Is this free resource the Holy Grail of Spanish Courses?
How to get for free over 40 hours of lesson that taught Spanish to American diplomats, the FBI, and DEA agents.You know a little part of me wants to keep this secret, after all it’s sales of my Spanish courses that feed my family, but the best thing to do is share.
Even though, my courses are very reasonably priced some people just can’t afford them, especially people in the third world. So, here’s a chance to get your hands on a complete Spanish course for free. And even if you can buy any Spanish course you want, maybe this course will suit your learning style and take your Spanish to the next level.
In fact, the very same material is found in all the levels of Barron’s Mastering Spanish course , which on Amazon the reviews range from glowing 5 star “the Holy Grail of Spanish courses” to 1 star “if you want to feel like an idiot”.
So, it’s not for everyone but some people love it.
If you want to find out for yourself, here’s a link to download the Complete US State Department’s Foreign Service Institute Spanish course…
be warned this is a massive 320mb file
Otherwise, this website actually has the lessons in individual files.
Please leave a comment with your opinion and thoughts.
Saludos
Marcus
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Thanks Marcus, I had heard this course was available somewhere on the Net for free, so I am glad you shared this link. I just downloaded Part 2. Yes it is boring, but it has some use in drilling grammar into you, and when learning spanish, everything helps!
But your courses are WAY WAY better so anyone who wants to learn Spanish needs to start with the Rocket Spanish courses and LSLC.
The FSI course is good as an additional aid (it’s also great to listen to if you have problems falling asleep…)
Thank you Marcus, when I get home from work, I will hopefully have time to investigate this course, Muchas gracias.
Thanks Marcus,
That is a BIG link and a big risk to take! Thanks for sharing! I also note there are other languages on there too!
Great post!
Thanks again
Jason
Thank you very much. I like every link about the Spanish language, so this was also smth exciting.
Thanks
I listened to part of the individual lessons. Almost anything a competent Spanish instructor
can put together is better than this. It goes back to the olden days of the audio-visual method
and does not really teach anyone how to converse. I think it does have some value for
listening comprehension. I would like to speak to someone who learned how to converse
using these programs.
For those interested in how one learns a language and how Spanish can be taught see:
Teaching Language in Context by Alice Omaggio Hadley.
There is a very good program called DESTINOS that one can purchase 1-800-learner. It is
not the best for conversation but it is useful for comprehension and culture.
Thank you, thank you. I’m off work at the moment, so paying for extras just isn’t possible. I’m trying to use the time to improve my job chances, however, and your course is an important part of my effort to upgrade my skill level. Thanks again - wish me luck!
Thanks for another great recommendation!
Thanks Marcus,
Time and time again you have proven to be a real stand up guy. First of all with your programs of Spanish, that has helped me immensely. Then by sharing this link with us all, I appreciate you having taken the time impart this.
Thanks again,
Michael
Te amo………Mucho Gracias………
THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION BUT I FEEL YOUR COURSE IS BETTER. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE HELPFUL FOR CONVERSATION. I LIKE YOUR WORKBOOK BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF YOU LEARNED AND AREAS TO SPEND MORE TIME STUDING.
THANK YOU
Marcus, I have neglected my Spanish studies, and have’nt got back to them in more than twelve
months; however, I was grateful that you sent your latest information.
I am an old man, but I am determined to continue with my original idea of learning a language
other then English, and for me that “other language” must be Spanish!
Regards
George Farquhar
I’m glad we have you Marcus…… I wouldn’t have a hope with this lot. I must be pretty dumb, but it didn’t make ANY sense to me. Meanwhile I cannot put your manual down, nor switch off the CD’s.
I carn’t believe I’m actually learning so much, so fast. Thanks Marcus (and CO.)
Dear Marcus:
I think you made the right decision by sharing this website. This action, as well as others I have seen, have made you part of my ‘Spanish learning community’ and as such I have recommended Synergy Spanish to many of my friends. I hope you get tons of business from those folks.
Frequently, when people are impressed with how quickly I developed my Spanish skills, they ask me how I did it, and what should they do. My answer is almost always the same, I tell them what I did, and I recommend they start with Synergy Spanish.
Faire Dinkum
Fred
Great stuff, will download this when I get off work!
This is a great site not only for learning but also for resources for teachers Thanks a million
Im downloading as I read these comments so dont know anything as yet, but it goes to show that you are really thinking about the follow up for your students, I recently tried michel Tomas’ spanish course (just to check out how much I may have learnt !) If I had not found synergy/ B de N first I think I would have struggled, but as it was I understood about 90% straight off, thanks a bunch ! I’ve just started your informal course this evening, you truly are a star for spurring us all on with your occasional ‘ freebies’. May the sun always shine on you !
tu amigo, Ian
THIS SITE IS INVALUABLE TO MYSELF AND ANYONE WISHING TO LEARN SPANISH WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT FOREVER IN A SCHOOL SETTING WHERE YOU ARE FORCED TO REPEAT THE SAME MATERIAL OVER AND OC\VER AGAIN. IF YOU REALLY DESIRE TO LEARN SPANISH AS TAUGHT BY YOU IT SO EASY YOU CAN’T RESIST ALL THE WONDERFUL WAYS YOU GIVE US TO EXPAND OUR MINDS AND VOCABULARY IN SUCH A SHORT TIME WITH EXTREMELY GREAT RESULTS EACH TIME YOU OPEN ONE OF YOUR LEARNING TOOLS.
I CAN NOT EXPRESS MY JOY OF HAVING THE FORTUNE OF FINDING YOU AND YOUR COURSE AND I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE. JUST GIVE IT A TRY A I’M SURE YOU WILL BE AS HAPPY AS I HAVE BECOME !
