classes available online or arlington, VA

Group Classes Level Descriptions

Our 20-hour group classes meet two hours each week and are applicable to everyone, from absolute beginners to proficient speakers. Classes take place online and in-person and new classes start each month. Review our level descriptions below to find your perfect starting point. Need additional help? Consider taking our Level Placement Test to see how much you currently know. 
BEGINNER SPANISH (A1)
This level is for absolute beginners or for individuals who would like to review the basics of the Spanish language.

What you should know before you enroll: 
  • No prior experience with the language is required. 
What you will learn:
  • How to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases 
  • How to introduce yourself and others
  • How to ask and answer questions about personal details such as where you live
  • How to identify people you know and things you have
  • How to interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help
  • How to speak, read and write in the present indicative tense 
ELEMENTARY SPANISH (A2)
This level is for individuals who have studied Spanish before and are able to conjugate regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs into the present tense and have basic conversations with others. 

What you should know before you enroll: 
  • All bullets identified under A1
What you will learn:
  • How to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment, etc.)
  • How to communicate about routine tasks with reflexive verbs
  • How to describe likes and dislikes with the verb gustar and similar verbs
  • How to speak, read and write in the present tense, present continuous and near future
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH (B1)
This level is for individuals who are comfortable with the present tenses and would like to focus on other indicative tenses. 

What you should know before you enroll: 
  • All bullets identified under A2
What you will learn:
  • How to understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
  • How to deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken
  • How to produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest
  • How to describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes, ambitions & probability and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plan
  • How to speak, read and write in the imperfect, preterit, present perfect, past perfect, future and conditional
UPPER INTERMEDIATE SPANISH (B2)
This level is for individuals who are fairly proficient in the indicative tenses (non-subjunctive) and would like to focus on the subjunctive. 

What you should know before you enroll: 
  • All bullets identified under B1
What you will learn:
  • How to understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in your field of specialization 
  • How to interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party
  • How to produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options
  • How to speak, read and write in the present subjunctive, imperfect subjunctive present perfect subjunctive and past perfect subjunctive
ADVANCED SPANISH (C1)
This level is for students who have covered both indicative and subjunctive tenses in the past and would like to practice what they have learned in a more culturally focused class setting through the use of Iberoamerican literature, movies and history. 

What you should know before you enroll: 
  • All bullets identified under B2
What you will learn:
  • How to understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning
  • How to express yourself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions
  • How to use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. 
  • How to produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices
  • How to speak, read and write in all Spanish tenses
PROFICIENT SPANISH (C2)
This level is for reserved for students who have taken multiple semesters of C1 level courses or have tested into the level with a WLS instructor. Students at this level can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read, summarize information from different spoken & written sources and can express him/herself spontaneously, fluently and precisely.