Learning a new language is a huge task. Before you begin, it is helpful to determine why you want to learn the language? Do you want to speak Spanish like a native speaker? Perhaps you want to have a conversation with a Spanish-speaking neighbor or coworker? Or maybe you just want to pass the test on Friday? Whatever the case, Sometimes we are called to learn something, and other times we just have to solve a difficult puzzle to get to the next level (a la Zelda).
1. If you want to learn enough to pass the test you've got coming up, the following study guide and examples will help you get the hang of it. Find the section your class is working on, and get to mentally processing the example sentences. I keep grammar explanations to a minimum here for a reason.
You can do this. Your best bet is to focus on the message and let the grammar take care of itself.
2. If your goal is to have a real life conversation with a Spanish-speaking coworker, you should aim to master the high-frequency vocabulary. Once you get the hang of some of the basic words, you'll be able to start reading and listening to more complex language. Perhaps the best place to get complex, compelling, and varied language is through reading fiction. If you read a level-appropriate text, you'll see a small amount (very small) of new vocabulary on nearly every page, read interesting dialogue that will more easily recall in conversations, show you a variety of sentence structures that your textbook may ignore entirely, etc. In addition, reading compelling fiction is the best way to get your brain to stop focusing on the grammatical form (how to say things), and keep you focused on the message (what is happening in the story).
Getting to the point where you are reading level-appropriate fiction independently typically takes my students somewhere between 1-6 weeks of study. Thus, this approach may not help you get an A on that mid-term tomorrow. It will, however, put you on a path toward lifelong fluency.
Reading as a means to acquisition really works, and it works really well.
