A Good Spanish Book!
Hi all! I am Kate and currently I study Spanish with "A Good Spanish Book!" by University Academic Editions. I would like to complement it with audio files. Do you recommend the Pimsleur audio courses? I think the book is the best I have ever used ( quite high in rankings too: http://rankingspanishbooks.blogspot.com.es ) but it doesn't have audio files and I would love to listen to native Spanish speakers and dialogues while I'm driving or I have a break at the office.
Can you recommend me audio files that match the level and contents of that book? (beginners) Thanks a lot from Brisbane!!!!
3 Answers
I dont know if you are self taught or have a teacher. You need to speak, write and listen. Usually one skill falls behind others.
I would suggest you listen to music - it is good for vocabulary, grammar and the rhythm of the speech.
Here is a previous thread with lots of suggestions
The following podcasts may be useful
Notes in Spanish
Run by a couple who live in Madrid one of whom is English. All the podcasts can be downloaded or listened to on line free. It goes from beginner to Gold II which is advanced. The earliest ones are in English. They have also provided guides on various verbs, conversation starters and the subjunctive –
Spanish podcast
You can just listen to this in Spanish but if you click on written guides / Guías escritas, there are useful grammar explanations and transcripts and she uses English in the introduction.
Podclub – a mi aire
this is one of a series of podcasts on this Swiss site in various languages. This one is by a lady from Madrid. They are short, there is a transcript plus words underlined in text are explained at the bottom. It is entirely in Spanish, but she is easy to listen to and the level is not too challenging.
. Practica Español A useful site with graded information, uses news items, songs and adverts to help with Spanish From beginner upwards
not sure if you can download to listen later
rtve has lots of TV programmes plus you can download most of the radio programmes This is a good TV programme for listening to short excerpts
sign up for Veintemundos a free electronic magazine it provides audio for all written pieces plus youtube videos
Finally given your location you may want to listen to these though they are not aimed at beginner
Download some Spanish audio books from Audible and a book that has a little of Spanish in it is The Circuit.
Kate, I used the Pimsleur course and loved it. I already had a basic understanding of foreign language grammar, having studied Latin and French in high school. The Pimsleur course complimented it well.
Each 30 minute unit consists of native Spanish speakers saying the phrase or sentence and then you repeating it out loud. Great for giving you a pretty good accent.
I think it woul be great for you as well, as you're learning the grammar rules from this book. I used it driving to and from work every day. Send a pm if you want to know more about it.
Good luck!
