
Where to start with Coffee Break Spanish
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Hola, Yenvenidos. A Coffee Break Spanish. Yo soy Marc.
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Yo soy Pablo.
B
And today we have a special episode for you of Coffee Break Spanish. So, Pablo, as you well know, one of the most common questions that we get asked here at Coffee Break is where do I start? Which level is right for me?
C
And it's a very valid question because when, you know, when you're learning a language, sometimes the, the amount of materials can be a little bit overwhelming.
B
But it's completely normal, absolutely normal. And the good thing is that within this episode, we're going to explain everything that you need to know, all of the courses and the resources that we have available, and we'll explain exactly where you should start. Now, if you're watching the video version, then we will include time codes in the description so you can click forward, jump forward to that particular level if that's what you're interested in. But then you'll miss some of the stories.
C
So, Mark, talking about stories, I was thinking, because I've been working here for a bit, but correct me if I'm wrong, you started this coffee bre Spanish podcast in 2006.
B
Yeah, it was the. Well, it was our first podcast. It was the days before really, most people were doing podcasts, but we wanted to, to. First of all, I kind of got aware of podcasting and what the opportunities that podcasting offered because I was working on an education project and I thought, you know, this would be fantastic for language learning. And it so happened that a colleague's daughter wanted to learn Spanish, Kara, as most of her learners will recognize Kara's name. So Kara wanted to learn Spanish. She wanted to be able to use Spanish on holidays to Spain and other Spanish speaking places. And she wanted to be able to communicate with people, but not just learn a series of phrases. No. And so I thought, yeah, why don't we use this whole concept of podcasting to create a series of lessons and then produce additional materials that went along with those Lessons to help people understand how to use Spanish, even at a basic level. So it's very practical. All of the season one stuff, the level one stuff is I love, I.
C
Love the origins, because for me, when I'm learning a new language, I look at, you know, basic things that I want to be able to. To use from that language when I am in. In a country where they speak the language. So it's great.
B
Yeah. So things, things like travel, things like getting about the town, ordering coffees, Very.
C
Important, very important food and coffee.
B
And also like introducing yourself and kind of all that sort of social chat. So all of that is featured in Level 1. And if our listeners aren' stage yet, then that's the perfect level for you. But the crucial thing is, and this is something that Kara really wanted, she didn't want to just learn a series of phrases. She wanted to understand how the language works. So, of course, that's something that we really focus on. We try to ensure that you can manipulate the language and create your own sentences based on what you know, that we. Exactly.
C
Because once you understand how the language works, you can try yourself and start building longer sentences and be able to communicate with people. And it's, oh, well, that little spark and joy of learning a language comes, don't you think?
B
Absolutely. And I think it's the spark you said, the spark of you suddenly realize that what you've said you've never actually seen in your course or your podcast or your textbook or whatever, you've made that sentence up yourself. And guess what? Somebody's understood.
C
Self fulfilling, isn't it?
B
Absolutely. Absolutely. So that was back in 2006, as you said.
C
I don't know if I want to answer that, but I was 12 at the time.
B
So, yeah, we started with level one, and then it made sense to continue on from there. So we did a level two course, which took things further. It went a little more into the grammar, and we started going into more detail with the grammar.
C
Consolidation would be the word.
B
So. And we also looked at different types of grammar, in a sense, you know, expanding out from making simple sentences in the present tense to then looking at past tenses and, you know, things like the difference between the preterite and the imperfect and all these, you know, kind of grammar topics that learners typically find that bit more challenging. So this is level two now, and we have a level two course. We have a level one course, and both of those courses feature additional materials. You know, you might be listening to the podcast and thinking, I wonder how these words are written down or can I get some practice on the. With exercises or vocabulary or lesson notes. And all of that is in a course within the Coffee Break Academy. So with our level one and level two courses, that kind of takes you to an A2, B1 level. Same if our learners are. If your listeners are familiar with the European Framework of Reference for language learning. So that goes from A1 to A2 for beginners and upper beginners, then B1, which would be a kind of lower interim intermediate, then B2, upper intermediate, and then C1, which is. You're really getting advanced. And C2 is.
