Archive for the 'Spanish Introduction' Category

Is Spanish lesson 101 making you sound demanding?

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

Personal pronouns are needed much less in Spanish than English. Yet, In most courses personal pronouns are lesson 101.

In Synergy Spanish  we use them very little. Here’s why it’s best not to use them as much as in English.

Personal pronouns are used for emphasis, for example;

Quiero ir - I want to go

Yo quiero ir - I really want to go

So, if you use them the way you do in English, you will sound like a very insistent person.

In Synergy Spanish we only use them only to clarify if there is any ambiguity.

for example;

Quieren encontrar un hotel.

Quieren could mean;

1) They want to find a hotel. (a group of men, men and women, or all women)

2) You (all) want to find a hotel.

So, we use the pronouns to clarify who is being talked about.

Ellas quieren encontrar un hotel - they (all females) want to find a hotel

Ellos quieren encontrar un hotel - they (all males or mixed group) want to find a hotel

Ustedes quieren encontrar un hotel - you (all) want to find a hotel

In spoken Spanish it will mostly be obvious who is being talked about. So, even in the above example, more often than not, the pronouns won’t be necessary.

It’s easy to Speak about the future

Monday, December 18th, 2006

Spanish has several ways to talk about the future. One of the ways is so easy you can use it right now.

So, why make thing complicated. Lets start you speaking about the future the easy way.

First, I will give you a quick recap of the structure from lesson 3. Then, you can practice speaking Spanish in the future with today’s audio lesson.

 
To start using the future in Spanish you just need two syllables

Voy a = I am going to

Just like English you can put “I am going” in front of the verb, like this;
 
Voy a visitar a mi amigo   I am going to visit my friend
Voy a rentar un coche     I am going to rent a car
Voy a ver las pirámides   I am going to see the pyramids
Voy a hablar con usted   I am going to speak with you

It’s that easy to get started, you just need to learn “voy a”.

Best of all, Spanish speakers use this structure all the time. So, you’ll be speaking Spanish the way native speakers use it.

Well, why not get started right away;

Here’s the link to Spanish audio lesson 301

Here’s the link to audio lesson 302
 

Spanish Tutorials

Saturday, December 16th, 2006

Here’s your third of five Spanish tutorials.

These Spanish tutorials take a very different road to the traditional way Spanish is taught.

Actually, taught is probably not the right word, in traditional classes Spanish is not so much taught as pounded into you.

Sometimes, I feel that I am being too negative when I speak badly of traditional Spanish teaching methods. Then I’ll get a letter like this one from Steve up in Canada.

Hi Marcus,

I had planned a trip to Peru in November. Prior to this I had been tutored by a qualified Spanish “teacher” for 4 sessions (the grammar approach) and he pronounced me the worst student he had ever had. I purchased five different Spanish computer based programs and spent ~20h per week.

Learned very little.

Thirty years ago I enrolled in Spanish at university and the professor “suggested” I drop the course after the first week.

Through it all I was asking why someone hadn’t designed a course with manageable bits of info, repetition, and building concepts in a logical sequence. Two days before my trip I found and bought the “Shortcut to Spanish Course” and loaded the mp3 lessons in my player.

I spoke to myself during many hours of climbing Amapato and Coropuna. The guide thought I was nuts but by the time I left Peru I was able to communicate OK.

You have it together my friend!

I just downloaded Synergy after the trial lessons you sent me. Brilliant! I am making progress at last!

Steve
Canada

When I receive email like this, I realize that so many people have been made to feel there was something wrong with them, when there was nothing wrong with them at all.

If you every feel there was something wrong with you and you can’t learn Spanish, please stop.

There is nothing wrong with you; it’s the methods that are at fault.

Learning Spanish is a fascinating journey of discovery in which your mind is expanded. Unfortunately, traditional methods make it excruciating, boring and completely uninspiring because you rarely get to use the Spanish in any meaningful way.

As, you’ll see, in all these Spanish tutorials and the audio lessons that go with them, everything you learn you can use immediately in very meaningful ways. It gives you a wonderful sense of accomplishment and success.

Here’s today’s Spanish tutorial.

learn Spanish mp3

Thursday, December 14th, 2006

Easy learn Spanish mp3 lesson part 2

By now, you will have experienced how easy and different these learn Spanish mp3 lessons make things. In all, I am going to give you five audio lessons, almost an hour of Spanish training.

Best of all it’s free.

If you have followed my work, you’ll know that I give away much more value than most people sell. In fact, many expensive course don’t show you anything you can really use in the real world. Everything you’ll learn here you can use for real communication.  

