Notes in Spanish Conversations Notes in Spanish Conversations

I am a Spanish teacher for high school students. This is the podcast I recommend to all of my students when they are looking for something beyond just the textbooks and Spanish class. Additionally, upon returning to the States from living in Madrid I listened to these frequently keep my Spanish fresh and brush up on what I had forgotten. I highly recommend these at all levels!

One of the best resources for learning Spanish I’ve found.

I definitely recommend getting the transcripts and studying them well, it helps very much in learning new phrases and recognizing hard to distinguish words.

I started with notes in Spanish Beginners and went all the way through Advanced and Conversations.

I have a degree in Latin and Greek and have studied language from a strictly grammatical viewpoint. While an understanding of syntax (word order) and conjugation is extremely important, in a modern language it’s even more important that you develop your ear which this podcast does perfectly. The contrast between Ben and Maria is perfect, it offers both a native and learners experience at the same time.

Also many resources break things down into English, often stopping the dialogue to do so. This is a mistake as it breaks the natural flow and rhythm of the conversation. Others have poor audio making it difficult to make out the words and no transcripts to make up for it.

Not to mention that Ben and Maria are just a joy to listen to, they have a rapport that can’t be manufactured, they speak about relevant and interesting topics and the audio is crisp and clear.

I listen to the podcast regularly and it helped tremendously when I was preparing for a trip to Peru two years ago.

I would recommend this as absolutely an essential resource to anyone beginning or continuing with their Spanish studies.

My favorite resource for keeping up with my Spanish. Ben and Marina are both excellent teachers with contagious enthusiasm. The conversational format is simple and natural, and the perfect length for listening while I make breakfast or drive to work. The topics are interesting- Yoga! Mindfulness! These are like conversations I have with friends in any language- a perfect practice that makes learning fun and relevant. Muchísimas gracias Ben y Marina!