C
Yeah, that's the dream proficiency.
B
I'm saying it's the dream. That's maybe wrong because it's not necessarily the dream. Maybe some people just want to be able to communicate in those practical situations. And that might be an A1 or an A2 level. If that's what you need, then perfecto says it. So, yeah, we have courses that go right up to C1 level, but we'll tell you about them a little later.
C
The important thing is that we have courses for everybody, for every level.
B
We do. Yeah. And I think it also is all progressive and, you know, you can follow through level one, then move on to level two. One of the difficult things, and I think this is something that our learners very often comment. One of the difficult things is when you get to a certain point in any language and to begin with, you feel as if you're moving forward all the time because you're learning new phrases, new words, new concepts and how words combine, and you get to a certain point and you can't keep going forward.
C
That plateau phase, I like to call.
B
It, so you get to get that plateau where you can't go forward in the same way and you need to kind of go wider. I always think of it like a narrow path through a forest, and you're walking through this forest path and the trees are very deep and dark and both sides, and you're working your way through this path and you're making progress. But then you get to this wide open meadow kind of thing, and there's lots of different paths that you can go down. And I love that phase in learning a language because everything that you learn is new and you can go so far. And, you know, you might never think you would need to know how to change a tire in Spanish, but doing a lesson and changing a tire in Spanish might come in useful someday.
C
You never know. You never know. I love the math for that you're using because I think it basically highlights that phase. And you're so right there. Yeah. And we have like everything when you're at that point so that you can. Whatever path you end up taking, you're going to learn something, and that's the important thing.
B
Yeah, I think that's something more recently that we've really focused on in Coffee Break because, you know, we, for a long time, we worked through level one, then level two, then level three and four again. We'll, we'll go back through level three and four later. But we really wanted to try to make sure, as you said, that we've got something for everyone. And some people like stories, some people like grammar, some people like working through listening content, some people like dictations and so on. And over the years, we've tried to add little courses, sort of smaller courses at different levels, but all within that sort of intermediate level that will help learners take a little step forward and make progress every day, every time they pick up their, their phone or listen to a podcast or read a lesson note and so on. So we've got a few courses. I know that you've been involved in some of these.
C
I have indeed. But let's talk first about, I would say one of my favorite courses. Do you know what I'm going to say? You look surprised.
B
Well, I thought your favorite course was Scenes, to be honest, which is.
C
But we'll talk about that later. But I also really love travel diaries because you get to experience the language in Conte and you feel like you're traveling. And I think it's such a great product.
B
We came up with travel diaries at a time when, let's face it, the world was not able to travel and everyone was desperate to be practicing their language, but wasn't able to. So, yeah, 20, 20, 21, you know, that kind of time. And the idea was that we were following a journey with a group of people and we did this in all our languages, but basically in Spanish. Season one was following a couple who were on their honeym in the north of Spain, beautiful places along the north coast of Spain. And then the second season of Travel Diaries was a group of Spaniards traveling in South America. And so I think they went down through Peru and then into Bolivia.
C
Bolivia, Chile, in fact, very similar to.
B
A journey that our colleague Eva did last year, as far as I remember. So the travel diaries is a great course. It's really good for people who want to build on their. Their reading skills, their listening skills, and again, do that whole cultural thing because there's so much Culture in each episode, learning in context. So I would say absolutely, absolutely. So we've got two seasons. Each season has 10 lessons and there are various materials that are associated with them as well. So that's the Travel Diaries. One of the other courses I really like is the magazine. The magazine is again, linked to culture. And I always kind of feel that learning a language without being interested in the culture is a bit like a cup of coffee without a cake or a biscuit. You need the culture there to help give you context for the language. And anyone who's interested in the language is probably interested in visiting places where the language is spoken and therefore they're rich in culture.
C
And it's also, I feel like it's a motivation as well to kind of boost your wanting to learn, you know, more consistently. Yeah, me, particularly when I'm, you know, learning a new language, I always try to have that motivation. And I think the magazine and the travel Diaries are just perfect for it.