I want you to know how effective this different approach is, and the best way is simply to show you. That way, you can experience it for yourself. You’ll be delighted to discover that suddenly speaking Spanish is within reach.

Here’s what Carol has to say about the 5 free learn Spanish mp3 lessons

I just finished the 5 audio lessons you just sent me. I had practiced speaking some Spanish two  years ago by using some typical Spanish tapes where I would “parrot” the teacher. It helped me when my husband and I visited Costa Rica.  But those tapes do not compare to your excellent audio.

The way you have organized the content and how you teach us is so much easier.

Carol Childs

Mark purchased the complete course, here’s what he has to say about the audio;

Hello Marcus,

I am really enjoying your Synergy Spanish course.

I wanted a course that I could use in my car to help me maintain the Spanish I have already learned. Your course has done much more than that.  You teach from a different perspective. Consequently, your course is really enhancing my ability to communicate with the Spanish I already know.  Also, I’m learning some new words and techniques as well. In short, you course is helping me ‘Synergize’ what I already know.
Thanks,
Mark Trippe
Georgia, USA

Let’s get down to business, here is your second of 5 learn Spanish mp3 lessons.

Here third of 5 lessons.

Spanish lessons

Thursday, December 14th, 2006

A different style of Spanish Lessons.

So far, these Spanish lessons have only given you a taste of this style of learning. In fact, in lesson 1 you only focused on 6 words, yet were able to make many different sentences.

In lesson 2, you’ll learn 6 more words and a simple communication multiplier that more than doubles what you can say in Spanish?

In the complete Synergy Spanish course, I show you 21 more easy communication multipliers. They are easy and fast to use and let you speak more fluently and with a lot more confidence. You’ll be able to use this Spanish anywhere that you need it.

With this style of Spanish lessons you always can use it right away, just like Charlie did to communicate with his Mexican girlfriend.

Hi Marcus,

I really enjoy your lessons. When I met my Mexican girlfriend I spoke no Spanish and she spoke no English. Synergy Spanish allowed me to communicate with her very quickly.

Thanks again for a great learning tool.

Charlie Wood
Georgia, USA

And Sylvia found it helped her pull her Spanish together, even after an intensive course in Mexico.

Dear Marcus,
 
I just want to thank you for the course which I finished yesterday (I finished the course in two weeks).

I had been through one session of intensive language school shortly after coming to Mexico, and have used various other written materials and computer courses. This seemed to pull everything together for me. I really needed the concentrated audio to get past some blockages in my learning. I am looking forward to more conversation with my neighbors.
 
Thank you, and God bless you,
 
Sylvia Hebron

If you live or travel to Spain, don’t worry, these Spanish lessons work anywhere, it’s the most universal Spanish that every Spaniard and Latino uses everyday.

In remote Costa Rican villages, art galleries in Barcelona or fishing villages in Mexico your Spanish will be understood.

Here’s the next of your Spanish lessons

Spanish audio

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006

What’s wrong with most Spanish audio lessons?

Unfortunately, most language audio is simple designed to make a quick buck for the publisher.

In my opinion, the worst offenders are the audio lessons completely in Spanish “Just listen and you will learn Spanish”, or so they say.

B.S.

The other type of audio that is very common are the listen and repeat audio lessons.

I find them really good… if I have insomnia.

The good news is that there is another type of Spanish audio lesson that works fabulously well.

This type of audio works because you are actively involved in learning. Your mind is engaged and stimulated. Not only do you learn faster than ever, but you also enjoy it.

It’s inspiring as you interact with the lessons, speaking completely in Spanish

It’s thrilling to discover you really can communicate in another language. After each lesson you feel a great sense of achievement and you want to do more.

In fact, some of my students describe it as, “so much fun it’s addictive”.  (In a healthy and enjoyable way, of course.) Like this email I received from Helen in the UK.

Hi Marcus
 
I really want to thank you for the
Spanish course. I get addicted, and
find it a lot easier than the other
courses that I have wasted my
money on.
 
thank you
 
Helen Anderton
UK

Cliff, from Florida in the USA, also found that the audio lessons have and addictive quality.

Dear Marcus,

In just two days, I’ve covered more Spanish
than with any other course I’ve ever tried.
(and I’ve tried many)

It has already (within a couple of days)
given me the ability to think how to form my
own sentences and phrases. It has motivated and
excited me to where I can’t stop working with the
materials. It’s addictive! I having a ball….
finally!

Thanks you, thank you & thank you.
 
Cliff Panetta
Florida, USA

And Francois had these comments

Good morning Marcus,
I have to say I’m quite
addicted to your lessons as
they are very convenient and
easy.

