Review: Fluenz Spanish

Fluenz Spanish is a great way to learn Spanish fast. It's a hot  new product that is based on current research into how adults learn languages.

You can try their demo online, and the program itself works on Windows and Macs, with a lot of files you can put on an mp3 or CD player to have with you wherever you go. Click on the image to go to their homepage, then try FREE DEMO in Spanish.

If I were beginning to learn Spanish now, I would probably get myself off to a quick start with Fluenz.

 The people at Fluenz believe "Learning should be personalized, virtual, interactive, mobile, and designed to recreate the memorable experiences of one-on-one tutoring."

They are very innovative in how they are combining technology with a personalized learning situation. Bilingual Sonia Gil (oh, to have her accent in Spanish!) is your teacher throughout the lessons.

I was pleased with how easy it is to try out the program. From any page at Fluenz, just click on the demo tab and choose Spanish, then watch the short video in which Sonia Gil describes the program.

I liked how she explained that Fluenz is based on research into how adults learn languages. She pointed out that unlike very young children who absorb information like sponges, adults and teenagers use reason and memory. So it is most effective to use your English to learn Spanish.

After watching that, you get to go through a sample lesson. I made a few screenshots to give you the idea. 

 These are from Lesson Two. Sonia repeats things very clearly, and enough that you really learn them.

Below, she is explaining that the qu in Spanish is pronounced like our letter K:

This lesson gives you some discussion between a woman and a waiter in a restaurant, with Sonia explaining it all. She recommends that you listen to it at least three times, with and without subtitles. Here's part of the screen where you choose how you want to do it:

Unlike some of the other Spanish programs I examined, Fluenz Spanish teaches you the words you need to know for traveling or conversing. (I was pretty amazed at some of the unimportant words that Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More began by teaching you.)

Fluenz Spanish comes as a set of DVDs which you run on your Windows or Mac computer, along with files you can play anywhere because you can use them on any mp3 player or CD player.

By the way, the Spanish 1 Audio CD features Edgar Ramirez, one of Hollywood's most talented Latino actors. The Spanish 2 Audio CD features Ivan Loscher, whose voice is well known from HBO Latin America, his own radio shows, and numerous commercials. So you will be listening to beautifully pronounced Latin American Spanish.

This product ships promptly and free via Fedex in the US, and has a special Fedex rate for most other countries in the world.  

Fluenz give you an unconditional thirty-day guarantee.

Frankly, I had never heard of Fluenz before I began researching the best ways to learn Spanish; they are quite new. I am very impressed. Fluenz Spanish is also available at Amazon.com, and this link takes you to the right page. Customers rate it highly.

Do check out the Fluenz Spanish demo or read more about the program at their website:

Learn Languages with Fluenz