Gutin - Learn Spanish In A Hurry: Grasp the Basics of Español Pronto!

LEARN
Spanish
in a Hurry

GRASP
THE BASICS OF
espaol
PRONTO!

Julie Gutin

Copyright 2006, F+W Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are
made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

Published by
Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322. U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-59869-086-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-59869-086-6
eISBN: 978-1-44051-752-5

Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E D C

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
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This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

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Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their product are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

Contains portions of material adapted and abridged from The Everything Spanish Grammar Book by Julie Gutin, 2005, F+W Publications, Inc.; The Everything Spanish Verb Book by Laura K. Lawless, 2004, F+W Publications, Inc.; and The Everything Spanish Phrase Book by Cari Luna, 2004, F+W Publications, Inc.

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Contents

Introduction

SO YOUD LIKE to learn Spanish, and you need to do it fast. Maybe youve already booked a trip to sunny Dominican Republic or cant wait to explore the ancient Mayan cities of Peru. Maybe you just got a gig teaching English in Costa Rica or learning how to dance flamenco in Spain. Or maybe you just got a new job and knowing some Spanish would be a big help. Whatever your needs are, you are in a hurry. But can you really learn Spanish this quickly?

The good news is that, yes, you can. But its going to take some effort. This book will help you take that first and crucial stepitll give you all the basics you need to figure out the key concepts of Spanish grammar and get you started with building up your Spanish vocabulary. Use it as you would a map, to get you oriented and headed in the right direction, and youll be on your way to mastering the Spanish language.

Rememberyou cant get lazy! To learn Spanish, youll need lots of practice. Fortunately, the opportunities are everywhere. Turn on the televisionyou may have a Spanish-speaking channel or two to choose from. Start with a soccer game, then move on to national news, and one day youll be comfortable enough to watch a telenovela about a beautiful young woman and her tragic destiny. For lunch, skip the burger joint and head to a taco shopyou can order your burrito con pollo and chat up the server in Spanish. Pick up the local Spanish-language newspaper and start with the headlines. Then see if you can find an international pen pal to practice your Spanish writing. The opportunities for practice are endless!

The most important thing to remember is, keep it going! Language acquisition takes some effort, but its well worth it. So keep reading, and youll be speaking Spanish in no time!

01 / Beginning Spanish

WHERE DO YOU start when you want to learn Spanish in a hurry? The alphabet, of course! You cannot start forming words without understanding the building blocks! When children are beginning to speak English, one of the first things they learn is the Alphabet Song to learn about letters, and Spanish is no different.

Learn Your ABCs

If you remember the English alphabet, learning the Spanish version will be a snap: Because the Spanish alphabet is almost identical, all you have to do is memorize the pronunciation of each letter.

Pronunciation

The basics of Spanish pronunciation arent difficult to masteronly a few sounds dont have an equivalent in English. And learning to read is much easier, too, because Spanish is written as its spoken. For example, in Spanish the vowel letter A is always read as ah. In contrast, the English vowel letter A can represent several vowel sounds: ei, e, ah, and so on.

The Spanish Alphabet

Pronunciation of Spanish Letters

Pronunciation of Spanish Letters (continued)