Spanish I - 2nd Rev. Ed.: Learn to Speak and Understand Spanish with Pimsleur Language Programs (Comprehensive)

Book Description

Comprehensive Spanish (L.A.) I includes 30 lessons of essential grammar and vocabulary -- 16 hours of real-life spoken practice sessions -- plus an introduction to reading.

Upon completion of this Level I program, you will have functional spoken proficiency with the most-frequently-used vocabulary and grammatical structures. You will be able to:

* initiate and maintain face-to-face conversations,

* deal with every day situations -- ask for information, directions, and give basic information about yourself and family,

* communicate basic information on informal topics and participate in casual conversations,

* avoid basic cultural errors and handle minimum courtesy and travel requirements,

* satisfy personal needs and limited social demands,

* establish rapport with strangers in foreign countries,

* begin reading and sounding out items with native-like pronunciation.

Customer Reviews:

Quick learn!.......2007-09-17

I bought this to bone up on whatever Spanish I could before taking a trip to South America. I learned quite a bit in a short period of time, enough to get by.

5 stars for the product, not the format.......2007-08-07

I share the collective view that using Pimsleur is the best first step/giant leap into learning a language. I was surprised by how much I retained after this one course and by my level of confidence in the Spanish language. In addition, I feel very enthusiastic about heading into Pimsleur Spanish 2 (con mucho gusto). While it does not offer a plethora of vocabulary, if it did, it would miss the point of Pimsleur's teaching style. As someone who took four years of French in high school, I would say, this course gives the grammatical equivalent of the first year in only a month's worth of passive learning. WOW!

That being stated, DON'T BUY THE CDs. You will only waste your money. I would suggest going on eBay and looking for Audiofy's Pimsleur Chips which plug into your laptop and even more importantly allow you to upload the program into your MP3 player. Again, WOW! Also, I spent about $300 for THE ENTIRE COURSE (I, II, III, and Plus) on eBay versus spending $200 just for Spanish I.

this deserves 100 stars.......2007-04-08

I am at the end of this course. I can talk with people who only speak Spanish and get along at a basic level. I can discuss basic ,daily things like eating, going to the bathroom etc.
I will say that I really listen alot . I enjoy it so it does not seem like work to me.
However, the upshot is that I love,love ,love this program and I am amazed at how I can communicate.
I wanted to pass this along,as I rely on other's opinions when I decide what to buy. It saves me alot of time and money

Not Just For Gringos, Pimsleur Even Taught This Mexican-American how to speak Spanish.......2007-03-08

I have completed all of the Spanish lessons in the Pimsleur series.
I am one of those rare Latinos that did not learn Spanish from my parents. My Mexican parents felt that it would be easier to "assimilate" if I only spoke English. After going to my grandparents' s home for holidays and being the only one there that did not speak Spanish, and after having Latino strangers speak to me in Spanish and then look at me in astonishment when I told them I didn't know Spanish, I felt that it was time for me to learn how to speak my language.

The Pimsleur series has really helped me to learn Spanish. Although the course did not teach me much a great deal of vocabulary, it has taught me concepts. By teaching me concepts, I have really retained the material. Not only have I retained what I have learned, but by learning concepts, I am able to take my own thoughts and form sentences.

The only downside of this course is that the vocabulary is not the same Spanish words that are most commonly used by Mexicans in regular conversation. Pimsleur vocabulary is a little more formal. We say "mucho gusto" but Pimsleur teaches "encantado." The entire series also does not cover too much vocabulary. For learning conversational Spanish I recommend Learning Spanish Like Crazy over any other course. You will also learn a lot more vocabulary with Learning Spanish Like Crazy than you will with this entire series. LSLC is also the course that has probably me helped me the most in my journey to learn my language. After finishing the entire Pimsleur series and Learning Spanish Like Crazy Level 1 and 2, I am now doing Rosetta Stone Spanish. But if you want to grasp concepts in Spanish and retain those concepts, then Pimsleur Spanish will really help you.

False Sense Of Security.......2007-01-20

I went through all three levels of Pimsleur and had it all down pat. Man! I was sure I would be able to go out and just jabber away like gangbusters once I was put into a situation where I had to speak. Well, the first time a native speaker started yapping at me I realized that I really had no clue what the hell I was doing and that three levels of Pimsleur were woefully inadequate. You WILL NOT be able to do anything more than communicate at a very basic level and anything approaching a "real" conversation will not be possible. For that, you will need much, much more.

My Family and I/Mi familia y yo (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #4) (Bilingual)

Average customer rating:

Cute Book!
excellent
Great series for all levels!
GREAT book for early Spanish learning
My Family andI?Mi Familia Y Yo

My Family and I/Mi familia y yo (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #4) (Bilingual)
Gladys Rosa-Mendoza
Manufacturer: me+mi publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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My Body / Mi cuerpo (English and Spanish Foundation Series, Book 8)
I Can!/¡Yo puedo! (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #11) (Bilingual) (Board Book)
Lupe Lupita, Where Are You?/Lupe Lupita, ¿dónde estás? (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #16) (Bilingual)
Colors and Shapes/Los colores y las figuras (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #3) (Bilingual
Fruits and Vegetables/Frutas y vegetales (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #10) (Bilingual)

