Did you ever day-dream about being able to speak Spanish? Understand what people speaking Spanish were saying, be able to talk with them? Travel in Latin America or Spain and be able to get out of the tourist traps, take a taxi, visit the restaurants, see the sights and make friends where the real people live?

It's not as hard to learn Spanish as you might think. Don't think in terms of the traditional classroom learning. This is the 21st Century, we've gone beyond that. Modern interactive courses, available at low cost, can help you learn fast and easy. There are excellent digital media learning courses that you can download and study whenever and wherever you want to.

There are several good learning courses available. Names like Pimsleur Spanish, Learn Spanish Like Crazy, Rocket Spanish and Fsi Spanish come to mind. The 31-lesson learning course by Rocket Spanish, for example, can be downloaded in a few minutes (depending on your connection speed) and you can start with it immediately. It comes in MP3 format which can be downloaded from your computer to your iPod or other MP3 player. Or it can be burned into CD's to be played on the CD player in your car or anywhere. You will hear it spoken by native speakers and learn to pronounce words and speak as they do. Other learning programs have similar features.

With traditional classroom learning, it takes years to become fluent. But with an interactive learning course you can learn to speak a language in only weeks or maybe months. Using natural methods (learning Spanish like you learned English, through learning basic conversation and then expanding from there) you will be able to carry on a basic conversation within a few days!

Spanish is an excellent language to start with. There are many common words between English and Spanish, so you already know more Spanish words than you realize! And with Spanish it's easy to get started. You can make yourself understood with a 2,000 word vocabulary! That's enough to make and pay for purchases, ask directions, order in a restaurant, take a taxi... most basic activities.

Spanish is also useful to know. Not only is it the fourth most prevalent language in the world, it is the most prevalent language in the Americas. You are almost certain to find many uses for it.

So what are you waiting for? Quit dreaming of speaking Spanish, download a course and start learning it! It's fun, it's easy and costs less than a couple of computer games! Go ahead, expand your mind and your horizons! Start now! Do your part to increase international understanding! Learn to speak Spanish!