I started with no Spanish
whatsoever. I’m dating a
Spanish seniorita for the
last couple of months, and
in the last week I have
impressed  her a few times
already by throwing
Spanish sentences at her.

thanks again.
Best Regards,

Francois Marchand
France

Some students have even report that they feel a little sad when they finish the course as they miss doing the lessons.

Sure sounds better than feeling lost, doesn’t it?

Now it’s time for you to discover a new way to start speaking Spanish. Here is the first synergy Spanish audio lesson.

You really can Speak Spanish

Friday, December 8th, 2006

Can you really Speak Spanish?

Yes, no question.

It’s time for you to use Synergy Spanish in real-world practice, you’ll find out for yourself that you really can speak Spanish.

Today, I am posting your first lesson.

The secret for you to successfully communicate in Spanish is simply learning some easy patterns. Today’s lesson shows you how to combine Spanish word to make 1000s of sentences from just a handful of words.

The patterns combine Synergy Verbs with Brick and Mortar words.

It’s very easy to use these patterns and communicate. It doesn’t what age you are, what success or failure you have had with Spanish before or even if you feel you have some mental block with Spanish.

Once you use this system, you’ll discover how easy it is to start speaking Spanish in clear, flowing sentences.

Best of all, you’ll be understood by all native Spanish speakers. It doesn’t matter if you are a Brit living in Spain an American in Latin America or anyone else wanting to communicate with Spanish speakers. There are no regional barriers to your success with this system.

In fact, I still fall back on this way of combining Spanish words, and I have been living in Mexico and speaking Spanish for years.

If I am ever stuck for words and just can’t seem to find the way to express myself, I fall back on these combinations, I get my point across every time.

The patterns are very handy to know when I present to large groups of people who don’t speak any English.

If it works for me, after all these years, it’s an absolute godsend for a beginner.

Oops, what did I say at the start.

Enough talk!

I get enthusiastic because I know how this system can change everything for you, especially if you have ever struggled with Spanish.

Here is the introduction to Synergy Spanish and Synergy Spanish lesson 1

Look for a link to an audio lesson in my next post. The written lesson is the foundation, the audio you’ll love; it’s where your Spanish really comes together.

Hasta mañana 

Marcus Santamaria

 

proof that Synergy Spanish works

Thursday, December 7th, 2006

As I mentioned yesterday, I am going to prove to you how effective Synergy Spanish is in two ways.

Today, I am adding a link to some of the success stories.

In fact, the testimonials come in so fast, it is hard for me to keep the page updated. Check them out under get started in Spanish…they’ll give you an idea what to expect by joining me on this journey into Spanish.

As you read the comments, keep in mind I have never solicited a testimonial. All the people have written because they are delighted to finally speak Spanish.

Next, I am going to add some links to free lessons so you experience for yourself how this method works.

It does at first seem radically different to other approaches to Spanish.

I don’t pound you with verb conjugations or any of the usually confusing grammar. No complexity to stop you, just Spanish you can use right away.

I guide you in simple steps to use the 138 words in patterns. You will be amazed how many phrases you can make from so few words. And when you finish, even though you didn’t suffer through mindless conjugation exercises, you have an intuitive understanding of how Spanish verbs work.

Spanish classes have let a lot of people down. Some just wanted to add a new skill to their lives. For others, speaking Spanish is vitally important to their lifestyle.

I have had students with medical problems, some with adopted children who only speak Spanish, others have moved to a Spanish speaking country and need to be able to communicate in their community.

So, I take my duty to them seriously and work for months to make sure the lessons are not confusing and give results you can use in the real-world.

Anyway, tomorrow you can see for yourself how this system works when I add links to the free Spanish lessons.

Hasta manaña amigos (until tomorrow friends)

Welcome to Marcus Santamaria’s Synergy Spanish blog.

Tuesday, December 5th, 2006

This is the support blog for Marcus Santamaria’s (yours truly) Synergy Spanish course, the method that makes it possible to get by in Spanish with just 138 words.

No, I am not loco (crazy).

You really can get by in Spanish with just 138 words.
I am going to prove it two you in two ways.

First, check out the comments from people who have literally
changed there lives with Synergy Spanish

From a marriage to…

Home hosted visits in remote parts of Mexico

People working with Latinos who speak little English

Many Brits who have moved to Spain

and there are many other success stories.

In fact, I get letters everyday from people who have finally been able to get by in Spanish.

Second, I am going to give you a series of free lessons. These will show you exactly how different Synergy Spanish is, and how easy it makes it for you to get by in Spanish.

Just look for the links along the side of this blog.

To you finally speaking Spanish

Marcus Santamaria
Spanish communication coach