Self & Friends

Greetings

Useful set of greeting phrases. Click on the arrows next to each phrase to hear them pronounced clearly. Test yourself by saying the words/phrases aloud first and then listening to them being pronounced. There is an English translation under each example.

http://www.spanicity.com/Phrases/Greetings/Greetings.htm

Greetings

Pass the mouse over any of the words/phrases to hear them pronounced clearly. Test yourself by saying the words/phrases aloud first and then listening to them being pronounced. There are English translations for all of the words.

http://www.languageguide.org/txt/common/esp/

Greetings and politeness in many forms

On this page you will find a selection of different activities to practise and reinforce your knowledge of how to meet, greet and be polite in Spanish. Choose from the activities in the light blue horizontal strip. To get a list of vocabulary that might help you, click on the list of terms link on each page if you need to. All the instructions are in English. Answers are provided.

http://www.quia.com/jg/1135899.html

Greetings and nationality – set of activities

This link takes you to an index. Select Unit 1.

On the menu you will find here there are main sections entitled Vocabulary, Comprehension and Grammar, each with several subsections of links to a range of interactive vocabulary activities or grammar presentations and quizzes.

Start by looking at the vocabulary presentation and exercises, move on to the comprehension sections, and finally consolidate your new knowledge by working through the grammar sections before re-doing the quizzes.

http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/span100/main_units.htm

Introductions

Very good set of basic introductions vocabulary activities. Start by following the link Say hello. There you can watch a video by clicking on the picture. The icons on the right-hand side will take you to explanations/transcripts/translations and exercises about the video.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/talk/greetings/

Introductions

Ordering exercise with hints and answers. You have to put the conversation (introductions) in the correct order. Instructions are given in English and answers are provided.

http://www.quia.com/rd/36086.html

Introductions

Set of exercises on introductions vocabulary. Choose from the four exercises (matching, flashcards, concentration and word search) in the light blue horizontal strip. Answers are provided.

http://www.quia.com/jg/376777.html

Introductions and personal information – BBC interactive video

This link takes you to episode 1 of an interactive video Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy life) produced by the BBC. Click on start once the video has loaded. Choose whether to have Spanish and/or English subtitles. You can use each episode individually, however there is a story line running through the episodes. Episode 1 concentrates on introductory language. You are in control and can stop the video and repeat phrases as often as you like.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/ep01.shtml

Personal details – BBC interactive video

This link takes you to episode 4 of an interactive video Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy life) produced by the BBC. Click on start once the video has loaded. Choose whether to have Spanish and/or English subtitles. You can use each episode individually, however there is a story line running through the episodes. In this episode directions are revised before the new material on personal details. You are in control and can stop the video and repeat phrases as often as you like.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/ep04.shtml

A first conversation in Spanish

Two friends meet and greet each other. You can read the transcript, answer comprehension questions and listen to the dialogue line by line via the Las amigas link in the box in the middle of the page. The answers to the comprehension questions appear in pop-ups when you place the cursor on the green ticks next to them.

http://www.hello-world.com/Spanish/Hola

A first conversation

This page has instructions in English and contains a dialogue you can listen to and read; there is also a key vocabulary list and a neat reminder of important structures. Click on the musical note symbol to listen to the dialogue. When you have finished, take the Next page link at the bottom right. This gives you a reminder of what the personal pronouns are; then click Next page again to go to a drag-and-drop vocabulary exercise on the language you have seen.

http://www.nocomprendo.es/site/cursos/flash.php

Meeting people – names and basic personal information

This page offers a clear, well-illustrated and easy-to-use demonstration of meeting, presenting, and exchanging basic personal infomation.

Click on the speaker symbol to hear the dialogues and phrases. One curiosity – Antonio Banderas, Julio Iglesias and Fernando Alonso all seem to have the same voice!

http://www.mansionspanish.com/cursobasico/icurso01_1.

