Latin American 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 covers 42 conversational themes across CEFR levels A1 through B2. It uses Latin American Spanish, which means ustedes (not vosotros) and pronunciation patterns common across Mexico, Colombia, and most of the Americas.

• Starting from zero. Begin with A1 and the "Greetings" theme together. Spanish is one of the most approachable languages for English speakers. Shared vocabulary (cognates) will give you a head start. Do 10-15 new cards per day and trust the process.
• Restarting after years away. Jump to A2 and test yourself. High school Spanish tends to leave a foundation that comes back fast. Suspend the cards you already know and focus on the gaps. Your biggest need is probably vocabulary beyond the classroom basics and real conversational expressions.
• Partner or family speaks Spanish. Prioritize "Family," "Food," "Daily Life," and "Emotions" themes. These cover the vocabulary you need for the conversations that actually happen at home. Ask your partner to quiz you on pronunciation.

Realistic timeline

Spanish is one of the fastest languages for English speakers to learn. At 10-15 new cards per day with daily review.

• Week 1-2. Basic greetings, numbers, simple questions. You can introduce yourself and handle basic pleasantries.
• Week 3-4. Ordering food, getting directions, shopping. You can survive as a tourist.
• Month 2-3. Daily conversations, expressing opinions, making plans. You can hold simple conversations with patient speakers.
• Month 4-6. Comfortable conversation. You can discuss most everyday topics and follow Spanish-language media with some effort.

Tips for your situation

Spanish learners come from many backgrounds. Here are tips for common situations.

• Using alongside Duolingo or Babbel. These tools complement each other well. Use the apps for grammar explanations and conversation practice, and use Anki for long-term vocabulary retention. Anki's spaced repetition algorithm is significantly more effective for memorization than app-based review. Do not study the same words on both platforms simultaneously, as this inflates your confidence without building real recall.
• Heritage speaker filling gaps. You grew up hearing Spanish but might struggle with reading, writing, or formal vocabulary. Start at A2-B1 where the everyday words feel familiar but the formal expressions are new. The written cards will strengthen your literacy alongside your spoken fluency.
• Learning for work. If you need Spanish for professional settings, study the themed decks that match your field first, then fill in general vocabulary. Business Spanish and casual Spanish differ more than most people expect. The formal register cards in B1-B2 are especially valuable for professional contexts.

Your first 10 phrases

These will get you through your first real conversation in Spanish.

• Mucho gusto. 'Nice to meet you.' The standard introduction.
• No entiendo. 'I don't understand.' Use it without shame.
• Puede repetir?. 'Can you repeat that?' Buys you processing time.
• Cuanto cuesta?. 'How much does it cost?' Shopping essential.
• Me gustaria.... 'I would like...' Polite way to order or request anything.

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.