It can be hard to learn Spanish for beginners. But it all comes down to understanding HOW to learn. Here, we gathered 10 tips to make it easier for you.
Are you curious about Spanish?
Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers. The language derives from Latin- as many English words do, so you will immediately recognize and understand many Spanish words. The grammar and pronunciation are different from English but simpler and more consistent. Here are some examples:
English-Spanish
- natural — natural
- national — nacional
- terrible — terrible
- horrible — horrible
- habitation — habitación
- manifestation — manifestación
It is the second most spoken language all around the world, with over 400 million native speakers. Spanish is an official language in 21 countries! This means that you can meet it everywhere and not only in Spain.
An interesting fact is that there are more people speaking Spanish in the United States than in Spain.
In today’s global marketplace, knowing a second language can be extremely valuable for you both in your professional and personal life. Modern businesses see a big potential in hiring bilinguals so they can improve their international trade.
Are you planning on traveling to a Spanish-speaking country? Then learning Spanish will be the biggest investment you can make. Imagine going down to the local cafeteria, saying hi to Pedro the waiter, and ordering your “macchiato” just the way you like it – in Spanish. That, my friend, is the best feeling in the world!
Learning a language is a challenge, and we want to prepare you for your journey! Here are 10 tips to learn Spanish for beginners.
The tips:
Tip 1: Start with vocabulary
Although grammar is undoubtedly important, vocabulary is essential in every language. As British linguist David Wilkins stated, “Without grammar, very little can be conveyed; without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed”.
The fastest way to learn Spanish vocabulary and phrases is by listening.
So, instead of reading hundreds of wordlists and trying to remember without any success, just listen and repeat. Listening and repeating the words will train your memory and tongue.
You can also check out our article with 121 useful phrases when traveling the world. This will give you an overview of essential sentences you will need when you are standing in a Spanish-speaking country!
Tip 2: Study and practice every day- be consistent when you learn Spanish!
Maybe it is not a way of learning, but it is crucial to keep the plan and have it organized!
You probably know the rule of consistency from your life experience – being consistent is key. This certainly applies to learning. It is more beneficial to spend 30 minutes practicing something every day than to spend 6 hours every month.
The more often you practice, the more you remember!
The best way to keep the organization is to create a weekly schedule and just follow it. Do not skip the tasks and do not leave anything for later. Include Spanish into your daily routine and treat it as a habit! It will be easier for you to constantly go step by step than trying to catch up on everything at first.
Actually, you can start right now. When you have a profile on Swap Language, you can watch Spanish lessons with Julian and Javier. Click here to go to the lessons page.
Tip 3: Join a language exchange (or try to make Spanish friends)
Language exchanges are yet another excellent and free way to learn Spanish for beginners.
It is all about learning the language you are into with a native speaker and teaching your own language. The principle is that both of you want to learn your native language.
You can become fluent in the language while making friends with native speakers.
As mentioned before, there are over 400 million Spanish native speakers worldwide, and you can easily reach them through the internet.
Are you wondering how?
A great solution is Swap Language, which provides language exchanges with many different native speakers, including Spanish!
You can try to search for language partners here: Language exchange with Swap Language.
Practicing the language with native speakers is very useful, as natives have a perfect accent and pronunciation skills. They use a simple every-day language with simple grammar.
Joining a language exchange will also give you a broad overview of the culture.
Tip 4: Watch videos and follow Spanish natives on social media
You can join free weekly Spanish online lessons on Swap Language and learn more.
Do you treat watching videos, for example, on Youtube as entertainment? If yes, then try to watch them in Spanish! There is a broad range of Spanish videos that you can find on the Internet. From funny ones to specific topics that you may be interested in, surely you will find something for yourself!
Is it not a great opportunity to combine entertainment with language learning?
If you are an active social media user, then follow Spanish natives! You can start by following some of them on Instagram.
“Spending” time with them will give you a broad overview of the language, culture, habits, and traditions and you can often have fun with them.
