Choosing an Online Language Course | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a study planning conversation, two adults compare online language courses by schedule, reviews, and teaching style..

EN → ES / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Choosing an Online Language Course to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Quiero elegir un curso de idiomas en línea.

KYEH-roh eh-leh-HEER oon KOOR-soh deh ee-dyoh-MAHS en LEE-neh-ah. I want to choose an online language course.
B

Compara el horario, las reseñas y el estilo de enseñanza.

kohm-PAH-rah el oh-RAH-ryoh, lahs reh-SEH-nyahs ee el es-TEE-loh deh en-seh-NYAHN-sah. Compare the schedule, reviews, and teaching style.
A

Este curso es más corto, pero tiene menos clases.

ES-teh KOOR-soh es mahs KOR-toh, PEH-roh TYEH-neh MEH-nohs KLAH-sehs. This course is shorter but has fewer lessons.
B

El otro parece más adecuado para principiantes.

el OH-troh pah-REH-seh mahs ah-deh-KWAH-doh pah-rah preen-see-PYAHN-tehs. The other one looks more beginner-friendly.
A

Solo puedo estudiar los fines de semana.

SOH-loh PWEH-doh es-too-DYAR lohs FEE-nehs deh seh-MAH-nah. I can only study on weekends.
B

Entonces, elige el curso con clases los fines de semana.

en-TOHN-sehs, eh-LEE-heh el KOOR-soh kohn KLAH-sehs lohs FEE-nehs deh seh-MAH-nah. Then choose the course with weekend classes.
A

Las reseñas dicen que el profesor explica con claridad.

lahs reh-SEH-nyahs DEE-sehn keh el proh-feh-SOR eks-PLEE-kah kohn klah-ree-DAHD. The reviews say the teacher explains clearly.
B

Eso importa más que un curso más corto.

EH-soh im-POR-tah mahs keh oon KOOR-soh mahs KOR-toh. That matters more than a shorter course.

Word by Word

Quiero Quiero expresses the speaker’s desire to choose a course; it is the first-person singular form of querer. The reusable pattern is Quiero + infinitive, used when stating what you want to do.
elegir Elegir means to choose and follows Quiero in Quiero elegir un curso de idiomas en línea. The pattern elegir + selected thing is useful when deciding among courses or other options.
un Un introduces one unspecified course in un curso. The reusable pattern is un + singular noun, used when referring to one option that has not yet been identified.
curso Curso means course in un curso de idiomas. The pattern curso de + subject identifies the type of course, useful when discussing study options.
de De links curso with the subject in curso de idiomas, meaning a course about languages. The pattern curso de + subject is useful for naming what a course teaches.
idiomas Idiomas means languages here and is the plural of idioma in curso de idiomas. The phrase curso de idiomas is useful when discussing language-learning courses.
en En helps form en línea, indicating the format in which the course is offered. The reusable phrase en línea is useful when describing an online course or service.
línea Línea completes en línea, and the whole phrase means online here. Use en línea as a fixed phrase when talking about remote courses or services.
Compara Compara tells one person to compare the schedule, reviews, and teaching style; it is the command form related to comparar. The pattern Compara + list is useful when asking someone to evaluate several options.
el El introduces the specific schedule in el horario. The reusable pattern el + singular noun is useful when referring to a particular item already relevant to the conversation.
horario Horario means schedule in el horario, one of the points being compared. Use horario when discussing when classes or another activity take place.
las Las introduces the specific plural item las reseñas, meaning the reviews. The pattern las + plural noun is useful when referring to a known set of feminine plural things.
reseñas Reseñas means reviews and is the plural of reseña in las reseñas. The phrase Las reseñas dicen que... is useful for reporting what reviews say about a course.
y Y links the items in the list el horario, las reseñas y el estilo de enseñanza. Use it when adding another item to a list or connecting two ideas.
estilo Estilo means style in estilo de enseñanza, referring to how teaching is carried out. The phrase estilo de enseñanza is useful when comparing instructors or courses.
enseñanza Enseñanza means teaching in estilo de enseñanza. Use the phrase estilo de enseñanza when discussing the method or manner of teaching.
Este Este means this and points to the course being discussed in Este curso. The pattern Este + singular noun is useful when identifying a nearby or currently selected option.
es Es links Este curso with its description in Este curso es más corto; it is a form of ser. The pattern X es + description is useful when describing a course or another option.
más Más marks a comparison in más corto, meaning shorter in this dialogue. The reusable pattern más + adjective is useful when comparing two courses or other things.
corto Corto describes the course as shorter in es más corto. The phrase es más corto is useful when comparing the duration of two courses.
pero Pero introduces a contrast between the course being shorter and having fewer classes. The pattern A, pero B is useful when balancing an advantage with a limitation.
tiene Tiene says that the course has fewer classes in tiene menos clases; it is a form of tener. The pattern tiene + noun phrase is useful for stating what a course includes.
menos Menos means fewer before the plural count noun clases in menos clases. The pattern menos + plural noun is useful when comparing quantities.
clases Clases means classes or lessons and is the plural of clase in menos clases. In this lesson, it also connects with clases los fines de semana when discussing a course schedule.
otro Otro means other or another in El otro, referring to the other course under comparison. The phrase el otro is useful when distinguishing one option from a second option.
parece Parece means seems or looks in El otro parece más adecuado para principiantes; it is a form of parecer. The pattern parece + adjective is useful for giving an impression without presenting it as certainty.
adecuado Adecuado describes the other course as suitable in más adecuado para principiantes. The pattern adecuado para + group is useful when saying who or what an option is suitable for.
para Para introduces the group the course is suitable for in para principiantes. The pattern adecuado para + group is useful when describing an intended audience.
principiantes Principiantes means beginners and is the plural of principiante in para principiantes. The phrase adecuado para principiantes is useful when identifying a course designed for beginners.
Solo Solo limits the speaker’s study time in Solo puedo estudiar los fines de semana, meaning only on weekends. The pattern solo + verb is useful when stating that something is the only available possibility.
puedo Puedo means can or am able to in puedo estudiar; it is a form of poder. The pattern puedo + infinitive is useful for stating what you are able or available to do.
estudiar Estudiar means to study and follows puedo in puedo estudiar. The pattern poder + infinitive is useful when talking about an ability, possibility, or available time for an activity.
los Los is part of the fixed time expression los fines de semana, meaning on weekends. Use los with this plural expression when talking about a recurring weekend schedule.
fines Fines means ends in the expression fines de semana and is the plural of fin. Use the whole phrase fines de semana to talk about weekends or regular weekend availability.
semana Semana means week in fines de semana. The phrase fines de semana is useful when describing when classes, work, or study can take place.
Entonces Entonces means then or so and introduces the recommendation that follows from the speaker’s weekend availability. The pattern Entonces, + conclusion or command is useful when drawing a practical consequence.
elige Elige tells one person to choose the course with weekend classes; it is the command form related to elegir. The pattern elige + noun phrase is useful when recommending one option to someone.
con Con links the course with the feature it offers in el curso con clases los fines de semana. The pattern noun + con + feature is useful when selecting something based on what it includes.
dicen Dicen means say in Las reseñas dicen que... and agrees with the plural subject las reseñas; it is a form of decir. The pattern dicen que + clause is useful for reporting information from several people or sources.
que Que introduces the content of what the reviews say in Las reseñas dicen que el profesor explica con claridad. The reusable pattern decir que + clause is useful when reporting a statement.
profesor Profesor means teacher in el profesor, the person described as explaining clearly. The pattern el profesor + verb is useful when discussing what a teacher does.
explica Explica means explains and describes what the teacher does in el profesor explica con claridad; it is a form of explicar. The pattern explica con claridad is useful when evaluating how clearly someone presents information.
claridad Claridad means clarity in con claridad, and the whole phrase means clearly. Use con claridad after a verb when describing an action carried out in a clear way.
Eso Eso means that and refers back to the point just mentioned, namely that the teacher explains clearly; it is a demonstrative pronoun. The pattern Eso + verb is useful when commenting on a fact or situation already discussed.
importa Importa means matters in Eso importa más que un curso más corto; it is a form of importar. The pattern importa más que + comparison is useful when explaining which feature has greater importance.

