Learn Spanish Language Basics [2024]

Spanish Language Basics Guide

This guide was written for Spanish Beginners that don’t know where to start learning the Spanish language. You probably already have your own reasons on whether or not you want to begin learning Spanish or not. You may have doubts or simply lack the necessary motivation to learn. Many people have various reasons for learning any language. So I humbly submit 5 reasons on why you should consider learning Spanish as a second or possibly third language.

Why Learn the Spanish Language?

1. Growing 350 million Spanish Speaking population worldwide.

Spanish is spoken by an estimated 350 million people around the world and growing! Spanish is currently ranked the Third most commonly spoken language worldwide. Knowing Spanish allows you to communicate with a third of a billion speakers worldwide!

2. Communicate with the growing United State Spanish speaking Population.

Throughout the United States, it is possible to have close contact to native Spanish speakers in many cities or in rural areas. Definitely true in the states surrounding the Mexico border, or other states such as Florida that have a lot of Cuban immigrants or of Cuban ancestry reside. 2008 the estimated amount of Hispanics constituted 14 percent of the nation’s total population.. This will only continue to rise. Currently 53% of students attending US colleges and universities are choosing to learn Spanish over any other language.

3. Learning Spanish can enlighten your travels around the world

Ever wanted to visit a exotic and tropical places around the world? Look no further then the great variety of Spanish-speaking countries that have beautiful landscapes that match that description. Whether it’s Central America or Spain, knowing the Spanish language will enhance your experience with the Spanish locals.

Knowing a countries language and culture before you visit, can give you a better understanding than someone then a non-Spanish speaker. It’s always easier and more enjoyable when you can speak Spanish fluently with native speakers when you travel. Putting forth just a little effort into learning the Spanish language can improve your appreciation of the places you visit.

4. Learning Spanish can improve your employment chances.

Additional skills such as knowing a second language can be beneficial when looking for a job in this troubled market today. In fact, many jobs today require a minimum of basic proficiency in another language.

Especially when the business world becoming more international and global, contact with people from other countries in the word is becoming more necessary. Just having a basic knowledge in another language separates you from other applicants for a job you are applying for. Such jobs include nurses, social workers, teachers, salespeople, translators, and much more. Often Bilingual employees receive larger salaries then their monolingual counterparts. Cause after all, who couldn’t use more cash?

5. Learn Spanish to make lifelong friends.

The most important reason to learn any language is to communicate with people around you. Some people don’t realize this fact because they are usually intimidated at meeting new people that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Communicating with someone in their fluent language is a great icebreaker and allows you to connect better then using hand gestures or body language.

Even though becoming fluent in Spanish can take it’s toll of effort, dedication, and the time learning the language. The benefits can be much greater for your relationships at home and aboard.

---

Learn Spanish Alphabet

Learning to read the Spanish Alphabet should be the first stop for Spanish beginners.

Spanish used to have 30 letters until 3 of them were removed(Ch, ll, and rr). Spanish has 27 letters, 26 from the English Alphabet with the letter “ñ” added in plus different pronunciation as well.

The Spanish Alphabet currently contains twenty-seven letters including the twenty-six from the English Alphabet with extra letter ñ.

Some Spanish letters of the Spanish Alphabet are pronounced differently than their English counterparts.

There are two kinds of syllables in Spanish:

• Stressed (tónicas)
• Unstressed (átonas).

One-syllable words will be either tónicas or átonas. In words with more that one syllable, only one can be stressed. Spanish as changed over recent years, removing letters from the Spanish Alphabet.

So make sure to practice pronouncing and writing the Spanish Alphabet whenever you can. As many times as you can.

Practice with the Spanish alphabet with pictures below:

Spanish Alphabet Chart

---

How many words in the spanish language?
The Spanish Language has about 150,000 Official Words

Learn Spanish Numbers

Spanish numbers are similar to English but with a different pronunciation. Further information about both the Spanish Alphabet and Spanish Numbers linked below.

