Showing posts with label Spanish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spanish. Show all posts

2011/06/29

Spanish Courses Reviewed - Rocket Spanish

Have you recently decided you want to learn Spanish? You're now you're looking for a beginner's Spanish course to take you through every step of the way? Well look no further because Rocket Spanish is, in my opinion, the best course on the internet to learn Spanish as a beginner. If you are looking for a Spanish course which improves all areas of your Spanish simultaneously - that is Spanish speaking, listening, reading and writing - then Rocket Spanish is the course for you. In this review I will try to be as objective as possible and analyse how exactly you can use Rocket Spanish to improve, and why the course has had such acclaim from Spanish learners around the world.

The course structure

So first of all you probably want a Spanish course which guides you through in a clear and structured fashion. The premium Rocket Spanish course does this extremely well. There are 32 cultural based lessons where you can listen to Spanish conversation and build your Spanish listening ability. You also get transcripts of these lessons which are helpful in the very beginning but the lessons are always very clear, practical, and also interactive to encourage your Spanish speaking to improve. They also last only 25 minutes so you remain concentrated throughout the course.

There are also 31 grammar lessons - these again are very clear if slightly less interesting (but grammar is very important so just ignore any course which tells you otherwise). I still check back over some of these because they explain Spanish grammar in an illustrated and easy to understand manner.

Along with these there are great range of interactive games and quizzes so you can monitor your progress and really immerse yourself in the Spanish language.;

The 'extra' software

The extra software with a Rocket Spanish premium course is probably worth the price of the course alone. The MegaVerbs software allows you to get on top of verb tenses using a programme of games and exercises to help recognition and memorisation in an enjoyable way.

The MegaAudio software does the same for listening - this allows you to complete listening exercises designed specifically to allow you to understand Spanish in context. You will still have to do a lot of practice to reach Spanish fluency but the course helps you to hear and translate over 1000 Spanish words - this means you'll be listening to spoken Spanish and actually understanding what's being said in no time.

The MegaVocab software has been the most useful tool for me. The course has loads of loaded vocab themes loaded into their specially designed exercises to aid memorisation. However the real value of this Spanish vocab software is that it remains useful as you improve. You can add your own words for input into the programme so you can keep using MegaVocab to memorise vocab even when you reach advanced level.

Additional Support

The additional support I received with Rocket Spanish also surprised me - for that price I would have been happy if it had taken a lot longer for my queries to be answered. However the highly knowledgeable teachers respond very quickly and failing that there are loads of friendly forum members always ready to help.

Value for money

The real advantage of Rocket Spanish is the incredible value for money you receive - the only course I've found that equates in terms of quality is Rosetta Stone however, with the discounted Rocket Spanish price, this is over five times as expensive for the full course. The Rosetta Stone product is more professional in appearance and marketing but there is no upgrade in terms of quality so I'd save yourself some money.

What level do I finish at?

Once you complete the Rocket Spanish course there is no stopping you - you are already at an advanced Spanish level equivalent to AS or A2 level in the UK depending on the work you put in. However you also have all the tools to allow you to keep progressing and reach fluency in no time.

Go to http://topspanishtips.weebly.com/the-3-best-spanish-courses-online.html to get your 67% discount on a Rocket Spanish course. You can also try Rocket Spanish for 6 days for free to try before you buy.


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2011/06/28

Spanish Language Learning - Where to Start?

Learning a foreign language like Spanish has become easier than ever than before. The Spanish language has become increasingly popular and as a result there are a brilliant range of Spanish language resources available on the internet. It is now possible to immerse yourself in the Spanish language using only a computer with internet connection. In this article I provide a few places for you to get started learning Spanish online.

Learn how to communicate with some basic Spanish.

Basic conversation is a good starting point to learning Spanish. There are loads of videos available online to help you learn phrases to meet and greet such as hola, adios, buenos dias, buenas noches for example. These first lessons also include basic conversational phrases like 'how are you?' - '?como estas?'. Obviously these first lessons are there to inspire you to learn more about the Spanish language and a basic building block on which to build. This is made a lot easier by the huge amount of Spanish language lessons of this kind online although I would say speaking at this level is a lot better done in the classroom.

Learn some basic Spanish vocab

This is the next step for most Spanish language courses. There are loads of relevant lists online to learn the very basics of Spanish vocabulary - I would recommend playing Spanish language learning games to immerse yourself in the vocab from the beginning, as well as writing your first basic Spanish phrases and self-testing. I would recommend Real Spanish and Spanish Dict as two sites to help with this stage. The normal Spanish vocab areas covered at the start are the numbers, colours and parts of the body.

Learn some basic Spanish grammar

It also helps to learn at least the basics of Spanish grammar at the beginning of your Spanish language learning. Study Spanish is a good site to help learn about the basic construction of sentences in Spanish (ie. adjectives following nouns in the majority of instances), the agreements of masculine and feminine, and the punctuation and structure of questions and answers to basic Spanish questions.

Invest in a beginners Spanish course

The easiest way through all this is to purchase a Spanish course online like Rocket Spanish. This course takes you through step by step from the very beginning and develops all areas of your Spanish simultaneously. The lessons are clear and there is always good support on offer if you do get stuck (something you don't get with a non-virtual Spanish course)

Take it one step at a time

Finally remember to take it one step at a time - you won't be fluent after a few weeks and it will take a lot of hard work. If you enjoy the language learning experience and immerse yourself in as much Spanish material as possible you will get there eventually though.

