In fact, the quality of a Spanish learning program is probably inversely proportional to the ridiculousness of its claims.  Quality programs like Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur confidently state what they think their respective programs can do for you, but avoid making any outlandish claims.  Other programs, which shall remain nameless to avoid giving them publicity, make such ridiculous marketing claims you’d think their products could cure cancer.

There Are No Shortcuts

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to learning Spanish.  Intensive drilling is still the most effective way to learn any language.  Fancy audio and computer programs make the drilling seem less like work, but in the end that’s exactly what you’re doing:  drills.  Vocabulary drills, grammar drills, listening drills, speaking drills…they are all essential to solidify the language in your mind.  FSI Spanish may be boring, but it is also amazingly effective and represents probably the best value for the money of any Spanish learning program out there.  Why?  It’s composed almost entirely of drills.  By the time you’re finished with it, you WILL speak Spanish.

The moral of the story is to be wary of outlandish claims.  It will take months of hard study (an hour per day at least) to get to an advanced level and many months after that to reach something approaching fluency.  Sure, watching Spanish movies and reading Spanish news online are great ways to practice what you’ve learned, but in the end it’s the drills that will make or break you.