Matar a un muerto
Tonight’s film comes from Paraguay.
Matar a un muerto (2019)
Whether you’re learning Spanish or just looking for something to watch, Matar a un muerto is an interesting film.
It’s set in 1978, when Paraguay was under the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner. Backed by the United States and right-wing dictatorships in neighbouring countries, Stroessner ruled the country for 35 years, from 1954 to 1989. During this time, an estimated 50,000 Paraguayans were killed, whilst 30,000 disappeared, and 400,000 were imprisoned.
If you’re learning Spanish, the following videos cover the history of Paraguay, the dictatorship of Stroessner, and its legacy today :
La Historia de Paraguay en 15 minutos
Dictadura de Alfredo Stroessner en Paraguay
Paraguay : Conmemoran 30 años de la caída de la dictadura de Stroessner
During the film, you’ll hear the characters speak both Spanish and Guaraní. Estimates vary with time, but the overwhelming majority of Paraguayans speak both languages.
If you’re interested in learning more about Guaraní, the following videos will introduce you to the language :
Algunas frases y palabras típicas del idioma guaraní
The following video shows two players from the Paraguayan national football team speaking Guaraní. About a third of the way through both the interviewers and players switch from Spanish to Guaraní. Spanish words like pelota (ball) and juego (game/match) are used whilst speaking Guaraní, presumably because the language has adopted them from Spanish.
Iturbe no dudó hablar en guaraní en la conferencia
If you’re learning Spanish and would like to keep track of the news, four of the best news sources in Latin America are teleSUR, Página12, El Faro, and La Jornada :
If you’re unsure when and how to use subtitles, advice can be found here :
How to Use Subtitles to Learn a Language
If you’re interested in learning Spanish, there’s a How to Learn Languages guide :
Take care, and enjoy the process!