If you want to say the word “quickly” in Spanish, you have a few options. “Rápidamente” or “con rapidez” are two common versions, especially when describing speed generally or when modifying verbs. Want to tell someone to hurry up instead? Then use either ¡Apúrate! (singular) or ¡Apúrense! (plural). Looking for how to tell someone to come quickly? Then use ven rápido (informal singular), venga rápido (formal singular), or vengan rápido (plural).
These Spanish basics are usually easy for beginners, especially if you already speak a language like English, Italian, or French. This is because these languages of the same family share many words that are cognates (cousins of one another) or have similarities because they are derived from the same mother tongue. This is also why you’ll find English words like “delicious” that sound remarkably similar in French (délicieux), Italian (delizioso), and Spanish (delicioso). In addition to what is often very familiar-sounding vocabulary, you’ll find that Spanish also has a fairly straightforward system of pronunciation, not as many irregularities than many other languages, and an alphabet that’s almost a perfect match to English. There are just three additional letters you’ll want to learn: ch (chay), ll (elle), and ñ (eñe).
Rosetta Stone’s immersive approach combines learning vocabulary with real-world situations that build towards a greater contextual understanding of key Spanish phrases. As with most worthwhile endeavors, there aren’t any real shortcuts, but by combining solo practice in the Rosetta Stone award-winning mobile app and practicing with other language learners, you can take control of your progress and accelerate your learning.
Learning Spanish
The basic conversational building blocks are a great place to start. Simple phrases like good morning, how are you, etc. grease the wheels of daily conversation in most every language, including Spanish.
- Buenos días = Good morning\
- Buenas tardes = Good afternoon\
- Buenas noches = Good evening\
- Hola, me llamo Juan = Hello, my name is John\
- Me llamo… = My name is…\
- ¿Cómo te llamas? = What’s your name?\
- Mucho gusto = Nice to meet you\
- ¿Cómo estás? = How are you?\
- Estoy bien, gracias = I’m well thank you\
- Disculpa. ¿Dónde está el baño? = Excuse me. Where is the bathroom?\
- ¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?\
- ¿Cómo se dice ‘concert’ en español? = How do you say ‘concert’ in Spanish?\
- Estoy perdido/a = I am lost\
- Yo no comprendo = I do not understand\
- Por favor, habla más despacio. / Would you speak slower, please\
- Te extraño = I miss you\
- Te quiero = I love you
It’s important to note that Spanish does have some unique pronunciation distinctions that can make it challenging for language learners. As one example, the letter _r _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.
Improving your pronunciation means getting consistent feedback and making corrections, practicing, and persisting in your education until your mouth gets the feel for how to shape the nuanced sounds that make up the Spanish language. Rosetta Stone embeds our patented speech-recognition engine called TruAccent into each and every lesson to provide instant feedback that helps you align your accent with that of native speakers. Developed by both scanning and integrating the speech of thousands of Spanish speakers, TruAccent is among the most powerful tools in helping you learn—and ultimately to understand and be understood—in Spanish.
Once beginners have the Spanish basics that make up the essentials of the language, it’s natural to transition to the longer phrases that are the true backbone of everyday conversations. Rosetta Stone’s bite-sized lessons are built in exactly this way, moving naturally towards speaking with confidence by always structuring vocab acquisition in context with immersive, real-world situations. To advance your Spanish from the beginner stage to an intermediate level, it helps to focus on key tactics that can accelerate your understanding of the Spanish language.
As a trusted language-learning software, Rosetta Stone has experience developing language programs that build confidence. Learn vocabulary in an order that’s tried-and-tested to ensure better understanding of how to communicate effectively in Spanish. You’ll learn the foundations of the Spanish language and develop vocabulary using Rosetta Stone’s award-winning mobile app and software. Engage with Spanish at your own pace, and start speaking Spanish from day one.
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.
