Foundations

Greetings & Goodbyes (Tú vs. Usted)

Lesson 1-1 will introduce you to essential Spanish greetings and pronunciation. You'll practice greetings for various situations, understanding that "usted" is often the safer, more formal choice in Latin America, especially with strangers or elders. Key vocabulary like Hola, Adiós, ¿Cómo está?, and Bien, gracias will be covered. For self-study, focus on time-of-day greetings, regional formality differences, and basic sentence structures, ensuring you practice the vocabulary.

Introductions & Names (Llamarse)

This lesson will teach you to introduce yourself and ask for others' names using the verb llamarse. You'll practice phrases like Me llamo..., ¿Cómo se llama (usted)?, and ¿Cómo te llamas (tú)?, along with polite responses such as Se llama.... We'll also cover pleasantries like Mucho gusto and Encantado/a. For self-study, focus on conjugating llamarse, reviewing possessive adjectives (like mi, tu, su), and familiarizing yourself with phrases like Igualmente and mi/su nombre es....

Origins & Nationalities (Ser + Nationalities)

This lesson will focus on stating your nationality/origin and asking others where they're from, using the verb ser. You'll learn phrases like ¿De dónde es (usted)?, ¿De dónde eres (tú)?, Soy de [País], and Soy [nacionalidad]. We'll also cover basic adjective agreement for nationalities (e.g., mexicano/mexicana). For self-study, master ser conjugation (soy, eres, es, somos, son), learn common Latin American countries/nationalities, and review gender/number agreement rules for adjectives.

Essential Politeness & Understanding

This lesson will cover using politeness phrases in everyday scenarios, such as asking for items, apologizing, and indicating understanding. You'll practice phrases like Por favor, Gracias, De nada/Con gusto, Perdón, Disculpe, and Lo siento. We'll also learn to understand cues like Sí and No, and express confusion with No entiendo, ¿Puede repetir?, or Más despacio, por favor. For self-study, review these phrases and their appropriate usage to boost your conversational skills.

Numbers 0-20 & Contact Info (Tener)

This lesson will focus on numbers 0-20 and using them to exchange phone numbers. You'll use the verb tener in role-play to ask for and give contact information, with phrases like ¿Cuál es su/tu número? and Mi número es.... Vocabulary will include número, teléfono, and celular. For self-study, review numbers 0-100, practice tener conjugation (tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen), and continue reviewing vocabulary, including terms for "mobile phone."

In the Café/Restaurant (Ordering Basics)

1-1 Focus: Role-play ordering common drinks/simple snacks (Quiero..., ¿Me trae...?). Asking for the bill (La cuenta, por favor). Self-Study: Querer conjugation (quiero, quieres...), Definite/Indefinite Articles (un, una, el, la, los, las) explained, more café/food vocabulary. Interactive menu exercise. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Café (tinto, con leche), agua, gaseosa/refresco, jugo (vs. zumo), cerveza, empanada, arepa (if relevant), sándwich, quiero, para aquí / para llevar, la cuenta.

Basic Food & Likes/Dislikes (Gustar)

1-1 Focus: Talking about food likes/dislikes using me gusta(n)/te gusta(n). Ask questions: ¿Te gusta...? Self-Study: Gustar structure explanation (with indirect object pronouns: me, te, le, nos, les), more food vocabulary (fruits, vegetables, meats common in LatAm), Present tense of comer, beber. Worksheet matching food to like/dislike sentences. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Common food items (arroz, frijoles, pollo, carne, pescado, papas/patatas, aguacate, plátano), comer, beber, me/te gusta(n), no me/te gusta(n).

Asking for Items in Shops (Tener/Haber impersonal)

1-1 Focus: Practice asking ¿Tiene(n)...? in various shop scenarios (bakery, pharmacy, tienda de abarrotes). Introduce Hay...? (Is/Are there...?). Self-Study: Tener review, introduce hay (impersonal form of haber), types of common shops, more shopping vocabulary. Quiz: Choose Tener or Hay. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): ¿Tiene...?, Hay...?, Necesito..., panadería, farmacia, tienda (de abarrotes), mercado, ¿Algo más?, Nada más.

Basic Directions (Estar + Locations)

1-1 Focus: Role-play asking for directions (¿Dónde está...?) and understanding simple answers (a la derecha/izquierda, derecho/recto, cerca/lejos). Use estar for location. Self-Study: Estar conjugation (estoy, estás...), Prepositions of place (list + diagrams), common places (bank, supermarket, plaza). Map activity: Give directions based on a simple map. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): ¿Dónde está...?, Está..., cerca (de), lejos (de), aquí, allí, a la derecha, a la izquierda, derecho/recto, bank (banco), supermarket (supermercado), main square (plaza), street (calle), avenue (avenida), block (cuadra).

