Learn in Your Car: Spanish, the Complete Language Course

By: Henry N. Raymond

Narrated by: uncredited

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

Listeners learn pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar of Spanish without the need of a textbook.

• Level 1: Key words and phrases, basic grammar skills, emphasizes travel needs
• Level 2: Expands vocabulary, new grammar concepts, more day-to-day activities
• Level 3: Broadens vocabulary base, more advanced grammar skills, enriches conversational ability.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2005 Henry N. Raymond (P)2014 Penton Overseas, Inc.

STILL MY FAVORITE COURSE IN SPANISH

What did you love best about Learn in Your Car: Spanish, the Complete Language Course?

I originally purchased Learn-in-Your-Car Spanish back in 1997 when it came out on cassette tapes. The Audible version is a really nice improvement. You can slow it down, skip forward or back, or pause the playback. I was pleased to note that after almost 20 years, I can still respond to the English cues in passable Spanish. There’s something about the method of presentation that really helps the material stick in your head.

There are 2500+ entries, starting with simple words and phrases, and then sentences becoming progressively longer and more complex as you progress. Along the way, you cover all the basic verb tenses and moods, with practice sentences in the 6 person types for each tense and mood.

There are a number of other topic covered, such as direct and indirect object pronouns, reciprocal constructions, etc., etc. All these various constructions are used in sentences relating to topics such as eating, shopping, travel, computers & technology, etc., or just general conversational chit-chat.

I have to admit I didn’t follow the instructions about repeating a lesson several times before going on to the next lesson. Besides being boring, it was hard to find the beginning of the lesson on the cassette tape. Instead, I just plowed ahead, repeating the sentences as best I could. I actually did learn the sentences this way. Maybe that’s how a Spanish kid learns. When his mother yells, “Callate!” he knows to shut up without considering whether his mother is using the second person singular form of a reflexive AR verb in the imperative mood.

I highly recommend the accompanying PDF file. It’s rather lengthy, but invaluable as a resource. All the sample sentences are printed out. In addition, there are really great sections explaining the various grammar points illustrated, and presenting easy to understand charts of verb conjugations and other useful information. The PDF file makes a very nice book of Spanish vocabulary and grammar.

11 of 12 people found this review helpful

Love Part of It But Frobose Programs Are Better

Any additional comments?

I have tried lots of language programs, and Learn in Your Car Spanish is one of the better ones. The very best Spanish courses are created by a guy named Frobose, but before I get ahead of myself, here’s what I like and dislike about Learn in Your Car Spanish:

1. Clear speaking native Spanish speakers
2. Relevant vocabulary
3. Clear English speaking guide
Here’s what I don’t like about Learn in Your Car Spanish:
1. No memory technique at all
2. No contextual real life learning
3. No profound or amusing explanations like with Power Spanish.
4. A huge gong blast between each and every lesson that gets really annoying.

Frobose does the whole thing, meaning, his programs contain original sentence building, a periodic memory technique better than Pimsleurs, and he talks with you and teaches you with native Spanish speakers. It’s so much more enjoyable.

Pimsleur is also good, but very limited vocabulary.

16 of 19 people found this review helpful

Just buy it

Where does Learn in Your Car: Spanish, the Complete Language Course rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the best audible program by far.

What other book might you compare Learn in Your Car: Spanish, the Complete Language Course to and why?

Nothing.

Any additional comments?

I have no idea what people are talking about when they complain about this program. I've used Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone, Frobose and numerous others. And those are good. BUT this is by far the best. IT actually goes through grammar WITHOUT explaining everything in English. Catch on to it or simply go online to get a look at conjugation. I LOVE that that they don't spend the whole time explaining when to use SER vs ESTAR. This isn't your only resource to learn Spanish, but it's a very good one!!!
Here's what I recommend.
( BTW this audible course works much better as a study tool than just listening in the car. You want to be able to pause...think...and then respond)
1. Get a notebook and a blue pen and a red pen.
2. Listen to the English then hit PAUSE
3. In BLUE ink write down quickly your best guess at the correct translation
4. Listen to the correct Spanish translation
5. With RED ink correct your initial translation and add in RED any important notes about the sentence. BUT limit your use of English words and translation..if you know "puerta"is door...no need to write "door".
6. Start each new chapter on a new page. This will make studying the areas you need more work (the pages with more RED) easier to find.
7. Periodically go through your notebook, reviewing any sentence that has RED ink in it.
This technique helps with LISTENING, SPEAKING, WRITING and READING. Just try it!!! FWIW I have a lot of red "para"and "por"in my notebook. Obviously I need to study those more. For that I'll go to the web or other book.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great for beginners or those wanting to brush up

Would you listen to Learn in Your Car: Spanish, the Complete Language Course again? Why?

