Spanish Vocabulary Course (Learn Spanish with the Michel Thomas Method)

'I will build the foundation of the house, but it's up to you to decorate it.' Michel Thomas Experience significant results in a remarkably short period of time thanks to the unique Michel Thomas Method, perfected over 50 years by celebrated psycholinguist Michel Thomas. The method works in tune with how the brain prefers to receive, store and then retrieve information. You'll stick with it, because you'll love it. * Improve your Spanish naturally and unforgettably, without strain * Learn from listening and speaking, without the pressure of writing or memorizing * Build up your Spanish in manageable steps by thinking out answers for yourself How does it work? Learning vocabulary is notoriously difficult if attempted in the traditional way - with long lists and hours of memorization. With the Michel Thomas Method, new words and phrases are presented in such a way that they cannot be forgotten. In this five-hour phase-two course, Michel Thomas Method teacher Dr Rose Lee Hayden introduces over 1,000 carefully chosen 'power words,' including verbs and everyday phrases. Learning alongside two genuine students, you will exponentially build up your vocabulary by unlocking what you already know. What's new? This new edition includes remastered audio and comes in new, eco-friendly recyclable packaging. Why is it so successful? 'What you understand, you know; and what you know, you don't forget.' - Michel Thomas Michel Thomas believed that the greatest barrier to any form of learning was stress: stress from worrying about remembering what you are being taught, stress from being afraid to make a mistake, stress from failing. With the Michel Thomas Method, all the attention is focused on removing stress and tension from the learning environment. The teacher takes on full responsibility for your understanding, and therefore your remembering, of what is being taught. In fact, the Michel Thomas Method forbids you from trying to memorize. There's no writing, no books, no homework. The Michel Thomas Method works by stripping away all inessential language and breaking down the most important language into its component parts. Crystal-clear building blocks are then presented, and only when they are absorbed and understood is the next piece of the puzzle introduced, enabling you to reconstruct the language for yourself - to form your own sentences, to say what you want, when you want. What's in the Course?* Spanish Vocabulary Course comprises 5 course CDs. The booklet is available to download from www.michelthomas.com. *Note that the course content is the same as the previously entitled Spanish Vocabulary Builder+ course, but does

Table of Contents:
: Introduction: How this course came about, what it does and does not include, how it works, and how it is both faithful to and expands upon the Michel Thomas Language Courses : COURSE SEGMENT 1: WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW : 1. Introduction; "-ible" to "-ible" : > possible - posible (one stingy "s"); horrible - horrible; etc. : 2. "-able" to "able" : > probable - probable; acceptable - aceptable; etc. : 3. "-AR" verbs to "-able" : Remove the "-AR" and add "-able" : > dudar (to doubt) to dudable (doubtful); soportar (to bear) to soportable (bearable); tolerar (to tolerate) to tolerable; etc. : 4. Add "in" to make a negative word : > evitable (avoidable) to inevitable (inevitable; unavoidable); tolerable to intolerable; etc. : Diminutive "-ito" : > hijo (son) to hijito (affectionate, little boy); : > Juan to Juanito (nickname). : > besar (to kiss) to besable (kissable) : 5. " -ER verbs to "ible" : > creer (to believe) to creíble (believable); vender (to sell) to vendible (sellable); etc. : " - IR verbs to "-ible" : > definir (to define) to definible (definable) : "-ible" to "-ible" : > flexible to flexible; compatible to compatible; etc. : 6. " - ant" to "-ante" : > important to importante; restaurant to restaurante; etc. : "-AR" verbs to "-ante" : >participar (to participate) to participante (participant); alarmar (to alarm) to alarmante (alarming); etc. : 7. "-ent to "-ente" : > different to diferente (one stingy "f"); evident to evidente; incompetent to incompetente; etc. : 8. "-tion" to "-ción" : > condition to condición; attention to atención; formation to formación; etc. : 9. "-sion" to "-sión" : > impression to impresión (one stingy "s"); decision to decisión; mission to misión (one stingy "s"); etc. : 10. "ence" to "encia" : > influence to influencia; difference to diferencia (one stingy "f''); preference to preferencia; etc. : 11. Words that look feminine but are masculine : > the problem to el problema; the map to el mapa; the climate to el clima; etc. : "-ance" to "-ancia" : > importance to importancia; elegance to elegancia; intolerance to intolerancia; etc. : 12. "-ly" to "-mente" : automatically to automáticamente; naturally to naturalmente; personally to personalmente; etc. : Use "realmente" for actually. : 13. "-ary" to "-ario" : > vocabulary to vocabulario; necessary to necesario (one stingy "s"); contrary to contrario; etc. : 14. "-ive" to "-ivo" : > exclusive to exclusivo; positive to positivo; constructive to constructivo; etc. : 15. "-ute" to "-uto" : >absolute to absoluto; substitute to substituto; institute to instituto; etc. : "-ous" to "-oso" : > famous to famoso; etc. : 16. "-ical" to "-ico" : > practical to prático; basic to básico; magic to "mágico"; etc. : Require an accent over stressed syllable. : 17. "-ent" to "-ento" : > talent to talento; moment to momento; : "-t" or "-it" to "-to" : > honest to honesto; Robert to Roberto; credit to crédito; etc. : "-ic" to "-ico" : > dramatic to dramático; automatic to automático; ironic to irónico; etc. : Require an accent over the stressed syllable. : 18. "-ure" to "-ura" : - temperature to temperatura; literature to literatura; culture to cultura; etc. : 19. "-tude" to "-tud" : > aptitude to aptitud; altitude to altitud; gratitude to gratitude; etc. : 20. "-ity" to "-dad" : > possibility to posibilidad (one stingy "s''); humanity to humanidad; infinity to infinidad; etc. : 21. "-ist" to "-ista" : > artist to artista; dentist to dentista; optimist to optimista; etc. : 22. "-y" to "ía" : > irony to ironía; astronomy to astronomía; philosophy to filosofía (phonetic ph - f); etc. : Require an accent over the stressed syllable. : 23. "-in" or "-ine" to "-ina" : > aspirin to aspirina; discipline to disciplina; gasoline to gasolina; etc. : "-ice" to "ina" : > office to oficina (one stingy "f") : 24. "-id" to "-ido" : > solid to sólido; valid to válido; timid to tímido; etc. : Require an accent over the stressed syllable. : 25. "-ism" to "-ismo" : > organism to organismo; capitalism to capitalismo; heroism to heroismo; etc. : " -ure" to "-uro" : > future to futuro. : COURSE SEGMENT 2: MORE STRUCTURE: MORE VERBS AND HOW TO USE THEM : 1. "-AR" "Good Guy" Regular Verbs : >evitar (to avoid); tentar (to tempt); usar (to use); inventar (to invent); mencionar (to mention); formar (to form); gastar (to spend) : Using "gustarse" - "It is pleasing..." "It pleases me, you, us, them..." : Using "debería" to express "should" : More "-AR" "Good Guys" : > gritar (to shout); ganar (to earn; to win) : Wing tense endings: "-AR" Track and The Other Track : aba; abas, aba; ábamos, aban : ía, ías, ía, íamos, ían : 2. Inventing "-AR" Verbs Using "-tion" Words in English. Just remove the "tion" and add an "r". : > invitation to invitar (to invite); justification to justificar (to justify); etc. : More "-AR" "Good Guys" : olvidarse (to forget); cenar (to dine); imaginar (to imagine); admirar (to admire); instalar (to install); adorar (to adore); considerar (to consider); acusar (to accuse); inspirar (to inspire); clasificar (to classify); estudiar (to study); consolar (to : 3. More "-AR" "Good Guys" : > negociar (to negotiate) : Using "si fuera" for "If I were..." plus the conditional tense (-ría; rías; ríamos; rían) : > Si fuera más joven, compraría un apartamento en Mallorca. (If I were younger, I would buy an apartment in Mallorca.) : When "would" refers to the past. : > Cuando era un hombre rico, compraba un coche nuevo todos los años. (When I was a rich man, I WOULD buy a new car every year.) : 4. More "-AR" "Good Guys" : > limpiar (to clean); llamar (to phone; to call); gastar (to