logo spanish programs

More Spanish, More Effective, Less Money

Become Conversational in Spanish

1. Watch Demo

level 1 spanish course demo

2. Try

trial download
Free 7-Day Trial
Instant Download
start download

3. Get Started

level 1 spanish course buy now
List Price: $199.99
Hard Copy: $149.99
Download: $99.99
order free trial

Learn Spanish Blog

Spanish Learning Updates, Tips, and Tricks

Spanish Verbs: saber and conocer


by CaptainCode

calendar image

May 15th, 2015

comment image

Learning a foreign language is exciting! Soon enough, every learner understands that not everything can be translated directly and there can be double meanings, so language learners need to understand the difference in meanings of seemingly similar words.

Ser and estar (the pair of verbs that both mean ‘to be’ in Spanish) are not the only example. Do you know verbs saber and conocer? They fall into the same category and both verbs mean “to know.” Yet, they are different in a way that does not exist in English.

Saber is used in the context of knowing information, ideas or how to do something.
Conocer is used in the context of knowing a person or a place, or to be familiar with something (software, for example).

For example:

e.g., “Yo sé como cocinar.” I know how to cook.
e.g., “¿Conoces bien la ciudad?” Do you know the city well?

A few more examples:
¿Sabes tú leer música? – Do you know how to read music?
Yo sé escribir en español. – I know how to write in Spanish.
Ellos saben jugar a las cartas. – They know how to play cards.
¡No sé! – I don’t know!
Ellos conocen el sitio donde van a tener el concierto. – They know the site where they’re going to have the concert.
Conozco este modelo, como casi lo compré anteriormente. – I know this model, as I almost bought it previously.
No conozco al abuelo de Estefanía. – I don’t know Stephanie’s grandfather.

Want to learn Spanish verbs? Check out our courses:
Introductory Spanish Verbs
Advanced Spanish Verbs

Top 10 Tips For Learning Spanish


by CaptainCode

calendar image

May 12th, 2015

comment image

Have you recently started learning Spanish and already feel stuck? Our team at Visual Link Spanish has compiled these tips to help you learn Spanish easier. Keep these in mind and let us know if you have any questions.

  1. Read out loud ALL THE TIME. Reading out loud gives you all of the benefits of reading, plus you’ll get really good pronunciation practice. In fact, as a beginner, you should read aloud as much as possible. You may not feel it right away, but all those hours of reading out loud to yourself will help you speak Spanish more fluently.
  2. Find a partner. There are hundreds of communities connecting native speakers with each other! Browse the Internet and try to find a native speaker who can be your conversation partner and language tutor. And you can be the same for them, helping this person learn your native language (and it doesn’t have to be English).
  3. Patience is key. When learning a foreign language, do not expect to be making the same steady progress day after day – or week after week. In fact, progress in learning a foreign language rarely follows a straight line. You will experience struggle, setbacks and frustration because of the lack of progress – and that’s absolutely normal. Hitting plateaus is normal, so don’t let this experience discourage you. Just keep learning and never give up.
  4. Post-it is your friend. Expanding your Spanish vocabulary is easy: all you need is a dictionary and a pack of post-it or anything to make labels. Simply label all things around your house. For example: la pared (wall), la puerta (door), el escritorio (desk) etc. Don’t remove the labels until you have mastered the vocabulary to perfection, including spelling.
  5. Get used to flashcards – again. Haven’t used flashcards for years? It’s time to bring them back! This old school strategy still works. Make cards that are small enough to easily carry with you, and write the English on one side and Spanish on the other. Be sure to ALWAYS have some cards with you. This way, you study anytime, anywhere, be it during your daily commute or while waiting in line at a grocery store.
  6. Talk to yourself -no, this isn’t crazy and there is science behind this approach. When learning a foreign language, most people tend to develop their listening skills more rapidly than their speaking skills. This is why so many language learners may be able to understand a foreign language a lot better than actually speak it. To counter this problem, you can speak to yourself in Spanish as much as possible. Since you will be alone with no one else around, you won’t feel shy to try and speak your heart out in Spanish.
  7. Consistency matters. If you are serious about learning Spanish, you should be consistent in your efforts and consistently set aside the time you will spend learning. More often than not, it’s not about the amount of time you spend but about consistency. Spending 15-20 minutes learning Spanish every day is better than doing a few hours sporadically.
  8. Practice makes perfect. To learn to speak the language, you need to SPEAK. There are no grammar classes to substitute the importance of actually going out there and speaking. Practice with native speakers and other language learners, and you will be amazed how these conversations will improve your progress.
  9. Listen… and listen. There is such a thing as an “ear” for Spanish – or any other foreign language for that matter. The more you listen to the language and try to participate in conversations, the easier it gets to understand them. An easy was to develop a “good ear” for Spanish is by listening to Spanish music, watching Spanish movies, or watching Spanish TV.
  10. Remember: you won’t be perfect, and that’s okay. Don’t expect to be perfect! Learning takes time, so when learning a new language, expect that you will make mistakes, and don’t be embarrassed by them!

