When learning Spanish, or any language, it is important to keep adding new vocabulary to what you already know. Although it is great to know how to speak in full conversations, like they stress in programs like Rocket Spanish, in the beginning it is also smart to get key words in your head. This way the variety of topics you can talk about is wider and full of more opportunities. Expanding your vocabulary while also practicing grammar rules is a perfect balance. Each week you should add some new words to what you already know. It is a great idea to learn words in the same category at the same time, instead of just a random list. Below are a few different categories of vocabulary that would be smart to familiarize yourself with.

For Traveling

A Spanish-speaking country can be overwhelming for someone who is still beginning to learn Spanish. It is important to be able to be heard, and have others understand your wants and needs. Lodging, food, attractions, and transportation are important things you may need to talk to locals about and even if you cannot speak full, grammatically correct sentences, specific words will be able to help you get by. The following links are sets of vocabulary from various websites to help you prepare for a trip out of the country:

• Railway Vocabulary
• Weather Vocabulary
• Airport Vocabulary
• At A Restaurant Vocabulary
• Travel Vocabulary
• Hotel Vocabulary

At The Office

Many businesses are looking for people who can speak more than just English in the workplace. By doing this, there are a wider variety of clients that the business can work with. More and more Spanish speakers are living in the United States and at the same time, many businesses in the United States are branching out and doing business internationally. These two factors require more employers to know the language of Spanish well enough to help do business. It is important to know words in Spanish that are related to the business field whether it is with shipping, computers, or related to human resources. Below are links found that would be helpful for a company who would like their employers to be familiar with the Spanish language:

• Computer Vocabulary
• Accounting/Business Vocabulary
• Business Vocabulary
• Workplace

Food

Eating is essential, but what do you need to know if you are in a Spanish-speaking country and going to the market? In order to cook the food you want, you are going to have to buy it and it will not be like a trip to the grocery store in the United States. The signs will be in Spanish, the numbers of prices may be in Spanish, and the packaging may be in Spanish. In order to find everything you need quickly you want to have some key vocabulary known for going to the grocery store. Below are websites showing vocabulary words dealing with food and markets:

• Food
• Dining
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Supermarket

TV Shows

Many prime-time shows have Spanish culture and heritage mixed in. Although it is not a lesson from a textbook or a list of vocabulary words, hearing Spanish culture mix with American culture can still provide additional help when learning Spanish. Prime-time shows such as Ugly Betty on ABC and Weeds on Showtime are just some of the examples where English-speaking characters have relationships with Spanish-speaking characters. These television shows can introduce some Spanish culture and are enjoyable as well by providing entertainment. Many people like to unwind by watching television at the end of the day, so why not make it semi-educational by immersing yourself in some more Spanish?
 

TV Stations

If you have had enough of the TV shows on all of the regular stations like NBC, ABC, and The WB, why not go all out and tune in to the local Spanish channels. Telemundo and UNI are two of the Spanish stations I found when scrolling through the TV Guide website. They feature talk shows, soap operas, and sitcoms just like the English-speaking local channels. The daily news is also a great program to watch in Spanish because with pictures and live video as context clues, you will be able to understand what they are saying. If you watch the nightly news on an English station earlier in the night and then turn in to a Spanish station later you will already be familiar with the headlines, making it easier to understand. Hearing Spanish being spoken whether you are sitting in front of the couch paying full attention to what is on or just having it on in the background while doing things around the house will keep your mind engaged in the language.
 

Movies

Movies on DVD are great for learning a new language! How? Well, if you are trying to learn Spanish, practice the following: Get a movie on DVD that you enjoy and are already familiar with the dialogue; make sure it has the option of being dubbed in Spanish and also the option to play Spanish subtitles. Watch the movie once in English, and then later play it with the Spanish subtitles. After, try watching it dubbed in Spanish, and see if you can correlate what they are saying to the lines in English. If you alternate watching it in the different ways you are sure to associate some Spanish lines with English lines. You can try this technique with many different movies, since most DVDs now have the option to play in other languages or show the subtitles as the film is going.

The Easy Letters

Many of the letters in the Spanish alphabet sound like the ones in the English alphabet. Just make sure you understand that sometimes Spanish speakers will pronounce their letters softer than English speakers do. When this occurs it may sound like mumbling to a person who is unfamiliar with Spanish, but once exposed to it long enough, it will become easier to understand. The letter “c” mostly follows the same rules as it does in English; it sounds like an “s” if it comes before an “e” or an “i” and sounds like a “k” all other times. The letter “ch” is something new and slightly unusual but is pronounced exactly how it is spelled. “F”, “k”, “m”, “p”, “t”, “w”, and “y” are pronounced exactly as they are in English. The letter “q” sounds like the letter “k”, and the letter “s” sounds like it does in the word “sorry”, not how it sounds in the word “fears”.
 