Grammar Points

Quiero + infinitivo

Quiero elegir un curso de idiomas en línea.

KYEH-roh eh-leh-HEER oon KOOR-soh deh ee-dyoh-MAHS en LEE-neh-ah.

I want to choose an online language course.

After quiero, Spanish uses the infinitive form, such as elegir or estudiar.

menos + sustantivo plural

Tiene menos clases.

TYEH-neh MEH-nohs KLAH-sehs.

It has fewer classes.

Use menos before a plural noun to express a smaller number; it does not change for gender or number.

Spanish Vocabulary

Compara verb
kohm-PAH-rah Compare

Compara el horario, las reseñas y el estilo de enseñanza.

curso noun
KOOR-soh course

Quiero elegir un curso de idiomas en línea.

elegir verb
eh-leh-HEER to choose

Quiero elegir un curso de idiomas en línea.

en línea phrase
en LEE-neh-ah online

Quiero elegir un curso de idiomas en línea.

estilo de enseñanza phrase
es-TEE-loh deh en-seh-NYAHN-sah teaching style

Compara el horario, las reseñas y el estilo de enseñanza.

horario noun
oh-RAH-ryoh schedule

Compara el horario, las reseñas y el estilo de enseñanza.

idiomas noun
ee-dyoh-MAHS languages

Quiero elegir un curso de idiomas en línea.

más corto adj
mahs KOR-toh shorter

Este curso es más corto, pero tiene menos clases.

menos adv
MEH-nohs fewer

Este curso es más corto, pero tiene menos clases.

Quiero verb
KYEH-roh I want

Quiero elegir un curso de idiomas en línea.

reseñas noun
reh-SEH-nyahs reviews

Compara el horario, las reseñas y el estilo de enseñanza.

tiene verb
TYEH-neh has

Este curso es más corto, pero tiene menos clases.

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

I want

Show AnswerQuiero

reviews

Show Answerreseñas

to choose

Show Answerelegir

course

Show Answercurso