spend); mirarse (to look at); prestar (to lend); besar (to kiss) : In Spanish, you spell it like it sounds. : > tocar (to touch) in command tense, "toque", etc. : > atacar (to attack) in command tense, "ataque", etc. : 5. "Good Guys" from the Other Track: "-ER" and "-IR" : beber (to drink); aprender (to learn); comprender (to understand); entender (to understand); responder (to respond; to answer); escribir (to write) : 6. Reflexive Verbs - When the Subject and Object are the Same: Think "...self" : > esconderse (to hide oneself); despertarse (to wake up; to wake oneself up); sentarse (to sit down; to sit oneself down); levantarse (to get up or stand up; to get oneself up) lavarse (to wash oneself); casarse (to get married); vestirse (to get dress : The Impersonal "One" : > Se come bien aquí. (One eats well here.) : The Passive Voice: When the Subject is Acted Upon : > El museo se abre todos los días. (The museum is opened every day.) : 7. More practice with "-ER" verbs and reflexives. : > prometer (to promise); poder (to be able to); responder (to respond; to answer); caber (to fit into); llover (to rain); ofrecer (to offer); : > protegerse (to protect oneself); defenderse (to defend oneself) : 8. More "-ER" Verbs : > deber (should, ought to); vender (to sell) : "GO GO to GA GA" Verb : > valer (to be worth); valer la pena (to be worth it) Ex. valgo to valga in command tense. : Using "sino" to express "but rather" : No soy rico sino pobre. (I am not rich, but rather poor.) : 9. More "-ER" Verbs : > temer (to fear); toser to cough); creer (to believe); crecer (to grow); reconocer (to recognize); meter (to place or put) : 10. Some "-IR" Verbs : > admitir (to admit); insistir en (insist on); invadir (to invade); omitir (to omit); decidir (to decide); sufrir (to suffer); recibir (to receive); cubrir (to cover) describir (to describe); abrir (to open); huir (to flee); permitir (to permit); prohi : 11. Some more "-IR" Verbs : In Spanish you spell it like it sounds. : > destruir (to destroy) I destroy = destruyo; command tense = destruya; construir (to construct) I construct = contruyo; command tense = construya; incluir (to include) : I conclude = concluyo; command tense = concluya. : 12. Some more "-IR" Verbs : "Cuzco" Verb: traducir (to translate) I translate = traduzco; command tense = traduzca : Some "-IR" Verbs with spelling changes in the "DOT" Tense : traducir to traduje; tradujiste; tradujo; tradujimos; tradujeron; producir (to produce) to produje, produjiste, produjo; produjimos; produjeron : 13. Some more "-IR' Verbs : subir a (to climb up; to board a tren, etc.) : (Also used for "to raise your voice" or subir la voz.) : More practice with "-IR" Verbs : salir (to go out; to leave); salir con (to go out with); sufrir (to suffer) : 14. Verbs that "cave in" from "e" to "ie" : > perder (to lose) pierdo; pierdes; pierde; perdemos (does NOT "cave in"); pierden : Command tense: pierda, pierdas, pierda; perdamos (does NOT "cave in"); pierdan : Following this pattern: negar (to negate); pensar (to think); cerrar (to close) : The "right now in the process of doing" "e" to "i" : mentir (to tell a lie) to mintiendo; pedir (to ask) to pidiendo : 15. Verbs that "cave in" from "o" or "u" to "ue" : poder (to be able to) puedo, puedes; puede, podemos (does NOT "cave in"); pierden : Command tense: perida, pierdas; pierda; perdamos (does NOT "cave in"); pierdan : Following this pattern: costar (to cost); volver (to come; to return); acostarse (to lie down); acordarse con (to agree with) : 16. More verbs that "cave in" from "o" or "u" to "ue : mostrar (to show); jugar (to play) : 17. Verbs that go from "e" to "i" : vestirse (to get dressed; to dress oneself) to me visto, te vistes; se viste; nos vestimos (does NOT "cave in"); se visten : Following this pattern: servir (to serve); repetir (to repeat) : Command tense: me vista; te vistas; se vista; nos vistamos; se vistan : The "right now in the moment of doing" "e" to "i" = vistiéndose; mintiendo; pidiendo; sirviendo; repitiendo : 18. Expressions that trigger the command tense. : Let's = hablar to hablemos; comer to comamos; sufrir to suframos : Positive command: pronouns AFTER the verb : > Dígamelo. (Tell it to me.); Póngalos aquí.