugation – only teach that “Fui a” means “I went”, “Fuimos a” means we went, “Vi” means “I saw”, “Vimos” means “We saw” and “Fue” means “It was “.  Ex.  I’m in Panama.  There are a lot of colorful birds here.  The weather is nice.  Today we went to an incredible national park.  We saw lots of interesting animals:  iguanas, agouti, and wild parrots.  Etc.

Social Media Profile 

Have students write their own Facebook profile or other social media profile.  They can answer questions such as:  Where do you live, what do you like to do, what is your profession, etc.

Secret Valentines

Select another student’s name for each student (boys to boys, girls to boys, girls to girls) and have them write super cheesy valentines to their secret valentine.  Tell them that the whole point is to write the cheesiest valentine.  Students give you the valentines when they are done and you pass them out.  They try to guess who their secret valentine is.

Grab your free list of Valentine’s vocab in the Free Resource Library .

All about Me Writing Project

This one is great for an end-of-year project.  Students describe themselves, their families, their likes and dislikes, etc.  Get this free template in the Free Resource Library .

All about Me Spanish Writing Project

Spanish Writing Activities (Level 2) 

Instagram posts.

Students take photos and write Instagram posts describing what they did over the summer, winter break, spring break, etc.

Personal Narrative

All about Me Project (with or without the template).  See above.

Describe a Typical Day

Students describe their daily routine (great for reflexive verbs and time).  If you want to add an extra fun element to this, offer extra credit if they act their days out in front of the class as funny people.  Student A is behind Student B and is the arms and does all the actions while Student A talks.  This is really funny as they try to brush teeth, hair, etc.  Students love this activity.

Collage People

Students cut out pictures of different activities and paste them (or they can draw them) onto an outline of a person.  They then write about the person that they have created, describing their likes and dislikes.

How to Project

Write instructions explaining how to make or do something (could be a recipe or a simple craft).

Create a Pamphlet

Make a pamphlet or brochure for a gym/weight loss program.

Preterite  

One crazy family.

Write about a crazy family and all the crazy things that they did all week long.  Have them act out the actions in front of the class with props.

Ex.  The Gonzalez family is really crazy.  On Tuesday, Marta ate worms and crickets for dinner.  On Friday night, Luis and Rosa rode elephants and parked them in the supermarket parking lot.  What a mess!

Postcard Project (Level 2)

Students pretend they are on vacation in a Spanish Speaking country.  Pass out an index card and have students draw/print and paste photos of the scenery on one side and describe their vacation on the other.  Can be used with just preterite or preterite/imperfect.

Get more preterite/imperfect activities here.

Your Life As a Kid

Write about what your life was like when you were a kid.  Students leave the name off and attach a photo from when they were little.  Post them around the class with a number by each essay.  Students try to guess who each person is.

Famous Person’s Life

Write about the life of a famous person.

Penpal Letters

Connect with another class in a Spanish-speaking country and have your students correspond with other students throughout the year.  Collect the letter and mail them in one big envelope to save on postage (or even better, correspond via email).

Letter for Next Year

Write a letter to next year’s students telling them about your teacher and what they should expect from Spanish class.

Spanish Writing Activities (Levels 3, 4, 5)

Preterite vs. imperfect, class story.

Write a class story.  Begin with a starter sentence like:  It was a dark and stormy night.  Students in class take turns adding on sentences.  To get more touches with the language, divide the class into groups and let them brainstorm their own stories and then write on the board as they go.  Share and correct the stories as a class afterward.

Life in the Past

Compare and contrast life today with life 50 years ago.

Photo Prompt

Use a funny photo as a writing prompt.  Ex. What happened to cause this event?

Photo Writing

Show a picture with lots of things happening in it.  Have students write as much as they can about the picture for 2-5 minutes.

Retell a Fairy Tale

Students write out a traditional fairy tale but change some of the details to give it a funny twist.

Change the Ending

Write the ending to a story that the class is reading before you read it.

Famous People

Students research a famous Hispanic and write a resume based on that person’s life.  I like to have them add an audio-visual element to the presentation (showcasing their art, music, etc.).  Get a ready-made Famous Hispanics game and project.

Movie/Book Review

Students write a review critiquing a movie or book.

Students write a blog post about a topic of their choosing:  exercise, sports, fashion, healthy eating, etc.  Have them use info. that you are studying (specific verb tenses or grammar points, transition words ) in their posts.

Journal Writing

Have students write once a week in Spanish journals (either in class or at home).  Be sure to tell them not to write stuff that is super personal because you will be reading it.

Journal Writing with Prompts

Give students a new prompt for each writing session.  Base the prompts on the season or specific grammar points that you’re studying.  Ex.  (For Halloween)  Describe the best Halloween costume that you ever wore.  Ex. (For imperfect subjunctive)  If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be?

Controversial Opinion Piece

Students present one side of a debate for a controversial topic.  As the teacher, you may wish to select certain topics to choose from or you may decide to give students permission to choose (just have them check with you first before they start to write).

Future Plans

Describe what your life will be like in 10, 20, or 30 years.

Conditional

Have students answer any of the following writing prompts:  1.  What would you do if you won $1,000,000?  2.  What changes would you make if you were the principal of your school?  3.  If you could have any special power, what would it be and why?

25 Spanish Writing Activities

End of Year Projects for Upper-Level Students

Spanish fairy tales.

Students write and illustrate fairy tales using complex verb tenses and transition words.  Give them a specific amount of transition words to use (10-15), and specific verbs (must use at least 3 conditional, 5 preterite, 5 imperfect, 3 subjunctive, etc.).  Get the instructions, rubrics, and samples to show your students here .

Write a Chapter

Write an additional chapter from a book that you’ve read this year.  Include elements in the style of that particular author.  My favorite book is “ Cuentos con sazón “.  Each chapter talks about a moral problem that a kid encountered with some sort of resolution, centered around a festival in a Spanish-speaking country and involving some yummy traditional food.

Hope you found these ideas helpful and inspiring!  Have a great Spanish writing project that we should all know about – let me know in the comments so I can add it to this post.

Be sure to check out the other parts of this Spanish writing series:  “ Using Spanish Writing Templates ” and “ Using Spanish Transition Words to Improve Writing “.

Helpful ready-made resources:

Grab these ready-made helpful writing resources: 101 Spanish Transition Words Spanish Fairy Tale Project Spanish Writing Section for an Exam

Happy Teaching! ~Sherry

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Vivian Colon

Thank you so much for sharing these writing ideas. I can’t wait to try them next semester. !Muchas gracias!

Sherry Sebesta

So happy to hear that they were helpful, Vivian! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂

I would like to use all these ideas and projects that you have in your page, I found it very interesting!

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How To Describe Your Daily Routine In Spanish (Easy Template Included)

If I were to walk up to you right now and ask you in Spanish, “¿Cuál es tu rutina diaria?”

Would you be able to respond to me clearly and concisely?

If not, don’t worry because I’ll show you how to describe your daily routine in Spanish in today’s article.

I’ll give you a few common verbs and phrases that you will probably want to use, and then I’ll tell you my daily routine in Spanish using some of those verbs. 

After that, I want you to write your daily routine, or at least your morning routine, in the comments section below and then practice saying it.

Heck, even record yourself saying it, and over time you will improve.

Let’s get started.

Talking about daily routines or morning routines is a great conversation starter.  

We recently did an article on 15 phrases to boost your conversations, and talking about daily routines is a good one to add to that list. 

Often, when I am learning a language and talking with other people, one of the easiest ways to start that conversation is to ask them what their morning routine is and then tell them mine. 

So I will start by telling you my morning routine in Spanish, “La rutina de la mañana.” 

And I want you to be on the lookout for a few things, okay

First, I want you to notice that I use all verbs in the present tense. 

That’s because I am talking about something I do every day. So pay attention to that. 

Next, take note of the transition words, words like: 

• “Primero” (first) ” 
• Luego (next)
• Antes de (before)
• Después de (after)
• La ultima (the last thing)

Those are the most common transition words that you will use.

Reflexive verbs in Spanish

You will also notice that many of the verbs I will use will be reflexive verbs. 

I should probably do an entire article on reflexive verbs—and I have that on my list…

But for today, since we are talking about ourselves, we will be only talking in the present “yo” so it won’t be too difficult. 

Let me give you a quick rundown of what a reflexive verb is and how to use it in Spanish. 

