Amazing  
By: Badbait on iPhone - Dec 18, 2009
Version: 1.7
I really didn't expect this app to be this good. I was a bit hesitant at the price, but decided to take a chance and see how good it could be. I'm only on day two, and it has me hooked...and learning! One of my biggest issues with any instructional software, is making it entertaining enough for me to keep wanting to use it...this app pulls through on it. The game extras for when you're done with the lesson part, are a very good way to help reenforce the new words into your mind. I'm hoping in a couple months that I'll find myself picking up on conversational pieces without trying :)

Wow  
By: jleazott - Dec 18, 2009
Version: 1.7
This is an amazing app to help you learn Spanish. The number of words is incredibly deep and the fact that each word is also spoken helps immensely. The bulk of the learning revolves around the use of flashcards, 20 words are presented each day and can be skipped if you already know them. This "bite-size" approach is really effective and I can see this really paying off over the long run. It also incorporates some games like search-a-word and hangman to help reinforce the words. It also features a built-in dictionary which alone might be worth the price of this app. Don't let the price scare you...this is an amazing value and easily worth the money for anyone interested in learning or reinforcing Spanish. This kind of app makes you realize the amazing potential of these handheld devices. Highly recommended.

Best Spanish Vocab App - PERIOD  
By: stareater - Dec 10, 2009
Version: 1.7
I'm currently in the process of relearning all of the Spanish I forgot since taking it in High School, and this App has been a pleasure to learn with so far. I wish there was a way to get it showcased in the App Store. It's obvious that a lot of love and knowledge went into developing this App.
The flash cards are awesome, and the games are actually a ton of fun; I've already learned 60+ new words in the last 2 days alone! Well worth the seven bucks, and probably worth quite a bit more. I wish stuff like this was around when I was in High School. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

A terrible piece of software for those trying to AVOID learning spanish! As bad as Super Memo! =]  
By: Cappiello - Nov 26, 2009
Version: 1.7
Seriously though, this is exactly what I've been looking for. I've learned 20 new words a day, every day I've used it. When I had a palm I used a program called Super Memo. Both programs use spaced repetition to help you lock in words and basically never forget them. It's done by helping you review the word just before you forget it...over and over. Each time you recal it successfully the span that you retain it becomes longer. It's a fantastic way to learn, so good in fact that once you start using a spaced repetition system you'll never be satisfied using regular flashcards. =]
I've been waiting on an alternative to Super Memo since I made the switch to the iPhone. This is it. In addition to the great implementation of a SR algorythm their are a bunch of other great features.
Games that reinforce the words you are learning.
Pronunciation for every word and audio only flashcards.
Great set up for leaning Spanish to English as well as English to Spanish
Straight forward interface, clean, functional. (wouldn't custom wallpaper would be fun =)
The ability to view the words by difficulty: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced and remove words you already know ahead of time. (You can also do this on the fly which is great)
It also contains over 6000 words, built in, so you don't have to manage a list before you get started!
The one feature that I would love to see added is this:
A connection to GoogleDocs, that would allow you to set up additional Q&A pairs that could then be added to the main list of words (much like words you choose to learn manually in the program are). Because GoogleDocs can open .csv files and many flash card lists can be converted into .cvs format, this would open the program to thousands of freely available lists (in just about every language) and make it super easy to add fun words and phrases of your own. (For an example of how this might work there is a simple flashcard app in the appstore that connects to GoogleDocs in this way)
So the bottom line is this, if you are learning spanish this is the most bang you can possibly get for your money. You're doing yourself a disservice not to go ahead and get it. Each day that passes is 20 new words you could have learned!
*A note to the developers: There are many Google search results for "iphone supermemo". This would be an excellent search term to work on. When/If googledocs is integrated your software would be the logical alternative on the iphone. You could also offer an import for the supermemo card format. That would be amazing. Best of luck with this program, a thank you so much for making it!!!

Best Spanish iPhone App out there  
By: cmslapis - Nov 21, 2009
Version: 1.7
I own many, many iphone flashcard apps, and this is the best for vocabulary building. It has 6000+ words -- including many advanced words, so even if you are at a higher level, you can build your vocaulary with this app. It is really one of the more sophisticated apps I've seen on the iphone, period, and certainly in the educational realm. I also like how every once in a while during the flashcards (which I have set up to show me English, and I'll choose Spanish) it will show me a Spanish word first. It has this subtle effect of having me start to think of words interchangably -- meaning for second, I don't know whether it's an English word or a Spanish one, but I know what it means.
They made it bizarrely difficult to find the app in iTunes, however. I only found it through the Genius recs, and even when trying to write this review, I had a very had time finding it. Perhaps it needs more meta data about being a Spanish program, and not just a "memorize" program.
If you are trying to build your Spanish vocabulary at any level, get this app. And even if you are a beginner, I would immediately enable the verb list (the default settings are nouns and adjectives, I think). You can't get far without having some of the key verbs down cold. This app will not teach you conjugation, sentence structure, or grammar. But it will teach you the meaning of Spanish words (including the multiple meanings many of them have), and it does it well.