(Put them here.) : 19. Expressions that trigger the Command Tense : Whenever you want someone else to do something : > querer que (to want that); preferir que (to prefer that); proponer que (to propose that); permitir que (to permit that); es necesario que (it is necessary that) : Expressing emotion : > temer que (to fear that); alegrarse de que (to be glad that); ser riículo que (to be ridiculous that); sentir que (to be sorry that); Es lástima que (It's a shame that...); ser bueno/malo que (to be good or bad that) : Expressing Doubt, denial or unreality : > dudar que (to doubt that); ser imposible que (to be impossible that); ser improbable que (to be improbable that) : 20. More practice with expressions that trigger the Command Tense : > querer que (to want that); dudar que (to doubt that); alegrarse de que (to be glad that) : COURSE SEGMENT 3: Everyday Expressions and Useful Bits and Pieces : 1. Verb-plus expressions: acabar de (to have finished, to have just finished) : Followed by the "to" form of the verb. : 2. More verb-plus expressions: dejar de (to finish, to stop doing something) : volver a (to return to; to return to doing something) : aprovecharse de (to take advantage of) : These verb-plus expressions are followed by the "to" form of the verb in examples such as these: Volvió a comerlo. (He returned to eating it.); Deben hacerlo. (They ought to do it.). : 3. More verb-plus expressions: cambiar de (to change, to change your mind) : contar con (to count on) : darse cuenta de (to realize, to notice) : estar de acuerdo con (to agree with) : 4. More verb-plus expressions. : querer decir (to mean) : valer la pena (to be worth it) : 5. HACER in time expressions. : > Lo comí hace una hora. (I ate it an hour ago.); Hace mucho tiempo lo hizo. (He did it a long time ago.); Hacía dos años que Juan vivía en España. (Juan had been living in Spain for two years.); etc. : 6. HACER in weather expressions. : > Hace frío. (It's cold); "Hace calor." (It's hot.); Hace viento. (It's windy.), etc. : Some other uses of HACER. : hacer un viaje (to take a trip) : hacer una pregunta (to ask a question) : hacer daño (to harm) : 7. Expressions using TENER. : tener que (to have to; to have to do something) Followed by the "to" form of the verb. : tener frío (to be cold) : tener calor (to be warm) : tener sed (to be thirsty) : tener hambre (to be hungry) : tener suerte (to be lucky) : tener cuidado (to be careful) : tener sueño (to be sleepy) : tener prisa (to be in a hurry) : tener razón (to be correct) : tener la culpa (to be to blame) : tener ganas de (to desire to do something; to be in the mood for) : 8. More expressions using TENER. : tener X años. (to be X years old) : tener lugar (to take place) : tener paciencia (to be patient) : tener lógica (to make sense) : tener remedio (to have a solution) : 9. Uses of PARA. : to a destination; for a person; in order to; to or toward a location or goal; expressing deadlines : Words used to ask questions. : 'Cuándo? (When?); 'Cuánto/a? 'Cuántos/as? (How much; how many?) : 'Cómo? (How?) : 'Dónde? (Where?) : 'Quién(es) (Who?) : 'Cuál(es? (Which one?; which ones?) : Days of the week. (See Glossary) : 10. Using Time Expressions : antes de (before) : después de (after) : More days of the week. : Seasons of the year. : Months of the year. : 11. Telling time. : Es la una. (It's one o'clock.) : Son las dos. (It's two o'clock.) : Son las cuatro y cuarto. (It's four fifteen.) : Son las cinco y media. (It's five thirty.) : Time of day. (See Glossary) : Numbers (See Glossary) : 12. More uses of PARA. : Compared with others in a category. (Para un joven... (For a young person...) : Purpose, what an object or objects are used for : To study to be - Estudiar para : In order to : 13. Uses of POR. : In exchange for : per (e.g., per hour) : 14. More uses of POR. : through a place or space : duration of time : Some expressions using POR. : por ahora (for now) : por eso (because of that; therefore) : 15. More uses of POR. : Some more expressions using POR. : ¡ Por Dios! (For Heavens sake!) : por ahora (for now) : por eso (because of that; therefore) : por ejemplo (for example) : por fin (at