COVID-19 UPDATE:
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, ALL OUR CLASSES ARE BEING HELD VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
- ADULT CLASS SCHEDULE
- ADULT CLASS OBJECTIVES
- ADVANCED
- ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE
- COSTA RICA IMMERSION EXPERIENCE
- DESCRIPTION OF ADULT PROGRAM
- DETERMINING YOUR LEVEL
- FREE TRIAL CLASS
- HOMEWORK: BEGINNING
- HOMEWORK: INTERMEDIATE
- KIDS' CLASSES
- LOCATION
- MUSIC
- PRIVATE CLASSES: IN PERSON
- PRIVATE CLASSES: VIRTUAL TUTORING
- REGISTRATION FOR ADULT CLASSES
COSTA RICA IMMERSION EXPERIENCE
Prepare yourself for Spanish immersion, cultural exploration, and lots of fun in the sun!
- Cost: $1600
- Includes: Accommodations, food, Spanish instruction/activities/experiences, and general guide/coordinator sorts of services, travel within Costa Rica
- Does not include: Cost of travel to or from Costa Rica. (Airfare from Seattle tends to be around $700.)
- Single supplement: $300
- Group size limit: 12
- Day 1: Arrive in San José (Alajuela really) get settled
- Day 2: Tour and activities in Alajuela (a small and accessible city)
- Day 3: Travel north to San Carlos (Ciudad Quesada and San Vicente) and activities
- Day 4: Projects and activities in San Vicente (small farm community) and meet host families
- Day 5: Continue projects and activities in San Vicente and spend time with host families. Go to hot springs.
- Day 6: Travel to Playa Hermosa via Arenal volcano area and activities.
- Day 7: Hang out at beach and/or in town and activities
- Day 8: Head back to Alajuela or fly out of Liberia (NW airport)
- "Activities" means Spanish instruction, scavenger hunts, man-on-the-street interviews, hot springs soaking, coffee drinking, exotic fruit tasting, bus taking, latin dancing and other fun stuff.
- We will take public transportation and students will be encouraged to sit next to Costa Rican nationals and strike up a conversation.
- Some knowledge of Spanish required.
- Please contact us if you are interested.
- This is an excellent way for students to continue to work on grammar, thematic vocabulary, writing and conversation.
- We can work both with individual students and groups. (Visualize gathering with friends over margaritas for a tutoring and practice session. For practical purposes, groups should not exceed 5 students.)
- The rate is $50/hour and can be prorated. (Same rate for an individuals and groups.)
- Using Pimsleur language learning materials (available through the Timberland Regional Library System)
- Free online courses available through the Timberland Regional Library System website: Pronunciator (similar to Rosetta Stone) and Muzzy (an animated film first created by the BBC as a way of teaching language)
- "Practice Makes Perfect" workbooks
- Listening to radio
- Listening to music
- Watching movies
- Watching Spanish Language Television
- Attending meetings of The Olympia Spanish Conversation Group
- Using flashcards
- Listening to podcasts like Coffee Break Spanish (Beginners), Radio Ambulante (Advanced and Advanced Intermediate), and others.
- Visiting and exploring the links and other resources on our Resources Page
- Checks are also welcome and should be made out to "Lengua Rica."
- Please indicate which class, day, and time you are registering for.
- Include your name, phone number, and email address
- Mail your check to:
- 1-2 people $50/hour
- 3-6 people $60/hour
- 7 or more people $10/person/hour
- ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE SPANISH SYLLABUS AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
- For Class 1 (19 August 2020): pp.5-14 (“El mundo” through “Celebración de la voz humana /1”)
- For Class 2 (26 August 2020): pp.15-24 (“Celebración de la voz humana /2” through “Neruda /1”)
- For Class 3 (2 September 2020): pp.25-34 (“Neruda/2” through “El adiós de los sueños”)
- For Class 4 (9 September 2020): pp.35-44 (“Celebración de la realidad” through “El Estado en América Latina”)
- For Class 5 (16 September 2020): pp.45-54 (“La burocracia” through “Crónica de la ciudad de Caracas”)
- For Class 6 (23 September 2020): pp.55-65 (“Avisos” through “Teología/3”)
- For Class 7 (30 September 2020): pp.66-75 (“La noche/1” through “La vida profesional/1”)
- For Class 8 (7 October 2020): pp.76-85 (“Crónica de la ciudad de Bogotá” through “El río del Olvido”)
- For Class 2 (26 August 2020): pp.15-24 (“Celebración de la voz humana /2” through “Neruda /1”)
- ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE SPANISH SYLLABUS OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020
- For Class 1 (14 October 2020): Easy Spanish 1
- For Class 2 (21 October 2020): Easy Spanish 2
- For Class 3 (28 October 2020): Easy Spanish 3
- For Class 4 (4 November 2020): Easy Spanish 4
- For Class 5 (11 November 2020): Easy Spanish 5
- For Class 6 (25 November 2020): Easy Spanish 6
- For Class 7 (2 December 2020): Easy Spanish 7
- For Class 8 (9 December 2020): Easy Spanish 8
- ADVANCED SPANISH SYLLABUS LATE SPRING 2020
- For Class 1 (30 April 2020): Acuérdate
- For Class 2 (7 May 2020): La cuestión de las comadres
- For Class 3 (14 May 2020): Diles que no me maten
- For Class 4 (21 May 2020): El hombre
- For Class 5 (28 May 2020): Luvina
- For Class 6 (4 June 2020): En la madrugada
- For Class 7 (11 June 2020): Paso del norte
- For Class 8 (18 June 2020): Es que somos muy pobres
- Students are asked to write a response paper related to the talk for classes 2, 4, 6 and 8. Please contact us for more info.