Vowels

Although many of the consonants are pronounced much softer than they are in English, vowels on the other hand take on a stronger sound. Some people might say they are more distinct than the other letters. “A”, “i”, and “o” all have one sound while “e” and “u” can change. Examples are as follows: The letter “a” is pronounced how it sounds in the word “father”. The letter “i” takes on the sound of a double “e”. Examples are words like “tree” or “meet”. The letter “o” is pronounced how it is in the word “smoke” or “tote”. The two more difficult vowels are “e” and “u”. “E” usually sounds like how it does in the word “set” but sometimes can also sound like the Canadian “eh” at times as well. In the case of the letter “u”, it is usually pronounced how the “oo” sounds in “moon” but the “u” can also be silent if it is placed before an “i” or an “e”, for example in the word “guerra” only the “e” is heard.
 

The Confusing Letters

There are a handful of letters that sound different than their English pronunciation. The letters “b” and “v” make the same noise, they both take on the sound like the one in the word “beat”. The letter “d” can sometimes take on the sound of a “th” when it is placed in between vowels. The letter “g” has two different sounds as well; it can either sound like how it does in the word “gun” or take on the sound that the letter “h” makes in English. Speaking of “h”, in Spanish this letter is always silent, and takes on no particular sound at all. “L” is pronounced how it sounds in the word “long” and the “ll” sounds like a “y” in the English alphabet. “N” can sound like how it does in English, but under certain circumstances can sound like an “m” too. The “Ñ” takes on the sound of “ny” or for example sounds like “ny” in “Grand Canyon”. The letter “x” has many different sounds, they range from the sound in the word “exit” to the sound an “s” makes, or the sound a “j” makes in Spanish. Last but not least, the letter “z” is pronounced like “th”, just like how it sounds in the word “think”.

I Need, I Want, and I Would Like

Mauricio and Amy both agree that “I need”, “I want”, and “I would like” are the three most critical verbs to understand and know in Spanish in order to get what you want. Translated to Spanish they are as follows: Necesito, Quiero, and Me Gustaria. All three of these verbs were taught in the audio lesson in Day Five, and if you forgot any of the conversation, do not worry because it is typed out again in this lesson as well. If you need help with the pronunciation for any of these words, the red button with the triangle to the left will say it correctly for you.
 

Ordering with Manners

Me gustaria literally translates to “it would please me,” and is a better choice of words than saying “I want”. Especially when talking to strangers in a foreign country, it is only courteous to use manners. The next section of Lesson Six is all about ordering with manners. Some examples that are given could be used when needing to book a hotel room or to order food. Also do not forget that the words please and thank you are used in other countries as well. “Por favor” means “please” in Spanish, and “gracias” means “thank you”.
 

Something To Drink

In addition to all of the vocabulary related to food, beverages are important as well. You may want to meet someone for tea or grab a cup of coffee with a business partner, so it is important to be familiar with the assortment of beverages out there. In Lesson Six, Mauricio and Amy give you a list of different beverages you may want to order including coffee, tea, and café con leche, a popular Spanish coffee drink. They also teach different ways to prepare coffee, for instance coffee with milk, or coffee with sugar.
 

Help!

The final section of this lesson is all about help; whether it be an emergency or if you need assistance with something. Mauricio and Amy give examples of someone saying they need help with their luggage. They tell you how to say “I need help”, and “Can you help me?” When dealing with an emergency or un emergencia, vocabulary like ¡Auxilio! (Help!), ¡Ladrón! (Thief!), and ¡Fuego! (Fire!) could be very useful.
 

Accents

Why do accents exist in the Spanish language? Accents are used to show irregular words or stressed syllables. It is important to be aware of accents because some words are spelled exactly alike and the only difference is that one has an accent and the other does not. An accent can change the entire meaning of a word. An example where this occurs is as follows: “esta” means this and “está” means it is.