Telling Time & Basic Daily Routine

1-1 Focus: Practice asking/telling time. Mentioning 1-2 key daily actions (Me levanto a las..., Trabajo de... a...). Self-Study: Telling time rules (Es la una, Son las... + quarter/half hours), introduction to reflexive verbs concept (levantarse, acostarse) + conjugation pattern, more daily routine verbs (desayunar, almorzar, cenar, trabajar, estudiar). Worksheet on times/routines. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): ¿Qué hora es?, Es la.../Son las..., y cuarto/media, menos cuarto, de la mañana/tarde/noche, levantarse, desayunar, almorzar (common midday meal term in LatAm), cenar, trabajar.

Family & Describing People (Ser/Estar + Adjectives)

1-1 Focus: Describe family members/friends using ser (permanent traits) and estar (conditions). Practice adjective agreement. Use photos for prompts. Self-Study: Ser vs. Estar detailed explanation for descriptions, adjective agreement rules (gender/number), list of common adjectives (physical/personality). Worksheet: Describe people using ser/estar correctly. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Familia (padre, madre, hermano/a, hijo/a, esposo/a), amigo/a, ser alto/bajo, joven/mayor, simpático/amable, estar contento/triste/cansado/enfermo.

Talking About Your Day (More Routine & Reflexives)

1-1 Focus: Describe daily routine in more sequence using more verbs, including reflexives (me ducho, me visto). Practice using time expressions (primero, luego, después). Self-Study: More reflexive verbs list & conjugation (ducharse, vestirse, peinarse), more regular/irregular present tense verbs (ir, hacer, salir), sequence connectors. Activity: Write about your typical day. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Ducharse, vestirse, ir al trabajo/a clase, volver a casa, empezar, terminar, antes de, después de, primero, luego.

Making Simple Plans (Ir a + Infinitive)

1-1 Focus: Practice talking about immediate future plans (tonight, tomorrow, weekend) using Ir a + Infinitive. Making simple invitations (¿Quieres...?). Self-Study: Ir conjugation review, formation/use of Ir a + Infinitive, time expressions for future (esta noche, mañana, el fin de semana, la próxima semana), common leisure activities verbs (ver una película, salir con amigos, comer fuera). Quiz on forming future plans. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Voy/Vas/Va... a + [verb], esta noche, mañana, el fin de semana, ¿Qué vas a hacer?, ¿Quieres ir a...?

Yesterday - Simple Past (Preterite - Regular Verbs)

1-1 Focus: Talk about completed actions yesterday using regular -AR, -ER, -IR preterite forms (hablé, comí, viví). Answer ¿Qué hiciste ayer? Self-Study: Preterite tense formation for regular verbs (charts), use of preterite for completed past actions, past time expressions (ayer, anoche, la semana pasada). Worksheet: Conjugate verbs in preterite, write sentences about yesterday. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Ayer, anoche, trabajé, estudié, comí, bebí, salí (regular pattern for -ir), terminé. (Focus on using a few key verbs).

In the Restaurant (Full Meal & Politeness)

1-1 Focus: Role-play ordering a full meal (starter, main, dessert, drink). Use polite requests (¿Me puede traer...? Quisiera...). Ask for recommendations (¿Qué recomienda?). Self-Study: Restaurant vocabulary (sections of menu, types of dishes), more polite request structures (Podría...?), verb recomendar. Cultural notes on dining etiquette, tipping in target LatAm country vs. Spain. Interactive menu ordering game. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Entrada/Primero, Plato principal/Segundo, Postre, Bebida, Camarero/Mesero, ¿Me trae/puede traer...?, Quisiera..., ¿Qué nos recomienda?, Para mí..., cuenta.

More Past Events (Preterite - Key Irregulars: Ser/Ir, Hacer, Tener, Estar)

1-1 Focus: Narrate a simple sequence of events from last weekend/a trip using fui, hice, tuve, estuve. Self-Study: Preterite conjugations of ser/ir, hacer, tener, estar (charts + practice), more past time expressions (el mes/año pasado, hace X tiempo), travel/activity verbs (viajar, visitar, comprar, ver). Worksheet: Fill in the blanks with correct irregular preterite. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): El fin de semana pasado..., Fui a..., Hice [actividad], Tuve que..., Estuve en...