- SYLLABUS SUMMER 2020
- IMPORTANT: If you'd like to watch these talks with subtitles, click the "Subtitles" icon and choose "Español" from the drop-down menu.
- For Class 1 (25 June 2020): El valor de nuestra diversidad interna
- For Class 2 (2 July 2020): ¿Deberíamos simplificar la ortografía?
- For Class 3 (9 July 2020): Cómo LIGO descubrió las ondas gravitacionales
- For Class 4 (16 July 2020):Una nueva manera de hablar del fracaso en los negocios
- For Class 5 (23 July 2020): Por qué necesitamos proteger el alta mar
- For Class 6 (30 July 2020): ¿Vivirías en una burbuja flotando en el cielo?
- For Class 7 (6 August 2020): Por qué los periodistas tienen la obligacién de desafiar el poder
- For Class 8 (13 August 2020): La selección latinoamericana de cerebros
- IMPORTANT: For this particular TED Talk, there is no transcript. To see the video with subtitles, click the "Settings" icon, choose "Subtitles/CC" then choose "Spanish (auto-generated)."
- ADVANCED SPANISH SYLLABUS AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
- For Class 1 (20 August 2020): Juntos a la distancia
- For Class 2 (27 August 2020): Interrumpimos este programa, Parte 1
- For Class 3 (3 September 2020): Interrumpimos este programa, Parte 2
- For Class 4 (10 September 2020): El mago
- For Class 5 (17 September 2020): Disparos al cielo, Parte 1
- For Class 6 (24 September 2020): Disparos al cielo, Parte 2
- For Class 7 (1 October 2020): El helicóptero, el silencio, el balazo, la huida, Parte 1
- For Class 8 (8 October 2020): El helicóptero, el silencio, el balazo, la huida, Parte 2
- ADVANCED SPANISH SYLLABUS OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020 PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND USE THIS VERSION OF THE BOOK FOR USE IN THIS COURSE.
- For Class 1 (15 October 2020): pp.12-24 ["La creación"—"Los ríos del mar"]
- For Class 2 (22 October 2020): pp.25-34 ["Las mareas"—"El maíz"]
- For Class 3 (29 October 2020): pp.35-44 ["El tabaco"—"El profeta"]
- For Class 4 (5 November 2020): pp.46-55 ["La ruta del sol hacia las Indias"—"Hatuey"]
- For Class 5 (12 November 2020): pp.56-65 ["La primera protesta"—"Durero"]
- For Class 6 (19 November 2020): pp.66-75 ["Hacia la reconquista de Tenochtitlán"—"Diego de Ordaz"]
- For Class 7 (3 December 2020): pp.76-85 ["Canción sobre el hombre blanco, del pueblo piaroa"—"Motolinía"]
- For Class 8 (10 December 2020): pp.86-96 ["Manco inca"—"Las casas"]
- 1-2 people $50/hour
- 3-6 people $60/hour
- 7 or more people $10/person/hour
Please note that the focus of this trip is immersion in the Spanish language and Costa Rican culture, not sightseeing.
Itinerary:
What participants say:
"The trip that my wife and I made to Costa Rica with [Lengua Rica] took the two-dimensional Spanish we had been studying in the classroom and made it a three-dimensional language by giving it a cultural context. We would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to experience Spanish within the cultural context of those to whom Spanish is their native language. The richness of the language is embodied in the warmth of the people who speak it.
"
---Bill B.
"There is a saying that 'the traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.' If that is true, the Lengua Rica trip to Costa Rica is not for tourists. The Lengua Rica trip is for people with a traveler's mindset looking for an authentic experience; for a cultural and language exchange. My thoughts and emotions were always active when I was in Costa Rica. I never felt like a passive outsider watching "others", even while on bus rides through the countryside. Instead, for a week, I was a participant in Costa Rican life."
---Kathleen O.
"I'd been studying Spanish with Lengua Rica for several
sessions and was looking for a way to really intensely immerse myself in the
language. The trip to Costa Rica was just the thing. Ethan and Isa designed the trip to maximize the amount of
interaction we had with Ticos. We stayed in a
wonderful farm community in the mountains, welcomed with friendship, fresh and
delicious food, and nonstop conversations in Spanish. By the end of this stay
we were even making up puns and jokes in Spanish. We also had the opportunity to see much of the northern part
of the countryside, traveling by bus through beautiful scenery, conversing with
our seatmates in Spanish all the way. And our beach stay was a place where Costa Rican tourists go. Foreign tourism is a big part of the
Costa Rican economy now and it is possible to take a trip there without ever
speaking Spanish or really talking with Ticos. But with Lengua Rica, we were immersed in the culture, the
language and the land. It was a great
week."
