IN your efforts to learn Spanish, it’s a great idea to supplement a school course with Spanish language software. And if you are not taking a class, many of these programs are perfect for comprehensive home study.

Spanish Language Software

* Possibly the most well known language learning program is Rosetta Stone. It is easy to use and teaches Spanish by immersing you in the language. Instead of telling you that “la mujer” means “the woman,” Rosetta will show you an image of a woman along with the Spanish word. It also features speech recognition, meaning you can practice Spanish and get instant feedback on your pronunciation.

On the downside, some users have said they would have liked some specific instruction on sentence structure and grammar.

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* You may not have heard of Fluenz, but this language learning system earns high marks with users. For someone wanting to learn Spanish fast for a trip or job, Fluenz is for you. Off the bat, you learn words and phrases in Spanish geared toward the business person or tourist. Yet, Fluenz has a full course study to help you master Spanish. Its interactive program is like having a tutor in your house. And it also records your voice to help you perfect your Spanish. It’s geared to adults who learn better with clear explanations.

The only negative is that it does not offer internet resources or mp3 player compatibility. However, these options are in the works.

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* Tell Me More Spanish is comparable to Fluenz in that it is comprehensive and teaches you not only vocabulary, but grammar, conversation skills, and all aspects of language learning. It is feature-packed, fun to use, and has speech recognition function. You can also put lessons on to an mp3 player.

It’s a fantastic Spanish language software program, but if you’re a Mac, go with Fluenz – Tell Me More Spanish is for PC only.

WHETHER you are learning Spanish to prepare for a vacation in Puerto Vallarta, to strengthen your job resume, or to just stimulate your mind, you will want to start with some basic Spanish words and phrases.

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
Hello	Hola	OH-lah
Good morning	Buenos días	BWEH-nos DEE-as
Good afternoon	Buenas tardes	BWEH-nahs TAR-des
Good night	Buenas noches	BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs
Goodbye	Adiós	ah-DYOHS
Yes	Sí	see
No	No	noh
Thank you	Gracias	GRAH-syahs
How are you?	¿Cómo está?	KOH-moh eh-STAH
Yes, please.	Sí, por favor.	SEE, por fah-BOR
No, thank you.	No, gracias.	NOH, GRAH-syahs
Excuse me.	Disculpame	dee-SKOOL-pah-me
I don't understand.	No entiendo	noh en-TYEHN-doh
How much is it?	¿Cuanto cuesta?	KWAN-toh KWEHS-tah
Where is . . .?	¿Dónde está . . . ?	DOHN-deh eh-STAH
Do you speak English?	¿Habla usted inglés?	AH-blah oo-STEHD een-GLEHS
Please write it down.	Escríbalo, por favor.	eh-SCREE-bah-loh, por fah-BOR
When?	¿Cuando?	KWAN-doh
Who?	¿Quien?	kyehn
Can you help me?	¿Puede ayudarme?	PWEH-deh ah-yoo-DAR-meh

An easy way to memorize Spanish words and phrases is to use flashcards. Click here to read about Spanish flashcards.

WANT to learn Spanish fast? Or need to learn Spanish fast? Well, there is an online Spanish course you might want to check out that can get the job done in just 8 weeks.

Called Rocket Spanish, it is a digital training course that claims to teach you Spanish in a fast and comprehensive way. Of course, you don’t have to do it so quickly in 8 weeks, but the lessons are structured that way. Nevertheless, you can go at your own pace.

But if learning spanish can help you seal an incredible job opportunity or if you are planning a trip or need a language under your belt to fulfill a school requirement, or whatever your reason, take a look at Rocket Spanish.

It may not be as well known as other Spanish language software like Rosetta Stone, but it is a legitimate company that offers a similar course for less. Most people are visual learners and Rocket Spanish teaches you visually, which is a very powerful way to cement your new language skills.

You can have it downloaded instantly, but you also have the option to have the physical product shipped to you, which is more expensive. But again, the choice is yours.

Other learn Spanish software is pricier, and if you had to take a course, it would take longer, cost more and require you to learn on their schedule – not yours. Not to knock formal language courses, but life can be stressful enough without having to squeeze in a Spanish class that you have to commute to, before or after work, or on your precious days off. And if you have to miss a class, oh well, you still pay for it.

So if you want to be able to speak Spanish on your trip, which can really be helpful or even a life saver, or have a valuable skill to pump up your resume, or whatever, click here to check out Rocket Spanish.

IT’S tough to learn a foreign language such as Spanish, but there are some great tools that can make it easier. One of my favorites are flashcards. Spanish flashcards are perfect both for the beginner and for the more advanced student. After all, at whatever level you are at, you will always come across unfamiliar vocabulary.

Flashcards are small cards with a foreign language term on one side and its meaning on the other. Their portable size means you can carry twenty to thirty cards with you in your purse or briefcase and test yourself whenever you get a few minutes. Some flashcards even small enough that you can pack a few in your wallet.

There are flashcards for learning vocabulary words, for learning phrases, for learning grammar. Some include a picture with each word to aid with memorization and phonetic pronunciation guide, some include sample sentences, and others include just the basics. Often they are organized by categories such as food, numbers, work, travel and so on. So if you’re traveling you can choose the travel and food cards to help you get your message across while you are on your trip.

Check out this selection of Spanish flashcards to choose from. They’re an inexpensive, easy and fun way to build your Spanish language skills.