Understanding how to write Spanish numbers should take very little time and effort to learn.

Spanish numbers are easy to understand because they are written exactly like English Numbers but are pronounced differently.

It’s actually pretty straightforward when it comes to learning how to use the Spanish number system.

Pronouncing Spanish numbers on the other hands get a little bit tricky. Spanish numbers 1 to 10 should be your primary focus when you begin.

Spanish Numbers 1-10

Spanish Vocabulary for Times/Day
Today	hoy
Tomorrow	manana
Yesterday	ayer
Tonight	esta noche
Morning	manana
Afternoon	tarde

---

Spanish Numbers 1-100

Spanish Numbers beginning at twenty gain prefixes and on top of that add “y” to the mix. So overall the pattern becomes an appropriate prefix + y + base number.

Spanish numbers after gain various prefixes added to the base number. To illustrate what I mean, here are Spanish numbers 1 to 100 and their prefixes.

Example of how to write the pronunciation of Spanish numbers below.

Spanish Numbers-1-100

---

Pronouncing Spanish Numbers Examples

Understanding how to write Spanish numbers is really that simple to learn. Only takes an hour or two to fully memorizes the Spanish number system.

---

Learn Spanish Vocabulary

The logical next step for Spanish beginners after learning the Spanish Alphabet would be to start developing your Spanish vocabulary with Spanish words and phrases.

Basic Spanish Vocabulary Words

---

Spanish Vocabulary for Times & Days

Spanish Vocabulary for Times/Day
Today	hoy
Tomorrow	manana
Yesterday	ayer
Tonight	esta noche
Morning	manana
Afternoon	tarde

---

Spanish Vocabulary for Months/Year

Spanish Vocabulary for Months/Year
January		enero
February		febrero
March		marzo
April		abril
May		mayo
June		junio
July		julio
August		agosto
September		septiembre
October		octubre
November		noviembre
December		diciembre

---

Spanish Words for The Weather

Spanish Vocabulary Words for Weather
Rain		lluvia
Snow		meve
Fog		niebla
Cloudy		nublado
Sunshine		sol
Cold		frio
Warm		caliente
Windy		ventoso

---

Spanish Vocabulary Words Meal times Food

Spanish Vocabulary for Mealtimes/Food
Breakfast		desayuno
Lunch		almuerzo
Dinner		cena
Coffee		cafe
Fish		pescado
Milk		leche
Onion		cebolla
Salad		ensalada
Beverage		bebida
Tea		te
Cake		pastel
Sausage		salchicha
Cheese		queso

---

Spanish Words for Animals

Spanish Vocabulary for Animals
Dog		perro
Cat		gato
Fish		pescado
Bird		pajaro
Pig		cerdo
Cow		VQCQ
Monkey		mono
Deer		ciervo

---

Spanish Words for Anatomy

Spanish Vocabulary Words for Anatomy
Head		cabeza
Heart		corazon
Brain		cerebro
Lungs		Puhnones
Hands		Manos
Legs		Piemas
Arms		armas
Chest		pecho
Fingers		Dedos
Toes		Dedos de los pies
Eyes		Ojos

---

Spanish Words for Colors

Spanish Vocabulary for Colors
Black		negro
White		blanco
Yellow		amarillo
Orange		naranja
Blue		azul
Brown		marron
Green		verde
Purple		purpura
Violet		violeta
Red		rojo
Gray		gris

---

Spanish Words for Professions

Spanish Vocabulary for Professions
Doctor		medico
Lawyer		abogado
Dentist		dentista
Writer		escritor
Banker		banquero
Secretary		secretario
Engineer		ingeniero
Farmer		agricultor
Carpenter		carpintero
Architect		arquitecto
Postman		cartero
Pilot		piloto
Teacher		maestro
Cook		cocinar
Mechanic		mecanico
Bartender		barman

