It’s important to know that the vocabulary of Spain is somewhat distinct from that of Latin America—just as the English of Britain differs from that of the USA. While nearly identical, there are some common words that are simply not the same as what you’d encounter in, say, Mexico or Argentina. Here are a few examples:
- cochera = garage in Spain
- garaje = garage in Latin America
- zumo = juice in Spain
- jugo = juice in Latin America
- ordenador = computer in Spain
- computadora = computer in Latin America
It’s because of these differences that Rosetta Stone offers two different Spanish language programs. One is geared toward the spoken Spanish of Spain, while the other focuses on Latin American Spanish. And the good news is that Rosetta Stone takes that experience online as an interactive Spanish tutorial that’s there for you, 24/7. Whether accessing it via smartphone, laptop, desktop, or tablet, you’ll be able to build your vocabulary, polish your grammar, and expand your skills in Spanish.
Using the Rosetta Stone Dynamic Immersion® methodology, you’ll learn to speak the language, not just memorize 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. It helps you get ready to handle situations with confidence.
Learn Spanish Words and Phrases
For new language learners, there are some basic building blocks that are a great place to start. These are essential Spanish words and phrases such as who, what, when, where, why, yes, no, please, and more. Mastering these basics can put you on the path to having everyday conversations 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
It’s worth noting that if you already speak another major European language, learning Spanish should go smoothly. Because English, just as Italian and French, has deep roots in Latin, and these languages all share thousands of words with contemporary Spanish. These shared words are called cognates and have significant similarities in spelling and/or pronunciation. That’s why you’ll notice that there are many English words and phrases like the word “city” that sound remarkably similar in French (cité/ville), Italian (città), and Spanish (ciudad).
To hone your pronunciation, you’ll want immediate feedback on your efforts. Rosetta Stone helps you dial in your pronunciation with our TruAccent™ speech-recognition engine. TruAccent compares your voice to native and non-native speakers—so you get the feedback you need for the most accurate pronunciation. It’s also adjustable, which allows you to tweak your accent as needed. TruAccent is a powerful tool for helping you learn and speak the Spanish language.
Once you have learned to pronounce basic words and short phrases, it’s a natural transition to move to the longer phrases you’ll use in everyday conversation. Rosetta Stone’s short, 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.