Reflexive verbs go with reflexive pronouns to show that someone is performing an action on themselves. 

So let’s take the simple example of lavarse las manos. 

When you want to say I wash my hands, in Spanish, you would say, “me lavo las manos.”

The verb used is “ lavarse ” – to wash oneself, the reflexive verb, not lavar (to wash).

In this example, we conjugate lavarse in the present tense and place the pronoun in front.

• Me lavo las manos (I wash my hands)
• Te lavas las manos (You wash your hands)
• Se lava las manos (He washes his hands)
• Nos lavamos las manos (We wash our hands)
• Os laváis las manos (Y’all wash your hands)
• Se lavan las manos (They wash their hands)

One mistake many people make is they:

me lavo mis manos instead of me lavo las manos — t his is incorrect. 

Because you are using the reflexive verb, you don’t need the “mis” here. 

Make sense?

Again, today it should be easy because we are simply talking about ourselves. 

So everything will be conjugated in the me + present yo form. 

For example, me despierto, me levanto, me baño, etc. 

I think it will be best if we start with the morning routine. 

And that’s how I want you to start. 

It’s mainly because it’s effortless to have the same morning routine every day. 

It’s a little more challenging to have an entire daily routine that doesn’t change much. 

There are a lot of things that can happen throughout the day. 

So let me tell you my morning routine in Spanish, then after that, we will analyze what I said, and I will give you a simple template you can use to say your daily routine. 

Click play on the audio below to listen.

The script to the above audio:

Hola, me llamo Rocky. Primero, me despierto todas las mañanas a las nueve. Me levanto de la cama, me cepillo los dientes, me lavo la cara, y me baño. Tiendo la cama, después de bañarme. Luego , hago meditación. Después de meditar, saco a mi perro a pasear . La última cosa que hago, antes de empezar a trabajar, es tratar de leer por 30 minutos. 

Hi, my name is Rocky. First, I wake up every morning at nine a.m. I get out of bed, I brush my teeth, I wash my face, and I shower. I make the bed after I wash myself. Next, I do meditation. After meditating, I take my dog for a walk. The last thing I do, before I start work, is try to read for 30 minutes. 

Let’s analyze the script

First, I used me despierto to say when I wake up. 

I used me levanto (the verb levantarse) to talk about when I get out of bed. 

Then I use a few more reflexive verbs to talk about what I do to myself, I brush my teeth, wash my face, and take a shower ( me cepillo los dientes, me lavo la cara, me baño). 

Now let’s look at where I used the transition words.

I used primero to start. 

I used luego and después de . 

Then in the end I said, la ultima cosa and I also say antes de .

Below is a little template you can use when you are writing your morning routine in the comments below. 

I will check it and add any corrections to what you write below so definitely participate if you are up for the challenge. 

“Primero, me despierto todas las mañanas a las __________ (time). Me levanto de la cama. (Add what you do in the morning – cepillarse, lavarse, bañarse, desayunarse. Remember to conjugate it properly in the yo form. And also be sure the transition words to help your sentences flow: antes de, después de, and luego.) And then to finish, you can say La última cosa que hago es (verb).”

Okay, so now it’s on you… 

Amigo o amiga, ¿cuál es tu rutina diaria? Escríbela abajo en los comentarios.

If you enjoyed this article and are really looking to level up your Spanish then check out our best-selling Seven Day Spanish Course.

4 thoughts on “How To Describe Your Daily Routine In Spanish”

Thanks so much. This helps a lot. I am ready to practice this. I have a class with my tutor tomorrow so I will try to do it then. Thanks!

Thanks, Jordan, glad you enjoyed it. Excited to see your daily routine.

Hola. Me llamo David. Por cada Mañana, me despierto a las 5 de la mañana. Seguiente me lavo la Cara y limpiar me deintes. Depues de yo orar por 15 minutes. Finalmente yo hablar con mi esposa y depues ir por trabajo.

Hola me llamo Mauselio, y este es my diaria de mis mananas. Primero, me despierto mas o menos a las nuve de la manana. Luego, no es neccesarrio pero chequio mis notifications si tengo por coreo o fb. Despues, haga el neccessarrio en el bano. al fin, conico pollo de casa para prepara para mi routina de hacer exceriso, en nota no commenzio trabajo hasta las 3 de la tarde.

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GCSE Spanish

Writing Essay about a Holiday for the GCSE Spanish Exam

Today you will have to write a writing essay about a holiday around 150 words . More specifically about the best holiday you ever had «las mejores vacaciones de tu vida» . This is one of the three assignments in which the structure task is organized and a perfect opportunity to prove how much Spanish you have learned .

Remember to read the  instructions carefully and follow all the instructions they will  provide you . Don’t miss anything of which you are asked to do!  Before continuing with the activity, you can  click on this link to learn some tips about how to do a writing essa y .

Write about the best holiday you ever had

Now we are going to work, the instructions are in Spanish , just as they will be in the exam.

El profesor os ha pedido, a todos los estudiantes de la clase, escribir un breve ensayo hablando sobre las mejores vacaciones de vuestra vida . Los tres mejores textos serán publicados en el blog de la escuela.

Debes mencionar:

• Dónde, cuándo y con quién fuiste.
• Cuánto tiempo pasaste allí.
• Indica al menos 3 cosas que hiciste durante esas vacaciones.
• Da una breve descripción de un lugar que viste.
• Explica por qué fueron tan especiales para ti.

Escribe aproximadamente 150 palabras en español. Responde a todos los aspectos de las preguntas.

Click the link to download the worksheet . Write your essay on it. Once you have finished, read again and review everything carefully (if you have used the right tenses, pronouns, prepositions, spelling, and word order…). Finally, if you are registered as a VIP student , send it to us to correct it by email to [email protected]. 

More about writing about a holiday in Spanish

To describe your vacation, you will need to use the preterite tense (pretérito indefinido ) , but it would be great if you also use the imperfect (pretérito imperfect) on occasion.

Click on the link to find more writing tasks to practice.

Increasing your vocabulary on the subject will also greatly help prepare your writing essay about a holiday in Spanish. I’ve included below a vocabulary infographic that will be very useful for you. If you are registered as a VIP member , you will be able to request a pdf copy of the picture and access flashcards and activities with additional vocabulary .

How to Say “Essay” in Spanish: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you looking to expand your Spanish vocabulary and express yourself more fluently? Learning how to say “essay” in Spanish is a vital step in becoming a proficient Spanish speaker and writer. In this guide, we will explore both formal and informal ways to express this term, while also providing you with useful tips, examples, and regional variations. Let’s dive in!

Formal Ways to Say “Essay” in Spanish

When it comes to a formal context, such as educational or professional settings, you can use the following terms:

The most common and widely accepted translation for “essay” in Spanish is “ensayo.” This term applies to both academic essays and literary compositions and is commonly used across Spanish-speaking regions. For example:

El profesor nos pidió que escribiéramos un ensayo sobre la importancia de la educación. (The professor asked us to write an essay about the importance of education.)

Another formal term that can be used interchangeably with “ensayo” is “trabajo.” This translation is more commonly used in academic contexts, particularly when referring to written assignments. For instance:

El estudiante está trabajando en su último trabajo de historia. (The student is working on his/her final essay for history.)

Informal Ways to Say “Essay” in Spanish

When speaking with friends or in more casual contexts, you may prefer to use the following alternatives:

1. Redacción

“Redacción” is a common term used to refer to essays in a more informal setting. It is often used when discussing written compositions without the strict academic connotations. Here’s an example:

Ayer tuve que hacer una redacción sobre mis vacaciones de verano. (Yesterday, I had to write an essay about my summer vacation.)

2. Ensayito

For a diminutive and more affectionate term, you can use “ensayito.” This variation is akin to saying “little essay” in English, adding a touch of informality and endearment to your speech. Here’s an example:

Juanita siempre escribe unos ensayitos muy interesantes. (Juanita always writes very interesting little essays.)

Regional Variations

While the terms mentioned above are widely understood across Spanish-speaking regions, it’s worth noting that variations may exist. Here are a few examples of regional alternatives:

1. Composición (Latin America)

In Latin America, especially in countries like Mexico and Colombia, “composición” is commonly used instead of “ensayo” or “trabajo” when referring to essays. For example:

Hoy tengo que entregar una composición sobre la historia del arte. (Today, I have to submit an essay about art history.)