Meeting people – further personal information

This page offers a clear, well-illustrated and easy-to-use demonstration of meeting, presenting, and exchanging a range of personal information – name, job, age, address etc. There is an effective illustrated explanation of Spanish double surnames and several interactive gap-fill activities.

Click on the speaker symbol to hear the dialogues and phrases for each exercise.

http://www.mansionspanish.com/cursobasico/icurso02_1

Pepe meets Miguel's family

Read and practise the dialogue where both formal and informal language is used. Click the link at the top left hand of the screen to go to interactive exercises.

http://www.hello-world.com/Spanish/Hola

Personal information quiz

This Spanish vocabulary game is to help you learn about Personal Information. Simply choose the correct multiple choice answer according to the question.

http://www.spanish.cl/Vocabulary/Games/Informacion_Personal.htm

Personal details

Very useful set of writing exercises about describing personal details. It contains a sample question, exam tips and a test.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/spanish

Mini-course on personal information

This link takes you to the first of five pages containing more than 20 exercises relating to personal information. A variety of appropriate grammar points are included, with explanations in English and practice exercises. This is an excellent self-contained resource for learning independently or for practising and revising this topic after class study. All sections have English explanations and vocabulary lists and you can check your answers as you progress by clicking on the buttons labelled with a question mark.

http://www.mansionspanish.com/cursobasico/icurso01_1.ht

¡Mucho gusto!

This is a site accompanying a coursebook; many of the activities can be used independently if required.

On the menu given here, you will find two particularly useful features: a link to ¿Lo sabía Ud.? audionotas culturales and a series of links under the heading ‘Flashcards'. The first brings up short audio extracts of information in Spanish featuring vocabulary from the this topic. the phrases appear in the accompanying flashcards where you can flip through a sequence of phrases and so learn vocabulary items.

Note that you need to install Adobe Shockwave Player to see the flashcards.

http://college.hmco.com/languages/spanish/

An easy reader – Otto's Dream

This is the initial page for an easy reader story (about 1200 words long) called “El sueño de Otto”. It's about Otto and other students and their friendships . There is a glossary available via the Ficha Didáctica link; the Antes de leer link leads you to interactive preparatory exercises, with click-access answers ( a blue button marked S).

This reader is good for seeing personal information language in an entertaining story.

http://cvc.cervantes.es/aula/lecturas/inicial/lectura_05/

Word search games – Spanish names

This page has 19 links to word search activities. These are much more useful than the hangman links on the same page. Click on the link in the list to go to a re-scramblable word board with a word highlighter for when you get frustrated.

http://spanishunlimited.com/su/games/#

Handy compendium of polite phrases (spoken and written)

From 'Good Morning' to 'not at all' to 'Nice to see you'... and many more, all collected together in a handy printable vocab list format. There is a link at the bottom to an interactive exercise with multiple-choice drop-down answers.

http://www.mansionspanish.com/recursos/vocabulario04.

Beginners' resource and practice page – and it's fun!

This packed table of contents is designed to complement the American textbook 'En Español'. Each has Unidad and Etapa has a vocabulary list (the first link to look at and study), and several corresponding matching and hangman-style interactive activities giving practice of the vocabulary in the lists and associated grammar points. The level 3 options in the interactive activities are pretty quick and demanding.

This site may require some teacher preparation to select appropriate units and 'Etapas' for learners to try, although a selection of the best parts is available in Text-Link under appropriate subject headings. Explore and experiment – it's a goldmine, and good fun.

Here, take Unidad 1, Etapa 1.

http://www.elmaeagles.com/spanish1.htm

Personal information

Take this 5-part quiz to check you have learnt the basics of personal information properly.

A spaceship arrives and floats above Europe. Click on the image of Spain. Click on the image of Spain again. When you enter the exercise area, click on the top icon on the left depicting a blackboard with a cleaning sponge attached. This opens the sequence of 5 exercises.

Note that there have been some problems with the opening of this site, so if the activity doesn't load immediately, don't spend time waiting for it!

http://www.lingoland.net/intro.php