The Most Complete Way to Learn Spanish!

BASIC IA
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have never taken Spanish before, or who want to take a very basic refresher course at a very gradual pace.

Grammar and conversation points: Basic conversation and greetings in the present tense; present tense conjugation of regular verbs (yo como, tú comes).

BASIC IB
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students with very little or no previous experience with Spanish, but who are looking to progress rapidly.

Grammar and conversation points: Basic conversation and greetings in the present tense; dialogues and spontaneous conversation; the present regular tense (yo como, tú comes) and the verb SER (yo soy, tú eres).

BASIC II
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have taken a semester of Spanish recently or who took it in the past, but who have been away from a classroom setting for a while.

Grammar and conversation points: Basic conversation in the present focused on everyday needs and wants; grammatically, we focus on ser vs. estar and the power verbs (puedo comer, necesito dormir, quiero pagar).

BASIC III
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed one semester of college Spanish or one year of high school Spanish.

Grammar and conversation points: Basic III focuses on developing your speaking and listening skills to a proficient-basic level; it practices the present progressive (estoy comiendo), future (voy a comer), the immediate past (acabo de comer) and saber vs. conocer.

INTERMEDIATE I
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least one semester of college Spanish or two years of high school Spanish

Grammar and conversation points: Intermediate I focuses on the reflexive pronouns and the present tense irregular verbs.

INTERMEDIATE II
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have completed at least two semesters of lower-division college Spanish or two years of high school Spanish in the past and are looking for an intermediate refresher course.

Grammar and conversation points: Intermediate II targets the direct object pronouns (lo, la, los, las), the present perfect (he comido) and the imperfect tense (comía).

INTERMEDIATE III
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least three semesters of lower division college Spanish or three years of high school Spanish.

Grammar and conversation points: Intermediate III concentrates on the preterit regular (yo comí, tú comiste) and the most common irregular verbs (yo fui, tú fuiste).

ADVANCED I
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least three semesters of lower division college Spanish or three years of high school Spanish.

Grammar and conversation points: Advanced I focuses on the preterit irregular verbs (yo tuve, yo hice, él durmió, ellos sintieron) and an introduction to the indirect pronouns.

ADVANCED II
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least one semester of upper division Spanish.

Grammar and conversation points: Advanced II reviews the preterit vs. the imperfect, focusing primarily on comparing and contrasting them at an advanced level.

ADVANCED III
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least three semesters of upper-division Spanish or have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least two years.

Grammar and conversation points: Advanced III introduces the future, conditional and introduces the imperative tense.

HIGH ADVANCED BOOT CAMP
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed any class higher than ADV IV.

Grammar and conversation points: High Advanced Boot Camp is a hybrid grammar and conversation class that reviews all of the grammar that you have already studied in Adv I-III, as well as focuses on pronunciation and common phrases and conversation.

SUPERIOR I
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least two semesters of upper-division Spanish or have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least two years.

Grammar and conversation points: Superior I focuses on the present subjunctive mood.

SUPERIOR II
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least two semesters of upper division Spanish or have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least two years.

Grammar and conversation points: Superior II focuses on reviewing the present subjunctive and introducing the imperfect subjunctive mood.

SUPERIOR III
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least two semesters of upper division Spanish or have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least two years.

Grammar and conversation points: Superior III introduces the si clauses, the uses of como si with the imperfect subjunctive, the present perfect subjunctive and the pluscuamperfecto subjunctive.

SUPERIOR GRAMMAR SERIES
10-week course

Prerequisites: For all superior levels students. Superior Grammar focuses on polishing specific grammar points of interest to students.

SUPERIOR GRAMMAR A
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least two semesters of upper division Spanish or have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least two years.

Grammar and conversation points: Superior Grammar A reviews the following topics at the most complicated level, los artículos, los adjetivos, las preposiciones, por vs. para, los pronombres relativos y el pretérito vs. imperfecto.

SUPERIOR GRAMMAR B
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least two semesters of upper division Spanish or have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least two years.

Grammar and conversation points: Superior Grammar B reviews the following topics at the most complicated level, las palabras comparativas, las expresiones de tiempo, los reflexivos y otros usos de se, y los verbos de cambio.

SUPERIOR GRAMMAR C
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least two semesters of upper division Spanish or have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least two years.

Grammar and conversation points: Superior Grammar C reviews the subjunctive and all of its forms at the most complicated level.

SUPERIOR GRAMMAR D
10-week course

Prerequisites: For students who have recently completed at least two semesters of upper division Spanish or have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least two years.