B
So the magazine, again, each episode focuses on a different aspect of culture and we're talking about culture across the Spanish speaking world. We have texts that summarize elements of that culture and, and talk about different, different famous people, food, traditions even. There's an episode about dance, there's music, there's. There's a little bit of everything there in the magazine. And we also use that as an opportunity to go into more detail with the, the grammar. And again, it's that whole middle area, that whole intermediate area where every little bit helps and every little bit of language that you can, that you can be exposed to will help you move forward, will help you learn some new phrases, will help you, most importantly, I think, consolidate what you already know. Because the more times you see something, the more times it goes in and you think, right, I definitely know that phrase.
C
Exactly. And also imagine that they've done level two where they have seen the grammar, all the grammar now is the great opportunity to see all that at play. And I think it's the perfect element and complement to. At this stage.
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Yeah. So we've got two seasons of the magazine, two seasons of Travel Diaries, and we've also got two seasons of scenes from the Coffee Break Spanish Cafe.
C
I love that we're coming to this point because it's a very, very. I'm feeling very proud of scenes because I've been very involved in it. It's basically related to what we're saying is like language in context, but it feels like it's set in, in a cafe. Cafe somewhere in Spain. And we get to know the regulars that attend the. The cafe that is run by our narrator, Isabel. And through her eyes, we get to, you know, get to know their lives, the gossip, the drama. Basically, when we are doing it, it feels like I could totally see myself in that bar cafe. So I think it's really, really good because I think if our learners take this core, they're gonna definitely experience this. And I think it's. It's great. It'.
B
I think one of the things I love about Scenes is that we've got a text that's not particularly long. I don't know, 200 words or something like that. And each text is a chapter in the story. So we get to see, as you said, the regulars, but new people that come into the cafe and little slices of life as how things happen. And so much culture. We were recording an episode earlier today, and we basically had a children's birthday party. And then we had. What was the other episode about? About?
C
It was about at the Fun Fair, and we were.
B
The Fun Fair. That's right.
C
And then we were comparing how to call the rides in English and in Spanish. And I love these cultural exchanges of things.
B
And then we went upstairs and talked to the rest of the team to see who knew the different words, the different names for the different Fun Fair rides. So scenes, as we said, we've got two seasons of scenes, and it's the same characters that continue on within the second season, but again, new characters. Like I said, soap opera, in a sense. And with Scenes, we have a whole range of additional materials. So there are the lesson notes, there are vocabulary lists, exercises, and then the Spotlight videos. Tell us.
C
Because obviously I could be commenting on the language with you all day long, but obviously we need to keep them relatively short. So then we have the opportunity to expand on those grammar points that we've not had the time to go through in our Spotlight videos.
B
Perfect. So as scenes, we've just. At this level, we've. If you've done level one and you've done level two, then we've got three main courses at this level that you could also consider. So that's Scenes. As we've just spoken about the magazine and the travel diaries, there's something else that we need to talk about at this level, isn't there? Coffee Break tv? So Coffee Break TV is our special platform where we have a huge range of individual lessons that will help you take one step forward every day or two steps, or three steps, depending on how much time you've got. And all of the Lessons are organized into like 5 minute lessons, 10 minute lessons, 15 minute lessons and so on in different styles. So we've got loads of different series and styles of video lessons.
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And unbelievably the amount of content that there is there, like.
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There'S literally something for everyone, something to keep you busy all the time. And at the same time, we will help you know what to learn because we send out a daily email with a suggestion in it. So that if you're thinking, oh, there's too much here, I'm overwhelmed with too much choice. Well, obviously you can choose whatever lesson you want, but we also make some suggestions to you so you can work through the types of lessons. Tell us about some of the types of lessons that we have in coffee.
C
So we have from translation challenges, also comprehensive comprehension challenges. And then we have our series. I'm a big fan of World Talk and Learn. Okay, so this is where Mark goes somewhere and then he spots little signs in advertisements or, or signs on the street. And then you spot a particular, particular grammar point that you think can be juicy from grammar point.
