This course provides a solid grounding in the basic grammar and vocabulary of Spanish, enabling the student to hold a conversation on contemporary topics and provide for the necessities of daily life. Emphasis is on communicative competence: speaking, listening, reading, and writing, consolidating the present tense, and introducing the past tense. We learn to describe people, express likes and interests, talk about family members, time, food, cities and neighbourhoods, and recent past events.The course is delivered through three 50-minute sessions per week on campus, blended with an online component that uses up-to-date methodology and extensive multimedia materials. As a Blended Learning course, students are expected to work independently with custom-made online materials. Class activities include interaction in pairs, small groups, or with the whole class. Regular, active participation is therefore expected in class, and must be accompanied by a clear commitment to independent learning and preparation.