Curriculum

Beginner Season 1

In this 40-lesson season, hosts Alan and Lisy will guide you through a beginner course that will teach you proper greetings, how to ask where things are, the future tense, and much much more. You'll hear Spanish spoken in a variety of situations. That means you will pick up both formal and informal Spanish.

	Title	Topic	Function	Grammar Point	Useful Vocabulary and Phrases	Vocabulary List	Cultural Insight
#1	Saying Hello!	Introductions	Greeting people	Different phrases for greeting people			Greetings (handshakes and kisses)
#2	Where are you from?	Introductions	Asking where someone is from	Using "ser" to ask where someone is from			The Andes Mountains
#3	Thank you for your help!	Thanking someone	Expressing appreciation/thanks	Using the verb "agradecer", which means "to appreciate" or "to be thankful for"			Saying "You're Welcome"
#4	Excuse me.	Apologizing	Asking for forgiveness or apologizing	Asking for forgiveness or apologizing			Asking someone for directions
#5	Where is the market?	Directions	Asking where something is	Asking where something is			The Informal Market
#6	What is it? What does it mean?	Buying a gift	Asking what something is, and what something means	Asking the questions "¿qué es esto? (What is this?) and "¿qué quiere decir?" (What does it mean?)			Cajón peruano (Peruvian Box Drum)
#7	When do you want to go to the beach?	Making plans	Saying and days of the week and months	Days of the week and months of the year			Chicama Beach
#8	Getting Around The City	Going home	Talking about future actions in Spanish	The Absolute Future tense			Public transportation in Latin America
#9	Will you play the song again?	Music	Talking about future actions in Spanish	The Absolute Future tense			Bolero (music of Cuba)
#10	You're there? Or, You'll be there?	Making plans	Talking about future actions in Spanish	Future Tense of the Indicate Mood			Using the present tense to talk about the future
#11	There will be a lot of people.	Talking about a party	Talking about future actions in Spanish	The Future Tense of "haber"			Going out late
#12	There are some people, but there'll be a lot more.	Talking about a party	Talking about future actions in Spanish	The Future Tense of "haber" pt. II			Social circles
#13	Mathematics I: Addition	Mathematics	Counting in Spanish	Cardinal numbers (1-10)			The phrase "zero on the left"
#14	Mathematics II: Subtraction	Mathematics	Counting in Spanish	Cardinal numbers (11-19)			Change at stores
#15	Mathematics III: Multiplication	Mathematics	Counting in Spanish	Cardinal numbers (21-30)			Information in the Inkan Empire
#16	Mathematics IV: Division	Mathematics	Counting in Spanish	Cardinal numbers (31-40)			The architecture of the Tahuantinsuyu, the Inkan Empire
#17	Rise and Shine I	Talking on the phone	Saying the hours in Spanish	Saying the hours in Spanish			Breakfast in Latin America
#18	Rise and Shine II	Talking on the phone	Talking about actions that are in progress or incomplete	The gerund ("-ing") in Spanish for generalized or incomplete actions			Coffee in Latin America
#19	Rise and Shine III	Talking on the phone	Talking about actions that are in progress or incomplete	The gerund ("-ing") in Spanish for generalized or incomplete actions, pt. II			Voice-over-IP phone services
#20	Rise and Shine IV	Talking on the phone	Talking about actions that are in progress or incomplete	The gerund ("-ing") in Spanish for generalized or incomplete actions, pt. III (comparing with the absolute present)			Education in Latin America
#21	Rise and Shine V	Talking on the phone	Talking about future actions in Spanish	Expressing future actions using the gerund			Declining an invitation
#22	Rise and Shine VI	Talking on the phone	Talking about sleeping	The verb "dormir", which means "to sleep"			Napping in Latin American culture
#23	Cleaning Up: 1	Cleaning Up	Talking about possession	Possessive adjectives			Cleaning ladies/nannies
#24	Whose shirt is this?	Clothes	Talking about possession	Possessive pronouns			Cleanliness
#25	I enjoy your company... And I enjoy yours as well.	Asking about one's schedule	Talking about possession	The differences between Possessive adjectives and Possessive pronouns			Formal and informal Spanish
#26	Do you know the speed limit?	Driving	How to express obligation	How to express obligations using the verb "tener" (to have)			Traffic in Lima
#27	Impossible	Driving	Saying that some can or cannot be	The phrase "puede ser" (it could be, it is possible, maybe, perhaps)			Bribes
#28	The compensation	Driving	Talking about future actions in Spanish	Expressing future actions using ir a + infinitive			Bribes
#29	The Negotiation	Driving	Expressing impersonal obligation	An impersonal expression of obligation, "hay que"			Bribes
#30	Phone Card Frustration 1	Phone Card	Talking about past actions	The Preterit Perfect			Calling cards
#31	Phone Card Frustration 2	Phone Card	Using direct object pronouns	Direct Object Pronouns			Using Skype to make a call
#32	Phone Card Frustration 3	Phone Card	Identifying yourself on the phone	Use the verb "ser" (to be) on the telephone in order to identify yourself			Busy Latin American cities
#33	Meet My Relatives - 1	Meeting people	Using personal pronouns	Personal pronouns when they're used as direct object pronouns			Family
#34	Meet My Relatives - 2	Meeting people	Expressing that something is missing or lacking	The verb "faltar", which means "to lack"			Extended families
#35	Meet My Relatives - 3	Meeting people	Using the subjunctive tense	Subjunctive Tense			Joking around in Spanish
#36	Love in the time of cholera	Literature	Using the subjunctive tense	The Subjunctive Mood used to express doubt and possibility about present, future, or past events			Author Gabriel García Márquez
#37	I don't even understand an iota!	Literature	Using the passive/impersonal "se"	The passive/impersonal use of "se			Mario Vargas Llosa
#38	Listen to me with your eyes	Literature	Talking about past actions	Distinguishing the usage of the Absolute (simple) Preterit from the Preterit Perfect			Poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
#39	I've got to read it for myself	Literature	Telling someone not to do something	Negative commands "Don't do (verb)"			Ernesto Sábato
#40	The Other Path	Literature	Abstract nouns of quality	Abstract nouns of quality			El Otro Sendero