Paddington is a lovely bear that’s become a big part of literature, movies and cartoons worldwide. He’s a very important figure of England because he was created by a British writer, and because his stories are very successful. But England is not the only country where this bear has gained fame. There are other countries that also know him, especially thanks to the Paddington movies.
Paddington is for the whole family, but children are very fond of him. So, if you want your kids to learn Spanish, you could read them the Paddington books in Spanish. Or you can watch the film and series dubbed into Spanish together. They will have a fun time while acquiring a second language.
Paddington Books
The first thing you can do is read the Paddington books. The first book of this peculiar bear is “A Bear Called Paddington”. You can look for the Spanish edition, called “Un oso llamado Paddington” and read it to your kids during bedtime.
If they’re complete beginners, you can first read to them the English version, and then the Spanish one. That way, it’ll be easier for them to know everything that’s happening. Because even if they don’t know a Spanish word, they already know the story.
If your kids already know some Spanish, they can read “Un oso llamado Paddington” without having read the English edition.
And even if your children are very little and haven’t read the book in English, don’t hesitate in reading the Spanish edition to them. As the younger we are, the better we acquire a language. They’ll start learning Spanish as they learn their first language and will be bilingual from a very young age.
Here a just a few more Paddington books with their Spanish titles for you to check out:
- More about Paddington – Las nuevas aventuras de Paddington
- Paddington Abroad – Las vacaciones de Paddington
- Paddington Marches On – Paddington en apuros
Paddington Series
This cute bear has his own series called “The Adventures of Paddington” and in Spanish it is “Las aventuras del oso Paddington”. There have been different versions of this series through the years.
In the YouTube channel “WildBrain en Español” you can find many episodes from one of these versions. The episodes are short so they’re perfect if you’re traveling to a Spanish speaking country, but your kids want to watch tv. You can quickly watch one episode with them, and then enjoy the country you’re visiting. A good thing about doing that is that your kids will already be immersed in the language when they go out.
The most recent version of “Las aventuras del oso Paddington” is the one from Nick Jr. You can look for the Spanish clips on YouTube or check it out on streaming platforms. It’s perfect for them to watch it after their Spanish school, to reinforce their knowledge during their tv time. Check out the intro.
Paddington Movies
If you want to have a nice family time, you can watch the successful live-action Paddington movies. Yes, Paddington is still an animated bear, but his family and the rest of humans he meets are played by real actors. The first movie aired in 2014, the second one aired in 2017 and there’s a third sequel planned for 2023. So, it’s the perfect time to catch up with the story. Though you can also watch the movies independently and in any order and you’ll still understand it.
If your kids are insecure about their Spanish knowledge, you can first watch the movies in English and then in Spanish. Or even better, use Spanish subtitles while watching it in English. If they’re at an intermediate level, use the subtitles while watching it in Spanish. But at some point, you have to lose the subtitles. It’s the best way for them to learn and train their ears.
Don’t worry if they’re very little kids; it’s the perfect moment for them to learn Spanish as a second language. You can just play the movies completely in Spanish, and they’ll start acquiring the language.
Paddington Words
Here are 20 important words within the Paddington universe that kids need to know to understand it better. And they’re also common words to use on an everyday basis.
- Children’s literature – Literatura infantil
- Bear – Oso
- Jam / Marmalade – Mermelada
- Sandwich – Sándwich
- Red – Rojo
- Hat – Sombrero
- Blue – Azul
- Coat – Abrigo
- Family – Familia
- Aunt – Tía
- Letters – Cartas
- Railway Platform – Plataforma ferroviaria / Andén de la estación
- England – Inglaterra
- London – Londres
- Peruvian – Peruano
- Paddington Station – Estación Paddington
- Train – Tren
- Suitcase – Maleta
- Missus (Mrs.) – Señora (Sra.)
- Mister (Mr.) – Señor (Sr.)
Paddington Phrases
Here are some quotes from both the Paddington books and the movies. We wrote the Spanish translation for each, so you and your children learn how to say it in Spanish. A plus is that these next phrases are fun and have great lessons for kids.
Books
- “I’ll never be like other people, but that’s alright because I’m a bear”. / Nunca seré como otras personas, pero está bien, porque soy un oso.
- “A wise bear always keeps a marmalade sandwich in his hat in case of emergency.” / Un oso sabio siempre tiene un sándwich de mermelada en su sombrero en caso de emergencia.
- “Things are always happening to me. I’m that sort of bear.” / Siempre me están pasando cosas. Soy ese tipo de oso.
- “Every family needs a pinch of chaos” / Toda familia necesita una pizca de caos.
- “He was a hopeful bear at heart.” / En el fondo de su corazón, era un oso esperanzado.
- “I’m a very rare sort of bear […] There aren’t many of us left where I come from.” / Soy un tipo de oso muy raro. No quedamos muchos de donde vengo.
Movies
- “If we’re kind and polite, the world will be right.” / Si somos amables y educados, el mundo estará bien.
- “I’ve had a brilliant idea!” / ¡He tenido una idea brillante!
- “He looks for the good in all of us and somehow he finds it”. / Él busca lo bueno en todos nosotros y, de alguna manera, lo encuentra.
- “Although I don’t look like anyone else, I really do feel at home” / Aunque no me parezco a nadie, realmente me siento en casa.
Have Fun Learning Spanish with TruFluency Kids!
If you want your children to really learn all aspects of the Spanish language, you must enroll them in Spanish classes. But how can your kids want to learn in a school? They probably prefer to just learn with Paddington because he’s very fun. No worries, they just need lessons as fun as Paddington.
TruFluency Kids make sure children learn through all kinds of activities, from singing and playing games to cooking and crafting! So, they’ll enjoy the classes. We also make kids speak in each class, so they achieve Spanish fluency.
All our lessons are online, and we have flexible schedules. Sign up for our next 4-week session and watch your kids master a second language.