---Linda R.
"Thanks for a fantastic trip. Loved the conversations with Jose Manuel [the owner of Hotel Pacandé]—very charming—that man could get a sack of rocks to talk. He was sincerely enjoyable company and very patient with my rusty grammar. The couple of days in Alajuela—loved the market scavenger hunt... could have done more of that. The market workers were the most friendly ever. Thank you for the opportunity to step up with a task and get local with the locals. I adored the days we spent in San Vicente... Having to speak in Spanish with [the] entire family was a true treasure—they were so patient and helpful... I loved every minute of it. I treasured the gift the folks in San Vicente offered to welcome our group with open arms and tons of patience (the welcoming karaoke, tours, etc).... There's nothing to compare to living in someone's house, sharing their space, conversing in their language, and coming to a common respect and caring.
"
---Kara S.
"I liked the variety (not staying in one place the whole time). I liked not being a tourist..., I liked the time spent in San Vicente with regular families..., I liked traveling in a small group because of the fun, positive interactions among ourselves, the hot springs was super nice, I liked being pushed to speak Spanish more... and more. I also really liked riding the bus. "
---Ruth M.
"I have really been struck by what a nice balance it was to have had a few days in the city, a few days in the mountains and a few days at the beach. I am so pleased to have been able to experience several different Costa Rican environments, particularly given our short time in country. Extending the visit by staying at the beach for a few extra days was very, very, nice. When I got back I looked at a bunch of companies who do tours of Costa Rica, and almost all of them have a trip with roughly the same sorts of territory and itinerary. Every one of them is WAY more expensive. I really think we got a terrific bargain."
---Midge P.
"For me, the trip was perfect. Absolutely the best educational-adventure-vacation I've ever had. I was looking for something that gave me a sense of the real day-to-day Costa Rica (that is, as much of a sense as could be given in a week), and the design of the trip mirrored the pace of the country, and that worked for me. The design (i.e., the schedule of events, the structure of the experience) of the trip had a certain improvisational quality: things will come together when they come together, the bus will get here when it gets here, the fiesta will start when it starts.... a certain time-less quality that worked for me, because it fit the lifestyle of Costa Rica somehow. But the reason it worked for me is because my agenda was to experience what it would be like to live in Costa Rica because I've been thinking about moving there for awhile now. There was enough structure for me to know when we were going to start each day, and a general sense of what we were going to do. The rest was improv, and that was great. I loved Alajuela, and the Pacandé hotel. Loved the people at the Pacandé. I loved the walking through the mercado and asking about different foods. I loved eating as a group together and talking about the day and what we had discovered. I loved catching the buses to various places. I really liked my host family. They were wonderful. They were very nice to me, and the accommodations were perfect. Also, I really liked the hot springs and also the Hotel Huetares at Playa Hermosa. I think that was the perfect way to end the trip, at the beach resort. So basically, I am your most satisfied customer. It was a great, perhaps life-changing, experience for me."
---Frank L.
"I absolutely loved my trip to Costa Rica for Spanish language immersion as part of my educational experience with Lengua Rica. I had only just started studying Spanish a few months prior to the trip, but that did not detract from the value of the experience for me. There is so much that was great about the trip, from hanging out with Ethan, Isa and their daughters, having the opportunity to experience Costa Rica from a hands-on, real life perspective and not as a tourist, getting to know my wonderful host family in San Vicente and getting so many opportunities to meet new people, see the beautiful country and practice Spanish. It was without a doubt the best introduction to a country and language one could ever get. I fell in love with Costa Rica, am very motivated to continue to study Spanish, and certainly hope I can return again on another trip with Lengua Rica."
---Val A.
VIRTUAL TUTORING
Lengua Rica is offering TUTORING SESSIONS via Skype or FaceTime.
Please contact us for further details.
In addition, we recommend:
NORMAL ADULT CLASS SCHEDULE
Adult group classes normally run for 8 weeks and meet once a week for two hours each class.