Go to http://www.topspanishtips.weebly.com/ for a collection of the best Spanish language resources online. The website is a brilliant guide to find those resources you'll need is whether you're just starting out learning Spanish or at a strong level already.


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Economic Benefits of Learning Spanish

There is a probability that you come across someone who speaks Spanish in your daily life, maybe it's a colleague, or a neighbor. The number of Hispanics in the US is increasing so quickly that it has become the 4th largest Spanish speaking country. There are over 40 million Hispanics living here and there number is expected to increase in the future.

Learning Spanish in this scenario is extremely important. If you happen to live in California or Texas, then it is a must. Half of the Spanish people live in these two states so the need for studying Spanish is higher here. However, the hassle which is a part of learning a new language detracts people from doing so.

Considering the benefits which you can avail if you study Spanish, it sounds like a good deal. Here are some economic benefits of learning Spanish.

Employment

Believe it or not, but knowing Spanish in the US can help you obtain a better job. Employers consider it well of you to be able to speak up a whole language. Hence, you can spice up your resume by studying Spanish. Learning multiple languages is an 'in' thing when it comes to gaining good employment. There are many Spanish based companies operating here who require their employees to be fluent in English as well as Spanish. Therefore, you can open your doors to better employment by learning Spanish.

Raise

You can even obtain a raise in your existing job by learning Spanish. Companies are willing to provide incentives to employees who can speak Spanish. There is a scope for learning Spanish to improve your current employment regardless of where you are working.

Expand

In case you want to expand the consumer base of your business, learn Spanish and open up to the Hispanic population. They will feel much valued if you are going to communicate with them in Spanish instead of English. Expatriates long for acceptance and what better way to use it for your benefit than by learning their language.

Save Money

Yes, you can actually save money by learning Spanish. Spanish shop owners tend to treat all the people who don't speak Spanish as tourists and charge higher prices than they normally do. If you know Spanish, you can communicate and get through to them. They will bring down the price to where it usually is. Guides, especially those who speak English, charge good money. You don't need them when you know how to communicate with everyone you meet in the native language. You also eliminate the need for translators, who are equally expensive, by learning Spanish yourself. Imagine, you can order for yourself in a traditional Mexican restaurant!

These were some reasons why learning Spanish can be economically beneficial for a US citizen. If you want to study Spanish quickly and without hassle, Spanish Learning Factory is the best option for you. They offer private lessons as well as books and CDs so you have the option to choose a resource according to your budget.

SpanishLearningFactory provides online Spanish courses and online Spanish classes. for more details visit Website. SpanishLearningFactory.com


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2011/06/27

Helpful Tips On How to Learn Spanish Fast

Do you want the possibility to talk in the Spanish language with anybody about anything? Do you want to be a part of a community of 200 million people that speak the same language as you? Or maybe you only need to speak one of the most used languages in commercial relationships, internet, tourism and music, and to be proud in front of your friends. If you want to learn Spanish without any effort, having an envied pronouncement, you will need to follow the nest steps:

Why would you need to learn Spanish?

Maybe you are looking for a workplace in Spain, and your chances to succeed are strictly connected with your Spanish language knowledge. All the Spanish employers appreciate this aspect, and you will obtain the paperwork much faster. However, this is not the only reason for you to learn this language. If you are a passionate reader, you will discover the charm of the language of Sancho Panda, as reading in this language is surely a nice experience. Even if you are only preparing for a tour in Spain, you should understand and speak a few words. Now that we established why it is good for you to learn Spanish, let's see a few effective methods to do this.

What are the efficient methods to learn the Spanish language?

If you are looking for a method to learn the Spanish language quick and easy, you will need to find a course. The course must assure you a complete and permanent method to learn, and it must be based on the four principles of learning foreign language: Listen, Talk, Write, and Read.

The starting lessons must be easy containing elements like: personal presentation, looking for directions, talking about tourism, fashion, hobbies. Along the course, you will have to advance further, so you could express your opinions in front of others.

The course must be structured to help you learn Spanish and to put into practice all the knowledge gained. The course must be made for you, so you could have incredible results without so much effort. The best Spanish courses of this type are made by specialists, and must also be based on the Lozanov method. Lozanov is the creator of the auto-suggestion principle, a principle that was declared as one of the best to learn Spanish.

The average Spanish course has 18-20 lessons, both in audio and .pdf format. It is attractive, making you wish to learn more. The guide must also be available for you in any moment, so you could study in your spare time at work or home. The best courses have a bonus including dictionaries, and a few grammatical lessons, and some ebooks. An interactive course is the best method, making the Spanish language accessible for you. You must be able to learn pleasantly, not extensively. Learning a new language is a new experience that would bring you satisfaction if you were able to master it completely, as it is an important moment of your life and a great achievement.

Right here we provide the helpful and professional language studying soft: Rosetta Stone, so if you're troublesome now because of a new and unfamiliar language, welcome to take a look at the Rosetta Stone Spanish.


