Spanish for dairy workers and ag professionals
Can You Afford Not To Save a Cow? Ensure Safety? Retain Your Workforce?
On the farm, miscommunication isn’t just frustrating — it can be a liability.
The good news is that you don’t need to be totally fluent. You need enough Spanish to give clear direction, catch mistakes before they cost you, and build trust that helps a crew work well together.
Spanish for Dairy is designed for English-speaking dairy professionals who work alongside Spanish-speaking colleagues or team members.
Whether you’re milking, managing or maintaining herd health, you’ll learn practical Spanish that improves communication, increases workplace safety and builds mutual respect.
Students of all stripes in this industry – veterinarians, herdsmen, farm managers, employees and hoof trimmers – take this course and find it to be a game-changer!
Which course level is right for you?
Most students, even those with previous Spanish experience, benefit from starting with our beginner course due to the agriculture-specific focus.
Beginner Level
(Recommended for most students)
Perfect if you:
✓ Know little to no Spanish
✓ Took Spanish in school but remember very little
✓ Want to start with dairy-specific basics
✓ Need practical communication skills fast
Intermediate Level
(Be honest with yourself)
You may be ready for intermediate if you can:
✓ Conjugate regular and irregular verbs
✓ Count from 0 to 1 million
✓ Use present tense confidently
✓ Distinguish between “ser” and “estar”
Fall Session Dates
The live portion of the course runs from September 22 – November 19
You’ll have 24/7 access to all course materials and live-session recordings, so you can revisit the content on your own time, plus scheduled access to Kate & TA for additional support through December 31.
Other important dates:
- September 2: Enrollment opens
- September 18: Last day to enroll for fall session
- September 22: Class begins
Beginner Spanish for Dairy
Beginner Spanish for Dairy is where most students start. No experience is needed; it starts from ground zero. No matter your role, this is the best place to begin.
On the farm, you’ll be able to: Call out ear tags and group numbers, describe objects like “the red bucket,” set schedules by day and date, name cow anatomy during health checks, and so much more!
Grammar Focus: Present tense, regular and irregular verbs, and simple sentence structure
Vocabulary Focus: Numbers, colors, objects, days/dates, cow anatomy, milking parlor terminology, prepositions/directions, etc.
Conversation Flow: Short, simple present-tense sentences and phrases. Every vocab word is repeated aloud in class for correct pronunciation.
You’ll leave this course with a working dairy and ag vocabulary, capable of speaking, writing, and hearing simple sentences and phrases, plus the grammar base to keep building.
Learning objectives
Upon finishing this course, students will be confidently able to:
- Conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the present tense
- Build simple sentences and phrases for everyday farm conversations
- Use numbers the way you actually use them: ear tags, group numbers, etc.
- Name colors and objects in context, like “the blue leg bands mean mastitis“
- Talk days, months, and dates for scheduling
- Name key parts of cow anatomy
- Pronounce Spanish sounds correctly
- Build a working dairy and ag vocabulary
Learn how to say...
Bring the cows in.
Trae las vacas.
Let's go!
Vámonos
Course details
- Level
- Length
9 Weeks
- Format
- Instructor
Katie Dotterer
Not able to join this time? Get on the waitlist for updates on upcoming sessions.
75% of students said
AgvoKate Spanish courses EXCEEDED their expectations
Intermediate Spanish for Dairy
The Intermediate Spanish for Dairy Course builds on beginner-level sentences to produce longer, more detailed conversations in past and future tenses.
On the farm, you’ll be able to: Explain what happened during a shift, describe how things used to be done, plan ahead with your team, give quick informal direction, and navigate the tricky nuance of “it”
- Who it’s for: If you’re already holding basic farm conversations, this course is for you. *No beginner’s course required. (Not quite sure? Take this assessment)
- Grammar Focus: Preterite, imperfect, future tense, informal commands
- Vocabulary Focus: Expanded dairy and ag vocabulary for real-world talk
You’ll leave this course ready to hold functional, real-world conversations on the farm.