Here’s What We’re Learning To Do

In the lesson today Amy and Mauricio will be teaching important phrases and words pertaining to the topics of what you want, what you need, and what you would like. All of these things are important areas to master so that others can understand your needs and be able to assist you with getting them. Here is a copy of what the conversation looks like in Lesson 5:

» Spanish Conversation

» English Translation

Help/Ayudar

An important word in this lesson is the word ayudar, which translates to help. This word can be used in an emergency situation or to have someone help you with an everyday task. By incorporating the word necesito before this verb, you are saying “I need help”.

Quiero/Me gustaria

Just like in English, there are different ways to ask for something and some are more polite than others. Many people would prefer to hear “I would like a cup of coffee” rather than “I want a cup of coffee”. Don’t forget that people use manners in countries outside of the United States as well. To say “I want” in Spanish you would say “Yo quiero”, but if you choose to say “I would like”, then “Me gustaria” is the right phrase to say.

Accents

Mauricio and Amy also have an entire section of the lesson devoted to the many different accents from various Spanish-speaking countries. Just how people in the UK who speak English have some other vocabulary that Americans do not use, the same goes for Spanish. “Formal Spanish” that is taught at the Royal Spanish Academy is accepted in all Spanish-speaking countries, but there will always be slang and different pronunciations of words in the many different Spanish countries.

Verb Conjugator

Verbix offers a free verb conjugator on its website and when you fill in the infinitive and press enter, they will list the many different tenses of the verb with all of its different endings. They also show a list of verbs that conjugate the same way as the one you typed in. The URL for this website is below and can be accessed by anyone, anywhere, at anytime!

How To Clarify

Before beginning the actual lesson, Mauricio specifies some important phrases that are good to know for someone who is not fluent with Spanish. For example “How is it written?”, “Can you repeat, please?”, and “More slowly, please”. These phrases are translated into Spanish and also have a button next to them to hear the pronunciation. It is so vital that you know these phrases very well because they will benefit you when you need help understanding something in a conversation. People cannot afford to miss out on anything important when on vacation or dealing with business!

The Conversation

After the clarification phrases, the conversation taught in Lesson 3 is typed out again in both English and Spanish. It should not be hard to remember what the dialogue means since it was taught in Lesson 3, the previous day. The conversation is about introduction, learning someone’s name, introducing yourself, and asking where someone is from. If you remember, this lesson taught about words and how some change depending on gender. The next few paragraphs in Lesson 4 show how many words can either be masculine or feminine. There are lists of examples with the audio pronunciation to the left of the text. If you do not remember, when a word ends in ’o’ it is masculine, and if it ends in ‘a’ it is feminine.

In More Detail

As the lesson continues, the specific parts of the conversation are expanded. There is a section dedicated only to how you say your name or ask someone else what his or her name is. Mauricio explains how there are formal and informal ways to ask depending on who the person is. To find out where a person is from, there is an informal and formal way as well to ask as well. You will also learn some example answers, like “I am from the United States”, “I am from New York”, and “I am from Chicago”. Last but not least, words and phrases to talk about how much Spanish you know or do not know is gone over. Of course everything taught has audio pronunciation next to it to help you get the most out of the Text Lessons.

Restaurants

When travelling in a foreign country, eating is usually main priority. The average vacationer usually does not end up going to a market and buying ingredients to make all of his or her meals, so restaurants are in order. Restaurant vocabulary is essential and below is a brief list of terms and phrases to become acquainted to for trips overseas to Spanish speaking countries:

el menu- menu

la cuenta- check

la mesa- table

la servilleta- napkin

la mesera, la camarera- waitress

Fork- un tenedor

Knife- un cuchillo

Spoon- una cuchara

¿Tienes una mesa para dos (2) personas?- Do you have a table for 2?

Esto no es lo que he pedido.- This is not what I ordered.

About This Conversation

The conversation that has been typed out in Spanish and English is longer than the first audio lesson. It is eight lines long and looks like this:

» Spanish Conversation

» English Translation

The Audio File

After pressing play, Amy’s voice can be heard and she states the objectives for this audio lesson. She speaks about how you will learn how to introduce yourself, tell someone your name, and how much Spanish you are able to speak. These are all key things to know how to say when dealing with business or traveling, so it is imperative that before you start drilling vocabulary or learn verb conjugations, you know this conversation as well as you can. Amy briefly asks if you remember some key words from the last audio lesson, and then Mauricio and Amy replay the Lesson One Conversation to refresh your memory. Amy warns that this audio lesson is going to be more difficult than the first because the phrases being learned are more complex. It is important that you listen carefully and always repeat the words and phrases aloud. During the lesson, Amy tells about the culture in Latin American countries and how it is proper for a man to kiss a woman on the cheek upon greeting her, just like how in America we shake hands.

