Spanish from Scratch

FREE: Grab your Fluency Phrasebook, 95 essential phrases for beginners designed to guide you towards fluency:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/start

There's no verb "to can" in English, so how do you say "I can" in Spanish? Rob and Lis introduce poder, the verb behind every "can I...?" Rob asks to tag along and bring a friend, Lis tries to buy theatre tickets in the wrong shop, and you'll learn a polite way to ask permission, plus the three-word phrase for when you can't take any more.

Quick test: What's the difference between ¿Qué puedes hacer? and ¿Qué se puede hacer?

Can't catch every word? Read along with the full transcript, translations and meanings:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/poder-can-i

Get this episode's full transcript free, plus 2 more of your choice. Don't miss a single word, and get how to say what you want, order dessert and say "I love you" with querer, every line in Spanish and English, and why Spanish needs a "double negative":

👉 spanishobsessed.com/transcripts

One small verb lets you say what you want, ask for dessert and even tell someone you love them. Rob and Lis introduce querer, and the extra letter that sneaks into most of its forms. Two short chats follow: plans for tonight, where one of them wants to do nothing at all, and dessert. Plus, why Spanish needs a "double negative", and the three-word phrase Rob has relied on a number of times.

Do you know what these mean?
¿Qué quieres hacer esta noche? · No quiero hacer nada · Te quiero mucho · Fue sin querer

Claim your first free complete transcript here:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/querer-basics

Want to start speaking sooner? Our free Fluency Phrasebook gives you 95 essential phrases to build on:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/start

How do you ask what the date is in Spanish, and why does Spanish say "eleven of May" instead of "the eleventh"? Rob and Lis work out when they have to go to her sister's party, then look back on how it went. Along the way you meet fue, your first step into the past, and a little question Rob didn't quite get when he first heard it from Lis and her Colombian friends.

Do you know what these mean?
¿En qué fecha estamos hoy? · Hoy es viernes, once de mayo · ¿Cómo te fue? · Nos fue muy bien

Hear it, then see it. Follow along with the transcript and translations:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/dates-and-fue

Unlock the full transcript of this episode, plus 2 more, free. Don't miss a single word, and get the days, months and seasons, highlighted phrases you can tap for their real meaning, and how the weather works in a country with almost no seasons:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/transcripts

Could you tell someone in Spanish which day you arrive, or when spring starts? Rob and Lis plan a trip to Colombia day by day, from Bogotá to Medellín and back again, and Lis explains how the weather works in a country with almost no seasons. By the end you'll have all seven days, the twelve months and the four seasons, plus one of Rob's favourite phrases for when you can't wait.

Do you know what these mean?
¿Hoy qué día es? · la semana que viene · el lunes siguiente · No veo la hora

Claim your first free complete transcript here:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/days-months-seasons

Build your first real conversations with 95 essential phrases. Download the free Fluency Phrasebook:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/start

Lis has a nickname for Rob, and it has everything to do with his love of the clock. Here he quizzes her: how many weeks in a year, how many days, and what do you call a year with 366? Then they quiz each other on daily habits, and Lis isn't convinced by Rob's answer about how often he eats. By the end, you'll be asking "how many times a day?" in Spanish.

Do you know what these mean?
¿Cuántas veces al día? · todos los días · a la semana · año bisiesto

Missed something? The full transcript, translations and meanings are here:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/how-many-times

Read this episode word for word, free, plus 2 more of your choice. Don't miss a single word, and get how to ask and answer "what time do you wake up?", notes on the grammar, and the two-letter clue that gives away a special kind of verb:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/transcripts

What time do you wake up? After this episode you'll be able to ask that in Spanish and answer it, along with when you get up, start work, finish and head home. Lis describes a working day so long she ends up calling herself "pobrecita". And you'll hear the two-letter dictionary clue that gives away a special kind of verb, plus the Spanish ending that works like English "-ly".

Do you know what these mean?
¿A qué hora te despiertas? · me levanto · empiezo el trabajo · vuelvo a casa

Claim your first free complete transcript here:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/daily-routine

When Rob says what time he gets home, Lis jumps in to correct him. Can you spot his mistake?

Just starting out? Get 95 essential Spanish phrases for beginners, free:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/start

After this episode you'll be able to ask "what time is it?" in Spanish, and understand the answer. You'll find out why one o'clock breaks the pattern of every other hour, and how Spain and Colombia say "ten to" the hour in two different ways. And Lis brings in a line from a song played every New Year's Eve across the Spanish-speaking world, which turns out to be a handy little time lesson.

Do you know what these mean?
¿Qué hora es? · Es la una · y media · Faltan cinco para las doce

Can't catch every word? Read along with the full transcript, translations and meanings:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/telling-the-time

Get this episode's full transcript free, plus 2 more of your choice. Don't miss a single word, and get the simplest ways to agree, disagree and give your opinion, the English for every line, and why the obvious Spanish for "I think" isn't the usual choice:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/transcripts

How do you tell someone in Spanish that they're wrong, without sounding rude? Rob and Lis teach the simplest ways to agree, disagree and give your opinion, and the small switch that turns "you're wrong" into something friendlier. Rob admits one short phrase always ties his tongue in knots, Lis picks her favourite way to say "you're right", and you'll find out why the obvious Spanish for "I think" isn't the usual choice.

Do you know what these mean?
estoy de acuerdo · tienes razón · creo que · me parece que

Claim your first free complete transcript here:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/agree-disagree

Free for listeners: the Fluency Phrasebook, 95 essential beginner phrases:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/start

How do you say sorry in Spanish without sounding like someone has died? Rob and Lis separate everyday apologies from serious ones, reveal the word people in Spain use to catch a waiter's eye, and share a word for a slip-up with a more scandalous second meaning. By the end, you'll be able to admit a mistake, insist it wasn't on purpose, and earn a forgiveness that comes with a catch.

Do you know what these mean?
Perdona · Lo siento · Me equivoqué · No fue a propósito

Hear it, then see it. Follow along with the transcript and translations:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/saying-sorry

Unlock the full transcript of this episode, plus 2 more, free. Don't miss a single word, and get the phrases to ask what things cost, each line in Spanish and English, and the different question to use when you're buying by the kilo:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/transcripts

You walk into a shop at 6pm and you're not sure it's open. What do you say? Rob sends Lis shopping in her favourite area of Colombia, from a nice bag with no price tag to a black coffee that makes her exclaim "¡Tan caro!" You'll learn to ask what things cost, understand the prices you hear, use a different question when buying by the kilo, and pick up one of Rob's favourite words.

Do you know what these mean?
¿Está abierto? · ¿Cuánto cuesta? · ¿A cuánto son? · ¡Es una ganga!

Claim your first free complete transcript here:

👉 spanishobsessed.com/go/shopping-prices