A great and well-thought-out language tutoring app  
By: Lunarparcel - Nov 20, 2009
Version: 1.7
I am truly impressed by this application. After having used it quite a lot over this past week, it is very evident to me that the developers really thought this one out. Not only is the interface very well laid out, visually appealing, and functionally responsive, but it offers a depth of interaction that provides a very comfortable, seamless, and engaging learning experience.
Of course, the Flashcards approach is a no-brainer. On the surface, this provides the foundation of your conscious learning process, and they have implemented it very well. But underneath the surface, they've added some clever magic that lets the app monitor your progress and tunes itself over time to match the content repetition and complexity to your own developing competency -and keeps it all cut down to comfortable bite-sized chunks to keep you engaged but able to fit a little but of learning in on a daily basis.
And then they cleverly re-enforce the learning process through the use of 4 simple word-puzzle games (such as WordFind and Hangman, etc) that offer a simple way to test yourself or foster your own ong-going language learning process while also having a little bit of challenging fun.
Note that these are not "gamer" games - they are fairly simple in execution, but well designed to suit their intended purpose. I think that their inclusion in this app was a stroke of genius.
Finally, there is also the very nice added feature of audio clips of each word spoken by a native Spanish speaker. VERY nice. This quickly comes in handy when the appropriate pronunciation of a word is in question, (which, for me is a lot) and you can choose to tap the little speaker icon on the screen to hear how it should sound. If I had anything negative to say about this app at all, it would be that the actual audio files sound over-modulated, sounding a little distorted and marring the clarity of the words.
After having tried to learn Spanish in different ways over the years, this is the first time that I feel like I'm really getting a grasp on the language and feeling very comfortable with the learning process.
This app is a winner. Great job Componica.

Pretty much how language education should be done on the iPhone  
By: PlayingDoctr - Nov 17, 2009
Version: 1.6
Im not one to think that you can totally learn a forign language on the iPhone. What I do think is important, is building up my vocabulary. Its something that can only really be done by being emersed in an environment or doing alot of reading in that language. This app makes it easy for me to learn a few new words each day, and is able to figure out what words I need to be reminded of to help cement those in. Nice work!

Great Learning App!!  
By: blueyes806 - Nov 17, 2009
Version: 1.7
I was very skeptical about an app like this, but was pleasently surprised!! I got this app just hours ago, but have already learned so many new words just from doing this app. There are different ways to learn, like using flashcards that you can flip over to see the meaning of the word. There are also games to help you learn. Memory is one in which you match the word in english to the spanish word. I would highly recommend this app to anyone wanting to learn more spanish.

very personal learning  
By: checkyaself - Nov 13, 2009
Version: 1.7
i love how you can adapt your settings to the speed you can/want to learn. having the flexibility as to number of words it will teach you is a huge bonus, plus the games and flashcards give an added dimesion. i've had other spanish translation apps, and this is much more complete. the dictionary is comprehensive and the user interface i found very easy. instructions at every step if needed. obviously, i am a big fan of this app, and am ditching my other spanish apps.

Great for fine tuning your Spanish and passing the time!  
By: mizibean - Nov 12, 2009
Version: 1.7
I just downloaded this app and already love it. I haven't spoken Spanish since college and this app has made it easy for me to brush up on my Spanish skills. I love that I can put in a few minutes a day at any time and see improvement. Additionally, this app has some great games that not only supplement the learning skills but, are also fabulous for passing the time. As there is such a large database of words, I don't think I will cycle through the words anytime soon.

Delivers the goods  
By: Neurodoc from NJ - Nov 10, 2009
Version: 1.7
This is a serious app with a massive database that does what it promises.
Vocabulary training is obviously just one aspect of learning a language, but it's a crucial aspect. Without a way to capture new words and guarantee they'll be rehearsed, they tend to slip away. This app goes well beyond regular flashcards and word lists, and does a lot of things right.
For example, nouns are always listed with their articles (essential for learning grammatical gender), even when feminine nouns like "agua" use masculine articles. Multiple translations are given when appropriate, and cognates (words that resemble each other in both languages) are included when possible. Regional variants (from Spain and Mexico) are also included when relevant.
The latest version (1.7) allows for great control over the lessons. The user can choose which words the app will present (for example, to reinforce classroom lessons), or let the app design the lessons, or any combination. Users can also choose parts of speech, numbers of new words per lesson, Spanish to English or vice versa, and review new words in between lessons. In just a month, I've already fed in many word lists and replaced most of my handwritten flashcards.
The only thing I'd request is more of what the app already does: more words, more translations, perhaps the ability to personalize flashcards. Meanwhile, the developer has been extremely responsive to my suggestions, some of which are quite picky.
Developers like this deserve to be supported, and the app is a bargain even at full price. In fact, it's so well thought out that I hope the concept can be expanded to other languages.