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No Time or Money to Travel? 12 Fun Ways to Learn Spanish Online Free

If you're like millions of other Americans, you're somewhat interested in learning Spanish, maybe have even taken a class or two in your day, but can't really do much with it, let alone hold a conversation with native speakers. You've spent some money on language software or books but haven't gotten through much of it.

The reason for this is because most of the common ways of learning a language just aren't fun. Above all, learning a language should be a lot of fun, and if you aren't enjoying it, you won't get very far.

The number one way to have fun and learn is to live abroad for a while, or at least take an immersion language learning trip. But if you don't have the money or time to do that yet, you are in luck that you can at least get started for when you do travel (What, you aren't packing yet?). The Internet is absolutely chock full of free, entertaining ways to jump start your language learning. It doesn't matter if you are a complete beginner with just a few words, like hola, under your belt.

Here are ideas that can get you "virtually" immersed in the moments when you can't physically immerse myself in another country. Remember, pick a few ideas from the list below that you like and don't get discouraged. It doesn't matter if you are just a beginner or whether you are intermediate or advanced in Spanish. These ideas are useful for learners at all levels.

Free Online Radios. Very cool. There are several big companies offering free radio now, and most of them offer artist bios and stories, plus links to similar music that can keep you going in loops for hours. Type in any artist or genre and find the lyrics online to follow along. Bookmark the artists you like and find similar songs and artists by browsing. Try some traditionally Latino genres like vallenatos or bachatas or you can try Latino Rock. You can also find local radio stations from all over the world that stream for free online by searching for: radio escuchar en vivo.
Blogs. Learn from people who actually learned to speak Spanish or whatever language you are interested in, not just the sites selling you their software. Blogs dealing with immersion language learning usually offer a wealth of free information about how they succeeded in learning or becoming fluent. Because these people have had so much fun learning a language, they have a ton of interesting stories and give you really specific tips for free about how you can do it. It's like your own personal consultant or book without having to pay for it. These sites usually have community discussion groups and free newsletters, video or audio tutorials, games and learning programs, e-books, and links to other great online resources. Try searching for "immersion language learning Spanish," "why study abroad," or Spanish plus the word "blog" and start exploring. You can also browse blog directories and find sites of interest that way.
Online video sites. You can find just about anything on YouTube, Yahoo videos, and other similar sites. There are tons of videos that are in Spanish but have English subtitles. You can often find your favorite show, movie, or cartoon. Cartoons are great because a lot of times you can follow the plot very easily and pick up isolated words here and there more easily than in movies. Try to find a clip of some of your favorite scenes but with Spanish audio or subtitles. Get a little creative with your searches. Also, you can look for interviews and commercials with Latino or Spanish actors and actresses in their native language or dubbed or subtitled versions of programs you like. If they are international superstars, their Spanish interviews can often be found with English subtitles. If you are a beginner, audio in Spanish with English subtitles should be the goal. If you are an intermediate or advanced learner, you should be looking for Spanish audio with Spanish subtitles, so try searching for shows you like and adding "en espanol." Remember, the goal isn't to understand everything, or even 2% if you aren't there yet. Try to catch a single word that is repeated frequently and start building your vocabulary. Eventually you will want that foundation when you do have time or money to travel (Looking at maps yet?).
Online Pen Pals. Or should we start calling them text pals? You are probably already on some of the social media sites, and maybe you even have a bunch of friends. The beauty of social networking is that you can connect to people all over the world. Search for friends from countries you are interested in and send them a message. It's free, and a lot of people might be interested in being pen pals. There are even sites dedicated completely to international pen pals and offer their services for free. Once you get a little better at writing, you can begin instant messaging (also free).
Web Chat. And if you are at the stage where you can speak a bit, ask your pen pal to do free video chat through your social media site, instant messaging service, or free computer-to-computer calling service. There are tons out there so just search for them and pick the one you like.
Futbol Online, or maybe as you know it, soccer. I know, I know, you think soccer is boring. Okay, but that's mostly probably because you don't know many players so it doesn't mean much. Read a few bios about Ronaldinho, Messi, and other players at ESPN's Soccernet or other sports sites, wait for the big games, and even watch some free games and replays online. Watch Barcelona face off with Real Madrid next season for the rivalry rematches and see some of the best players in the world stacked together on one field. And of course watch in Spanish any time you can. Watch a replay of the third-place match between Uruguay and Germany from the 2010 World Cup with a Spanish commentator. You can't say you don't like soccer until you watch the final of the World Cup or Spain's professional soccer league and the voice on the big screen screams Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolaaaazo golazo golazo golazo goooooollllaaaaaazzzzooooo! By the way, golazo translates to "absolutely brilliant fantastic amazing goal." You gotta love how much you can say with online little word. Compare that to a U.S. commentator calling some of the most important goals in U.S. soccer history (Goal!). It just doesn't match up!
Spanish Cable Online. Head over to a cable station from Latin America or Spain, such as Telemundo or Univision, and click on the Videos menu. Not only can you watch small clips of video online for free, and if you are a beginner or intermediate small is better for now. You will also see short, 5- to 30-second ad spots. Normally you might zone out when ads come on, but you can use those ads to your advantage because they are often new and entertaining in a new language. When you see a particular brand that you are familiar with, you will hear the slogan or tagline that the company uses in Spanish. After hearing it a few times, try to write it down. Try looking up the phrase and you will most likely learn not only a few words, but also a new grammatical structure. And stumbling across grammar in context is much more likely to stick in your head than hours or reading in textbooks.
Company Web Sites. Go to your favorite electronics, clothing, food, or beverage company and click on the link to turn the page into Spanish. Companies that appeal to young or college-age audiences often build in videos, games and other fun things to do. When you get to the site, look for the spot on the page where it lets you go to the Spanish version of the site (most of the big companies have this now). Sometimes you can change the region to Latin America or even pick a particular country and get specific types of Spanish versions of the site. If it's a supermarket, look at all of the pictures they have and the names of the products and you've just got yourself a free bunch of flashcards. If it's a different site and you are a beginner, it will be difficult to read most of the content, so concentrate on the ads and the pictures and captions. The picture gives you context for what is happening, and you can put the caption into a free online translator.
Free Online Translators. Just don't expect their translations to be totally accurate. Use them as a basis to get started, not as your ultimate source, and then look up the words in the free online dictionaries...
...such as Wordreference.com, a free online dictionary that is more than just a dictionary. The secret? The forums. Even after 6 years of learning Spanish, I find myself constantly going to the bottom of a given word entry and perusing the different contexts where the words and phrases are used. And the best part is that native speakers chime in every day with nuggets of cultural and linguistic knowledge that otherwise might only be available to you if you traveled to their home countries (Searching for plane tickets yet?).
Spanish Magazines Online. Most online magazines give free samples, and you can search for People en Espanol or other magazines you like. Although you might not understand much as a beginner, you can pick up a lot of fun sayings from the figure captions and cover pages, and you don't have to pay for the subscriptions at first because you will have more than enough material to keep you busy.
Search engines. It doesn't matter what your favorite search engine is, it matters what you search for. First, in your head, complete this phrase "I really love ____!" Whatever that word or phrase is, search for it and then add the word "spanish" and start browsing. Every day there are new things to learn about.

