Spanish 4

Watch this short video about why our online Language program is one of the best in the country!

This practical intermediate course (A2.2), developed fully by UW–Madison for adult language learners, explores the cultural richness of the Spanish-speaking world, while deepening your ability to discuss past events. Learn future and conditional tenses, command forms, and relevant new vocabulary.

Our unique materials allow you to listen to the voices and stories of speakers from more than 10 different Spanish-speaking countries. A proven communicative approach emphasizes speaking competency while also building skills in listening, reading and writing. See Outline for complete details. All materials included.

Prerequisite: Spanish 3.

Find out if this is the right level for you with these placement tests: Spanish 3 self-placement test Spanish 4 self-placement test.

Course format

You will practice speaking in weekly one-hour online sessions led by an experienced instructor, with a maximum of 12 participants.

The live online sessions begin one week after the scheduled course start date to allow time to work through the first unit of learning material in preparation for the live conversation practice.

Online course materials introduce new grammar and vocabulary and teach pronunciation, listening, and reading skills through videos, audio, and interactive exercises. Budget 3-4 hours a week to work through the online asynchronous content.

Course materials become available online on the scheduled course start date and remain accessible for one month after the course ends.

Want to know more about learning a language online? Read Dr. Julie Dahl's blog post about our online course format.

A printable workbook (PDF) is included in the price. All other materials are available through the course platform.

Sections anticipated for spring 2025 (See Upcoming Dates for open sections and more detail):

Wednesdays, Jan. 22–April 9, 5:30–6:30 p.m. CT (No virtual conversation session on March 26)

Tuesdays, Feb. 18–May 6, 5:30–6:30 p.m. CT (No virtual conversation session on March 25)

Below are the main themes and outcomes for each unit. Each unit also contains teaching videos, 10-15 listening activities, an extended reading activity, practical exercises, and cultural information related to the unit theme.

Unidad 1: Lo básico

• Review common command forms used in the course
• Numbers: hundreds and thousands
• Filling out forms in Spanish
• Use of articles in Spanish and how they differ from English
• The neutral article lo
• Expressions with hace in the present
• Reading: La lotería mexicana

Unidad 2: El medioambiente

• Vocabulary: nature and the environment
• Learning how to learn in Spanish
• Irregular preterite forms
• Expressions with hace in the preterite
• Showing agreement and disagreement
• Reading: Ecoturismo en Costa Rica

Unidad 3: ¿Cómo era tu niñez?

• Vocabulary: animals and the countryside
• The imperfect past tense
• Contrast between the preterite and imperfect tenses
• Discussing how life used to be
• Diminutives: form and use
• Reading: Madrid: arte, cultura y ¿ovejas?

Unidad 4: ¿Qué te picó?

• Vocabulary: insects and reptiles
• Discussing feelings and emotions
• Using the expression acabar de to discuss past actions
• Contrasting sabía/supo, tenía/tuvo, quería/quiso and podía/pudo
• Reading: Crecer en dos culturas

Unidad 5: ¿Te acuerdas?

• Review Unidades 1-4
• Learn the differences between por and para
• Contrast recordar y acordarse de
• Review the alphabet and large numbers
• Further contrast between the past tenses

Unidad 6: ¿Cómo te informas?

• Vocabulary: News and Information sources
• Future tense (regular and irregular verbs)
• Conditional tense (regular and irregular verbs)
• Contrast tartar de and intentar
• Discuss looking forward to future events
• Reading: Los hábitos de consumo de información

Unidad 7: ¿Cómo te cuidas?

• Vocabulary: the human body and health
• Discussing health and treatments
• Contrast verbs that can be used in different ways
• Ser estar
• Agreement between nouns and adjectives
• Reading: El milagro del té de manzanilla

Unidad 8: Estar de moda

• Vocabulary: clothing and style
• Reviewing direct and indirect object pronouns
• Using two pronouns in the same sentence
• Shopping and asking for information in stores
• Review discussing the weather
• The rules of written accent marks
• Reading: La moda sostenible

Unidad 9: ¿Cómo llegamos?

• Vocabulary: asking for and giving directions
• Brief introduction to the subjunctive
• Informal commands
• Formal commands
• Apologizing
• Project: Investigating Otavalo, Ecuador and Elche, Spain

Unidad 10: ¡No te olvides!

• Review Unidades 6-9
• Different ways to make comparisons
• Superlatives
• Telling your story

By participating in this class you will earn:

Explanation of Continuing Education Hours