Why Spanish verb charts cause failure
Here’s the easy road to Spanish verb mastery.
I call this the Sideways Approach. It’s a tiny twist that takes difficult Spanish verbs and makes them simple.
In Spanish the verbs are not the same as in English. For most students this grinds their Spanish to a screeching halt.
Here’s how to shortcut all the intimidating grammar rules and slice through the conjugation charts.
With a simple sideways turn to the verbs anyone can dominate this language no matter their age or background.
Here is a typical verb chart:
| Ar verbs | Er Verbs | IR verbs |
| Hablar | comer | vivir |
| Yo Hablo | yo como | yo vivo |
| Tu Hablas | tu comes | tu vives |
| Usted Habla | usted come | usted vive |
| El/ella habla | el/ella come | el/ella vive |
| Nosotros(as) Hablamos | nosotros(as)comemos | nosotros(as)vivimos |
| Ustedes Hablan | ustedes comen | ustedes viven |
| Ello(as) hablan | ellos(as) comen | ellos(as) viven |
I guess it’s OK as a reference tool. Except for the overuse of pronouns, especially yo. I’ll tell you why yo is so bad en un momento.
However, that chart as a foundation to speaking Spanish in real situations, making friends, doing business or pursuing a romance…
Olvídalo! (Forget it!)
Here’s what’s wrong…
If you rely on the chart you’ll always be at the mercy of the chart before you can speak.
Imagine if you had to stop and think about theory before you spoke in English.
…………..…Imagine if……………………………………………………….. you had………………to stop and………………………………….think about a bunch of theory before……………………………………………you spoke in English
That’s how most teachers train you to speak Spanish.
It’s no wonder the majority of students struggle, month after month… and many give up before they reach anything close to fluency.
Fortunately there is an easier way.
All you do is turn the verbs sideways.
Let’s turn the chart sideways and take a look at the first person pattern. That’s the one you use to talk about what you do.
Yo hablo
Yo como
Yo vivo
Now lets get rid of the pronoun yo. Spanish speakers mostly use yo for emphasis. Do you really want to go around emphasizing yourself?
(Yo, yo, yo, I, I, I, me, me, me) It’s not a good look. (It’s all about me!)
So let’s ditch yo.
Hablo
Como
vivo
Notice anything?
Let’s make it a bit easier.
HablO
ComO
VivO
Look at that!
All the first person verbs end in then letter “O”
Hablo = I speak
Como = I eat
Vivo = I live
All of a sudden something big and intimidating becomes an easy and manageable pattern. Can you understand these phrases?
Hablo español con mi amigo Francisco.
No como chile.
Vivo en Argentina.
Hablo con muchas personas en Facebook.
Vivo en México pero no como chile.
It’s that easy to bring life to Spanish verbs.
The exciting thing is it doesn’t take many of these sideways patterns to start speaking great Spanish.
Get a handful of them under you belt and the language will suddenly open up for you. You’ll quickly speak Spanish that delights your amigos.
One more very important point…
Even though we eliminated the fear of verbs, just reading this lesson can be a bid dry and dull.
Hearing and using the language is when things become vibrant and lively.
That’s why I have prepared this audio lesson for you.
| Getting By | Sideways for Fluency | Sideways for Mastery |
Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.
(28 votes, average: 4.71 out of 5)
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Hi Marcus, I just listened to your latest email.
Please tell me this.
While I was listening to it you said ‘every day’ was ‘todos los dias’, but on one of your CD’s you say ‘every day’ is ‘cada dia’.
Can I use either?
Peter
Marcus
Reply:
January 25th, 2011 at 9:06 pm
Hola Peter
Yes, very often “todos los días and “cada día” are interchangeable. However, if you want to say everyday and imply “day by day” you’ll use”cada día”. For example;
Cada dia hablo más español.
Marcus
Hola Marcus
Enjoyed your latest email and it certainly makes Spanish sound so easy. I find the present tense easy enough but it is when I get to the past tenses that it is far more difficult. Also, there are so many irregular verbs which I find difficult to remember.
Sandra
Marcus
Reply:
January 25th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Hola Sandra
The same applies for any tense, use the Sideways Approach and they all become doable.
By the way, most of the irregular verbs have cousins. When you turn them sideways with one patterns you can use many verbs, just like we did here.
Marcus
Hello Marcus
I have listened to the audio and I found it to be very enlightening. I have also learned a number of things. Do you have any audio with passages in Spanish and its interpretations? If you do can you tell me about them and send samples of same to me. I would be very grateful.
Thanks
Aldith
Marcus
Reply:
January 25th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Hola Aldith
I probably do have that, but you’ll need to be a little more specific about what you mean.
Marcus
Hola Marcus,
Your method of teaching is the best that I have encountered, and I am learning slowly as my memory is not so good now and I do not have any people to converse with apart from in the Supermarket and Restaurants, I am looking forward to my neighbours returning from Madrid so I can practice with them in the holidays.
Thank you,
Sarah
You’re spot on (again) Marcus. I am a big fan of your style.