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I like that.
C
So then we go back to the studio and can myself or my colleagues explain and elaborate on that particular sign or phrase that you found?
B
Exactly. It's something that I think is so important that when you get the opportunity to be in a country where the language you're learning is spoken. I remember taking groups of young people when I used to work in education, working with secondary schools and so on. We used to do lots of trips to various places when the young people were going. What's the word? An immersion visit to France or Spain or whatever. And I remember walking along with the groups through the town. They would be looking at their phones and I'd say, look around, look around. You spot these signs. What does that mean? Because can you see a subjunctive there?
C
I'm imagining. That's exactly how I was imagining you Mark somewhere in a city. Just like looking for the subjunctive in any sign.
B
It's exactly like that. Yeah. And so I think that we've tried to take that whole concept and put it into a series. And that's what talking learning on Coffee break tv. We also have a whole range of other types of videos. We've got the verb lab videos where we focus on the verbs and how to conjugate them and then use them in different examples. We have a step by step. One of my favorites as well.
C
A little bit different because it's more audio than video, but this is thought to be listened when you are on a walk or doing house chores or whenever you have time, you can also listen to it driving to work or. And the idea is that it's more interactive so you will be taking part in it just so that you build your confidence in Spanish as well.
B
Yeah. Sort of practical way of practicing your Spanish as you go about your daily life. So a whole range of videos on the Coffee Break TV platform and it's slightly different from our courses in the sense that Coffee Break TV has a subscription. So you subscribe to it, you can subscribe for a month, you so can subscribe for a year and you get access to all of the videos at once for that language. We also have an oil languages subscription. It's available in French, Italian, German, Spanish and soon to be English. But you can choose just a Spanish subscription and then that way you get access to all of that, you get your daily reminder and you can also keep your streak. So many of our learners love keeping this.
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They do, they do.
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And we've now got, we started the sort of daily lesson idea in Japanese January of 2025 and it's now what, November 2025. And we've got many, many learners who have got a 250 day plus streak.
C
So come into that word Coffee Break.
B
Yeah, absolutely. So that's Coffee Break TV and it has content for upper beginners, intermediate learners and also a few pieces of content. Quite a bit of content for upper intermediate learners too. There's something really for everyone there in Coffee Break Tea tv.
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B
So, a little recap. I think we've commented on level one. So level one is for absolute beginners have never studied a word of Spanish before, or maybe you did that many, many years ago. But you want a refres. Level 1 will equip you with the kind of language you need for a trip to a Spanish speaking area. Then level two takes it further on and then you're at that intermediate level when you've got this range of different courses that we offer. And those courses were travel diaries, diaries.
C
Magazine scenes and Coffee Break tv.
B
Coffee Break tv, the subscription and all of these others are courses, individual courses within the Academy. Pablo, there's one thing that we've noticed not mentioned and we should have mentioned this earlier in our discussions. Another question that we very often get is about do you teach Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish or yeah, some other kind of Spanish. Will I be understood if I learn from Coffee Break Spanish?
C
The answer is, and we get that. The answer is, no matter what type of Spanish you are taught, you are going to be understood everywhere in the Spanish speaking world.
B
Absolutely. I bumped into. I was, was I. I was in London a couple of weeks ago and the waiter in the, the restaurant I was in was from Argentina.
C
A lovely accent.