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
Beginning
(course: Azul)
Fridays Starting 21 August 10:00 AM-Noon
or Fridays Starting 21 August 06:30-08:30 PM
Intermediate
(course: Morado)
Tuesdays (AM class) Starting 18 August 10:00 AM-Noon
or Tuesdays Starting 18 August 06:30-08:30 PM
Advanced Intermediate
Wednesdays Starting 19 August 10:00 AM-Noon
Advanced
Thursdays Starting 20 August 06:30-08:30 PM
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020
Beginning
(course: Rojo)
Fridays Starting 16 October 10:00 AM-Noon
or Fridays Starting 16 October 06:30-08:30 PM
Intermediate
(course: Anaranjado)
Tuesdays (AM class) Starting 13 October 10:00 AM-Noon
or Tuesdays Starting 13 October 06:30-08:30 PM
Advanced Intermediate
Wednesdays Starting 14 October 10:00 AM-Noon
Advanced
Thursdays Starting 15 October 06:30-08:30 PM
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021
Beginning
(course: Amarillo)
Fridays Starting 8 January 10:00 AM-Noon
Intermediate
(course: Esmeralda)
Tuesdays (AM class) Starting 5 January 10:00 AM-Noon
or Tuesdays Starting 5 January 06:30-08:30 PM
Advanced Intermediate
Wednesdays Starting 6 January 10:00 AM-Noon
Advanced
Thursdays Starting 7 January 06:30-08:30 PM
MARCH-APRIL 2021
Beginning
(course: Carbón)
Fridays Starting 5 March 10:00 AM-Noon
or Fridays Starting 5 March 06:30-08:30 PM
Intermediate
(course: Celeste)
Tuesdays (AM class) Starting 2 March 10:00 AM-Noon
or Tuesdays Starting 2 March 06:30-08:30 PM
Advanced Intermediate
Wednesdays Starting 3 March 10:00 AM-Noon
Advanced
Thursdays Starting 4 March 06:30-08:30 PM
LOCATION
COVID-19 UPDATE:
Until further notice, all our classes are being held via Zoom video conference.
Please contact us for more information.
REGISTRATION FOR ADULT CLASSES
To register for an adult group class and reserve a spot, you may pay in full, or submit a deposit of $30 or more.
Regardless of the amount you prepay in order to reserve a spot, $30 of that amount is non-refundable.
Deposits are applied to tuition.
Deposit Options
Tuition $200-$230
(sliding scale)
The per-class drop-in rate is $30
Class Deposits
Lengua Rica
P.O. Box 806
Olympia WA 98507
If your desired class is starting in less than a week, you should drop off your deposit at the Downtown Olympia post office (98501). That way it will be sure to get to us by the next day. Prospective students can also just show up on the first day of class and hope that there is room for them: there sometimes is.
Determination of level
Please converse with us before deciding you are ready for our intermediate or advanced classes!
In order to determine in which level students belong, we talk with them over the phone or in person. We get a sense of their vocabulary and how well they put words together. It just takes a minute or so. In the rare event that we place a student in the wrong level, there is no problem if he or she wants to switch level. Prospective students are also welcome to sit in on a class with no obligation. Please contact us and we will arrange for you to do so.
Private classes can be arranged by calling or emailing us. Scheduling is flexible.
Rates:
"A challenging, yet safe, supportive, and FUN atmosphere."-- Cherie B.
DESCRIPTION OF ADULT PROGRAM
"I think your teaching methods are fantastic!"--Jessicarae N.
Materials and content used in class are full of realistic, authentic language. Class activities address a variety of learning styles. We strive to create an engaging, fun, and relaxed atmosphere so that students enjoy themselves and are motivated to learn.
"Such a wonderful experience and class atmosphere!"--Seth K.
"Students are challenged to think deeper about ways to express
themselves using Spanish. I was surprised at the advances I made in
only a short period of time."--Jennifer Y.
Class size can be as small as six, but never larger than sixteen. There are four distinct courses at the beginning level and seven courses at the intermediate level. Courses at the advanced level vary widely from session to session depending on students' interests.
"If you are in Olympia this is the place to learn to speak Spanish: 100% Spanish -- it's the way to go. Ethan is a patient, innovative & entertaining teacher."--Sienna P.
We use traditional, popular, and original songs (check out our CD). In addition, students write their own songs, their own dialogues, perform role plays, read books in Spanish written for Spanish speakers and talk about them with their classmates.
"I have found it comparable to the excellent immersion language training I did when beginning Peace Corps in Central Asia. I am grateful to have Lengua Rica as a resource right here in the city of Olympia!
--Rebekah O.
In our classes, we emphasize the importance of communication over perfection. Students are evaluated by comparing each individual with his or her own past work. We give students many and varied opportunities to demonstrate their progress so that they can see how far they've come and feel encouraged.
We feel respected, included, engaged.... A class that is... accessible for students with differing learning styles."-- Maureen C.
FREE TRIAL CLASS
If you'd like to sit in on a class just to see what it's like, please contact us and we will arrange for you to do so.
ADULT COURSE OBJECTIVES
Keep in mind: these items are not only "covered." Because we teach through immersion, students in our classes are constantly exposed to, and have ample opportunities to use, authentic Spanish. In truth, what's listed below is just the tip of the iceberg.
BEGINNING
Course
Functional Language Objectives
Grammar Objectives
CARBÓN
Greetings, farewells, food
Definite and indefinite articles, demonstrative adjectives, the verbs SER and ESTAR, present progressive, how to express possession, and some important irregular verbs
AZUL
spatial relationships, family
Regular verbs, negation, how to form questions, the irregular verbs QUERER, VENIR, DECIR, OÍR, and PODER.
ROJO
Describing things, body parts
Adjectives, noun-modifier agreement, the verbs ser (to be), ir (to go), present progressive, demonstrative adjectives, and the prepostions POR and PARA.