2. Tarea (Spain)

In Spain, “tarea” is frequently used to refer to written assignments, including essays. Keep in mind that “tarea” has a broader meaning and can also encompass other types of homework or tasks. Here’s an example:

La profesora nos asignó una tarea sobre el cambio climático. (The teacher assigned us an essay on climate change.)

Tips for Writing an Essay in Spanish

Whether you are a Spanish learner or a native speaker looking to improve your writing skills, these tips will help you craft a compelling essay:

1. Use a Variety of Vocabulary

Avoid repetitive language by incorporating different synonyms, idiomatic expressions, and specialized terms relevant to the topic. This will showcase your command of the language and make your essay more engaging to read.

2. Structure Your Essay Properly

An essay should have a clear introduction, body paragraphs with supporting evidence or arguments, and a conclusion. Make sure to organize your thoughts and ideas coherently to ensure a logical flow throughout your essay.

3. Proofread and Edit

Take the time to proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. Consider asking a native Spanish speaker or a trusted language professional to review your work and provide feedback.

4. Read Essays by Native Spanish Writers

Reading essays written by native Spanish speakers can expose you to a range of writing styles, vocabulary, and grammatical structures. This exposure will help you develop a better understanding of what makes a well-written essay in Spanish.

Congratulations! You now have a comprehensive understanding of how to say “essay” in Spanish. Remember to consider the context and formality of the situation to choose the most appropriate term. Use the formal terms “ensayo” or “trabajo” when in professional or academic environments, and opt for “redacción” or “ensayito” in informal conversations with friends. Don’t forget to keep practicing your writing skills and explore different vocabulary to create compelling essays. ¡Buena suerte!

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ENGL 1102 Worozbyt Spring 2024 : Assignment

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Literature Research Assignment

Research Essay Topics

Compose in MLA format a research essay of at least 1000 words, using a minimum of four secondary sources. (The OED is a primary, not a secondary, source, but you are encouraged to use it.) Source material must be drawn from books and articles located in Galileo databases or the GSU library. Use secondary critical resources to support and complexify your arguments and points. The task is textual analysis, that and that alone. The supplemental lectures I have been posting are pretty good examples of what I am looking for. This is a research project, but I am most interested in seeing you display your own skill at critical thinking and analysis. Sources not found in Galileo or the GSU library will not count toward the research requirement, and you are discouraged from using them. That said, Wikipedia entries often have links at the bottom to legitimate, academic sources. Feel free to use Wikipedia as a launching point for research, even though Wikipedia entries themselves cannot be used, as they are not vetted. Do not summarize plots or provide biographies of the author. This essay is not to be about the author; it is to be about the text.

The Caveats:

You are obliged to familiarize yourself with proper MLA formatting and citation. This information is found in my Course Content, online at OWL, on Youtube, or simply by Googling “MLA citation.” By now I expect professionally clean and error-free copy, with no typos or mechanical errors. Papers not following these guidelines will be penalized accordingly. By now you have had a full semester of training in proper citation and format. Failure to format the body of your essay in MLA results a penalty up to twenty points, depending on severity. Failure to provide sufficient, relevant source material results in a fifteen-point penalty per missing source. Failure to properly acknowledge the use of secondary material constitutes plagiarism, whether intentional or not, and will result in no credit given, since I cannot distinguish between what writing is yours and what is not.. Make sure you quote and cite, both internally and in your works cited page.

Tennesse Williams, The Glass Menagerie:

1. Discuss the play’s presentation (and subversion) of traditional family and gender roles. How does the assumption and subsequent disruption of those roles define and control Laura’s destiny? How does having a brother for a father and a sister for a mother determine the outcome of Laura’s seduction by Jim?

2. Why does Williams’ reject conventional “realistic” stage drama? Analyze the stage directions and locate at least two echoes within the range of Tom’s dialogue and action. Are the lyrical and poetical qualities of the stage directions in (literary)/dramatic conflict with Tom’s desire to create a unified self, a “character” who characters, through writing poetry? Explain.

3. Consider the use of names and the function of naming in the play. How do names advance and complicate the major arguments and themes in The Glass Menagerie. Remember that a title is a “name” as well, and that to be a caller, gentleman or otherwise, is to be a namer. Needless to say, you should name the major arguments and themes.

4. Explore Williams’ concept of the stage as defined by the text of the play. How does our author manipulate the space and time of the stage? The first questions to wrestle with are: What is a stage? Where is the stage? When is the stage? Then: how does the playwright accomplish his redefinition of the conventional boundaries? Be specific, analyzing selected text passages.

5. Analyze the similarities and differences in the text of Williams’ play and the film of it you watched. This should not be simply a compare/contrast essay, but a thorough investigation of the way the two different media (reading and watching) are anticipated and dealt with by the play itself. The Production Notes and the corresponding echoes in the play would be a good place to start.

Alice Walker, Everyday Use:

1. “Everyday Use” presents us with the clash between personal and cultural history. Walker manages in this short work to interweave them and to produce a dialectic (a “conversation,” if you will) between the seemingly competing histories. Track this interweaving and explain how the story resolves the apparent contradictions between the two.

2. Consider Dee and Maggie as expressions of two sides to the mother’s character. Investigate and discuss how Walker creates these characters and how she makes them come so vibrantly alive in this story. Do not neglect in your analysis to discuss the significance of the mother’s dream.

3. Landscape and objects play a big role in this story. Discuss the idea of “inside” and “outside” in the story, paying careful and close attention to the way objects are depicted and used in the story to generate and facilitate the story’s major themes and ideas

Final Items:

Be generous with quotations, and never paraphrase the text or your secondary source material. Also, make absolutely sure you reproduce the text exactly as it appears in the original. When you change the words you change the meaning; when you change the meaning your argument fails. Likewise, it is always better to overquote than underquote. Analysis based on a brief, out of context phrase is much weaker than analysis of an entire paragraph or sentence.

Whether you choose Williams’ or Walker’s text to research, make sure you do the research before you start to write. Reading articles by vetted, published critics will help you deepen and organize your thoughts. Writing an essay and then going hunting for quotes that suit your wants will always lead to a poor research essay

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Crying Myself to Sleep on the Biggest Cruise Ship Ever

Seven agonizing nights aboard the Icon of the Seas

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Updated at 2:44 p.m. ET on April 6, 2024.

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MY FIRST GLIMPSE of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, from the window of an approaching Miami cab, brings on a feeling of vertigo, nausea, amazement, and distress. I shut my eyes in defense, as my brain tells my optic nerve to try again.

The ship makes no sense, vertically or horizontally. It makes no sense on sea, or on land, or in outer space. It looks like a hodgepodge of domes and minarets, tubes and canopies, like Istanbul had it been designed by idiots. Vibrant, oversignifying colors are stacked upon other such colors, decks perched over still more decks; the only comfort is a row of lifeboats ringing its perimeter. There is no imposed order, no cogent thought, and, for those who do not harbor a totalitarian sense of gigantomania, no visual mercy. This is the biggest cruise ship ever built, and I have been tasked with witnessing its inaugural voyage.

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“Author embarks on their first cruise-ship voyage” has been a staple of American essay writing for almost three decades, beginning with David Foster Wallace’s “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again,” which was first published in 1996 under the title “Shipping Out.” Since then, many admirable writers have widened and diversified the genre. Usually the essayist commissioned to take to the sea is in their first or second flush of youth and is ready to sharpen their wit against the hull of the offending vessel. I am 51, old and tired, having seen much of the world as a former travel journalist, and mostly what I do in both life and prose is shrug while muttering to my imaginary dachshund, “This too shall pass.” But the Icon of the Seas will not countenance a shrug. The Icon of the Seas is the Linda Loman of cruise ships, exclaiming that attention must be paid. And here I am in late January with my one piece of luggage and useless gray winter jacket and passport, zipping through the Port of Miami en route to the gangway that will separate me from the bulk of North America for more than seven days, ready to pay it in full.

