Become Fluent
Immersion programs with our partner schools
Study in Costa Rica, Guatemala, or Peru, living in Spanish every day.
Learn Spanish by living it
The Become Fluent method: prepare with our app and lessons with Ross or a tutor trained in his method, then take your Spanish on a trip built around food, culture, and conversation.
- 15years of teaching
- 300+students, all ages and backgrounds
- Free30-minute speaking assessment with Ross
The problem
You have spent months on apps and classes. You still cannot hold a conversation.
Become Fluent measures progress by what you can say, and a trip is the final test.
The path
Four steps, in order. Each one gets you ready for the next.
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1
Assess
A free 30-minute speaking assessment with Ross.
You receive: your level (CEFR), a goal tied to a real situation, and a plan. What the assessment covers
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2
Study
A guided, personalized course in the app keeps you on track every day. Lessons with Ross or another tutor trained in his method put you in conversation from the first session.
You receive: lessons built around your goal, and flashcards, reading, listening and games in the app. The app runs on Windows and Mac and is free. Download the app
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3
Travel
Take what you have built on a trip: programs with our partner schools in Costa Rica, Guatemala, or Peru, or a gastronomic trip with Ross in Spain or Mexico.
You receive: Spanish used for real tasks, with a group. See the trips
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4
Belong
Meet other learners in the app and practice with people who are on the same road.
You receive: access to our private student community chat and an invite to our live monthly virtual speaking table.
The trip: Mexico City, December
Take what you practice in lessons into everyday life. A small group spends time in Mexico City, shops in a market, takes a cooking class, and interviews people. Meals are shared, and they are part of the method, so Spanish becomes the language you live in for a while, not just the one you study.
Our lessons cover culture and history, so you can visit with respect and contribute socially and economically to the places you go.
- Dates: December 14 to 23
- Price: from $1,000 per person
- Group size: up to 10
A gastronomic trip with Ross, in Spain or Mexico
A custom trip built around food, markets, and the people who make it. We plan it together, so it fits your goals, your dates, and your group.
How lessons work
We speak from the first session
Even beginners spend lesson time speaking Spanish, with corrections in the moment.
Plans follow your goal
Vocabulary and scenarios are built around your goal, such as travel, family, work, or a specific trip.
Culture is the material
Food, markets, traditions, music, and customs are the content used to teach grammar and vocabulary, so you learn what people actually say.
Speaking checkpoints
Every 4 weeks you do a short speaking check, so you see progress in what you can say.
Our method: learning through immersion · How long does it take to learn Spanish? · Six learning habits
Tutors
Your tutor is a native speaker of the language you are learning, and every tutor teaches the same Become Fluent method, so what you do in live lessons lines up with your practice in the app. We treat study as something done with others, and learning a language as joining a linguistic community and its culture.
Ross Torres
Founder and tutor
Ross is a linguist and philosopher with 15 years of teaching experience. He holds a BA in Philosophy from San Francisco State University and an MA in Romance Languages from the University of New Orleans.
- Native speaker of English and Spanish
- Fluent in French, Italian, and Portuguese
- Has taught in the United States, Mexico, Italy, and Portugal
What students say
“Now I run most of my Spanish-language visits on my own.”
Family physician
Full review
I'm a family physician, and about a third of my patients speak Spanish as their first language. For years I relied on interpreters or my own broken phrases, and I always felt I was missing part of the conversation. I worked with Become Fluent twice a week for six months. The lessons were built around my actual work: taking a history, explaining a diagnosis, going over medications, and the small talk that puts a nervous patient at ease. We role-played appointments, and Become Fluent pushed me to handle the parts that don't go to script, like a patient who answers a different question than the one I asked. Now I run most of my Spanish-language visits on my own. I still use an interpreter for complex or high-stakes conversations, but my patients can talk to me directly, and I can hear what they're telling me. Several have mentioned it. That was the goal, and I got there.
“I passed with a perfect score.”
AP Spanish exam
Full review
I started with Become Fluent already behind and pretty overwhelmed, unsure I'd even be ready for the AP Spanish exam in time. They built a study plan that actually matched where I was, not some generic curriculum, and broke down exactly which skills needed the most work (listening comprehension and timed writing were my weak spots). Sessions were structured but never rigid; we adjusted as my needs changed. What made the biggest difference was consistent practice with real exam-format material combined with targeted vocabulary and grammar review, so I wasn't just cramming, I was actually building fluency. I passed with a perfect score. I'd recommend Become Fluent to anyone serious about the AP exam, especially if you're starting from a place of feeling behind, like I was.
“It was very helpful to have someone guide me through the exercises and correct me when I am wrong, explaining my mistakes.”
