Michel Thomas Foundation Course: Spanish
Duration: 8h 04m 14s
DESCIPTION:
Michel Thomas took the language-learning world by storm.
With no books, no memorising and no homework, Michel teaches the basic grammar of the language painlessly. Using the method he perfected over 50 years, he shares his secret with the world - and 'makes it simple' (Sunday Times).
In only a matter of hours, he gives you a comprehensive grasp of the structure of the language, enabling you to communicate with confidence. The present, future, conditional and past tenses are covered, and you are taught to think about the ideas that you are trying to communicate, rather than to translate words slavishly.
He points out the similarities of the vocabulary in English and Spanish and gives you the tools to guess the words you do not know, or think you do not know.
Join two students as they learn in real time. Become the third member of the class and experience the excitement of learning a language as if by magic!
This new edition has one, very significant, new feature – an additional ‘Review’ CD. All the main teaching points have been lifted from the Foundation (8-hour) course and are contained on just 2 CDs. The student hears Michel teaching a specific point, there is a pause which allows time for the student to give his/her response to Michel’s prompt, followed by Michel giving the correct response. If the student has struggled or given an incorrect answer, s/he can use the index in the accompanying booklet to locate the area of the main course where the specific language point was being taught in depth and can return to the main course to work through the relevant section again, quickly and efficiently. It can also be used very successfully by those coming back to the course after a lapse of time, either to check how much they have retained or as a quick revision tool. Only Michel’s words and phrases are on the new CD, so the course is summarised succinctly and with a new, snappy pace.
Finally, the new edition is repackaged, with an up-to-the minute cover treatment and robust DVD-type cases inside a rigid card slip case, to ensure that the CDs remain damage-free and are easy to access and use.
- Addition of brand new, 2-CD Review course, plus booklet - now the student at home can check learning to find areas causing difficulty and revisit relevant teaching point in main course, or have quick review of the course if returning to it after some time.
- Addition of brand new index to main course – this major new feature makes it easy to navigate the course, as well as giving a listing of the main teaching points and helpful, brief notes.
- New packaging and livery – the new cover treatment brings the title into the 21st century and will appeal to a new, younger, section of the market. The sleek new packaging keeps the CDs damage-free and easy to access and carry around.
- Price remains same as current edition – the index to the main course plus 2 new Review CDs and booklet are free, giving real added value.
- Sales history – this speaks for itself: 111,000 life sales for the 1st edition of the Spanish 8-hour (Foundation) course; total life sales of Michel Thomas products 787,000.
- Backed by significant marketing spend – the profile of all Michel Thomas products will receive a huge boost.
Michel Thomas Advanced Course: Spanish
Duration: 5h 00m 40s
DESCIPTION:
This recording follows on from the Foundation (8-hour) all-audio course which took the language-learning world by storm.
With no books, no memorising and no homework, Michel Thomas teaches the basic grammar of the language painlessly. Using the method he perfected over 50 years, he shares his secret with the world - and 'makes it simple' (Sunday Times).
In only a matter of hours, he teaches what it takes years to cover by conventional methods, giving his students a comprehensive working knowledge of the language – all the tenses are taught and practised; the position of pronouns is made easy, and Michel spends some time on the problems of translation, instilling in the students 'an enhanced awareness of their own language'. And he does all this effortlessly, 'effectively and easily' (Daily Star).
By the end of the Advanced course Michel has covered ALL the structures and tenses of 'A' level and beyond. Grammar points and tenses only touched upon in the Foundation (8-hour) course are expanded to give the student a complete knowledge of the structure of the entire language.
He points out the similarities of the vocabulary in English and Spanish and gives his students the tools to guess the words they do not know, or think they do not know.
Join two students as they learn in real time. Become the third member of the class and experience the excitement of learning a language as if by magic!