Anything that you can do or find online to have some fun will help you. Once you have a foundation of vocabulary, you are ready to start traveling and studying in other countries, which is even more fun and is really where your Spanish learning will take off!

Rocky Citro is a self-taught language learner, freelance writer, and editor. With no formal background in Spanish, he went from knowing just 50 words of Spanish in 2003 to becoming nearly fluent a few years later.

On his blog, ImmersionLanguageLearning.com, he shares his stories, resources for learning to speak Spanish, and if you are ready to immerse yourself in Spanish, free advice on planning your study abroad trip.


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Learning Language in Spanish Does Not Have to Be Hard - Learn To Speak Fluent Spanish Now

Learning a second language is always a good idea. In the United States today, Spanish is almost as prevalent as English. Consider this, how often do you hear English repeated in Spanish? That is a good reason for learning Spanish. But a lot of people have difficulty with learning new languages. What follows are some helpful tips and a few tricks you can use to make things easier to learn language in Spanish. Learn to speak fluent Spanish now!

Get a course on CD. If you're feeling shy about learning a new language, CDs are great to use. You will be able to listen to someone pronounce the words and use them in sentences. CDs contain the same learning material as used in a classroom, but there will be no stress about talking in front of a class. And it's great because you can listen to your CD just about anywhere. You can just use a CD player, or you can download lessons on an MP3 player and you're all set! So there's no single location where you must learn.

Use labels in your environment. Do this in as many spaces as you can, whether at home, work or even in your vehicle. This way you will get used to associating the correct words with the correct items. When it comes to speaking a new language, you don't want to make silly mistakes. If you take the time to learn what words really mean, you won't do what some tourists and other novices of a language do, and make mistakes that can be humiliating. By using this technique of labeling objects, you'll be absorbing all the right names for things, and you'll find yourself picking up the new language quite naturally.

Practice makes perfect! Don't worry about how you look or sound, it's important to always practice speaking Spanish. Even if you aren't great at putting together whole sentences, using the words you know in place of your native language regularly will help commit those words to memory. So if your new language is Spanish, then just try to use "cena" instead of "dinner" and in place of "one" use "uno." The words will feel like second nature to you, in time. This way you'll be able to understand the words when you hear others speak them. This technique will really help you understand your new language when you talk to others who are fluent in it.

There are lots of reasons to learn another language but figuring out the best way to learn that language can be tough.

You might be thinking about driving to the closest bookstore and getting a book about it. Taking a class is also a good idea, as is getting to know people who are already fluent in the language. There really are many options to learn Spanish or other languages. Be sure to have lots of fun!

So, if you are looking to learn language in Spanish, here is a highly recommended tool for you to take advantage of. Thousands of people, just like you, all over the world have used this fun and effective multimedia Spanish course to hasten their learning, while having a lot of fun in the process. Don't let your inability to speak fluent Spanish now hold you back any longer. Click here to open up a whole new world of Language in Spanish.


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2011/06/25

How To Learn Or How To Use The Spanish Verb Tener

This lesson covers the topic of how to learn or how to use the Spanish verb "Tener." "Tener" is a very useful verb in Spanish, that is used to express many things. As you start to speak Spanish with more ease, you will find yourself using the verb "Tener" a good amount.

Firstly, we use Tener, to express "possession".

