Fluencia

There are things I like about Fluencia. It has a nice layout and is pretty easy to use. You learn vocabulary by listening to a conversation. Then you are quizzed on it. I was having fun even though I was mostly practicing stuff I already knew.

The environment is sort of like a game or quiz. This is a big plus.

But here is the con. Fluencia is not free. Much like Babbel, Fluencia gets you hooked and THEN throws you their pitch. I'm moving through the course, enjoying myself, when suddenly a box  pops up  and informs me I only have a few more lessons until I will have to pay.

What? Yep, a hundred dollars a year. It's less expensive than Rosetta Stone, but I'm not crazy about the fact that they tried to trick me either. Are these courses afraid that if they don't state that they cost money up front we won't bite?

Maybe it's because free language courses are the wave of the future with courses like Duolingo leading the way. Even ad based courses and courses that offer a basic account tend to do better than totally paid courses.

If you are learning Spanish go ahead and try Fluencia. You can at least take the first fifteen lessons. If you like the style and can afford the subscription, it's totally worth it.

123 Teach Me

123 Teach Me is a site with resources, games, and a kid's section for learning Spanish for free online. This site has A LOT of stuff.

MUSIC

Los Elefantes - A Spanish Song For Children

The site has some popular children's songs and nursery rhymes. My favourite is Arroz Con Leche but Olive (one of my little sisters) loves Los Elefantes. We listen to all the songs.

GAMES

Destination Death: Find Your Missing Sister (Spanish, German, French)

One of my favourite games on the site is Destination Death even though it's not for kids. (So don't tell Faith because she'll tell on me, shhh!) The game is not as scary as they make you think (by saying it isn't for kids). Although, it is a little dark and you are looking for a missing person. So, if those kind of things give you the heebie jeebies you might want to pass.

You just have to be able to read some Spanish (or German or French since the game has those options.) and you'll be able to solve the mystery and find your missing sister in the airport. They give you a multiple choice list of responses which makes the game easier.

PLACEMENT TEST!

A Placement Test Question

 This one is important because you can see how much Spanish you know. I like to take them once a month to see how far I have progressed in my Spanish learning. This is one of my favourite features on 123 Teach Me.

One of my own scores from a placement test. My Spanish isn't perfect!?

There are a lot of other features on the site. You can sort sentences, listen to dialogues, take quizzes. You might want to make sure you have enough spare time when you check it out because you are going to want to spend a while on this one!

Languages: Spanish