With so many satisfied customers over the past 5+ years, Rocket Spanish has solidified it’s rank as the most popular online spanish course of all time. Along the way, they listen to feedback from customers to make sure they continue to provide a quality product. What do you think is the most common request from members?

MORE Rocket Spanish! Here’s what they’ve done about it…
 

Rocket Spanish Platinum

In response to this huge demand, they’ve clocked up thousands of hours creating an even more advanced level of Rocket Spanish to ensure that there’s absolutely nothing standing in your way of becoming the fluent Spanish speaker you want to be…

Because Rocket Spanish Platinum sits right alongside your Rocket Spanish Premium and Premium Plus lessons in the Rocket Spanish Learning Lounge, you can have access to even more advanced lessons that build on the topics you have enjoyed so far – without waiting to complete each stage.

Whether you’re interested in traveling; living in a Spanish-speaking country; speaking with Spanish-speaking family, friends or colleagues; or mastering Spanish for any other reason, the new Rocket Spanish Platinum is packed with even more great conversations that you can take part in, as well as grammar tips and cultural insights to give your Spanishh that extra boost!

You will have seven additional topics to choose from, including socializing, food, relationships, Latin American culture, travel destinations, talking business and the family.

The lessons in this new course are just as flexible and learner-friendly as the Rocket Spanish Premium and Premium Plus that members are familiar with, but Rocket Spanish Platinum will take your fluency to the next level.

To celebrate the launch of this exciting new development at Rocket Spanish, they’ll be providing current customers a rare opportunity to secure your copy for a fraction of the full price. Order Rocket Spanish and receive your Rocket Spanish Platinum discount.
 

The Podcast Mixed With Spanish: Learning Spanish with the aid of a Podcast is great because there will always be a new episode to listen to. You can go back, of course, if you need to review a previous lesson as well. There are so many different Podcasts to choose from and new ones always being added (just like in the App store). When searching in the iTunes store under “learn spanish” it appears that every Podcast subscription is free. There should be no hesitation to try out more than one subscription, because no money will be lost if you do not find it helpful. Listening to these Podcasts in the car or while you are doing work around the house is a great start to immersing yourself in the language. It is important that once you find a Podcast you enjoy listening to, that you stay persistent with hearing the latest episodes. Below is an inside scoop regarding a few of the “learn Spanish” Podcasts. Make sure you always read the description and customer reviews to find the right Podcast to suit your needs.

Learn Spanish Podcasts:

• Coffee Break Spanish - This Podcast is the first to show up in the search results and has the highest popularity rating. It is put on by Radio Lingua Network and looks like a new episode is added once a week. So far there are 31 episodes dating back to October 2008, and a full description about the Lesson being taught in each Podcast. They range from 15 to 30 minutes long and are aimed at total beginners. Looking through the customer reviews I noticed “It’s amazing how much I learned in 10 minutes”, “the Podcasts are easy to understand…”, and “It’s a fantastic way to get started in the language…”.
• Conversational Spanish - This podcast goes along the lines of how Rocket Spanish teaches its students: by conversational learning. In the description it is designed for those who have already covered the basics in Spanish and are ready to listen in on Spanish conversations at their normal speed. There are 10 episodes already out there and they are added almost weekly. The Podcast is free but you can purchase transcripts of the conversation that come in both Spanish and English if you would like.
• Insta Spanish Lessons - This Podcast by Stacey Tipton Reiman has grammar lessons involved as well. All of the reviews compliment her teaching style and say how the lessons are brief and simple. She also talks about culture and travel tips in addition to teaching comprehension and grammar.

The App and Spanish: One of the newest installments to the iPod and iPhone is the ability to add “apps”. An app, which is short for application, can be found to download in The App Store. All a person needs to get to The App Store is a computer, iTunes, and an Apple account. An iPod or iPhone would be great to have as well if you want to take these applications with you on the go. How do apps have anything to do with learning Spanish? Well, just by typing in the search field “learn Spanish” you will find that there are over 100 applications on all different approaches to learning the language. Some are flash cards, some are virtual tutors, and others give you insight to culture and the people that live in these Spanish-speaking countries. I am going to inform you of some of the applications I think would be most helpful, and tell you about a few of my favorites.

Translation: The translator application would probably be most helpful if you are traveling. The first application that comes up on the search is called iSpeak Spanish. It comes in a variety of other languages as well and at $1.99, what a great price for your own personal translator. This app also has a voice system that will read aloud what is typed. You can translate from Spanish to English or English to Spanish and you can even save the translations to your iPhone or iPod. All of the ratings were five full stars and customer reviews were positive.

