Here’s the easy road to Spanish verb mastery.
I call this the Sideways Approach. It’s a tiny twist that takes difficult Spanish verbs and makes them simple.
By the way: The sideways approach on the video below is the same one used in my Spanish fluency program, Bola de Nieve.
Until Wednesday, Nov 29th: with Bola de Nieve you also receive Spanish Ear Training for FREE
Even better, you can try both programs for just $1.
Develop Your Ear for Understanding Spanish & Your Tongue for Speaking Spanish.
In Spanish the verbs are not the same as in English. For most students this grinds their Spanish to a screeching halt.
Here’s how to shortcut all the intimidating grammar rules and slice through the conjugation charts.
With a simple sideways turn to the verbs anyone can dominate this language no matter their age or background.
Here is a typical verb chart:
AR verbs | ER Verbs | IR verbs |
hablar | comer | vivir |
yo hablo | yo como | yo vivo |
tú hablas | tú comes | tú vives |
usted habla | usted come | usted vive |
él/ella habla | él/ella come | él/ella vive |
nosotros(as)hablamos | nosotros(as)comemos | nosotros(as)vivimos |
ustedes hablan | ustedes comen | ustedes viven |
ellos(as)hablan | ellos(as)comen | ellos(as)viven |
I guess it’s OK as a reference tool. Except for the overuse of pronouns, especially yo. I’ll tell you why yo is so bad en un momento.
However, that chart as a foundation to speaking Spanish in real situations, making friends, doing business or pursuing a romance…
¡Olvídalo! (Forget it!)
What’s Wrong with the Chart and How to Fix It.
If you rely on the chart, you’ll always be at the mercy of the chart before you can speak.
Imagine if you had to stop and think about theory before you spoke in English.
…………..…Imagine if……………………………………………………….. you had………………to stop and………………………………….think about a bunch of theory before……………………………………………you spoke in English
That’s how most textbooks train you to speak Spanish.
It’s no wonder the majority of students struggle, month after month… and many give up before they reach anything close to fluency.
There is an Easier Way.
All you do is turn the verbs sideways.
Let’s turn the chart sideways and take a look at the first-person pattern. That’s the one you use to talk about what you do.
yo hablo
yo como
yo vivo
Now let’s get rid of the pronoun yo. Spanish speakers mostly use yo for emphasis. Do you really want to go around emphasizing yourself?
(yo, yo, yo, I, I, I, me, me, me) It’s not a good look. (It’s all about me!)
So let’s ditch yo.
Hablo
Como
Vivo
Notice anything?
Let’s make it a bit easier.
HablO
ComO
VivO
Look at that!
All the first-person verbs above end in the letter “O”
Hablo = I speak
Como = I eat
Vivo = I live
Something Big and Intimidating Becomes Easy to Use and Understand.
Remembering that the “O” ending is first person…
Hablo = I speak
Como = I eat
Vivo = I live
Can you understand these phrases?
Hablo español con mi amigo Francisco.
No como chile.
Vivo en Argentina.
Hablo con muchas personas en Facebook.
Vivo en México pero no como chile.
It’s that easy to bring life to Spanish verbs.
The exciting thing is it doesn’t take many of these sideways patterns to start speaking great Spanish.
Get a handful of them under your belt and the language will suddenly open up for you. You’ll quickly speak Spanish that delights your amigos.
One more very important point…
Even though we eliminated the fear of verbs, just reading this lesson can be a bit dry and dull.
Hearing and using the language is when things become vibrant and lively.
That’s why I have prepared this video lesson for you.
Click the play button below to start your lesson.
De nuevo!!I I can’t recommend Bola de Nieve enough to your students..It’s a course that you can review over and over again and always learn something new..Your teaching method is the BEST…Muchisimas Gracias!!
Tu Amigo, Rush
I agree repetion is really helpful and I agree with many of these comments here that Marcus makes learning Spanish much easier as I have been struggling for many years to even get started. This was another very important lesson, thank you!
REPETION IS THE KEY THIS IS VERY GOOD.
Marcus speaks very clearly. People can learn from this.
Great Job!! Spanish made easy!!
Marcus, I find your way of teaching must easier than most. Even at my age I am finally starting to pick up Spanish enough to make myself understood, and am encouraged to continue learning more. Thank you very much. Regards, Alan.
Muchas gracias Dear Marcus
I really enjoyed this lesson. Easy to follow. Looking forward to more sideway Spanish verb lessons!
Hi,
These courses are great! I went through early courses, then Bola de Nieve and I’m on 16.1 and 16.2 of Advanced Concepts. I just finished an involved discussion with a repair man that came to the house to repair the oven.
Gracias a Synergy, ¡Puedo defenderme en español! Y nunca he hablado con mi empleada o mi jardinero en inglés. Me encanta vivir en México.
thommy1
A good conversational learning tool.
good program for learning spainish.like that speaker goes slowly, becuse it is a very fast language .others i tried go entirely too fast.