Words According to Gender & Cognate Words

In this lesson, we are also introduced to words that change according to gender.  In this lesson the word encantado, is either encatado if you are male, or encantada if you are female.

Encantado is also an example of a cognate word. “Cognate” also means similar or related; these types of words in Spanish are the easiest because they are similar to their translated words in English. What comes to mind when you hear the word “encantado”? Encantado translates to enchanted in English. These words are the easiest to decipher even if you have minimal experience with the Spanish language.

Telling Time In Spanish

When learning Spanish, there are many important things you will need to know how to say, particularly when dealing with a work environment or going to a foreign country to travel. Key vocabulary with telling time is important to know in any language mainly to make plans or find out the time. Below are important phrases and words to remember that deal with time. It is also vital to know how to say the numbers one to fifty-nine as well.

What time is it? - ¿Ques hora es?

It is one o’clock. - Es la una.

It is two o’clock. - Son las dos.

It is half past ____. - Es/Son la(s) ____ y media.

It is quarter past ____. - Es/Son la(s) ____ y cuarto.

In the morning - Por la mañana

In the afternoon - Por la tarde

In the evening - Por la noche

Noon - Mediodia

Midnight - Medianoche

Put It On Your iPod/iPhone

MP3 format is an audio format for files, and when downloaded onto the hard drive can virtually be taken anywhere. The files can be added into a music library and put onto an MP3 player, or you can burn the audio lessons onto CD-R’s. It may not seem as such a big deal now, but the portability will come in handy later. Most people spend the majority of their time during the day in their car, or waiting in line, and with a CD or MP3 player, they can kill two birds with one stone.

Put What Little “Down Time” You Have To Use

Some great places that this feature will come in handy are in the car or commute to work, waiting in lines while running errands, at the gym, and even laying out by a pool. Sometimes it is not possible to bring a computer to the places you need to go to, and when learning a language, the more exposure to it, the better.

What is even better about this is that the Internet is not needed to access the MP3 files once they are put onto the computer.  In a case where Internet access cannot be reached, the files are still readily available.  PDF formats for the text lessons are also used in the Premium course, so saving the text can be done as well.

What use is a program that you are spending a good chunk of change on, if it cannot be used regularly in your schedule? Many similar language programs can only be used with the software or Internet, and for someone who is always running around, that will not be as helpful. The files can be kept forever, even once you are done with the program, so you can always refer back to them. Even the Sample Course provides MP3 files for the three audio lessons provided.

Mini Lesson – Know These Spanish Emotions

On a completely different note, it is important to know vocabulary to describe how you are feeling. When learning Spanish, emotions should be looked over in the first few weeks of studying. Emotions are important words to know and the simple answer “I am good” may not always be true. To get your point across when someone asks how you are doing these words should be added to the other Spanish vocabulary you already know:

Abburido – bored

nervioso – nervous

enojado – angry

enfermo – sick

ocupado – busy

sorprendido – surprised

triste – sad

empaciente – impatient

contento – pleased

alegre – happy

To keep vocabulary fresh in your mind, always keep a list handy of the words. Look at them often and make flashcards; having someone else test you is a great idea too. You will be able to know hundreds of vocabulary words in no time!

Example Conversation

In the new window that opens when the link is clicked in the email, the conversation spoken between Mauricio and Amy appears again. After fifteen minutes of learning that four-line conversation the day before, it should be simple to decipher what the dialogue means without any hesitation. Did you realize though, there is a difference in what you say depending on whom you are speaking too? This can be taught with Formal vs. Informal Modes of Address, which is the next heading on the page of the Day Two Lesson.

The text says that when greeting someone you know, “hola,” (or hello), is fine but when speaking to someone you do not know, “good afternoon,” or, “good morning” is a more appropriate address. The three examples are listed with a button next to them to hear the pronunciation. Even though this is a text lesson, audio is still a major part of the Rocket Spanish learning method. To say “good” the adjective “buenos/buenas” is used and the words for morning, afternoon, and evening are put on the end. There is even a more respectful way to address someone of higher authority, and that is accomplished by placing a formal title at the end of “Good morning,” or, “Good afternoon.” An example would be: “Buenos dias, senor,” or “Good morning, sir”.