ASIN: 0967974844

Book Description

My Family and I
Teach children the all-important concept of family in these heartwarming pages of colorful and charming illustrations. Come along with Emma as she introduces all the members of her family while teaching the words for different relations, such as mother, father, aunt, uncle, cousin, etc. There's a helpful pronunciation guide in the back of the book. 20 pages, 4.75" x 5.875"

Mi familia y yo
Enseñe a los niños el importante concepto de la familia con estas cálidas páginas de coloridas y encantadoras ilustraciones. Acompañen a Emma a medida que presenta a los miembros de su familia y enseña las palabras correspondientes a distintos parentescos, como mamá, papá, tía, tío, primo, etc. Al respaldo del libro hay una útil guía de pronunciación. 20 páginas, 4.75" x 5.875"

The Benefits and Features of the English • Spanish Foundations series include:
• Helps teach vocabulary and other oral language concepts
• Summary page at the end to recap and instruct
• Helps kids get ready to read
• Helps develop phonemic, print, and numeric awareness
• Large bright colorful pictures to keep kids engaged
• Rounded corners for children's safety
• Laminated to protect from spills
• Board book so they can last
• Great size for little hands
• Simple but engaging text
• Useful for beginning Spanish at any level
• Useful for beginning English at any level

Customer Reviews:

Cute Book!.......2007-08-23

This book is adorable. It is great for children who speak Spanish or English!

excellent.......2007-01-15

This is a great book for the beginner child. very short and easy read. i highly recommend

Great series for all levels!.......2007-01-11

I am bilingual and am raising my son bilingual, too. This is an excellent book and series with adorable pictures, and each page has both english and spanish on it. The back includes pronunciation guides for all the vocabulary (both for english and spanish) which is helpful for my husband, a non-native speaker. It's very hard to find quality bilingual books- I've looked around a lot and loved these so much I have even given them as gifts to friends who want to introduce their kids (and themselves) to the language.

GREAT book for early Spanish learning.......2006-07-04

Normally I would say that my daughter is a little old for this type of book. At 5 she is a bit beyond little board books without many words. But for laying a foundation for Spanish, this book is just what both she & I need. The simple sentences allow us to see what exactly each word means, as well as get an intuitive grasp on the grammer, and the pronunciation guide in the back is VERY helpfull.

I know that we will quickly move beyond this book, but for now I view it as essential for our grasping Spanish. In fact, I plan on buying the other books in this series.

My Family andI?Mi Familia Y Yo.......2002-10-22

This is another book that I enjoyed by this author. My children have asked me to continue to purchase this books and they read them all the time. I see the joy and excitement on their faces as they say different words in Spanish and actually know the meaning. I feel that it is important for the and myself to learn a second language, and books like these have been able to serve as a base for my entire family. It's easy to read and grasp, and a good reference to look at when necessary. Keep up the great work Gladys and I'll keep reading your books. Learning is a continuous process and now it's become really fun!

Spanish I - 1st Ed. Rev. (Pimsleur Language Program)

Average customer rating:

Pimsleur compared to other Spanish courses - NOT from the viewpoint of a Gringa - but from the viewpoint of a Latina (Mexicana)
Can You Really Learn How to Speak Spanish with Pimsleur Spanish or is this Just a Waste of Money?
Pimsleur spanish - a caution
This is a great program, and ...
This is the best!

Spanish I - 1st Ed. Rev. (Pimsleur Language Program)
Pimsleur
Manufacturer: Pimsleur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Accessories:

GPX C3948BI Ultra-Slim CD Player with 40-Second Anti-Shock Protection and Car Kit

ASIN: 0671315927

Book Description

With Pimsleur Language Programs you don't just study a language, you learn it -- the same way you mastered English! And because the technique relies on interactive spoken language training, the Pimsleur Language Programs are totally audio -- no book is needed!

The Pimsleur programs provide a method of self-practice with an expert teacher and native speakers in lessons specially designed to work with the way the mind naturally acquires language information. The various components of language -- vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar -- are all learned together without rote memorization and drills. Using a unique method of memory recall developed by renowned linguist, Dr. Paul Pimsleur, the programs teach listeners to combine words and phrases to express themselves the way native speakers do. By listening and responding to thirty minute recorded lessons, students easily and effectively achieve spoken proficiency.

No other language program or school is as quick, convenient, and effective as the Pimsleur Language Programs.

The Comprehensive Program is the ultimate in spoken language learning. For those who want to become proficient in the language of their choice, the Comprehensive programs go beyond the Basic Programs to offer spoken-language fluency. Using the same simple method of interactive self-practice with native speakers, these comprehensive programs provide a complete language learning course. The Comprehensive Program is available in a wide variety of languages and runs through three levels (thirty lessons each) in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. At the end of a full Comprehensive Program listeners will be conducting complete conversations and be well on their way to mastering the language. The Comprehensive Programs are all available on cassettes and are also on CD in the six languages in which we offer the Basic Program on CD.

