TELEVISION

Learning Spanish: How to Understand and Speak a New Language

Series: Great Courses
4.7
(341)
sign up
Episodes
30
Rating
TVPG
Year
2015
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

About

This course is designed to cover the curriculum of a first semester college course in Spanish. You'll explore how to learn Spanish and start communicating. Your teacher, world-class language instructor Professor Bill Worden of the University of Alabama, has refined this approach over more than 20 years, distilling the step-by-step system that works the best for learners.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1 to 3 of 30

1. Introduction to the Spanish Language

45m

sign up
Begin by looking at both the "whats" of Spanish (elements such as grammar and vocabulary), and the "hows"-how to study, practice, and learn the language most effectively. Start with identifying cognates (Spanish words that are similar to their English equivalents), hearing the five Spanish vowel sounds, and practicing basic greetings, responses, and goodbyes.

2. Definite Articles and Nouns

45m

sign up
Learn the gender of Spanish nouns by practicing each new noun with its masculine or feminine definite article. Grasp how the suffixes of nouns can help identify their gender. Study how to make nouns plural, practice pronouncing Spanish consonants, and learn the letters of the Spanish alphabet.

3. Subject Pronouns and the Verb Ser

45m

sign up
Investigate the five singular subject pronouns and the seven plural subject pronouns in Spanish, and how they are used in Spanish-speaking cultures. Then conjugate the verb ser (to be) in the present tense, create simple sentences, and explore how Spanish adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in number and gender.

4. Regular -ar Verbs in the Present

45m

sign up
Here, learn about an important category of Spanish verbs-those whose infinitives end in -ar. Conjugate regular -ar verbs in the present tense by identifying the verb's stem and adding the appropriate endings. Continue with Spanish adjectives and their placement, cognate adjectives, and the pronunciation of important consonants.

5. Indefinite Articles and Numbers to 100

45m

sign up
Acquire the Spanish indefinite articles ("a", "an", and "some" in English), and observe how indefinite articles are used in Spanish. Learn to count to 100, and practice simple math problems. Finally, complete your work with Spanish consonants, making important distinctions in the pronunciations of b, v, g, d, and x.

6. The Verb Estar and Numbers over 100

45m

sign up
Investigate the verb estar, the second Spanish verb for "to be". Learn about the uses of estar, as contrasted with ser. Conjugate estar in the present tense, and use it with adjectives describing emotions, conditions, and locations. Learn to count to 1000, and conclude with a historical note about Spanish pronunciation.

Extended Details

  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

Bill Wordenwriter