Suggested Order of Study
The materials on this website are presented a la carte. Pick and choose the categories and lessons, but read this page for some general guidelines.
A Structured Step-by-Step Approach
If you want to become conversational, then what you need is Camino del éxito — a complete conversation course that takes you by the hand and leads you down the "Path of success."
Ours is the only course that is completely integrated with the materials on this website, and it is exactly what you need if you want to speak Spanish conversationally.
As you begin studying pronunciation, pay particular attention to the vowel sounds. Learning these five sounds will have you well on your way to good pronunciation.
Two other sounds that are problematic for English speakers are the "d" and the "r" – but fortunately the corresponding Spanish sounds are easy for the English speaker to duplicate.
Also important are the lessons on "stress" and "linking." Understanding these two topics is especially important for improving your listening abilities.
In general, you will want to study the grammar lessons in the order they are presented. But, that is not an unbreakable rule.
For example, if you are in school, you will probably want to study the topics as they come up in your class. And there may be other times when you simply have a question about Spanish grammar, and there's nothing wrong with skipping ahead (or back) to the appropriate lesson.
Use our verb drills as needed. Remember, the goal is not merely to get to where you can conjugate verbs like some sort of robot. The goal is to incorporate the different tenses into your speech. To achieve that, it will really help if, in addition to answering the questions, you also read the sentences out loud.
We are not big fans of learning long lists of words, simply for the sake of passing a test. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that without the right words, it's difficult or impossible to express your ideas. Try to strike a balance when it comes to vocabulary.
These cultural notes are appropriate for beginners and advanced students alike. But your level will determine how you use these culturally rich stories.
If you are a beginner, you will want to read the English version, and then listen to the short version only. You need to keep in mind that the audio for these has not been artificially slowed down, and so it can be quite challenging for beginners. At first, stick to the short versions, and carefully follow along on the written text.
Advanced students should go straight to the long version and listen to the audio without looking at the transcripts. See how much you can understand. Then consult the transcript to fill in any gaps.