The students that the colleges churn out, who can chant the verb lists at you but still can’t put a sentence together, I call ‘list monkeys’. They have to scale up and down these verb charts as they have been taught.
It’s not that the schools don’t teach them well – it’s that they teach them the wrong things. They remember what they are taught, but unfortunately they are not taught how to actually SPEAK!
Hola Señor marcus, Gracias por tu generosidad. Me alegro mucho porque sigo aprendiendo español.
me gusta tu manera de enseñar.
I have just opened your latest e-mail. Thank you so much for sending the verb list. Could we please have the same, but with past tenses.
I agree with the above comment. I am learning Spanish at college and you do feel sometimes like a “list monkey”. I wish a lot more spanish teachers would adopt your style of teaching, one which at least makes it interesting to learn and most importantly fun!
Thank you.
Lorna
As I listen to the recordings I wonder if there is also a written lesson of the same recording. Frankly, my hearing (at seventy six) is a bit “shakey”…and at times I don’t quite understand some ot the words. If I could back them up with the printed word….that would be a big help… thank you
Marcus
Reply:
January 25th, 2011 at 9:21 pm
Yes, I’ll make a transcript available shortly.
Marcus
I love the way you teach us to speak,books in general are very confusing.you are so generous with your free lessions.once again thank you so much best wishes rita
This was amazing where has this been my whole life…..thank you for this!
Gracias Marcus por todo. Estoy muy feliz; Hablo bien con Synergy Spanish.
Thank you so much i enjoy it very much!
first step to learn spanish……
Gracias Marcus! I love the way you find these wonderfully different ways to turn language teaching on its head….it makes a language so user-friendly.
Thank you Marcus! I have been studying spanish at the university of Tromsø for one year and I have had big problems in speaking spanish – your lessons made it much more easy. But please go on to the past tenses too!!!
I agree with you. In school they teach the you the wrong way and teach you to write instead of to be able to hold a conversation. Thank you for all that you do. I also agree with the earlier post, past tenses are what I struggle with right now. Do you have anything on your website that helps with past tense? Thank you!
Marcus,
You never cease to amaze me. Each time I think I have found the fountain of Spanish learning, you give me a better way to study. The genius is the simplicity of your teaching method. Thank you.
John
Once again you have given this 62 year old man a bit of hope that I can become a little more fluent in Spanish as always thank you
Marcus. I do alot of traveling in latin american countries. My last trip to central America made me realize just how poor my spanish is. A friend recommended synergy spanish to me and now my spanish is getting much better every day. Thank you for your help..
,Bill
Absolutely excellent. My only problem is that I havehearing problems. Therefore it is difficult for me to understand the words sometimes. But that is me nothing to do with your teaching. I think the way you go about it is absolutely excellent. I wish I was a little younger I would certainly join your classes. As a pensioner everything becomes more difficult.
Keep it up you will succeed.
Martha
Buenos dias Sr. Santamaria, Both of us love your teaching method. You make learning Spanish a lot of fun. Both my husband and I listen to your CD’s and find them very useful. We both speak French and English and find so many Spanish words common to English and French. We also speak Arabic fluently becaue it is our mother tongue and find some Arabic influence in Spanish also. This is understandable since North African Arabs were in Andal,usia for some time. This is so delightful, the commonality of these languages. It is a human treasure. It is great to know that you are promoting this human treasure. Much gracias. Sonia and Mike
Hi Marcus many thanks for your lessons I was in spain for 3 yrs and found your spanish lessons a great help. keep up the good work.
Liz.
Hola Marcus,
I only started recently and am amazed how easy and interesting you have made it to learn,
I am only at lesson 3, and will be attending a conversational group this evening. Thanks
Marcus, thanks for the Spanish Verb chart, please send me any free material that will help me speak spanish, I have challenged myself to learn this new language, I am 62 years young!
Hola marcus,
Top easy stuff. I have been playing with Spanish for some time now. Can get by only in present verbs and nouns.
You lessons are a big help.
I an going to Guatemala next month,to school in,Petachel, ????? By a large lake and volcanos.
all the fees stray in the community, ( Yeah right ? ).
I fear the teaching methods ( list monkey ) but need the small town and home stay for immersion.
do you or any others have any better ideas?
Thanks again Trevor
THANKS A LOT MARCUS , THANKS FOR VERBS CHART , PLEASE SEND ME MORE MATERIAL THAT CAN HELP ME TO SPEAK SPANISH . I AM LIVING IN SPAIN FROM THREE AND HALF YEARS BUT SHY TO SPEAK , ALTHOUGH I HAVE GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF VOCABULARY . PLEASE HELP ME TO LEARN THIS EASY WAY . GOD BLESS YOU.
