Reviews for Beginners Level: Spanish for Absolute Beginners

4.8 (598 reviews)

A laptop at the Berges Institute office
Jessica Zalaznick
2022-05-21
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.
Jiejie W.
2022-05-13
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.
Stephanie Bynum
2022-05-01
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.
Dereck Fuller
2022-03-30
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!
suzanne carter
2022-03-29
I took Spanish in high school and college. It was the perfect refresher course for me.
Melanie Sax
2022-03-28
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!)
ANGELINE JAGROOP
2022-03-27
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.
Mia Brandt
2022-03-24
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.
Nathalie Lovinsky
2022-03-24
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.
Diane Exavier
2022-03-24
This is a great intro course that covers a variety of basics: family, household items, numbers and more. Highly recommend it!
Pam Tulchinsky
2022-03-24
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.
Brenda Levis
2022-03-24
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.
Wendy Talio
2022-03-22
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!
Bill Wong
2022-03-03
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.
Judith Weitz
2022-02-12
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!
Tessa Zitter
2022-02-11
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.
Curtis Sylvester
2022-02-07
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.
Mary Kocy
2022-02-06
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.
John Carlucci
2022-01-20
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!
Dane Anderson
2021-12-29
Great course and I learned a ton. A lot to fit into a few months, but the workbook was very helpful.