For most of us in the English-speaking world, learning Spanish can be quite a challenge. For those of you who are looking for a very easy, step by step way of learning a foreign language, then the Pimsleur method may be the way to go. The following are some advantages of using Pimsleur:

• The method is based on listening and repeating after a native speaker. There is very little reading or grammar involved although the course does come with a booklet showing all the basic words and sentences used in the course.

• The lessons are about 30 minutes long, which is a very reasonable amount of time for a student to stay focused, and if done daily, is very convenient for the busy professional commuting to and from work.

• The amount of new material covered in each lesson is not overwhelming, as a good portion of the lesson is spent reinforcing what you have already learned.

• The audio quality is very clear which is very important since a large part of the method is based on your being able to understand the native speaker perfectly.

However, if you are thinking of purchasing this product you should be aware of some of the cons as well. Many of us underestimate the effort it will take to acquire a new language. The following are a few possible drawbacks to consider before purchasing a Pimsleur Spanish course:

• As mentioned above, the method is based on your ability to listen to and repeat after a native speaker. For some people this is not as easy as it is for others. Many of us lose our ability to accurately hear sounds that are not used in English. This may hinder your ability to imitate the native speaker with the exact pronunciation and with the right stress on the correct part of the word. The Spanish ‘r’ is hard for most English-speakers to replicate and certain words like ‘hable’ and ‘hablé’ have different meanings depending on where you apply the accent on the word.

• Each level in Spanish contains 30 lessons and these packages can be quite expensive (over $300). For most of us, spending that amount of money for a language course to learn the very basics is just not feasible. You may want to start with the shorter version of Pimsleur Spanish I (called Conversational Spanish) which has less discs but will give you a good feel for whether you want to spend the money to purchase the whole level.

• As mentioned above, each level costs over $300. After completing Spanish level III, you will not be at an advanced level but more like a low intermediate level. You will still have to build on your vocabulary using other sources.

• The type of Spanish used in these courses is more formal, meant for business or political circles. If you want to travel to Spanish speaking countries and make friends with a younger or more informal crowd, you will need to practice using the informal ‘tu’ form more than the ‘usted’ form.

As most students of Spanish learn right from the beginning, there are two main ‘flavors’ of Spanish, the Spanish from Spain (sometimes referred to as Castilian Spanish) and Latin American Spanish which is a standard form of Spanish spoken all over Central and South America. If you do choose Pimsleur to learn Spanish, make sure you pick the right kind of Spanish. If you plan to do business with Spanish speakers in North and South America, you are better off going with the package for Latin American Spanish. Both programs have three main levels, (Latin American) Spanish I, II and III. Each level consists of thirty 30-minute lessons.

Of course, as is true of any language learning program, it is important to stay consistent. Do a half hour every day rather than 4 hours once a week. It takes constant repetition to learn a language. Long breaks will set you back a little each time. Take a break for a couple of days only after you have been consistent for 2 or 3 weeks at a stretch. It is always a good idea to use more than one source to learn a language as well. It keeps things interesting and no program has everything you need. Try using Pimsleur along with a class at a community college or a language school. A Spanish course from Living Language (which offers books and CDs) can also be quite helpful to supplement your knowledge with some reading and writing. Also, Spanish websites like Learn Practical Spanish Online offer plenty of material for beginner, intermediate and advanced students for free.