Then, I found Lingua Latina by Hans Ørberg. I have written about this book many times. Here is one of my posts on it: https://dwanethomas.com/a-16-year-old-reads-new-testament-latin-after-3-semesters/ So rather than constantly referring to a Spanish/English dictionary, you’ll have a few pronunciation keys which help you convert English into Spanish in an instant. Granted you may still want that dictionary handy, but you will not be tied to it nearly as much.

You can find Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish in a printed or digital version. Although it’s up to your personal preference, I recommend you to get the printed version. That way you can use the book as a workbook and be able to write your answers right there.

Open Library

I’m sure that many of you already know the answer to this question. Still, for the curious, there’s always Wikipedia ...

In chapter 42, Madrigal also covers the Past Perfect Subjunctive which enable you to express the following in Spanish:The only difference is the pronunciation is different in Spanish. But the words are spelled the same way and have the same meaning in both Spanish and English. For many Spanish beginners, one of the most attractive things about this book is that it is written in English. As a result, the explanations and instructions are very easy to follow. Design & Learning “User” Experience Unlike other textbooks, Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish doesn’t jump into teaching right away greetings and simple expressions to introduce yourself. Instead, she starts by showing you some identical Spanish and English words. The purpose of this is to prove to you that you already know some Spanish. Honestly, I think I’d be closer to fluency in Spanish if someone had told me about this book years ago. There is something else I love about this book. The author spends her time teaching you the grammar you are actually going to use. I listen to Spanish radio a lot. Especially during election season. Not listening to American news during an election season is one of the wisest things an American can do, but, enough about that.

Since discovering Lingua Latina, I have been on a quest. I have been looking for similar books for Spanish, French, Italian, Greek, and German.Read, write, and speak Spanish in only a few short weeks! Even the most reluctant learner will be astonished at the ease and effeciveness of Margarita Madrigal’s unique method of teaching a foreign language. Completely eliminating rote memorization and painfully boring drills, Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish is guaranteed to help you:

If you really want to learn Spanish on your own, there are many ways to do it. Reading free online Spanish books is one way, learning grammar at home is another way, and getting one of the best books to learn Spanish from this list is one more way to do it.Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish is a great way to begin learning Spanish. The only thing that would make this book complete would be if it had some listening exercises to help students practice all four language skills. Despite this particular weak point, the book’s teaching method and “language shortcuts” are a creative and innovative way to learn the basics of Spanish. I don’t feel that way now. I am planning to read it again. I am also planning to incorporate it into any Spanish classes I teach. That being true, I imagine I will read it again and again and again. What I didn’t like: I wish it had more reading. I wish it were structured more like Lingua Latina . But, you can’t have it all, as they say. Would I recommend it? Without hesitation. If you are learning Spanish, learn the grammar from Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish.