Learn Basic Spanish the Easy Way, No Problema

In the movie, “The Mexican,” Brad Pitt plays a shady character named Jerry who has a series of misadventures in Mexico. At one point, in a sticky situation, Jerry — who can’t speak Spanish — runs up to a Mexican driver and says, “I need a lift in your el-truck-o to the next town-o.”

Nice try, Jerry, but no cigarro.

While there are a lot of words that are basically the same and can be translated from English to Spanish simply by adding an “o” or an “a”…. like carro (car), artista (artist), and programa (program)… there are others that just don’t work.

Go into a store and ask for sopa… or a restaurant and ask for pulpo in your orange juice, but you won’t get soap or pulp. Instead, you’ll get soup… and octopus.

Spanish speakers are very gracious and helpful, though, so should you make these mistakes, no need to be embarrassed. (But if you ever are, don’t say you are “embarazado.” Because that doesn’t mean you are embarrassed, but that you are “pregnant.” And that could be embarrassing.)

Truth is, it’s easy enough to learn basic Spanish… but it’s a fact of life that baby boomers learn differently. On top of that, most people don’t have a lot of extra time for classrooms and homework. We need an easy way…

Happily, our friends over at International Living have found one.

It’s a Spanish-learning “experience” that’s tailor-made for mature learners (though it will work for anyone). With easy-to-remember tips and tricks, fast cues and clues, and simple shortcuts, it’s almost ridiculously easy.

It’s so easy, in fact, that you’ll be stringing sentences (real sentences) together after your very first 20-minute session. No problema.

But don’t just take it from me. See what the folks who have tried it have to say, here.

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]