Customer Reviews:

Pimsleur compared to other Spanish courses - NOT from the viewpoint of a Gringa - but from the viewpoint of a Latina (Mexicana).......2007-05-14

Pimsleur Spanish is the very first major Spanish course that I purchased. I have completed all of the Spanish lessons in the Pimsleur series, Learning Spanish Like Crazy: Spoken Spanish, Vol. 1and have also completed and Learning Like Crazy Spoken Spanish Vol. 2. I also did Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1 & 2 Win/Mac Personal Edition.

I am one of those rare Latinas that did not learn Spanish from my parents. My Mexican parents felt that it would be easier to "assimilate" if I only spoke English. After going to my grandparents' home for holidays and being the only one there that did not speak Spanish, and after having Latino strangers speak to me in Spanish and then look at me in astonishment when I struggled just to say "no hablo espanol," I felt that it was time for me to learn how to speak my language.

The first course that I used was Pimsleur Spanish. Compared to Rosetta Stone I must say that I learned much more vocabulary with the Rosetta Stone software. But I recommend Pimsleur over Rosetta Stone, especially for the complete beginner. Because of its easy teaching method, in my opinion Pimsleur is even better than LSLC for someone that has no experience whatsoever speaking Spanish. Pimsluer goes at a very slow pace. But if you have already learned some Spanish on your own or in high school or college, then you can probably skip Pismleur and go straight to LSLC. Or if you are the type of person that believes learning a foreign language should be more like a hurdle than a marathon you'll probably want to go with Learning Spanish Like Crazy. LSLC covers a lot more Spanish words and grammar than Pimsleur and moves at a quicker pace.

I would say use Rosetta Stone after you have completed the above courses. It is difficult to really learn how to speak Spanish with Rosetta Stone alone because you are only looking at pictures and repeating the phrases that you hear. You never really learn how to think in Spanish and create your own sentences.

Pimsleur has definitely done a better job of teaching me concepts than Rosetta Stone software did. And by teaching me concepts, I have really retained the material and by understanding concepts, I am able to take my own thoughts and form sentences.

Besides the limited vocabulary and the slow teaching method, the only downside of Pimsleur is that it does not teach the same Spanish words that are most commonly used by Mexicans and other Latinos in regular conversation. Pimsleur Spanish is very formal Spanish. We say "mucho gusto" like Learning Spanish Like Crazy teaches, Pimsleur teaches "encantado." And in our overly "macho" culture if a man responds with "encantado" many Latinos may get the wrong impression about him. It is not something that I am proud to say about my (Latino) culture, but it is true.

Learning Spanish Like Crazy has taught me useful practical Spanish that I can use to communicate with my Spanish speaking friends and family. When I tell people that I learned to speak Spanish as an adult and not at home as a child, many of them do not believe me. I think they find it incredible for two reasons:

One, my accent really sounds like a native Speaker from using Learning Spanish Like Crazy. Two, I have learned real conversational Spanish from LSLC. I have learned words and phrases that Spanish speakers actually use when speaking to each other. Pimsleur taught me Spanish that the author of the course thought that I should speak, not the Spanish that Latinos really speak. That is one of the positive things that separates LSLC course from the others.

So in what order would I rate the three in terms of EASE of teaching method:

1. Pimsleur Spanish
2. Learning Spanish Like Crazy: Spoken Spanish, Vol. 1
3. Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1 & 2 Win/Mac Personal Edition

But in terms of teaching real conversational Spanish and teaching a real Latin American accent, I rate them as follows:

1. Learning Spanish Like Crazy: Spoken Spanish, Vol. 1
2. Pimsleur Spanish
3. Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1 & 2 Win/Mac Personal Edition

Can You Really Learn How to Speak Spanish with Pimsleur Spanish or is this Just a Waste of Money?.......2007-05-08

As the editor of the Learning Spanish Products Reviews (LearningSpanishProductsReviews) site (and as a native Spanish instructor), many of my readers and students have requested that I provide a very thorough, unbiased and accurate review of Pimsleur one. I will begin my review with an in depth summary of the content.

In lessons 1 through 5 you will learn how to conjugate the verb "entender" in the present tense and say "I understand" and "you understand" in the "usted" form as well as ask the same
You will also learn how to say I speak "Castellano" or you speak "Castellano." You will also learn how to inquire about one's health, and ask about one's nationality. basic greetings such as good morning, good afternoon, and good night. And you'll learn how to say "here" and "there," and inquire about the location of hotels and restaurants. Lessons 1 to 5, will also teach you how to say "I know" and "you know," as well as I have and you have.

From lessons 6 to 10, you begin to learn numbers from 1 to 11. You also learn how to ask how much do things cost and saying "I want" and "you want" and how to ask the same. The verb gustar is also covered. You will also learn how to say let's go eat.

From lessons 11 to 15, you will learn more numbers (numbers 12 to 59). And how to say "I pay" and "you pay," and "I buy" and "you buy." Pronouns such as "la" and "las" are also introduced and also how to tell time, as well as the substitute future tense (e.g. I am going to eat as opposed to "I will eat.")

Lesson 16 to 20 teach you how to say more numbers (from sixty to ninety-nine). You also learn how to say "my spouse has" and "we speak," "we eat," and "we want." You will also learn possessive adjectives such as "my," "your" and "our." The irregular verb "poder" and the "para que" structure" are also introduced in the present tense. Lessons 16 to 20 also contrast "estamos" and "somos." Reflexive verbs are also introduced while you learn how to say "I am leaving" and "we are leaving."