last; finally) : por lo visto (apparently) : More uses of POR. : by (agent of doing) : on behalf of; in place of another person : 16. More uses of POR. : to go for, to fetch something or someone : Choosing between PARA and POR to convey different meanings. : 17. Expressions using LO. : lo bueno (the good thing) : lo malo (the bad thing) : lo útil (the useful thing) : lo hecho (the done thing; that which is done) : lo necesario (the necessary thing) : lo importante (the important thing) : lo mío (mine; that which is mine) : lo suyo (lo tuyo) (yours; that which is yours) : 18. Uses of SER. : to describe a rather permanent condition of being : to define something : to show possession (es de...) : 19. More Practice with SER. : to describe the colour of something : to express where someone is from; origin or nationality : to describe someone's profession : 20. Uses of ESTAR. : to describe a temporary condition or state of being : to use with "-ando" and "-iendo" to describe actions that right now, at this moment, one is in the process of doing (e.g., estoy hablando - I am right now speaking) : to describe location : Choosing between SER and ESTAR to convey different meanings. : Using SER to express the passive voice (e.g. when the subject is being acted upon) : 21. More practice choosing between SER and ESTAR to convey different meanings. : being ill vs. being an invalid : being handsome vs. looking good right now : 22. Using Double Negatives in Spanish : something vs. nothing : someone vs. no one or nobody : sometimes vs. never : any vs. none : Expressions using negatives. : me neither (ni yo tampoco) : by no means; No way! (¡De ningún modo! ¡De ninguna manera!) : neither...nor (ni...ni) : either...or (o...o) : 23. Making comparisons. : más...menos (more...less) : mejor...peor (better...worse) : lo mejor...lo peor (the best...the worst) mayor/menor: (older/younger) : 24. Using opposites to build vocabulary. : bueno/malo (good/bad) : fácil/difícil (easy/difficult) : pequeño/grande (small/large) : entrada/salida (entry/exit) : 25. Adding "-in" and "-des" to transform words into their opposites. : feliz/infeliz (happy to unhappy) : agradable/desagradable (pleasant/unpleasant) : 26. Some more useful, everyday expressions. : sin embargo (without a doubt) : cada una de (each one of) : a ver (let's see...) : Expressions describing location or where things are. : dentro de (inside) : cerca de ...lejos de (near...far) : behind (detrás de) : 27. More ways to express location. : encima de (on top of) : debajo de (under; underneath) : Some more useful, everyday expressions. : al menos; por lo menos (at least) : Concluding remarks and suggestions for further practice.

About the Author :
Dr Rose Lee Hayden had a highly successful career in the US, before moving from New York to live in Italy in the wake of 9/11. At the age of 17 she started working as a volunteer for the American Red Cross travelling throughout South America and becoming fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. On graduating from university she went on to teach Spanish and Portuguese and manage international projects at Michigan State University, then moved to Washington, D.C. where she served as Deputy Director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Peace Corps, responsible for a $20 million language and cultural programme with 2,000 volunteers in 14 countries. She subsequently moved to New York City and into the private sector where she produced foreign language videos for TV and educational publishers. As a result of her interest in Michel Thomas's innovative method and amazing results, she studied German with him in 1982. This was the beginning of a long and exciting collaboration, developing his programme and teaching his 'Second Phase' Spanish students. She now lives outside Rome, where she continues to write, teach, and play jazz piano.

Review :
The nearest thing to painless learning - The Times A unique and perfectly brilliant way of learning languages The most extraordinary learning experience of my life Thomas makes it simple - Sunday Times Works like a dream - The Guardian Five minutes in and you already feel like you're winning - Time Out