Music is a vibrant gateway to learning new languages, capturing the essence of culture, emotion, and storytelling in a way that textbooks alone cannot. For Spanish teachers looking to spice up their lesson plans, incorporating music offers an exciting opportunity to engage students with the language's real-world application. On the other hand, finding the perfect songs to complement your curriculum and lesson plans can be tricky. Thanks to SpanishPlaylistParty.com, it doesn't have to be! We've curated a unique website featuring playlists on various topics that resonate with all learning levels, making it easier to bring the rhythm of Spanish into your classroom.
The playlist I'll be highlighting this week is: La Ropa, which is a playlist of songs that all have vocab related to clothing or shopping and offer a treasure trove of opportunities for related lessons plans with your students.
In this post, I'll be sharing my top 3 picks from the playlist and some important vocab from each song! Please click the hyperlinks for each song to listen along with our amazing synced lyrics player and try accompanying quizzes! - Evan B
Here's a fun, family-friendly, reggaeton song about the singer's struggle to impress his crush by getting himself a fancy, new wardrobe. As you'd expect, it is a great way to introduce some related vocab:
Nouns: "El cinturón" (The belt), "El Blazer" (The blazer), "La Ropa" (The clothes)
Verbs: Comprar (To buy), Buscar (To search)
Adjectives: Caro (Expensive), Perfumadito (Perfumed)
BONUS: If you want your students to test out their new knowledge with this song, check out the free accompanying song lesson!
Immerse your students in the vibrant sounds of "La Camisa Negra" (The Black Shirt) by Juanes, a song that weaves a tale of love and despair with an energetic Latin rock vibe. Beyond its catchy rhythm, this track is a perfect springboard for discussing clothing-related vocabulary and expressions of emotion, set against the backdrop of a story about love gone wrong.
Nouns: "La camisa" (the shirt), "El alma" (the soul), "La cama" (the bed)
Verbs: "Perder" (to lose), "Enterrar" (to bury), "Dejar" (to leave)
Adjectives: "Negro" (black), "Moribundo" (dying), "Malevo" (evil)
BONUS: Use this song as an opportunity to explore how clothing can symbolize feelings and states of being, such as mourning or heartbreak. This lesson can extend to a creative activity where students describe their emotions using clothing items or colors and is a great way to discuss the theme of self-expression!
Step into the playful and slightly frantic world of "No Tengo Ropa," a song by Gloria Trevi that captures the universal dilemma of having a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. This track humorously narrates the story of someone racing against time to find the perfect outfit for an important gathering, making it an engaging way to introduce vocabulary related to clothing and emotions.
Nouns: "La casa" (the house), "La camiseta" (the T-shirt), "El pantalón de mezclilla" (the denim jeans), "El brasier" (the bra)
Verbs: "Correr" (to run), "Encontrar" (to find), "Vestirse" (to dress up)
Adjectives: "Desconsolada" (distraught), "Importante" (important)
BONUS: Use this song to spark discussions about fashion, personal style, and the social pressures of dressing for occasions. Students can practice describing their own clothing dilemmas and preferences, offering a relatable way to apply new vocabulary and express themselves in Spanish.