From lessons 21 to 24, you are introduced to formal commands and learn such commands as "give me a glass of water/wine" and "write it." You are also introduced to demonstrative
pronouns for "this, that, and those." The regular "ar" verb is also introduced. You also learn how to inquire about a doctor and say "give me his number." The personal "a" is also introduced as well as how to state if a location is near or far, ask one's name and state one's name, ask where does one live, and give directions.

From lessons 25 to 30, you will learn more commands. For example, how to say the command "come." But only the formal commands are covered. Direct pronouns are also covered in greater detail. The present perfect tense is also introduced along with numbers in the hundreds. Diminutives are also covered. In the final lesson (#30), the informal word for you is briefly introduced: tu (I have omitted Spanish punctuation marks because they sometimes appear as fuzzy characters on my Amazon reviews.)

Pimsleur Spanish has an extremely fun method to learn Spanish. Not only is it fun but also quite effective. The speakers are also all natives with excellent pronunciation. The sound quality of the lessons is also excellent. The course also comes with a small booklet to give the student an introduction to reading Spanish.

Although it is one of the best Spanish courses that I have ever reviewed, it is not worthy of 5 stars. I say that for two reasons. For one, with 15 hours of recorded audio, Pimsleur Spanish provides the student with very limited grammar and even less vocabulary. The student only learns two verb tenses. The present verb tense and the present perfect tense. Actually, three if you include the imperative. In my professional opinion, with 15 hours of recorded audio an adult of average intelligence is capable of learning several times as much vocabulary and grammar than what Pimsleur I covers.

The second reason why I cannot give Pimsleur Spanish 5 stars is because the Spanish is not representative of the Spanish that Latin Americans actually speak or at least not the Latin American Spanish that is spoken today. In the first lesson "hablo Castellano" is taught. It is 100% correct to say that phrase but nowadays it is not how one would normally say "I speak Spanish" (unless you were really trying to impress someone). The same applies to Pimsleur's approach of teaching "encantado" instead of "mucho gusto." And "adios" is taught instead of "chao." With the exception of Mexicans, most Latin Americans today use "chao" for bye. Maybe "back in the day" we didn't -- but now we use chao.

I am still glad to recommend that you buy Pimsleur Level I because of its highly effective and fun teaching method. But don't count on it to teach you much grammar and vocabulary, especially not today's Latin American vocabulary. With that said CHAO.

Pimsleur spanish - a caution.......2006-10-05

I bought Pimsleur spanish and was very dissapointed. It was an expensive mistake for me as I wanted to learn European Spanish and this version is aimed at a Latin audience. No mention was made of this. The american voices grate on european ears after a short while as the course is aimed at latin american not european Spanish. A waste of my money!

This is a great program, and ..........2004-10-27

Pimsleur programs may be most valuable for people who are having hard time pronouncing words correctly - and when you're learning languages with which you are completely unfamiliar.
Pimsleur program will make it practically an effortless experience.

In this basic Pismleur program you learn some basic sentence structures, how to tell the time, how to count, how to find your way around and how to meet some of your very basic needs.

On the other hand, if you'd like to learn more and faster, you may also consider Platiquemos program - it is less expensive and will get you much further.

This is the best!.......2004-04-05

Let me first say that I wish I could give the Pimsleur Courses 10 Stars!!!! Man oh man do I wish I would've found out about this course a few years ago. I'd be fluent by now, but I guess better late than never.

Anyway, I seriously developed a burning desire to learn how to Speak spanish after a week long vacation that my wife and I had in Puerto Rico about 4 years ago. We were there visiting with some really go friends of ours that live there, and their 2 little boys. Unfortanetly, my wife and I could'nt communicate with the boys because they only knew Spanish (and still do). So our friends acted as translators. Which was okay, but I really had wished I could talk to them on my own accord in Spanish.

Well I'm 5 lessons away from completing Level 3 of Pimsleur Spanish. And I can definetly say that this is the best Spanish Program to use if you really want to learn to speak Spanish with no prior knowledge, or some limited knowledge of the language. After about a year of continually studying and progressing through all levels, I can actually carry on conversations with native Spanish speakers, very well. And they themselves are "very surprised and impressed" at my range of vocabulary and accent. They are totally impressed that I have a desire to speak their language, and that I can actually say more than "un pocito"! LOL. Only thing is that this is completely aural, no writing involved. So many times I was left wondering how to spell certain words. But I do have a pocket English/Spanish dictionary handy. Very helpful and I feel essential.

Trust me. I own the Barrons Spanish course , and I stopped listening to it after about a week because it was too overwhelming for me as a beginner. However I will go back and finish that as well since I've completed all of these Pimsleur lessons. But Pimsleur will work for anyone. The only problem I have now is not knowing more words to use, which will come with time. But even now when I watch "Univision" or "Telemundo", I can actually hear and understand much of what they're saying. They don't sound like they're talking "too fast" anymore. But a big help for me has been speaking to native speakers.

Nothing can replace that for fluency. Don't fool yourself thinking you can speak Spanish by reading a bunch of books. You didn't learn English that way. And you could speak English before you started grade school. So it's more to it than just studying grammar, punctuation, and pronunciation. If that's all it took, then everyone could be fluent in a foreign language. But Pimsleur Spanish will give you a solid foundation for starting.

