Learn Spanish
120-Hour Spanish Acquisition Plan
Español — 10 hrs/week × 12 weeks
Noble foundation → comprehensible input → authentic fluency
Build structural intuition with Paul Noble. Introduce spaced repetition and passive comprehensible input. No pressure to speak yet.
40
hours
Paul Noble Beginner Pt. 1
Sessions of 45–60 min. Don't rush — replay anything that doesn't click.
Structured
3h
Anki: Top 500 Spanish Words (sentence cards)
~30 min/day. Use a pre-built Anki deck with sentences, not word pairs.
Vocab
3.5h
Dreaming Spanish: Super Beginner
YouTube/app. Watch like TV — comprehension over analysis.
Input
2h
Passive Listening (Spanish music, easy audio)
Background while walking, cooking. Trains your ear to the rhythm.
Passive
1.5h
Paul Noble Beginner Pt. 2
Notice how Noble reuses structure. He's training pattern recognition, not memory.
Structured
3h
Anki: daily review + 10 new cards/day
Consistency matters more than volume. Don't skip days.
Vocab
3.5h
Dreaming Spanish: Super Beginner
Stick with Super Beginner — comprehensible means >90% understood.
Input
2h
Passive Listening
Easy Spanish YouTube series works well here.
Passive
1.5h
Paul Noble Beginner Pt. 3 (complete)
Finish the full beginner course. You now have a solid structural base.
Structured
3h
Anki: daily review
Reviews will grow as your deck does — guard the 30 min/day slot.
Vocab
2.5h
Dreaming Spanish: Beginner level
Step up from Super Beginner. Slightly harder, still accessible.
Input
2.5h
Passive Listening
Increase passive hours as your ear adjusts.
Passive
2h
Paul Noble: Review + Next Steps intro
Replay any weak sections. Start Noble's 'Next Steps' to preview Phase 2.
Structured
2h
Anki: daily review
You should have ~280 cards active by now.
Vocab
2.5h
Dreaming Spanish: Beginner
CI becomes your main input channel from here.
Input
3h
Passive Listening
Mexican Spanish content is ideal given your SMA goal.
Passive
2.5h
Activity Types
Structured
Vocabulary
Input
Speaking
Reading
Passive
Shift from structured to acquisition-dominant. Introduce real conversation with a tutor. Start reading. Noble transitions to a supporting role.
40
hours
Paul Noble: Next Steps
Noble continues but drops to 2 hrs/week. Structure is mostly internalized now.
Structured2h
Anki: daily review + 10 new cards/day
Begin adding vocabulary from CI content you encounter.
Vocab2h
Dreaming Spanish: Beginner
3+ hrs/week of CI. This is your primary acquisition engine now.
Input3h
Coffee Break Spanish (Podcast)
Intro the podcast. Good for everyday conversational patterns.
Input1h
italki: Community Tutor (1 session)
Book a community tutor, ~$10–15/hr. Tell them your level and goal (SMA conversational).
Speaking1h
Shadowing practice
Pick a 2–3 min DS clip, shadow the speaker's exact rhythm and pronunciation.
Speaking1h
Paul Noble: Next Steps
Structured2h
Anki: daily review
Consider adding a Frequency Dictionary deck alongside your sentence cards.
Vocab2h
Dreaming Spanish: Beginner/Low Intermediate
Input2.5h
Coffee Break Spanish
Start from Season 1 and work forward.
Input1.5h
italki: 1 session
Same tutor if possible — continuity helps.
Speaking1h
Graded Reader: Beginner level
Olly Richards' 'Short Stories in Spanish' is excellent. Read in Spanish, no dictionary.
Reading1h
Paul Noble: Complete remaining sections
Noble is nearly complete. You've extracted most of its value.
Structured1h
Anki: daily review
Vocab2h
Dreaming Spanish: Low Intermediate
You're ready to step up. Trust the comprehension even when imperfect.
Input3h
Coffee Break Spanish
Input1.5h
italki: 1.5 sessions
Add a second shorter session or extend one. Speak more, explain less.
Speaking1.5h
Graded Reader
Reading1h
Anki: daily review
Deck should be ~600–700 active cards. Reviews will take 25–35 min.
Vocab2h
Dreaming Spanish: Low Intermediate
Paul Noble is done. DS + Coffee Break are now your structured pillars.
Input3h
Coffee Break Spanish
Input2h
italki: 2 sessions
Two sessions/week is the target from here on.
Speaking2h
Graded Reader
Reading1h
Activity Types
Structured
Vocabulary
Input
Speaking
Reading
Passive
Authentic content, real conversation, SMA-specific vocabulary. You're building the Spanish that will actually serve you in Mexico.
40
hours
Anki: daily review (maintenance)
Slow new card intake — focus on cementing what you have.
Vocab1.5h
Dreaming Spanish: Intermediate
Intermediate DS content uses natural, unscripted Spanish. Lean in.
Input3h
Authentic Podcast: Español con Juan / No Hay Tos
Mexican Spanish podcasts. Some words will be opaque — that's fine.
Input1.5h
italki: 2 sessions
Ask your tutor to start pushing back — correct your errors more.
Speaking2h
Graded Reader / Simple Novel
Consider stepping up to a simple native novel if graded readers feel easy.
Reading2h
Anki: maintenance
Vocab1.5h
Dreaming Spanish: Intermediate
Input2.5h
Authentic content (your choice)
Spanish YouTube, Netflix with Spanish subtitles, or podcasts on topics you care about.
Input2h
italki: 2 sessions
One session freestyle, one session with a prepared topic (travel, food, SMA neighborhoods).
Speaking2h
Reading
Reading2h
Anki: maintenance + SMA vocab deck
Build a custom deck: restaurant ordering, directions, housing, healthcare, market haggling.
Vocab1h
Dreaming Spanish: Intermediate
Input2h
Authentic content
Find SMA-specific YouTube — expat vlogs in Spanish, local channels.
Input2.5h
italki: 2 sessions
Role-play SMA scenarios: renting an apartment, ordering at a market, asking for directions.
Speaking2h
Reading
Reading1.5h
Mexican Spanish slang + regional expressions
SMA cultural context. Mexican Spanish has its own flavor worth knowing.
Input1h
Anki: maintenance
You should be reviewing ~600 mature cards with high retention.
Vocab1h
Authentic content
Full immersion hours. Minimize English media this week.
Input3h
italki: 2–3 sessions
One session: unstructured conversation for 45 min, no topic. Test your real fluency.
Speaking2.5h
Reading
Reading2h
Self-assessment + plan next 90 days
Where are you weak? Pronunciation? Listening speed? Vocabulary gaps? Design Phase 4.
Review1.5h
Activity Types
Structured
Vocabulary
Input
Speaking
Reading
Passive
Full Resource Stack
Structured
Paul Noble Beginner + Next Steps
Vocab
Anki (desktop)
Vocab
Top 5000 Spanish Sentences deck
Input
Dreaming Spanish
Input
Coffee Break Spanish
Speaking
italki (community tutors)
Reading
Short Stories in Spanish (Olly Richards)
Input
Español con Juan / No Hay Tos