I've just finished unit 10 and am still in awe of how much better this system is than what I've tried before (high school Spanish, other audio tapes, ..Show More »and DVD lessons). My accent is MUCH better since I'm not trying to fit the English pronunciation onto the Spanish spelling. I've even started to roll my R's despite my high school teacher having written me off as a lost cause in that regard. Yesterday I sat next to a Spanish-speaking family in a restaurant and actually understood some of what they said. Judging by the pace of new words introduced, I feel confident that with four phases available, I'll be fluent enough to really consider myself a Spanish speaker once I finish them. And as I progress through the levels, I have yet to feel overwhelmed. New words are introduced at just the right places, while old words are reinforced. If you're reading this and trying to decide if it's worth trying, my advice is YES!

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I'm putting my review here, for the first units for phase 1, even though I'm now on unit 23 because I wish someone had prepared me for what's to come...Show More » I sailed right through until later units when verb conjugation began. I was constantly tripped up but the verb "to be" and felt stupid. It was then I discovered through reading reviews for the later units of phase 1 that Pimsleur has created written supplements that Audible doesn't provide. You only get this material if you buy the lessons from Pimsleur's site. The PDF provided by Audible is merely an explanation of the Pimsleur learning method and is not specific to the course. Reading about the missing materials, I realized I needed to see written explanations before I could understand the finer points of verb conjugation. Luckily, this information is readily available on the internet, and I after searching out explanations there I was able to progress. Even found a site that has English/Spanish flashcards. It could be that doing web searches for targeted questions is more effective than passively printing out study guides. I agree with Pimsleur that hearing the spoken language is the best way to learn. After all, that's the way most of us learn how to speak our first language, before we know how to read. By listening and repeating what you hear, we eventually will gain an intuitive sense of what sounds right in phrasing and grammar.

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I've been listening to these lessons over and over again. Every day, I absorb a little more. I take breaks once in a while and then I come back to it...Show More » Learning doesn't happen overnight. It's a good program for the price. Just remember to use what you learn.

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The downloaded PDF is only the cover page of the Phase 1 reading booklet. Where is the full booklet?

I've been through all of the Phase 1 and found them quite useful. The only problem I've had in buying these courses (I buy the 5 units at a time) is ..Show More »that Audible doesn't provide the PDF reading exercises that are part of the lessons. I tried calling Pimsleur and they said that it was Audible's responsibility to provide the PDFs that are part of the course. In contacting Audible, all the customer service staff will do is give me links to the reference guide (a general description of how the 'Pimsleur Method' works) which are NOT the reading exercises that are supposed to be included with the lessons.
So Pimsleur won't help me because they say Audible (the one I bought all the courses from) *should* have the PDF reading and vocabulary exercises - between a 'rock and a hard place' on this one. My only suggestion is maybe one has to order directly from Pimsleur to actually get everything that is *supposed* to be included with these lessons.

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Time well spent.
I use to commute to/from work in 30 minutes. Exactly the time I need for each class.

Love Pimsleur. The program's structure helps me to be much more comfortable with speaking new languages. I've used several language programs, and this..Show More » is one of the best (I would also recommend using it along with LightSpeed Spanish). Pimsleur forces you to actually have conversations in the foreign language, which I find imperative to accomplishing fluency. I'm using it for Spanish, Japanese, French, Greek, and Italian.

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My spanish speaking friends are impressed with how well I'm speaking Spanish.. it's very rewarding!

Pimsleur Digital language learning is the best semantic instructional tool in the marketplace, bar none. That is not to degrade Rosetta Stone, also a..Show More » fine learning product, its just that I find Pimsleur provides an even better inculcation of the language. The program contains thirty minute lessons or conversations in which one must partake.

The sessions start with a short conversation in the subject or to-be-learned-language which one must listen to; are relative easy to hear and usually understandable, although in the subject language. Imbedded in that conversation are elements of past and the upcoming lesson. Then one goes through sentences in your native language and are asked to – based on past learning sessions – speak the subject language. After you have had your opportunity the program speaks the sentence you verbalized or should have spoken. Often, the program will give you new words or idioms in advance but for the most part one is expected to learn the words from their conversational context. It works! One’s mind begins thinking in the subject language. Each lesson is repetitive but not annoyingly, rather in a supportive fashion. Each successive lesson builds on prior lessons and are almost always referring back to much earlier lesson content.

It is not only instructive but fun. Of course, just abstract learning in not enough. One must find himself/herself in conversational context with the language in everyday life. Short of that opportunity the product is exceptionally good.

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As a former ESL teacher, I recommend this program above all others. Throw out all your various language learning methods and keep only your reference ..Show More »books. Forget the silly stories and all the expensive language schools. With a slight amount of discipline - 30 mins per day - you'll be speaking and understanding more of your chosen second language with every carefully crafted lesson.

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So happy to be making it through the lessons, and as a result, becoming más y más fluenta con la idioma español!

This is the best method for learning to speak. Immediate results. Facilitates comfort in using the language, as opposed to inhibition. Two things coul..Show More »d make it even better.

1. At the end of every five or ten lessons, there should a review lesson where you're quizzed on all the stuff you learned. Actually, there could be more review in general. It's easy to forget vocabulary you've learned in Level 2 by the time you get to level 4.

2. There should be some written collateral material so you can see how words are spelled. One doesn't want to study a language for months all the while being illiterate.

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I definitely like this. this series is a really great way to either learn from scratch or brush up. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Me gustan todos los ejercicios de Pimsleur. Los recomiendo para aprender o refrescar un idioma.

Feeling more comfortable with Spanish after every lesson. Fluency is on the horizon!! Thanks, Pimsleur!

highly effective. simply the best way to learn Spanish short of living in a foreign country