Are you looking for reliable Spanish Learning Materials? Check out our FREE Spanish learning course!

La Navidad y el Año Nuevo en España – how much do you understand?


by CaptainCode

calendar image

December 23rd, 2014

comment image

santaclausHo-ho-ho! It’s the Festive Season, and Christmas is just a day away! How about getting a quick Spanish practice while you’re waiting for Santa? Below, we give you a simple excerpt about Christmas and New Year in Spain. Of course, it’s written in Spanish, but the level of difficulty is perfect for intermediate language learners. The vocabulary is easy, and, again, it’s Christmas! Why don’t you try reading it and let us know how much you understand :).

 

La Navidad y el Año Nuevo en España.

Desde el 8 de diciembre empieza a advertirse en España el ambiente navideño, las calles empiezan a adornarse de luces (aún apagadas) y de guirnaldas. En esa fecha se celebra la festividad de la Inmaculada Concepción. El día 22 de diciembre es el comienzo oficial de la navidad española con la celebración del sorteo extraordinario de Navidad de la Lotería Nacional. Es un día muy especial para todos, las calles se llenan de ilusión y la vida, aunque continúa, durante cinco horas gira en torno a la radio, a la tele o a internet, ya que cualquier ciudadano puede convertirse en el afortunado ganador del gordo. Los niños han terminado las clases y empiezan las vacaciones de navidad delante del sorteo.

El siguiente día destacado de la navidad española es el 24 de diciembre, Nochebuena, día en que se celebra (según la religión católica) las vísperas del nacimiento de Jesús.En esa noche se celebra la tradicional Misa del Gallo. Según la tradición, este animal fue el primero en presenciar el nacimiento de Jesús y anunciarlo al mundo.

Era habitual que los miembros de la familia asistieran juntos a esta misa de medianoche. Durante la Nochebuena se cena con la familia, una cena que termina en fiesta, ya que es costumbre, después de cenar, visitar a los amigos o familiares, comer dulces típicos navideños y cantar villancicos.En el sur de España también son típicas las fiestas flamencas, celebrando la Nochebuena cantando flamenco.

El día 25 es un día más tranquilo, aunque también de reunión familiar.Lo más importantedel día es el almuerzo u se suele hacer con la familia más cercana.

El día 28 es el día de los Santos Inocentes, día muy divertido y en que todo el mundo gasta bromas y pegan muñecos en las espaldasde sus conocidos.

El fín de año llega a España con la Nochevieja. Tradicionalmente se celebra tomando las uvas en la Puerta del Sol de Madrid o viéndolo por la televisión.

Tras estos días de fiestas nos queda el día infantil por excelencia : El día 5 de enero : el Día de los Reyes Magos . En la noche dl día 5 al 6 de enero, los niños españoles reciben los regalos de los Reyes Magos de Oriente.Es una noche mágica, tanto para los niños que no pegan ojo por la ilusión como para los adultos, por la ilusión que los niños transmiten esa noche.Es tradicional la Cabalgata de Reyes, en la cual, los Reyes Magos lanzan caramelos a los niños.

10 Palabras: Weather


by CaptainCode

calendar image

August 1st, 2014

comment image

weatherHola amigos, 10 palabras is back with a quick vocabulary lesson. Let’s learn 10 words about weather and weather conditions:

  1. una brisa / una brisa marina:     a breeze / a sea breeze
  2. un trueno:         a clap of thunder, a thunderclap
  3. un cielo/día despejado:              a clear sky/day
  4. un chaparrón: a cloudburst
  5. un relámpago:                 a flash of lightning
  6. una racha:         a gust of wind
  7. una ola de calor:             a heat wave
  8. hay neblina:      it’s misty
  9. está nevado:    it’s snowing
  10. chubascos de nieve:     snow showers

Remember that you can learn Spanish easily with Visual Link Spanish!

Summer Sale is here! HALF PRICE for everything!


by CaptainCode

calendar image

July 18th, 2014

comment image

Summer Sale!(2)We know you’ve been waiting for it, and here it is! Summer sale has arrived, bringing you the amazing half price deal for all Visual Link Spanish courses and bundles! Simply type in promo code JULY50 at the checkout page at www.spanishprograms.com and receive your sale price!

