BBC: Mi Vida Loca

This series, by the BBC, is very well made for the beginner learning Spanish. It has been archived but I found that I could still get to it on Youtube. com/ sadly it loses the interactive parts this way.

Translations in subtitles

The English commentary is translated in the subtitles, but not always word for word. The word order may be different in each language, or some expressions just don't translate, so an equivalent in the other language is used.

As this is a beginners' course, the more advanced Spanish isn't explained, just translated. If you're learning the language from scratch, you may want to use the subtitles to get a feel for the language at a higher level. If you already know some Spanish, you may find them useful for picking up new expressions.

Real Spanish may sound FAST...

Throughout Mi Vida Loca people speak at different paces:

1. The talking phrasebook speaks slowly and clearly to help you learn the language
2. The actors in the dramatic scenes perform at normal native speed but take care to speak clearly.
3. The real people, such as the taxi drivers or the waiters, play themselves in their everyday jobs. They speak at their normal pace, which may sound fast and unclear to a beginner, but you have the opportunity to replay and, eventually, develop the skill to understand them. This will stand you in good stead when you go to a Spanish-speaking country.