B
That's a lovely accent. It really is. And he started talking to me, I was like, oh, I think I recognize the sh. It was like mishamo. And so I'm thinking, oh, I think you're from Argentina. And he started, he said, yes, I am from Argentina. So we had a great conversation. And of course he understood me perfectly well, even though my Spanish is kind of Salamancan Spanish from Spain. But he underst. Perfectly well. And I understood him, obviously. So when you're learning, I think there is this misconception about the types of Spanish. First of all, people talk about Latin American Spanish. Latin American Spanish don't exist There you've got Venezuelan Spanish, but then if you go down further, you've got northern Venezuelan Spanish and southern Venezuelan. Each country will have their own varieties of Spanish and their own words from time to time, their own accent and pronunciation. But ultimately, what we try to do in all of our courses is mention where there's a particular word. For example, even in the very early episodes of Coffee Break Spanish Level one, we talk about the fact that when we say coze in Spain, we might be talking about uncarro in Mexico, for example, perfecto. So that is a very important thing to say, that from the very beginning, we do try to ensure that we cover different types of Spanish and that then we really lean into that as things get more developed, when we've got magazine episodes about particular aspects of, I don't know, an Argentinian author and so on, and particularly as we move on through the seasons.
C
And this leads us, Mark, to level three, okay. Because at this point, after completing level two and maybe other of the courses, you're at that stage that you are. You're okay with the foundations of Spanish, so you are prepared to take the next step. In these courses. You have the conversation with Alba in every lesson, and they're fully in Spanish.
B
In English, okay? So it's that idea of lots of Spanish to begin with and then intermedio, and that's always a little bit of fun tongue twister or a joke or something like that. If you can tell a joke in a foreign language and make people laugh, then you know that you're achieving a certain level. And then in the second section, we go through things in detail. We give explanations of all of the interesting aspects of the language. There's.
C
You were going to forget, but it's my favorite part. I'm not going to lie.
B
We mentioned the scenes is a little bit like a soap opera. But in. In level three, we've got a soap opera, Verano Espanol.
C
And I am a big fan of it. Honestly, I find it hilarious. And it's such a great fun way of learning Spanish.
B
So the thing I love about this is that it's in the episodes of Berano espanol come every fifth lesson in the course. So you've got lessons 1, 2, 3 and 4, then an episode of, then lessons 6, 7, 8, 9, and then another Berano Espanol. But let's say that in the course of lessons 1, 2, 3 and 4, we've maybe mentioned some nice irregular future tenses or perhaps a complex subjunctive or something like that. Well, Wouldn't you know, it just happens to surface again in the lesson five, which is our episode. So it's a great way of consolidating it, but in a completely different context. And Verano Espanol is like a radio play. I don't know what you would call it nowadays, but it's basically an audio play where you're listening to different voices and there's a nice story, a little bit of intrigue, a little bit romance.
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There is intrigue, yeah.
B
But it's fun to. And of course, we have a whole range of additional materials in the course version of level three that will help you make faster progress and get into the language more deeply.
C
And don't forget the video lessons.
B
Of course. Pablo, you were involved in the video lessons. I was so very important. The video lessons for level three, where you see the words and phrases on screen with everything explained, and it's so.
C
Much easier to follow that, I think.
B
So that is at level three. Now, at this stage, we are probably solid B1, maybe even into B2 in certain aspects.
C
Yeah, I would say so.
B
Of course, it's difficult when it comes to talking about the European Framework of Reference and these levels. It's difficult to see that if you do level three, then you will be at B2, because that may be in your listening or in your reading, but maybe in your speaking or your writing, you might not be necessarily at that level. So what we try to do is explain that these courses. Courses will equip you with the knowledge to be at that level in certain areas, but you'll be working around that level rather than you will have a level 2 or a level, you will have a B2 or whatever if you do this level. And to be honest, I see other courses out there that say you will be B2 when you complete this course. It's impossible because you would need to be B2 in all aspects of the language before you can say, yeah, I'm B2 or B1 or whatever. Okay, what about after level three? What would be the next step that you would recommend?
C
Probably a Marta, I would say so.
B
In Marta is I love in Marta the funny story about Inmarta, because in Marta came about because we were in Spain filming in El Sur Si en Malagay and nerga vigiliana y todo estaciona que vencanta. High five. High five. So we were filming high five down there and we had some extra days after we actually managed to get the filming of that finished a little early. So we had some extra days and we still were going to be around, in. In Malaga and that area. So I thought, well, we need to make.
C
Make them most of it while you're there. Yeah, yeah, so.