Learn Spanish with our very special Summer Sale, and remember that you can start learning Spanish FREE on Visual Link Spanish website!

The promo ends on July 31, so there’s no time to waste! Make the most of this summer!

Spanish Digital Learning Center LIFETIME Membership: Best 40 Bucks You’ll Ever Spend!


by CaptainCode

calendar image

June 20th, 2014

comment image

Can 40 dollars change your life? YES – if you spend them wisely.

Lifetime membership in Visual Link Spanish Digital Learning Center is exactly what you’re looking for. For only $39.99, you receive access to an award-winning language learning platform.

ON39DLC accommodates your needs from the beginner through intermediate to advanced and fluent levels. We surveyed thousands of our customers and over 1,000 school teachers to create these fun interactive lessons that will help you improve your Spanish, boost your vocabulary and expand the knowledge of Spanish culture. You will find this platform helpful no matter which level you’re at right now, and it will grow with you, meeting your needs as you progress.

Here’s why you will love the Lifetime Membership in Digital Learning Center from Visual Link® Spanish:

  • Verb Conjugation and Drills - Quiz yourself in ALL major verb conjugations in Spanish with over 5,000 conjugation drills -including past, future, subjunctive, conditional and more!
  • New Vocabulary - Learn over 700 additional vocabulary words using the signature Visual Link Spanishstyle.
  • Pronunciation - Brush up on the 5 most commonly mispronounced Spanish sounds.
  • Culture: learn 40 essential culture topics.
  • Newspapers and Dictionaries - Valuable links to Spanish newspapers and an online Spanish-English dictionary are provided.
  • EASY ACCESS, NOTHING TO INSTALL - The course is strictly online and doesn’t require installation of CD-ROMS. You can access the DLC anywhere you have an internet connection!

*This post features a special offer only available through the link provided. Regular website prices differ.

Visual Link Spanish Level 1: Sentence Building and Conversation


by CaptainCode

calendar image

May 8th, 2014

comment image

Visual Link Spanish Level 1

AMIGOS promo is here! Share the joy of learning Spanish with your friends, and get rewarded!


by CaptainCode

calendar image

April 22nd, 2014

comment image

AMIGOS

This spring, Visual Link Spanish celebrates FRIENDSHIP. Introduce your friends to our award-winning Spanish learning system and reap some rewards for yourself!

With AMIGOS promo that runs from now, April 22 and ends on May 23, 23:59 IST, share the joy of learning Spanish with your friends and enjoy a HUGE discount.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Like our page on FB (in case you haven’t done it yet).
  2. Recommend Visual Link Spanish software to a friend.
  3. The friend makes a purchase AFTER the start of the incentive, 22 April 2014.
  4. You message us your name and registered email, and your friend’s name & registered email. Please send your messages here, on Visual Link Spanish official Facebook page.
  5. We send you a one-time-use 90% coupon code which you can use for any Visual Link Spanish course or bundle.
  6. The promo runs from Tuesday April 22, 2014 through Friday, May 23, 2014.

Sounds good? Last but not least, at the end of the promo, all referrers will participate in a lucky draw, standing the chance to win a special prize… Stay tuned for more! ;)

Get 40% OFF Visual Link Spanish Products This Weekend!


by CaptainCode

calendar image

April 11th, 2014

comment image

Did you know that exactly 53 years ago, on April 12, 1961, the first man went into space? No, we’re not teaching you the 20th century lesson here, but just want to remind you that we can do anything we can, and sky’s the limit!

To celebrate the fact that everything is possible if you work hard and stick to your goals, we give you 40% off all Spanish courses this weekend!

Use promo code NOLIMITS on the checkout page, and let’s Spanish it up! The offer is valid for this whole weekend, starting now!

Explore our course and bundle selection below, and let sky be your limit! Remember to input the promo code: NOLIMITS. Shop now!

CHECKIT OUT!

 

10 Palabras: Human Body, Part 2


by CaptainCode

calendar image

March 25th, 2014

comment image

Hi Amigos! today we continue with our 10 Palabras on the human body. Here are the next 10 words for you to learn:

Neck – el cuello
Shoulder –  el hombro
Lips – los labios
Mouth – la boca
Chest – el pecho
Heart – el corazón
Knee – la rodilla
Wrist – la muñeca
Ankle – el tobillo
Hip – la cadera

Explore how you can learn Spanish easily with Visual Link Spanish! And yes, with us, you can learn Spanish FREE!


home icon button home text button