Spanish for travel
Full review
Become Fluent taught me the basics of Spanish and walked me through the necessary vocabulary to get around in Spain. We focused on pronunciation, as well as grammar. It was very helpful to have someone guide me through the exercises and correct me when I am wrong, explaining my mistakes. Become Fluent provided lots of materials (different textbooks) which made the lesson structured. They helped me challenge myself by reading short stories, which was difficult at first but easier with practice. Definitely recommend them as a tutor to anyone interested in learning a new language!
“They are so knowledgeable, always ready with a resource, and offer such lovely insight into any subject.”
Full review
Become Fluent was the absolute best! I have learned so much in my time with them and am so looking forward to continuing my studies. They are so knowledgeable, always ready with a resource, and offer such lovely insight into any subject. A great conversationalist, even in a language I'm struggling to speak. I would highly recommend Become Fluent to anyone looking to start learning or increase their language skills.
More from students
“I have come a long way with Become Fluent. ... Now I figured out what I needed for my learning preferences and where I was lagging, and we have come up with a plan to combat that.”
“Very thorough, keeps me on track, moves at a good pace, ready to be fluent!! Always prepared and always very patient! Great tutor!”
“Great patience and knowledge of not just the language but interesting facts about the origins of words and expressions that make learning less mundane.”
“I like the variety of communicating, reading, studying grammar... I feel like I progress so much more working with Become Fluent than I ever have on my own. My teacher is always patient, interesting, and funny, and offers so many useful resources.”
“I loved that Become Fluent always comes up with new material to help my learning and retention.”
“Very patient and helpful. I do not feel rushed and have time to practice. I have tools to study and enhance on my own with what I learned.”
“We had a great session today. We read a funny book and had a discussion on travel and food.”
“Fantastic, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and generous!”
Before and after
What 12 weeks of speaking practice sounds like
- Week 1 (Beginner / Rusty Intermediate): Relying on translated phrases, pausing to search for verb endings, and sticking to safe, one-sentence answers.
- Week 12: Navigating unscripted 20-minute conversations, asking follow-up questions naturally, ordering and bargaining at a market, and catching local idioms in real time.
Pricing
The first 30-minute speaking assessment is free. Lessons are 60 minutes.
- Lessons with Rossfrom $100 an hour
- Lessons with another tutor trained in the methodfrom $50 an hour
Weekly coaching
Regular weekly sessions with a plan built around your goal.
With a Become Fluent tutor — $180 / month
Four 60-minute weekly sessions, save 10%.
With Ross — $360 / month
Four 60-minute weekly sessions, save 10%.
Custom study plan built around your goal, full access to the Become Fluent desktop app, asynchronous voice-note feedback between classes, and monthly 4-week speaking checkpoints.
10-Session Immersion Prep Package
Intensive preparation for an upcoming trip, exam, or professional goal.
With a Become Fluent tutor — $425
$42.50 / hour, save 15%.
With Ross — $850
$85 / hour, save 15%.
Ten 60-minute 1-on-1 sessions focused on real-world travel, medical, or professional scenarios, tailored cultural and regional vocabulary modules, priority scheduling, and full app and community access. Valid for 6 months from purchase.
Community
After your trip—or between your weekly lessons—you stay immersed in Spanish. All active students and trip alumni receive access to our private student community chat for daily conversation prompts, local music and food recommendations, and voice-note practice, plus an invitation to our hosted virtual Tertulia (speaking social) on the first Wednesday of every month.
Book your free speaking assessment
30 minutes with Ross to place your level, pick the right tutor, and plan your first weeks. Pick a time that works for you.
- Call (332) 209-9576
- Text Text us at (332) 209-9576
- Email Email us
Specialized programs and other languages
- Medical Spanish for healthcare professionals
- Spanish for nonprofit and community staff
- French
- European Portuguese
Policies
Cancellation
You may cancel single lessons or pause your monthly coaching subscription at any time. To avoid being charged for an upcoming scheduled session, please cancel at least 24 hours before your lesson start time. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours' notice are billed as a completed session.
Rescheduling
Life happens. You can reschedule any lesson free of charge with at least 24 hours' advance notice through your student portal or by texting or emailing your tutor directly. Rescheduled lessons must be completed within 30 days of the original session date.
Refunds
Unused lessons on monthly plans can be rolled over by one billing cycle or refunded on a prorated basis within 14 days of billing. Unused sessions from a 10-session package are eligible for a prorated refund (calculated at the standard single-lesson rate for sessions already taken) within 30 days of purchase. Trip deposits are 100% refundable up to 60 days before departure and 50% refundable between 30 and 59 days before departure; within 30 days of departure, trip tuition may be transferred to another traveler or applied at 50% toward 1-on-1 tutoring.