The Spanish Language
How does Spanish rank among the world's most-spoken languages?
Spanish is the second most-spoken language in the world, after Mandarin Chinese.
From which country did most Latin American countries declare their independence?
Spain
What is the world's longest mountain range, located in South America?
The Andes Mountains.
Known as the "Queen of Tejano Music," this Mexican-American singer won a Grammy Award in 1994 and is celebrated for hit songs like "Como La Flor" and "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom."
Selena Quintanilla-Peréz
What is the difference between the words Hispanic and Latino?
Hispanic refers to someone from or with ancestors from a Spanish-speaking country. It includes people from Spain and Equatorial Guinea.
Latino refers to someone from or with ancestors from a country in of Latin origin, usually Latin America. This term includes some non-Spanish-speaking countries such as Brazil.
What percent of people in the U.S. speak Spanish?
About 13% of the U.S. population speaks Spanish at home, or 45.7 million people.
Can you name 5 foods from Latin America?
Tacos, tamales, arepas, ceviche, tortillas, empanadas, guacamole, gallo pinto, pozole, flan, arroz con leche, enchiladas, mole, patacones, chocolate, chimichurri, etc. (There are many more!)
What is the name of the largest rainforest in the world, located in South America?
The Amazon Rainforest.
This Mexican painter, famous for her striking self-portraits and exploration of identity and culture, became the first 20th-century Mexican artist to have a work purchased by the Louvre Museum.
Frida Kahlo
Which two presidents made National Hispanic Heritage Week and Month official?
President Lyndon Johnson established National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. President Ronald Reagan extended it to Hispanic Heritage Month in 1988.
How many Spanish-speaking countries are there?
There are 21 Spanish-speaking countries with Spanish as the official language, if Puerto Rico is counted.
Can you name one of the three ancient civilizations in Central or South America?
The Aztec, Maya, and Incas.
Which Spanish-speaking country is directly south of Mexico?
Guatemala
This superstar Argentine soccer player led his country to victory in the 2022 World Cup and has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards.
Lionel Messi
Why does Hispanic Heritage Month start on September 15th?
September 15th was chosen as the beginning date because it is the anniversary of Independence Day for Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras (all in 1821).
How many continents have countries with Spanish as the official language? Which continents?
4 - Europe, Africa, North America, and South America.
What does Cinco de Mayo celebrate?
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday some people celebrate in Mexico, but it is not their Independence Day. It commemorates a battle in the city of Puebla, Mexico in 1862. It has some popularity among the chicano (Mexican-American) population as well.
Name 1 Spanish-speaking country located in the Caribbean.
Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
This global Colombian pop icon is famous for her hit songs like "Hips Don't Lie" and performed at the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Shakira
Name two U.S. states that formerly belonged to Mexico.
California, Nevada, Utah, Texas, New Mexico, along with most of Arizona and Colorado, and some of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.
What are the top 5 Countries by number of Spanish Language Students?
United States
Brazil
France
United Kingdom
Italy
What does Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead celebrate?
Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a special holiday celebrated in Mexico and some other countries. It’s a day to remember and celebrate family and friends who have passed on. Even through it’s celebrated October 31-Nov. 1, don’t get in mixed up with Halloween- they are two different holidays!
Which South American country shares a border with Panama, and is famous for their high-quality coffee?
Colombia
Famous for painting The Persistence of Memory with melting clocks, this eccentric Spanish artist was a master of Surrealism.
Salvador Dalí
Which are the top 3 Latin American nations represented in the United States?
Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba, respectively.