For your reference, these are the recommended prerequisites for Spanish:
| IVC Course | Recommended Prerequisite |
| Spanish 1 or 1H | No prerequisite |
| Spanish 2 or 2H | IVC Spanish 1, IVC Spanish 1 Honors, or two years of high school Spanish |
| Spanish 3 | IVC Spanish 2 or 2H, three years of high school Spanish, or AP score of 3 or above |
| Spanish 4 | IVC Spanish 3, four years of high school Spanish, or AP score of 4 or above |
| Spanish 10 | IVC Spanish 2 or 2H, three years of high school Spanish, or AP score of 3 or above |
If you don’t meet the above prerequisites, and/or you prefer to assess your level on your own, please review the skills and classes below and choose the course that best fits your Spanish level (keep in mind that having a solid foundation in beginning Spanish will help you succeed in more advanced courses):
Spanish 2 is a good fit for you if you are comfortable with the tasks below:
- Write a paragraph in Spanish of 10 – 12 sentences (approximately 100 words).
- Read a three-paragraph essay written in Spanish.
- Speak in Spanish using an active vocabulary of approximately 500 words on topics such as hobbies, daily activities, family, food, holidays, emotions, and professions.
- Understand spoken Spanish on everyday activities and familiar topics using approximately 1,000 words.
Spanish 3 and Spanish 10 are a good fit for you if you are comfortable with the tasks below:
- Write a short essay of 12 – 15 sentences (approximately 150 words).
- Read a four to five paragraph essay written in Spanish.
- Speak in Spanish using an active vocabulary of approximately 1,000 words on topics such as home, neighborhood, childhood, health, travels, and transportation.
- Understand spoken Spanish on past events and activities using approximately 2,000 words.
Spanish 4 is a good fit for you if you are comfortable with the tasks below:
- Write an essay of 15 – 20 sentences (approximately 200-300 words).
- Read a two-to-three-page short story written in Spanish.
- Speak in Spanish using an active vocabulary of approximately 1,500 words on topics such as shopping, environment, social issues, technology, and community relationships.
- Understand spoken Spanish on a wide variety of topics using approximately 3,000 words.
If you want to see the detailed topics (vocabulary, grammar, and culture) covered in each Spanish level, please visit the IVC schedule of classes, click on the “DETAILS” link on the far right, and at the bottom of the page, click on the first blue button “Topics Covered.”
If, after two weeks, you feel the course is too hard or too easy for you, please let your instructor know so you can discuss the possibility of changing the course level.
For further information, please contact the Spanish Department Coordinator: Beatrice Tseng