AMARILLO
Shopping, numbers, time, days of the week, months, seasons
The verb TENER (to have), TENER QUE (to have to), expressions that use TENER, regular verbs, pluralization, accents, possessive adjectives, negation, interrogative sentences
INTERMEDIATE
Course
Functional Language Objectives
Grammar Objectives
VERDE
Asking for and giving directions, making complaints about goods and services
Prepositions, stem-changing verbs, present and past tenses
MORADO
Talking about the future, the body
Future tense of regular and irregular verbs, preterite tense of irregular verbs
ANARANJADO
Shopping, emergency situations
Comparison of adjectives and adverbs, the intricacies of definite articles, verbs ending in -cir, -cer
ESMERALDA
Food, earth science
Preterite and imperfect tenses
CELESTE
Talking about likes and dislikes, using direct and indirect object pronouns
Using direct and indirect object pronouns, the verb gustar
CAFÉ
Commands, daily routines
The imperative mood, reflexive constructions
LAVANDA
Health, talking about the past
Preterite and imperfect tenses of regular and irregular verbs
PAPAYA
Talking about the past, daily routines
Preterite and imperfect tenses of regular and irregular verbs, reflexive constructions
Back to top
ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE
This level covers the gaps between our INTERMEDIATE classes and our ADVANCED discussion class. Students do weekly assigned readings (short stories, articles) and discuss them in class along with whatever other interesting topics arise. Grammar covered commonly includes the perfect tenses, progressive tenses, the subjunctive, the imperative, irregular verbs, prepositions, direct and indirect object pronouns, preposition use, and the passive voice.
Advanced Intermediate courses feature readings on and discussions of a variety of contemporary issues, with supporting vocabulary lists and corresponding grammar units.
Please contact us for more info.
SUMMER 2020
MAFALDA
Advanced INTERMEDIATE students will read the comic strip “Mafalda" by Argentine cartoonist Quino. The strip is to Latin America what “Peanuts” is to the U.S., yet with sharp social and political commentary thrown in. There is a reading assignment for the first class. Please contact us for more info.
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
EL LIBRO DE LOS ABRAZOS
Advanced Intermediate students will read selections from El libro de los abrazos by Eduardo Galeano, in which parable, paradox, anecdote, dream and autobiography blend into an exuberant world view and affirmation of human possibility. There is a reading assignment for the first class. Please download the book here.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020
EASY SPANISH
Every week, at home, Advanced Intermediate students will watch an episode of the online authentic-street-interview video series Easy Spanish. There is an assignment for the first class. Please contact us for more info.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021
SELECTED READINGS FOR DISCUSSION
Each week Advanced Intermediate students will read material selected for the purpose of inspiring thought and conversation by authors from Spanish-speaking countries, such as Edmundo Paz Soldán, Silvina Bullrich and Rosario Castellanos
. There is an assignment for the first class. Please contact us for more info.
ADVANCED
Advanced courses feature study and discussion of literature, film, and current events. Activities include continued review of the perfect tenses, progressive tenses, the subjunctive, the imperative, irregular verbs, prepositions, direct and indirect object pronouns, preposition use, and the passive voice.
Please contact us for more info.
LATE SPRING 2020
SELECCIONES DE “EL LLANO EN LLAMAS” POR JUAN RULFO
Over the course of 8 classes, Advanced students will selections from El llano en llamas, a collection of short stories by Mexican author, screenwriter and photographer Juan Rulfo (1917 –1986). A pdf of the book can be downloaded for free here.
SUMMER 2020
TED TALKS EN ESPAÑOL
Students will watch, listen to and read the transcript for these short, powerful talks presented in Spanish. 
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
RADIO AMBULANTE
Students will listen to and read the transcript for episode of this all-Spanish podcast. Please contact us for more info.
Radio Ambulante is a Spanish-language podcast that tells Latin American stories from anywhere Spanish is spoken, including the United States. It seeks to bring the aesthetic of high-quality long-form journalism to radio. In 2014, Radio Ambulante was awarded the Gabriel García Márquez Prize for Innovation in Journalism, the most prestigious journalism honor in Latin America. In 2017, it was awarded the Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Best Foreign Language Documentary Award.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020
SELECTIONS FROM MEMORIA DEL FUEGO I: NACIMIENTOS BY EDUARDO GALEANO
Over the course of 7 classes, Advanced students will read selections from...
The first volume of a trilogy by the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano. It has been called remarkable, fascinating, vivid, passionate, angry, celebratory, and triumphant. It could also be called a history of Latin America to 1700, though that gives little sense of its style or scope. In his introduction, the author describes himself as "not a historian," but as "a writer who would like to contribute to the kidnapped memory of all America, but above all of Latin America, that despised and beloved land." To do this he has created a great mosaic of stories, most of them less than a page long. —Kathleen Danker, Virginia Commonwealth University
KIDS' CLASSES
We work with any pre-formed group of up to ten children of similar developmental level to provide a customized class that is age appropriate. In addition, we offer private group classes for families.
