$20 gets you my book, the extras and 30 minutes with me on Zoom to find out why you freeze in Spanish.
You’ve done the apps. The waiter still answers fast and you don’t understand ni papa (not a single word). Read the stories, use the extras, then we talk and I tell you exactly what to fix first.
I’m Mónica, a Spanish teacher from Madrid. 11+ years teaching, 600+ students at my school, DELE examiner (the official Spanish exam) and former Spanish tutor at the University of Western Australia.
Book arrives by email right after you pay · Book your call within 7 days · Spanglish welcome
- The book How to Speak Spanish with a Narco, a Philosopher and a Real Human
- Your 30-minute Spanish Speaking Roadmap with me (normally $20)
- Extras: Narcos mini course, Juan Nadie mini course for beginners, booklets and the No-Guiris Madrid guide
your
Roadmap
This book is for people who are sick of feeling stupid every time they try to speak Spanish.
If you've downloaded every app, watched the videos, memorised the rules and still freeze when it's time to speak… this book is for you.
Sound familiar?
- “I understood every word… and I just froze.”
- “The moment I made a mistake, they switched to English.” And you wanted the floor to swallow you.
- “They answer you like you’re fluent. That’s when you freeze.”
- “Some days I can hold a conversation. Other days I can’t.”
- “I’ve never had to produce a sentence with someone waiting on me.”
That’s how learners describe it, again and again. Nobody ever trained you to speak it. That’s what this book does.
This time, you understand. And you answer.
You walk into the bar and order your caña and your tapa in Spanish. The waiter answers fast… and you understand him. You answer back, and he doesn’t switch to English. Your neighbour stops to chat, and this time you don’t smile, nod and run away.
That’s the goal of this book: Spanish you can actually use when someone talks to you.
You've done everything "right". So why can't you speak?
What you've tried
When I was learning English, I had a 924-day streak on Duolingo. Nine hundred and twenty-four days in a row. At school I was the perfect student: good grades, homework done, grammar rules memorised.
Maybe that's you with Spanish. The apps, the streak, the grammar book, the verb tables. Maybe even classes.
Why it didn't work
All of that teaches you about a language. None of it trains you to speak it, in real time, with a real person waiting for your answer.
I was waiting to be "ready". One more course. One more book. One more level. Ready never arrived.
What it's costing you
In Spanish, soy muy lista. I can be funny, sarcastic, I can explain complicated things. In English, for a long time, I sounded like an 8-year-old. I built every sentence in Spanish, translated it word by word… and by the time it was ready, the conversation had moved on.
So I did what you probably do: smile. Nod. "Sorry?" Smile again. Surrounded by the language all day, and completely alone.
What I do differently
That's why, after 11+ years teaching, I created the Spanglish Story Method: Spanish through stories, not tables. Only 5% grammar, the part you actually need. And you start using it from page one, with songs, a story and a conversation plan you can use with anyone.
Why it works
Your brain doesn't remember lists. It remembers stories, emotions and the things you actually use. My grandfather taught me that, and so did Aboriginal oral tradition: no textbooks, no tests, just stories that stick.
What you get
Less studying. Less freezing. More speaking. You stop collecting Spanish and start using it.
Here's what you'll discover inside ↓
What you'll discover inside
Short, honest and practical. You'll want to read it in one go.
- Why a magpie attacked me in my first week in Perth, and what that little demon taught me about the moment your brain freezes in a new language.
- The fish on Prozac (real research, in Australia), and why learning Spanish is a better mood booster than any pill.
- What a Greek philosopher and “The Dude” from The Big Lebowski have in common, and how their rule of pleasure keeps you learning when apps make you quit.
- The man who won the French Scrabble championship… without speaking French, and why memorising words with no context will never get you talking.
- The teacher who ran away from a London shopkeeper because of “fifteen” and “fifty”, and why one funny story beats 100 grammar drills.
- Why a very famous German dictator watched Charlie Chaplin's parody of him two days in a row, and how laughing makes your nerves disappear and the words stick.
- The Proclaimers song that taught me more English in one class than a whole school year, plus a Spanish playlist sorted by level.
- The 300 words that make up 80% of everyday Spanish, so you can stop stressing about the other 100,000 and start talking.
- What I called Bob Dylan by mistake, and the “mice purée” I offered a doctor, and why your most embarrassing mistakes become the words you never forget.
- In 14 years of English classes, only ONE teacher spoke English, and how to spot an “Adonis teacher” before you waste your money.
- Pablo Escobar's hippos (4 became 140), and how a crazy true story makes Spanish easy, even for beginners.
- Bonus: Juan Nadie, a mini-novel with soul banks, memory loss and sandwiches. Read one chapter a day and pick up 50+ real Spanish words without studying.
Every story lands in your inbox the minute you pay. Start with the magpie.
Send me the book · $20 →It’s more than a book. Here’s how it works, step by step.
Reading is the start. Speaking is the goal. Your $20 gets you three things, in this order:
Read the book
Real stories in Spanglish, only 5% grammar, and a conversation plan you can use from page one. You get it by email right after you buy.