B
So we came up with the idea of basically interviewing people who live and work and perhaps even are on vacation there. And we basically made a course around that, and it's a fantastic course because it's full of interesting aspects. And we were going back to film another section of the High five course, so we added more content to that and then that became the full. Hi Fi. Sorry, the full in Marta course. So it's, it's a lovely course with. I don't know, you feel the warmth from.
C
Yeah. And so you get the experience that you are there talking to people or like getting to see different people and the way they speak, their accent, their backgrounds.
B
And while the, The. The conversations and the dialogues that we include in the course while they are explained and you've got a transcript of everything in the course and so on. And, um. But they are. They're authentic speed. Let's just say that you're listening to real conversations with real native speakers and you are getting all of that experience within the course. In Marta. In Marta con cofi Break Spanish I really, really like. One of my favorites, I think, and very fond memories of. Of lots of the interviews that. That we did for that course. It was fun. So that's in Marta and then level four.
C
Level four, yeah.
B
So tell us about level four.
C
So level four is. Is a course that follows the story of Rory. Do you remember Ruri?
B
I may remember, yeah. I played Rudy in that course. Yeah.
C
And obviously level four, we are taking things farther. So this is like, I would say B2ish.
B
I would say pushing it to C1.
C
Pushing it to C1, I would say.
B
Yeah. So we're following a story, as Pablo said, about kind of a treasure, buried sunken treasure off the island of Mallorca in the Balearics in Spain. And it's presented by myself and Carmen.
C
Carmen.
B
But then in each episode, we listen to either a conversation or a phone call or perhaps a diary entry. There's lots of different types. There's even like journalistic pieces because within the course of the, the. The 40 lessons, we cover lots of different types of. Of texts to give you experience of. Of all of those different types, which.
C
You will expect at that level.
B
Absolutely. And so we hear that element. Then we go through everything in detail and explain all of the. The. English. So, yeah, that's level four. And again, obviously the course version has all of the notes. In fact, it's got a full transcript because so much of it is in Spanish. A full transcript. And then also all the additional materials which will help you. And we've got. This is where we really come into. To play with translation challenges. So in our bonus materials, we have a translation challenge where the listener has to come up on the spot with a phrase based on something that has been covered in the episode. So, yeah, so this is a really advanced level. We're at B2N to C1 level with level four. And if that's your level and you've not yet done level four, it's a brilliant course. I would definitely suggest. So just to explain the phrase in Spanish. La ultima voluntad is your last will and testament. But La penultima voluntad would be the second last will and testament. So it's a little play on words. But this is. Is a very advanced course. So we are very firmly in C1 here. And with. The course is all based around a novel and the novel is something that. Well, We don't want to give away the spoilers, but basically this is a kind of family story. There's something to do with an inheritance, as you said, and it's basically an opportunity to, in a sense, get the experience of reading a novel, the kind of novel that you would pick off the shelf, but with all of the support that Coffee Break is famous for. So we have in depth episodes where we're discussing all of the language included in all of the idiomatic expressions, the complex grammar and all that sort of thing. We also have the Tajier linguistico where we go into some of those phrases and see them in other contexts and we take the opportunity to develop that much further and go into that in greater detail. And so there's all sorts of additional materials there. And of course, we have a book version of the course, which you can.
C
I always prefer to have the.
B
I like the smell of paper. So, yeah, you can work through the book. The book is available online and you can work through the book while listening to the course. And it's again, a really great opportunity to take your advanced Spanish on further in the same way that you would if you picked up Garcia Marquez book or wherever. Because you're reading a story, you're getting engaged in the story and you're understanding what you're reading, but you've got all this support, this additional support that we provide within the course. So that's La penultima. So that's our whole range from absolute beginners up to an advanced level. Now, we've just been talking about books with La Penulti Baboluntad, which has a book version, but we also have another Spanish book that our learners may be very interested in, particularly if you're at slightly lower level, around an intermediate A2B1 level. And that's our 50 coffee breaks. 50 Spanish coffee break series.
C
So it's basically a book with activities organized in activities that will take you five, 10 or 15 minutes. And it's the great opportunity to put.