Grammar and conversation points: Superior Grammar D reviews the following topics at the most complicated level, el verbo haber, el estilo directo e indirecto, usos de lo, y los verbos de cambio.

These ten-week long labs are designed to be taken alongside a ten-week long grammar class, but may also be taken on their own. These conversation-only classes provide students with an opportunity for practical application of the grammar points being learned in their respective classes. Please choose the lab with the focus area that best matches your language learning needs or consult with us for our recommendation. The labs can also be taken on their own for those looking for a strictly conversational environment and who are not interested in further grammar instruction.

BASIC & INTERMEDIATE TRAVEL SPANISH
Conversation points: This conversation class focuses on the essential words and phrases needed for travel abroad. Students will review greetings and introductions and will focus intensely on the crutch verbs (i.e. puedo comer, necesito dormir, quiero pagar etc.) allowing students to form more complex sentences to express needs, wants, abilities and more. The vocabulary seen during this 10-week course will provide students with the necessary verbal tools to navigate markets, restaurants, hotels and basic directions for getting around town.

MID BASIC LAB (A/B)
10-week course

Mid Basic Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency by reviewing the present tense. You will develop these cornerstone abilities in-class and in our virtual classroom, which will allow you to pick what you are most interested in improving. Our main focus this session will be using the regular AR, ER, and IR as well as the power verbs like querer, poder and tener que.

Conversation topics include: Las profesiones, la familia, los lugares, la comida, los deportes, los pasatiempos, la rutina.

HIGH BASIC LAB (A/B)
10-week course

High Basic Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency. You will develop these cornerstone abilities in-class and in our virtual classroom, which will allow you to pick what you are most interested in improving. Our main focus this session will be using the present progressive (estoy comiendo), future (voy a comer), and saber vs. conocer conversationally.

Conversation topics include: el aeropuerto, la agencia de viajes, el centro, el hotel, el museo, el mercado artesanal, los viajes y el clima.

LOW INTERMEDIATE LAB (A/B)
10-week course

Low Intermediate Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency. Our main focus in this course is using the irregular present tense, reflexive verbs, el verbo gustar in everyday conversation.

Conversation topics include: la rutina, la casa, los quehaceres, las actividades en familia, la sobremesa, la ropa y sus materiales, las fiestas y tradiciones, el campo y la ciudad.

MID INTERMEDIATE LAB (A/B)
10-week course

Mid Intermediate Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency. You will develop these cornerstone abilities in-class and in our virtual classroom, which will allow you to pick what you are most interested in improving. Our main focus this session will be using the present perfect and imperfect tenses.

Conversation topics include: la vecindad, las profesiones, los alimentos, el teléfono, el clima y el medio ambiente, los viajes, la solidaridad, la familia, el bienestar.

HIGH INTERMEDIATE LAB (A/B)
10-week course

High Intermediate Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency. You will develop these cornerstone abilities in-class and in our virtual classroom, which will allow you to pick what you are most interested in improving. Our main focus this session will be using the past tense conjugations.

Conversation topics include: la niñez, los viajes, las carreras, la tecnología, la contaminación y el medio ambiente, personajes importantes, el hospital, la familia, irse de compras.

LOW ADVANCED LAB (A/B)
10-week course

Low Advanced Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency. You will develop these cornerstone abilities in-class and in our virtual classroom, which will allow you to pick what you are most interested in improving. Our main focus this session will be using the past tense conjugations to compare the preterit and the imperfect.
Conversation topics include: la televisión, la violencia, el trabajo, la salud, la bondad, los valores, viajar en avión, la educación primaria, la diferencia entre culturas.

MID ADVANCED LAB (A/B)
10-week course

Low/Mid Advanced Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency. You will develop these cornerstone abilities in-class and in our virtual classroom, which will allow you to pick what you are most interested in improving. Our main focus this session will be using a mixture of tenses, as well as the direct and indirect object pronouns.

Conversation topics include: la solidaridad, el consumismo, la prensa y los medios de comunicación, los deseos, la crisis, hechos interesantes, la salud, los deportes.

HIGH ADVANCED LAB (A/B)
10-week course

Mid/High Advanced Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency. You will develop these cornerstone abilities in-class and in our virtual classroom, which will allow you to pick what you are most interested in improving. Our main focus this session will be using a mixture of tenses, as well as the present subjunctive.

Conversation topics include: el cambio, el arte de Lego, los zoológicos, los países y las nacionalidades, los cumplidos, la crianza, la tecnología, la educación, baja por maternidad.

