Open new doors and learn to speak a foreign language. Colorado Free University offers classes designed for adult learners to develop their language skills.

The Spanish Center is our most popular program at Colorado Free University. Students can start at the beginning and work their way to advanced classes. You can get started learning other foreign languages as well. Basic conversational classes are offered in Japanese, French, Italian, and Russian.

Each Spanish course generally meets once a week for five weeks at the same time and day each week. The classes are designed for the busy adult who doesn’t have time to spend a semester in school learning a new language. We do have some classes that meet for longer. The twice-a-week Spanish 1 and 2 covers the material from Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 in five weeks instead of 10, so you can get a jump on the material. We also have Spanish Intensive classes, meeting for two weeks, Monday-Friday, three hours a day. The intensive courses cover 3 levels of Spanish in that two-week block. Lots of material, but lots of fun with your instructor and classmates.

The Spanish program consists of eight levels of grammar courses (Spanish 1, Spanish 2, etc.) with conversation classes designed to be taken in between the grammar classes to reinforce and practice. We have beginner level (Spanish 1, Spanish 2 and Conversation 1), intermediate (Spanish 3, Spanish 4 and Conversation 2) intermediate level (Spanish 5, Spanish 6 and Conversation 3) and advanced class (Spanish 7, Spanish 8 and Conversation 4). We also have a Medical Spanish 1 class (for beginners who want medical terminology). See all Spanish classes listed here or scroll down to get more detail about the specific courses in our Spanish program.

Level Quizzes

If you have studied Spanish in the past and are uncertain what class to register for, CFU has some level quizzes to help with placement. Start with the level below where you think you fall, if you get at least 90% of the answers correct, move to the next quiz and keep going until you start getting less than 90% correct. That is probably where you fit with our classes. See the links below in the details about our Spanish program for the quizzes and the answer keys.

Spanish Custom Classes

The CFU Spanish Center can provide training to businesses or agencies. Employees can acquire the language skills they need in as little as 5-10 weeks with affordable, quality Spanish classes offered live online to your staff. Classes can be modified to meet your needs with flexible scheduling, and competitive prices. We have experience teaching in hospitals, libraries, public school schools, construction companies, financial institutions, restaurants and more. We would like to have the opportunity to help you and your organization acquire the language skills you need. For more information and pricing please contact Helen Hand at 303-785-2333 or helen@compuskills.com. Tell us the best time to teach your group and we’ll accommodate!

One-on-One Classes

Work one-on-one with an instructor to get a deeper dive into grammar and conversation. Typically set up as a once-a-week class for an hour and half, you can use that time with an instructor to better understand grammar concepts and topics that you are having trouble with and practice your skills. You will use our material from CFU classes and the instructor may organize additional exercises to use. Contact Helen Hand at 303-785-2333 or helen@compuskills.com.

Intensive Courses

Accelerate your learning with our two-week intensive courses. Study every weekday morning for weeks to learn grammar and vocabulary and have lots of chance to practice. Check out what is available here.

While the Spanish program is the only one that can take you from beginner to advanced, CFU does offer opportunities to learn basic conversation skills in other languages. Currently you can study Japanese, French, Italian, and Russian.  See all of the available classes here.

Beginner

Spanish 1 

Start here if you have little to no prior experience with Spanish. First learn pronunciation, the alphabet and the concept of gender and number of nouns. Then, the focus will be on sentence formation using the verbs ser, estar, and tener, with an ample vocabulary by themes like adjectives, interrogative words, dates, numbers, etc. By the end of Spanish 1 you will be able to introduce yourself, ask for the prices of things and communicate some basic ideas. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Take the Spanish 1 Level Quiz.

See the Spanish 1 Answer Key

Spanish 2

Learn how to conjugate verbs in present tense and how to form sentences. Cover verbs that have irregular conjugations in the first person and stem-changing verbs (e-ie & e-i). Learn how to tell time and how to talk about the future using the verb ‘to go’. After Spanish 2, you will be able to talk about where you live, where you work, about your hobbies and preferences, how often you do things, and how often you go places. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Take the Spanish 2 Level Quiz.

See the Spanish 2 Answer Key

Spanish 1 & 2

Covering our Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 in 5 weeks (attending class twice-a-week), you’ll learn the alphabet, basic pronunciation, the verbs ser, estar and tener, along with a steady increase of vocabulary to form sentences to introduce yourself and more. Learn irregular verb conjugations as well as stem-changing verbs (e-ie and e-i) and how to tell time and how to talk about the future using the verb ‘to go’. After the class, you will be able to talk about where you live, where you work, about your hobbies and preferences, how often you do things, and how often you go places. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Spanish Accelerated 1

If you have studied Spanish in the recent past, and need a quick refresher of ser, estar, and verbs in the present tense, this is the course for you! This class covers the grammar from Spanish 1 & 2 in five weeks. It is recommended for those who already speak a romance language and can learn at a quick pace or for a review of Spanish 1 & 2. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Spanish Conversation 1

This class reinforces what is covered in our Spanish 1 & 2 or Accelerated Spanish 1 classes. Broaden your vocabulary as you practice your communication skills in a fun, hands-on environment. Come and turn your raw knowledge into practical speaking and listening skills. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Intermediate

Spanish 3

Spanish 3 begins with the “o-ue” stem-changing verbs. Next, learn other uses of the verb to have (tener) by learning idiomatic expressions to express feelings (to be hot/cold, to be afraid/patient, etc.) and to express “to have to.” Learn how to talk about the future using the verb to go (ir); e.g., “I am going to travel to Costa Rica next month.” Study the use of reflexive pronouns and verbs and the present progressive. A key lesson is learning how to express one’s daily routine. After Spanish 3, you will be able to talk about your daily routine, ask for directions, and express something you are doing in the moment. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Take the Spanish 3 Level Quiz

See the Spanish 3 Answer Key

Spanish 4

Learn the following important grammar topics:  how to talk about the weather (and activities you do around the weather), the use of demonstrative adjectives (this table/that table), indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, nos, les), and verbs like gustar (how to talk about what you like, what is hurting you, what is important to you, etc.)  After Spanish 4, you will be able to form sentences using indirect object pronouns, the present perfect tense, possessive pronouns (mine, yours, etc.), and comparative adjectives (better than/worse than). Look at dates and times and get registered.