B
Everything into practice, but with a physical thing.
C
With a physical book.
B
There is a ebook version of it as well, but the physical book, in.
C
Fact.
B
Here we go, we've got it here. 50 Spanish coffee breaks. And it's brilliant because it has lines in it so you can write your answers in the, the, in the book itself. And you know, there's, there's lots of different types of activities which will help you practise your grammar, increase your vocabulary, learn some idioms, and again, that whole cultural aspect thing. And there, there are also answers so you know whether you've got things right or got things wrong. So that's the 50 Spanish coffee breaks which you will find in all good bookshops or online and hundreds, literally hundreds of five star reviews on our 50 Coffee Breaks series. So you can definitely have a look for them there. Bueno, Pablo. That's what we've been doing for the past 19 years, basically. We should mention that if you have a look in the description of this video, you will see a secret link. And at that secret link, there are some very interesting pieces of information there because basically there might be a little bit of a discount on all of the things that you've heard today. Full details will be at the link, but it's definitely worth checking out the link in the description of this podcast episode or this video, because you'll find everything that you need to know there. Who doesn't love this?
C
To learn a few things about the.
B
History of Coffee Break, I've just enjoyed reminiscing. It's been great fun. We hope that this has been useful to you as a learner of Spanish and as a listener or a viewer of our content. And we'll be back soon with our normal programming. Hasta Approxima and Happy Coffee breaking.
C
Adios.
B
You have been listening to a Coffee Break Languages Production for the Radiolingua Network. Copyright 2025 Radiolingua Limited Recording Copyright 2025 Radiolingua Limited all rights reserved.
D
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A
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Podcast: Coffee Break Spanish
Host: Coffee Break Languages (Marc and Pablo)
Date: November 17, 2025
This special episode serves as a comprehensive guide to the Coffee Break Spanish series. Hosts Marc and Pablo walk listeners through every level and resource offered, from absolute beginner to advanced, explaining how to choose the right starting point and what to expect at each stage. The episode is friendly, encouraging, and filled with both personal anecdotes and practical advice for learners.
For those with little or no Spanish experience
| Timestamp | Content | |---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:02 | Marc and Pablo introduce the episode and main listener questions | | 02:16 | The founding story of Coffee Break Spanish | | 03:33 | Overview of Level 1 content and approach | | 05:06 | Progression to Level 2, grammar focus, and the European Framework explained | | 07:39 | Discussion about the “plateau” stage in language learning | | 09:49 | Introduction to Travel Diaries and other intermediate courses | | 13:30 | “Scenes” course explained – cultural immersion via stories | | 16:49 | Explanation of Coffee Break TV and its different video content styles | | 23:08 | Quick recap: levels, course options, and supporting materials | | 23:38 | Addressing Spain vs. Latin American Spanish; ensuring comprehension everywhere | | 25:37 | Transition to Level 3 courses and advanced content | | 27:07 | "Verano Español" radio play explained | | 29:40 | Introduction to "En Marcha" and authentic conversations at intermediate/upper-intermediate | | 32:01 | Level 4 – Advanced courses and story-based learning | | 36:05 | “La Última/La Penúltima Voluntad” novel-based advanced course | | 37:29 | “50 Spanish Coffee Breaks” practice book description | | 39:30 | Closing remarks and where to find further information and discounts |
This episode is the definitive guide to Coffee Break Spanish, laying out every course and resource available for learners from their very first word of Spanish to an advanced, story-rich understanding. Marc and Pablo not only explain the structure but also share personal experiences and practical motivations for continuing the journey at each stage. The episode demystifies terms like “Spain Spanish” vs. “Latin American Spanish” and proposes a flexible, culture-focused, and enjoyable route through Spanish. With clear descriptions and engaging anecdotes, the hosts offer a welcoming roadmap for anyone looking to learn Spanish, whatever their starting point.
For more information, time-coded course lists, and possible discount codes, check the description in the podcast episode.
Hasta la próxima y happy coffee breaking!