Vocabulary Drilling: As it has been said before, it is great to learn conversational Spanish (like how they teach you in Rocket Spanish). Jumping right in and understanding conversation is critical to learn the language fluently, but in addition, vocabulary needs to be maximized. Byki Spanish is an app that drills vocabulary rapidly with a 3-step game. You can download your own lists of vocabulary that you want to improve on, in addition to their 1000 words and hundreds of phrases. Statistics are logged so you can see how well you are doing and as a new addition to the program, Byki also works with Twitter to search words and phrases. Byki costs $7.99, which is a great investment, since you can request what words you want to master in addition to the vocabulary they have on hand for you.

Tutoring/Classes: If you are looking for more of a virtual class, rather than help in a specific area, you should try out Bueno, Entonces. These applications are Spanish Class episodes created by Miniature Studios and are priced at $2.99 per episode. There are over 25 episodes, and by the looks of the reviews, Bueno Entonces is funny, entertaining, and will keep you engaged in the lessons. They, just like Rocket Spanish, stress repetition, they also make use of graphics and color-coding as well. In January 2009, more than 20,000 people bought these applications and the numbers are even higher now. Joining Rocket Spanish with the venerable iPod is a great way to supercharge your spanish learning goals in a fun and convenient environment!

The Eighth E-mail

The eighth e-mail you will receive is the first of a streak of newsletters that will appear every so often in your inbox. These are basically mini lessons, which you are receiving for free alongside your subscription of the Sample Course. Very brief in length, the e-mails contain a variety of different tools to help expand your Spanish capabilities even more beyond the 6-day Sample Course.
 

Some Examples

After receiving five additional e-mails so far in the Rocket Spanish Newsletter Series, there is still so much to learn from. The first email has a link to a mini audio lesson and goes over “Greetings and Goodbyes”. The conversation and audio file are slightly shorter than the ones in the Sample Course but still are structured the same. The next email contains a .pdf file with a free set of 20 flash cards full of useful phrases and words to download and print out. The next e-mail is the text lesson that goes along with the previous audio lesson, explaining and going into more detail about greetings someone new. It also has a few different exercises for you to work on at your own pace. In the email after that you are given the answers to the exercises to see how you did and below the answers is a review to clear up any questions you might of had. The most recent newsletter I have received is another audio lesson that is 18 minutes long about “Life’s Necessities”, going what to say when you are hungry, thirsty, or need to use the bathroom.
 

Subscribe to a Blog

One of the greatest ways to stay up to date with a topic of interest is to subscribe to a blog. Blogs are being written all over the world by many different people, and just by typing what you are looking for into a search engine, and you are bound to find a credible one. I found a wonderful blog here about Learning Spanish. It is filled with great articles and is linked to a Spanish Dictionary translation website. By checking up on a blog like this one you are able to read about Spanish culture, Spanish food, vocabulary, and helpful learning techniques. Immersing yourself in Spanish is something you can do every day and it can be done all from the comfort of your own home.

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!

Additional Resources

When looking at the dropdown menu under the word Spanish on the top right corner of the Rocket Spanish Homepage, you can be taken to many different places. The Sample Course, the Premium Course, the Order Form, and the Community are some of the selections you can click; the last choice is Rocket Spanish Resources. Rocket Spanish Resources is a free area of additional Spanish help and support in many various areas of the Spanish Language. There is assistance with grammar, verbs, and vocabulary. It is all separate from any type of course they offer, and 100% free to the public to view and use.

Learn Phrases, Culture, and Grammar

“Learn Phrases, Culture, and Grammar” is the first of two sections that the additional resource page has. It is sub-divided into five smaller categories titled: Practice Spanish Phrases, Spanish Grammar, Spanish Verbs, Spanish Culture from Around the World, and Pronunciation. Each of these links is connected to pages of information regarding their titles. They go over all types of verb tenses, explain some of the irregular verbs, clarify differences in the many Spanish-speaking countries, and cover everything you need to pronounce Spanish words correctly. A great refresher if you are about to go to a Spanish-speaking country, or a perfect introduction if you have yet to learn about the Spanish language. There are rules and examples to follow to keep you on track, and if you want, you can even print out the information to take it on the go.

Resources To Use While Traveling

“Resources To Use While Traveling” is the second section in the Additional Resources part of the Rocket Spanish website. It too has many sub categories, some examples are: at the airport, in the emergency room, in the city, and at the post office. This section is strictly vocabulary and is divided by the different places you could be when needing to know some Spanish. Each link has approximately thirty words with the Spanish word and the English translation. These are great to familiarize yourself with because the terms and phrases are helpful, basic, and always useful.