Descriptions in the Past (Imperfect Intro - Ser, Estar, Haber)

1-1 Focus: Describe how things were using era, estaba, había. (e.g., Mi ciudad era pequeña. Había pocos carros.) Set the scene for a past story. Self-Study: Imperfect tense formation/use for descriptions, setting scenes, ongoing past actions. Focus on ser (era...), estar (estaba...), haber (había). Comparison charts/examples of Preterite vs. Imperfect use cases (start simple). Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Era, Estaba (+ adjective/location), Había (there was/were), cuando era niño/a, antes.

Habitual Actions in the Past (Imperfect - Regulars)

1-1 Focus: Talk about things you used to do using regular imperfect verbs (jugaba, comía, vivía). Contrast past habits with present reality (Antes vivía..., ahora vivo...). Self-Study: Imperfect tense formation for regular -AR, -ER, -IR verbs. More examples contrasting Preterite (specific event) vs. Imperfect (habitual/ongoing/description). Common "used to" vocabulary (siempre, a menudo, todos los días). Exercise: Choose Preterite or Imperfect. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): -aba / -ía endings. De niño/a..., Siempre..., Normalmente..., jugaba, comía, vivía, iba.

Shopping for Clothes (Sizes, Colors, Opinions)

1-1 Focus: Role-play clothes shopping: ask for items, sizes (talla), colors; ask to try on (probarse); give simple opinions (Me queda bien/mal). Use demonstratives (este/ese). Self-Study: Clothes vocabulary (LatAm variations e.g., camiseta/playera/remera, pantalones/jeans, chaqueta/chamarra/campera), Colors, Sizes, Numbers review, Demonstrative adjectives (este, ese, aquel + feminine/plural forms), Comparatives (más/menos... que). Interactive shopping scenario. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Tienda de ropa, ¿Tiene esta [prenda] en talla [M] / en [color]?, ¿Me puedo probar [esto]?, probadores, Me queda bien/mal/grande/pequeño, este/esta, ese/esa.

At the Market (Quantities)

1-1 Focus: Role-play buying food at a market (mercado), asking for quantities (kilo, medio kilo, un litro, Trescientos gramos). Ask price (¿Cuánto cuesta/vale?). Self-Study: Food vocabulary review/expansion (specific LatAm fruits/veg), weights/measures (kilo, gramo, litro, docena, libra), asking prices, numbers 100+. Cultural note on bargaining (where appropriate). Worksheet on quantities. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Mercado, puesto, ¿A cuánto está el kilo de...? / ¿Cuánto cuesta...?, Deme (Give me - polite command) un kilo de..., medio kilo, 100 gramos de..., una docena de...

Expressing Opinions & Preferences (Creo que, Preferir)

1-1 Focus: Give simple opinions (Creo que es..., Pienso que...) about familiar topics (food, places). Express preferences using preferir. Introduce basic direct object pronouns (lo/la/los/las) naturally in answers (¿Te gusta la película? Sí, la vi ayer.). Self-Study: Opinion phrases (Creo que, Pienso que, En mi opinión, Para mí), Preferir (e->ie) stem-changing verb conjugation, direct object pronouns explanation and practice. Worksheet: Write opinions, replace nouns with DOPs. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Creo que..., Pienso que..., Prefiero (esto) a (aquello), ¿Qué opinas de...?, bueno/malo, interesante/aburrido, rico/delicioso (for food). lo/la.

Talking About Health (Doler, Tener, Estar)

1-1 Focus: Role-play explaining symptoms: Me duele(n)..., Tengo..., Estoy... Self-Study: Body parts vocabulary, Doler (o->ue) structure (me duele la cabeza, me duelen los pies), Tener for symptoms (tener fiebre, tos, frío, dolor de...), Estar for states (estar enfermo/a, resfriado/a, mareado/a). Health/pharmacy related vocab. Quiz on matching symptoms to phrases. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Me duele la cabeza/garganta/estómago/espalda, Tengo fiebre/tos, Estoy resfriado/a / Tengo gripa (common in some LatAm), médico/doctor(a), farmacia.

Appointments & Formal Requests (Podría, Quisiera)

1-1 Focus: Role-play calling to make an appointment (Quisiera hacer una cita). Making polite requests in formal settings (¿Podría decirme...?). Practice using Usted. Self-Study: Conditional forms podría, gustaría, querría for politeness. Review Usted commands (simple ones like Dígame, Espere). Vocabulary for appointments (cita, hora, día, disponible). Dialogue fill-in-the-blanks. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Quisiera/Me gustaría hacer una cita con..., ¿Para qué día/hora?, ¿Podría ayudarme?, ¿Podría decirme dónde está...?