Now when my wife and I travel back to Puerto Rico, we'll both be able to communicate as necessary. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. I took French all through high school, and forgot all of it. My wife took Spanish all through high school. Within the first 8 lessons of Pimsleur, I was teaching her Spanish that she didn't know, and she took it for 4 years! That alone convinced her how good this course is as well as for myself.

Mastering Spanish, Level 1 (with Audio CDs)
Average customer rating:

Very Comprehensive

What is the Barron's FSI Method?

Mastering Spanish level 1

FSI Programmatic Spanish or Barron's Mastering Spanish? You decide

Slow & steady - Caters to a very specific learning style

Mastering Spanish, Level 1 (with Audio CDs)
R. Stockwell , J. Bowen , and I. Fuenzalida-Silva
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0764175971

Book Description

The new edition of this intensive language-immersion course has been updated with new references, and up-to-date vocabulary and idioms. The program package consists of a textbook and a set of 12 compact discs. This comprehensive language program is the same as the one used by the U.S. Government to teach Spanish to personnel in the diplomatic service and other internationally related government agencies. Students who complete the course successfully will have much more than a few foreign phrases at their disposal, but will possess a solid understanding of a new language. The program is ideal for classroom instruction but is also designed so that serious individuals who want to become fluent in Spanish can teach themselves. This course teaches every aspect of the language: vocabulary, grammar, conversing, reading, writing, and listening comprehension.

Customer Reviews:

Very Comprehensive.......2007-05-12

This learn Spanish set is exellent value. I wish to learn Spanish for my work, and have checked out many products. This looks like the most comprehensive, user friendly on the market.

What is the Barron's FSI Method?.......2007-05-10

I am probably the biggest FSI Spanish fan that you'll ever meet. I have done every version of FSI, including the Programmatic series, Barrons, and Platiquemos. I even completed FSI 3 and 4. I have also written numerous posts on Amazon raving about the FSI method and have told others that one of the best methods for learning Spanish is the FSI method.

I think that enough reviewers have already established that the FSI method is only for the serious student of this language, not a traveler that is looking for a crash course just before he takes a trip to Mexico, Spain, or the Dominican Republic. Barrons FSI and all of the other FSI courses are only for the person that is looking to one day speak Spanish fluently. These lessons are great for that purpose.

One of the things that I like most about Foreign Service Institute Spanish Level One (Barron's Mastering Spanish I) is the drills. After completing the drills 4 or 5 times, I was a lot more confident about speaking Spanish than before I did the drills. Incidentally, the drills is also the feature about this course that many do not like. Some people consider the drills tedious. They may be somewhat tedious, but the amount of Spanish that you will master is worth the effort.

Foreign Service Institute Level One (Barron's Mastering Spanish Level One) covers lessons 1 to 15 in this series. Foreign Service Institute Level Two (Barron's Mastering Spanish Level Two) covers lessons 16 to 30 in this series. FSI Spanish 3 covers 31 to 45. And the final level in the series, FSI Spanish 4, covers 46 to 60.

When you buy "FSI Programmatic Spanish I Remastered" or "FSI Programmatic Spanish II Remastered" here at Amazon you also get, FSI Spanish 3 and 4 as bonus downloads. "FSI Programmatic Spanish Remastered" is not to be confused with this course, Foreign Service Institute Level One (i.e. Barron's Mastering Spanish Level One). "FSI Programmatic Spanish Remastered" and this course, Foreign Service Institute Level One (i.e. Barron's Mastering Spanish Level One) are different spanish courses. Both were created by the U.S. government's Department of State's Foreign Service Institute back in the 1960's.

This information really had me confused at first so I wanted to clarify it for other Amazon learners of the Spanish language.

The only Spanish courses that I know of that come close to teaching as much Spanish as the FSI Spanish courses are the Learning Spanish Like Crazy Level One and Two. Both Learning Spanish Like Crazy One and Two taught me just as much vocabulary and grammar as the FSI courses but the vocabulary that I learned in LSLC was more useful. The Barron's FSI courses covered a lot of military vocabulary from the 1960's. With the rate that technology has changed for the military since the 1960's some of the vocabulary words taught in Barron's FSI Spanish are now obsolete. Besides the fact that Barron's FSI Spanish requires the user to use a textbook with the lessons (in other words, this is not a learn-in-your-car-user-friendly course), another major difference between the FSI courses and LSLC is that the LSLC teaching method is actually fun and certainly easier to do than the FSI teaching method.

To sum it all up, if you are serious about learning to speak Spanish fluently, then this is a great choice. If you are not serious about reaching fluency, then you will want to steer clear away from this course.

Mastering Spanish level 1.......2006-11-18

A very thorough course, FSI (Foreigh Service Institute) and State Department courses have to be good. Nothing is free though: all foreign language study requires 100% participation which can be a lot of work!

FSI Programmatic Spanish or Barron's Mastering Spanish? You decide.......2006-07-02

I am the owner of Toni Roman's LearningSpanishVideoReviews web site, and I am glad to review of this wonderful resource for the serious learner of Spanish.

