Spanish for Second Language Learners

Spanish Placement Guide

Spanish 1Spanish 2Spanish 3Spanish 4
Years of High School SpanishNo previous language experience or up to 2 years of high school Spanish.Up to 3 years of high school Spanish.Up to 4 years of high school Spanish.More than 4 years of K-12 Education in Spanish.
AP Spanish ScoreScore of 1Score of 2Score of 3Score of 4 (Score of 5 places students directly into Spanish 25 and/or Spanish 100
International Baccalaureate Exam ScoreScore of 1-2Score of 3-4Score of 5Score of 6 (Score of 7 will place students directly into Spanish 25 and/or Spanish 100)
Community College SpanishNone1 semester2 semesters3 semesters

Overview

In order to learn a language, you need a moderate challenge. If the class is too challenging or not challenging at all, you won't learn and, as a consequence, your grade may be negatively affected. We've designed this page as a placement guide for Second Language Learners of Spanish (if you grew up in a Spanish-speaking home, please refer to our Spanish for Heritage Speakers page). Carefully review the information in each section below to determine which level is right for you.

  1. Review the Spanish placement guide below to see in which class you are likely to be placed according to your previous experience studying Spanish.
  2. Review the course details found in the expandable sections below. If you meet the eligibility requirements and know 70% or more of the content described for one level continue to the next.
  3. Do not enroll in a class above or below your level. As stated above, this may negatively impact your grade and ability to learn the language.
    • If you have concerns about gaps in your knowledge or preparedness for a class, contact the Director of the Spanish Language Program: Dr. Miriam Hernández-R. mhernan@berkeley.edu.
    • If you have questions about satisfying language requirements, contact the Undergraduate Advisor.
  4. Contact the Director of the Spanish Language Program: Dr. Miriam Hernández-R. mhernan@berkeley.edu if:
    • You are between levels and/or have further questions.
    • It has been a year and a half or more that you have taken a Spanish class.

Spanish 1

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Eligibility

Spanish 1 is for Second Language Learners with no or very little previous formal language experience:

  • No previous language experience
  • Less than 2 years of high school Spanish
  • An AP score of 1
  • An IB HL score of 1 or 2

You will learn...

In Spanish 1 you will learn to use the present tense to:

  • Introduce yourself and others.
  • Exchange personal information.
  • Ask and answer questions.
  • Express likes interest and preferences (gustar, interesar, preferir).
  • Talk about abilities and knowledge (saber vs. conocer).
  • Describe and compare places.
  • Talk about daily routines.

Course Description

This is an in-person course. Class will be conducted in Spanish and used primarily for oral communication activities. You will learn the language through listening, speaking, reading and writing in contextualized situations that will allow you to use the language to complete five Oral Presentations and five timed at-home open-book compositions, which will substitute exams. You will learn to introduce yourself and others, exchange personal information, talk about daily routines, describe and compare places and people using the present tense; express likes and dislikes, interests and preferences.

You will develop from mid to high novice written and oral proficiency in an active approach based on projects. The project-based approach is a non-authoritarian learning model that will help you interpret the world in new ways and facilitate decision-making by mobilizing your natural desire to communicate. Content-based projects will develop your critical thinking skills as you engage with the language investigating and discussing a series of cultural issues, such as introductions in an online platform, Spanish classes and study abroad programs, influential people in the Spanish-speaking world, needs and solutions to campus housing problems, diversity and inclusion in Spanish-speaking countries.

Although grammar is part of the course, it is not taught explicitly. You will be expected to watch video tutorials and study grammar concepts on your own, and then apply these concepts, along with the vocabulary, to interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication.

Please note:
• This is a five-unit course that requires two hours per day of preparation time outside of class.

Spanish 2

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Eligibility

Spanish 2 is for Second Language learners with little previous formal language experience:

  • Up to 3 years of high school Spanish
  • An AP score of 2
  • An IB HL score of 3 or 4
  • 1 semester of college-level Spanish (as long as you feel confident about the skills taught in Spanish 1)

You will learn...

In Spanish 2 you will learn to:

  • Talk about past events using preterit.
  • Describe people, places and events in the past using the imperfect tense.
  • Talk about feelings and emotions.
  • Give advice and make suggestions using commands.
  • Talk about future plans.
  • Talk about food.

Course Description

This is an in-person course. Class will be conducted in Spanish and used primarily for oral communication activities. You will learn the language through listening, speaking, reading and writing in contextualized situations that will allow you to use the language to complete five Oral Presentations and five timed at-home open-book compositions, which will substitute exams. You will learn to talk about actions and events in the past, express emotions and feelings, give advice and make suggestions, evaluate and give opinions about the world of fashion, history and food.

You will develop from high novice to low intermediate written and oral proficiency in an active approach based on projects. The project-based approach is a non-authoritarian learning model that will help you interpret the world in new ways and facilitate decision-making by mobilizing your natural desire to communicate. Content-based projects will develop your critical thinking skills as you engage with the language investigating and discussing a series of cultural issues, such as traveling and places, life strategies and generational experiences, social relationships, feelings and emotions, the world of fashion, and gastronomy in the Spanish-speaking world.

Although grammar is part of the course, it is not taught explicitly. You will be expected to watch video tutorials and study grammar concepts on your own, and then apply these concepts, along with the vocabulary, to interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication.

Please note:
• This is a five-unit course that requires two hours per day of preparation time outside of class.

Spanish 3

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Eligibility

Spanish 3 is for Second Language Learners with some previous formal language experience:

  • Up to 4 years of high school Spanish
  • An AP score of 3
  • An IB HL score of 5
  • 2 semesters of college-level Spanish (as long as you feel confident about the skills taught in Spanish 2)

You will learn...

