Spanish pronunciation - video program

“I love these videos - educational and even relaxing”

- Neil. Liverpool, U.K.

"Luis teaches in a friendly, conversational tone, easy to listen to and soothing (without putting you to sleep). His speaking isn't rushed, overly-hyper, or condescending at all. Each lesson is taught at a casual pace so you can pause and rewind to review at any time."

- Leah. College Station, TX

Are you looking to improve the way you speak Spanish? Are you starting to learn the language and want to get the correct pronunciation right from the start?

Whatever your reason for wanting to improve your accent, I can definitely relate. I am a native Spanish speaker who has spent many years learning and mastering the English language. I learned through experience that even daily contact with native speakers isn’t enough to change the way you have learned to talk, especially if your mother tongue often uses very different sounds. What you really need is someone to point out all the differences between your native language and the one you’re learning. Even this by itself isn’t enough; you need those differences explained and broken down in a way that makes sense to you, after which you need to practice, practice, practice. I know, the last part sounds like a drag, but think about it: without the first part, no matter how much you practice, you won’t improve! (Talk about frustrating, huh?)

Thanks to the time and effort I have spent learning English, I am now able to help native English speakers improve the way they speak Spanish, focusing on the commonalities and the differences between both languages.

I know many people don’t want to (or can’t) take individual lessons. Some have to juggle crazy schedules. Some feel most classes go too quickly to really learn, or so slowly they're bored. Others just learn better by themselves when they can choose the time and place that suits them best.

This is the reason I decided to put together a self-study course that will help you improve the way you speak Spanish on your own terms. It can help you whether you already know a lot, or are just starting out. The focus of this course is pronunciation and the way it relates to the written form of the language. You will most likely find that, once things are properly explained to you, reading Spanish out loud is a lot easier than reading other languages, including English!

This course consists of a series of videos that give detailed explanations about the way each letter of the alphabet is pronounced by Spanish speakers, as well as any peculiarities about its use in writing and the rules about the sounds it represents. Each video is packed with information, but also kept short so you can easily choose how much you want to study in one sitting.

Here are some of the things you will learn through this course:

• The proper way to pronounce “J”. Never butcher anyone’s last name again!
• How to finally “roll your r’s” correctly!
• All the possible ways to pronounce “X”
• What that little thingy on the top means (you know, the ´ above some vowels)
• When to use the “rolled r”, and when to used the other version
• How to distinguish which sound to use when you see “G” in writing
• The meaning of the seldom-seen, but often confusing “ü”
• The letters that combine with others to form “compound letters” with their own sounds

This program also includes videos that cover the following:

• All the writing symbols used in Spanish that do not even exist in English. You will learn their meaning, how they change the pronunciation of what is written, and the general rules for their use.
• An overview that covers the whole alphabet, more quickly and in less detail. Watching it is a great way to get practice, and it’s also a perfect quick reference tool.
• The three main elements of speech and how they apply to the Spanish language in general. They are the key to understanding what makes a non-native speaker sound different from a native. One of these elements is crucial in understanding how some phrases can have different meanings that depend only on the way they are spoken.
  

• Accents! I will show you the main peculiarities of speech you will find in four Spanish-speaking regions. Once you master this material, you will be able to choose how you want to sound (you may want to talk like a native speaker in some places, but like a foreigner in others). You will also know what to listen for in order to learn the way Spanish is spoken in a particular place. This, of course, can make all your social interactions a lot more enjoyable.

This program is designed to help you both learn and practice what you have learned. It is meant to be watched frequently until you feel you have mastered the material, and be used as a periodic reference after that.

So, don't wait any longer to get your hands on this! You will have access to all videos the moment you complete the purchase process.

I know this course is great, but you don't have to take my word for it. Check out what others have to say about it:

“I really like it and have never seen a resource like this before”

- Jay. Boston, MA

"Luis's lessons are focused and detailed, with the right amount of information. I appreciate the use of images and the more "technical" explanations on Spanish pronunciation - most teachers gloss over this kind of stuff, and yet it is truly helpful! But most of all, his manner of speaking is perfect - slow and clear, good for someone who's trying to learn a language so different from what one is used to."

- Bianca. Turin, Italy

If you are looking for a "magic pill" solution that will make you speak perfect Spanish the moment you hit the ‘buy’ button, this is not for you. As with all learning materials, what you get out of this course will depend heavily on how much you put into it.

Most of the lessons cover pronunciation for Mexican Spanish (from central Mexico). There are several reasons for that choice:

1. It's the accent closest to being "neutral", meaning it can be easily understood by other Spanish speakers, regardless of the region they come from.

2. A significant amount of people speak this or a very similar form of Spanish, both in and out of Mexico.

3. It's probably the best style to use as base to understand and imitate all other accents in Spanish.

Of course it also helps that I am a native speaker of that style of Spanish :-)

The last lesson of the program covers the elements of speech that most commonly change from one geographical region to another, illustrated by comparing the Mexican accent with three of the most diverging accents (Castilian, Cuban and Argentinian). It also goes over the elements that a person needs to notice in order to imitate these and any other Spanish accent.

After purchase you will be able to either watch the videos online or download them. For download, each video is available in both Full HD and Standard Definition (SD) formats, so you can choose what best fits your internet connection speed and your viewing device.