Barron's' Mastering Spanish is a course that I would rate somewhere between good and excellent. But as multiple reviewers have already pointed out, it is a course that should only be used by the serious student of Spanish.

There are many reasons why people want to learn Spanish. Some people just want to learn because they have an upcoming trip to Spain or Latin America and just want to learn enough Spanish to impress the natives. If that's your motive for learning Spanish, save yourself a disappointment as well as the cost of this course and buy something more suitable for your needs.

Other people are just interested in learning numerous languages and only want to learn enough to carry on a basic conversation before moving on to "conquering" the next language. And if that's your motive for learning Spanish, you'll probably find that this course is overkill. But if your ultimate goal is to speak Spanish fluently, this is one of only a few courses that will ever help you achieve your goal.

If you like the teaching method in this course, you may also like another course called FSI Programmatic Spanish. Both Barron's' Mastering Spanish and FSI Programmatic Spanish were originally developed by the Foreign Service Institute. Both courses make you use text that comes with the CDs. And both courses were recorded before the invention of CDs. And maybe even before the invention of cassette players if not 8 track players. But both courses are very effective when it comes to learning how to speak, write and read Spanish.

The dialogs in FSI Programmatic Spanish take place in a classroom with the professor and three students: Nancy, Clark and Jones. The dialogs in Barron's' Mastering Spanish take place in a fictitious country in Latin America called Surlandia. The two speakers in Barron's' Mastering Spanish are Senor White and Senor Molina.

Which is my favorite? Without a doubt, I prefer FSI Programmatic Spanish over Barron's' Mastering Spanish. Why? FSI Programmatic Spanish does a better job teaching the topics that I struggled with as a beginner when learning Spanish.
For example, FSI Programmatic Spanish does an awesome job teaching the following:

1. Reflexive verbs
2. commands (including plural commands, negative commands)
3. conjugating regular verbs and irregular verbs
4. double negatives
5. pronouns
6. last but not least, a topic that at one point I thought I'd never really grasp: Word order for questions or interrogatives.

If you've ever wondered if you should ask "usted habla espanol?" or "habla usted espanol?" then you haved shared my frustration and know exactly what I am talking about.

If you are a serious learner of this language, you will do well with either course. But my personal preference is clearly FSI Programmatic Spanish.

Slow & steady - Caters to a very specific learning style.......2006-06-11

I bought this because I wanted to learn Spanish fluently, not just conversationally. However, I have had a hard time sticking to the program. It is completely focused on pronunciation. I'm sure that in the end, after a long, long process, this is helpful, but it just doesn't hold my interest. Plus, I don't feel that I'm only learning pronunciation and not the rest of the language - vocabulary, grammar, etc. If I knew everything but great pronunciation I could communicate with Spanish speakers, but all this program leaves me with is the ability to read words without knowing what they mean. Maybe I just need to keep plugging along, but personally, I know I will learn better with something that breaks down the information in a more structured manner and allows me to integrate all aspects of Spanish. Could be great for someone who learns best by listening. Also great for someone who has the potential to have a great Spanish accent. I can't even trill my rrs so I'm very discouraged and going to try a new method since I'm typically good at learning languages.

Nueva Biblia De Estudio Scofield: Version Ampliada; Reina-Valera 1960; Con Introducciones, notas ampliadas y actualizadas, un sistema de refrencias tematicas, cronologia e indices

Average customer rating:

Best price and deliver service impossible!
Excellent Bible Choice

Nueva Biblia De Estudio Scofield: Version Ampliada; Reina-Valera 1960; Con Introducciones, notas ampliadas y actualizadas, un sistema de refrencias tematicas, cronologia e indices

Manufacturer: B&H Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Nuevo Diccionario Ilustrado De La Biblia

ASIN: 1558197982

Book Description

The New Scofield Study Bible is a trusted and well recognized name world wide, not only by academicians and pastors but with thousands of students of the word in every walk of life. Holman Bible Publishers is proud to announce the completion of an aggressive revision of the text in the popular Reina-Valera Revision of 1960 linked to the well known dispensational Bible study method first presented by C.I. Scofield.

Throughout the scriptures the unique Scofield expository notes reveal the progressive character of God's dealings with mankind.

Customer Reviews:

Best price and deliver service impossible!.......2007-05-14

Thank you for the realible service of your web and confidence in the items

Excellent Bible Choice.......2007-03-29

This bible is an excellent choice when looking to purchase one. It has everything you might need to study the Word of God. It contains references, inserts, a concordance, and so much more! This one is in Spanish, and was definitely a good buy!

How Do I Feel?/¿Cómo me siento? (Good Beginnings)

Average customer rating:

Decent Book
Not what I expected
Great addition to any Spanish lesson
Great!!
Help children learn feeling words

How Do I Feel?/¿Cómo me siento? (Good Beginnings)

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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What Color Is It?/¿Qué color es éste? (Good Beginnings)
Perro grande... Perro pequeño / Big Dog... Little Dog
Goodnight Moon (Spanish edition): Buenas noches, Luna
My Animals/ Mis Animales
My Food/ Mi Comida

ASIN: 0618169318

Book Description

This series of full-color board books, with both English and Spanish on each page, will intrigue youngsters while helping them build vocabulary and an awareness of the world around them.

