If you are interested in learning Spanish faster or practicing the Spanish you already know, there are certain recommendations from the experts, that have helped millions of people learn a foreign language.
In this article, you will find the 15 essential tips that will help you learn Spanish faster.
1. Live your life through Spanish
Don’t study Spanish, but live your life through Spanish and use it as a tool of communication from this day on. Learning Spanish is not just acquiring grammar and vocabulary; languages are means for communication between humans. Your objective for learning Spanish should be speaking with others!
2. Don't be afraid of making mistakes
Dare to speak in Spanish and don't be afraid of making mistakes when you speak. Everyone makes mistakes, even in their own language. Remember: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
3. Don’t study grammar
Do not learn complicated grammatical structures, do not memorize endless lists of vocabulary, and do not test your knowledge with stressful exams. This is not the way you learned your own language. A lot of research has shown that the key to effective learning is by listening. When you listen repeatedly to the same information, you are able to learn vocabulary and grammar patterns unconsciously, just as a baby learns.
4. Listen a lot
The more you listen to Spanish, the more familiar it will become for you. You can listen to Spanish audios while traveling by subway, car or bus. Take advantage of every single chance you have to listen to Spanish.
5. Motivate yourself
Say to yourself several times a day: “I'm good at learning Spanish,” “I can speak Spanish.” Words and thoughts that are repeated often sink into the subconscious mind and affect the behavior, actions and reactions of the person involved.
6. Visit a Spanish speaking country
If you have the economic possibility, visit a Spanish speaking country: you will learn more about the traditions of Spanish speaking countries, you will learn faster, and you will get used to the different Spanish accents.
7. Visualize the benefits you will get
Imagine you already speak Spanish, and visualize all the benefits you will get. Visualization is the most powerful weapon at your disposal to help you reach your goals faster. In addition, your subconscious mind activates the Law of Attraction, which says that you attract into your life the people and circumstances that help you achieve your goals.
8. Speak by repeating what others say
Repeat aloud everything you hear in Spanish: this is how children learn a language and you'll get the ability to articulate and pronounce like a native speaker.
9. Learn Spanish cognates
Cognates are similar words in different languages, for example: “chocolate”, “favor”, or “dental”. Spanish vocabulary can be quite simple if you are a native English speaker because English borrows many words from Latin (the Spanish language evolved from Latin). There are many Spanish-English cognates. By learning them, you will have an instant Spanish vocabulary of thousands of words.
10. Learn Spanish with an online private teacher
Having an online private teacher is maybe the fastest way to learn Spanish and has many advantages: you can learn anytime and from any place; your teacher can develop a study plan to strengthen your weaknesses; an online teacher keeps you focused and engaged in the lesson, and you can choose a tutor who best suits your liking and have the Spanish accent you want to learn.
11. Find language partners
Find native language exchange partners or create a group of friends interested in learning Spanish so you can practice with them.
12. Speak slowly and clearly
When you start speaking Spanish, say: “¡Hola! Estoy aprendiendo español” (Hello, I'm learning Spanish). Then speak slowly and clearly; the person you are speaking with will respond in the same way. And don’t forget to smile: conversations will be easier if you break the ice with a smile.
13. Find interesting content to immerse yourself in!
Read texts that are interesting to you in which you don't need to use the dictionary. Don't read difficult materials; you will be disappointed if you don't understand. You can start with stories for children in Spanish. They use short and simple sentences.
14. Do in Spanish what you love most!
Watch movies or TV series in Spanish with subtitles, to associate sounds with written words; listen to and sing songs in Spanish; travel to places where Spanish is spoken; go to festivals about the culture of Spanish speaking countries; chat with other students of Spanish; try dishes of Spanish speaking countries to learn words in a fun way; listen to Spanish podcasts while exercising at the gym.
15. Set realistic goals
Don't expect to learn Spanish in 10 days! If you think that it’s going to be super easy, you might be disappointed. The first thing you have to do is getting the right resources for learning Spanish: an interesting course, a great teacher, etc. And then, be consistent: “He who perseveres to be, will be.” If you do so, you’ll be able to become fluent in everyday conversations within 4-6 months.
Do you have any other tips to learn Spanish faster?
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