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  3. Television

  4. Learning Spanish: How to Understand and Speak a New Language

TELEVISION

Learning Spanish: How to Understand and Speak a New Language

Series: Great Courses
4.7
(355)
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Episodes
30
Rating
TVPG
Year
2015
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

About

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

Related Subjects

  • Educational

Episodes

1. Introduction to the Spanish Language

45m

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

2. Definite Articles and Nouns

45m

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

3. Subject Pronouns and the Verb Ser

45m

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

4. Regular -ar Verbs in the Present

45m

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

5. Indefinite Articles and Numbers to 100

45m

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

6. The Verb Estar and Numbers over 100

45m

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

7. Regular -er and -ir Verbs in the Present

45m

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Conjugate two new categories of Spanish verbs-those that end in -er and -ir. For both, learn and practice the appropriate endings for the present tense. Continue with possessive adjectives, and study how these are used in Spanish. Then discover three ways of forming questions, and learn vocabulary related to the family.

8. The Verb Ir in the Present

45m

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Begin with an important irregular verb: ir, meaning "to go". Conjugate ir in the present tense, and learn about its key uses in Spanish. Next, study and practice common Spanish interrogatives-words used in asking questions. Finish by looking at effective ways to remember new words and build vocabulary.

9. Expressing Time in Spanish

45m

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First, practice telling the time of day in Spanish, expressing the hour and minutes, and learn important vocabulary relating to time. Continue with the days of the week and vocabulary regarding days and dates. Finally, learn the months of the year, and form questions relating to time, dates, and the seasons.

10. Expressions Using the Verb Tener

45m

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This lesson begins with another important irregular verb: tener (to have). Grasp how to conjugate tener, and learn expressions using it regarding physical conditions, emotional conditions, and age. Add more important vocabulary related to the family. Finish by considering some important strategies to help you succeed as a language learner.

Extended Details

  • SeriesGreat Courses
  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

Bill WordenWriter
Bill WordenActor