The aforementioned gangway opens up directly onto a thriving mall (I will soon learn it is imperiously called the “Royal Promenade”), presently filled with yapping passengers beneath a ceiling studded with balloons ready to drop. Crew members from every part of the global South, as well as a few Balkans, are shepherding us along while pressing flutes of champagne into our hands. By a humming Starbucks, I drink as many of these as I can and prepare to find my cabin. I show my blue Suite Sky SeaPass Card (more on this later, much more) to a smiling woman from the Philippines, and she tells me to go “aft.” Which is where, now? As someone who has rarely sailed on a vessel grander than the Staten Island Ferry, I am confused. It turns out that the aft is the stern of the ship, or, for those of us who don’t know what a stern or an aft are, its ass. The nose of the ship, responsible for separating the waves before it, is also called a bow, and is marked for passengers as the FWD , or forward. The part of the contemporary sailing vessel where the malls are clustered is called the midship. I trust that you have enjoyed this nautical lesson.

I ascend via elevator to my suite on Deck 11. This is where I encounter my first terrible surprise. My suite windows and balcony do not face the ocean. Instead, they look out onto another shopping mall. This mall is the one that’s called Central Park, perhaps in homage to the Olmsted-designed bit of greenery in the middle of my hometown. Although on land I would be delighted to own a suite with Central Park views, here I am deeply depressed. To sail on a ship and not wake up to a vast blue carpet of ocean? Unthinkable.

Allow me a brief preamble here. The story you are reading was commissioned at a moment when most staterooms on the Icon were sold out. In fact, so enthralled by the prospect of this voyage were hard-core mariners that the ship’s entire inventory of guest rooms (the Icon can accommodate up to 7,600 passengers, but its inaugural journey was reduced to 5,000 or so for a less crowded experience) was almost immediately sold out. Hence, this publication was faced with the shocking prospect of paying nearly $19,000 to procure for this solitary passenger an entire suite—not including drinking expenses—all for the privilege of bringing you this article. But the suite in question doesn’t even have a view of the ocean! I sit down hard on my soft bed. Nineteen thousand dollars for this .

The viewless suite does have its pluses. In addition to all the Malin+Goetz products in my dual bathrooms, I am granted use of a dedicated Suite Deck lounge; access to Coastal Kitchen, a superior restaurant for Suites passengers; complimentary VOOM SM Surf & Stream (“the fastest Internet at Sea”) “for one device per person for the whole cruise duration”; a pair of bathrobes (one of which comes prestained with what looks like a large expectoration by the greenest lizard on Earth); and use of the Grove Suite Sun, an area on Decks 18 and 19 with food and deck chairs reserved exclusively for Suite passengers. I also get reserved seating for a performance of The Wizard of Oz , an ice-skating tribute to the periodic table, and similar provocations. The very color of my Suite Sky SeaPass Card, an oceanic blue as opposed to the cloying royal purple of the standard non-Suite passenger, will soon provoke envy and admiration. But as high as my status may be, there are those on board who have much higher status still, and I will soon learn to bow before them.

In preparation for sailing, I have “priced in,” as they say on Wall Street, the possibility that I may come from a somewhat different monde than many of the other cruisers. Without falling into stereotypes or preconceptions, I prepare myself for a friendly outspokenness on the part of my fellow seafarers that may not comply with modern DEI standards. I believe in meeting people halfway, and so the day before flying down to Miami, I visited what remains of Little Italy to purchase a popular T-shirt that reads DADDY’S LITTLE MEATBALL across the breast in the colors of the Italian flag. My wife recommended that I bring one of my many T-shirts featuring Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, as all Americans love the beagle and his friends. But I naively thought that my meatball T-shirt would be more suitable for conversation-starting. “Oh, and who is your ‘daddy’?” some might ask upon seeing it. “And how long have you been his ‘little meatball’?” And so on.

I put on my meatball T-shirt and head for one of the dining rooms to get a late lunch. In the elevator, I stick out my chest for all to read the funny legend upon it, but soon I realize that despite its burnished tricolor letters, no one takes note. More to the point, no one takes note of me. Despite my attempts at bridge building, the very sight of me (small, ethnic, without a cap bearing the name of a football team) elicits no reaction from other passengers. Most often, they will small-talk over me as if I don’t exist. This brings to mind the travails of David Foster Wallace , who felt so ostracized by his fellow passengers that he retreated to his cabin for much of his voyage. And Wallace was raised primarily in the Midwest and was a much larger, more American-looking meatball than I am. If he couldn’t talk to these people, how will I? What if I leave this ship without making any friends at all, despite my T-shirt? I am a social creature, and the prospect of seven days alone and apart is saddening. Wallace’s stateroom, at least, had a view of the ocean, a kind of cheap eternity.

Worse awaits me in the dining room. This is a large, multichandeliered room where I attended my safety training (I was shown how to put on a flotation vest; it is a very simple procedure). But the maître d’ politely refuses me entry in an English that seems to verge on another language. “I’m sorry, this is only for pendejos ,” he seems to be saying. I push back politely and he repeats himself. Pendejos ? Piranhas? There’s some kind of P-word to which I am not attuned. Meanwhile elderly passengers stream right past, powered by their limbs, walkers, and electric wheelchairs. “It is only pendejo dining today, sir.” “But I have a suite!” I say, already starting to catch on to the ship’s class system. He examines my card again. “But you are not a pendejo ,” he confirms. I am wearing a DADDY’S LITTLE MEATBALL T-shirt, I want to say to him. I am the essence of pendejo .

Eventually, I give up and head to the plebeian buffet on Deck 15, which has an aquatic-styled name I have now forgotten. Before gaining entry to this endless cornucopia of reheated food, one passes a washing station of many sinks and soap dispensers, and perhaps the most intriguing character on the entire ship. He is Mr. Washy Washy—or, according to his name tag, Nielbert of the Philippines—and he is dressed as a taco (on other occasions, I’ll see him dressed as a burger). Mr. Washy Washy performs an eponymous song in spirited, indeed flamboyant English: “Washy, washy, wash your hands, WASHY WASHY!” The dangers of norovirus and COVID on a cruise ship this size (a giant fellow ship was stricken with the former right after my voyage) makes Mr. Washy Washy an essential member of the crew. The problem lies with the food at the end of Washy’s rainbow. The buffet is groaning with what sounds like sophisticated dishes—marinated octopus, boiled egg with anchovy, chorizo, lobster claws—but every animal tastes tragically the same, as if there was only one creature available at the market, a “cruisipus” bred specifically for Royal Caribbean dining. The “vegetables” are no better. I pick up a tomato slice and look right through it. It tastes like cellophane. I sit alone, apart from the couples and parents with gaggles of children, as “We Are Family” echoes across the buffet space.

I may have failed to mention that all this time, the Icon of the Seas has not left port. As the fiery mango of the subtropical setting sun makes Miami’s condo skyline even more apocalyptic, the ship shoves off beneath a perfunctory display of fireworks. After the sun sets, in the far, dark distance, another circus-lit cruise ship ruptures the waves before us. We glance at it with pity, because it is by definition a smaller ship than our own. I am on Deck 15, outside the buffet and overlooking a bunch of pools (the Icon has seven of them), drinking a frilly drink that I got from one of the bars (the Icon has 15 of them), still too shy to speak to anyone, despite Sister Sledge’s assertion that all on the ship are somehow related.

Kim Brooks: On failing the family vacation

The ship’s passage away from Ron DeSantis’s Florida provides no frisson, no sense of developing “sea legs,” as the ship is too large to register the presence of waves unless a mighty wind adds significant chop. It is time for me to register the presence of the 5,000 passengers around me, even if they refuse to register mine. My fellow travelers have prepared for this trip with personally decorated T-shirts celebrating the importance of this voyage. The simplest ones say ICON INAUGURAL ’24 on the back and the family name on the front. Others attest to an over-the-top love of cruise ships: WARNING! MAY START TALKING ABOUT CRUISING . Still others are artisanally designed and celebrate lifetimes spent married while cruising (on ships, of course). A couple possibly in their 90s are wearing shirts whose backs feature a drawing of a cruise liner, two flamingos with ostensibly male and female characteristics, and the legend “ HUSBAND AND WIFE Cruising Partners FOR LIFE WE MAY NOT HAVE IT All Together BUT TOGETHER WE HAVE IT ALL .” (The words not in all caps have been written in cursive.) A real journalist or a more intrepid conversationalist would have gone up to the couple and asked them to explain the longevity of their marriage vis-à-vis their love of cruising. But instead I head to my mall suite, take off my meatball T-shirt, and allow the first tears of the cruise to roll down my cheeks slowly enough that I briefly fall asleep amid the moisture and salt.