"Tengo un auto azul." (I have a blue car.)
"?Tienes casa?" (Do you have a house?)
"Marcela tiene un gato como mascota". (Marcela has a cat as a pet.)

Also, we can use "Tener" to speak about relationships: "Tengo muchos amigos" (I have a lot of friends), "Tiene 5 hermanos varones" (She has 5 brothers), "?Tienes novia?" (Do you have a girlfriend?).

Another important use of "Tener" is when we speak about how old we are.

"?Cuantos anos tienes?" (How old are you?)
Tengo 23 anos. (I'm 23 years old.)

We also have a lot of expressions that use Tener.

Tener Miedo (To have fear/to be afraid/scared)
"Tengo miedo cuando miro peliculas de terror." (I am scared when I watch horror movies.)

Tener Hambre (To be hungry)
"Cuando regreso del trabajo siempre tengo hambre." (Coming home from work I am always hungry.)

Tener Sed (To be thirsty)
"Tenia sed, y por eso fui a buscar un vaso de agua." (I was thirsty, so I went to get a glass of water.)

Tener Razon (To be right)
Tengo razon cuando digo que los tigres no son animales domesticos" (I am right when I say that tigers are not pets.)

Tener Suerte (To be lucky)
"Anoche Gabe gano U$ 2.000 en el casino. Tuvo mucha suerte." (Last night Gabe won $ 2,000 in the casino. He was very lucky.)

Tener Sueno (To be sleepy)
"Siempre tengo sueno despues de almorzar." (I am always sleepy after lunch.)

Tener frio (To be cold)
"He tenido frio toda esta manana, creo que es hora de prender la calefaccion." (I have been cold all morning, I think it's time to turn up the heat.)

Tener Calor (To be hot)
"Si tienes calor, deberias darte una ducha" (If you are hot you should take a shower.)

Tener Cuidado (To be careful)
"Si anduviera por esa zona, sola y por la noche, tendria cuidado" (If you were walking through this area, alone and at night, you would be careful.)

Tener que + Infinitive (To have to....)
"No pude salir porque tuve que trabajar hasta tarde." (I couldn't go out because I had to work until late.)

Tener ganas de + Infinitive (To feel like...)
"Ariel y yo tenemos ganas de ir al cine esta noche, pero no se si habra entradas todavia." (Ariel and I feel like to go to the movies tonight, but I do not know if there are still tickets.)

Tener Tos
"Tengo mucha tos, deberia abrigarme mas." (I have a bad cough, I should cover myself up more.)

Tener gripe (To have a flu)
"No me siento bien, creo que tengo gripe." (I do not feel well, I think I have the flu.)

Tener dolor de + a part of the body (Hurts)
"Doctor, tengo dolor de espalda." (Doctor, my back hurts.)

Tener verguenza (To be ashamed)
"Ricardo no quiso participar del congreso, tuvo verguenza de hablar en publico" (Ricardo did not want to participate in the confrence, he was ashamed to speak in public.)

Tener comezon (To have an itch)
"Voy a ir a la farmacia, necesito una crema que me alivie porque tengo comezon en mi espalda". (I'm going to the pharmacy; I need a cream that will help me because I have an itch on my back.)

Tener is one of many verbs that I recommend that you practice with your Verbarrator software for learning Spanish verbs.

Anna Rivera is a native Spanish speaker from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is also a Spanish instructor and the author of 2 learning Spanish books. If you would like to get FREE instant download access to the MP3 audio and PDF transcripts to her Spanish lessons absolutely free AND read her reviews of the most popular learning-Spanish products, then visit her web site now in order to: learn Spanish online That's http://LearningSpanishProductsReviews.com/


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2011/06/24

How To Learn The Perfect Subjunctive in Spanish

Today we will turn our attention to how to learn the perfect subjunctive in Spanish. The perfect subjunctive is a tense that is used to speak about situations in the past, but with a point of view in the present. This is another topic of Spanish that students of the language often find very challenging. If you understand the Present Subjunctive, learning how to conjugate the Perfect Subjunctive will be a piece of cake. We could say that we use the Perfect Subjunctive with the same rules as the Present Subjunctive, with the principal verb in present, but with the situation being in the past.

The conjugation for Present Subjunctive is as follows: "Haber" + Past Participle

Yo Haya
Tu Hayas
Usted/El/Ella Haya + CantADO/ComIDO/BebIDO
Nosotros-as Hayamos
Ustedes/Ellos-as Hayan

For example, we can use it with wishes. Imagine that last week was the wedding of one of your best friends and you couldn't go. You are speaking with your roommate today and you say: "Ojala que haya tenido una Buena fiesta" (I hope he had a good party.), "Espero que haya recibido muchos regalos"( I hope he received many gifts.)

We can use this tense with doubts and probabilities: "Probablemente haya habido mucha comida en la fiesta" (There was probably a lot of food at the party.), "Puede ser que Jose se haya emborrachado en la fiesta"(Joseph may have been drunk at the party).

We can use it with opinions in negative: "No creo que hayan preparado un video para pasar en la fiesta" (I don't think they have prepared a video to show the party), "No pienso que Martin se haya afeitado para la boda, el es muy informal" (I don't think that Martin shaved for the wedding, he is very informal.).

