Three of your best sources will be #1. Immigrants who primarily speak spanish more than english, #2. The spanish soaps in the evenings on the spanish channels, and #3. A set of books and tapes.

The books and tapes will teach you to pronounce the basics, which is a good start. You’ll need this to learn basic verbs and how to ask simple questions. But you can’t learn it all from a book, because books are often very formal language which people don’t necessary use everyday. You need what I call "street language" too (or everyday language). Otherwise, spanish speakers may understand what you’re saying but that’s not the way that they themselves would say it.

Make friends with immigrants who speak spanish. I’ll tell you why.
When you speak spanish to an hispanic american who speaks
both english and spanish, that person is going to answer you in english. They’ll say in english "Oh, my. That’s very nice".But the rsult is, you never learn to become accustomed to exchanging words in spanish because that person answers you in english.

But an immigrant is happy to find an american who can communicate in their spanish language, AND WILL BE REALLY HAPPY TO HELP you with pronouciations and exchanging everyday words. The spanish-speaking immigrant will answer you in spanish language, which is exactly what your ears will need to get accustomed to hearing (the rythm of the words, inflections in the voice, etc.).

Once you’ve learn how to spell and write some words, spend some evenings watching the spanish soaps. Have a paper and pencil ready to take notes. Watching the actors interact with each other in the scens, not only will you eventually pick up on words all by yourself, but will also pick up on "when to use the words" or "the moment" to use the words, and how to use inflections in your tone of voice.

When with immigrant friends, point to different things and ask ‘what do you call that in spanish?" Write it down! And practice. Record what you’ve learned(especially common language) on a cassette tape. Put on your headphones and listen to yourself. Or leave the headphones repeat-pronouciation out loud in the room.

Gradually (months) with the immigrant friends, spanish TV, and your notes & tapes, it all will come together like a TV gradually coming into focus. I promise.

Take my word for it.

Estoy segura que podrás mejorar mucho, pero recuerda que no es sencillo. El Español es un idioma muy amplio, solo con los verbos ya es demasiado. Hasta pronto.