Spanish Words In Business

When opening up a store or running a business where co-workers or clients may speak Spanish, it is important to have a few key terms and phrases under your belt so there are no misunderstanding and communication is simple. Below is some vocabulary to familiarize yourself with:

base salary – salario básico

minimum salary – salario mínimo

payroll – nómina

to buy – comprar

to sell – vender

wage – sueldo

hourly – por hora

days off – días libres, franco

overtime – horas extras

extended leave of absence – excedencia

pay – paga, retribución

How much does it cost? – ¿Cuánto cuesta?

What do you sell? – ¿Que vende usted?

How many are there? – ¿Cuántos hay?

“As a ‘non-expert’ on downloading computer programmes, I found [Rocket Languages] customer service prompt, helpful, polite, friendly and patient and highly recommend the programme and its support structure.”

Jean Keating, Te Puke, New Zealand

How Much?

The prices vary depending on what language voucher you would like to acquire. Just be aware that only the online, downloadable products can be purchased with a voucher. That means hardcopy software that is received in the mail cannot be redeemed with a voucher. The cheapest voucher you can purchase is American Sign Language, at $49.95, and the most expensive are the combo packs at $169.90, Rocket Spanish is $99.95 or $169.90 for the combo. Paying is easy and the form is on the same page, requesting your full name and e-mail address. Below that is a drop-down menu to select which product you want and then you just click the button underneath to be transferred to a secure payment form. They accept all major credit cards and even paypal.

What Happens Next?

After purchasing the voucher you can choose to print it out or e-mail it to the recipient. There is a sample of what the voucher looks like, and if printed out you can put it inside a card, or physically hand it to the receiver. If you choose not to print it, an email will be sent to whomever you wish and they will get it in that form. The person who is accepting this gift will be able to register for Rocket Spanish by going to the given URL and by typing in a one-of-a-kind code. Once that is done, the recipient can start right away with learning Spanish!

Spanish Videos

Sure there are programs you can download, online communities that you can post questions on, and games that drill vocabulary to learn a language, but have you ever used Youtube as a resource? Youtube.com is a wonderful resource to learn Spanish, or any other language in that case. By typing in “learn Spanish” or “learn the Spanish language” in the search box over fifteen thousand results came up. The videos are posted by various members and range in time from a minute and a half to ten minutes. They are quick lessons either going over specific verbs or vocabulary and they all have differing teaching methods. It is a great way to expose yourself to new learning techniques and maybe you will find ways that benefit you more than others. It can be trial and error, but any new resource to learn a language should be given an opportunity.

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.

The Guarantee

Rocket Spanish promises a “no-hassle 60-day guarantee”. No questions asked, if the Rocket Spanish Premium Course does not fulfill your expectations you will be able to get a full refund. That is two whole months to try everything in the course, all of the audio lessons, all of the text lessons, even the games. Your satisfaction is their main priority and I don’t think there will be a problem obtaining that. The premium course has so much to offer and for a low price starting just under $100, it is worth every penny.

The Promise

Rocket Spanish promises that you will be able to speak fluent conversational Spanish in just two months! What a short time to start understanding a whole new language. If you dedicate an hour or two everyday to Rocket Spanish and follow their directions, learning the language will be a breeze. It is all about surrounding yourself in the language and speaking the lessons aloud with Amy and Mauricio. Hearing the correct pronunciation and jumping right into conversations helps to speak it more fluently rather than have hundreds of vocab words memorized. If you do not feel that in two months you have reached the promised potential, then you can take advantage of their no-hassle guarantee.

The Community

When signing up for Rocket Spanish’s Premium Course, you will receive access to a member’s only forum. You can reach the web page through the Rocket Spanish website; it is just like a help center that is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. You have an account with a user name and password, and once logged in, an entire Rocket Spanish community is waiting for you. They have topics about the website, the Spanish language itself, and traveling. Once logged on, you can post questions, comments, and stories, also answer questions that other members have. This is all about continuing to learn the Spanish language when not using the actual software. There is also an area to write comments and questions about the Rocket Spanish program. The best way to improve a product is to hear straight from the consumers about how the product is working and this forum is the best spot to do that.

Motivation by Setting Goals

When learning Spanish, or any new language on your own, it is best to set goals to mark progress. By jumping into books and software with no set time to finish, is like jumping into a bottomless pit. Before you begin, look at a calendar and set dates for when you would like to have new things learned. By focusing on a set of twenty vocabulary words and two new verbs each week, you will see progress as each new week finishes. Have an end reward once you feel like you have conquered the Spanish language, for example start planning a trip to a Spanish speaking country. It can be difficult with no teacher or tests to study for, making it more important to plan out strategically how much time you want to set aside to learn the language. Once you start reaching your goals, more motivation will arise and push you to get even further in your new Spanish endeavors.