Spanish will be the language of choice today at festivities across the nation and on St. Paul's West Side for Cinco de Mayo, a commemoration of the victory of the Mexican Army over the French in 1862. But if your Spanish vocabulary is limited to "hola" and "fiesta," you may be looking for ways to improve your skills. Here are five ways to learn Spanish:

STUDY ON YOUR OWN

There are dozens of books, tapes and software programs promising an easy way to learn Spanish.

Pros: Language programs can be very inexpensive. You can even check them out free from the library. They're also convenient. Audio programs let you study in your car during a long commute or trip.

Cons: The biggest problem with self-study is motivation. Dr. Pierina Beckman, associate professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature at the University of North Texas, Beckman admits she has bought many programs for learning new languages that have never made it out of the box.

"The commitment of having someone else involved — if you have to pay a tutor, if you have to pay an institution, if you have to enroll in a class. … If you're accountable for something, I think you will make the extra effort," she says. "That's just human nature."

Tips: Seek out conversation opportunities to augment your lessons. You can find local Spanish Language meet-up groups at spanish.meetup.com. Membership is free, but you must register at the Web site.

If you're not comfortable with a crowd, find a Spanish-speaking friend or co-worker who can help you practice.

TAKE A CLASS

Many universities and community colleges offer continuing education classes for various levels of Spanish.

Pros: By paying for a class, you've made a commitment to set aside time to learn. And your instructor can point out pronunciation errors and other mistakes.

Cons: Classes can be very grammar-intensive, like the ones you may remember from high school or college, as opposed to a more conversational approach. Montana Walsh, who teaches Spanish through her Language Cafe business, suggests sitting in on a class before you sign up so you'll know what to expect.

Tips: You're not likely to become fluent in Spanish by just attending a class a couple of times a week. As with self-study, practicing outside the class is critical.

FIND (OR START) A PROGRAM IN YOUR WORKPLACE

Some companies will pay employees and offer time off to take continuing education classes. Others will offer classes on-site if there's enough interest. If a program doesn't exist, consider getting one started.

Ellen Osburn, 42, owner of Therapeutic Innovations in Dallas, recently enlisted Walsh's company to teach Spanish to her administrative staff.

Therapeutic Innovations provides pediatric therapy, and many of its clients are Spanish-speaking.

"The children are our clients, but so are the parents, and to be able to show them that you're making an effort to try to communicate with them is big," Osburn says.

Pros: "If you want to learn Spanish for work, that's going to open up all kinds of possibilities because the Spanish market is big right now and everybody is trying to sell to the Spanish market," says Acela Garrett, vice president of Liaison Language Center in Dallas. "We have students that, within the first 60 hours, are in a very good position to talk to clients."

For the employee, taking classes at work or during a lunch break is convenient, and having co-workers in your class offers instant conversation opportunities.

Cons: Not all companies are willing to pay for classes, and for a small business, it can be a big investment.

Tips: "Get someone who is able to customize the program to be relevant to your profession," Osburn advises.

One such option is Command Spanish (www.commandspanish.com), a nationally accredited program that offers classes in several states.

If you decide to do it:

Berlitz (www.berlitz.com ), one of the oldest language-learning programs, offers workplace programs that teach both language and culture. Prices vary.

HIRE A PRIVATE TUTOR

Private tutors can help you learn at your own pace, and you'll get one-on-one instruction.

Pros: Instruction is tailored to your needs and schedule. Attorney Lisa Henry, 37, decided to learn Spanish when she became pregnant with her first child.

"It's so much easier to learn a language in the first five years of your life, and I thought it would give him a leg up," Henry says of her 5-month-old son, Beck.

Henry found tutor Henry Alfaro over the Internet and has been working with him since August. She says she has been particularly pleased that Alfaro adapts the lessons to her learning style.

Now, she's teaching her son some basic Spanish words so they'll be familiar as he learns to talk.

Cons: Tutoring is more expensive than taking a class. Rates range from $25 to $60 an hour.

If you decide to do it:

• www.languageschoolteachers.com lets you search for tutors in your area, or you can work with a tutor online. Registration is free, and your e-mail address is kept hidden.

• Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) is also a good place to find a tutor.

IMMERSE YOURSELF

Immersion programs can put you on the fast track to learning Spanish, language experts say.

Pros: In an immersion program, you're not only studying Spanish for several hours a day, but you're also interacting in the language. Many programs offer the opportunity to stay with a host family who can help you further hone your skills.

Cons: Immersion programs cost anywhere from about $400 to more than $1,000 plus airfare. Also, because of the cost and time required, many people can't afford to spend more than a couple of weeks in an immersion program, which may limit their progress, says Beckman. University students who study abroad generally spend five weeks in a program.

If you decide to do it:

• AmeriSpan (www.amerispan.com) offers a wide selection of programs in various locales. Although the company does earn a commission from the schools, it also offers an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of each.

"We actually choose the schools that we work with in each location, so basically we evaluate them based on curriculum, facilities, reputation and cost," says vice president Elizabeth Gregory.

• Once you've found some programs you're interested in, ask the school for names of former students who can tell you more about it.

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