Tip 5: Listen to music and podcasts in Spanish
Music is something that most of us enjoy a lot. Spanish songs are mainly dynamic and rhythmic, so they easily stay in our heads and bodies! Try to listen to the songs and later then read the lyrics with a translation to your language. It is a great way to understand and remember the vocabulary as well as to learn the right pronunciation.
An undoubted advantage of listening to music and podcasts is that you can combine your regular activities with some Spanish sound in your head, without arranging the special time for the lesson. You can do the laundry, walk a dog, or cook with the music on!
Time is running so fast, and sometimes we just feel like we don’t have enough time. That is why we skip our favorite talks and videos, but as you probably know, podcasts are a great solution for saving time, as you can do your daily tasks while listening.
Listening to podcasts has become a popular way of learning a variety of skills. There is a podcast for everyone, whether it is cooking, weightlifting, or language learning.
There are several different podcasts that are particularly great for learning Spanish or any other language. The podcasts will help you sound like a native speaker beginning from phrases to proper pronunciation.
Tip 6: Turn on Spanish subtitles while watching a movie
Do you like watching movies and you want to learn Spanish? Why not movies with Spanish subtitles, then?
Subtitles are an effective way to reinforce foreign language learning. One of the main findings was that hearing and reading at the same time helps a person’s phonetic understanding of it.
Additionally, it helps build familiarity with the vocabulary and sounds of the language. Other benefits are that subtitles increase reading speed and listening comprehension, grows vocabulary, and improves word recognition and grammar.
It is good for beginners to start with turning on subtitles while the audio is in your native language. That will help you with word recognition. Later, you can both listen and read in another language, which will greatly help you reinforce foreign language learning.
You can turn on subtitles on short and entertaining videos as they mainly have a less complicated vocabulary and are easier to assimilate.
Tip 7: Read in Spanish
Do you like reading? Why not try reading in Spanish then?
Reading in a foreign language helps us become more comfortable with the words and grammatical rules that enable us to express our own thoughts, just like reading in one’s native language. That is why this is a great way to learn Spanish for beginners! Seeing the new words and concepts visually helps to reinforce our memory of them.
At the very beginning, it might be tricky to read a new book. That is why it is good to start with a book you have already read, and you know the concept, or to read some books for kids with easier vocabulary or short articles in Spanish.
Remember to keep the dictionary close to your hand- looking up words you don’t know is the most simple strategy and also one of the most effective. It consists of reading the text, underlining unknown or new vocabulary, and writing down the meanings. Keep all your notes in one notebook so that you can have your own useful dictionary and create flashcards!
Another great idea for beginners that learn Spanish is to read while listening to an audiobook. It will help your hearing skills dramatically and habituate you to the general speed of a native speaker.
Tip 8: Try different activities that will keep you engaged to learn Spanish
There is one thing you need to remember – learning the language does not have to be boring!
It is you who decides how to have fun with it and turn it into exciting and attractive entertainment! The best way to memorize is through practice, so try to use Spanish in your real life or during the activities you enjoy.
You can play scrabble in Spanish, take some online quizzes, watch a tv series, translate an email, or just make a grocery list in Spanish. Have fun with it!
Tip 9: Set the goals and stay motivated
When we think about our goals, they are usually big, audacious, and life-changing.
Actually, it is not all about the end result but about learning to be 1% better every single day. So, if you want to fulfill a big goal, you need to divide it into smaller chunks.
The idea is that whenever you sit down to learn a language, you should be able to go straight to the piece of material appointed for today and not worry about deciding what to work on. Seeing the progress keeps you motivated. That is why it is important to measure your achievements!
Tip 10: Speak. Don’t give up and start now!
Even if you know only a couple of words, try to say them out loud, create a sentence or phrase. The more you talk, the more you get used to it. Keep the schedule and do not skip the lessons.
Remember that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, Barcelona either 🙂
Summary:
With the 10 tips to learn Spanish for beginners, you will be more prepared for when you start learning. And, as a matter of fact, it has become so much easier with the multitude of resources that are available out there. We hope to have convinced you of how much fun it can be. Start your journey by trying out Swap Language so that you can learn Spanish in a motivating and entertaining way!
Buena suerte mi amigo!
