Photo: Francisco Anzola, CC BY 3.0
Spanish for Beginners: Your First Hour
A friendly, live first hour of Spanish for complete beginners. You will learn the handful of sounds that make you sound Spanish, then greet people, introduce yourself, count to ten and order at a café, and try it all out in a short role-play with other students. We use forms that work in both Spain and Latin America, and point out the differences.
After this hour you can
- Say hello and goodbye at any time of day
- Introduce yourself and ask someone their name
- Say where you are from and where you live
- Count from 1 to 10 and understand simple prices
- Order a coffee, ask how much it is and ask for the bill
- Ask people to slow down or repeat when you get lost
- 0′–5′
Welcome
Know how the class works and what Spanish sounds like.
- 5′–12′
Spanish sounds
Say the five pure vowels, the R and RR, the J and the Ñ.
a, e, i, o, u
say ah, eh, ee, oh, oo
the five vowels
hola
say OH-lah
hello
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 12′–19′
Greetings and goodbyes
Greet someone at any time of day, ask how they are and say goodbye.
¡Hola!
say OH-lah
Hello / Hi
Buenos días.
say BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs
Good morning
+ 7 more on your phrase sheet
- 19′–27′
Introducing yourself
Say your name, where you are from and where you live, and ask the other person.
Me llamo …
say meh YAH-moh …
My name is …
¿Cómo se llama?
say KOH-moh seh YAH-mah
What is your name? (polite)
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 27′–33′
Numbers 1 to 10
Count from 1 to 10 and understand a simple price.
uno
say OO-noh
one
dos
say dohs
two
+ 8 more on your phrase sheet
- 33′–41′
At the café
Order a drink and something to eat, ask the price and ask for the bill.
Un café, por favor.
say oon kah-FEH, por fah-BOR
A coffee, please.
Quisiera …
say kee-SYEH-rah …
I would like …
+ 7 more on your phrase sheet
- 41′–47′
Survival phrases
Say sorry, say you do not understand and ask people to slow down or repeat.
Perdón.
say pehr-DOHN
Sorry / Excuse me
Disculpe.
say dees-KOOL-peh
Excuse me (polite)
+ 7 more on your phrase sheet
- 47′–57′
Practice: at the café
Meet someone new and order at a café, using only Spanish.
- 57′–60′
Recap and this week
Remember the key phrases and know what to practise this week.
Spanish is one of the easier languages for English speakers to start: it is written almost exactly as it sounds, and it has only five clear vowel sounds. It is spoken in over 20 countries, so accents and some words vary between Spain and Latin America, but people everywhere understand each other. The trickiest sounds for beginners are the R and the J.
- Zoom on a computer, tablet or phone
- A microphone; headphones with a mic are best
- Somewhere you are happy to speak out loud
- Pen and paper, if you like. No Spanish needed.
Do I need to know any of the language already?
No. Every class is for complete beginners. We start from hello, and everything is explained in English. If you already know a little, it will be a good warm-up, but it will feel easy.
What happens in the hour?
A short welcome, then the sounds (or, for Japanese and Korean, a first look at the writing), greetings, introducing yourself, numbers to ten, ordering at a café and the phrases that get you out of trouble. Then you practise in small breakout rooms and we finish with a recap. Each class page shows the hour minute by minute.
Will I have to speak?
Yes, that is the point, but gently. Most of the time the whole class repeats together with microphones on, so nobody is singled out. Near the end you practise in breakout rooms of 2 or 3. Your camera is up to you.
How big are the classes?
At most 12 people, so everyone gets to speak and ask questions.
How much is a class?
One class is one payment, and you see the price before you pay. Nothing renews and there is no subscription.
Can I cancel or move my class?
Yes. Write to support@bunevents.com at least 24 hours before the start and we will refund you in full or move you to another time, whichever you prefer.
