If you want to say “conversational” in Spanish, you can simply say “conversacional.”
When any two languages come from the same root or language family, they often share a great number of words that are related to one another (words known as cognates) or have a noticeable degree of similarity because they are directly linked to a specific earlier language. That is why you’ll find English words like “visible” that look identical and sound remarkably similar in French (visible), Italian (visibile), and Spanish (visible). Aside from the familiar-sounding vocabulary and spelling conventions, you will likely discover that Spanish has a clear system of pronunciation, with rare irregularities. The Spanish alphabet is also a close match to English. In fact, there are just 3 extra letters you’ll need to remember: ch (chay), ll (elle), and ñ (eñe).
With Rosetta Stone’s immersive approach, you’ll learn the language, not just the words.
What makes Rosetta Stone effective is that we prepare you to use your new language in your everyday life. So it’s not just about the features, but what you’re able to do because of them. That way, you’ll be ready to handle any situation with ease and confidence.
Learning and Understanding Spanish Words
Many people make the decision to learn Spanish because they often encounter the Spanish language in their everyday lives. Afterall, Spanish is prominently featured in movies, music and restaurant fare as well as in many other aspects of our culture. Other people decide to learn Spanish because they have upcoming plans to travel to or to do business in one of the 20 countries where Spanish is the official language. So whether you want to acquire Spanish language skills for everyday life here at home, or for upcoming leisure travel or for employment purposes, you will be off to a great start by familiarizing yourself with some of the most commonly used Spanish words and phrases. Learning basic Spanish words and phrases is critical, because learning Spanish grammar alone will not allow you to understand how the language is used by the estimated 437 million people around the globe who speak Spanish.
You will find that the key to learning Spanish is to focus on pronunciation and not on vocabulary acquisition. This proven approach, focused on pronunciation first, will help you to learn to speak Spanish with confidence. It’s entirely too common for new language learners to get caught up in trying to memorize long lists of Spanish phrases or flashcard decks filled with words. As a result, many new language learners end up with little ability to understand or be understood in Spanish conversations. To avoid this unwanted outcome, it’s very important to learn to pronounce and understand commonly used phrases in the Spanish language. This approach— putting pronunciation first—will lead you to confidence in engaging in conversation with locals.
As you may have noticed—Spanish does have a few crucial differences in pronunciation that can make it a bit of a challenge for some learners, at least early on. One example is found with the letter r which is pronounced differently and takes some practice for most new learners. This distinct sound is formed by tapping the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth, about a third of the way back in the mouth. Some Spanish language experts counsel new Spanish learners to practice making the “tt” sound, as it sounds in the English word butter.
Your progress in developing accurate Spanish pronunciation will depend on you getting and acting on immediate and accurate feedback. As a result of feedback, you’ll be able to make immediate pronunciation corrections, and then practice until you get used to naturally shaping the distinct sounds that make up the Spanish language. Fortunately, Rosetta Stone integrates TruAccent, our proven and patented speech-recognition engine, into every Spanish language learning lesson. TruAccent provides you with instant feedback to help you match your accent to the accent of native Spanish speakers. The product was developed by carefully scanning and closely analyzing the speech of native and non-native Spanish speakers. That’s why TruAccent can help you quickly and accurately learn to understand and be understood in Spanish.
After you’ve acquired the basics that are the building blocks of speaking Spanish, you’ll find that it’s a natural transition to learn longer phrases that are the backbone of most Spanish conversations. Rosetta Stone’s brief, 10-minute language lessons are designed in just this way, resulting in your ability to speak Spanish with confidence in everyday situations.
Try Our Award-Winning App
Surround yourself with Spanish whenever, wherever with the Rosetta Stone app.
Download a unit and knock it out on the train or a flight. Select a 5-10 minute lesson and sneak it in while you wait in line or for your ride to show up. And explore dynamic features, like Seek and Speak, where you can point at an object in the real world and get a translation.
The best part? You don’t have to choose between app or desktop. Both come with your subscription and sync, so you can switch between devices seamlessly.
