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Reggaeton Spanish: The Words in the Songs
A fun, live hour of Spanish built around the words you keep hearing in reggaeton and Latin pop: dale, fuego, la noche, mi amor, pa' and to'. You will learn how singers drop letters, what the party and love words really mean (and which ones to keep for people you know), how friends greet each other in Puerto Rico, Colombia, Mexico and beyond, and a few phrases for the dance floor. Complete beginners welcome, and no song lyrics are reproduced: we teach the words, you bring the playlist.
After this hour you can
- Recognise the most common party, love and slang words in reggaeton and Latin pop
- Understand dropped-letter song Spanish like pa', to', na' and enamorao
- Tell te quiero from te amo, and know when mami / papi is fine and when it is not
- Greet friends the way people do in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico and Spain
- Ask someone to dance, say yes or no, and talk about the music
- Say the key song words with clear Spanish vowels and a tapped or rolled R
- 0′–5′
Welcome
Know how the class works and why song Spanish sounds different from textbook Spanish.
- 5′–11′
Warm-up: sing it with Spanish sounds
Say the key song words with pure vowels, a tapped or rolled R and the right stress.
a, e, i, o, u
say ah, eh, ee, oh, oo
the five vowels
despacito
say dehs-pah-SEE-toh / dehs-pah-THEE-toh
nice and slowly
+ 5 more on your phrase sheet
- 11′–18′
Song shortcuts: dropped letters
Understand the most common dropped-letter forms in songs and know the full word behind each.
pa' = para
say pah
for / to / in order to
pa'lante = para adelante
say pah-LAHN-teh
forward / keep going
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 18′–26′
Party words
Know the party and dance words that fill the songs, and what each one really means.
¡Dale!
say DAH-leh
Go on! / Let's go! / OK, sure!
la noche
say lah NOH-cheh
the night / the night out
+ 7 more on your phrase sheet
- 26′–33′
Love words
Understand the love words in songs and know which ones to use with whom.
Te quiero.
say teh KYEH-roh
I love you / I really care about you
Te amo.
say teh AH-moh
I love you (deep, romantic)
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 33′–40′
What's up, friend? Slang by country
Recognise how friends greet each other and say "mate" in different Spanish-speaking countries.
¿Qué lo que?
say keh loh KEH
What's up? (Dominican Republic)
¿Qué onda?
say keh OHN-dah
What's up? / What's going on? (Mexico, Central America, Argentina)
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 40′–47′
On the dance floor
Ask someone to dance, say yes or no, and talk about the music.
¿Bailamos?
say bai-LAH-mohs
Shall we dance?
¡Sí, vamos!
say SEE, BAH-mohs
Yes, let's go!
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 47′–57′
Practice: la fiesta
Get through a short party conversation in Spanish: greet, chat about the music and ask someone to dance.
- 57′–60′
Recap and this week
Remember the key words and know how to keep listening.
Reggaeton grew up in Puerto Rico and Panama, with roots in Jamaican dancehall, and its Spanish is mostly Caribbean: fast, relaxed, with dropped s and d sounds and lots of English mixed in. That is why songs can sound very different from a textbook, even though it is the same language. The good news is that Spanish is written almost exactly as it sounds and has only five clear vowels, so once you know the shortcuts, a lot of what you hear starts to make sense.
- Zoom on a computer, tablet or phone
- A microphone; headphones with a mic are best
- Somewhere you are happy to speak out loud
- Pen and paper, if you like. No Spanish needed.
Do I need to know any of the language already?
No. Every class is for complete beginners. We start from hello, and everything is explained in English. If you already know a little, it will be a good warm-up, but it will feel easy.
What happens in the hour?
A short welcome, then the sounds (or, for Japanese and Korean, a first look at the writing), greetings, introducing yourself, numbers to ten, ordering at a café and the phrases that get you out of trouble. Then you practise in small breakout rooms and we finish with a recap. Each class page shows the hour minute by minute.
Will I have to speak?
Yes, that is the point, but gently. Most of the time the whole class repeats together with microphones on, so nobody is singled out. Near the end you practise in breakout rooms of 2 or 3. Your camera is up to you.
How big are the classes?
At most 12 people, so everyone gets to speak and ask questions.
How much is a class?
One class is one payment, and you see the price before you pay. Nothing renews and there is no subscription.
Can I cancel or move my class?
Yes. Write to support@bunevents.com at least 24 hours before the start and we will refund you in full or move you to another time, whichever you prefer.