Common Practices In Spanish-Speaking Countries

Along with a lesson between formal and informal greetings, Lesson Two also speaks about common practices in Spanish-speaking countries. In America one would say “Good Morning” to one person or to a whole group, but in many areas of Latin America it is respectful to greet everyone individually and not as a whole.

Lesson Two covers everything about that four-line conversation, giving you cultural lessons to go along with what you are speaking about, explaining vocabulary, and also grammar. Mauricio and Amy teach all about punctuation like the upside question mark and exclamation point, also the importance of accent marks.

To complete the text lesson, some vocabulary is pumped in to show a variety of ways to answer the question “How are you?” The adjectives “well,” “sick,” “tired,” and “bored,” in their female and male versions are listed for you to choose from. Next to every phrase in the text lesson, you can click to hear the pronunciation. Hopefully by the second lesson you are already repeating the audio portions a few times over on your own to keep the words and phrases fresh in your mind.

Are You Thinking In Spanish?

If you are learning Spanish for the ability to carry a conversation and become fluent in the language, many teachers will say you need to start thinking in Spanish. So how do you do that? There are many habits to “immerse yourself” into the world of Spanish while living in an English-speaking area. Some things you can do to acclimate yourself to the language are listen to Spanish music, have the Spanish radio station on while driving, keep the television on a Spanish-speaking channel while in the room, and attempt to read a magazine article or the newspaper in Spanish. It may be difficult to translate word for word, but familiarization of the language is being made, which will allow for the learning to be ten times easier.

Many customers appreciate an opportunity to try a product before purchasing it. Just like test-driving a car at the dealership, a way to see if the product will benefit the buyer is key for customer satisfaction since everyone has different wants and needs to fill. Although Rocket Spanish is not as extravagant as obtaining a vehicle, the principal remains.

The perfect way to test-drive this product is by signing up for the Free Rocket Spanish Sample Course. It is a free six-day trial program, simulating what the Premium Course has to offer. When signing up for the course, all that the Rocket Spanish requests is a name and valid e-mail address. Emails will be sent for the next six days containing the new lessons.

The first lesson’s e-mail starts off friendly and personal. There are a few paragraphs on what to expect to learn in the next six days. There will be three interactive audio lessons and three full grammar/text lessons in between for a total of six days. Once a lesson is done, the link to the lesson can be accessed 24/7 forever.

After the link to the first lesson is accessed, a new web page opens and Day One has begun. There is an audio file that can be played from the web page or downloaded into an mp3 format.  A woman’s voice explains the logistics of the audio course and what will be learned after the six days. You will be able to greet another person, introduce him or herself, and ask for help. It is imperative that the course is utilized in an area where it is okay to speak aloud. The learning process Rocket Spanish emphasizes is repetition and hearing your own voice pronounce the words correctly. Great places to do these exercises are in your home or while driving in the car.

The narrator introduces the other teacher, Mauricio, and gives instructions to repeat everything he says. A pause will be given so there is no need to manually stop the audio file. A basic conversation is given below the audio file that looks like this:

Spanish Conversation – “Saying Hello”

Amy: ¡Hola, Mauricio!?

Mauricio: ¡Hola, Amy! ¿Cómo estás? ?

Amy: Bien, ¿y tú? ?

Mauricio: Muy bien.

-English Translation

Amy: Hello, Mauricio! ?

Mauricio: Hello, Amy! How are you??

Amy: Well, and you??

Mauricio: Very well.

This conversation is read between the two narrators and then the repetition begins. The woman, Amy, will explain what is being learned and Mauricio will constantly say the words or phrases with a pause after for it to be said aloud. Every word in the conversation is picked apart and explained, even used in other contexts besides how it is being used in the conversation. The narrators will even ask questions and expect you to answer them aloud.

The audio conversation lasts fifteen minutes and covers every angle of greeting someone and finding out how they are. An example of a more advanced conversation taken from the Premium Rocket Spanish course is shown at the bottom of the page with an example of an audio portion as well. It is noticeable how detailed the Premium Course can get, the example conversation shown is all about planning a fiesta, or party.

When starting to learn a new language it is important to understand the basics of the language as well as the ability to comprehend full sentences. When learning Spanish, lets start with the building blocks of the language, the alphabet.

Mini Lesson: Three Unique Spanish Letters

The Spanish alphabet is very similar to the English alphabet but there are some differences. CH, LL, and Ñ are three letters that are in the Spanish alphabet which are not found in English. They are treated as letters and are pronounced che, elle, and eñe (enye). It is important to be familiar with these letters to help with reading and writing the language.