Hola Marcus,
My husband and I are in our sixties, and we recently lived in Costa Rica for 4 years, studying Spanish at a very reputable school for about 4 months. After that, we had a teacher in our home for a while, trying to learn all the rules of Spanish. Part of the problem was our age. I think the language-learning part of the brain must harden up over the years. HA! But we tried our best. The problem I found, personally, is that my ears aren’t trained to hear and understand Spanish as spoken by Costa Ricans. It was spoken so quickly, with such soft sounds. Sometimes it seemed their lips never touched each other! I could practice my own sentences to say, like when going to the supermercado. But as soon as a person would reply, I would be lost. Very frustrating. I felt like a child, and could become very discouraged. One must be willing to just “stick it out there” and be willing to look foolish, I suppose. Anyway, I do love your approach, even if it might not be considered by some to be “proper” Spanish. I also have tried Rosetta Stone, which simplifies the langauge by associating pictures with words and ideas. That is good too, but it is also a very big commitment to do it everyday. I enjoyed this lesson that you have just sent. It was fun to speak simple sentences with confidence. Thank you!
You’re simply the best!
HOLA MARCUS,
LIFE HAS BEEN EASY FOR ALL WITH YOUR SPANISH LESSON. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Hi Marcus,
I love the way you cut through the convoluted patterns and give us a simple one. However I need to see the words you say as you say them as I learn best visually and if the information comes in two ways at once learning is easier and faster.
Let me know were to buy. Your book for the class
.Thank you.
admin
Reply:
August 26th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
See the links at the bottom of the post.
Getting by – Sideways for Fluency
Thank you so much for the continued emails. Your method of teaching makes the learning so much more interesting and enjoyable compared to the evening classes, I have attended over the years. Whenever I’m stuck in class, it’s always your methods from the Synergy spanish lessons that spring to mind first rather than trying to recall whatever we’ve been recently taught.
Hola Marcus,
Just read through the comments and am pleased to see you getting the kudos you deserve.
Your generosity is unusual and appreciated by many.
Am putting my personal thanks here for making my learning Spanish more fun . . .
Y MUCHO MAS FACIL!
You’re the BEST.
Thank you so much.
LOVE THIS SIDEWAYS SPANISH I JUST GOT INTO ELEMENTARY SPANISH AND WAS SO CONFUSED ABOUT THE VERBS. THIS IS TOO EASY I KEEP THINKING THERES A CATCH. THANKS SO MUCH
Just a minor observation. In your list of verb endings, at the bottom of the Vivir list, instead of
ellos viven you have ellos comen.
Ar verbs Er Verbs IR verbs
Hablar comer vivir
Yo Hablo yo como yo vivo
Tu Hablas tu comes tu vives
Usted Habla usted come usted vive
El/ella habla el/ella come el/ella vive
Nosotros(as) Hablamos nosotros(as)comemos nosotros(as)vivimos
Ustedes Hablan ustedes comen ustedes viven
Ello(as) hablan ellos(as) comen ellos(as) comen
Thanks again, Marcus! I love your way of teaching and you are so encouraging!
Hello Marcus,
I have finished Level 1 and I am well into Level 2. The improvement in my Spanish has amazed me. I have sent E-Mails in Spanish to Hotels in Spain and reserved accomodation for 3 holidays.I have also been able to answer any questions they have come back to me with.
However, I do have problems because my English Key-Board does not have the facility for accents. When I have a problem with a word or phrase and use one of the many translation sites I get varying answers which is confusing. I think the hotels I contacted would have been confused also. After all that I now get to my question. Do you know of any program I can download that will allow me to use accents when writing Spanish?
Many thanks for all your help and constant flow of information and updates.
Kindest regards. Albert
I agree with the comments about your genorosity and quality of your teaching methods…I am saving for the CDs…Muchas gracias
THANKS MARCUS I AM STARTING TO MAKE SENSE OF MY SPANISH JOURNEY WITH YOUR HELP AND BOLA DE NIEVE I JUST HOPE THAT ONE DAY I WILL LEARN TO TALK TO ALL MY SPANISH FRIENDS AND ENJOY MY HOLIDAYS BETTER YOURS DAVE
Hi Markus, thank you for your excellent course, I am only up to lesson 16 which I have downloaded onto my ipod as a podcast , I listen to them as i go on my daily walks and during a coffee break. I too would like a transcript as a double blast for my mind. Incidentally I am 77 yrs old but have no trouble with the course neither through hearing nor comprehension . As a fellow Aussie I am rapt. I cannot wait to get to Mexico and try it out on some “live people”. Thank you for your encouragement. Ramón.
Many thanks , most informative, I am trying to learn spanish at night school, but lose interest when we have to learn the names of parts of a car… Why?
I am considering your cds when I can afford them. Thanks again
Hi Marcus
Many thanks for your latest lesson it was simply fantastic and so easy to understand
I really feel my spanish is starting to iimprove all due to your excellent course,otra vez
muchas gracias.
Martin
Hi Marcu,
Anything to help make Spanish easier is most welcome, your latest lesson certainly does do that, thank you.
Jean
Hello Marcus,
I really enjoyed reading through the lesson and listening to the audio. I have been trying to learn Spanish for quite a few years but not being able to practise it very often it is very difficult to remember. I think your way of teaching is really excellent. Keep going I shall save this e-mail and keep on listening. Thanks for your generosity.
