There are all sorts of tips to learn Spanish out there. But we’ve rounded up some little pocket tips to learn Spanish. These will help you brush up on your Spanish skills quickly. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. Not surprisingly, lots of our quick tips involve getting in practice wherever and whenever you can.
These tips to learn Spanish are a great resource to experiment with which learning style suits you best. There are lots of excellent ways to learn Spanish, so try out different tricks until you find the ones that work for you.
Give the tips that you like the most a go. Some may work better for you than others – so make those your go-to tips to learn Spanish. You might also find that you use different tips at different language learning stages.
The good news? There are lots of tips to learn Spanish! Try these ones on for size, and let us know about your favorites in the comments.
- Write down new words in a little notebook. Try getting a small notebook that fits in your pocket or bag, so you always have it with you on the go. Whenever a new word comes up, write it down!
- Be picky about which words to learn. This might sound silly. After all, you want to learn a language. The more words, the better, right? Sure – but some words are more useful. If you spot a new word, but know it’s not one you’re likely to use, don’t stress over it. Focus on remembering words you’ll want to use every day.
- If you can’t remember the word for an object, describe it in Spanish. This keeps you in “Spanish mode”, rather than turning to your native language. Can’t remember “bookcase”? Ask for the place to put books instead.
- Watch a movie you’re familiar with in Spanish, with Spanish subtitles. This helps you work on listening and reading skills in a fun way.
- Start small. Build up your language confidence with short conversations in predictable situations, like ordering at a restaurant or asking someone how they are.
- Use an app! There are tons of apps out there that let you practice on-the-go in short sessions. Check out our favorites here.
- Take things one step at a time. There’s a lot to learn when you’re learning to new language. Focus on improving one small thing at a time, rather than worrying about everything.
- Relax about making mistakes. Everyone makes them! It can feel embarrassing and awkward, but chances are you’re the only one who minds. Don’t stress – this phase will pass.
- Try a fun class in Spanish. Exercise classes at the local gym are a good option, because even if you don’t 100% understand what the instructor says, you can watch other people to see what they meant.
- Check out a language exchange night. You’ll find tons of them at bars in big cities. Grab a drink and start chatting. You might make new friends in the process.
- Ask a friend to correct you for the next 10 minutes. If you have a Spanish-speaking friend, have them correct you for a few minutes. The limited amount of time makes it easy not to get overwhelmed.
- Don’t compare yourself to other people learning Spanish. There’s always somebody who speaks better than you, or has studied for longer, or seems to just have a knack for languages. That’s OK! It’s just a skill, and everyone can get better at it with practice. Find out a way to practice that suits you.
- Make a list of 10 words to learn. Then, try to remember them without the list whenever you have a spare minute, like in the shower or walking to class.
- Start discovering Spanish music. There’s tons of music beyond flamenco in Spanish. Try searching on YouTube or looking up playlists on Spotify.
- Don’t wait to perfect your Spanish before you’ll strike up a conversation. Here’s a little secret – lots of Spanish speakers don’t have perfect Spanish either! Don’t fall into the trap of trying to squeeze every last detail out of your Spanish textbook or learning resources before using your language skills in new life. It’s information overload, and it’s pretty much impossible to learn it all at once anyway, even for super mega geniuses. Language learning is a gradual process, so don’t stress if it’s not perfect right away. It’s definitely good enough to say hi to someone!
That brings us to the list of our quick tips to learn Spanish! If we’ve missed any of your favorites, make sure to leave us a comment telling us your best tips to learn Spanish.
