MICHEL THOMAS SPANISH (BASIC) COURSE, 8 CDs
TRANSCRIPT
This is an approximate transcript of the course, since Michel often changed his mind in the middle of a sentence to be translated, or adapted his sentences for the students. The booklet that accompanied Michel's courses was wholly inadequate, so I have written this transcript. I have found it useful, so maybe other people will, too.
Naturally, it would be foolish to try to learn the language using this transcript, without buying the recordings.
Note that English is my native language, so I don't guarantee that there are no mistakes. Tracks and track times in the recording are shown in brackets.
Version 2, Aug 11th 2006
Transcribed by JK
CD 1 (68.43)
(1) 6.34
(2) 7.43
(-ible words stay the same in Spanish, but the pronunciation changes a little: the last but one syllable is stressed)
possible
(-able words stay the same in Spanish)
probable
acceptable
it is
it is possible
it is probable
it is terrible
it is acceptable
for me
for you
it is for me
it is not
it is not for you
it is not for you, it is for me
it is not possible for me
it is possible for you
it is acceptable for me
(3) 6.25
(to ask a question in Spanish, you just use inflection)
it is acceptable for you
is it acceptable for you?
isn't it acceptable for you?
why
(porque also means "because")
why isn't it acceptable for you?
(in the above sentence, inflection is not necessary because there is a question word; but you can still use it)
like that, that way
it is like that
it is not like that
it is not possible that way
it is not acceptable for me that way
why isn't it acceptable for you that way?
I'm sorry
I
(in Spanish, "I" is understood)
(lo siento literally means "I feel it")
but
I'm sorry, but...
I'm sorry, but it is not acceptable for me that way
I'm sorry, but it is not possible that way
(4) 3.44
(English words ending -ent or -ant, end -ente or -ante in Spanish)
different
important
it is important for me
it is not different that way
good
very
it is very good
it is not very good
it is not very different that way
but it is very important for me
(in Spanish, there is never more than one stress on any given word. In general, if the word ends with a vowel, the stress will be on the penultimate syllable)
restaurant
(5) 5.12
I have
(the -o in tengo expresses "I". yo tengo would mean "I have" with the "I" emphasised)
I don't have
I have it
I don't have it
I want
I want it
I don't want it that way
I need
I need it
I don't need it
now
hour
but I don't need it now
I want it but I don't need it now
(6) 6.22
constant
evident
urgent
it is very urgent
I need it now, it is very urgent
you have
you have (emphasise "you")
what
what do you have?
what do you have for me now?
you have it
do you have it?
you don't have it
don't you have it?
don't you have it for me now?
why don't you have it for me now, because I need it now
(7) 4.13
I want it now
I don't want it
you want
what do you want?
you want it
do you want it?
why don't you want it that way?
to know
I want to know
I don't want to know
I want to know why you don't have it for me now
(8) 7.50
I can
you can
to do, to make
to do like that
what do you want to do now?
(when there is a consonant at the end of the word, the stress will be on the final syllable)
to eat
something
I want something
I have something for you
I want to eat
I want to eat something now
I am hungry (lit. I have hunger)
man
I want to eat something now because I am hungry
what do you want to eat?
I am hungry
you are hungry
are you hungry?
are you hungry? do you want to eat something now?
why don't you want to eat?
(9) 3.05
(English words ending -ary, end -ario in Spanish)
necessary
it is not necessary for me now because I don't need it
and
I'm sorry, but I don't have it and I don't want it because I don't need it now
contrary
on the contrary
vocabulary
(10) 8.53
(in Spanish, b and v a the same sound)
to see ver
(lo is hooked onto the end of the "full verb")
to see it
I want to see it
I don't want to see it
do you want to see it?
why don't you want to see it?
I cannot see it
(whenever you have two or three consecutive verbs, the second and third verbs are in the full form of the verb, i.e. infinitive)
can you see it?
what can you see?
why can't you see it?
to see
to do it
I don't want to do it that way
because I cannot do it
why can't you do it that way?
I want to know why you can't do it that way
(11) 4.29
(words in English ending -ance or -ence, end -ancia or -encia in Spanish)
difference
importance
influence
preference
the difference
a difference
what difference?
the preference
a preference
what preference?
do you have a preference?
what preference do you have?
for what restaurant do you have a preference?
tonight
(esta noche literally means "this night")
it is for tonight
for what restaurant do you have a preference tonight?
(12) 4.13
where
where do you want to eat?
the dinner
to dine
where do you want to have dinner tonight?
(words ending -ion in English, end -ión in Spanish)
opinion
(words ending -tion in English, end -ción in Spanish)
condition
position
reservation
the reservation
a reservation
do you have a reservation for me for tonight?
(end of recording)
CD 2 (57.46)
(1) 4.23
the condition
a condition
what condition
...
wree