Why Learn Spanish With Audio?

By Stephen Mulberry

There are many Spanish learning courses available and the material can come in many forms including textual, visual, and audio. Some, even contain a hybrid of the above. In this article I am going to talk about learning Spanish with audio, the different audio formats available, and why it is important to learn Spanish with audio.

When you hear Spanish for the first time, it may sound like a jumbled mess. But once your ears adjust to the rhythm and speed, you will find yourself picking out common words and phrases. Pay close attention to these common words and phrases as they will contain most of the practical everyday Spanish usage and will help build a foundation upon which the rest of the language can be progressively learned and integrated. Learning Spanish with audio will also 'train' your brain into becoming familiar with all aspects of Spanish dialect including pronunciation, syllable accents - questions vs statements, and common, repeating sounds. You would be surprised how clear the Spanish language becomes after you spend some time immersing yourself with audio conversations.

Spanish audio courses usually come in CD format, MP3 format, or both. Learning Spanish on CD is nice if you want to learn in your car on the way to work or if you do not have an MP3 player. Learning Spanish with MP3 audio is much more convenient because you can listen online, or download to an iPod or MP3 player to listen to anywhere. Also, CDs can become a pain because you have to switch them out, store them, and keep them from getting scratched. In the digital age, MP3 is the way to go, but for you old fashioned types, CD audio is usually available.

Many Spanish learning software courses have audio built into their software and present it by matching the audio word or phrase with an image or by quizzing you to make the selection. This can be a helpful way to learn, but the most effective is to hear audio of actual Spanish conversation.

The best course we found to learn Spanish with audio is Rocket Spanish. The audio is interactive and engaging. The audio is available in either CD or MP3 format - downloaded or shipped. Rocket Spanish also includes a course book with audio embedded clips which we found very useful in learning the phonetics of Spanish because it allows you to associate various words and phrases as they appear as they are written. They also include software based quiz games and more material online. You can find our full review of Rocket Spanish here.

If you are interested in learning more about Spanish learning courses such as features and prices, be sure to check out our Spanish course reviews.

Stephen is a publisher, editor, and reviewer for TopChoiceReviews.com. TopChoiceReviews.com provides comparisons, reviews, articles, and information about a variety of products in a variety of categories.