Order by Sunday, April  20, and receive an extra 10% off our already low special prices for any download (see below). We'll handle this as a "rebate" (partial refund). Please note that this offer applies only to downloads, and please indicate on your order "10% special". If your order page does not contain a spacer for "optional instructions", let me know and I'll see you get your rebate and fix the order page.

While I'm out of the hospital, I missed Holy Week and Easter. In compensation,  we're offering special prices for all our products for a limited time (the prices can be found here) They will be valid for orders placed by April 20.

The next important date in Latin America is May 1 (Labor Day). I will have an article by then!!.

I have recently literally stumbled on some reviews of Platiquemos on the internet. More information is here.
 

There are links to explanations and details of all the different versions on the catalog page.

For more details about the Platiquemos program itself, go to the "About" link on the left, and the "Content" link.

Learning a language can sometimes be both tedious and boring--despite what some of the miracle vendors say. There is no reason, though, not to have some fun along the way.  We have long had Cantemos, a group of 73 songs both traditional and contemporary, with transcriptions, translations, and notes. Our next step was a 100-page E-book with 152 jokes and 100 cartoons (all with translations and explanations.  The E-book has just been expanded to include "false cognates" [very important], sayings and proverbs (dichos y refranes), colloquialisms and "dirty words" which you shouldn´t use but should understand because you'll hear them constantly. The book is available as a premium with many of our packages, or can be purchased separately along with other valuable accessories to learning. It now totals 219 pages. See our catalog.

Another new package is a special collection for beginners. The intent is to make beginning to learn Spanish both productive and enjoyable. It's here, very near the top.

You might be interested in some of the changes we've made to the original Basic Course to make it more amenable to self-study--especially without the book in front of you. The idea is to be able to profitably use the program while driving, waiting for a flight, jogging, etc. A brief description is here.

It can be very useful to know the special dates in the Latin American countries, mostly their independence dates.  We have included a complete list of these dates here.

Platiquemos is based on the Foreign Service Institute's Basic Course in Spanish, for almost fifty years considered the best and most complete program for learning Spanish ever produced.  It was, however badly in need of updating and editing for user-friendliness.  That is what I've tried to do in Platiquemos.  I also believe that culture is very important to language learning, and have added almost 500 appropriate authentic illustrations, mostly historical but quite a few contemporary, with notes to explain one or more aspects of the culture and  history of the Spanish-speaking world.  I also believe music can be a highly effective supplement to language learning, and have tried to include in the program and on this website as wide a selection of both musical style and region as possible.

I also want this website to be more than just a "sales" site.  I've included a great deal of extras, from music to readings to (approximately) weekly jokes.  This material is for anyone interested in Spanish or the Latin culture, whether they ever buy anything from Platiquemos or not.  This must be working--about 20% of the visitors to this site are returning visitors, looking to see what new item has been added.  I have been reminded recently by several users of this site that I've made it too much about culture, and have forgotten the basic mission of selling Platiquemos.  Thus the paragraph above.

If you follow the links on the navigation bar on the left, you will find both information about the Platiquemos program and how to purchase it, as well as the free-for-all material.  Thank you for visiting, and I wish you great success in learning Spanish!

Finally, I didn't leave an easy way for you to contact me with compliments , complaints , or suggestions.  There is now a bar on the left for you to e-mail me.

CULTURE STORIES       CULTURA CUENTOS
(and a song)

Chapter 3 of Isaac Rogel's book El pueblo que fuimos (The people we were) is now posted on the website.  Access it (and Chapters 1 and 2) here.  

Accompanying Isaac's book is the song "El México que se nos fue" ("The Mexico we lost").  Sung by one of Mexico's most popular singers, Juan Gabriel, it is a lament for the harmful changes that have taken place in Mexico recently.  The song is here.  

To obtain more information about the Cuernavaca Language School, the school I recommend most highly in Mexico, go here.

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Over 300 million people speak Spanish as a first language, and 90% of them are in the Western Hemisphere.

Spanish is one of the "easiest" languages for an English speaker to learn.

Lawrence Eagleburger was the U.S. Secretary of State during the first Gulf War.  Read what he has to say about the program here.

 

Destinos is a fascinating 26-hour "telenovela" produced by the Annenberg Foundation as an aid to learning Spanish. You can't really learn Spanish just from Destinos, but you can learn a lot, including popular culture--and it is extremely enjoyable. Destinos can't be downloaded, but it can be viewed online here. Destinos can also be purchased directly from the Annenberg Foundation.