We’ve gathered the 7 best ways to learn basic Spanish, with the aim to make it easy and enjoyable for you to build a regular language habit.
When learning a new language the key to success is practice makes perfect.
By taking these small steps, like diving into online courses, teaming up with tutors, reading, listening, and watching in Spanish, you’ll be well on your way to reaching your language goals in no time!
Short courses
One of the most effective ways to learn a new language is through a course that structures your learning for you. This is especially useful for beginners who don’t know where to start.
Various online Spanish membership self-study courses are based on basic Spanish phrases. Progress through beginner, intermediate, and advanced as you become more competent and confident in your skills.
Make sure the course you choose includes plenty of dialogue and combines listening, speaking, reading, and writing for a well-rounded spoken Spanish experience. Many courses use a story-telling method, which makes your learning simple, fun, and easily digestible.
Online tutor
Find yourself an individual online Spanish tutor with the same accent as the area you aim to visit. There are myriad tutoring apps and websites to choose from!
Memory works in mysterious ways. Studies show it’s better to learn something in small, frequent chunks of information. This is in opposition to learning in big chunks, infrequently. So, we recommend organizing to attend shorter 30-minute one-on-one lessons 4 or 5 times a week.
Individual classes allow you to speak out loud for the majority of the lesson (as opposed to a class of many students). Your tutor will give you their full focus, attention, and guidance, and assign you homework to keep you accountable and organized.
Language apps
Download a language app and place it front and center on your phone’s home screen. Spend 15 minutes per day practicing Spanish instead of on social media.
A language app is a great tool to utilize since you can align it with your schedule. Many mobile applications have exciting incentives in the form of rewards, challenges, and interactions with friends who use the same app.
Download a flashcard app that incorporates spaced repetition software. This useful mechanism allows you to select words or phrases you have a firm grasp on. When selected, the app will present them less frequently, while the ones you struggle with will pop up consistently.
Listen in Spanish
Spanish is one of the 7 best languages to learn for business success, as well as success in other areas of your life. However, commitment is an essential factor in language learning.
Stream Spanish podcasts or radio while doing mundane household tasks that don’t require much brain power, or while you’re exercising.
Some podcasts encompass conversations between 2 people, which is extremely helpful. Instead of fixating on grammar, you’ll be able to hear the natural cadences of how native speakers talk and get the hang of casual conversation. Other podcasts focus on the Spanish language as the primary topic.
Read in Spanish
Reading in a new language is difficult and easy to neglect. So, we have some suggestions to make it easier and more enjoyable.
Take it slow. Challenge yourself to read in Spanish for just 5 or 10 minutes a day. Be gentle with yourself and remember that you’ll read a lot slower than you do in your first language.
Don’t try to look up every word! Concentrate on looking up words that arise a lot, depending on the context.
Choose a Spanish translation of a book you love and have read before in your native language. You’ll already know the gist of the storyline and won’t have to understand every word.
Watch in Spanish
Expand your Spanish vocabulary in areas that interest you, since you’ll likely want to speak about those topics repeatedly.
Watch films, series, news channels, and YouTube videos in Spanish. Add English subtitles to listen, learn, and be entertained all at the same time.
Incorporate this practice into your lifestyle to become more familiar with hearing Spanish words and phrases out loud (a similar theory to listening to Spanish podcasts).
You’ll notice an improvement in your understanding and confidence very quickly. As your confidence grows, you’ll start trusting your brain to string words and sentences together in a conversation.
Make it a part of your lifestyle
Language can deeply enhance your travel experience. So, make Spanish a part of your lifestyle.
Carry a Spanish-English dictionary with you everywhere. If you don’t know the word for something you see or want to say, whip out your dictionary and look it up. A dictionary doesn’t have to be hefty! There are tiny ones available you can carry in your handbag, backpack, or pocket.
Immerse yourself fully by writing in Spanish. Begin writing part of your journal entries in Spanish. This will get you thinking like a native and learn vocabulary that aligns with your way of expressing yourself.
