Skip to main content
Sign InStart

Course path · A1

Mexican Spanish A1: Foundations

Start speaking Mexican Spanish from day one: greetings and numbers, ser and estar, the present tense and the verbs that refuse to behave — plus the sentences nobody teaches you, from no entiendo to why you have hunger rather than being hungry.

Target language
Mexican Spanish
Explained in
English
CEFR level
A1
Structure
21 modules · 106 lessons

Course journey

Every module has a place in the story.

Follow the authored sequence from the opening lesson through the final chapter. Preview lessons remain open before enrollment.

  1. Module 01

    First Sounds

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. The Five VowelsLocked
      About 14 minSay the five Spanish vowels the same way every time, which is most of sounding Spanish.
      Locked
    2. The Letters That Surprise YouLocked
      About 15 minRead a Spanish word aloud correctly on sight, including the letters that do not say what an English speaker expects.
      Locked
    3. Where the Stress FallsLocked
      About 14 minKnow which syllable to hit, and understand what the written accent is actually for.
      Locked
    4. Why Spanish Sounds FastLocked
      About 14 minHear where one word ends and the next begins, which is the real reason spoken Spanish seems quick.
      Locked
    5. Say It From the SpellingLocked
      About 13 minRead a Spanish word you have never seen before aloud, correctly, working from the spelling alone - with no recording to copy first.
      Locked

  2. Module 02

    Building Blocks

    3 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Making Things PluralLocked
      About 15 minTurn any Spanish noun into its plural, and change the article to match.
      Locked
    2. The Subject PronounsLocked
      About 15 minKnow the full set, and know why you will usually leave them out.
      Locked
    3. Plurals and Pronouns, In UseLocked
      About 12 minMake any noun plural and decide whether the sentence needs a subject pronoun at all - working it out yourself, with no rule on the screen.
      Locked

  3. Module 03

    Getting Started

    4 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Greetings & IntroductionsFree preview
      About 12 minSay your name and greet a stranger correctly - from memory, with the phrase off the screen.
      Launch →
    2. Numbers 0-20Free preview
      About 12 minSay your age, ask what something costs, and understand prices said back to you.
      Launch →
    3. Days & Telling TimeLocked
      About 12 minAgree a plan for a specific day and time, and confirm it.
      Locked
    4. The First Two MinutesLocked
      About 13 minGet through a first meeting - greeting, name, age, the time you agreed - without preparing any of it in advance.
      Locked

  4. Module 04

    The Core Machinery

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Gender & ArticlesLocked
      About 15 minChoose the right article, and predict a noun's gender from its ending.
      Locked
    2. Ser vs. EstarLocked
      About 18 minChoose between ser and estar by asking whether you mean identity or state.
      Locked
    3. The Present TenseLocked
      About 18 minConjugate regular -ar, -er and -ir verbs in the present without stopping to think.
      Locked
    4. Gustar & PreferencesLocked
      About 15 minSay what you like using gustar's inverted structure, instead of translating from English.
      Locked
    5. Choosing Without ThinkingLocked
      About 15 minPick between ser and estar, and between gusta and gustan, at the speed of speech - with no rule in front of you to check against.
      Locked

  5. Module 05

    Everyday Basics

    4 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. The CaféLocked
      About 12 minOrder food and drink and settle the bill, from walking in to walking out.
      Locked
    2. Family & PeopleLocked
      About 12 minDescribe your family and explain who someone is to you.
      Locked
    3. Food & ShoppingLocked
      About 12 minShop for what you need, asking for quantities and understanding the price.
      Locked
    4. A Morning OutLocked
      About 14 minOrder, shop and explain who somebody is to you across one continuous morning - producing each phrase yourself, with none of them on the screen.
      Locked