---

Learn Spanish Phrases

Romantic Spanish Phrases

Romantic Spanish Phrases
I love you		Te amo
I love you a lot		Te quiero mucho
Kiss Me		Dame un beso
Do you love me?		Me quieres?
What would I do without you?		Que haria yo sin ti?
You’re the man of my dreams.		Tu eres el hombre de mis suenos.
You’re thewoman of mv dreams.		Tu eres la mujer de mis suenos.
Hug and Kisses		Abrazo y besos

Romantic Spanish Phrases

---

Spanish Vocabulary For Emotions Feelings

Spanish Vocabulary for Emotions/Feelings
Love		amor
Worried		preocupado
Angry		enojado
Sad		triste
Embarassed		Avergonzada
Afraid		asustado
Kind		tipo
Happy		feliz
Impolite		descortes
Painful		sensible
Bored		perforado
Tired		cansado
Sensitive		doloroso
Beautiful		hermoso
Delighted		encantado
Amazed		asombrado
Hate		odio

---

Spanish Vocabulary Words for Continents
Africa		Africa
Antarctica		Antartida
Asia		Asia
Australia		Australia
Eurasia		Eurasia
Europe		Europa
North America		America del Norte
South America		America del sur

---

---

Learn Spanish Grammar

The Spanish grammar rules you must follow and understand to properly speak the Spanish language. Spanish sentence structure follows a Subject + Verb + Object format to their sentences. Spanish Nouns can be either masculine and feminine. Masculines nouns are preceded by the article “el” and usually end in a “o”. Feminine nouns are preceded by the article “la” and usually end in an “a”. Although there are Exceptions. Spanish Verbs have 5 tenses. Past, Present, Future, imperfect, and subjunctive. Spanish adjectives appear after the noun they describe. More information about Spanish grammar can be found below.

Examples of Spanish Verbs

---

Spanish Accents

The acute accent marks are used as an aid in pronunciation and also to distinguish some sets of words that are otherwise spelt alike and pronounced alike but have different meanings or different grammatical usages.

The dieresis, also known as the umlaut, which is placed over the u when it pronounced after a g in the combinations güe and güi. Umlauts are rarer than the other types of diacritical marks.

The tilde is used to distinguish n from ñ. In a technical sense, this might not be considered a diacritical mark, since n and ñ are separate letters of the alphabet

---

Online Spanish Language Learning Program

Why should you use online Spanish software to learn Spanish?

There are a variety of reasons why being conversant in Spanish is beneficial, but here are some of the main one:.

1. Knowing Spanish can broaden your professional opportunities. With the growing importance of the Hispanic market in the US, an increasing number of companies are looking for employees who can speak both English and Spanish to help them take advantage of this burgeoning market.

2. Being able to speak Spanish can enhance your travels abroad. Spain and the Latin American countries are some of the most beautiful places in the world. But if you’re only visiting them through guided tours, then you’re not really experiencing these countries at their best. Being able to speak Spanish allows you to experience these countries the way natives do, as well as allowing you to interact with the locals.

3. Being fluent in Spanish provides you with the opportunity to study abroad. You are more likely to be accepted to exchange student programs if you can speak the language of the country you’re being sent to. Exchange programs also allow you to earn valuable academic credits toward graduation as well as looking good on your resume.

But what are the advantages of using speak Spanish software rather than learning through formal classes or using other learning methods?

1. You can learn in your own spare time and at your own pace. You don’t have to adjust your working schedule to accommodate classes.

2. Speak Spanish software provides lessons in all the core language skills: speaking, reading, listening and speaking.

3. Speak Spanish software allows you to begin conversing in the language quickly by teaching you some of the most commonly-used phrases and words.

4. Speak Spanish software uses a wide variety of learning techniques, ranging from conversational practice, vocabulary and grammar exercises to interactive learning games.

5. The software includes cultural activities to teach students about the culture behind the language they are studying.

6. The software package provides you with online support from instructors who will evaluate the student’s progress and provide guidance and recommendations to ensure that they are learning the language correctly.

Examples of great Spanish Language Programs can be found below:

• www.rosettastone.com
• www.duolingo.com
• www.busuu.com