Martha
Ola Marcus, I enjoy everything you send me and I am getting more confident with my spanish and this latest one your Sideway Verbs and Audio is brilliant, however I just don’t seem to understand when they speak back to me although I ask them to speak more slowly. Maybe one day it will happen. Thankyou.
I look forward to your emails reminding me to continue my quest to learn spanish. You make it so easy. My husband and I purchase home cooked food from the local supermarket and I have a chance to let the salesperson know I am trying to communicate. Of course she speaks english very well and is pleased with my efforts. So continue to keep in touch by email cause I am enjoying the lessons and loving your approach. I have tried overy 20 years to learn spanish, but failed……
Thank you Marcus for making it easier and enjoyable.
Hola Marcus,
I love your course. The teaching is clear, very well pronounced.
I’ve had the course for quite some time now and if I had buckled down and studied would probably be almost fluent by now.
I have a question: I was chatting online with a lady friend in Mexico the other day and she was talking about pain in her hands.
She used the words las manos for hands.
I asked her why “las” instead of “los” since the hands are masculine (manos).She said that “las” was correct but could not explain why.
Is this one of those exceptions to ‘las = feminine” and “los = masculine” that we need to understand?
Marcus this video was great I will learn a lot from it, you are a great guy, thank you so much for this.
It seems to me that if you had a visual as well as the audio it would extremely helpful. Not sure what you mean by sideways Spanish but this lesson makes sense to me. Just now trying to learn Spanish but having a time with it.
Thanks,
Sandra
youre the best! marcus, im a bad learner but my frends say wowwww you learning now verry quikly, and in from the netherlands! vivo en Panama!
Hola Marcus, I would like to express my thanks for Synergy Spanish and Shortcut to Spanish Level 1. These books are way better, more clear and makes more sense than any spainsh books I have seen in any stores. The only part I’m sadden is that I can not use any audio to listen how to say in spanish cuz I’m hard of hearing( I did tried but I’m not picking it ). The books I bought are more than good enough for me to read and learn how to say it. I’m really loving & enjoying it very much. Indeed it is number #1 in the world. Keep up with the awesome work!Going to buy more from you when I finished this course;))
¡Hola! Marcus, I live in Spain and I have been trying to speak fluently for ten years. I attend a class twice a week and since I have received your trial ‘bola de nieve’ it has freed up a blockage in my head and I feel more confident. I am very much looking forward to beginning the whole course.
Best wishes and thank you,
Alison
hi there i would just like to say your spanish lessons are brilliant and iinteresting iam begining to pick it up slow but sure kind regards kip from scotland u.k.
Hi Marcus
I enjoyed listening to your Sideways Spanish – its a great way to teach. Having spent 10 years struggling with the verbs I am probably intermediate level. But found it very hard work. Thank you for the updates and I find the dictionary words – a word a day great. Many thanks.
Hola Marcus,
I like your approach to teaching Spanish very much. I do not have any trouble with the simple tenses but as soon as I try to speak in the other tenses I run into trouble, especially the irregular ones. Do you have a program for easily learning these. Thank you, Lynn
Marcus
Reply:
June 16th, 2011 at 12:39 am
Hola Lynn
I don’t have anything that focuses on just those topics, although Advanced Concepts Intensive
deals with that and more.
http://www.synergyspanishsystems.com/ACI.html
Saludos
Marcus
Hola Marcus, Your sideways lesson opens up the mind to think in the spanish language as grammatically it is very different from english. Thank you for your help my spanish continues to build slowly but more confidently usingthe lessons.
Sheree O’Connor Ireland
Hola Marcus,
I am learning spanish, but still not hardly conficent enough to try to engage in lengthly conversations currently there is a roofing company, employing many Mexican, Hondurans, and even Guatamalans. And while they all speak spanish, I detect a different speech patern and distinguish between the different groups. Yeah they do understand each other, sometimes they do have to pause and think, most often not. between different spanish countries will there be much variances in speech patterns and will it be enough to throw off how to interpert whats being said?
Thanks
Barry
admin
Reply:
August 26th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
There are always regional differences, even within a single country. However, most
of the language is commonly used wherever Spanish is spoken.
99% of what I teach is universal Spanish that you can use throughout the Spanish speaking world.
Marcus, I love your approach to learning Spanish Verbs. I am enjoying the audio immensley.
Thanks,
Charlene
You bastard!, I was quite happy talking with “:yo no tengo this” , and “yo no tengo that” but now you have made me feel like I was always talkingg “sobre yo” , well thanks to your prompt, I am now trying to speak without the Yo before anything, of course the Spanish being too polite will not inform you about the Yo deal buit lets sea how it goes
Regards.Dave.
Hola Profesor
Es un enorme gusto para mi participar en sus lecciones . Usted es profesor maravilloso. Sus lecciones me han dado la oportunidad de usar mejor lo que aprendi de los textos hace muchos anos. Tengo sesenta y siete anos y aprendia espanol entre 1957 a 1962 en la escuela. He seguido estudiar espanol de vez en cuando pero no puedo conversar aunque lo escribo y leo . Desde encontre su curso hablo espanol sin tener miedo. Entiendo perfectamente como el metodo en las escuelas impede la habilidad de hablar. Muchas gracias por sus lecciones. Espero que continue ayudar personas como yo aprender y,
sobretodo, hablar espanol. Tiene un regalo de Dios. Es profesor excelente.