Use the extras
Each one has a job: keep you practising between trips, without forcing yourself.
- 🎬Narcos mini course
Based on the series. You watch each episode and I make it easier to understand, so you learn real Spanish from a story you can’t stop watching. Slang, swearing and street Spanish included. - 📖Juan Nadie, mini course for beginners
One short chapter a day. 50+ real words without opening a grammar book. - 📚Booklets
Basic vocabulary and grammar in one place, plus links to activities and resources online. For when you want a bit of grammar, or a quick reference to check something. - 🗺️No-Guiris Madrid guide (guiri = tourist, in Madrid slang)
The Madrid locals know. Use your Spanish where it actually matters, not in tourist traps. - 📩Emails with tips
Short, practical tips and Spanglish stories in your inbox, so you keep improving between trips without forcing yourself. - 🎥Live classes for readers
From time to time I open a live class just for people on my list. Real practice with me, at no extra cost.
Book your Spanish Speaking Roadmap (included · normally $20)
30 minutes with me on Zoom. Yes, I’m a DELE examiner, but this is not an exam. It’s a personal assessment, with tips to help you get the most out of the book and the extras. Spanglish is fine. You can’t fail this call.
I offer this session because I really want this book and its content to help you.
What we do:
- We start in English and move into Spanish little by little, so you don’t go blank
- I listen to how you speak today and find what’s really stopping you: words, speed, fear or pronunciation
- I tell you what to focus on, and what to stop wasting time on
- I choose resources for your level and your goals, and show you how to use the book and the extras for them
What you leave with: a clear plan to improve your Spanish in less time, with resources personalised for you. Book it within 7 days of buying.
At the end, if you’re a good fit, I’ll offer you the chance to join my classes: La Tribu (small groups) or private lessons. But I’m a teacher, not a salesperson. No pressure, no sales tricks. I don’t want unhappy students in my classes, so it’s completely up to you. I only work with people who are the right fit and really want to do it.
30 minutes with a DELE examiner usually costs $20. With the book it’s included, and you can book it before you read a single page.
Get the book and book my call →Why I can't teach without stories
"I turn Spanish into stories that stick in your mind."
I've been teaching Spanish for more than 11 years, and I've helped 600+ students at my school start speaking Spanish.
When I was a child, my grandfather used to tell me stories. They weren't just bedtime tales. They were lessons about life, family, courage and imagination.
Years later, when I moved to Australia, I discovered that Aboriginal culture passed down knowledge for generations through stories. No textbooks. No tests. Just narratives shared around the fire.
And I thought: that's it. That's how we're supposed to learn. Not with pressure. Not with drills. With stories that move us, and stick.
From my grandfather's voice… to Aboriginal oral tradition… to your first real conversation in Spanish. Welcome to the Spanish Tribe.
— Monica Bernabe Perez
Real Google reviews from my students
“She’s not a great fan of traditional grammar-based lessons… She wants to get you speaking and communicating. And she listens to you, resisting the temptation to constantly interrupt to correct your errors.”
Graham Tillotson
“I really enjoy the conversation classes at BlanBla. Monica is well prepared with activities that stimulate interesting conversation as well as focus on grammar or vocabulary growth. She is a patient listener and her Spanish is easy to understand.”
Megan Burley
“By telling stories and using news, ads and music we’re able to easily process the language.”
Nicola Roque
“I have found this to be the easiest and most efficient way to learn Spanish.”
Ratu Knight
Graham, Megan, Nicola and Ratu learned with me in Perth. The book is how I teach them, in stories you can read on the plane.
Buy the book + Roadmap · $20 →Frequently asked questions
Is this book for beginners?
Yes… but not the kind of beginner who wants to memorise grammar tables. It's for you if you understand some Spanish (even a little) and want to start using it, not just studying it.
Do I need to study grammar first?
No. If grammar has been slowing you down, this will feel like a relief. You'll still absorb structure, but in a way that sticks, because it's connected to meaning and context.
What will I be able to do after reading it?
You won't "finish the book and become fluent." Let's not lie to ourselves. But you'll approach speaking without freezing, form real sentences faster, stop translating everything in your head and feel more comfortable jumping into conversations.
Is this another "learn Spanish fast" promise?
No. And honestly… run from anything that says that. This is slower, more real, more human. But it works, because it's how language is actually learned.
I've tried learning Spanish before and failed.
Then you're not the problem. You were probably taught in a way that doesn't translate to real conversation. This book gives you a more natural, less frustrating way in.
Is it just reading, or is there audio too?
It's designed to be read, but there are audio and video extras, and more are being added over time.
Does it include speaking practice?
Yes. Beyond the book, you get a 30-minute Spanish Speaking Roadmap with me: we talk, I find what's stopping you, and I tell you the best way to start speaking.
Start reading. Start speaking.
Your next trip is coming. You can freeze again, smile, nod and point at the menu. Or you can start speaking now. The book, the extras and 30 minutes with me, for $20 (about £15).
Buy the book · $20 (about £15) →— Monica Bernabe Perez