Reviews for Beginners Level: Spanish for Absolute Beginners

I like how this course is precise with their graf learning method. It also makes spanish easier and fun to learn.

The course was great for me to start learning Spanish! I already signed up for level 2. The homework was definitely a huge part of the course and you will fall behind if you do not do it but I found it enjoyable. I also was able to practice concepts I learned with my girlfriend who is fluent which I think was helpful. Overall, this is exactly what I was looking for (something to launch my Spanish learning beyond simple flashcards or a duo lingo equivalent). My only complaint is that the 10th course is just a review of the exam (takes place between 9th and 10th classes) and I feel more content could be covered by having another class worth of content and pushing out the exam to after the 10th class.

Great instructor, always full of energy and enthusiasm. I’ve tried to learn Spanish several times before but this time it seems to be working, due, particularly, to the way it is organized and builds on knowledge in a logical progression.

The in-person course was very efficient and I picked up basic Spanish in an incredible amount of time. An hour and a half passes by so quickly. The method they teach you makes a lot of sense to me.

Rolando was a great instructor! The textbook and lessons were clear and paced well.

The class was awesome! The method of teaching used was better than all my years of Spanish I took in middle school and high school, and made me feel so much more confident in my ability to continue relearning the language.

Was a great beginner class and I learned a lot. I've already recommended this class to a few people.

Great course! I started with no knowledge of Spanish and now feel like I can hold very basic conversations after only ten weeks of class.

This course is fantastic if you are looking for basically one on one tutoring. The instructor goes through each section basically just following all the homework provided and every single line of the textbook. She may use some graphics, but I personally need out of the textbook references and making conversations that are easy to remember. The instructor did the basic, but I’m looking for an instructor that really brings you in and tries to educate you on why it’s pronounced that way or helps you to memorize the topics. I forget things easily and always made shortcuts so I could remember, but as Professors do in a class of two people - I would be put on the spot and blank. I was hoping to find a learning community, but I think the most I found here was a resources textbook and someone to read it to me.

The course was excellent and fun!

This was a great course with Alejandro. I had studied Spanish years ago, but forgot most of what I'd learned. Alejandro is a great teacher- patient and fun with his lessons. I've already begun Spanish II!

I think Berges is great. I did not expect that, as I'm fairly skeptical about these things, but it was a really good experience, and the course materials were quite well organized and the quizzes were challenging. I look forward to the second level.

Berges offers a great way to learn, incorporating the basics of Spanish grammar with vocabulary so you understand how to put ideas and words together. The course took me from an absolute beginner to a beginner who can form both written and spoken sentences . . . haltingly for now, but way beyond what I could have imagined during my first class.

This course fell far below my expectations. Honestly, I'm surprised you even sent an eval form given when I discontinued coming to the course I sent a detailed email as to why, requested a conversation about continuing with private lessons instead, and never received any response from the school or instructor. First, the pedagogical methods used, from my understanding, are outdated in terms of approaches for adult language learners. My class, and I'm not kidding, consisted of a full hour of laboriously going over sentences assigned for homework, which few of the participants did, so we had to sit there and wait for the students to figure out the homework on the spot. Then maybe 30 minutes of actual instruction of new material. Moreover, we are ADULT LEARNERS. Calling on students without their consent, just calling out someone's name to give an answer, is insulting and does not take into account different learning styles or anxiety someone may feel speaking in front of others. It also means the entire class has to sit there while another *adult* who does not know the answer has to sit and sweat it out in front of the group. Not acceptable. I attended this class with my husband who is already fluent in three languages. We couldn't believe how not engaging it was. I can't believe we paid to primarily review homework sentences every week. One day we were sitting doing our homework together and my husband started yelling, "I'm not going to write a paragraph in the present tense using this vocabulary. I'm not doing it!" And we just decided to never go back. At that point, I looked for the instructors contact info but couldn't find it. So I wrote a very nice email to the school stating the class wasn't a good fit for us, but were potentially interested in private instruction with the teacher and never heard back. So that was that.

The course offered a way to immerse yourself into the fundamental grammar and vocabulary of Spanish and a great review after a long time. I look forward to continuing on to level 2.

This course was great! I've studied Spanish in the past but it's been a long time, and this was a great review. Silvana is a fantastic instructor, and was very encouraging in each class.

Great basics course to get a base knowledge of Spanish! A lot to learn but not too overwhelming.

Ms. Ordonez is a very lovely person and I am guessing she taught the class based on the requirements of Berges. The class each week was 1 and 1/2 hours. In that time, we spent half the time going over the homework from the week before. The other half of the class a lecture about the current information. There was no additional support other than the text book from Berges and frequently it was difficult to understand. I could have taught myself instead of taking the class considering the lack of information about various parts of how Spanish works. The college classes were cheaper and were more time for each lesson. I'm not sure who benefits from your classes.

The beginner course did an excellent job of introducing us to several fundamentals of the Spanish language. Our instructor was patient, but still did a good job of pushing us along the material. I am looking forward to the next level class.

it was not that helpful as a beginner.

Very clear and easy course materials to help you understand the language faster. Always happy with Berges!

This was a great course! I'd recommend Berges to anyone studying Spanish for the first time.

The course was great and went a good pace. I learned a lot and plan to continue onto the next level. Edgardo was an excellent teacher and I have recommended him to friends.

