Courses / Spanish

¡Hola!

Spanish for English speakers

Lupe and Pedro speak Spanish as it is spoken in the Americas; Ruth, your teacher, explains in English. The most studied language in the US. Latin American pronunciation; where Spain differs, we say so.

The courses

• 1

  Basics: letters and sounds

  Free

  How the language is written and said: every letter and sound from a native voice, the few rules that make reading aloud reliable, and short practice checked at once.

  Early access: a native speaker is still checking these 6 lessons.

  1. 1The Spanish alphabet
     The 27 letters, their names, a word for each, and how to spell your name aloud.
  2. 2The five vowels
     The five vowels: always short, always the same. Then two vowels side by side.
  3. 3Consonants that sound different
     The consonants that sound different from English: silent h, j, ñ, ll, rr, b and v, c and z, qu, gu.
  4. 4Stress and accent marks
     Where the stress falls, when a word takes an accent mark, and marks that change the meaning.
  5. 5Writing Spanish
     ¿ and ¡, which words take capitals, and how to type á, ñ, ¿ and ¡ on a computer and a phone.
  6. 6Reading aloud
     Syllables, reading new words from their spelling, a tongue twister, and a first paragraph.
• 2

  The main course: A1, then A2 and B1

  Coming next

  From first words to simple conversations. Each unit is one situation and brings its words, one point of grammar and a conversation together.

  • Unit 1: hello, your name, how are you
  • Numbers, days and dates, the time
  • Family, home, food, shopping, directions
  • About 14 units at A1; the first unit free
• 3

  Vocabulary

  Coming

  Words by theme, each said by a native voice, with a sentence that uses it. A short daily review brings back the words you got wrong until you know them.

  • About 30 themed sets of 20 words at A1
  • Listening and spelling practice
  • The first set free
• 4

  Grammar

  Coming

  One rule at a time, explained in plain English with spoken examples, then drills checked at once.

  • Gender and articles; the present tense
  • ser and estar; questions and the negative
  • Adjectives; the near future (voy a ...)
  • The first topic free
• 5

  Conversation practice

  Coming

  Real situations: a café, a hotel, asking the way, meeting someone. Hear the conversation, read it, then take one part yourself while the other voice answers.

  • About 20 conversations at A1
  • Hear it, read it, then play a part
  • The first conversation free

Prices

Paid plans open with the main course. Payment by card through Stripe, in US dollars.