Great job! Some suggestions...  
By: Bradgib - Sep 30, 2009
Version: 1.6
Wonderful app - I use it all the time, and in general I love it. Here's some things you could improve, though:
* It would be great to have some way for a user to skip learning words he or she already knows. I am familiar with many of the words already, and am good enough with probably about 1000 of them not to need further practice. A "skip" or "send to review" button on "Learning Words" screen, to skip it and replace it with a new one to learn, would be useful. Or some way of choosing an approximate difficulty level at which to start when very first using the app.
* Why can't the user input his/her own number for "Max Learning/Review Cards Per Day"? I'd find this helpful.
* I've noticed that for most words, the most commonly used meaning is on the bottom of the card rather than the top. This may well be intentional, to make sure the user learns *all* meanings and not just the most common. I just wanted to point it out in case it's not intentional, however.
* The card for "Estados Unidos" uses the article "el," when this word is, of, course, plural.
* Are you ever planning on adding more words, or coming out with an "Intermediate" or "Advanced" application?
There are other things, I know, that I would recommend be improved... however, it's late, and I don't have time to think of them all and type them up here. Perhaps I'll post them later on. Until next time, though, thanks for the great app!

A terrible piece of software for those trying to AVOID learning spanish! As bad as Super Memo! =]  
By: Cappiello - Nov 26, 2009
Version: 1.7
Seriously though, this is exactly what I've been looking for. I've learned 20 new words a day, every day I've used it. When I had a palm I used a program called Super Memo. Both programs use spaced repetition to help you lock in words and basically never forget them. It's done by helping you review the word just before you forget it...over and over. Each time you recal it successfully the span that you retain it becomes longer. It's a fantastic way to learn, so good in fact that once you start using a spaced repetition system you'll never be satisfied using regular flashcards. =]
I've been waiting on an alternative to Super Memo since I made the switch to the iPhone. This is it. In addition to the great implementation of a SR algorythm their are a bunch of other great features.
Games that reinforce the words you are learning.
Pronunciation for every word and audio only flashcards.
Great set up for leaning Spanish to English as well as English to Spanish
Straight forward interface, clean, functional. (wouldn't custom wallpaper would be fun =)
The ability to view the words by difficulty: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced and remove words you already know ahead of time. (You can also do this on the fly which is great)
It also contains over 6000 words, built in, so you don't have to manage a list before you get started!
The one feature that I would love to see added is this:
A connection to GoogleDocs, that would allow you to set up additional Q&A pairs that could then be added to the main list of words (much like words you choose to learn manually in the program are). Because GoogleDocs can open .csv files and many flash card lists can be converted into .cvs format, this would open the program to thousands of freely available lists (in just about every language) and make it super easy to add fun words and phrases of your own. (For an example of how this might work there is a simple flashcard app in the appstore that connects to GoogleDocs in this way)
So the bottom line is this, if you are learning spanish this is the most bang you can possibly get for your money. You're doing yourself a disservice not to go ahead and get it. Each day that passes is 20 new words you could have learned!
*A note to the developers: There are many Google search results for "iphone supermemo". This would be an excellent search term to work on. When/If googledocs is integrated your software would be the logical alternative on the iphone. You could also offer an import for the supermemo card format. That would be amazing. Best of luck with this program, a thank you so much for making it!!!

Best Spanish iPhone App out there  
By: cmslapis - Nov 21, 2009
Version: 1.7
I own many, many iphone flashcard apps, and this is the best for vocabulary building. It has 6000+ words -- including many advanced words, so even if you are at a higher level, you can build your vocaulary with this app. It is really one of the more sophisticated apps I've seen on the iphone, period, and certainly in the educational realm. I also like how every once in a while during the flashcards (which I have set up to show me English, and I'll choose Spanish) it will show me a Spanish word first. It has this subtle effect of having me start to think of words interchangably -- meaning for second, I don't know whether it's an English word or a Spanish one, but I know what it means.
They made it bizarrely difficult to find the app in iTunes, however. I only found it through the Genius recs, and even when trying to write this review, I had a very had time finding it. Perhaps it needs more meta data about being a Spanish program, and not just a "memorize" program.
If you are trying to build your Spanish vocabulary at any level, get this app. And even if you are a beginner, I would immediately enable the verb list (the default settings are nouns and adjectives, I think). You can't get far without having some of the key verbs down cold. This app will not teach you conjugation, sentence structure, or grammar. But it will teach you the meaning of Spanish words (including the multiple meanings many of them have), and it does it well.