We can express emotions too (remember: you need 2 subjects in the idea): "Me encanta que Marcelo se haya casado con Mariana" (I love that Marcelo got married to Mariana.), "Me molesta que no me haya dicho que le gustaria como regalo" (It bothers me that he did not say what he would like as a gift.).

And finally you can use it with impersonal opinions: "Es increible que hayan pasado 10 anos desde que se conocieron" (It's amazing that 10 years have passed since they met.), "Es bueno que hayan decidido ir a Grecia de Luna de Miel" (It is good that they decided to go to Greece for their Honeymoon.)

I recommend that you practice the topic of the perfect subjunctive using your Verbarrator (Spanish Verb Conjugation software) until you know this topic as well you know or should know the present perfect subjunctive. If you do not already own a copy of the Verbarrator software, you can download a free demo from the Verbarrator site.

Although the Perfect Subjunctive can be tricky, if you practice it enough, you will get the hang of it! Good luck or "buena suerte."

Anna Rivera is a native Spanish speaker from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is also a Spanish instructor and the author of 2 learning Spanish books. If you would like to get FREE instant download access to the MP3 audio and PDF transcripts to her Spanish lessons absolutely free AND read her reviews of the most popular learning-Spanish products, then visit her web site now in order to: learn Spanish online That's http://LearningSpanishProductsReviews.com/


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The Importance of Learning Spanish

Now is not the time to be a monolingual. People are learning Spanish in numbers which were once considered unimaginable. Spanish has gained importance as being one of the most widely spoken languages of the world. In the West, Spanish is considered secondary to English.

As a result, many native Spanish speakers have moved to other countries. They learn the language of that land but remain loyal to Spanish. This is true of the Hispanic population in the US. There are over 40 million Hispanics in the United States and there number is always on the rise. The dilemma is that they have shorn monolingualism while the Americans haven't. Most of the Spanish people are able to speak English but a majority of English speakers don't understand even a word of Spanish.

There is no doubt that Spanish is the best choice for anyone who is looking to add to his repertoire an exotic language with a rich history. Not only is Spanish of cultural importance, but is the official language of four of the seven continents.

Easy to Learn

The phonetics and vocabulary make Spanish probably the easiest language to learn for an English speaker. Spanish is written in a way that an English speaker will be able to read a word and ascertain its pronunciation easily. Even basic grammar of the Spanish language is simple and clear-cut. When you begin to learn it, you will be able to converse fluently in Spanish in just a few days.

Understand English Better

Did you know that a large portion of the English vocabulary we commonly use is derived from Latin? Well, this was a gift from the French, but the interesting thing is that Spanish is a Latin language as well. So, what I am trying to say is that you can understand English grammar and language better when you start to learn Spanish.

Become a Linguist

He who learns one language can learn a hundred! Got a bit of the Schindler's List hangover! Seriously speaking, learning Spanish can be the first step on your journey to picking up the important languages spoken in the world today. Spanish is one of the easiest to learn, and is therefore a good one to start off with. Once you have learned Spanish, you can move on to French or German or any other language which you prefer.

However, learning Spanish isn't a walk in the park. You will have to put in much effort and time to be able to master it.

Spanish Learning Factory can help you learn Spanish in a way that you will be speaking it like a native in no time at all.

SpanishLearningFactory Provides Online Spanish Courses and Spanish classes from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced. for more details visit website SpanishLearningFactory.com


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2011/06/22

Free Spanish Lessons Online

With the advances in the availability of video and audio software online there is now a huge wealth of free Spanish lessons available over the internet. These Spanish lessons can take you through from the very beginning and cover a range of different topics. There are however only a few series of free Spanish lessons I would highly recommend and in this article I will point you in the right direction to find these.

Practicing speaking with free Spanish lessons?

There are basic Spanish vocab and grammar lessons, beginner conversation lessons and further, more advanced, free Spanish lessons to help across all parts of your Spanish. I will say before we start that sometimes however, especially for speaking, it is advantageous to go to a Spanish class where you can interact with others. To overcome this problem, most practically at a more advanced level, Spanish software like Live Mocha allows you to construct a Spanish conversation exchange over the internet. At a beginner level you really do need to make sure though that you are constantly practicing your speaking - this isn't particularly easy but just talking to yourself, friends and family helps you to improve. One good way to learn Spanish using free online courses and lessons is therefore to do so with a practice partner - if you want to be speaking with a real teacher there are also Skype teaching programmes available at competitive prices.

Is it worth buying a Spanish language Course?

My second recommendation is to purchase a Spanish course if you possibly can - it may be possible to learn Spanish for free online but it really is a lot easier to follow a structured course all the way through. The online marketplace for these courses is extremely competitive so you can get a great bargain and excellent course if you shop around. In my opinion, for the purposes of a beginner, the Rocket Spanish and Rosetta Stone courses are excellent.

1 - Spanish Dict

The first free course of Spanish lessons I recommend is the Spanish learning videos available from Spanish Dict. These lessons focus on expanding vocabulary as a beginner and then building up your grammar and vocab skills as the course progresses. If you complete all four categories of 15 ten minute lessons you will have mastered communicating in a range of tenses with an intermediate vocabulary - the teacher is excellent and the free lessons are very clear. I would recommend repeating lessons to make sure you really master the material and make sure you practice as much as possible.

