If you would like to say the word “course” in Spanish, it all depends on what you’re trying to express. Here are some of the more common terms: “el curso” (educational course or something that progresses), “el rumbo” (the route/direction of travel), “el plato” (dining course), “la pista” (race course). There are a number of other variants of the term, as well as verb forms, but the preceding translations will cover you in most situations.
Feeling comfortable with Spanish nouns might seem like a challenge at first, especially since you always want to be aware of the gender of the object you’re naming/describing. But most learners get a handle on them quite naturally—particularly if you already speak related languages like French , English, or Italian. Both Italian and French are directly related to Spanish in the same Latin “romance language” family—while English uses thousands of French and Italian/Spanish/Latin words that are known as cognates (cousins of one another). That’s why you’ll find English terms like the word “celebrate” that sound remarkably similar in French (célébrer), Italian (celebrare), and Spanish (celebrar). You’re also sure to find that Spanish has a clear system of pronunciation—with clear rules and few irregularities. Best of all, the alphabet is almost exactly like that of English and other western European languages. You only have three additional to letters to get the hang of: ch (chay), ñ (eñe), and ll (elle). Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion® methodology teaches you the language, not just the words. Its effective because 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. It helps you get ready to handle all situations with confidence.
Learn Spanish Words and Phrases
In addition to learning the numbers, there are some basic words and phrases you’ll want to focus on first. Mastering these basics can put you on the path to everyday conversation in Spanish. Here’s a more complete list of the basic words and phrases:
• Sí = Yes
• No = No
• ¿Quién? = Who?
• ¿Qué? = What?
• ¿Por qué? = Why?
• ¿Dónde? = Where?
• Hola = Hello
• Me gusta = I like
• No me gusta = I don’t like
• Adiós = Goodbye
• Por favor = Please
• Gracias = Thank you
• Lo siento = Sorry
• Salud = Bless you
To hone your pronunciation of the words, you’ll need immediate feedback on your efforts. Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent™ speech-recognition engine instantly compares your voice to native and non-native speakers and gives you real-time pronunciation feedback. This feedback will guide you in making needed corrections. Then you can practice until your mouth is able to readily shape the sounds that make up the language. It’s also adjustable, which allows you to fine-tune your accent. TruAccent is among the most powerful tools for helping you learn and speak the Spanish language.
After you have learned to pronounce basic words and short phrases, it’s a natural transition to move to the longer phrases that make up so much of everyday conversation. Rosetta Stone’s brief, 10-minute lessons are built in just this way—first teaching the basics, then tackling the longer phrases. This approach helps you acquire the skills to speak Spanish with confidence.
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.