PLEASE DON’T STOP WITH ALL THE IMFORMATION YOU POSSESS AND ARE SO WILL TO PART WITH TO HELP OTHERS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THIS TYPE OF MATERIAL WITH PAYING $100′S OR EVEN $1000′S OF DOLLARS TO OBTAIN ALL YOU OFFER.
AGAIN THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. YOUR LOVING STUDENT ! ! !
SINCERELY YOURS
GEORGE ADAMS
I am really grateful for your assistance in learning spanish so I was able to attain a B in my test. God bless you so much. Keep up the good work you are doing
i would love to study spanish but presently i am too busy but as soon as i get the chance you will hear from me i am in jamaica tell me how i would pay to complete and how since i dont have a credit card
yes some of us cant afford this, i wish i could take spanis up but cant even after the 40hrs i will need to learn more thanks anyway
very knd and thoughtful of you thanks
Marcus,
Thanks for the website, I have not found anything better than yours but will use this too, it all goes a lot further the more you listen too and read.
My problem is I listen and learn in silence and only have chance during the evening when I go to bed, work and young children is my excuse.
That is quite a weak excuse considering my wife is Chilean and also her sister is staying with us hasta Febrero 2009.
One thing I seem to struggle is when trying to have a conversation in Spanish, I know a lot and can translate from either language to the other but when it comes to having a conversation I cannot grasp what they are saying because they speak so fast, can you advise where I am going wrong or will I eventually start to recognize the sounds and it will then become second nature.
Please can you email me when you have time.
Muchos Saludos
Ron Osborne
I am living in jamaica, like Ron Osborne, I have a similar problem, I am unable to understand what the speakers are saying the conversation flows very fast. is there a technique for doing so?.
I am really pleased with what you continue to do to advance the world’s Spanish knowledge, especially mine. I do know that you could be selling all this information, but you choose to help.
I thank you profusely.
very generous of u marcus
mucharissima graciarissimissimas
Thanks Marcus, that’s very kind and big hearted of you. Very much appreciated. Thanks again.
Hola, Marcus
I Went to Santiago de cuba last year I didn’t understand zero Spanish, but this year…my cuban friends that I met last year they were impressed by how much I can understand and speak.
Thank you for a works . Gracias otra vez !
Dear Marcus,
I am one of those people who cannot afford extras. I am a single parent with three teens and I am so ill I cannot work. Needless to say we live on a wing and a whole lot of prayers. I have a great love for learning about other cultures especially through language. Spanish is my first new language to learn and I comb the internet and thrift stores to get my hands on anything to help me “travel” to those far away places that I cannot otherwise afford. I thank you so much for your fift of free lessons. Mucho mucho gracias.
Hi Marcus
I have now worked my way through shortcut to Spanish Level 2 and Informal Spanish conversations level 2. I am now so much more confident with my speaking and can be understood. Thanks to you and your great teaching and the very clear pronunciation on the recordings. I still need to get as much help as I can and practice daily. I cant access the Holy Grail of Spanish, I have tried and failed several times to get on the website. What I have found very useful is all the free course stuff on Livemocha, they sell courses but offer loads of free courses to plus in each element you get to write and record work. This is then marked by Native Spanish speakers who are learning a second language. I find it great, I actually get recorded help back and am able to help students who are learning English., and its all free, all you give is time. Can anyone help me with trilling r & rr sound I practice and practice but can’t get it. Anyone got any tips.
Thanks Marcus for your kindness in sending me your free lessons. I have found them a wonderful help in coping with my illness. I’m sure this is keeping me going.Yours very gratefully Shirley Mullaney
Thank you Marcus for your help.I never forget your kindness by helping me to receive free lessons. .
I thank you so very much, Marcus, for all you’ve done for the world of language. You’ve given us a hope that we can learn a new language quickly, and quite easily. You made it fun and relaxing, enjoyable and quick. I know that I look forward to every e-mail that you send. I love it when you come out with new ideas and methods of learning.
I thank you again, for giving so much of yourself to the world.
TINA
Marcus,I recently purchased your course and am happy with it,a friend who moved to Argentina had suggested it.I admire your honesty in giving out information that may take away some of your trade.I usually say that there are no morals in business,you Sir are an exception and I admire your ethics and honesty
bob
Thank You very much. This is excellent.
Holy –grail course Spanish. I smile then I look at it. Most I use it have 40 hours to learn it I will cry. For me I can’t understand how why can use something like this today is more then 40 years old. Marcus can you not help them so learn Spanish be fun. The holy –grail for me are so bad so bad I fro it away.
Kenneth Sundberg
Your magnanamity knows no bounds!!! I just couldn’t afford the price. May you grow from strength to strength.¡ Muchas gracias! Como hace, ¡Sabe Dios!
You are so energetic and dedicated to trying to help people like me and i feel i am a lost cause. No spanish people here and no practice. I do try and so glad you keep it up. I want to go to spain so i will not give up. Keep up the good work. thank you . gracias. senor
You are so energetic and dedicated to trying to help people like me and i feel i am a lost cause. No spanish people here and no practice. I do try and so glad you keep it up. I want to go to spain so i will not give up. Keep up the good work. thank you . gracias. senor
Marcus, Please keep sending me your emails. You keep my dream alive to speak spanish.
very good thing
Thank you for your emails Marcus, although I’m still struggling I feel there is hope. I need it all in small doses I’m afraid.
Thank you Marcus, it’s too nice of you to share.
thanks for help
gracias por todo
Great idea. How generous of you. Looking forward to perusing this course. Dios les bendiga.
Jean
Great. Very generous of you, Marcus.
Dios les bendiga a todos.
Jean
Thanks Marcus. I live in Mexico and have used your lessons for the two years Ive been here. Invaluable.