Spanish learning guides
These guides explain the Spanish grammar and pronunciation behind the words in the game. Read one before or after you play. Start with the learning habits below if you want to get the most out of the game, then move on to grammar, sounds, and vocabulary in context.
Learning habits
Tips for learning vocabulary: ten practical habits for making new words stick, from writing down every word to quizzing yourself.
Immersion without moving: practical ways to find Spanish moments in an ordinary day, from labels and devices to listening and writing.
Grammar
Ser vs. estar: the two verbs for “to be,” with the DOCTOR and PLACE memory tricks and adjectives that change meaning.
Saber vs. conocer: the two verbs for “to know,” facts and skills versus people and places.
Gustar and encantar: how to say what you like and love, and the other verbs that work the same way.
Spanish articles: el, la, un, una, lo, al and del, and when Spanish uses or leaves out an article.
Conjugation and the infinitive: how endings work, when the infinitive stays unchanged, and a first look at past and future tenses.
Spanish verbs and infinitives: the -ar, -er, and -ir families, regular present tense, reflexive verbs, and common irregular verbs.
El and la: Spanish noun gender: why nouns are masculine or feminine, patterns that help, and exceptions to watch for.
Sounds and spelling
Accents and pronunciation: the sounds of Spanish letters, where the stress falls, and how accent marks work.
Vocabulary in context
Cognates: Spanish words you already know: words that look alike in English and Spanish, with patterns to help you spot hundreds of them.
Spanish-speaking countries and directions: the countries in the game and how to say up, down, left, and right.
Common mistakes English speakers make: false friends, gender errors, ser versus estar, and more.