This new edition has one, very significant, new feature – an additional ‘Review’ CD. All the main teaching points have been lifted from the 5-hour Advanced course and are contained on this one CD. The student hears Michel teaching a specific point, there is a pause which allows time for the student to give his/her response to Michel’s prompt, followed by Michel giving the correct response. If the student has struggled or given an incorrect answer, s/he can use the index in the accompanying booklet to locate the area of the main course where the specific language point was being taught in depth and can return to the main course to work through the relevant section again, quickly and efficiently. It can also be used very successfully by those coming back to the course after a lapse of time, either to check how much they have retained or as a quick revision tool. Only Michel’s words and phrases are on the new CD, so the course is summarised succinctly and with a new, snappy pace. Finally, the new edition is repackaged, with an up-to-the minute cover treatment and robust DVD-type cases inside a rigid card slip case, to ensure that the CDs remain damage-free and are easy to access and use.
- addition of brand new, 1-CD Review course, plus booklet – now the student at home can check learning to find areas causing difficulty and revisit relevant teaching point in main course, or have quick review of the course if returning to it after some time
- smart, up-to-the-minute cover treatment – brings the product into the 21st century and appeals to whole new, younger, sector of the market
- new packaging – customers and booksellers alike will welcome the new, robust DVD-type packs in the smart slipcase
- price remains same as current edition – addition of extra review CD and booklet are free and give real, measurable, added value
- sales history – booksellers' sales figures speak for themselves: life sales of the first edition (published September 2004) of 16,000
- backed by significant marketing spend – the profile of all Michel Thomas products will receive a huge boost
Michel Thomas Spanish Language Builder CD
Duration: 2h 22m 55s
DESCIPTION:
Michel Thomas took the language-learning world by storm.
With no books, no memorising and no homework, Michel teaches the basic grammar of the language painlessly. Using the method he perfected over 50 years, he shares his secret with the world - and 'makes it simple' (Sunday Times). In only a matter of hours, he gives you a comprehensive grasp of the structure of the language, enabling you to communicate with confidence. The present, future, conditional and past tenses are covered, and you are taught to think about the ideas that you are trying to communicate, rather than to translate words slavishly. He points out the similarities of the vocabulary in English and Spanish and gives you the tools to guess the words you do not know, or think you do not know.
In the 'Language Builders' Michel consolidates and expands your knowledge of structures and vocabulary in a one-on-one lecture session with you at home.
- Michel makes it easy - he approaches the foreign language through your own, and builds your confidence in your own ability to speak
- all-audio method - no pens, no homework
- you learn through understanding
- proven method - Michel's method really works! His success is largely due to word-of-mouth recommendation
Michel Thomas Method: Spanish Vocabulary Course
Duration: 6h 16m 53s
DESCIPTION:
Learn another language the way you learnt your own! As a child, you learnt your own language naturally and enjoyably: now you can learn Spanish vocabulary in the same way.
-Use the unique method perfected over fifty years by the celebrated psychologist and linguist Michel Thomas
-This method works with your brain, helping you to build up your Spanish in manageable, enjoyable steps by thinking out the answers for yourself.
-You learn through listening and speaking – the way you learnt as a child.
-You then pick up the language naturally and unforgettably.
This NEW Vocabulary Course builds on the Foundation and Advanced Courses to increase the number and range of words you will be able to use. Rose Lee Hayden, Michel Thomas’s most trusted teacher, shares her first-hand insights to give you over 1,000 words in a unique and memorable way. She is joined by two native speakers to make sure your pronunciation is perfect, while a booklet shows you the written language.
You'll stick with it because you'll love it!
- THE SERIES MICHEL THOMAS FANS HAVE BEEN DEMANDING – the natural extension of the teaching programme
- ROSE LEE HAYDEN – Michel’s most trusted and experienced teacher shares her insights and knowledge
- ALL AUDIO – faithful to Michel’s methodology and beliefs
- ACCOMPANYING BOOKLET – for those who want to see the written language – helps with spelling and navigating the course
- SHORT CUTS TO LEARNING – thousands of words painlessly acquired
- BRAND NEW SERIES – the Michel Thomas language learning phenomenon continues
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 console); administrar (to administer); etc.
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 dressed; to dress oneself); irse (to go away); dormirse (to fall asleep); hacerse (to become; make of oneself); quejarse (to complain); darse cuenta de (to realize); olvidarse (to forget); expresarse (to express oneself); alegrarse (to be glad)
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); prohibir (to prohibit); asistir a (to attend); decir (to say or tell); salir (to go out; to leave); dormir (to sleep)
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)
(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.

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