How To Learn Spanish Quickly

Most people think it’s difficult to learn a foreign language, but in fact it doesn’t really have to be. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money on an expensive course, either. Of course, it’s useful if you purchase a formal text, audio program, or online tutorial so that you have some structure when you’re learning Spanish. That said, though, there’s also a lot you can do that doesn’t cost anything, yet it will shorten the time it takes you to learn Spanish and truly master it.

So besides your online course or other formal educational materials, you’ll also find it helpful to do the following things that will help increase your exposure to Spanish. This is called “immersion,” at least for the short term in this case, since you’re surrounding yourself with the Spanish language as much as possible. Here are some steps you can take.

Watch movies and television programs in English with Spanish subtitles

Because so much of the United States’ population is Spanish-speaking, there are a lot of movies and television programs out there, too, that either utilize Spanish subtitles for English programs/movies, or that are entirely in Spanish. So when you begin, watch movies and shows in English with Spanish subtitles on all the time. You won’t realize it, but you’ll slowly come to understand Spanish words and their meanings by osmosis even as you watch purely for enjoyment.

Watch Spanish-language programs and movies WITHOUT English subtitles

It’s going to be difficult at first, because you’re not going to understand a lot. However, this is the “immersion” technique I was talking about. As you expose yourself more and more to the Spanish language in its natural state (that is, not in a classroom setting), you’ll become accustomed to hearing it and eventually you’ll begin to understand it. This will also speed up your ability to speak it; when you’re learning a foreign language, most people understand the language long before they can truly speak it.

Read Spanish-language children’s books

Children’s books are a good choice to make if you’re just learning the language, since their sentence structure is pretty simple. As you advance, you can move on to more complex Spanish literature, since reading the Spanish language will also help you learn to speak at simply because you learn the language’s structure and flow visually, too.

Make your own learning materials

If you’re having a particular difficulty getting stuck on one particular concept, or if you have difficulty memorizing new words or phrases, you can make your own learning materials such as flashcards and then have a friend help you test yourself on them. (Incidentally, writing in Spanish also helps you learn to speak the language just as reading Spanish does. This is yet another avenue by which you learn the language’s structure and rhythm.)

Converse in Spanish

If you live near a Spanish-speaking community or you have a friend, family member, et cetera, who speaks Spanish, make a pact that he or she is only going to speak Spanish around you and that you are only going to respond in Spanish. Yes, it’s tough at first and you’re going to be self-conscious, but this is going to help you master the language much more quickly than you would otherwise.

In addition, this is a much more friendly “space” in which to practice your language skills when you’re just starting out. This can make it easier to remember what you need to say and how to speak correctly, since you’re more relaxed and not as nervous as you might be in another situation.