2 - Real Spanish, 123TeachMe and StudySpanish

If you want more specific vocabulary themes and more in depth written lessons around the grammar there is also good material at Real Spanish, 123 Teach Me and Study Spanish. These lessons do not have an audio teacher which is a great advantage of the Spanish Dict course. However there are good quizzes and games accompanying the wide range of lessons so these lessons are really good practice (and free as well) - it always helps to be doing different kinds of lessons and learning in different ways so these Spanish lessons are highly recommended.

3 - Check out YouTube

You will have to search them out but there are some great courses available on YouTube with free Spanish vocab and grammar lessons. The problem with these is the field is very saturated and you need to make sure you find a good teacher with clear lesson plans and content. There are also a lot of English speakers out there teaching Spanish and I'm afraid to say a lot of these don't have an authentic enough accent to be teaching others (at least to an advanced level). Also many of these courses are taught in different ways - for instance the Master Spanish course on YouTube simply repeats Spanish phrases rather than actually teaching any Spanish as such. This sort of video can help and watching them won't do any harm but really the websites mentioned above offer a far more professional and useful content in their Spanish lessons.

4 - Notes in Spanish Podcasts

In terms of listening just watching the lessons available on YouTube mentioned above is going to help. However I would also recommend the Notes in Spanish Podcasts - these are not so much lessons but allow you to listen to realistic Spanish conversation designed specifically for different levels of Spanish ability. These were one of my personal favourite ways to develop my listening skills moving from beginner to intermediate and then advanced level Spanish.

Go to http://www.topspanishtips.weebly.com/ for a collection of the best free Spanish resources on the internet. If you're learning Spanish from beginner to advanced level we provide those websites to help improve grammar and vocab, reading and writing and even you're listening and speaking online.


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Tips for Choosing the Best Spanish Learning Program

There are many Spanish learning programs available both on the internet and off. It becomes difficult to choose one which is reliable and competent enough to help a person to master Spanish. Learning a new language is not an easy task. There are several who claim that they can make it easy for you. However, that is grossly misleading because you need to put in a lot of effort, especially mental effort.

Here are a few tips to guide you to choose the best Spanish learning program for yourself.

· Cost

Cost can be a big issue when you opt to learn a language. It depends purely upon the reason you are choosing to learn a new language. Some people do it just for fun, so for them, spending too much money doing so wouldn't be prudent. On the other hand, someone who is moving to Spain for whatever reason needs to learn Spanish or he would have problems communicating with the people there. He would be willing to spend a bit more money on studying Spanish because he has to learn it. So, you need to choose a program according to your budget and your need.

· Time

The time frame you have for learning Spanish will be dependent upon your needs as well. Keep in mind that you won't be able to learn it overnight so you have to be reasonable while choosing a time period. Spanish learning courses vary by duration so you will be able to find one which will suit your time frame.

· Feedback

It is helpful to ask past users of such programs as to their effectiveness. The users will be able to tell you how good or poor a program is and whether you should opt for it or not. More often than not, such feedback can be relied on. Thankfully, most of the websites of Spanish training programs have user testimonials from which you can judge the efficacy of the program.

· Dialect

Within itself, Spanish is a diverse language. It is spoken differently in Spain and Mexico. You have to learn Spanish according to the region. Not that there are too many differences but there can be some problems for you later on. So, choose a program suited to the dialect you want to learn.

One platform which fits all of the criteria mentioned above is Spanish Learning Factory. From private lessons to eBooks, they have it all. If you want to learn Spanish well, then go for Spanish Learning Factory.

SpanishLearningFactory Provides Spanish learning software and Spanish learning program from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced. for more details visit website SpanishLearningFactory.com


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Learn Spanish Abroad: Latin American Literature Part I

When you learn Spanish abroad, you will find that you learn more than just a new language. When you study Spanish in Peru, Argentina or Chile, you will also find that you learn a great deal about the culture and history of these regions. One way to do accomplish this is through exploring the rich tradition of literature in these countries.

The importance of literature in Latin America can be traced back to the Pre-Columbian days. While literature at this time was primarily passed orally down from generation to generation, there was a strong tradition that was quite important to civilization. Luckily, some of the oral narrative has been preserved to this day. Typically, this very early literature deals with mythology and religion.

If you are interested in the early history of Latin America, it is also useful to look at literature produced during the colonial period. Much of this text that was written deals with the experiences of the conquistadores and explorers. A few examples are Bernal Diaz del Castillo's account of the conquest of Mexico and Bartoleme de las Casas's Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies. This literature provides the reader with some unique insights into this time period and also issues that surfaced due to colonization.

Of course, it is extremely valuable to read the literature written from the native's accounts as well. If you study Spanish in Peru, you will find that there are some fascinating Peruvian writers in particular. It is useful to read authors include El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Guaman Poma.

El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega was a historian who is often read due to his tremendous contributions to the understanding of the society of the Incans in the 1500's. In fact, this writer is so important to Peruvian culture that the main stadium in Cusco was named after him in the 1950's.

Guaman Poma was an indigenous Peruvian who wrote about how he was unsatisfied with the way the people of the Andes were treated after the Spanish conquest. He wrote the illustrated chronicle Nueva Coronica y Buen. Due to the fact that Poma used Quecha words in this document, it helped scholars later on to learn more about this language. This 1189 page document described various injustices the people faced. It is interesting to note that while the book was addressed to the King of Spain, the King never actually received this document.

