¡Hola! ¿Como Estas? In this entry level course, you will take the first step toward exploring the foundations of Spanish grammar and pronunciation, and will begin to build a working vocabulary of common Spanish words and expressions. You will be able to talk about yourself, your family and friends in the present tense, and begin to explore the cultural context of the Spanish-speaking world through a series of videos and interactive activities, including speaking, reading and writing exercises. The adventure begins here, so ¡vámanos!
This course is part of the Learn Spanish: Basic Spanish Vocabulary Specialization
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About this Course
Offered by

University of California, Davis
UC Davis, one of the nation’s top-ranked research universities, is a global leader in agriculture, veterinary medicine, sustainability, environmental and biological sciences, and technology. With four colleges and six professional schools, UC Davis and its students and alumni are known for their academic excellence, meaningful public service and profound international impact.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Module 1: Talking About Family and Friends
The first module introduces Spanish grammar and pronunciation and you will begin to build your Spanish vocabulary. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to talk about yourself and your family and will be able to count to 10 in Spanish. We’ll also discuss and practice the “ar” verbs and the useful verb tener. By the end of the module you will have started laying the foundations of your vocabulary.
Module 2: Talking About the Body
In module 2, you’ll continue to build your Spanish vocabulary and will be able to talk about the body and physical sensations using the verb estar. Building on the vocabulary you learned in the first module, you will also able to count to 100. Throughout the module, we’ll practice conjugating the “ar,” “er” and “ir” verbs in the present tense.
Module 3: Talking About Places and Weather
In this module you’ll continue to build your Spanish vocabulary as we discuss the topics of places and weather. We’ll continue to practice the “ar,” “er” and “ir” verbs, and we’ll introduce some irregular verbs. By the end of the module, you’ll also be able to make comparisons using possessive adjectives. You’ll engage with a native of Mexico and explore her native city.
Course Peer Review Activity
In the final assignment for this course, you will write a brief introduction about yourself in Spanish (approximately 100-200 words) to tell your peers a little about yourself. You will then record and upload a video of you reading this introduction to the class. Click on the Peer Review activity link below to learn more about this assignment.
Reviews
- 5 stars76.31%
- 4 stars16.57%
- 3 stars2.57%
- 2 stars1.25%
- 1 star3.28%
TOP REVIEWS FROM SPANISH VOCABULARY: MEETING PEOPLE
The course is very useful with good structure and enables you to be greatly engaged and learn fast and with ease. Keep in mind that also it is necessary to combined it with other learning activity.
What a tremendous course it was!...I've so enjoy & fun to learn Spanish... its creat more thirst in my mind & obviously it is solved by drinking Spanish vocabulary.. ☺☺Gracias mucho!!
Really throws you into Spanish. I was expecting something a bit easier but in the end this was an excellent course for those who want to learn quickly and get right into speaking Spanish.
I think it was one of the best courses I have pursued. I just feel there should English translation for spanish questions in the quiz for week 1as it is difficult to comprehend in the beginning
About the Learn Spanish: Basic Spanish Vocabulary Specialization
¿Habla usted español? Spanish is the second most spoken language on earth, second only to Mandarin, and growing in use every day. This specialization is designed for the beginner who may have no experience with learning a second language but who wants to be able to read, write and speak Spanish for personal, travel or business use, or who just wants to learn a second language and build cultural awareness. The topical approach of each course allows learners to develop sets of vocabularies that will form the foundation for a broad understanding of the language. Learners will start with the basics, including common expressions, pronunciation and grammar, and work toward building a functional vocabulary of the 1500 most commonly used Spanish words. The specialization includes 4 courses that progressively build on the skills learned previously, and culminates in a project that allows learners to apply their knowledge and language skills.

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