How the 25-Minute Half Lesson Works at Spanish Tinto

Want to know exactly what happens in your first class, and what it costs? At Spanish Tinto you start with a half lesson: 25 minutes, 1:1 online, for $15 / €13. Here is how booking works, what the 25 minutes are for, and what comes after.

I am Santiago Garnica, a Colombian lawyer and Spanish tutor. I teach structured 1:1 Colombian / Latin American Spanish online, with short bridges in English (C1) or German (B2) when a rule needs clarity. The half lesson is how we check that method, pace and teacher fit you before you take a pack.

What the half lesson is (and what it is not)

A half lesson answers three questions a landing page cannot: Can you speak at your level? Does the style calm you? Is Colombian / Latin American Spanish what you want to hear?

It is a real, short lesson: half the length of a regular 50-minute lesson. It is not a webinar or a marketplace “message and hope”. You leave with a clear yes, no or not yet, and a small speaking target if you continue.

How booking works

This is the live path on spanishtinto.com. No WhatsApp wall, no marketplace account.

1. Pick your time in my Cal.com calendar from the booking page (USD or EUR). It shows your time zone and asks for your name and email.
2. Pay when you book ($15 / €13): you pay securely with PayPal inside Cal.com. Card or PayPal account both work.
3. Fill in the 2-minute form: after booking, please fill in this short form so I can prepare your class.

If you want to continue after the half lesson, you book single 50-minute lessons the same way on Cal.com, or buy a pack via PayPal on the site.

Before class: what to prepare

You do not need a long biography. Bring:

• One goal in plain language: travel, everyday conversation or work
• Your approximate level (true zero is fine)
• Your preferred bridge: English or German (or Spanish only, if you prefer)
• Your time zone and two time windows that usually work
• Optional: one painful moment (“I freeze on work calls”, “I order coffee and go blank”)

Logistics: a quiet space, a stable connection, and join on time. Please reschedule at least 24 hours ahead if something comes up.

During the 25 minutes (typical flow)

Minutes 0–5: arrive calm

We open in the language that keeps you calm (EN / DE / ES). You tell me your goal in one sentence. The point is to make speaking feel possible.

Minutes 5–15: level check through real speaking

You speak: greetings, a short intro, something about work or travel. I listen for sounds that block understanding, grammar that freezes under pressure and vocabulary gaps tied to your goal. Corrections are selective: three useful fixes beat twenty interruptions.

Minutes 15–22: Colombian Spanish and a small plan

You hear Colombian / Latin American Spanish on purpose: clear vowels, ustedes, everyday phrases you will actually meet. We sketch a simple plan: one weekly focus, a small speaking target, and whether one lesson a week fits your calendar.

Minutes 22–25: fit check

You should leave knowing whether method, pace and teacher feel right. If they do, we talk about packs honestly. If they do not, you stop there.

What you take away

• “My level is roughly X for my goal.”
• “I want English / German / Spanish as the bridge.”
• “My first weekly focus would be Y.”
• “Yes / no / not yet on continuing.”

After the half lesson: packs

If you continue, lessons are 50 minutes, 1:1 online, in USD or EUR. A single lesson is booked and paid on Cal.com (with PayPal); packs are paid via PayPal on the site:

• 1 lesson: $40 / €37
• 5 lessons: $170 / €155
• 10 lessons: $325 / €300 (recommended)
• 20 lessons: $600 / €550

Policies (as stated in the terms):

• Reschedule at least 24 hours ahead
• A no-show uses 1 credit (or the half lesson, if that was the booking)
• Lessons expire 6 months after purchase
• No refund on the first paid class or on a pack once it has started

Who the half lesson is for

• Beginners who want calm structure, not chaotic free chat
• A1–B2 learners who need a bridge in English or German
• Professionals who need Spanish for travel, everyday life or work
• Anyone who prefers booking directly on a real site over a marketplace

It is a weaker fit if you want Spain-only textbook Spanish as your only variety, or a promise of “fluent in 30 days”.

FAQ

How long is the half lesson and what does it cost?

25 minutes for $15 / €13. Regular lessons are 50 minutes. The half lesson is a focused first class: speaking sample, level, goal and a simple next step.

How do I book it?

Pick your time on Cal.com from the booking page on spanishtinto.com; you pay securely with PayPal when you book. If you continue, you buy a pack via PayPal on the site.

Do you explain in English or German?

Yes. Short bridges in English (C1) or German (B2) when a rule needs clarity. You choose in the half lesson; practice returns to Spanish as soon as it can.

What should I bring?

One goal (travel / everyday / work), your approximate level, your preferred language for explanations, your time zone, and optionally one moment where speaking felt hard.

Which pack should I take afterwards?

Most learners continue with the 10-lesson pack ($325 / €300). Also available: 1 lesson ($40 / €37), 5 lessons ($170 / €155) and 20 lessons ($600 / €550).

Can complete beginners start?

Yes. True zero is welcome. The 25 minutes show whether the pace and the explanation language work for you before you take a pack.

Book your half lesson

When you are ready: book your half lesson on Cal.com; you pay securely with PayPal when you book. Bring one goal and leave with a simple plan.

Related: Spanish tutor for beginners · Book without a marketplace · About Santiago