In Spanish 3 you will learn different uses of the subjunctive mood to:

  • Talk about the future.
  • Make suggestions and give advice.
  • Express opinions and make comments.
  • Express wishes and desires, needs, requests, and complaints.
  • Provide suggestions using the conditional.

Course Descripton

This is an in-person course. Class will be conducted in Spanish and used primarily for oral communication activities. You will learn the language through listening, speaking, reading and writing in contextualized situations that will allow you to use the language to complete five Oral Presentations and five timed at-home open-book compositions, which will substitute exams. You will learn to speak and write about experiences and future plans, feelings, predictions and comparisons; you will learn to express causes and opinions, as well as make suggestions and give advice, using the subjunctive.

You will develop from low- to mid-intermediate written and oral proficiency in an active projects-based approach that will help you interpret the world in new ways and facilitate decision-making by mobilizing your natural desire to communicate and developing your critical thinking skills as you engage with the language investigating and discussing a series of cultural issues, such as job markets in the Hispanic world, Hispanic presence in the U.S., time management, and advertising practices.

Although grammar is part of the course, it is not taught explicitly. You will be expected to watch video tutorials and study grammar concepts on your own, and then apply these concepts, along with the vocabulary, to interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication.

Please note:
• This is a five-unit course that requires two hours per day of preparation time outside of class.

Spanish 4

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Eligibility

Spanish 4 is for Second Language Learners with 

  • 4+ years of K-12 Spanish language experience
  • An AP score of 4 (an AP score of 5 would place students into Spanish 25 and / or Spanish 100)
  • An IB HL score of 6 (a score of 7 would place students into Spanish 25 and / or Spanish 100)
  • 3 semesters of college-level Spanish (as long as you feel confident about skills taught in Spanish 3).

You will learn...

In Spanish 4 you will learn to:

  • Describe historical events using the past and present tenses.
  • Express opinion, agreement and disagreement.
  • Use indirect speech to report what someone says.
  • Express emotions and give advice using the subjunctive mood.
  • Express hypothetical situations with different degrees of probability using compound and simple verb tenses.

Course Description

This is an in-person course. Class will be conducted in Spanish and used primarily for oral communication activities. You will learn the language through listening, speaking, reading and writing in contextualized situations that will allow you to use the language to complete five Oral Presentations and five timed at-home open-book compositions, which will substitute exams. You will learn to describe historical events and talk about the past using a variety of verb tenses, express opinions and emotions using subjunctive, report what someone else said, understand an apologetic text, express conditions, give advice, persuade and influence others.

You will develop from mid- to high-intermediate written and oral proficiency in an active approach based on projects. The project-based approach is a non-authoritarian learning model that will help you interpret the world in new ways and facilitate decision-making by mobilizing your natural desire to communicate. Content-based projects will develop your critical thinking skills as you engage with the language investigating and discussing a series of cultural issues, such as the history of historical monuments and human achievements, influencers, cultural traditions, emotions, and women and power. 

Although grammar is part of the course, it is not taught explicitly. You will be expected to watch video tutorials and study grammar concepts on your own, and then apply these concepts, along with the vocabulary, to interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication.

Please note:
• This is a five-unit course that requires two hours per day of preparation time outside of class.

FAQ

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How do I know which class is right for me?

In order to learn a language, you need a moderate challenge. If the class is too challenging or not challenging at all, you won't learn and, as a consequence, your grade may be negatively affected.

  • Review this placement guide carefully to learn about the previous experience required for each course and the content covered in each course.
  • If you know 70% or more of the content described for one level continue to the next level.
  • Do not enroll in a class below your level to fill in the gaps you have.
  • Contact the Director of the Spanish Language Program: Dr. Miriam Hernández-R. mhernan@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) if:
    • You are between levels and/or have further questions
    • It has been a year and a half or more that you have taken a Spanish class

Can I enroll in the class that I want even though I know it will be a review for me?

  • No. You should not enroll in a language class below your level. Nor should you enroll in a lower level language class with the intention of improving your GPA.
  • Remember the student community at UC Berkeley has adopted the following Honor Code: “As a member of the UC Berkeley community, I act with honesty, integrity, and respect for others.”
  • Please be honest and enroll in the class that is most appropriate for your language proficiency based on the information above.

Can I take two Spanish langugae classes at the same time?

  • No. You cannot take two Spanish language classes at the same time.

Do I need to take Spanish 1-4 to fulfill my language requirement?

  • L&S Language Requirement - may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in a language other than English equivalent to the second-semester college level. This requirement prepares students to engage more fully, upon graduation, with California and the wider world. L&S students have a unique opportunity to take advantage of the incredible depth and breadth of language instruction at UC Berkeley, which leads among institutions of higher education by offering classes in more than 50 languages. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course. 
  • If you haven't taken Spanish courses before, you may need to start from Spanish 1.
  • If your program has an additional language requirement, you may need to begin in a lower level first, depending on your proficiency level. Consult your program advisor to make a plan for completing their requirement.
  • Review this guide carefully to identify the right level for you.
  • Contact the Spanish & Portuguese Undergraduate Advisor with questions regarding language requirements.

Can I take my Spanish class with a time conflict?

  • No. If you cannot commit to the schedule of the Spanish class, consider a different section.

I'm a graduating senior and I need to take a Spanish class to graduate, but am on a waitlist. Do I have priority?

  • No. Enrollment is processed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Still have questions about placement?

Contact Dr. Miriam Hernandez-Rodriguez

Need advice about language requirements, study abroad, or program planning?

Contact the Undergraduate Academic Advisor