Tutorial

Spanish

A practical course to get you conversationally competent in Spanish quickly.

Tutorial·Difficulty: Beginner·12 chapters·Updated Apr 19, 2026

Chapters

About this tutorial

A practical course to get you conversationally competent in Spanish quickly.

Course Structure

ChapterTopicDescription
01BasicsAlphabet, pronunciation, greetings, essentials
02Nouns & ArticlesGender, el/la, plurals
03Pronouns & VerbsPersonal pronouns, present tense conjugation
04Sentence StructureWord order, questions, negation
05Ser vs. EstarThe two "to be" verbs
06Adjectives & AdverbsAgreement, placement, comparatives
07PrepositionsPor vs. para, common prepositions
08Past TensesPreterite, imperfect, when to use each
09Future & ConditionalFuture tense, conditional, ir a + infinitive
10Common PhrasesEveryday situations, survival Spanish
11Numbers & TimeCounting, dates, telling time
12Essential VocabularyCore word lists by category

Learning Approach

  1. Focus on high-frequency patterns: learn what you'll use 80% of the time
  2. Practice speaking from day one: don't wait until you're "ready"
  3. Learn both Spain and Latin American Spanish: note regional differences
  4. Embrace mistakes: native speakers appreciate effort

Spanish Varieties

This course covers standard Spanish with notes on major regional differences:

  • Spain (Castilian): uses vosotros, distinción (c/z = "th")
  • Latin America: uses ustedes instead of vosotros, seseo (c/z = "s")
  • Mexico, Argentina, etc.: some vocabulary differences noted

Pronunciation Key

LetterSoundExample
a"ah"casa (house)
e"eh"mesa (table)
i"ee"libro (book)
o"oh"como (like)
u"oo"tú (you)
ñ"ny" like canyonEspaña (Spain)
ll"y" (most regions)llamar (to call)
rrrolled rperro (dog)
j"h" soundtrabajo (work)
hsilenthora (hour)
vsame as bvino (wine)
z"s" (LatAm) / "th" (Spain)zapato (shoe)

Resources