I’ve just finished Synergy Spanish [I have almost gone through it for the 2nd time, just to make sure I’ve got the hang of it!] & taken [for me] the BIG step of joining the Bola de Nieve course. I had no idea this was a ‘taster’…but man! I really enjoyed this video, so am looking forward to getting stuck into it…. & I have to say, it’s really neat listening to a fellow ‘Aussie’ & also, GOOD ON YA MATE. Your teaching methodology is AWESOME PLUS!!!!
That’s great, mate.
Sing out of you need a hand.
hi marcus , i did synergyspanish together with my wife while we were in tenerife last year . we go back in october to live there and will go for boladenieve then because we are to busy saying goodbye to belgium now … anyway , muchas gracias , we are looking forwards to october !
marco and nani cassiman
Fabulous, what a wonderful adventure!
I like your method. it is easy to grasp. thx
Hola Marcus,
Been with you for a number of years and a number of courses.
You do make learning Spanish so much easier than any other method.
Gracias/Thanks,
Joe in Mexico
Thank You ,you are very help ful Adolf
Where did You live in Australia ? I been 50 Years in Australia ( Sydney ) but now my home is in Spain
I am Tasmanian.
hi marcus i have enquired off the synergy course quite ihave bewen doing spanish within a class for 18 months and all that we are being taught is the spanish culture..its nice but not every week and also the tutor is crsamming our heads with verbs pronouns indirect this imperfect that and we are just not learning vocabulary which is our goal…your course will provide us with that…have yet to arrange what course we want….once again as you say grammar holds us up…
Hola Marcus gracias por la opertunidad a escuchar Spanish verbs sideways.
Aunque he terminado Bola de Nieve hace algun tiempo todavia disfruto recibiendo y escuchando tus tutorales
Jorge en Australia
Thank for your struggles with Spanish that you help me and millions to learn to speak it. You are a true teacher. Two years in acidemic settings and community classes resulted in the the grammar doing me in. Thank you for showing us, as a good teacher does, way by showing and not telling, to paraphrase your quote. Dennis Hayden
Thanks Marcus for your Sideways Spanish blog. As a beginner this is proving very helpful. I have not read any textbooks except a Spanish phrase book. I have however,been introduced to Duolingo by my son. This has increased my vocabulary considerably which, has helped when I joined your Synergy Spanish course.
Any help you can give on gender recognition would be most helpful, there doesn’t seem to be any recognisable rules.
Many thanks for your help and encouragement, I going to learn some Spanish in the next weeks.
Much gracias
Chris Arden
The Synergy Spanish is a great way of learning as is sideways
The best course I have ever tried it’s so clear and simple to follow.
The best course I have ever tried..
Brilliant am finding it so much simpler than any other course I have been on.
Thank you Marcus….I love the Venezuelan Parranda music and bought the cuatro and mandolin there on a visit, but never learned the language. I think I’ll stick with your lessons. you make it look so easy..thank you
I love it! That’s a great reason and a good motivation to learn. It’ll make your music experience so much more enriching.
Very good wat to master
Buenos Dias, Marcus.
El mejor!! Gracias para ayudarme aprender español. Antes de muchos anos de estudiar, finalamente, aprendo y comprendo y HABLO mucho español.
I am also searching a lot for this and it really creates a interest with good momentum.
I found this very helpfull.
Very helpful!!!
Halo Marcus
Gracias por leccions. Mi necesito mus lecions. Mi quiero mucho espanol leccions, porque mi quiero aprender mus espanol. Con su ayual mi will apender. Gracias Patricia
Marcus
Getting the gist of learning the language. The presentation of the lessons is conducive to continue doing the exercises.
Enjoyed the session, particularly as the Spanish pronunciation was clear and at a reasonable speed for a beginner, unlike every other system I have tried.
Necesario. Necia. A mis 68 años lo lograre contigo.
Love it. Do you have one in french?
Sorry, only Spanish at the moment
an excellent way to learn – easy building blocks, very fluid. thank you
This method seems to work well I live in Spain and have been trying to learn Spanish
for a long time
This approach really makes sense. I live in Mexico 6 months each year and 6 months in the US. The timing on this first lesson was good. I look forward to more lessons and practice sessions.
Thanks for the opportunity of having this information. I need to ask you people a favor, that is to receive a listing of all regular verbs in English. I have the irregulars. I will appreciate it very much.
Love this approach. Will pass this on to some friends.
Wow this works. Sadly I think I have a big big big test tomorrow FROM a spanish speaking place.
Excellent! Very clear and simple …and even FUN! An essential ingredient in any language teaching situation! Thank you! 🙂
Thanks. I knew this already but I’m interested in any other pointers to help me speak Spanish fast enough to prevent always being asked to please just speak in English! 😊
Great job! I am enjoying the lesson please keep the audio coming. Thanks
Really good and easy to follow . I love the language but find it hard to learn the verbs this makes it so easy to understand thank you
Have been trying for a long time I am interested in this
Clear + Concise +Concentrated=Quality (Learning + Teaching).
I found your web site whilst looking for a program which gave me conjugations of Spanish verbs. What a find! So helpful and useful.
Thank you
Thank you!! It is very useful! I will try this with my students!!
Unbelievable !! It works like a charm.
I am building a vocabulary but, I am not sure how to use it. That is until I found you.
Thanks,
Lynn