I WAKE UP with a hangover. Oh God. Right. I cannot believe all of that happened last night. A name floats into my cobwebbed, nauseated brain: “Ayn Rand.” Jesus Christ.

I breakfast alone at the Coastal Kitchen. The coffee tastes fine and the eggs came out of a bird. The ship rolls slightly this morning; I can feel it in my thighs and my schlong, the parts of me that are most receptive to danger.

I had a dangerous conversation last night. After the sun set and we were at least 50 miles from shore (most modern cruise ships sail at about 23 miles an hour), I lay in bed softly hiccupping, my arms stretched out exactly like Jesus on the cross, the sound of the distant waves missing from my mall-facing suite, replaced by the hum of air-conditioning and children shouting in Spanish through the vents of my two bathrooms. I decided this passivity was unacceptable. As an immigrant, I feel duty-bound to complete the tasks I am paid for, which means reaching out and trying to understand my fellow cruisers. So I put on a normal James Perse T-shirt and headed for one of the bars on the Royal Promenade—the Schooner Bar, it was called, if memory serves correctly.

I sat at the bar for a martini and two Negronis. An old man with thick, hairy forearms drank next to me, very silent and Hemingwaylike, while a dreadlocked piano player tinkled out a series of excellent Elton John covers. To my right, a young white couple—he in floral shorts, she in a light, summery miniskirt with a fearsome diamond ring, neither of them in football regalia—chatted with an elderly couple. Do it , I commanded myself. Open your mouth. Speak! Speak without being spoken to. Initiate. A sentence fragment caught my ear from the young woman, “Cherry Hill.” This is a suburb of Philadelphia in New Jersey, and I had once been there for a reading at a synagogue. “Excuse me,” I said gently to her. “Did you just mention Cherry Hill? It’s a lovely place.”

As it turned out, the couple now lived in Fort Lauderdale (the number of Floridians on the cruise surprised me, given that Southern Florida is itself a kind of cruise ship, albeit one slowly sinking), but soon they were talking with me exclusively—the man potbellied, with a chin like a hard-boiled egg; the woman as svelte as if she were one of the many Ukrainian members of the crew—the elderly couple next to them forgotten. This felt as groundbreaking as the first time I dared to address an American in his native tongue, as a child on a bus in Queens (“On my foot you are standing, Mister”).

“I don’t want to talk politics,” the man said. “But they’re going to eighty-six Biden and put Michelle in.”

I considered the contradictions of his opening conversational gambit, but decided to play along. “People like Michelle,” I said, testing the waters. The husband sneered, but the wife charitably put forward that the former first lady was “more personable” than Joe Biden. “They’re gonna eighty-six Biden,” the husband repeated. “He can’t put a sentence together.”

After I mentioned that I was a writer—though I presented myself as a writer of teleplays instead of novels and articles such as this one—the husband told me his favorite writer was Ayn Rand. “Ayn Rand, she came here with nothing,” the husband said. “I work with a lot of Cubans, so …” I wondered if I should mention what I usually do to ingratiate myself with Republicans or libertarians: the fact that my finances improved after pass-through corporations were taxed differently under Donald Trump. Instead, I ordered another drink and the couple did the same, and I told him that Rand and I were born in the same city, St. Petersburg/Leningrad, and that my family also came here with nothing. Now the bonding and drinking began in earnest, and several more rounds appeared. Until it all fell apart.

Read: Gary Shteyngart on watching Russian television for five days straight

My new friend, whom I will refer to as Ayn, called out to a buddy of his across the bar, and suddenly a young couple, both covered in tattoos, appeared next to us. “He fucking punked me,” Ayn’s frat-boy-like friend called out as he put his arm around Ayn, while his sizable partner sizzled up to Mrs. Rand. Both of them had a look I have never seen on land—their eyes projecting absence and enmity in equal measure. In the ’90s, I drank with Russian soldiers fresh from Chechnya and wandered the streets of wartime Zagreb, but I have never seen such undisguised hostility toward both me and perhaps the universe at large. I was briefly introduced to this psychopathic pair, but neither of them wanted to have anything to do with me, and the tattooed woman would not even reveal her Christian name to me (she pretended to have the same first name as Mrs. Rand). To impress his tattooed friends, Ayn made fun of the fact that as a television writer, I’d worked on the series Succession (which, it would turn out, practically nobody on the ship had watched), instead of the far more palatable, in his eyes, zombie drama of last year. And then my new friends drifted away from me into an angry private conversation—“He punked me!”—as I ordered another drink for myself, scared of the dead-eyed arrivals whose gaze never registered in the dim wattage of the Schooner Bar, whose terrifying voices and hollow laughs grated like unoiled gears against the crooning of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

But today is a new day for me and my hangover. After breakfast, I explore the ship’s so-called neighborhoods . There’s the AquaDome, where one can find a food hall and an acrobatic sound-and-light aquatic show. Central Park has a premium steak house, a sushi joint, and a used Rolex that can be bought for $8,000 on land here proudly offered at $17,000. There’s the aforementioned Royal Promenade, where I had drunk with the Rands, and where a pair of dueling pianos duel well into the night. There’s Surfside, a kids’ neighborhood full of sugary garbage, which looks out onto the frothy trail that the behemoth leaves behind itself. Thrill Island refers to the collection of tubes that clutter the ass of the ship and offer passengers six waterslides and a surfing simulation. There’s the Hideaway, an adult zone that plays music from a vomit-slathered, Brit-filled Alicante nightclub circa 1996 and proves a big favorite with groups of young Latin American customers. And, most hurtfully, there’s the Suite Neighborhood.

I say hurtfully because as a Suite passenger I should be here, though my particular suite is far from the others. Whereas I am stuck amid the riffraff of Deck 11, this section is on the highborn Decks 16 and 17, and in passing, I peek into the spacious, tall-ceilinged staterooms from the hallway, dazzled by the glint of the waves and sun. For $75,000, one multifloor suite even comes with its own slide between floors, so that a family may enjoy this particular terror in private. There is a quiet splendor to the Suite Neighborhood. I see fewer stickers and signs and drawings than in my own neighborhood—for example, MIKE AND DIANA PROUDLY SERVED U.S. MARINE CORPS RETIRED . No one here needs to announce their branch of service or rank; they are simply Suites, and this is where they belong. Once again, despite my hard work and perseverance, I have been disallowed from the true American elite. Once again, I am “Not our class, dear.” I am reminded of watching The Love Boat on my grandmother’s Zenith, which either was given to her or we found in the trash (I get our many malfunctioning Zeniths confused) and whose tube got so hot, I would put little chunks of government cheese on a thin tissue atop it to give our welfare treat a pleasant, Reagan-era gooeyness. I could not understand English well enough then to catch the nuances of that seafaring program, but I knew that there were differences in the status of the passengers, and that sometimes those differences made them sad. Still, this ship, this plenty—every few steps, there are complimentary nachos or milkshakes or gyros on offer—was the fatty fuel of my childhood dreams. If only I had remained a child.

I walk around the outdoor decks looking for company. There is a middle-aged African American couple who always seem to be asleep in each other’s arms, probably exhausted from the late capitalism they regularly encounter on land. There is far more diversity on this ship than I expected. Many couples are a testament to Loving v. Virginia , and there is a large group of folks whose T-shirts read MELANIN AT SEA / IT’S THE MELANIN FOR ME . I smile when I see them, but then some young kids from the group makes Mr. Washy Washy do a cruel, caricatured “Burger Dance” (today he is in his burger getup), and I think, Well, so much for intersectionality .

At the infinity pool on Deck 17, I spot some elderly women who could be ethnic and from my part of the world, and so I jump in. I am proved correct! Many of them seem to be originally from Queens (“Corona was still great when it was all Italian”), though they are now spread across the tristate area. We bond over the way “Ron-kon-koma” sounds when announced in Penn Station.

“Everyone is here for a different reason,” one of them tells me. She and her ex-husband last sailed together four years ago to prove to themselves that their marriage was truly over. Her 15-year-old son lost his virginity to “an Irish young lady” while their ship was moored in Ravenna, Italy. The gaggle of old-timers competes to tell me their favorite cruising stories and tips. “A guy proposed in Central Park a couple of years ago”—many Royal Caribbean ships apparently have this ridiculous communal area—“and she ran away screaming!” “If you’re diamond-class, you get four drinks for free.” “A different kind of passenger sails out of Bayonne.” (This, perhaps, is racially coded.) “Sometimes, if you tip the bartender $5, your next drink will be free.”

