Learn Spanish with Stories

Living in Latin America, you'll hear the following nostalgic phrase at least once in your lifetime (especially if somebody is complaining about laziness or bad habits): "If only we had been colonized by the Brits..."

This belief, shared by a certain portion of the Latin American region and often used when looking north at the vastly superior technological development achieved in the United States, is an expression of the infamous frustrations toward everything that is wrong with Latin America and often blamed on the Spanish colonization: corruption, a lack of work ethic, mediocrity, violence...

So, in this episode, we actually go ahead and rewrite history - to tell the story of "What if" the British had been the ones to arrive on Caribbean and South American shores instead of the Spanish (actually, we've made Christopher Columbus a British sympathizer here, for the sake of simplicity) - and how that would have affected the entirety not only of the region, but of the world.

Enjoy the episode and don't forget - it's all playful fiction!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/5297

Let's do an exercise - since we've already explored how Latin America has been changed by Spanish colonization, by the influence of the United States, and other nations... why don't we spin it around for once, and ask how Latin America has influenced the rest of the world?

After all, Italy wouldn't have its beloved tomatoes if not for the Aztecs and Andeans cultivating it; we would not be able to eat fried potatoes if not for Peru and Bolivia; and we have Mexico to thank for corn (which we enjoy in so many ways)!

But it isn't just food... it's language, culture, music, metals and other resources, and all of the incredible things that Latin America has shared with the rest of the globe. In this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we discover what all of these things are, and how they came to influence the world.

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/5264

On January 3, 2026, Venezuela's dictator, Nicolás Maduro, was removed from power. Plenty of us already know this headline, and many are already aware of how this looked from the outside - Donald Trump's government prepared the attack meticulously before executing, and Maduro ended up in chains, headed to New York aboard the USS Iwo Jima.

However, very few have wondered what it felt like for Venezuelans - who, either inside or outside the country, had to deal with the information blackout and the uncertainty that followed... Would this mean the liberation of their country, or would vengeance from Maduro's allies soon follow?

In this episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we explore both the events leading up to and the aftermath of Maduro's removal from a Venezuelan point of view and attempt to understand how people in the crisis-stricken feel today about this sudden and violent change in their daily lives. Enjoy!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/5231

We like to highlight the beauty and magic of Latin America in as many episodes as we can... but sometimes, there is "another" truth that is not as pretty: Latin America, for all its magic, can be a very dangerous place.

In today's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast, we're heading to the region's most dangerous neighborhoods (places commonly known as barrios or favelas, depending on the country), where being alert is the default status, and life is typically shorter.

These are places where poverty reigns, danger lurks around every corner, and nights are the moment for quiet reflection - and yet... the neighbors still somehow make their existence work, living relatively normal lives, and trying to work their way to a better life, like the rest of us. 

Let's take a glimpse at a more authentic side of life in Latin America, past the tourism and the rich neighborhoods...

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/5198

Where do names come from, and most importantly, where do country names come from? Usually, they have some sort of historic link with tribes who already lived there, with a great historic figure, or simply as a description of something that explorers saw. But in Latin America, quite a few names were given due to transcription or translation errors, such as "Costa Rica" being literally from the explorers noting "this coast looks rich, let's come back and plunder it".

Yes, country names can carry quite a funny history, and Latin America is a good example - but there's more than just humor in this week's episode of the Learn Spanish with Stories podcast... you are about to learn a lot of fascinating history, and finally get the grasp of why Venezuela is based off a beautiful European city, why Honduras is actually a 'deep' country, and what the "guay" means in Paraguay and Uruguay.

Enjoy the episode, and don't forget to subscribe!

Transcript of this episode is available at: https://podcast.lingomastery.com/listen/5165