Atajo Basics: What does Atajo do? • Atajo is a reference keep Atajo open on the side of the computer while writing or studying in Spanish. • Dictionary search in either Spanish or English, see definition in opposite language, audio, examples and related links if available. • Verb Conjugator see correct conjugation in all tenses. If you’ve clicked on a word in Dictionary tab, it will automatically display when you go to Verb Conjugator. Click on the name of the tense to see detailed conjugation for all possible subjects (yo, tú, etc.). • Grammar read explanation and examples for grammar topics. • Vocabulary see words grouped by topic—useful for extending your vocabulary and finding synonyms or more precise words. • Phrases find expressions appropriate to use in different situations. Note: vocabulary tends to be casual rather than academic. • Search search within all of the above. • Accent Tool handy for inserting accented characters (or use keyboard shortcuts). • Help besides instructions for using the software, the Help document also lists all the abbreviations used in the dictionary (e.g., “nm” = “masculine noun”).
Using Atajo to Develop Your Spanish Proficiency
When writing (or preparing to speak): • Use search to look up words you’re not 100% sure of spelling, meaning, or pronunciation. • Check meanings in both languages to help you understand the connotation and ensure you’ve chosen the most appropriate word. • Reviewing the related topics in Vocabulary and Phrases can also help you to determine if your word usage is appropriate and discover more word options to choose from. • Check conjugation of verbs and subject-verb agreement. • Search for a Spanish word with results in Spanish to check that you are using the right word form (part of speech). • Review the grammar explanations and use the examples from the dictionary to decide if your grammar is correct. • Use the spelling/grammar checker in Microsoft Word to help you identify potential errors; use Atajo to help you confirm the corrections. • When you get an assignment back with errors corrected from your instructor, use Atajo to help you understand the corrections.
When reading (or listening) • Be strategic about using any dictionary while reading/listening so that you don’t lose the train of thought. As you read, you may encounter certain key words that you don’t understand and you need to look up immediately. Other words may not be essential for overall comprehension. These you may want to mark by highlighting or circling, so that after you have finished reading the passage, you can come back to review them. • Understanding the grammar can really impact your understanding of a reading or listening exercise. Use Atajo to help you answer questions such as, “Why is this verb subjunctive?” or “Why is this preterite? Shouldn’t it be imperfect?” • While you read, watch for good examples of the grammar or vocabulary that you have studied. Noting and analyzing these examples is great way to practice and review.
Tips and Tricks • When searching for words: . The dictionary tab is more picky with its search (e.g., about accents), but it does keep a list of your recent searches to get back to them easily. . The search tab will ignore accents and has more options: o Uncheck “Match Whole Word” and type in just the beginning of a word to find results with any ending. o Check all of the options for where to search to yield the most results. o For example, if you check Search Definitions and Examples, your search results will function like a thesaurus. o An icon shows where the results are from (M-W = dictionary, G, V, P). • When using a bilingual dictionary, always check both ways! . If you type in an English word to get the Spanish equivalent, always look up that Spanish word to see if the English translation really matches what you mean. . Atajo makes it easy: you can usually click on the translations to look them up. . Spanish and English share a lot of Latin roots, so use these cognates to help you understand, but don’t rely on them, as they may not be fully equivalent. • Atajo doesn’t have back/next buttons, but the tabs at the top will usually get you back to where you were. • Script Error: say “yes,” when it asks “Continue?”
Can I get Atajo on my own computer? • Unfortunately, Atajo is not free. You would need to purchase Atajo in order to install it on your own computer. Direct from the publisher, the individual cost is $83.50. However, you may also be able to find a better deal online through a discount retailer or by purchasing a used copy from a reseller.
Reactions and Suggestions • Based on this initial exposure, what do you think about Atajo so far? • How do you think you’ll be able to best use Atajo to improve your Spanish? • Are there other tools you’d like to suggest for supporting Spanish study?
Accents: Keyboard Shortcuts • Windows US Keyboard: . á = Alt 160, é = Alt 130, í = Alt 161, ó = Alt 162, ú Alt 163, ñ = Alt 164 • Mac US Keyboard: . Put an accent on a letter, e.g., Á á =
Example Exercises
1. Adjective-Noun Agreement: Look for an adjective/noun pair where you’re not sure about the gender of the noun.
2. Subject-Verb Agreement or Verb Conjugation: Look for a verb that you’re not sure the form is correct. Is it the right ending to match the subject? Is it the right conjugation for the appropriate verb tense?
3. Preterite vs. Imperfect: Look for a use of preterite or imperfect tense that you’re not sure is correct.
4. Ser vs. estar: Look for a use of either “ser” or “estar” that you’re not sure is correct.
5. Word choices: Look for places where the choice of words could be improved upon. Is the connotation of the word really appropriate for the situation? Could more descriptive words be used? Could a wider range of interesting words be used?