“Everyone’s here for a different reason,” the woman whose marriage ended on a cruise tells me again. “Some people are here for bad reasons—the drinkers and the gamblers. Some people are here for medical reasons.” I have seen more than a few oxygen tanks and at least one woman clearly undergoing very serious chemo. Some T-shirts celebrate good news about a cancer diagnosis. This might be someone’s last cruise or week on Earth. For these women, who have spent months, if not years, at sea, cruising is a ritual as well as a life cycle: first love, last love, marriage, divorce, death.

Read: The last place on Earth any tourist should go

I have talked with these women for so long, tonight I promise myself that after a sad solitary dinner I will not try to seek out company at the bars in the mall or the adult-themed Hideaway. I have enough material to fulfill my duties to this publication. As I approach my orphaned suite, I run into the aggro young people who stole Mr. and Mrs. Rand away from me the night before. The tattooed apparitions pass me without a glance. She is singing something violent about “Stuttering Stanley” (a character in a popular horror movie, as I discover with my complimentary VOOM SM Surf & Stream Internet at Sea) and he’s loudly shouting about “all the money I’ve lost,” presumably at the casino in the bowels of the ship.

So these bent psychos out of a Cormac McCarthy novel are angrily inhabiting my deck. As I mewl myself to sleep, I envision a limited series for HBO or some other streamer, a kind of low-rent White Lotus , where several aggressive couples conspire to throw a shy intellectual interloper overboard. I type the scenario into my phone. As I fall asleep, I think of what the woman who recently divorced her husband and whose son became a man through the good offices of the Irish Republic told me while I was hoisting myself out of the infinity pool. “I’m here because I’m an explorer. I’m here because I’m trying something new.” What if I allowed myself to believe in her fantasy?

“YOU REALLY STARTED AT THE TOP,” they tell me. I’m at the Coastal Kitchen for my eggs and corned-beef hash, and the maître d’ has slotted me in between two couples. Fueled by coffee or perhaps intrigued by my relative youth, they strike up a conversation with me. As always, people are shocked that this is my first cruise. They contrast the Icon favorably with all the preceding liners in the Royal Caribbean fleet, usually commenting on the efficiency of the elevators that hurl us from deck to deck (as in many large corporate buildings, the elevators ask you to choose a floor and then direct you to one of many lifts). The couple to my right, from Palo Alto—he refers to his “porn mustache” and calls his wife “my cougar” because she is two years older—tell me they are “Pandemic Pinnacles.”

This is the day that my eyes will be opened. Pinnacles , it is explained to me over translucent cantaloupe, have sailed with Royal Caribbean for 700 ungodly nights. Pandemic Pinnacles took advantage of the two-for-one accrual rate of Pinnacle points during the pandemic, when sailing on a cruise ship was even more ill-advised, to catapult themselves into Pinnacle status.

Because of the importance of the inaugural voyage of the world’s largest cruise liner, more than 200 Pinnacles are on this ship, a startling number, it seems. Mrs. Palo Alto takes out a golden badge that I have seen affixed over many a breast, which reads CROWN AND ANCHOR SOCIETY along with her name. This is the coveted badge of the Pinnacle. “You should hear all the whining in Guest Services,” her husband tells me. Apparently, the Pinnacles who are not also Suites like us are all trying to use their status to get into Coastal Kitchen, our elite restaurant. Even a Pinnacle needs to be a Suite to access this level of corned-beef hash.

“We’re just baby Pinnacles,” Mrs. Palo Alto tells me, describing a kind of internal class struggle among the Pinnacle elite for ever higher status.

And now I understand what the maître d’ was saying to me on the first day of my cruise. He wasn’t saying “ pendejo .” He was saying “Pinnacle.” The dining room was for Pinnacles only, all those older people rolling in like the tide on their motorized scooters.

And now I understand something else: This whole thing is a cult. And like most cults, it can’t help but mirror the endless American fight for status. Like Keith Raniere’s NXIVM, where different-colored sashes were given out to connote rank among Raniere’s branded acolytes, this is an endless competition among Pinnacles, Suites, Diamond-Plusers, and facing-the-mall, no-balcony purple SeaPass Card peasants, not to mention the many distinctions within each category. The more you cruise, the higher your status. No wonder a section of the Royal Promenade is devoted to getting passengers to book their next cruise during the one they should be enjoying now. No wonder desperate Royal Caribbean offers (“FINAL HOURS”) crowded my email account weeks before I set sail. No wonder the ship’s jewelry store, the Royal Bling, is selling a $100,000 golden chalice that will entitle its owner to drink free on Royal Caribbean cruises for life. (One passenger was already gaming out whether her 28-year-old son was young enough to “just about earn out” on the chalice or if that ship had sailed.) No wonder this ship was sold out months before departure , and we had to pay $19,000 for a horrid suite away from the Suite Neighborhood. No wonder the most mythical hero of Royal Caribbean lore is someone named Super Mario, who has cruised so often, he now has his own working desk on many ships. This whole experience is part cult, part nautical pyramid scheme.

From the June 2014 issue: Ship of wonks

“The toilets are amazing,” the Palo Altos are telling me. “One flush and you’re done.” “They don’t understand how energy-efficient these ships are,” the husband of the other couple is telling me. “They got the LNG”—liquefied natural gas, which is supposed to make the Icon a boon to the environment (a concept widely disputed and sometimes ridiculed by environmentalists).

But I’m thinking along a different line of attack as I spear my last pallid slice of melon. For my streaming limited series, a Pinnacle would have to get killed by either an outright peasant or a Suite without an ocean view. I tell my breakfast companions my idea.

“Oh, for sure a Pinnacle would have to be killed,” Mr. Palo Alto, the Pandemic Pinnacle, says, touching his porn mustache thoughtfully as his wife nods.

“THAT’S RIGHT, IT’S your time, buddy!” Hubert, my fun-loving Panamanian cabin attendant, shouts as I step out of my suite in a robe. “Take it easy, buddy!”

I have come up with a new dressing strategy. Instead of trying to impress with my choice of T-shirts, I have decided to start wearing a robe, as one does at a resort property on land, with a proper spa and hammam. The response among my fellow cruisers has been ecstatic. “Look at you in the robe!” Mr. Rand cries out as we pass each other by the Thrill Island aqua park. “You’re living the cruise life! You know, you really drank me under the table that night.” I laugh as we part ways, but my soul cries out, Please spend more time with me, Mr. and Mrs. Rand; I so need the company .

In my white robe, I am a stately presence, a refugee from a better limited series, a one-man crossover episode. (Only Suites are granted these robes to begin with.) Today, I will try many of the activities these ships have on offer to provide their clientele with a sense of never-ceasing motion. Because I am already at Thrill Island, I decide to climb the staircase to what looks like a mast on an old-fashioned ship (terrified, because I am afraid of heights) to try a ride called “Storm Chasers,” which is part of the “Category 6” water park, named in honor of one of the storms that may someday do away with the Port of Miami entirely. Storm Chasers consists of falling from the “mast” down a long, twisting neon tube filled with water, like being the camera inside your own colonoscopy, as you hold on to the handles of a mat, hoping not to die. The tube then flops you down headfirst into a trough of water, a Royal Caribbean baptism. It both knocks my breath out and makes me sad.

In keeping with the aquatic theme, I attend a show at the AquaDome. To the sound of “Live and Let Die,” a man in a harness gyrates to and fro in the sultry air. I saw something very similar in the back rooms of the famed Berghain club in early-aughts Berlin. Soon another harnessed man is gyrating next to the first. Ja , I think to myself, I know how this ends. Now will come the fisting , natürlich . But the show soon devolves into the usual Marvel-film-grade nonsense, with too much light and sound signifying nichts . If any fisting is happening, it is probably in the Suite Neighborhood, inside a cabin marked with an upside-down pineapple, which I understand means a couple are ready to swing, and I will see none of it.

I go to the ice show, which is a kind of homage—if that’s possible—to the periodic table, done with the style and pomp and masterful precision that would please the likes of Kim Jong Un, if only he could afford Royal Caribbean talent. At one point, the dancers skate to the theme song of Succession . “See that!” I want to say to my fellow Suites—at “cultural” events, we have a special section reserved for us away from the commoners—“ Succession ! It’s even better than the zombie show! Open your minds!”