  6. Module 06

    Describing & Everyday Life

    6 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Describing People & ThingsLocked
      About 16 minDescribe a person or an object with adjectives that agree, and put them where Spanish puts them.
      Locked
    2. The Weather & SeasonsLocked
      About 14 minTalk about the weather with hacer, and name the seasons and months.
      Locked
    3. House & HomeLocked
      About 16 minDescribe where you live, name the rooms, and say what is in them using hay and estar.
      Locked
    4. Clothes & ShoppingLocked
      About 15 minBuy clothes: say what you are looking for, give your size, and say what someone is wearing.
      Locked
    5. Marta, 1: A New CityLocked
      About 12 minRead a short first-person account and answer questions about what it says, not about its grammar.
      Locked
    6. Describe It From MemoryLocked
      About 15 minDescribe a room, an outfit and the weather in your own words - with the adjectives agreeing, and nothing on the screen to copy.
      Locked

  7. Module 07

    Getting Things Done

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. The Body & HealthLocked
      About 16 minSay what hurts using doler, and get what you need in a pharmacy.
      Locked
    2. Transport & TicketsLocked
      About 15 minBuy a ticket, ask when something leaves, and say how you travel.
      Locked
    3. Hobbies & Free TimeLocked
      About 15 minTalk about what you do in your free time, choosing between jugar and tocar.
      Locked
    4. Work & StudiesLocked
      About 16 minSay what you do, and use poder and tener que to talk about what you can and must do.
      Locked
    5. Arranging It YourselfLocked
      About 15 minBuy a ticket, say what hurts and explain what you do for a living - unprompted, with none of the phrasing supplied.
      Locked

  8. Module 08

    Plans & Past

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Making PlansLocked
      About 15 minTalk about what you are going to do using ir a plus an infinitive.
      Locked
    2. Talking About the PastLocked
      About 18 minSay what you have done using the present perfect: haber plus a participle.
      Locked
    3. Invitations & ArrangementsLocked
      About 15 minInvite someone, accept or decline politely, and settle the details.
      Locked
    4. Possessives & DemonstrativesLocked
      About 15 minSay whose something is, and point at it — both of which agree with the thing, not the owner.
      Locked
    5. What You Did and What You Will DoLocked
      About 15 minMove a conversation between what you have done and what you are going to do, and settle a plan - without the structures written out for you.
      Locked

  9. Module 09

    Precision & Detail

    6 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Object PronounsLocked
      About 18 minReplace a noun with lo, la, le and put the pronoun where Spanish puts it.
      Locked
    2. Comparatives & SuperlativesLocked
      About 15 minCompare two things with más que, and pick out the best with el más.
      Locked
    3. Quantity & DegreeLocked
      About 15 minChoose between muy and mucho, and say how much of something there is.
      Locked
    4. Saber & ConocerLocked
      About 15 minChoose between saber and conocer — two verbs where English has only know.
      Locked
    5. Marta, 2: The NeighboursLocked
      About 12 minFollow a short narrative across several people and places, and answer from what the text actually says.
      Locked
    6. Saying It PreciselyLocked
      About 15 minReplace a noun with a pronoun, compare two things and choose between saber and conocer - at speed, with no table to consult.
      Locked

  10. Module 10

    Numbers, Dates & Instructions

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Numbers, Money & PricesLocked
      About 16 minCount past twenty, say a price, and pay without guessing at the total.
      Locked
    2. Ordinals, Dates & BirthdaysLocked
      About 15 minGive a date, say which floor you want, and wish someone a happy birthday.
      Locked
    3. Giving InstructionsLocked
      About 17 minTell someone what to do — the imperative, in both tú and usted.
      Locked
    4. Reflexive VerbsLocked
      About 16 minDescribe your daily routine with reflexive verbs, and know when Spanish needs one.
      Locked
    5. Numbers Off the PageLocked
      About 14 minGive a date, understand a price said at speed and follow an instruction - producing each one yourself, with nothing written down.
      Locked

  11. Module 11

    Out and About

    4 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Places in TownLocked
      About 12 minSay where a place is and describe the area you live in.
      Locked
    2. Asking for DirectionsLocked
      About 12 minAsk for directions and actually follow the answer you get back.
      Locked
    3. Daily RoutineLocked
      About 12 minDescribe your day using reflexive verbs and the times you do things.
      Locked
    4. Finding Your Own WayLocked
      About 14 minStop a stranger, ask the way and follow the answer back - producing the question yourself, with nothing on the screen to read from.
      Locked