Gracias
Younie
Hi Marcus,
thank you for the courses and the E-mails that gave me a better understanding of the
Spanish language. This really helped me talk to this girl at my work who knew very little
English. We learned off each other and started to communicate better. Unfortunately,
she lost her job and we lost communication. By talking to this girl it gave me an
appreciation and compassion for people who know only one language and have
to adjust to a different language and culture. Please keep sending the E-mails
Thank you,
Patrick
Thank you for the lesson. It is a good lesson.
It is NEVER too late to learn a language. I learned German at 62 years old and I am now 71 and really enjoy learning Spanish mainly due to Marcus’ way of teaching. I have started Bola De Nieve 7 months ago and I finally can speak Spanish. This is the first time I come to this website. I had problems to understand the “2nd person plural” .With your explanations, Marcus, it is now very clear. I regret, I have no one to practice with. However, since I am looking forward to my next trip in Spain, I keep learning and talk aloud around the house. I visualize talking with someone, I start very slow, repeat my sentences many times until I feel the conversation flows naturally. It is fun and my husband appreciates my efforts.
Muchas Gracias Marcus. Esta un profesor excelente.
Daniella
Having had a few lessons in Snanish I was able to pick up on your audio lesson but the big advantage of the lesson is having to answer or say the phrase in Spanish without trying to think in English first. It quickens the mind and ears.
Excellent practice
Eric
Hola Marcus,
I’ve tried learning Spanish off and on for sometime, never got very far. Since I’ve tried yours I may have a chance. If i could get a little to keep at it. I’m going to try to keep at. I need to train my ears to understand better. Thanks Harold
Que tal Marcus…
first, your exrcises are good but, there is something wrong on your rules of the pronouns. We in spanish do not use the subject pronouns as much as you mention, in fact, english speaker use them a lot, all the time. You need to add to your tasks the words TACITO or IMPLICITO, that’s how we use the verbs and yes we just use the promouns “para hacer enfasis”. Yo sigo tus ejercicios y los USO para EXPLICARLE a los alumnos su funcion.
Gracias por el espacio y tiempo que TOMES para dar respuesta…
Victor
admin
Reply:
June 15th, 2011 at 9:34 pm
Hola Victor
I agree, in Spanish personal pronouns are not used nearly as much as in English. That’s another reason why the verb chart causes problems.
Glad to hear you are using my ideas with your students.
Saludos
Marcus
Hi marcus, is there any way you could bring us learners together via skype, we could then practise speaking and maybe friendships would start. look forard to hear what you think.
Marcus
Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Hola
There is a site that will help you do just that. I wrote about it on the post
http://www.synergyspanishsystems.com/blog/spanish-amigos/
Saludos
Marcus
Marcus , I have benefited from your trial offer and desire more information.
Presently studying Level 3 : reading ok but conversing difficult : which of your courses would you advise.
Gracias
Douglas
Hola profesor Marcus,
Your method is great. thank you. You have helped me learn so much. This is my second year of learning spanish with you.
Gracias.
ann
Hi Marcus,
As so many people have already stated, your style of learning is very helpful, enjoyable, and encouraging.
In addition to adding the transcript to this audio, is it possible to make it downloadable as well (similar to many of your other audios.
With so many e-mails and audios that you make available, I have found it challenging at times to keep track of what audios I’ve downloaded and which e-mails I haven’t looked at yet.
Thanks Marcus.
(And as long as you keep creating and sharing lessons to help me progress in learning Spanish fluently, I’ll continue to learn from you. I think I’m done with classroom learning, now that I have you and your method of teaching.)
thanks marcus i am trying very hard to lean all this but not very good at remembering it all will keep at it thanks very much
hola marcus
thanks for the lessons they are helping me a bit just have to try and remember things will keep at it
gracias
tina
This is very interesting and thanks for the tip.muchisimo gracias
Hola Marcus
Just read your latest e-mail Sideways Verbs and would like to thank you for explaining in such an easy way something which has caused me some confusion. I have to admit that although I am progresing well with the Synergy course it is quite a bit slower than you expect. However my slow progress is mainly due to my repeating lesson after lesson until its lear. I visit Spain fairly regular and practice my progress each time.
Thank you again for an excellent product.
Hola Marcus great stuff.
Gracias para todos
Hi Marcus — I agree with all that you say, it is indeed good and well presented. In my case, however, I’ve never met a Spanish speaking person, am never likely to. I like to try and read Spanish ( a hobby I suppose) but the spoken form is completely beyond me. I do hear Spanish TV news ocasionally and am totally befuddled — so fast, and so much running of words into one and another. At 82 I’m not at all interested in the aural side , hence I haven’t opted for your various spoken word offers. If my interest seems peculiar well it stems from 60 years ago when I had a very short stint in a Benedictine monastery (in Australia) where all the monks, bar one, were from Spain — hence, though they spoke Latin or English (when permitted to speak) I did get a little Spanish (very little!) and that stimulated my interest.