When you learn Spanish abroad, you have the benefit of gaining insights into a culture that has a fascinating history. Anyone with an interest in ancient times will find reading this early literature to be an exciting experience. Even if you already know a great deal about Latin American civilization, you will find that your knowledge is heightened even further when you have an experience to read the early literature of the region.

When you attend one of Latin Immersion's Spanish language schools you will have many chances to look into the region's impressive literature. Through the organization you can study Spanish in Argentina, Chile, and Peru.


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Spanish Vocabulary Learning Using Mnemonics

Foreign language acquisition is a mammoth task for anyone serious about it. According to some estimates, a person has to learn 3,000 words before they can read and speak at a high school level.

Luckily, there are established psychological techniques that can make the task of foreign language acquisition easier.

A mnemonic is an artificial memory device that facilitates recall of a unit of information. Most people are familiar with the mnemonic ROY G. BIV for the colours of the rainbow, but mnemonics can be used for almost anything.

Essentially what a mnemonic does is minimise the amount of brain space that has to be used to store a piece of information. This is achieved by creating an associative link between the information that has to be remembered and some information that has already been committed to long-term memory.

Mnemonics are especially useful for memorising foreign language vocabulary.

To give an example, the Spanish word for the emotion 'bitter' is 'amargado'. If you image Marge Simpson biting into a lemon and making a bitter face, you have created a visual associative link between these two words.

Then, to recall the Spanish word for 'bitter', it's simply a matter of recalling the image and then decoding it.

This sounds like a lot of work, but the beauty of mnemonics is that they mostly work on a subconscious level, so that after a few repetitions the learner does not need to recall the context of the word to recall the word itself. Your conscious mind creates the link; your unconscious mind stores and recalls it.

If this sounds unbelievable, just try recalling the Spanish word for 'bitter' in a few days, or even weeks. I bet you can do it.

The power of mnemonic learning can be applied to other elements of foreign language learning. People in the Western world are conditioned to associate the colour blue with masculine and the colour red with feminine. This can be applied to learning the gender of words in Spanish.

For example, the Spanish word for 'ear' is 'la Oreja'. Imagine a ray from the Sun striking a person in the ear, turning it red. Red and ray equals la Oreja.

A third way that mnemonics are useful for foreign language learning is to encode suffixes as part of the visual image.

For example, many Spanish words begin with the suffix 'des-'. If you know someone named 'Des', that's perfect, but otherwise you can imagine one. I like to imagine a shady character with dark eyes and a pencil moustache.

If you want to remember that a word begins with the suffix 'des-', just imagine the character Des as part of the mnemonic. The Spanish word for 'unknown' is 'desconocido'. Just imagine Des looking at a coconut with a face painted on it, and Des says "This coconut is unknown to me."

Using mnemonics in the matter described in this article can slash the amount of time needed to learn an adequate foreign language vocabulary.

Vince McLeod runs a database of spanish mnemonics that aims to give language students an easy way to learn the thousands of words needed to become fluent.


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2011/06/21

Learn Spanish In Spain, The Fastest Way To Learn Spanish

A new language can open new doors and send your life in a completely new path. The quickest way to learn is to have the need to learn. If you need to learn then you will learn much quicker. Necessity is the mother of invention after all. You will learn Spanish much quicker if you learn Spanish in Spain.

Spanish is the one of the widest spoken languages in the world. It is spoken in countries spread across the planet and is understood by over 50% of the world's population.

Living in Spain

The easiest way to learn a language is to live in the country that speaks it. The Spanish people are friendly and welcoming and Spain is a lovely country to live in. Why not join the thousands of ex-pats already living in Spain. The country has a laid back attitude, low cost of living and some of the most beautiful shore lines in the world.

Reading on the internet is one thing but living in the country is something completely different. Everything is different. Buying property, using the facilities and the language barrier are some of the things that you will need to think about and things that you will need to contend with.

The majority of ex-pats live in around the costas, mainly because they have probably visited the areas on vacation. But some of the inland areas of Spain are every bit as stunning as the shore resorts.

Learning Spanish

So you have made the decision to learn the language, but where do you start? Your ideal will be to be residing in Spain and learning from the locals. This is probably the route to fluent Spanish but you will need to be reasonably proficient before you land in sunny Spain. A good guide can help you get by but the best way is on-line, in the comfort of your own home.

The basics

Like anything in life you should start with the basics. Repeating 'hello' and 'goodbye' over and over again may seem like a joyless task, and really it is, but it isn't pointless. It will get you accustomed to the Spanish lingo. A good audio guide can be a great tool or if possible a tutor. Try to keep it fun.

Intermediate

The basics are firmly implanted in your head. It is time to move onto the next stage. Remember you need to keep everything fun and you will learn much faster. You can move onto complete sentences and phrases, a more conversational approach. You are probably ready to move to Spain and start your path to fluent Spanish. You will only really become proficient once you are forced to interact with the locals, order food off them and hang out with them.

Much like the country itself Spanish is a beautiful. It isn't as hard to learn as you imagine and you will find yourself picking it up in no time.

Learning Spanish online is the fastest way. It can be a challenge but with the right help you can get there fast!


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