Pimsleur Spanish I

This set moves at what feels to many users to be a very slow pace, which some appreciate more than do others. There is, in fact, a meaningful difference in the sense of pace between this series and the ones to follow.

For the most part, conversation takes place in the present tense.

Compound sentences and complex questions are relatively minimal.

A few basic exclamations are introduced.

Telling time, possession, adjectives, direct and indirect objects, “por” vs. “para”, articles, a few common conjunctions, relative pronouns, negation, the personal “a”, and “saber” vs. “conocer” are among the topics covered in varying degrees of depth.

Forms of request and command are introduced, but in a limited way. This is done in such a way as to introduce patterns that apply well to other forms introduced later on.

Common terms pertaining to family and friends are used.

Reflexive verbs are explored in moderate depth.

The dialog is mostly situational, dealing with core subjects such as obtaining directions, negotiating transactions (including simple bargaining), pleasure and displeasure, use of numbers, etc.

The polite/formal “usted” is used to say “you” when referring to one person.

A core set of basic vocabulary is introduced, along with common phrase patterns. These are put to use in a variety of ways to develop a sense of comfortable fluency that proves invaluable as the dialog becomes increasingly sophisticated later on.

Both regular and some common irregular verbs are introduced.

The student learns to express concepts such as “too much/little”, “rapidly/slowly”, “good/bad”, “right/left”, etc.

By the end of this first series, the student should be able to navigate some basic conversations with patient native speakers in a polite, formal manner. The student's pronunciation will have far exceeded his vocabulary.

The student should be able to solicit, obtain, give, and follow directions on a basic level. He should also be able to find out how much something costs and successfully complete the subsequent transaction. He should be able to initiate and end basic conversation effectively.

Directions provided to the student are mostly stated in English, but directions are provided in Spanish to a small extent by the end of the course.