Bill J
Thanks for sharing Marcus very easy.Really gives you hope that you can progress.
Winsome
hi marcus i think the lessons are great,it’s me who needs to knuckle down to them,so your going on my ipodso i can take you with me every where i go ,somethiing has to sink in sometime.
Dear Marcus. I have tried hard to master Spanish without sucess. I think I am just to old and will have to give up.I live quite a lot of my time with my daughter and son in law in Tenerife. They are great with there Spanish but it goes over my haed. But thantyou Marcus for trying to help me. I think I am just a hopeless case. Thanks again. Sally.
HI Marcus
yes thats good so I am feeling my way bit by bit
but I still look like a startled rabbit when the Spanish start speaking back at me when they think I speak Spanish
Thats the hard bit as they speak so fast !!
HI MARCUS
kEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, EASY TO UNDERSTAND
IM GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY.
Andy Costa
Hi Marcus – I was reading all the marvelous (and absolutely true) comments and wanted to add mine, tho probably repetitious.
I am working thru Bola Nieve and have reached the point where I can relax if I have to speak in Spanish or be answered in Spanish…… after six years of grammar I had despaired of this. Now I want to go back over the Bola Nieve and get more fluid and perhaps ‘think’ in Spanish.
I don’t know any other course that teaches as you do, and can’t believe my luck to come across you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!
Cathy W
GREAT! Unfortunately, my computer does not have an audio capability. Do you, per chance, have a way to give me a similar learning ability through reading only? I believe I know enough of the Spanish pronunciation, being a Filipina. I will appreciate any assistance you can give me.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Celina
I loved this lesson Marcus it was so much easier!
Mucas gracias!
Hi Marcus, I got away from this during the holidays. Forgot most that I learned. I will be right on it again.
Thank you,Vicki
[...] Why Spanish verb charts cause failure [...]
Sr. Marcus! Muchas gracias por su metodo. I really enjoy listening to your suggestions, it makes it way easier to express our ideas in this beautiful language. Gracias otra vez.
[...] Why Spanish verb charts cause failure [...]
A good aproach to learning first person, but there almost thirty nine other conjugations. At 87 years old, my memory does not hold well. I want to go back to Mexico again and talk in Spanish as needed.
WFG
This works great for the present tense. I have never seen you use this with the simple past (el pretérito). Not quite so simple, plus there are quite a few irregular forms. In addition, what about the stem-changing verbs in the present tense?
Hi Marcus,
I enjoyed this very much, it really makes the language much easier to learn and understand.
Hola Marcus, I really enjoy getting your e-mails and listening to some of the audios, but I am not so good on the computer and when it comes to downloading some things I am not so sure what to do. I have got to wait until my friend can come round and help me with the technical side of things, she has been unable to come visit for a while, but I look forward to receiving the things that you have sent. I am really enjoying learning to speak spanish and cant wait to converse with others confidently.
Muchas Grathias
Elizabeth
Hola Marcus
Thanks for your response.
I am having a problem with listening and interpreting what is being read (comprehension) especially if it is being done rapidly. Can you help me in any way?
Thanks
Aldith
Dear Marcus, It is1:03 AM on Tuesday morning. I have just finished downloading your sideway approach” twist” to learning Spanish verbs. I am so excited. I wish the hour was earlier so I could continue on. However, tomorrow is another day and I am really looking forward to it.
Thanks so very much. You made my day. Mary Ellen Rice
Dear Marcus,
Hola!!! Thanks for keeping me updated on your latest lessons…So good of you…
You have helped me alot….It is like a refresher course with the audio you have with your beloved Elena…Muchas Gracias!!!
God Bless You,
Letty Duran.
Greetings, Marcus.
Just to let you know I was a bit late in joining, but am enjoying the lessons nevertheless. Especially the pronounciation and accent. Good on ya!
I liked this sideways lesson very much. I have had trouble with verbs. However, I will return to
Bole de Nieve when the summer comes and I have to spend more time keeping cool en casa.
I hope that your sister did not have too much trouble with the floods in Brisbane. Eileen H.
i your style mr. marcus sign me up.
[...] original audio is still available on this page, about half way down the [...]
I didn’t find the audio half way down the page
I appreciate your free lessons and this makes sense
Hi Marcus, Thank you so much for all the extra help you give us. These are great! Keith
thank you so much for the lessons. It really help me in my daily activity.
Thank you. I have been away and miss your lessons. You are the best teacher I came across.
I agree that the schools teach verbs in a clunky and ineffective “list.” However, I discovered what you did, and have used this method effectively. What do all the “I” verbs have in common? I never noticed however that it is indeed “sideways.”
[...] Popular Posts Why Spanish verb charts cause failure [...]
The comments above,( and continuing) would speak a volume of the efficacy of your style of teaching ‘hablante’.Tired of searching a forum to help my 76 years ‘hablar bien’ , I assumed Synergy is yet another… But after the “sideways”, I am learning to change my thinking.