A great and well-thought-out language tutoring app  
By: Lunarparcel - Nov 20, 2009
Version: 1.7
I am truly impressed by this application. After having used it quite a lot over this past week, it is very evident to me that the developers really thought this one out. Not only is the interface very well laid out, visually appealing, and functionally responsive, but it offers a depth of interaction that provides a very comfortable, seamless, and engaging learning experience.
Of course, the Flashcards approach is a no-brainer. On the surface, this provides the foundation of your conscious learning process, and they have implemented it very well. But underneath the surface, they've added some clever magic that lets the app monitor your progress and tunes itself over time to match the content repetition and complexity to your own developing competency -and keeps it all cut down to comfortable bite-sized chunks to keep you engaged but able to fit a little but of learning in on a daily basis.
And then they cleverly re-enforce the learning process through the use of 4 simple word-puzzle games (such as WordFind and Hangman, etc) that offer a simple way to test yourself or foster your own ong-going language learning process while also having a little bit of challenging fun.
Note that these are not "gamer" games - they are fairly simple in execution, but well designed to suit their intended purpose. I think that their inclusion in this app was a stroke of genius.
Finally, there is also the very nice added feature of audio clips of each word spoken by a native Spanish speaker. VERY nice. This quickly comes in handy when the appropriate pronunciation of a word is in question, (which, for me is a lot) and you can choose to tap the little speaker icon on the screen to hear how it should sound. If I had anything negative to say about this app at all, it would be that the actual audio files sound over-modulated, sounding a little distorted and marring the clarity of the words.
After having tried to learn Spanish in different ways over the years, this is the first time that I feel like I'm really getting a grasp on the language and feeling very comfortable with the learning process.
This app is a winner. Great job Componica.

Pretty much how language education should be done on the iPhone  
By: PlayingDoctr - Nov 17, 2009
Version: 1.6
Im not one to think that you can totally learn a forign language on the iPhone. What I do think is important, is building up my vocabulary. Its something that can only really be done by being emersed in an environment or doing alot of reading in that language. This app makes it easy for me to learn a few new words each day, and is able to figure out what words I need to be reminded of to help cement those in. Nice work!

Great Learning App!!  
By: blueyes806 - Nov 17, 2009
Version: 1.7
I was very skeptical about an app like this, but was pleasently surprised!! I got this app just hours ago, but have already learned so many new words just from doing this app. There are different ways to learn, like using flashcards that you can flip over to see the meaning of the word. There are also games to help you learn. Memory is one in which you match the word in english to the spanish word. I would highly recommend this app to anyone wanting to learn more spanish.

very personal learning  
By: checkyaself - Nov 13, 2009
Version: 1.7
i love how you can adapt your settings to the speed you can/want to learn. having the flexibility as to number of words it will teach you is a huge bonus, plus the games and flashcards give an added dimesion. i've had other spanish translation apps, and this is much more complete. the dictionary is comprehensive and the user interface i found very easy. instructions at every step if needed. obviously, i am a big fan of this app, and am ditching my other spanish apps.

Great for fine tuning your Spanish and passing the time!  
By: mizibean - Nov 12, 2009
Version: 1.7
I just downloaded this app and already love it. I haven't spoken Spanish since college and this app has made it easy for me to brush up on my Spanish skills. I love that I can put in a few minutes a day at any time and see improvement. Additionally, this app has some great games that not only supplement the learning skills but, are also fabulous for passing the time. As there is such a large database of words, I don't think I will cycle through the words anytime soon.

Delivers the goods  
By: Neurodoc from NJ - Nov 10, 2009
Version: 1.7
This is a serious app with a massive database that does what it promises.
Vocabulary training is obviously just one aspect of learning a language, but it's a crucial aspect. Without a way to capture new words and guarantee they'll be rehearsed, they tend to slip away. This app goes well beyond regular flashcards and word lists, and does a lot of things right.
For example, nouns are always listed with their articles (essential for learning grammatical gender), even when feminine nouns like "agua" use masculine articles. Multiple translations are given when appropriate, and cognates (words that resemble each other in both languages) are included when possible. Regional variants (from Spain and Mexico) are also included when relevant.
The latest version (1.7) allows for great control over the lessons. The user can choose which words the app will present (for example, to reinforce classroom lessons), or let the app design the lessons, or any combination. Users can also choose parts of speech, numbers of new words per lesson, Spanish to English or vice versa, and review new words in between lessons. In just a month, I've already fed in many word lists and replaced most of my handwritten flashcards.
The only thing I'd request is more of what the app already does: more words, more translations, perhaps the ability to personalize flashcards. Meanwhile, the developer has been extremely responsive to my suggestions, some of which are quite picky.
Developers like this deserve to be supported, and the app is a bargain even at full price. In fact, it's so well thought out that I hope the concept can be expanded to other languages.