Rates:
Please call or write us for more information.
LENGUA RICA
Certified Spanish Language Instruction,
Interpretation, and Translation Services
P.O. Box 806
Olympia WA 98507
(360) 357-9924
This page was last modified: 18 September 2020.
---Kathleen O.
"I'd been studying Spanish with Lengua Rica for several
sessions and was looking for a way to really intensely immerse myself in the
language. The trip to Costa Rica was just the thing. Ethan and Isa designed the trip to maximize the amount of
interaction we had with Ticos. We stayed in a
wonderful farm community in the mountains, welcomed with friendship, fresh and
delicious food, and nonstop conversations in Spanish. By the end of this stay
we were even making up puns and jokes in Spanish. We also had the opportunity to see much of the northern part
of the countryside, traveling by bus through beautiful scenery, conversing with
our seatmates in Spanish all the way. And our beach stay was a place where Costa Rican tourists go. Foreign tourism is a big part of the
Costa Rican economy now and it is possible to take a trip there without ever
speaking Spanish or really talking with Ticos. But with Lengua Rica, we were immersed in the culture, the
language and the land. It was a great
week."
---Linda R.
"Thanks for a fantastic trip. Loved the conversations with Jose Manuel [the owner of Hotel Pacandé]—very charming—that man could get a sack of rocks to talk. He was sincerely enjoyable company and very patient with my rusty grammar. The couple of days in Alajuela—loved the market scavenger hunt... could have done more of that. The market workers were the most friendly ever. Thank you for the opportunity to step up with a task and get local with the locals. I adored the days we spent in San Vicente... Having to speak in Spanish with [the] entire family was a true treasure—they were so patient and helpful... I loved every minute of it. I treasured the gift the folks in San Vicente offered to welcome our group with open arms and tons of patience (the welcoming karaoke, tours, etc).... There's nothing to compare to living in someone's house, sharing their space, conversing in their language, and coming to a common respect and caring.
"
---Kara S.
"I liked the variety (not staying in one place the whole time). I liked not being a tourist..., I liked the time spent in San Vicente with regular families..., I liked traveling in a small group because of the fun, positive interactions among ourselves, the hot springs was super nice, I liked being pushed to speak Spanish more... and more. I also really liked riding the bus. "
---Ruth M.
"I have really been struck by what a nice balance it was to have had a few days in the city, a few days in the mountains and a few days at the beach. I am so pleased to have been able to experience several different Costa Rican environments, particularly given our short time in country. Extending the visit by staying at the beach for a few extra days was very, very, nice. When I got back I looked at a bunch of companies who do tours of Costa Rica, and almost all of them have a trip with roughly the same sorts of territory and itinerary. Every one of them is WAY more expensive. I really think we got a terrific bargain."
---Midge P.
"For me, the trip was perfect. Absolutely the best educational-adventure-vacation I've ever had. I was looking for something that gave me a sense of the real day-to-day Costa Rica (that is, as much of a sense as could be given in a week), and the design of the trip mirrored the pace of the country, and that worked for me. The design (i.e., the schedule of events, the structure of the experience) of the trip had a certain improvisational quality: things will come together when they come together, the bus will get here when it gets here, the fiesta will start when it starts.... a certain time-less quality that worked for me, because it fit the lifestyle of Costa Rica somehow. But the reason it worked for me is because my agenda was to experience what it would be like to live in Costa Rica because I've been thinking about moving there for awhile now. There was enough structure for me to know when we were going to start each day, and a general sense of what we were going to do. The rest was improv, and that was great. I loved Alajuela, and the Pacandé hotel. Loved the people at the Pacandé. I loved the walking through the mercado and asking about different foods. I loved eating as a group together and talking about the day and what we had discovered. I loved catching the buses to various places. I really liked my host family. They were wonderful. They were very nice to me, and the accommodations were perfect. Also, I really liked the hot springs and also the Hotel Huetares at Playa Hermosa. I think that was the perfect way to end the trip, at the beach resort. So basically, I am your most satisfied customer. It was a great, perhaps life-changing, experience for me."
---Frank L.
"I absolutely loved my trip to Costa Rica for Spanish language immersion as part of my educational experience with Lengua Rica. I had only just started studying Spanish a few months prior to the trip, but that did not detract from the value of the experience for me. There is so much that was great about the trip, from hanging out with Ethan, Isa and their daughters, having the opportunity to experience Costa Rica from a hands-on, real life perspective and not as a tourist, getting to know my wonderful host family in San Vicente and getting so many opportunities to meet new people, see the beautiful country and practice Spanish. It was without a doubt the best introduction to a country and language one could ever get. I fell in love with Costa Rica, am very motivated to continue to study Spanish, and certainly hope I can return again on another trip with Lengua Rica."
---Val A.