The books feature charming illustrations and thoughtfully chosen words, offering an enchanting introduction to vocabulary.

Customer Reviews:

Decent Book.......2006-07-31

I was looking for a spanish book that talked about something other than just objects. I also like the drawings and that the book is very simple. My 1 year old can really enjoy it.

Not what I expected.......2005-10-26

We're trying to teach our daughter Spanish from an early age (she's 8 months), and reading stories to her each night. This book is pretty simplistic with two - four words per page ("sad, con triste") so it's over pretty fast. Perhaps for an older toddler who can interact a bit more and understand the meaning it would be suitable but it's not helpful right now.

Great addition to any Spanish lesson.......2005-10-14

I use this book in my classes for students ages 4 all the way to 18. It's a great, and SIMPLE way to help them express themselves in Spanish! The older teens crack up as they use the phrases, but it's great because they're communicating in their target language, and the younger students all identify with the bright pictures and sturdy pages. They LOVE using the phrases from Como me siento!

If you want something to listen to and write in- a complete curriculum, try Flip Flop Spanish, which comes with a CD!

Great!!.......2005-08-04

I loved this book. It teaches little ones about feelings in English and Spanish. Is hard to find books in spanish to teach my little girl. We both loved it. It was a great buy.

Help children learn feeling words.......2001-08-02

This simple book is a neat way to teach young children how to express themselves using feeling words. The pictures are bright and engaging. There is no story line, but that allows you to make up stories as you look at the pictures with your young children...

Workbook/Study Guide I (Lessons 1-26) to accompany Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish

Average customer rating:

Easy to use

Workbook/Study Guide I (Lessons 1-26) to accompany Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish
Bill VanPatten
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Destinos, Part A: Lessons 1-26, Student Audio CD Program

ASIN: 0070020728

Customer Reviews:

Easy to use.......2007-10-11

The book progresses slowly and clearly. There are lots of practice sections interspersed with clear examples. However the book is most useful when used with the cassettes which allow you to hear the lessons.

I Can!/¡Yo puedo! (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #11) (Bilingual) (Board Book)

Average customer rating:

Easy yet effective
cute and fun
Great for children all the way through elementary

I Can!/¡Yo puedo! (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #11) (Bilingual) (Board Book)
Gladys Rosa-Mendoza
Manufacturer: me+mi publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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My Family and I/Mi familia y yo (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #4) (Bilingual)
Lupe Lupita, Where Are You?/Lupe Lupita, ¿dónde estás? (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #16) (Bilingual)
My Body / Mi cuerpo (English and Spanish Foundation Series, Book 8)
When I Am/Cuando estoy (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #12) (Bilingual)
The Weather/El tiempo (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #6) (Bilingual)

ASIN: 1931398119

Book Description

I can!
It's important to teach children that there's nothing they can't do. This exciting learning book in English and Spanish gives you a head start. Come along with a diverse group of children as they demonstrate a wide variety of fun activities and helpful tasks they can do by themselves. Children will love the colorful and whimsical illustrations. A complete pronunciation guide is included in the back of the book for quick and easy reference. This book is a great tool for helping to instill children with a sense of pride in accomplishment. 20 pages, 4.75" x 5.875"

¡Yo puedo!
Es importante enseñarles a los niños que son capaces de hacer muchas cosas por su cuenta. Este estimulante libro de aprendizaje en inglés y español constituye un magnífico punto de partida. Acompañen a un diverso grupo de niños a medida que demuestran una amplia variedad de divertidas y útiles actividades y tareas que pueden realizar por sí mismos. Las coloridas e ingeniosas ilustraciones cautivarán al lector infantil. Al respaldo del libro hay una guía de pronunciación que sirve como consulta rápida y fácil. Este libro es una excelente herramienta para inculcar a los niños un sentido de orgullo en sus logros. 20 páginas, 4.75" x 5.875"

Customer Reviews:

Easy yet effective.......2007-06-28

I purchased this for my five year old and although I found it a little simplistic for her she's been picking it up and rereading it again and again. She likes the pictures and she likes to try to remember how to say things in spanish. Phrases are fairly easy for the most part. I would recommend this to anyone trying to teach spanish to their child.

cute and fun.......2006-12-31

This is a great book to help kids (and parents) use Spanish in conversation. We have a dictionary and know lots of words and this book is helping us use the words in context.

Great for children all the way through elementary .......2006-07-29

I use this book fairly regularly to teach verbs and other vocabulary in my private Spanish classes. The phrases are simple, the pictures are nice and bright, and the students (ages 3-5) are able to "read" this in Spanish after only one viewing of the book! The phrases used go along well with my 4 year old's curriculum, Flip Flop Spanish, and he often pulls this book out after his lesson (on his own.)

I also use this in my class for 4-7 year olds and 7-12 year olds for our five minute book reports in Spanish. They like it because it has both English and Spanish - though they can only give reports in Spanish, it assures them that they are saying what they mean to say!

Overall - A great buy with long life throughout early Spanish education!

Workbook in Everyday Spanish Book I, Elementary/Intermediate (3rd Edition)

Average customer rating:

A necessity for all serious students of Spanish
No answer manual available?

Workbook in Everyday Spanish Book I, Elementary/Intermediate (3rd Edition)
Julio I. Andujar , and Robert J. Dixson
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Easy Spanish Reader

ASIN: 0134327748

Book Description

Contains hundreds of exercises designed for self-study and practice and is a must in the language section of any bookstore. Think of these books as the Schaums outline to Elementary/Intermediate Spanish.

Customer Reviews:

A necessity for all serious students of Spanish.......2001-06-20

I teach Spanish at a Community College locally. Last year the publishers of "Workbook...Elementary Level" sent us at the Span. Dept. a couple of copies and we are now considering using it as an adjunct to our traditional text and workbook. It is terrific--if a person has had Spanish and wants to review, this is the way to do it. It will teach you the grammar that the new wave of "total immersion" books leaves out. We are looking forward to reviewing the more advanced workbook and have requested copies. I notice that you also offer the answer book, which would be nice for independent study. I am offering this review because I was so surprised to see the two-star rating. Thanks. Susie Feathers

No answer manual available?.......1999-01-09

I may be missing something, but this workbook does not appear to contain answers (which would be best), and the answer manual/guide appears to be unavailable. A workbook without answers, no matter how good, has limited utility.

Average customer rating:

Good Book
very helpful and concise
Spanish I Review
Spanish II Cliff Notes by Jill Rodriguez (e-book version)
A completely underrated gem...

Spanish I (Cliffs Quick Review)
Jill Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Spanish II (Cliffs Quick Review)
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Spanish II (CliffsStudySolver)
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ASIN: 0764563874

Book Description

CliffsQuickReview course guides cover the essentials of your toughest classes. Get a firm grip on core concepts and key material, and test your newfound knowledge with review questions.

CliffsQuickReview Spanish I is meant to provide all the foundations of basic Spanish pronunciation, spelling, and sentence construction. Spanish grammar is systematically explained in its most simplistic way, so there's no need for any prerequisite before beginning this "review" of the equivalent of two years of high school Spanish. As you work your way through this review, you'll be ready to tackle such concepts as

Spelling and pronunciation
Nouns, articles, pronouns, and verbs
Basic sentence structure
Preterit and imperfect tenses, and prepositions and negatives

CliffsQuickReview Spanish I can act as a supplement to your textbook and to classroom lectures. Use this reference in any way that fits your personal style for study and review — you decide what works best with your needs. You can read the book from cover to cover or just look for the information you want and put it back on the shelf for later. Here are just a few ways you can search for topics:

Use the free Pocket Guide full of essential information
Get a glimpse of what you’ll gain from a chapter by reading through the Chapter Check-In at the beginning of each chapter
Use the Chapter Checkout at the end of each chapter to gauge your grasp of the important information you need to know
Test your knowledge more completely in the CQR Review and look for additional sources of information in the CQR Resource Center
Use the glossary to find key terms fast
For helpful lists of verbs, phrases, and expressions, turn to the Appendices at the back of the book

With titles available for all the most popular high school and college courses, CliffsQuickReview guides are a comprehensive resource that can help you get the best possible grades.

Customer Reviews:

Good Book.......2007-01-04

I am trying to learn the basics of Spanish and this book has been one of the most useful I have found thus far. Grammar is explained in easily understood ways with examples to clarify things. I like it very much!

very helpful and concise.......2006-01-09

I learned French a long time ago, so I felt like I knew what I was getting in to when I started with another Romance language, and I wanted to find something that was straight to the point to help me learn Spanish. Cliff's Quick Review of Spanish is just that, concise and straightforward. It will not give you a lot of exercises or practice problems, but the basics of grammar are presented in a concise and logical way. I imagine this would make an excellent resource for review for those taking intro to Spanish classes, and as an independent learner I can tell you this book has been extremely useful. While additional books/CDs/websites/etc. are advisable for learning to speak and understand Spanish, this is an excellent background and review on Spanish grammar that I highly recommend.

Spanish I Review.......2005-10-26

This is an excellent refresher for those who have had high school Spanish. It is full of great acronyms which were previously unfamiliar to me, but are very useful. I recommend this book for all ages and all levels.

Spanish II Cliff Notes by Jill Rodriguez (e-book version).......2005-04-28

I'd really like to be able to access this book, unfortunately, the download is faulty and will not complete.

A completely underrated gem..........2004-11-30

I wholeheartedly agree with Chuan N. Lee "half". Who knew that
cliff notes 1 & 2 for Spanish could possibly be so excellent? I mean, cliff notes - they're for the losers who couldn't even be bothered to actually read the book, right?

But I picked these up because I'd just started Spanish and they were going cheap at Walmart's. To my surprise, books 1 & 2 together pretty much comprise a complete course in
Spanish, but pared right down to the essentials, which is what I need because I'm in my forties now so I don't have time to waste.

I liked it so much I gave copies to my SO, who is also an engineer, also learning Spanish, and also in a hurry. He finally overcame his prejudice of cliff's notes long enough to actually look at them, and now is as hooked on them as I am.

If you're serious about learning Spanish and are type-A like us, with no time for the fluff and hand-holding you get from "Learn Spanish in 25 years in Your Car whilst becoming a Hazard to Navigation" then this, along with the dictionaries at yahoo.com and wordreference.com, is the way to go.

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