So, Spanish, right? A language spoken by over 400 million people worldwide! No wonder so many people around the world learn it as their foreign language of choice. It encompasses many countries and cultures, and peoples. Learning Spanish is your chance to open up a whole new world.
In this post, we will share some tips and tricks on how to the best ways to learn Spanish. We will talk about what can help with speaking Spanish fluently, and provide some resources that you can use on your language-learning journey. Let’s dive right in.
The first and most obvious (and most effective) thing that you can do is find yourself a Spanish tutor.
One of the best ways to learn Spanish and do it effectively is to find a tutor who can help you practice. There are lots of Spanish tutors online on LiveXP, and they are an invaluable resource for language learners.
On LiveXP, you can look through all the info about them before you make a decision. You can view their qualifications, experience, and even get an idea of what they are like as people via their intro videos. Then you can book a trial lesson to see what learning with this tutor is like. And after that, you can comfortably make an informed decision. Easy-peasy!
Why having a tutor is a great way to learn Spanish?
- Learning with your tutor is great because it’s a safe environment. For beginners, this is especially important. Learning with someone you trust is vital. It alleviates any anxiety you as a student may have.
- Learning with a qualified tutor is valuable because they are always monitoring how and you’re doing. They are able to point you in the right direction and highlight what you need to pay more attention to. They can always clear up anything you find confusing.
- A tutor will not let you give up even if you yourself want to. They are the person who will cheer you up if you feel like you’re struggling. They are a great emotional support for you.
- They will help you stay disciplined. Your motivation may waver at some point, but a tutor can make sure that overall you stay on track. We all have our days, weeks, months when we don’t feel like doing a lot. We just want to procrastinate for some time, and hard work doesn’t seem super appealing. Your tutor is there to help you stay focused and get through such times.
Tutors are also amazing for speaking practice
- They may not necessarily be native speakers, BUT if you’re only starting to learn Spanish, this is of no relevance to you. At early stages of learning a language, you need to focus on more fundamental stuff. Such things as accent or slang should not be your top priority. All of it will come.
- Your conversations may not feel spontaneous as they are in real life, BUT this is only true if you agree to speak on a specific topic in advance. If, however, you decide to discuss a new episode of “House of the Dragon” on the spot, this is as much a spontaneous situation as any.
- You may feel a little “lazy” talking with your tutor because you know them so well already. This really depends on you as a student. Some people put pressure on themselves when talking to native speakers to sound perfect. But nothing prevents you from assuming a similar mindset when speaking with your tutor.
But actually, try the opposite: when talking with native speakers, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, like you do with your tutor. Despite what you may think, people don’t care about these things as much as you do. Just relax and enjoy the conversation.
A lot of people want native speakers as their tutors. Generally, it is not bad idea, but mainly for people who are already quite proficient in the language. If you are a beginner, it would make more sense for you to get a tutor who also speaks your native tongue. This way, they can clear up anything that may be unclear to you as a learner.
When you are more confident with your Spanish, then you can go for native speakers. But be mindful of two things:
– Make sure you are at a more advanced stage of learning Spanish. If you are a beginner or haven’t progressed too far from it, then native speakers simply may not bring you the results you’re looking for.
– Make sure the native speaker you want for a tutor has some teaching training. They must have some sort of certificate or be otherwise qualified to teach others. Speaking a language fluently and teaching it are two very different skills. One does not guarantee the other.
For the best results, you need to practice a lot
One great way to practice is to join a Spanish conversation group or sign up for a Spanish language book club. These events usually take place online or in person, and they are a great opportunity for language learners to practice their skills.
If you are shy about your Spanish, you’ll get to meet people who are just as shy. Being shy together is much less stressful than on your own
If you have the opportunity to travel to a Spanish-speaking country and spend some time there with the locals, then do that by all means. This will do your Spanish much good. Unless you only talk to people who do not speak Spanish.
Push yourself to use whatever Spanish you can. The locals are very likely to appreciate it.
If you’re keen on speaking, you can even speak to yourself. Now, this is not as crazy as it may sound. You can say out loud what you are planning to do when you wake up.
You can also record yourself and then listen back to see what needs working on. But it is equally important to know what you are good at. Take pride in what you do well and acknowledge your success. This will motivate you to keep going.
Immerse yourself in Spanish as much as you can
In addition to practicing with a tutor, it is also vital that you immerse yourself in the language as much as possible. How do you do that?
Well, you can start by Googling in Spanish. See what results you get when you type something in the search field.
You can also switch your phone and the apps you use daily to Spanish. Better start with the apps you know very well. This way, you will still know your way around them, but you will also be noticing what all the things you’re used to are called in Spanish.
Once you feel more confident with your Spanish, you can move to listening to Spanish music, watching Spanish movies and TV series, as well as reading Spanish books and articles.
If you are not yet ready for this, you can use subtitles as a stepping stone. Subtitles will serve as a guarantee that you understand more. It is also a good idea to start with the films and shows you have already seen before. This way, you will not get lost in the plot and will be able to focus more on the language itself.
By surrounding yourself with the language, you are more likely to broaden your vocabulary, improve pronunciation and grammar. And then again, you can Google more about the words and phrases you pick up. In Spanish, of course.
Also, make use of language-learning apps
Another helpful tip for learning Spanish is to use apps that can help you memorize new words. There are many different apps available, and they can be a great way to learn new words and phrases.
Try out a few of them and see which ones you like the most. Most of these word-memorizing apps are multilingual, so you have quite a broad variety to choose from. Think of it as a game, playing which you also learn!
Learning a new language can be challenging, but there are ways to make it both fun and effective. Follow the tips above, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a confident Spanish speaker!
And if you’re looking for more resources to help you learn, be sure to check out a list of the best online Spanish tutors on LiveXP. Happy learning!
Article Submitted By Community Writer