European Spanish

1. Import into Anki

Getting your deck into Anki takes about 60 seconds.

1. Open Anki on your computer or phone
2. Go to File > Import (desktop) or tap the + button (mobile)
3. Select the .apkg file you downloaded from Lemon Squeezy

The deck will appear in your collection with all sub-decks, audio files, and tags intact. No extra setup needed.

2. Recommended settings

Anki's defaults work, but these adjustments will give you better results with this deck:

• New cards per day: 10-15. This builds recognition quickly without overwhelming your review pile.
• Maximum reviews per day: 200. The default of 200 is fine. If your daily reviews regularly exceed 150, reduce new cards for a few days.
• Learning steps: 1m 10m. Anki's default. Leave it.

To change these: click the gear icon next to the deck name, then "Options."

3. How the three card types work

Every word in this deck generates three cards. Each tests a different skill:

• Recognition (Spanish to English). You see the word in Spanish and produce the meaning. This is the easiest card type and builds passive vocabulary.
• Production (English to Spanish). You see the English meaning and produce the Spanish word. Harder, but this is what you need for speaking.
• Cloze (fill in the blank). You see a real sentence with one word missing. This tests whether you can use the word in context.

Feeling overwhelmed? Suspend the Production cards for the first week. Focus on Recognition and Cloze. Add Production back once your daily reviews feel manageable. To suspend: select cards in the browser, right-click, "Toggle Suspend."

4. Where to start

This deck teaches Castilian Spanish as spoken in central and northern Spain. It covers 42 themes across CEFR levels A1 through B2, including vosotros forms and Castilian pronunciation.

• Moving to Spain. "Getting Around," "At the Office," "Shopping," and "Bureaucracy" themes should be your priority. Spanish bureaucracy has its own vocabulary. Add "Daily Life" and "Neighborhood" themes once you are settled.
• Studied Latin American Spanish before. Good news: you already know most of the vocabulary. The main differences are vosotros conjugations, the 'th' pronunciation of c/z (ceceo), and some everyday vocabulary swaps (coche vs carro, ordenador vs computadora). Start at A2 and focus on the Castilian-specific expressions.
• University student in Spain. Focus on A2-B1 for daily survival, then the academic themes for classroom vocabulary. Spanish university culture has its own slang and social conventions. The cultural context notes on the cards will help you navigate both.

Realistic timeline

At 10-15 new cards per day with daily review.

• Week 1-2. Basic greetings, numbers, simple questions. You can handle polite exchanges.
• Week 3-4. Daily transactions, restaurant orders, asking for help. Tourist-level confidence.
• Month 2-3. Holding conversations, understanding directions, handling appointments and errands.
• Month 4-6. Comfortable in most daily situations. You can follow Spanish TV (with occasional rewinding) and participate in social conversations.

Tips for Castilian Spanish learners

European Spanish has features that set it apart from Latin American varieties.

• Vosotros is essential in Spain. Unlike Latin American Spanish, Spain actively uses vosotros ('you all' informal). You will hear it constantly in conversations, on signs, and in media. The deck includes vosotros conjugations throughout. Do not skip them. They are not optional in Spain.
• Regional accents vary widely. This deck uses standard Castilian pronunciation. Andalusian, Catalan-influenced, Galician, and Canarian Spanish sound quite different. The standard form will be understood everywhere in Spain, and understanding regional accents comes with exposure over time.
• Switching from Latin American Spanish. The transition is smaller than you think. About 95% of the vocabulary is the same. Focus on learning the vosotros forms, the handful of vocabulary swaps (piso vs departamento, movil vs celular), and the Castilian pronunciation patterns. Two to three weeks of focused study will close the gap.

Your first 10 phrases

Essential Castilian expressions for your first days in Spain.

• Vale. 'OK / Got it.' Spaniards say this constantly. It is the most useful single word in Spain.
• Que tal?. 'How's it going?' Casual greeting used everywhere.
• Perdona. 'Excuse me / Sorry.' Softer than 'disculpe.' Everyday politeness.
• Ponme un.... 'Give me a...' How to order at a bar or cafe. Casual and natural.
• Mola. 'Cool / Awesome.' Casual slang. Shows you are learning real Spanish, not just textbook.

The "Again" button is your friend

When Anki shows you a card and you don't know the answer, hit Again. Not "Hard." Not "Good." Again.

Spaced repetition works best when you're honest about what you don't know. Cards you mark "Again" come back sooner. Cards you know well space out further. The algorithm adjusts to you. Trust it.

Audio on every card

Every card has native speaker audio. On desktop, audio plays automatically when the card appears. On mobile, tap the speaker icon.

Tip: listen to the audio BEFORE reading the text. Train your ear first, then confirm with your eyes. This builds listening comprehension faster than reading alone.

Lifetime updates

Your purchase includes free updates for the life of the product. When we add new cards, fix audio, or improve translations, you can re-download the latest version from Lemon Squeezy at no extra cost.

We announce updates via email. Keep an eye on your inbox.

Need help?

Reply to any Eidetic email or reach out at hello@eidetic.cards. We read everything and respond fast.