Spanish is America's second language. Isn't about time you became cool enough to schmooze in more than one language? It's good for business and you will also astonish your friends. Think about it. More US citizens speak Spanish as a first language than even live in New York City. If you travel on business, it's almost becoming a must. The Spanish-speaking world is a huge global market. If you speak Spanish, you can build market share for your business or company among the fastest growing population in the US. Even if it's just not business that makes your brain hum, learning Spanish as a second language helps you travel in a way that takes the ugly out of The Ugly American. (You won't get rid of that spare tire unless you work at it, though.) And let's not forget one of the most important reasons you'll love learning Spanish: It's great fun. Especially if you're single.



Here are some great ways to habla Espanol pronto!

1. Visit Spain. Ask strangers for directions and see how fast you can pick up the basics. If you get lost, that's just part of the adventure and you'll have to learn new words quickly or find yourself with a problema. I wouldn't try this in a bad neighborhood in Barcelona, however. What's Spanish for: "If you put down that knife, you can have my wallet"?

2. Read Mexican newspapers while vacationing in Baja. With your new language skills, you can make a real estate deal, and live the expatriate life in style. Don't take no for an answer. Make them say si to your final offer.

3. Get active in politics and ask to work among Spanish-speaking voters. These days you'll be able to look for votes not just in LA and San Diego but just about anywhere in the US, including Iowa.

4. Get a job with a Spanish language radio or TV station. You'll learn by osmosis. These people may even be hiring. Or at least watch the Spanish TV channels. Their soap operas are funnier than the ones in English and you'll catch on to the slang?the most enjoyable part of any language--fast.

5. Read poets Federico Garcia Lorca or Octavio Paz in the original by using a bi-lingual edition. Your Spanish vocabulary will fill up like an overstuffed pi?ata. If you prefer novels, read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude or Julio Cortazar's Hopscotch. For some of the world's best short stories, try any of Jorge Luis Borges many collections.

6. Listen to CDs or MP3s by Los Lobos or Calexico. But only the Spanish language stuff. If you prefer more alienation while you rock out, try punk rock in Spanish: http://www.angelfire.com/tx4/sapunk/. (Warning: punk rocker expletives!)

7. Spanish Class

When you ready to get really serious, sign up for a Spanish class. After all, you have to temper the fun with at least a little discipline. You can make it easy and fast with the Pimsleur Approach, which offers a terrific program that makes learning a language fun and really does work. Say No s? nada to tedious vocabulary lists and pointless repetition. Learn to absorb language in the same way you did as a toddler. Everything is broken down exactly the way kids learn. It's simple, entirely in audio (so you can multitask), and is the easiest program to use with the least amount of effort.

In today's North America, Spanish is on its way to becoming the second most important language. (Pace, Quebecois.) Now that you have ideas for becoming better acquainted with Spanish, you're ready to pick some and play with them. You'll be at home on the entire continent in no time. Learning Spanish opens your window to the world a lot wider. Become bilingual and before too long you'll be ready to try tri.