Lessons for English speakers
Learn to read Spanish
A short, active path into reading Spanish: five vowels that never move, nine real words decoded before the alphabet, ser against estar, the verb ending that replaces the pronoun, and two short stories before your first book.
13 core sections · ≈ 34 min + 3 optional lookups · ≈ 50 min with everything
Words
2 sections9
The words the two stories are made of
≈ 2 min
What you'll learn
- A short list: the two readings at the end are built out of it.
- hayeye means both there is and there are, and enehn covers in, on and at.
- el aguaehl AH-gwah is feminine and still takes el.
Out of doors, and the cast
| English | Spanish | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|
| sun | el solehl sohl | tree | el árbolehl AHR-bohl |
| day | el díaehl DEE-ah | road | el caminoehl kah-MEE-noh |
| rain | la lluvialah YOO-byah | water | el aguaehl AH-gwah |
| wind | el vientoehl BYEHN-toh | hunger | el hambreehl AHM-breh |
| friend | el amigoehl ah-MEE-goh / la amiga | brother, sister | el hermanoehl ehr-MAH-noh, la hermana |
el día ends in -a and is masculine anyway — the -o and -a guess is not a law. agua is feminine but takes el, a sound rule for a loud starting a-beat. The word lookup has twelve animals.
There are many birds in the tree.
Hay muchos pájaros en el árbol.
eye MOO-chohs PAH-hah-rohs ehn ehl AHR-bohl
hayeye is there is and there are; enehn covers in, on and at.
Two from long ago, one from here
No hints on the first two — you decoded them at the start.
- lluvia
Show answer +Hide answer −
la lluvialah YOO-byah“the rain” - agua
Show answer +Hide answer −
el aguaehl AH-gwah“the water” — feminine, and still el. - Hay pocos pájaros aquí.
One shape for one or many.
Show answer +Hide answer −
Hay pocos pájaros aquí.eye POH-kohs PAH-hah-rohs ah-KEE“There are few birds here”