Spanish Language Links(updated May 18, 2010 – not emailed to Meetup group
New info in red)
Periodically people ask what’s available in Pittsburgh in terms of formal Spanish-language instruction. As most of you know, our Meetup does not teach classes; rather we simply provide informal, friendly gatherings in which speakers at any level of proficiency can engage. However, I’ve just updated some of the local live instruction opportunities in the region, as well as a list of online offerings and info about Latino/Spanish-speaking organizations in our region.
You can access it in two ways:
1-Click on More (at the top center of the page), and then Files;
2-Click on Discussions, and then Message Board.
If you have suggestions for more, feel free to email me at shabra76-meetup[at]yahoo[dot]com; I’ll update the list periodically.
-Bonnie
In-person instruction
The Tango Café on Forward Avenue in Squirrel Hill is the location for one of our group’s two monthly gatherings, and its Argentinian owners also offer language classes. Call Liliana at the café at 412-421-1390 for an up-to-date schedule and fees. The café also hosts a free Spanish-language conversation salon or tertulia at 3:30 p.m. Saturdays.
Meetup member Cindy Hayko offers one-on-one and small group sessions: cindyhayko[at]hotmail[dot]com
There's a very informal free basic-level class at the main Carnegie Library in Oakland on (some) Thursday nights; and the main library’s Children's Departmentalso offers Cuentas y Canciones, a Spanish song and story hour for children, usually on the third Saturday of the month at 10:30am.
The University of Pittsburghand the Community College of Allegheny Countyare among the local colleges offering classes.
Online Resources, Radio Programs
Meetup member David Luff’s website, , offers many of useful links.
Spanishpod.com provides fun audio lessons from “newbie” to advanced levels. Newbie lessons are always free, and access to the entire archive of lessons at all levels is free for one week from sign up. After that, membership is $9 per month.
You can access the interactive online language programs Mango for free at any Carnegie Public Library branch or remotely with a library card. CPL also lists some other links here:
LoMasTV is a fun site where you can watch brief videos (from telenovelas to homemade stuff) on a range of subjects and levels of difficulty. You can slow the player down, repeat, hide or reveal subtitles and play games to test your comprehension. Source material comes from across Latin America and Spain, offering a range of accents. There’s a free demo, but when I’m trying to brush up I've found this site to be worth the $10 monthly subscription fee (you can cancel whenever you want).
About.com’s Spanish learning site has hundred of articles about grammar, conjugation, culture, y mas, with sections for beginners as well as more advancers learners. You can also sign up for RSS feeds and dichos o palabras del día…
Spanish-language news videos:
Destinos: a free telenovela (by way of PBS) you can watch online or download.Pretty basic skills level but campy fun, with lots of fabulous 80s fashions. There's accompanying texts you can find on amazon.com or elsewhere:
123TeachMe offers a cool feature in which you sign up to get an RSS feed of a Spanish word, phrase or verb each weekday, as well as free online lessons.
Live Mocha is one of the burgeoning website that uses a social-networking approach to learning. It offers self-quizzes both written and audio which other member/ learners around the world can correct (you can earn “Mocha points” by doing the same for others learning English or any of dozens of other languages.) Mango is another such site, and is loaded onto some computers at public libraries, too.
The BBC’s offerings:
A rather advanced Spanish-language blogpost some members like is
A small sampling of online news sites:
Online radio:
En este sitio hay cuatro o cinco canales. En uno, Radio 1000 am, cada noche (yo creo) desde las seis hasta las siete hay un programa que se llama “Mil Destinos.” En este programa se elige un lugar de interes turistico, y expertos locales dan “tip” para visitar este lugar.
Organizations, other fun stuff going on en el burgh
The Pittsburgh Spanish Language Meetup Group, claro!
Latin American Cultural Union: $15 a year membership gets you on their email message board of all kinds of information – from fun events to more serious posts -- pertaining to the local Latino community.
Amigos del Cine Latinoamericano is a group of Pitt students who organize free Spanish-language films during fall and spring semesters at the Frick Fine Arts Center in Oakland.
Revista Radial Latinoamericana offers the latest news from Latin America, as well as local news interviews and events of the Hispanic community in Pittsburgh. Broadcast in Spanish and English from 6-7 pm Thursdays on WRCT 88.3 FM (CMU’s station). Live Webcast via and Producers: Martha Mantilla (412) 521-8651 and Miguel Rojas (412) 687-0524
DJ CeCe at 88.3 FM hosts La Rumba, spinning the latest in salsa, meringue, bachata and reggaeton. After bouncing around the WRCT schedule for many months, she has landed at 7pm-9pm Thursdays, and has a website,
Global Pittsburgh (formerly the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors) sponsors events and offers links to the different ethnic communities in the region.
Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
offers networking opportunities and works to grow the Latino business community and increase its visibility.
La Jornada Latina circulates monthly, and can be found at just about every restaurant in the region serving food from Latin America.
Global Beats dance parties: DJ Carla hosts world music parties the final Saturday of each month at AVA Lounge, 126 S. Highland Ave. in East Liberty. $5 cover; doors open at 10pm.
The restaurantMexico City offers great, super-fresh food at two locations Downtown, with either a DJ or live music for dancing at the Wood Street location on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 10pm.
Salsa Pittsburgh can guide you to Latin dance classes, as well as a calendar of dance and live music offerings around town.
There are a handful of Mexican grocery stores in the region. This article mentions a few.
St. Regis Catholic Church in Oakland celebrates a Spanish-language mass at noon on Sundays.