I actually downloaded this on a whim, because I had several Audible credits available and I've been wanting to learn Spanish for a while. I typically just let this play while I am working throughout the day. At times I may pay more or less attention to it. Each time I turn it on I start back at an earlier lesson so that I am getting a lot of repetition. So essentially I haven't really even been giving it a huge amount of focus or effort. However, I now find myself thinking of the Spanish translation for things I see. Also, just yesterday I was working with a Spanish family in a volunteer organization I work for. The daughter was translating what I said into Spanish for her parents. They also were carrying on conversations in Spanish among themselves. While I couldn't follow their conversation 100%, I did find that I understood a lot of what they were saying. Like anything else in life, the extent to which this helps you or not likely depends on your own expectations, perspective and motivation. If you try to listen all the way through without repeating any lessons, and think you'll know Spanish at the end....well good luck to you. If you take their suggestions and go back to review lessons you've already listened to, and give yourself reasonable time expectations, I think this is a good tool for learning at least basic Spanish.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Multiple speakers and translations

12 of 15 people found this review helpful

I've only been listening to this for five minutes

after only 5 or 10 minutes I'm already disappointed confused and overwhelmed by the style of this audiobook if it continues at the rate it's going I might as well be standing around listening to a bunch of Spanish speakers and wondering what the heck they're still saying

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I flunked out of Spanish class back in '74

And man am I ever paying for it now days.

The ability to use this audio in a -stop and go-format on my phone has been a boon to my ability to commit the language to memory.

One thing to keep in mind, just like the US.....the dialect of Spanish speaking countries is going to have different slang and ways of saying/speaking what is local to their area..even in the US.

This course has helped me work my--Spanglish-- skills a little better to get my point across and understand native Spanish speakers better when their English is broken.

It is a good way to find a half way point in each language when trying to sort thru directions, questions at market places and restaurants down around Miami and over around El Paso....the two places I really find myself needing to be able to at least sort of non-mangle my way thru the language.

I have been able to teach myself certain phrases that aren't mangled....such as asking if the other person speaks English, and understanding common phrases in Spanish.

The PDF that is included is a huge help also in being able to read Spanish not just speak it.

It's a life time book, not a fast read. Don't expect to pick it up and be speaking fluent Spanish 48 hours later.

You need to invest the time but it isn't that hard to do when I listen to is as I go thru my daily rote chores...it is a process like all learning.

And now .....
I get a huge kick out of saying(and writing):

Puedes enseñarle a un perro viejo trucos nuevos!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Happy to be through it

It never explained the reasoning behind the grammar usage. It just says phrases and you are meant to repeat them. It took me 2 months to get through because it was so boring!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not For Beginners

What disappointed you about Learn in Your Car: Spanish, the Complete Language Course?

I attempted listening to this Language Course in my car; however, I could not stay alert enough to grasp what the narrator was relaying. The narration was too fast and I became instantly sleepy while driving. This book is definitely not for beginners or commuters.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Something more action-packed! Maybe a Stieg Larsson novel.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator's voice was so soft, he nearly fell asleep while driving.

What character would you cut from Learn in Your Car: Spanish, the Complete Language Course?

I would not listen to this book again.

10 of 15 people found this review helpful

best Spanish video ever!

for me, this has been the best learning tool I've ever used. It requires an intermediate level of pronunciation and vocabulary which is where I am. this may not be for everybody but this is absolutely the best money I've ever spent on a Spanish learning course book audio or video

8 of 12 people found this review helpful

love it

very clear native speakers. Good progression from easy to difficult. worth the buy for sure.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great for revising!

This is perfect for me, having taken some short Spanish courses in South America a few years ago prior to listening to this course. This has tested me, and brought me back up to speed several years on. The Vocab, grammar, verbs, etc are perfect for what I need and just what you'd need to know to get around and for basic conversation.

If you are completely new to Spanish, you would probably be best to get some kind of a visual Spanish guide / have lessons / different Spanish course for as it's sometimes hard to hear how the words are being said / pronounced.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

bah meh

if you want to learn Spanish don't buy this because it won't be enjoyable and you'll ultimately give up. Get a book buy a guy called Paul noble. it's a class beginner course and I actually remember what I learned.

11 of 18 people found this review helpful