Looking for ways to study Spanish that don’t involve conjugation exercises? Read on as Carmichael, CA Spanish tutor Joan B. shares her fun ideas for incorporating Spanish in your daily life…
Learning a language can be a difficult, but rewarding endeavor. If you’re trying to learn Spanish, chances are you’ve been spending hours in the classroom or pouring over your textbooks. But what if there was an easier, more interesting way?
Here are five sneaky (and fun!) ways to study Spanish in your free time that you may not have considered before.
How Can I Study Spanish?
One of the best ways to learn Spanish is to immerse yourself in it:
- Attending classes or using online programs like Duolingo are excellent ways of doing this.
- Practicing with native Spanish speakers could also offer added value, as they can provide helpful insight into certain nuances of the language that may not be obvious from a textbook.
- Additionally, setting aside specific parts of your day for studying can help you stay on track and improve your focus and dedication.
- To stay motivated, join Spanish clubs or create your own with friends who share your interest in the language.
- Finally, something that should not be overlooked when studying in Spanish is having fun – watch movies and listen to songs in Spanish so learning never feels like a chore!
If you want to study in Spanish effectively, one of the best tips for how to study Spanish is to hire a Spanish tutor. Not only will you learn the best tips for studying Spanish, but you’ll also learn fun techniques like the ones you see in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NroDRzcLZH8
How to Study Spanish in Your Free Time – Without Getting Bored!
Studying Spanish can be as simple as incorporating these sneaky (and fun!) methods, all of which are simple, quick, and designed to strengthen your knowledge and skills in Spanish. Make a goal to incorporate at least one of them into your daily life for 14 days straight, and you’ll see a difference as you study Spanish!
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1. Put it into Practice
Practice with any native speakers you know (or encounter). When you’re out and about, strike up a conversation with the woman speaking to her children in Spanish, ask for help from or offer help to native speakers, and otherwise engage Spanish speakers in whatever way is appropriate and friendly. You’ll be surprised by their delight that you are learning their language! These types of conversations will increase your fluency and allow you to easily communicate in future travel or work situations where you may want to use your Spanish.
2. Watch Videos
When you’re taking a break from work or school, watch a short YouTube video in Spanish. This will not only break up the monotony of the work day, it will entertain and help increase your comprehension and listening skills. Try watching this playlist with helpful Spanish tutorials for beginners-
3. Read Something Fun
Read something light and entertaining in Spanish each day or week. I encourage my students to read an online horoscope or something similar in their free time that is engaging and fun. These types of short articles are a chance to learn new words as well as test your understanding. You will probably be surprised at your level of comprehension – reading these types of articles is a nice way to congratulate yourself on your progress and abilities in Spanish. Another fun way to study Spanish in your free time is to take online magazine quizzes in Spanish. If you enjoy taking these types of light-hearted quizzes in English, you may enjoy them even more in Spanish as you both increase your Spanish language skills and entertain yourself!
4. Make it Relevant
Engage yourself in Spanish. Do you talk to yourself as you do everyday tasks around the house? If so, make the conversation a Spanish one! Or if you share a living space, think in Spanish. Similarly, if you keep a dream journal, you can set an intention to dream in Spanish. The more immersion you find in your daily life, the more you will speak confidently and richly in the language. Something else I encourage students to do in their homes is to add post-its to everyday items, with the name of the item in Spanish. You can also add Spanish proverbs to post-its on a regular basis and post them on the bathroom mirror.
5. There’s an App for That!
Download phone apps for fun learning in downtime. Have a minute at the doctor’s office, or in line? Pull out your phone and play a Spanish language learning game. Apps like DuoLingo are well-designed ways to test your skills and learn new vocabulary and grammar.
How Can I Learn Spanish By Myself?
Learning a language can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences in life, but it can also be challenging. If you are interested in learning Spanish but don’t have access to a traditional classroom setting or tutor, there are still plenty of ways for you to learn the language on your own.
Here are some tips on how to get started.
Make a Plan
The first step to learning any new skill is making a plan. You need to determine what your goals are and how much time you can dedicate to learning each week or day. Once you have these goals set, create some sort of system that will help you keep track of where you are in the process and how far you have come since the beginning. This could be anything from an Excel spreadsheet with checklists or a planner with specific dates when tasks should be completed.
Practice Every Day
Consistency is key when learning any language, so it’s important that you make sure to practice every day if possible. Even if it’s only for 15 minutes, it’s better than nothing! Consider making flashcards with vocabulary words that you want to learn or writing sentences using words that you already know. You can also listen to music in Spanish or watch movies and shows as another way to immerse yourself in the language while having fun at the same time.
Take Advantage of Online Resources
There is no shortage of online resources available for those who want to learn Spanish by themselves, so take advantage! Many websites offer free tutorials and lessons for beginners as well as more advanced learners.
Try searching YouTube for educational videos about grammar rules or pronunciation tips; join online forums where native speakers can help answer questions; use apps like Duolingo which have activities designed specifically for self-learning; find podcasts related to Spanish culture or history; and look up online dictionaries with audio pronunciations so that you can hear how words should sound when spoken correctly by native speakers.
Is Spanish an Easy Language to Learn?
Learning a language can be quite a daunting task, especially when it comes to Spanish with its many grammar rules and conjugating the verbs. However, compared to other languages, Spanish can be considered one of the more straightforward ones.
There are no genders associated with nouns, which makes it easier to remember vocabulary words. Additionally, spelling is phonetic, meaning you pronounce words as they are written; this especially helps with acquiring pronunciation skills quickly.
Once students understand sentence structure and verb conjugation, constructing sentences becomes less intimidating. Spanish being a widely spoken second language in many countries also means that there are abundant resources available to help individuals learn or even practice Spanish.
Since many English words have origin from Latin (so does Spanish), almost 10-20% of the vocab is already recognizable – all in all making Spanish an easy language to learn!
Keep in mind that the best way to increase language skills is regular, consistent practice, and just a few minutes a day can help this goal greatly. With these ideas, you’ll find it’s easy to study Spanish as a regular and natural part of your day.
Not signed up for lessons yet? Find a Spanish tutor in your area here!
Joan B. lives in Carmichael, CA and has been teaching high school Spanish for more than 18 years. A lover of language, she’s studied French, Arabic, and Italian and spent time living in Spain. Joan aims to help students improve on tests and increase their conversational ability when traveling to Spanish-speaking countries. Learn more about Joan here!
Suzy S.