Take the Spanish 4 Level Quiz

See the Level 4 Answer key

Spanish Conversation 2

Build your conversational skills from the grammar learned in Spanish 3 & 4. Read and discuss a series of fun, cultural conversations. Engage is spontaneous conversation topics, role-playing and lots more. Look at dates and times and get registered.

High-Intermediate

Spanish 5

Learn to speak in the past tense! Study the regular conjugations of the preterit tense, the use of the prepositions por and para (including their idiomatic expressions), and direct object pronouns. This course also covers the use of formal commands. After Spanish 5, you will be able to talk about events in the past, give orders or instructions, and say things like “in order to,” “because of,” “I see him,” “she has them,” etc. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Spanish 6

Spanish 6 continues with past tense by covering the irregular conjugations of the preterit and the irregular conjugations of formal and informal commands (affirmative and negative commands).  Learn also how to express time with verbs like hacer and llevar and demonstrative pronouns (this one/that one)  After Spanish 6, you will be able to communicate your ideas in the present, past and future tenses. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Take the Take the Spanish 5 & 6 Level Quiz

See the Spanish 5 & 6 Answer Key

Spanish Conversation 3

Broaden your vocabulary and strengthen your conversational use of the past tense. Engage with your teacher and classmates in cultural discussions, travel topics and more. Students should be familiar with the preterit tense. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Advanced

Spanish 7

In this course you will learn a series of new grammar topics including the imperfect tense, the passive voice and the future and conditional tenses. Each lesson also has a fun dialogue with conversation topics related to the dialogue. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Spanish 8  

Learn the primary/subordinate clause sentence structure and the present tense conjugations of the subjunctive mode.  After this class you will be able to express wishes, doubts, recommendations, and impersonal expressions. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Spanish Conversation 4 

Perfect for those who have taken our Spanish 7 & 8 classes or who have studied extensively here or abroad. Discuss current events and newspaper articles, give a short presentation, read short stories, write a movie review, plus more. Practice speaking in the conditional tense and in the subjunctive. Look at dates and times and get registered.

Spanish Instructors

The Spanish Center Instructors consists of a group of professionals who come from a wide range of Spanish-speaking countries. We also have some highly qualified non-native speakers with extensive experience traveling and studying in Spanish speaking countries. Our students enjoy the variety of accents, perspectives and teaching styles that our instructors offer.

Diego Cerón, a native of Colombia with a degree in Literature, has been a Spanish and Literature professor, as well as a teacher in the Denver Public School system. He has also collaborated with various cultural publications. He has been teaching Spanish at CFU since 1998.

Cecilia Gowins, a native of Lima, Peru, has been working as an interpreter, translator, and Spanish tutor since 1994. She was the human resources manager at Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. for 7 years where she created and conducted cultural understanding workshops.

Lilia Selenke, born in Guadalajara, Mexico, studied and worked at the Universidad de Guadalajara. She tutored adults in Spanish at the school’s Centro de Estudios para Extranjeros and has been teaching Spanish at CFU since 2000.

Bill Weller has been teaching Spanish at CFU since 1994. He has a Master’s Degree in Bilingual Education and teaches in a dual-immersion program at Denver Public Schools. He also worked as program assistant for the CIEE Study Abroad Program for the Universidad de Sevilla from 1990-1994.

Sue Gosman was with Denver Public Schools from 1972-2005, the final 20 years at George Washington High School. She served as acting foreign language supervisor for 3 years, taught staff development, and was active in student activities. After retiring from DPS, she spent 4 years at Johnson & Wales University and an additional ___ years at College America. For the 2011-2012 academic year, she was named “Faculty of the Year”.

Liliana Stevens, a native of Cali, Colombia, has a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente in Cali. She has volunteered teaching Spanish to middle school students and began teaching Spanish at CFU in 2010.  Her positive, supportive style makes her a favorite with CFU Spanish students.

Marisol Senecal Mariscal moved to the US from Mexico City in 2002.  After two years in Minnesota she moved to Denver.  She loves sharing language and culture with students.  She has taught at Metropolitan State College, the Community College of Denver, and Windsor Gardens.  She began teaching at CFU in 2014.  Marisol is married and has a 16 year old son, Maximo.

Other Language Instructors

Instructors with the skill and passion to share their languages, create classes that we are able to offer through CFU.

Italian—The Italian Institute.  Maria Chiacchio created the Italian Institute to be a resource for those interested in travel, language, and citizenship. She has offered Italian for travelers and beginning conversation classes through CFU for well over a decade.

French—Lisa Haughom.  A native French speaker, Lisa is owner of Language for Kids and has been teaching for over 20 years.  She has offered the popular beginning French class at CFU since 2007.

Russian—Anastasia Yagolnik. Having grown up in St. Petersburg, your instructor, Ana is an RFL certified native Russian speaker with six years of teaching experience. (Russian not currently offered).

Japanese—Susan Weller. “Susan-sensei,” lived and worked in Japan for five years, studying the Japanese language, culture, and business intensively on her own and at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. Her teaching experience spans over 20 years and includes Japanese and English instruction. She has worked for Japanese companies as well as explored Japan via personal van, rail, and boat. (Japanese not currently offered).