Online Spanish Course
Beyond the personal and professional opportunities that comes with learning to speak Spanish, speaking the language can be a huge asset for travel or in day-to-day interactions with Spanish speakers—at home or abroad. Among the most widely spoken languages in the world—coming in right after Mandarin Chinese and right ahead of English—Spanish has over 400 million speakers and is considered the native tongue for twenty different countries. The largest population of native speakers spreads across Central and South America, but there are more than 40 million in the United States. In fact, there are more Spanish speakers in America than live in Spain.
Traditionally, learning Spanish has involved in-person classes or courses that are tied to Spanish workbooks. Rosetta Stone takes that all online. Whether via smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop, you’ll be able to grow your skills in the Spanish language—including grammar and vocabulary—in a way that allows you to feel confident in everyday speaking situations.
Picking up some basics in Spanish comes naturally for many beginners, especially those who speak a language like English, French, or Italian. Because all of these languages have either direct roots in Latin or a significant number of words that stem from Latin, they share thousands of words that are extremely similar to one another. We call these words cognates. This is why you’ll find English words like “family” that sound remarkably similar in French (famille), Italian (famiglia), and Spanish (familia). In addition to similarities in vocabulary, you’ll find that Spanish also has an extremely straightforward system of pronunciation. Unlike English or French, there are few irregularities in either spelling or pronunciation.
Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion® methodology teaches you the language, not just the words. What makes it 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 and all situations with ease and confidence.
Learn Spanish Words and Phrases
Many people embark on learning Spanish because they often encounter the language in their everyday life. After all, Spanish is spoken across the U.S., and is prominently featured in music, TV, movies, and restaurant fare. Others decide to learn Spanish because they plan to do business, vacation, or volunteer in any one of the 20 countries around the globe in which Spanish is the official language. Whether your reason for learning Spanish is based on business or pleasure, you can get off to a strong start by focusing first on what matters most. And that is learning basic Spanish words and phrases and how to pronounce them. It is the key to understanding and conversing with any of the estimated 437 million people who speak Spanish fluently.
Sometimes, new Spanish learners get bogged down attempting to memorize long lists of Spanish vocabulary. Then they find themselves frustrated when they are without the ability to understand or speak in real-world Spanish conversations. That’s why it’s so important to understand and pronounce commonly used Spanish words and phrases. This practical approach to learning the language will allow you to develop the ability to comfortably engage in conversation with locals.
It’s worth noting that Spanish has some characteristics that can make proper pronunciation of some words challenging for new learners. For example, the Spanish letter r is pronounced differently than the English letter r and takes some practice for most new Language learners. The distinct sound of the Spanish r is made by tapping the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, about a third of the way back in your mouth. Some language experts advise new Spanish learners to practice making the Spanish r sound by making the Engligh “tt” sound, as it sounds in the English word butter.
Acquiring the skills to accurately pronounce Spanish requires immediate feedback on your pronunciation efforts. Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent™ speech-recognition engine helps guide you to the correct pronunciation. Our patented speech engine instantly compares your voice to native and non-native speakers, so you get real-time feedback for the most accurate.
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.