Giving Instructions & Directions (Imperatives - Tú/Usted)

1-1 Focus: Practice giving simple instructions using tú commands (e.g., directions: gira, sigue, cruza). Briefly introduce usted commands for politeness (gire, siga, cruce). Self-Study: Formation of affirmative tú and usted commands (regular & key irregulars: ven, di, sal, haz, ten, ve, pon, sé). Sequence words (primero, luego, después, finalmente). Cooking verbs/recipe context. Worksheet: Transform infinitives to commands. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Direction verbs (girar, seguir, cruzar, tomar), primero, luego, después. Command forms like: Sigue derecho, Gira a la izquierda, Tome la segunda calle.

Dealing with Simple Problems (Estar roto, No funciona)

1-1 Focus: Role-play reporting a problem (El aire acondicionado no funciona. La ducha está rota.). Ask for help (Necesito ayuda). Self-Study: Phrases for problems (estar roto/a, no funciona, hay un problema con...), vocabulary for household items/utilities (luz, agua, wifi, calefacción, aire acondicionado), verbs arreglar, cambiar. Review past tenses briefly to explain when it broke. Problem/solution matching exercise. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Está roto/a, No funciona, Hay un problema con..., Necesito que lo arreglen/cambien, el/la [item].

Hopes & Recommendations (Present Subjunctive Intro - Wish/Will)

1-1 Focus: Expressing hopes/wishes (Espero que..., Ojalá...) and recommendations (Recomiendo que...) using simple present subjunctive forms. Self-Study: Introduction to the concept of Subjunctive mood (WEIRDO acronym: Wish/Will, Emotion, Impersonal Expressions, Recommendation, Doubt, Ojalá). Formation of Present Subjunctive (regular verbs - opposite endings). Focus on verbs triggering subjunctive (querer que, esperar que, recomendar que). Worksheet: Complete sentences requiring subjunctive. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Espero que estés bien. Recomiendo que pruebes este plato. Ojalá (que) tengamos buen tiempo. (Focus on understanding and producing simple forms like hables, comas, vivas).

Emotions & Doubts (Subjunctive Continued - Emotion/Doubt)

1-1 Focus: Expressing emotions about situations (Me alegro de que..., Siento que...) and doubt (No creo que..., Dudo que...) using subjunctive. Self-Study: Verbs/expressions of emotion + subjunctive (alegrarse de que, sentir que, ser una lástima que), expressions of doubt + subjunctive (dudar que, no creer que, no pensar que, ser posible que). Contrast with indicative for certainty (Creo que viene vs. No creo que venga). Quiz: Subjunctive or Indicative? Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Me alegro de que vengas. Siento que no puedas ir. No creo que sea fácil. Dudo que llueva mañana.

Hypothetical Situations (Conditional & Intro Si Clauses)

1-1 Focus: Talk about what you would do using conditional (Me gustaría..., Viajaría más...). Introduce very simple Si + Imperfect Subjunctive, Conditional sentences (Si tuviera dinero, compraría un carro/coche.). Self-Study: Formation of Conditional tense (regular verbs: infinitive + -ía, -ías...). Key irregulars (poder->podría, tener->tendría, hacer->haría etc.). Introduction to Imperfect Subjunctive formation (basic -ra endings: hablara, comiera, viviera). Structure: Si + Imp Subj, Conditional. Worksheet on forming conditional and simple Si clauses. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Me gustaría..., Preferiría..., ¿Qué harías si...?, Si tuviera/pudiera/fuera..., viajaría, compraría, diría.

Connecting Ideas (Connectors)

1-1 Focus: Practice using connectors to link sentences/ideas in longer speaking turns (telling a story, explaining something). Self-Study: List of common connectors grouped by function (adding: además, también; contrasting: pero, sin embargo; cause/effect: así que, por eso, porque; sequencing: primero, luego, finalmente). Exercise: Combine sentences using appropriate connectors. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Y, pero, o, porque, entonces, así que, sin embargo, además, por un lado/por otro lado, bueno, pues.

Cultural Chit-Chat & Socialising

1-1 Focus: Role-play various social situations (meeting neighbours, coffee with colleagues, simple party chat). Discuss cultural topics (meal times, formality, personal space, punctuality perceptions in LatAm vs. US/Europe). Practice applying various grammar/vocab learned. Self-Study: Readings or short videos about specific LatAm cultural norms (depending on student's target country). Vocabulary related to hobbies, current events (simple), local festivities. Review of politeness strategies. Final conversational practice prompts. Vocabulary Examples (1-1): Topic-based: tiempo libre, pasatiempos, fiestas, comida típica, noticias (simples). Phrases for agreement/disagreement (Estoy de acuerdo, No estoy de acuerdo, Tienes razón, Pues no sé...), starting/ending conversations politely.