Finally, I visit a comedy revue in an enormous and too brightly lit version of an “intimate,” per Royal Caribbean literature, “Manhattan comedy club.” Many of the jokes are about the cruising life. “I’ve lived on ships for 20 years,” one of the middle-aged comedians says. “I can only see so many Filipino homosexuals dressed as a taco.” He pauses while the audience laughs. “I am so fired tonight,” he says. He segues into a Trump impression and then Biden falling asleep at the microphone, which gets the most laughs. “Anyone here from Fort Leonard Wood?” another comedian asks. Half the crowd seems to cheer. As I fall asleep that night, I realize another connection I have failed to make, and one that may explain some of the diversity on this vessel—many of its passengers have served in the military.

As a coddled passenger with a suite, I feel like I am starting to understand what it means to have a rank and be constantly reminded of it. There are many espresso makers , I think as I look across the expanse of my officer-grade quarters before closing my eyes, but this one is mine .

A shocking sight greets me beyond the pools of Deck 17 as I saunter over to the Coastal Kitchen for my morning intake of slightly sour Americanos. A tiny city beneath a series of perfectly pressed green mountains. Land! We have docked for a brief respite in Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts and Nevis. I wolf down my egg scramble to be one of the first passengers off the ship. Once past the gangway, I barely refrain from kissing the ground. I rush into the sights and sounds of this scruffy island city, sampling incredible conch curry and buckets of non-Starbucks coffee. How wonderful it is to be where God intended humans to be: on land. After all, I am neither a fish nor a mall rat. This is my natural environment. Basseterre may not be Havana, but there are signs of human ingenuity and desire everywhere you look. The Black Table Grill Has been Relocated to Soho Village, Market Street, Directly Behind of, Gary’s Fruits and Flower Shop. Signed. THE PORK MAN reads a sign stuck to a wall. Now, that is how you write a sign. A real sign, not the come-ons for overpriced Rolexes that blink across the screens of the Royal Promenade.

“Hey, tie your shoestring!” a pair of laughing ladies shout to me across the street.

“Thank you!” I shout back. Shoestring! “Thank you very much.”

A man in Independence Square Park comes by and asks if I want to play with his monkey. I haven’t heard that pickup line since the Penn Station of the 1980s. But then he pulls a real monkey out of a bag. The monkey is wearing a diaper and looks insane. Wonderful , I think, just wonderful! There is so much life here. I email my editor asking if I can remain on St. Kitts and allow the Icon to sail off into the horizon without me. I have even priced a flight home at less than $300, and I have enough material from the first four days on the cruise to write the entire story. “It would be funny …” my editor replies. “Now get on the boat.”

As I slink back to the ship after my brief jailbreak, the locals stand under umbrellas to gaze at and photograph the boat that towers over their small capital city. The limousines of the prime minister and his lackeys are parked beside the gangway. St. Kitts, I’ve been told, is one of the few islands that would allow a ship of this size to dock.

“We hear about all the waterslides,” a sweet young server in one of the cafés told me. “We wish we could go on the ship, but we have to work.”

“I want to stay on your island,” I replied. “I love it here.”

But she didn’t understand how I could possibly mean that.

“WASHY, WASHY, so you don’t get stinky, stinky!” kids are singing outside the AquaDome, while their adult minders look on in disapproval, perhaps worried that Mr. Washy Washy is grooming them into a life of gayness. I heard a southern couple skip the buffet entirely out of fear of Mr. Washy Washy.

Meanwhile, I have found a new watering hole for myself, the Swim & Tonic, the biggest swim-up bar on any cruise ship in the world. Drinking next to full-size, nearly naked Americans takes away one’s own self-consciousness. The men have curvaceous mom bodies. The women are equally un-shy about their sprawling physiques.

Today I’ve befriended a bald man with many children who tells me that all of the little trinkets that Royal Caribbean has left us in our staterooms and suites are worth a fortune on eBay. “Eighty dollars for the water bottle, 60 for the lanyard,” the man says. “This is a cult.”

“Tell me about it,” I say. There is, however, a clientele for whom this cruise makes perfect sense. For a large middle-class family (he works in “supply chains”), seven days in a lower-tier cabin—which starts at $1,800 a person—allow the parents to drop off their children in Surfside, where I imagine many young Filipina crew members will take care of them, while the parents are free to get drunk at a swim-up bar and maybe even get intimate in their cabin. Cruise ships have become, for a certain kind of hardworking family, a form of subsidized child care.

There is another man I would like to befriend at the Swim & Tonic, a tall, bald fellow who is perpetually inebriated and who wears a necklace studded with little rubber duckies in sunglasses, which, I am told, is a sort of secret handshake for cruise aficionados. Tomorrow, I will spend more time with him, but first the ship docks at St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Charlotte Amalie, the capital, is more charming in name than in presence, but I still all but jump off the ship to score a juicy oxtail and plantains at the well-known Petite Pump Room, overlooking the harbor. From one of the highest points in the small city, the Icon of the Seas appears bigger than the surrounding hills.

I usually tan very evenly, but something about the discombobulation of life at sea makes me forget the regular application of sunscreen. As I walk down the streets of Charlotte Amalie in my fluorescent Icon of the Seas cap, an old Rastafarian stares me down. “Redneck,” he hisses.

“No,” I want to tell him, as I bring a hand up to my red neck, “that’s not who I am at all. On my island, Mannahatta, as Whitman would have it, I am an interesting person living within an engaging artistic milieu. I do not wish to use the Caribbean as a dumping ground for the cruise-ship industry. I love the work of Derek Walcott. You don’t understand. I am not a redneck. And if I am, they did this to me.” They meaning Royal Caribbean? Its passengers? The Rands?

“They did this to me!”

Back on the Icon, some older matrons are muttering about a run-in with passengers from the Celebrity cruise ship docked next to us, the Celebrity Apex. Although Celebrity Cruises is also owned by Royal Caribbean, I am made to understand that there is a deep fratricidal beef between passengers of the two lines. “We met a woman from the Apex,” one matron says, “and she says it was a small ship and there was nothing to do. Her face was as tight as a 19-year-old’s, she had so much surgery.” With those words, and beneath a cloudy sky, humidity shrouding our weathered faces and red necks, we set sail once again, hopefully in the direction of home.

THERE ARE BARELY 48 HOURS LEFT to the cruise, and the Icon of the Seas’ passengers are salty. They know how to work the elevators. They know the Washy Washy song by heart. They understand that the chicken gyro at “Feta Mediterranean,” in the AquaDome Market, is the least problematic form of chicken on the ship.

The passengers have shed their INAUGURAL CRUISE T-shirts and are now starting to evince political opinions. There are caps pledging to make America great again and T-shirts that celebrate words sometimes attributed to Patrick Henry: “The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.” With their preponderance of FAMILY FLAG FAITH FRIENDS FIREARMS T-shirts, the tables by the crepe station sometimes resemble the Capitol Rotunda on January 6. The Real Anthony Fauci , by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appears to be a popular form of literature, especially among young men with very complicated versions of the American flag on their T-shirts. Other opinions blend the personal and the political. “Someone needs to kill Washy guy, right?” a well-dressed man in the elevator tells me, his gray eyes radiating nothing. “Just beat him to death. Am I right?” I overhear the male member of a young couple whisper, “There goes that freak” as I saunter by in my white spa robe, and I decide to retire it for the rest of the cruise.

I visit the Royal Bling to see up close the $100,000 golden chalice that entitles you to free drinks on Royal Caribbean forever. The pleasant Serbian saleslady explains that the chalice is actually gold-plated and covered in white zirconia instead of diamonds, as it would otherwise cost $1 million. “If you already have everything,” she explains, “this is one more thing you can get.”

I believe that anyone who works for Royal Caribbean should be entitled to immediate American citizenship. They already speak English better than most of the passengers and, per the Serbian lady’s sales pitch above, better understand what America is as well. Crew members like my Panamanian cabin attendant seem to work 24 hours a day. A waiter from New Delhi tells me that his contract is six months and three weeks long. After a cruise ends, he says, “in a few hours, we start again for the next cruise.” At the end of the half a year at sea, he is allowed a two-to-three-month stay at home with his family. As of 2019, the median income for crew members was somewhere in the vicinity of $20,000, according to a major business publication. Royal Caribbean would not share the current median salary for its crew members, but I am certain that it amounts to a fraction of the cost of a Royal Bling gold-plated, zirconia-studded chalice.