HIGH ADVANCED/SUPERIOR (VARIOUS TOPICS)
10-week course

High Advanced/Superior Lab focuses on developing your speaking, reading and listening proficiency. You will develop these cornerstone abilities in-class and in our virtual classroom, which will allow you to pick what you are most interested in improving. Our main focus this session will be using a mixture of tenses, as well as the present subjunctive, imperfect subjunctive, present perfect subjunctive and the pluscuamperfecto subjunctive.

BASIC WORKSHOP “SER AND ESTAR”

This conversation workshop is open to complete beginners, as well as students who have completed Basic I here at CASA de ESPAÑOL. During this workshop, we will be focusing on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition and sentence formation to improve one’s ability to have a basic conversation. Conversations will center around meeting someone for the first time and talking about oneself and his or her family. We will also cover the verbs “ser” and “estar” (two verbs meaning “to be”) and practice the appropriate uses of each verb in basic conversations.

BASIC-ADVANCED “COGNATES”

This vocabulary focussed workshop is an intensive course for quick vocabulary acquisition. Cognates are words that are similar in English and Spanish (different/diferente). Students will learn various word families which will help them speed learn new vocabulary. Heavy emphasis will be placed on False Cognates as well. These are words that sound similar, but mean something very different. For example, in Spanish “Estoy embarazada” does not mean, I’m embarrassed. Instead it means, I’m pregnant.

BASIC/HIGH BASIC “TRAVEL SPANISH”

Designed for Basic and High Basic students interest in travel, this conversation workshops focuses on the essential words and phrases needed for travel abroad. Students will review greetings and introductions and will focus intensely on the crutch verbs (i.e. puedo comer, necesito dormir, quiero pagar etc.) allowing students to form more complex sentences to express needs, wants, abilities and more. The vocabulary seen during this four to eight day workshop will provide students with the necessary verbal tools to navigate markets, restaurants, hotels and basic directions for getting around town.

HIGH BASIC/LOW INTERMEDIATE “VERBOS COMO GUSTAR”

This conversation workshop is open to beginners with some experience of the language, as well as students who have completed Basic II here at CASA de ESPAÑOL. During this workshop, we will be focusing on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition and sentence formation to improve one’s ability to have a basic conversation. Conversations will center around talking about professions and describing the physical and personality traits of oneself and others. We will also cover the verbs “gustar” and other similar verbs such as “encantar,” molestar” and “fascinar,” incorporating them into conversations to describe likes and dislikes, as well as demonstrate possession.

HIGH BASIC/INTERMEDIATE “GETTING AROUND ON VACATION AND POR VS. PARA”

This conversation workshop is open to students entering Basic III, Intermediate I and Intermediate II at CASA de ESPAÑOL or tested into the workshop via our placement exam. During this workshop we will be focusing on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition and sentence formation to build upon students’ abilities to have a basic conversation in a variety of daily situations. Vocabulary will center around different places one would find in a town or city such as: el banco, la tienda, la biblioteca, and el cine. Conversations will focus on giving directions and will utilize por vs. para, as well as verbs specific to directions and transportation.

INTERMEDIATE I/II “POWER VERBS AND POR VS. PARA”

This conversation workshop is open to students entering Intermediate I, Intermediate II and III at CASA de ESPAÑOL or tested into the workshop via our placement exam. During this workshop, we will focus on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition and sentence formation to build upon students’ abilities to have a basic conversation in a variety of daily situations. Conversations will center around food and the market place in the present tense. We will see power verbs, a handful of irregular verbs, as well as cover por vs. para as we enhance our ability to speak comfortably at the market and dinner table.

HIGH INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED “PRETERIT VS IMPERFECT”

This conversation workshop is open to students entering Intermediate III, Advanced I and Advanced II at CASA de ESPAÑOL or tested into the workshop via our placement exam. During this workshop, we will focus on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition and sentence formation to improve students’ abilities to converse about a variety of topics in the past tense. This workshop will allow students to practice speaking about past events, people, and other popular culture topics using both the preterit and the imperfect tenses.

HIGH INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED “CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT PASTIMES

This conversation workshop is open to students entering Intermediate III, Advanced I and Advanced II at CASA de ESPAÑOL or tested into the workshop via our placement exam. During this workshop, we will focus on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition and sentence formation to improve students’ abilities to converse about a variety of topics in both the present and past. This workshop will allow students to practice speaking about past events, focusing on childhood and adolescent “pasatiempos.”