  12. Module 12

    Verbs That Change

    6 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Verbs That Break in the MiddleLocked
      About 16 minRecognise and use e>ie and o>ue stem-changing verbs.
      Locked
    2. The Odd First PersonLocked
      About 15 minUse the verbs whose yo form is irregular but whose other forms are not.
      Locked
    3. Happening Right NowLocked
      About 15 minUse estar + gerundio, and know when Spanish would rather not.
      Locked
    4. Have To, Going ToLocked
      About 15 minChain a conjugated verb onto an infinitive to talk about obligation and plans.
      Locked
    5. Marta, 3: The First Week at WorkLocked
      About 13 minRead a routine described in the present tense and answer about sequence and time.
      Locked
    6. The Irregulars, UnaidedLocked
      About 15 minProduce the verbs that break - stem changes, odd yo forms, tener que and ir a - without pausing to work out which kind of irregular you are holding.
      Locked

  13. Module 13

    Who You Are and Where You're From

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Spelling It OutLocked
      About 14 minSay the alphabet, spell your name, and ask someone to spell theirs.
      Locked
    2. Where You're FromLocked
      About 15 minSay where you are from, what nationality you are, and what languages you speak.
      Locked
    3. Filling In the FormLocked
      About 14 minGive the details a form or a receptionist asks for.
      Locked
    4. Asking, Not Only AnsweringLocked
      About 16 minBuild a question with any question word, and keep the accent that makes it one.
      Locked
    5. Introducing Yourself, ColdLocked
      About 14 minGive your name, spell it, say where you are from and ask the same back - unprepared, with none of it written down for you.
      Locked

  14. Module 14

    Saying No Properly

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Saying NoLocked
      About 14 minNegate any sentence, and put the no in the one place it goes.
      Locked
    2. Nothing, Nobody, NeverLocked
      About 15 minUse the negative words, and know which verb form they demand.
      Locked
    3. Two Negatives, One MeaningLocked
      About 15 minUse the double negative Spanish requires, and know when it disappears.
      Locked
    4. Disagreeing and DecliningLocked
      About 14 minTurn a negative down politely, and answer a negative question.
      Locked
    5. Refusing Without OffenceLocked
      About 14 minTurn something down, contradict a negative question and say nobody or nothing - choosing the wording yourself, with nothing on the screen.
      Locked

  15. Module 15

    Somewhere to Stay

    6 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Checking InLocked
      About 15 minBook a room, check in, and understand what you are being asked.
      Locked
    2. Asking for ThingsLocked
      About 14 minAsk for what the room is missing, and report what is not working.
      Locked
    3. Where Things AreLocked
      About 15 minPlace an object in space with the small set of prepositions that does it.
      Locked
    4. Colours and MaterialsLocked
      About 14 minDescribe an object precisely enough to identify it.
      Locked
    5. Marta, 4: The WaterLocked
      About 13 minFollow a problem and its attempted fixes, and answer about cause and sequence.
      Locked
    6. Handling the Front DeskLocked
      About 15 minCheck in, report what is wrong with the room and describe a bag well enough to identify it - producing all of it yourself, with nothing to read from.
      Locked

  16. Module 16

    Getting By

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Please and Thank YouLocked
      About 12 minAsk for something politely and answer when somebody thanks you.
      Locked
    2. Excuse Me and SorryLocked
      About 12 minGet someone's attention, apologise, and get past somebody in a doorway.
      Locked
    3. I Don't UnderstandLocked
      About 12 minSay you have not understood, and ask for the sentence again in a form you can use.
      Locked
    4. Asking for HelpLocked
      About 12 minAsk for help, ask whether something exists nearby, and say you are lost.
      Locked
    5. Repairing the ConversationLocked
      About 13 minSay you have not understood and get the sentence back in a form you can use - producing the repair yourself, fast enough that the conversation survives.
      Locked