Learning Objectives
Upon finishing this course, students will be confidently able to:
- Talk about the past using preterite and imperfect tenses
- Use future tense to plan ahead with your team
- Give informal commands for daily direction
- Navigate the nuance of “it,” since Spanish doesn’t have one single word for it the way English does
- Expand your dairy and ag vocabulary for real-world talk
What happened during the third shift last night?
¿Qué pasó durante el tercer turno anoche?
We will use it when we vaccinate next week.
Lo usaremos cuando vacunemos la próxima semana.
Student reviews
Josh B.
Megan W.
DVM
Course details
- Level
Intermediate
- Length
9 Weeks
- Format
- Instructor
Katie Dotterer
Not able to join this time? Get on the waitlist for updates on upcoming sessions.
Meet Your Instructor, Katie Dotterer
I grew up on a 3rd-generation dairy farm and went on to co-own and operate my own. For more than 20 years, I’ve worked alongside Spanish-speaking team members on dairies across the U.S. and, along the way, taught Agricultural Spanish as an adjunct professor.
I learned Spanish as my second language while working on my dairy farm. Now I teach it the way I wish someone had taught me; no boring textbook stuff, just real, applicable Spanish you’ll actually use.
What's Included in Both Spanish for Dairy Courses?
– 18 hours of video lessons (live and recorded) with interactive activities
– In-class practice with practical ag industry examples
– Digital flashcard decks for all vocabulary
– Practice worksheets tailored to your industry
– Custom vocabulary lists
– Online games and exercises
– Curated supplemental video/resource links
– Email your instructor with any questions
– Option to schedule 1-on-1 video sessions for extra help
– A pretty sweet certificate of completion at the end
How it works
1
Before Class Starts
- Register for class!
- Mark off 1 hour on Tuesday and Thursday evenings on your calendar.
- Actual class times can be found here.
- Gain access to all supplemental learning resources
- Plan to spend minimum 1 hour per week on homework/vocab practice
- Total weekly commitment: 3 hours (1 hour for each lesson, 1 hour for homework & practice)
2
During Class | Weeks 1-9
- Attending live is NOT mandatory, but highly encouraged
- SmartBoard and Learning Platform technology to give you the best experience
- All classes are recorded and available on-demand with password-protected access
- Interactive discussions with in-class activities and student participation
- Homework assignments to reinforce learning (it’s not overload, I promise)
- Regardless of which option you choose, you receive consistent, timely support no matter your pace/where you’re at in the course
- Review week in the middle (week four)
“This was a very effective class. I was engaged throughout the training, even though I viewed most sessions as recordings. I am recommending this class to my team and to leaders of other teams in our Dairy Unit. I learned a lot.”
– David K, Ph.D.
3
After Class | Weeks 10-16
- Access all class recordings for up to 6 weeks after the live sessions end
- Catch up on any missed lessons or homework assignments
- One- on -one office hours are also available when needed
This is a non-credit course, but you’ll walk away with a pretty sweet certificate—and proof that you put in the work to learn Spanish.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
What Resources Will Be Provided To Help Me?
Primary Resources:
- 18 hours of video lessons (live and recorded) with interactive activities
- In-class practice with practical ag industry examples: Student Participation Welcome!
Supplemental Materials:
- Digital flashcard decks for all vocabulary
- Practice worksheets tailored to your industry
- Custom vocabulary lists
- Online games and exercises
- Curated supplemental video/resource links
Practice & Homework:
- Homework assignments after each class for reinforcement
- Plan to spend minimum 1 hour per week on homework/vocab practice
Instructor Support:
- Email your instructor with any questions
- Option to schedule 1-on-1 video sessions for additional help
You’ll have access to engaging video lessons, comprehensive vocabulary resources specific to your industry, plentiful practice materials, interactive activities and games, as well as direct support from your instructor (that’s me!) to ensure your success!
Can I Keep Everything After the Course Ends?
Absolutely! After completing the course, you’ll retain access to the materials*:
✓ Digital flashcards
✓ Helpful resource links
✓ Comprehensive vocabulary lists
Simply download, print or bookmark these resources to keep them at your fingertips.
*The only exception is the instructional videos, which are available exclusively during the course period.
Start speaking Spanish with confidence in just a few weeks!
On the farm, you don’t need to be totally fluent to start communicating—just functional.