Start in 5 minutes: sounds, letters, and stress
Spanish pronunciation is friendly for beginners because most letters have one main sound. Vowels are short and clear: a (ah), e (eh), i (ee), o (oh), u (oo). The letter h is silent, j sounds like English h, and ñ is like ny in canyon. ll and y often sound like y. Stress usually falls on the second-to-last syllable if a word ends in a vowel, n, or s; written accents show exceptions.
Try these out loud for two minutes: Hola (OH-la), gracias (GRA-syahs), José (ho-SEH), España (es-PA-nya), minuto (mee-NOO-toh). Keep it smooth and steady. If you can hear and repeat the rhythm, you’ll learn faster.
- Exaggerate vowels for clarity
- Clap the stressed syllable
- Record yourself and compare
- Mimic short native clips
- Build a mini sound checklist
Greetings and essentials you’ll use today
Start with core phrases every beginner needs. Hola (Hello), Buenos días (Good morning), Buenas tardes (Good afternoon), Buenas noches (Good evening/night). ¿Cómo estás? (How are you? informal) / ¿Cómo está? (formal). ¿Qué tal? (How’s it going?). Adiós (Goodbye), Hasta luego (See you later). Por favor (Please), Gracias (Thank you), Sí/No (Yes/No), Perdón/Disculpe (Sorry/Excuse me).
Mini dialogue to practice: A: Hola, ¿cómo te llamas? (What’s your name?) B: Me llamo Alex. ¿Y tú? (I’m Alex. And you?) A: Soy Jamie. Mucho gusto. (Nice to meet you.) B: Igualmente. Add: ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?) Soy de… (I’m from…). For polite situations, use usted: ¿Cómo está usted?
- Hola, soy Ana. Mucho gusto.
- Me llamo Leo. ¿Y tú?
- ¿De dónde eres? Soy de Toronto.
- Por favor, un café. Gracias.
- Perdón, no entiendo.
Build simple sentences fast
Spanish sentence order often mirrors English: Subject + Verb + Object. Add no before the verb for negation: Yo no hablo francés (I don’t speak French). Questions can use rising intonation or ¿…? marks: ¿Hablas inglés? (Do you speak English?).
Useful starters for beginners: Subject pronouns: yo (I), tú (you informal), él/ella (he/she), usted (you formal). Ser (to be, identity/origin): soy, eres, es. Estar (to be, feelings/location): estoy, estás, está. Examples: Soy Ana. Soy de Canadá. Estoy bien. Estoy en casa. Keep it short and clear in this lesson.
- Formula: Yo + verbo + objeto (Yo estudio español).
- Negation: No + verbo (No entiendo).
- Question: ¿Verbo + sujeto? (¿Eres tú Ana?).
- Identity: Soy + nombre/origen (Soy Carlos; Soy de Perú).
- State: Estoy + adjetivo/lugar (Estoy cansado; Estoy en clase).
Numbers and time in everyday minutes
Numbers 0–10: cero, uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez. Use them for age, prices, and quick plans: en cinco minutos (in five minutes), diez minutos más (ten more minutes).
Time basics: ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?). Es la una (It’s one). Son las dos/tres… (It’s two/three…). Add y media (and a half), y cuarto (and a quarter), menos cuarto (quarter to). For moments: a la una / a las dos (at one/two), de la mañana/tarde/noche. Handy words: ahora (now), luego (later), temprano (early), tarde (late).
- Cuenta 0–10 en voz alta.
- Di tu edad: Tengo veinte años.
- Haz un plan: Nos vemos en 10 minutos.
- Pregunta la hora: ¿Qué hora es?
- Responde: Son las ocho y cuarto.
Your mini study plan + free resources
Consistency beats cramming. Aim for 15 minutes a day of focused learning: 5 minutes pronunciation, 5 phrases, 5 minutes building sentences. Repeat aloud, write two lines, and do a quick self-check. Small wins keep beginners motivated.
Use online tools and a free pdf for this lesson. Save or print a simple cheat sheet with sounds, greetings, numbers, and sentence frames. Add flashcards, a learner’s dictionary, slow‑speech podcasts, and beginner videos. Keep everything in one folder so your learning stays easy and free.
- Daily: 15 minutes (sound, phrases, sentences)
- Download the free pdf for Lesson 1
- Make 10 flashcards (hola, gracias, etc.)
- Shadow 1 short clip online
- Write 3 new sentences each day
FAQ
- How many minutes should a beginner study each day?
- Start with 10–15 focused minutes daily. Split it into pronunciation, phrases, and one micro‑goal (like numbers or a verb). If you feel good, add another 5 minutes for review.
- What’s in the free pdf for this lesson?
- A printable summary: vowel sounds, top greetings, sentence frames (soy/estoy), numbers 0–10, and mini exercises. It’s designed for quick offline review so you can learn anywhere.
- What’s the difference between ser and estar?
- Ser is for identity, origin, and descriptions that feel permanent: Soy Ana; Soy de México. Estar is for location and temporary states: Estoy en casa; Estoy cansado. In Lesson 1, memorize soy/estoy.
- Best way to practice pronunciation online?
- Shadow short clips: play 3–5 seconds, pause, repeat exactly. Record yourself and compare. Focus on clear vowels and stress. Minimal pairs like pero/perro help train your ear and tongue.
- Can I really learn Spanish for free as a beginner?
- Yes. Combine the free pdf, online videos, a learner’s dictionary, and spaced‑repetition flashcards. Keep sessions short, daily, and focused. Consistency is more important than paid features.