Gracias por tu ayuda.
I have noticed the different pronunciation of the double ell
i.e. llama is sometimes pronounced jama and llegar is jegar
I find it very difficult to understand which one is right and which one I should
use. I started to say yama and then heard jama – which is correct ? regards, Jean Roe
Conversation
repetition
hearing
Practice. & more Practice with your quidance I wil continue to learn so I can enjoy the beauty of the Spanish Language. Thank you. MILAGROS
It is so generous of you to continue sharing your lessons. i love everything you send. You inspire me all the time to keep up to date with the Spanish I thought I had nearly lost.My visits again to Spanish Islands are so much more rewarding when I can converse comfortably with the most beautiful people in the world in their language. You have given me back a great source of delight. Muchas gracias y a Elena .Top marks of course
[...] Popular Posts Why Spanish verb charts cause failure [...]
Very good Very Very good
EXCELLENT says it all. You make it easy and enjoyable to learn the language,
I try to download the sideway spanish click but the link did not work. I loving the course.
Your method is excellent + you are so encouraging too : a mixture that is irresistible !
Your lessons are very “user friendly” – so much easier for learning than night school courses. I think you definitely have the right approach!
[...] Popular Posts Why Spanish verb charts cause failure [...]
Hola Marcus,
After I listened to your sideway Spanish which ignited my desire to learn the language again, I
really like the way – sideway recording – you teach Spanish, do you have material as such in a
progressive form? Please advise!
Truly,
Philip
admin
Reply:
May 9th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Hola Philip
I don’t spend a lot of time on progressive tenses. The reason is simply that Spanish speakers don’t use them nearly as much as English speakers do. That’s one of the problems with a one size fits all approach to learning language, what is important in English can be much less important in Spanish. So, I focus on the Spanish that is most frequently used.
Hope this makes sense.
Marcus
Thank you so much Marcus for yet another free spanish lesson. I really appreciate your generosity and the time that you take to prepare these audios for us. I think that learning the verbs is one of the hardest things about learning Spanish and your methods of teaching are …. well, no one comes close.
You are the best.
Many thanks.
Marcus you do make learning Spanish so easy and I enjoy all your lesson so much. I adopted my great nephew when he was three months old. I want to teach him Spanish because he is half Spanish and want him to have something that was taken away from him at birth. That was a parent that could of taught him but decided to walk out of his life. I’m not the fastest learner and I have some of my owns issues with my own language. You make learning fun and simplify this well. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you for the transcripts! I’m not an auditory learner so being able to SEE it while it is spoken is a huge help..(. I have hopes maybe this will be the one language program that will work for me)
I really appreciate the down load it given me hope . You have open a new avenue to me in learining the language. Thank You
Thank you marcus I found the way of teaching interesting
Querido Marcus, gracias por compartir tus metodos con nosotros. Mi esposo y yo find it very useful! MUCHAS GRACIAS por su generosidad tambien. Saludos.
i have learnt more just by using your free lessons than 3 years in college, hope to be able to buy the bloody package some time soon ..
many thanks
paul
Hi Marcus, I think your Blog pages are great and I download them all for the information that they contain. What is not so great is that I cannot just download the blog, I have to download all of the feedback also. Sorry, that is a waste of paper and ink and on a pension, that hurts.
Buenas tardes Marcus,
Your way of teaching is the best around! And I found your “sideway” approach most helpful. You really “do” have a terrific way of approach. I’m more confident now, and thank you sooo much for your generosity.(Now, I love “homework.)
Muchas gracias, y hasta luego.
Derek.
Marcus, I can only comment on the first ausio. Either you’re a great teacher or I’m a brighter than I thought student !!!!!
My only problem id that the gentleman who speaks spanish does not speakin a dictinct voice , especially with the infinitives. I have to go a sentence or two or three to “get” what I missed. But I always get it.
I eat up yourwork like candy !
Thank you Sister Micael Mary Kean
[...] Popular Posts Why Spanish verb charts cause failure [...]
Dear Marcus:
I have told many people about your approach and the website. I am an English teacher in Mexico at a small school where we also have alot of Spanish calsses for extranjeros! I can sit in for free. Sure glad I ain’t paying for them!! They are everything you claim is horrible in language acquistion and I agree. My fluency seems to decrease the more classes I take. It is hours of endless grammar points with little oral practice. I notice I have opened my mounth for one or two sentences after I completed a worksheet and got called on to utter some blank I filled in.
thanks for the sideways approach. I almost rolled on the floor practicing “vivo bien and como bien”. The EFL world is not for the weak. The pay is frightening.
De hecho ya sabía este truco suyo:-) Y estoy totalmente de acuerdo de que sea más fácil que aprender TODOS las formas de TODOS verbos. Sin embarga, recomendaría a un estudiante que aprende las formas regulares, y tener en cuenta que ‘yo’ siempre es igual y también ‘tu’ en presente.
Hi Marcus, all your time and hard work is gratefully appreciated, thank you. Jim.