The class was well structured. I enjoyed learning spanish using the book. The book is easy to follow, and the homework questions could really help me memorize everything. I also like that there are a lot of interactions between students and the teacher. We got to practice our pronunciation a lot. I joined the class without any Spanish background, but I really felt I was picking up fast. English is my second language, I never thought I would learn a third language. But I had so much fun....This morning, I passed the beginner's test and I have purchased the level 2 class with the same instructor (Juan Carlos Alvarez). Can't wait to go to the next level.

I learned a lot during the class times, but the book and the online platform made it a bit difficult to learn. I had to find lots of outside resources to learn the content so I could participate in class.

An amazingly effective approach in my beginning to learn Spanish. I’d taken courses at college where I walked away retaining very little, or learning things that aren’t really used in daily Spanish conversations. This course however, was practical, fun and my professor was amazing!

I took Spanish in high school and college. It was the perfect refresher course for me.

At age 70, I decided to try again to learn Spanish. I chose the Beginner's level because I needed the review and did not want to be "left behind in the dust" by younger students surging ahead with their quicker brains! I appreciated the way the course was structured. Common topics of "getting to know you" conversation were introduced early in the course. I felt I could quickly make sense of basic Spanish grammar which helped my ability to communicate more easily what I wanted to say. Many "holes" in my understanding left over from former beginning classes were filled in nicely. I feel much more confident about trying to communicate in Spanish (at least at a rudimentary level!)

I liked that the course was on-line, the class consisted of 3-6 persons, and there were options of days and times - especially the availability of a Saturday class. The workbook was easy to understand and exercises helped with the retention of the language. At the end of the 10 week course I am able to read, write, understand and engage in a Spanish conversation. I cannot wait to start level 2.

The course was comprehensive, challenging but manageable which I loved. We moved along at a fairly rapid pace but that kept it interesting and enriching. Also each stage built on the previous one and the progression was logical and the foundations we acquired solid.

I thought the course was great! I had taken Spanish in grade school as a child so I was starting for the basics. You learn a lot of foundational information in the class but its really up to you to practice what you’ve learned during the week so that it sticks.

This is a great intro course that covers a variety of basics: family, household items, numbers and more. Highly recommend it!

I was very impressed with the structure of this course . Grammar has always been difficult for me In my own native English. I love how the GRAF method gradually eases you into the structure of the language. I learned a lot more than I thought I was capable of.

The class materials were clear and well written, and the instructor was terrific. I will definitely sign up for another class and will recommend Berges to friends and clients. Great value for the money as well.

The material is presented most efficiently so you can readily understand the nuts and bolts of pronunciations, grammer, pick up vocabulary. The practice portions of the class helped solidify the information in actual speaking. Having the flexibility to use make-up lessons when schedule conflicts arise made sure I didn't fall behind. The tips in the Berges newsletter for how to get additional practice are really important to use - practicing every day is really important!

This was a wonderful course. I actually had taken this course before. The second time around I got to appreciate the pace and level of the lessons much more as I was more relaxed and able to reabsorb the knowledge.

I really enjoyed this class and I felt that It provided me with some basic Spanish language information that I need to move on to the next level. I highly recommend Berges institute!

This was a wonderful addition to my week! I felt like I was making real progress without feeling overwhelmed by the pacing or amount of homework.

The course was enjoyable as well as educational! I feel I learned a lot in a short period, and I am looking forward to the next level of instruction.

This course was what I'd hoped for and then some. I have difficulty learning foreign languages, but happily, this technique and this teacher suit me and I'm enrolling in Part 2. Julia is a wonderful teacher. She explains grammatical points clearly. She is patient and kind and handily involves the students in conversation with one another. I especially appreciate the points she makes about how something is said in Mexico v. in Spain or even in certain other Latin American countries. I enrolled in her course because my future extended family is Mexican and it was important to attune my ear to the Mexican dialect, so these explanations are really useful. So why four stars and not five? Three reasons: 1. There's no in-person option yet--and I understand that it's not possible yet, but being in person would ease conversation and build an esprit de corps amongst students. 2. I wish you used Zoom instead of BlueJeans. Zoom is just a better platform. Hope you'll consider changing. 3. I wish there was more written homework along with video components so that students could respond to Spanish spoken at conversational speed. But maybe that's to come in the more advanced modules. Looking forward to the past tense. Many thanks.

I loved this course! María Chanamé is an awesome teacher. It was the perfect pace for me, always felt challenged but never intimidated. Definitely a safe and comfortable place to make mistakes and learn a lot. I’ve already started level 2 and it does not disappoint either!

Great course and I learned a ton. A lot to fit into a few months, but the workbook was very helpful.

The course was well organized and has really helped me kickstart my journey with learning Spanish. I would highly recommend this program and am already signed up for the next level!

The course is well structured and professional in every way. Everything about Berges is designed for a students maximum advantage and growth. The learning process is very detailed and swift. The amount of material covered in just ten weeks is amazing.

Really great primer on elementary Spanish and covered a lot of information quickly without being overwhelming.

Good pace, great blend of reading/writing/speaking/listening skills.

The content was clear and well sequenced.

The course was excellent and so was the teacher.

It was great! Learned alot and María was very patient and helpful.

The class is very good. I love the text book. The interactive structure of the class even though it’s online. Highly recommended for beginners