Word for the day

I follow Oxford University Press @OxfordEdMFL on twitter and receive their word for the day. Inspired by this, I have decided to do my own.  These won’t always be obscure words, as I am aware that many of the teachers who are delivering language lessons, particularly at primary, are not language specialists.

My languages are French, Spanish and Latin so those are the ones you’ll get! (mainly the first 2). 

So, here’s my first ever Word of the Day:

tampoco

It is one of my favourite Spanish words (yes, I have favourite words!!). I particularly love words that don’t always have an equivalent in English. Tampoco usually translates as “neither” but sometimes you just can’t translate it.

I remember staying with my Spanish penpal when I was 17. He had used a word I didn’t understand and so tried an alternative. When I still failed to understand he said to me, in a slightly surprised voice, "¿tampoco?” I think, in English, you’d have to say, “You don’t know that one either?” but in Spanish just one word does the trick. 

I think children will love the sound of this word and we should teach it more often (I bet it often gets omitted at KS2).