Really enjoyed this exercise-thanks
Ho.la Marcus
Just binned my wall chart, you where right I was refering back to it all the time
Thanks Andy
Thanks Marcus, I’m a great fan of your method and have used it to teach English with Portuguese speakers! It is so easy and in English they only need to learn two words in each conjugation – plus the pronouns, of course. Stuart
Hola Marcus!
muchas gracias por todos benefecios me recibir especilamente su perseverancia para ayudar y tambien su ejemplo inspirar me para aguanta…quiero practica que ti aprendar..Me Gusta mucho su estilo ,proceso..es no aburido..es muy agradable….Estoy felicidades cada dia aprendo….Keep and continue doing Good for other it’s one way to give thanks and praise God the giver and source of everything.
Sr. Ruby o Hermana Ruby
I happen to be an Spanish native speaker because I´m Mexican, but I´m also a two-time English contest national champion and your methods have the same spproach as another great language teacher, but he teaches English to people that don´t speak English and I totally agree with you both!
Hola Marcus!
Como esta usted? Hablo espanol poquito ahora. Muchas gracias amigo para mi leccion. I am still learning.
The best spanish lesson I ever had! Keep sending my lessons.
Thank you.
Hola marcus
I am new to this whole espanyol lesson and i’ll really like to be fluent in the language……Pls can you do me the favour of taking me from the amateur stage(beginning)…..Would appreciate it if this comment is replied…or if i get a ail concerning this issue..
God bless
p.s Thanks for all your mail.
richard
I have taken spanish classes and listened to spanish tapes. I believe the only way to learn spanish to to speak it. I don’t have any spanish friends. I will follow you lessons, but tapes have not worked for me. I woulld like to be certified in Spanish as well
Hi Marcus, I have just started your lessons and just finished listening to the free audios. Your lessons are very easy to follow and understand and what a bonus being free. I can’t wait to hear more. I really appreciate them they are so very helpful.
Muchas gracias
Chris
Gracias mucho! I am learning from your free lessons! God bless!
[...] Popular Posts Why Spanish verb charts cause failure [...]
WONDERFUL!!!!!!
Hi Marcus, just wanted to say muchas gracias. This Spanish course is excellent and you give such good value for money…signing up was the best thing I ever did. I have lived in Costa Rica for 2 years and made little progress learning the language. I am retired and do not get a lot of opportunity to practice because the place is full of Gringos and the Ticos are always anxious to practice their English. Now I practice everyday and I am learning a lot. I cannot believe how my fluency has improved, but best of all I am having fun. congratulations on putting together such a good product.
Besos
Hola Marcus;
I just would like to say…I have always wanted to learn Spanish..( I am now 58 ) and now I am really learning to do just that. Thank you…you make it do-able…and enjoyable at the same time..Also thankyou for your generosity ..with the extra lessons.
Hola Marcus! Ditto all the positive comments on the web site. I love studying the language using your teaching style. I loaded the audio discs on my MP3 and use it when walking for exercise. I relate to the older “students” who have difficulty remembering; yet, your teaching style makes it much easier for me to practice and learn spanish. Many thanks.
gracias marcus…
este curso de espanol es perfecto para me
Hola Marcus
I have been trying to learn Spanish for nearly five years.
Your lessons have given me more confidence to use what I have learnt especially with your method of teaching
Many thanks.
Sr. Mauricio es sin duda el hombre en la misión. ¡Buen suerte los todos!
I JUST LISTEN TO THE AUDIO,IT WAS GREAT. i did understand it all. I also, like when the words are there
Hola Marcus.
Do you have a course on past tenses. I have done most of your courses, but haven’t checked in over 12 months to see if there is a new one on past tenses. They absolutely stop me in my tracks. You have taught me to speak in the present tense, but in a normal conversation, there is a lot about what happened in the past. Look forward to your response y gracias por su ayuda.
Hi Marcus,
you brain friendly approach is fantastic.Can you please share sideways approach for past tenses and future tenses as well.
I think this system of learning is absolutely brilliant. I think this tutor gives the right tools to dissect the language.
Hola Marcus!
I really like the audio you do. It really helps me with my Spanish that I’m currently learning in school. The first audio dialogue really helped me learn better to make sentences in Spanish.
Jacob
hii ,im have just stared learning spanish and i have found this very helpfull.thanks
thanks!
So far so good – I have tried many different programs without success, yes, I need to practice more than what I do, but this seems like a program that I would stick to. I live in Panama and am from the states, so it is neessary that I learn Spanish. Thank you
Thanks Marcus !!
I have just started your courses in early January 2012, and I am progressing slowly, but steadily.
I find your periodic emails very interesting indeed.
Please keep sending them !!!
Thanking you once again for your wonderful course
Alex Joseph
Marcus, thank you for finding an easier method of learning spanish, i have tried for years to learn but it was just so confusing to me, how the sentence structure and such yo words was just to much for my mind to grasp and pull up. I would love to have some lessons sent to me in my email. Please send any you can and any help is appreciated;-)
Julie.
i am in spain since the past 2 months but i did not find any thing working for spanish like that you have. thanks