  17. Module 17

    How You Feel

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Hungry, Cold and in a HurryLocked
      About 12 minSay you are hungry, cold, thirsty or in a rush, using the verb Spanish actually uses.
      Locked
    2. How Are YouLocked
      About 12 minAnswer the greeting question with something other than the word fine.
      Locked
    3. Happy, Tired and WorriedLocked
      About 12 minDescribe a mood with the right verb, and make the adjective agree.
      Locked
    4. Saying WhyLocked
      About 12 minGive a reason, and soften a refusal so it does not sound blunt.
      Locked
    5. Saying How You AreLocked
      About 13 minAnswer ¿qué tal? with something true, and give a reason for it - producing both yourself, with nothing to read from.
      Locked

  18. Module 18

    Signs, Menus and Messages

    6 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Signs and NoticesLocked
      About 12 minRead the words on doors, streets and shop windows without stopping to translate.
      Locked
    2. Reading a MenuLocked
      About 12 minWork out how a menu is organised, so you order a meal rather than three starters.
      Locked
    3. Numbers You Read, Not HearLocked
      About 12 minRead a price, a date and a timetable without getting the figure wrong by a factor of a thousand.
      Locked
    4. Writing a Short MessageLocked
      About 12 minWrite a text or a note that reads like a person wrote it.
      Locked
    5. Marta, 5: The MarketLocked
      About 13 minRead a short scene with dialogue in it and answer about what was meant, not only what was said.
      Locked
    6. Reading It at SpeedLocked
      About 13 minTake the meaning off a sign, a menu or a price at a glance - deciding what it says without translating it word by word.
      Locked

  19. Module 19

    Reading Real Things

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Reading a NoticeLocked
      About 14 minGet the facts out of a sign on a door without translating every word.
      Locked
    2. Reading a MessageLocked
      About 14 minRead a short note or card from a friend and work out what you are being asked.
      Locked
    3. Reading a Small AdLocked
      About 14 minRead an advert or a price list and get the price, the size and the catch.
      Locked
    4. Reading a Ticket and a FormLocked
      About 14 minFind the platform, the time and the seat, and know what a form is asking for.
      Locked
    5. Getting the Gist, UnaidedLocked
      About 14 minPull the one fact you need out of a notice, a message or an advert - deciding what to do next, without understanding every word.
      Locked

  20. Module 20

    When Someone Speaks to You

    5 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Catching a NameLocked
      About 15 minGet a name right when somebody spells it out for you.
      Locked
    2. Catching a PriceLocked
      About 15 minHear what you owe, and what you are getting back.
      Locked
    3. Catching a Day and a TimeLocked
      About 15 minCome away from an arrangement knowing which day and what time.
      Locked
    4. Understanding What You're Asked to DoLocked
      About 15 minDo the right thing when somebody tells you to, without needing the whole sentence.
      Locked
    5. Catching It First TimeLocked
      About 14 minCome away from a spoken exchange with the name, the price or the time right - and do what you were asked, without needing it repeated.
      Locked

  21. Module 21

    Saying It Without Looking

    6 lessons

    Lesson sequenceOpen chapter
    1. Recall Without the EnglishLocked
      About 14 minProduce a word from a Spanish definition, with no English on the screen to translate.
      Locked
    2. When the Words Run TogetherLocked
      About 15 minHear a phrase you already know when it is said at ordinary speed, with nothing separating the words.
      Locked
    3. Who You Are Talking ToLocked
      About 15 minSay no to something without giving offence, and move a sentence between tú and usted without leaving half of it behind.
      Locked
    4. Saying It ColdLocked
      About 16 minProduce whole sentences with the support taken away one step at a time, ending with nothing on screen at all.
      Locked
    5. The Last CheckLocked
      About 16 minHandle an unrehearsed exchange end to end - greeting, transaction, repair and goodbye - with nothing on the screen at any point.
      Locked
    6. Marta, 6: A YearLocked
      About 13 minRead the close of the story and answer about how things changed from the first installment.
      Locked