HIGH INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED “PAST EVENTS AND FAMILY HISTORY”

This conversation workshop is open to students entering Intermediate III, Advanced I and Advanced II, at CASA de ESPAÑOL or tested into the workshop via our placement exam. During this workshop, we will be focusing on pronunciation, vocabulary acquisition and sentence formation to improve students’ abilities to converse about a variety of topics in both the present and past. This workshop will allow students to practice speaking about past events. Our major topic will be talking about our families and family history.

HIGH INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED “Music & Conversation”

This conversation workshop will introduce four musical artists who have greatly impacted the Latino music scene. Using this platform, students will practice conversation in the present, past and future tenses.

HIGH ADVANCED/SUPERIOR “Advanced Grammar Topics”

This grammar-focussed workshop will review que vs. cual, the expressions of time (hace mucho tiempo que) and the various uses of “se,” three difficult grammar points for students.

HIGH ADVANCED/SUPERIOR “HISTORICAL AND CURRENT EVENTS”

This conversation workshop is open to students entering Advanced III or Advanced/Superior Conversation Seminar at CASA de ESPAÑOL or tested into the workshop via our placement exam. During this conversation workshop, students will be presented with brief articles addressing historical and current events from various perspectives. Students will then express their opinions in a round table format.

HIGH ADVANCED/SUPERIOR “SPANISH AND LATIN-AMERICAN POETS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

This conversation workshop is open to students entering Advanced III or Advanced/Superior Conversation Seminar meaning they have taken the courses leading up to said classes here at CASA de ESPAÑOL or tested into the workshop via our placement exam. During the workshop, students will be presented with biographies and poetry of four great 20th Century Spanish and Latin-American poets. Students will then analyze the work and express their opinions in a round table format.

We offer an online placement exam, which will give you an instant recommendation for the best course for you.

We divide the year into four 10-week sessions. Classes are offered once a week for an hour and forty minutes. Students can choose from a variety of class times depending on the level. We also offer intensive workshops between sessions. Please see our class schedules to choose a class that works best for you.

We offer Basic Ia, Ib, II, and III, Intermediate I, II, III and IV, Advanced I, II, III and IV, and Superior I, II, and III. We also offer conversation labs and inter-session workshops with varying topics. You do not need to complete every class. It all depends on your personal goals, how much you already know, and how far you’d like to go.

Not at all. Our program is recreational. It is for adults who have a set goal in mind and are looking to achieve that goal in a highly dynamic and motivational environment. In the beginning, you can set the goal of being able to get by at the workplace and when you travel. If this is the case you may decide to take our series of basic courses. If you are looking to become highly proficient, then you may choose to also complete our intermediate series, in which you will review the present tense irregulars and learn por vs. para, the past tenses and the direct and indirect object pronouns. If your goal is to speak Spanish at a high level of fluency, then you may choose to finish our advanced courses as well. In this series, you will do an intense review of the preterit vs. the imperfect, verbs like gustar and the indirect pronouns and the advanced future. If your goal is to become completely fluent you may choose to finish our program by taking the superior level classes. In these classes, we learn the commands and the subjunctive.

All of our professors are highly experienced educators, who are native or heritage speakers. They are passionate about sharing their language and culture with their students and fostering an environment that is interactive, comfortable and fun.

Our goal is that you learn useful and pertinent vocabulary and phrases focused on your work or travel needs, whether you take a grammar or conversation course.

In the grammar courses, each class is about 30% grammar and 70% conversation. We teach 1 to 2 grammar points each 10-week session, so that you are not drowning in grammar with very little time to practice it in class. This means that you finish each class feeling like you learned material that you will be able to immediately use. 

Our conversation labs focus completely on vocabulary acquisition, pronunciation, and various spontaneous topics. They may be taken on their own, or in addition to a grammar class which is highly recommended.  

Email us at info@casadeespanol.org to request to observe a class.

All of our classes are very small. Most between 8 and 12 students. Grammar classes have no more than 18 students. Conversation labs have no more than 12 students.

Most of our students are between the ages of 25 and 65. They are highly motivated individuals. Many are taking classes because they either work with the Latino population here in Northern California, or they love to travel and want to have a more authentic experience when they do so. You will not be in a huge class of 30 students whose goal is just to pass the class for university units. You will be in a community of colleagues and friends, who help each other improve and reach individual goals.

Adult grammar courses and labs start at $355 per 10-week session. We ask students to purchase one workbook for the three basic levels, one workbook for the intermediate levels, and one workbook for the advanced and superior levels. Each workbook can be found online or bought from us on the first day of class for $20-$30. Some classes may require an additional reader ($12-$30).