VIRTUAL TUTORING
Lengua Rica is offering TUTORING SESSIONS via Skype or FaceTime.In addition, we recommend:
NORMAL ADULT CLASS SCHEDULE
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
Beginning
(course: Azul)Fridays Starting 21 August 10:00 AM-Noon
or Fridays Starting 21 August 06:30-08:30 PM
Intermediate
(course: Morado)Tuesdays (AM class) Starting 18 August 10:00 AM-Noon
or Tuesdays Starting 18 August 06:30-08:30 PM
Advanced Intermediate
Wednesdays Starting 19 August 10:00 AM-Noon
Advanced
Thursdays Starting 20 August 06:30-08:30 PM
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020
Beginning
(course: Rojo)Fridays Starting 16 October 10:00 AM-Noon
or Fridays Starting 16 October 06:30-08:30 PM
Intermediate
(course: Anaranjado)Tuesdays (AM class) Starting 13 October 10:00 AM-Noon
or Tuesdays Starting 13 October 06:30-08:30 PM
Advanced Intermediate
Wednesdays Starting 14 October 10:00 AM-Noon
Advanced
Thursdays Starting 15 October 06:30-08:30 PM
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021
Beginning
(course: Amarillo)Fridays Starting 8 January 10:00 AM-Noon
Intermediate
(course: Esmeralda)Tuesdays (AM class) Starting 5 January 10:00 AM-Noon
or Tuesdays Starting 5 January 06:30-08:30 PM
Advanced Intermediate
Wednesdays Starting 6 January 10:00 AM-Noon
Advanced
Thursdays Starting 7 January 06:30-08:30 PM
MARCH-APRIL 2021
Beginning
(course: Carbón)Fridays Starting 5 March 10:00 AM-Noon
or Fridays Starting 5 March 06:30-08:30 PM
Intermediate
(course: Celeste)Tuesdays (AM class) Starting 2 March 10:00 AM-Noon
or Tuesdays Starting 2 March 06:30-08:30 PM
Advanced Intermediate
Wednesdays Starting 3 March 10:00 AM-Noon
Advanced
Thursdays Starting 4 March 06:30-08:30 PM
LOCATION
COVID-19 UPDATE:
Until further notice, all our classes are being held via Zoom video conference.
Please contact us for more information.
REGISTRATION FOR ADULT CLASSES
Regardless of the amount you prepay in order to reserve a spot, $30 of that amount is non-refundable.
Deposits are applied to tuition.
Deposit Options
Tuition $200-$230
(sliding scale)
The per-class drop-in rate is $30
Lengua Rica
P.O. Box 806
Olympia WA 98507
If your desired class is starting in less than a week, you should drop off your deposit at the Downtown Olympia post office (98501). That way it will be sure to get to us by the next day. Prospective students can also just show up on the first day of class and hope that there is room for them: there sometimes is.
Determination of level
Please converse with us before deciding you are ready for our intermediate or advanced classes!In order to determine in which level students belong, we talk with them over the phone or in person. We get a sense of their vocabulary and how well they put words together. It just takes a minute or so. In the rare event that we place a student in the wrong level, there is no problem if he or she wants to switch level. Prospective students are also welcome to sit in on a class with no obligation. Please contact us and we will arrange for you to do so.
Private classes can be arranged by calling or emailing us. Scheduling is flexible. Rates:
DESCRIPTION OF ADULT PROGRAM
Materials and content used in class are full of realistic, authentic language. Class activities address a variety of learning styles. We strive to create an engaging, fun, and relaxed atmosphere so that students enjoy themselves and are motivated to learn.
Class size can be as small as six, but never larger than sixteen. There are four distinct courses at the beginning level and seven courses at the intermediate level. Courses at the advanced level vary widely from session to session depending on students' interests.
We use traditional, popular, and original songs (check out our CD). In addition, students write their own songs, their own dialogues, perform role plays, read books in Spanish written for Spanish speakers and talk about them with their classmates.
In our classes, we emphasize the importance of communication over perfection. Students are evaluated by comparing each individual with his or her own past work. We give students many and varied opportunities to demonstrate their progress so that they can see how far they've come and feel encouraged.
FREE TRIAL CLASS
If you'd like to sit in on a class just to see what it's like, please contact us and we will arrange for you to do so.
ADULT COURSE OBJECTIVES
Keep in mind: these items are not only "covered." Because we teach through immersion, students in our classes are constantly exposed to, and have ample opportunities to use, authentic Spanish. In truth, what's listed below is just the tip of the iceberg.