And because most of the Icon’s hyper-sanitized spaces are just a frittata away from being a Delta lounge, one forgets that there are actual sailors on this ship, charged with the herculean task of docking it in port. “Having driven 100,000-ton aircraft carriers throughout my career,” retired Admiral James G. Stavridis, the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, writes to me, “I’m not sure I would even know where to begin with trying to control a sea monster like this one nearly three times the size.” (I first met Stavridis while touring Army bases in Germany more than a decade ago.)

Today, I decide to head to the hot tub near Swim & Tonic, where some of the ship’s drunkest reprobates seem to gather (the other tubs are filled with families and couples). The talk here, like everywhere else on the ship, concerns football, a sport about which I know nothing. It is apparent that four teams have recently competed in some kind of finals for the year, and that two of them will now face off in the championship. Often when people on the Icon speak, I will try to repeat the last thing they said with a laugh or a nod of disbelief. “Yes, 20-yard line! Ha!” “Oh my God, of course, scrimmage.”

Soon we are joined in the hot tub by the late-middle-age drunk guy with the duck necklace. He is wearing a bucket hat with the legend HAWKEYES , which, I soon gather, is yet another football team. “All right, who turned me in?” Duck Necklace says as he plops into the tub beside us. “I get a call in the morning,” he says. “It’s security. Can you come down to the dining room by 10 a.m.? You need to stay away from the members of this religious family.” Apparently, the gregarious Duck Necklace had photobombed the wrong people. There are several families who present as evangelical Christians or practicing Muslims on the ship. One man, evidently, was not happy that Duck Necklace had made contact with his relatives. “It’s because of religious stuff; he was offended. I put my arm around 20 people a day.”

Everyone laughs. “They asked me three times if I needed medication,” he says of the security people who apparently interrogated him in full view of others having breakfast.

Another hot-tub denizen suggests that he should have asked for fentanyl. After a few more drinks, Duck Necklace begins to muse about what it would be like to fall off the ship. “I’m 62 and I’m ready to go,” he says. “I just don’t want a shark to eat me. I’m a huge God guy. I’m a Bible guy. There’s some Mayan theory squaring science stuff with religion. There is so much more to life on Earth.” We all nod into our Red Stripes.

“I never get off the ship when we dock,” he says. He tells us he lost $6,000 in the casino the other day. Later, I look him up, and it appears that on land, he’s a financial adviser in a crisp gray suit, probably a pillar of his North Chicago community.

THE OCEAN IS TEEMING with fascinating life, but on the surface it has little to teach us. The waves come and go. The horizon remains ever far away.

I am constantly told by my fellow passengers that “everybody here has a story.” Yes, I want to reply, but everybody everywhere has a story. You, the reader of this essay, have a story, and yet you’re not inclined to jump on a cruise ship and, like Duck Necklace, tell your story to others at great pitch and volume. Maybe what they’re saying is that everybody on this ship wants to have a bigger, more coherent, more interesting story than the one they’ve been given. Maybe that’s why there’s so much signage on the doors around me attesting to marriages spent on the sea. Maybe that’s why the Royal Caribbean newsletter slipped under my door tells me that “this isn’t a vacation day spent—it’s bragging rights earned.” Maybe that’s why I’m so lonely.

Today is a big day for Icon passengers. Today the ship docks at Royal Caribbean’s own Bahamian island, the Perfect Day at CocoCay. (This appears to be the actual name of the island.) A comedian at the nightclub opined on what his perfect day at CocoCay would look like—receiving oral sex while learning that his ex-wife had been killed in a car crash (big laughter). But the reality of the island is far less humorous than that.

One of the ethnic tristate ladies in the infinity pool told me that she loved CocoCay because it had exactly the same things that could be found on the ship itself. This proves to be correct. It is like the Icon, but with sand. The same tired burgers, the same colorful tubes conveying children and water from Point A to B. The same swim-up bar at its Hideaway ($140 for admittance, no children allowed; Royal Caribbean must be printing money off its clientele). “There was almost a fight at The Wizard of Oz ,” I overhear an elderly woman tell her companion on a chaise lounge. Apparently one of the passengers began recording Royal Caribbean’s intellectual property and “three guys came after him.”

I walk down a pathway to the center of the island, where a sign reads DO NOT ENTER: YOU HAVE REACHED THE BOUNDARY OF ADVENTURE . I hear an animal scampering in the bushes. A Royal Caribbean worker in an enormous golf cart soon chases me down and takes me back to the Hideaway, where I run into Mrs. Rand in a bikini. She becomes livid telling me about an altercation she had the other day with a woman over a towel and a deck chair. We Suites have special towel privileges; we do not have to hand over our SeaPass Card to score a towel. But the Rands are not Suites. “People are so entitled here,” Mrs. Rand says. “It’s like the airport with all its classes.” “You see,” I want to say, “this is where your husband’s love of Ayn Rand runs into the cruelties and arbitrary indignities of unbridled capitalism.” Instead we make plans to meet for a final drink in the Schooner Bar tonight (the Rands will stand me up).

Back on the ship, I try to do laps, but the pool (the largest on any cruise ship, naturally) is fully trashed with the detritus of American life: candy wrappers, a slowly dissolving tortilla chip, napkins. I take an extra-long shower in my suite, then walk around the perimeter of the ship on a kind of exercise track, past all the alluring lifeboats in their yellow-and-white livery. Maybe there is a dystopian angle to the HBO series that I will surely end up pitching, one with shades of WALL-E or Snowpiercer . In a collapsed world, a Royal Caribbean–like cruise liner sails from port to port, collecting new shipmates and supplies in exchange for the precious energy it has on board. (The actual Icon features a new technology that converts passengers’ poop into enough energy to power the waterslides . In the series, this shitty technology would be greatly expanded.) A very young woman (18? 19?), smart and lonely, who has only known life on the ship, walks along the same track as I do now, contemplating jumping off into the surf left by its wake. I picture reusing Duck Necklace’s words in the opening shot of the pilot. The girl is walking around the track, her eyes on the horizon; maybe she’s highborn—a Suite—and we hear the voice-over: “I’m 19 and I’m ready to go. I just don’t want a shark to eat me.”

Before the cruise is finished, I talk to Mr. Washy Washy, or Nielbert of the Philippines. He is a sweet, gentle man, and I thank him for the earworm of a song he has given me and for keeping us safe from the dreaded norovirus. “This is very important to me, getting people to wash their hands,” he tells me in his burger getup. He has dreams, as an artist and a performer, but they are limited in scope. One day he wants to dress up as a piece of bacon for the morning shift.

THE MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE TITANIC (the Icon of the Seas is five times as large as that doomed vessel) at least offered its passengers an exciting ending to their cruise, but when I wake up on the eighth day, all I see are the gray ghosts that populate Miami’s condo skyline. Throughout my voyage, my writer friends wrote in to commiserate with me. Sloane Crosley, who once covered a three-day spa mini-cruise for Vogue , tells me she felt “so very alone … I found it very untethering.” Gideon Lewis-Kraus writes in an Instagram comment: “When Gary is done I think it’s time this genre was taken out back and shot.” And he is right. To badly paraphrase Adorno: After this, no more cruise stories. It is unfair to put a thinking person on a cruise ship. Writers typically have difficult childhoods, and it is cruel to remind them of the inherent loneliness that drove them to writing in the first place. It is also unseemly to write about the kind of people who go on cruises. Our country does not provide the education and upbringing that allow its citizens an interior life. For the creative class to point fingers at the large, breasty gentlemen adrift in tortilla-chip-laden pools of water is to gather a sour harvest of low-hanging fruit.

A day or two before I got off the ship, I decided to make use of my balcony, which I had avoided because I thought the view would only depress me further. What I found shocked me. My suite did not look out on Central Park after all. This entire time, I had been living in the ship’s Disneyland, Surfside, the neighborhood full of screaming toddlers consuming milkshakes and candy. And as I leaned out over my balcony, I beheld a slight vista of the sea and surf that I thought I had been missing. It had been there all along. The sea was frothy and infinite and blue-green beneath the span of a seagull’s wing. And though it had been trod hard by the world’s largest cruise ship, it remained.

This article appears in the May 2024 print edition with the headline “A Meatball at Sea.” When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.