Start Learning Spanish

By Gerald Erichsen, About.com Guide to Spanish Language

Spanish is one of the most-used languages in the world, and it's one that is relatively easy for English speakers to master. Whether you are studying Spanish at school, learning the language on your own or just wanting to pick enough Spanish to make your travels more enjoyable, this collection of lessons and articles is designed to help you gain a fuller understanding of the language.

1. Introduction to the Spanish Language
2. Unit 1: The Basics
3. Unit 2: Verbs, Adjectives and More
4. Unit 3: Adverbs, Quantities and More

5. Unit 4: Prepositions and More
6. Unit 5: Past Tenses and More
7. Other Resources

Introduction to the Spanish Language

These articles provide an overview of the language.

• Site Introduction
• Why Study Spanish?

Unit 1: The Basics

These lessons introduce you to the building blocks of Spanish.

• The Spanish Alphabet
• Pronunciation: The Easy Consonants
• Pronunciation: Vowels
• Pronunciation: Difficult Consonants
• Greetings
• Plurals
• Gender
• Noun-Adjective Agreement

• Introduction to the Definite Article
• Introduction to Pronouns
• Subject Pronouns
• Formal and Informal You ('Usted' and 'Tú')
• Capitalization
• Stress and Accent Marks
• Introduction to Conjugation

Unit 2: Verbs, Adjectives and More

In this group of lessons, we expand on the basics, focusing on verb conjugation and use of adjectives. We also start learning how to use prepositions.

• Introduction to the Present Tense
• Conjugating Regular Verbs in the Present Tense
• Negation: 'No' and Related Words
• Adjectives and Word Order
• Inroduction to Prepositions
• Colors
• Adjectives of Quantity

• Using the Preposition "De"
• Introduction to "Ser" and "Estar"
• Possessive Adjectives (Short Form)
• Demonstrative Adjectives
• Interrogative Pronouns
• Counting: Cardinal Numbers
• Interrogative Adjectives

Unit 3: Adverbs, Quantities and More

Topics covered include learning how to count and use numbers, using adverbs and adjectives, and making comparisons.

• Introduction to Adverbs
• Counting: Cardinal Numbers
• Interrogative Adjectives
• Plural Indefinite Articles ('Unos' and 'Unas')
• Indefinite Adjectives
• Comparisons of Inequality
• Making Adverbs from Adjectives
• Adverbs Not Ending in '-Mente'

• Telling Time
• Months of the Year
• Demonstrative Pronouns
• Possessive Adjectives (Long Form)
• Asking for Directions
• Vocabulary of the Family
• The Four Seasons

Unit 4: Prepositions and More

As you learn how to use some of the common prepositions, you will be able to speak and write more complex sentences.

• Preposition 'A'
• Preposition 'En'
• Preposition 'Para'
• Preposition 'Por'
• Preposition 'Con'
• Speaking of the Future
• Introduction to the Future Tense
• Prepositional Object Pronouns

• Direct Object Pronouns
• Indirect Object Pronouns
• Word Order
• Asking Questions
• Punctuation
• Body Parts
• Possessive Pronouns

Unit 5: Past Tenses and More

Several of the lessons in this deal with issues that can be confusing for beginning students, such as the differences between [i]ser[/i] and [i]estar[/i], the verbs for "to be"; and the distinctions of the past tenses.

• Using "Estar" for "To Be"
• Using "Ser" for "To Be"
• Using "Gustar" for "To Like"
• Two Simple Past Tenses
• Conjugating Regular Verbs in the Present
• Using "Haber"
• Conjugating Verbs in the Imperfect
• Present Participles

• Past Participles
• Using "Tener"
• Reflexive Pronouns
• Introduction to Reflexive Verbs
• Introduction to "Se"
• Indefinite Pronouns
• "Que" and other Relative Pronouns
• Introduction to the Subjunctive Mood

Other Resources

This site has plenty of reference materials and other resources you can use.

• Word of the Day
• Spanish Verb Conjugations