| Course | Functional Language Objectives | Grammar Objectives |
| CARBÓN | Greetings, farewells, food | Definite and indefinite articles, demonstrative adjectives, the verbs SER and ESTAR, present progressive, how to express possession, and some important irregular verbs |
| AZUL | spatial relationships, family | Regular verbs, negation, how to form questions, the irregular verbs QUERER, VENIR, DECIR, OÍR, and PODER. |
| ROJO | Describing things, body parts | Adjectives, noun-modifier agreement, the verbs ser (to be), ir (to go), present progressive, demonstrative adjectives, and the prepostions POR and PARA. |
| AMARILLO | Shopping, numbers, time, days of the week, months, seasons | The verb TENER (to have), TENER QUE (to have to), expressions that use TENER, regular verbs, pluralization, accents, possessive adjectives, negation, interrogative sentences |
| Course | Functional Language Objectives | Grammar Objectives |
| VERDE | Asking for and giving directions, making complaints about goods and services | Prepositions, stem-changing verbs, present and past tenses |
| MORADO | Talking about the future, the body | Future tense of regular and irregular verbs, preterite tense of irregular verbs |
| ANARANJADO | Shopping, emergency situations | Comparison of adjectives and adverbs, the intricacies of definite articles, verbs ending in -cir, -cer |
| ESMERALDA | Food, earth science | Preterite and imperfect tenses |
| CELESTE | Talking about likes and dislikes, using direct and indirect object pronouns | Using direct and indirect object pronouns, the verb gustar |
| CAFÉ | Commands, daily routines | The imperative mood, reflexive constructions |
| LAVANDA | Health, talking about the past | Preterite and imperfect tenses of regular and irregular verbs |
| PAPAYA | Talking about the past, daily routines | Preterite and imperfect tenses of regular and irregular verbs, reflexive constructions |
ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE
This level covers the gaps between our INTERMEDIATE classes and our ADVANCED discussion class. Students do weekly assigned readings (short stories, articles) and discuss them in class along with whatever other interesting topics arise. Grammar covered commonly includes the perfect tenses, progressive tenses, the subjunctive, the imperative, irregular verbs, prepositions, direct and indirect object pronouns, preposition use, and the passive voice.
Advanced Intermediate courses feature readings on and discussions of a variety of contemporary issues, with supporting vocabulary lists and corresponding grammar units.
Please contact us for more info.SUMMER 2020
MAFALDA
Advanced INTERMEDIATE students will read the comic strip “Mafalda" by Argentine cartoonist Quino. The strip is to Latin America what “Peanuts” is to the U.S., yet with sharp social and political commentary thrown in. There is a reading assignment for the first class. Please contact us for more info.
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
EL LIBRO DE LOS ABRAZOS
Advanced Intermediate students will read selections from El libro de los abrazos by Eduardo Galeano, in which parable, paradox, anecdote, dream and autobiography blend into an exuberant world view and affirmation of human possibility. There is a reading assignment for the first class. Please download the book here.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020
EASY SPANISH
Every week, at home, Advanced Intermediate students will watch an episode of the online authentic-street-interview video series Easy Spanish. There is an assignment for the first class. Please contact us for more info.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021
SELECTED READINGS FOR DISCUSSION
Each week Advanced Intermediate students will read material selected for the purpose of inspiring thought and conversation by authors from Spanish-speaking countries, such as Edmundo Paz Soldán, Silvina Bullrich and Rosario Castellanos . There is an assignment for the first class. Please contact us for more info.
ADVANCED
Advanced courses feature study and discussion of literature, film, and current events. Activities include continued review of the perfect tenses, progressive tenses, the subjunctive, the imperative, irregular verbs, prepositions, direct and indirect object pronouns, preposition use, and the passive voice.
Please contact us for more info.
LATE SPRING 2020
SELECCIONES DE “EL LLANO EN LLAMAS” POR JUAN RULFO
Over the course of 8 classes, Advanced students will selections from El llano en llamas, a collection of short stories by Mexican author, screenwriter and photographer Juan Rulfo (1917 –1986). A pdf of the book can be downloaded for free here.
SUMMER 2020
TED TALKS EN ESPAÑOL
Students will watch, listen to and read the transcript for these short, powerful talks presented in Spanish.
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2020
RADIO AMBULANTE
Students will listen to and read the transcript for episode of this all-Spanish podcast. Please contact us for more info.
Radio Ambulante is a Spanish-language podcast that tells Latin American stories from anywhere Spanish is spoken, including the United States. It seeks to bring the aesthetic of high-quality long-form journalism to radio. In 2014, Radio Ambulante was awarded the Gabriel García Márquez Prize for Innovation in Journalism, the most prestigious journalism honor in Latin America. In 2017, it was awarded the Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Best Foreign Language Documentary Award.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020
SELECTIONS FROM MEMORIA DEL FUEGO I: NACIMIENTOS BY EDUARDO GALEANO
Over the course of 7 classes, Advanced students will read selections from...
The first volume of a trilogy by the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano. It has been called remarkable, fascinating, vivid, passionate, angry, celebratory, and triumphant. It could also be called a history of Latin America to 1700, though that gives little sense of its style or scope. In his introduction, the author describes himself as "not a historian," but as "a writer who would like to contribute to the kidnapped memory of all America, but above all of Latin America, that despised and beloved land." To do this he has created a great mosaic of stories, most of them less than a page long. —Kathleen Danker, Virginia Commonwealth University
KIDS' CLASSES
We work with any pre-formed group of up to ten children of similar developmental level to provide a customized class that is age appropriate. In addition, we offer private group classes for families.Rates:
LENGUA RICA
Certified Spanish Language Instruction,
Interpretation, and Translation Services
P.O. Box 806
Olympia WA 98507
(360) 357-9924