Spanish, the mother tongue of 480 million people and used by nearly 577 million people, is the third most spoken language in the world by number of speakers.
The language of Don Quixote is very much a part of our daily lives: restaurants, bars, music, films and TV series, and so on. So why not learn it? September means back to school, which is why Secundo has put together this article for you with the best ways to learn Spanish. ¡ Vamos !
Sing your heart out
It is scientifically proven that music boosts your powers of concentration and memory. What is more, studying to music is associated with something enjoyable. As you can imagine, there are tons of Spanish songs out there, so you will be spoilt for choice ! Our tip : to begin with, go for ballads, which are slower. To take your learning further, download the lyrics of the songs and read along as the music plays.
Our best songs to get started (or not) in Spanish :
- Hasta siempre by Nathalie Cardone
- Me gustas tú by Manu Chao
- Porque te vas by Jeanette
- Clandestino by Manu Chao
Read in the language of Cervantes
Did you know that Spanish literature boasts some wonderful writers? You have probably heard of Miguel de Cervantes, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Luis Sepulveda. So let yourself be carried away by Spanish literature.
If you are not keen on literature, don’t panic! Reading in a foreign language is by no means limited to novels. You can learn a language from any kind of material, such as magazines, comics, newspapers and so on. Varying your reading material will help keep your interest in reading in a foreign language alive over the long term.
Our tip: start with children’s books. Yes, you read that right! Children’s books are the easiest way to learn and understand a language. The illustrations will make understanding the text all the easier.
Don't translate word for word!
If you want to progress quickly in a foreign language, we advise you to put your dictionary back on the shelf and try to work out the meaning of words from their context. That said, you can still consult your dictionary in a case of extreme « emergency », when you feel you have lost the thread of the story. Besides the classic paper dictionaries, there is now a whole host of mobile apps you can install on your smartphone or tablet. The advantage of this format is that you can use them whenever you like, and wherever you are.
Finally, take your time to take in what you are reading, rereading passages several times if need be, and go at your own pace.
The best books for learning Spanish
- Historia de una gaviota y del gato que le enseñó a volar by Luis Sepulveda
- El Principito by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (the Spanish version of The Little Prince)
- La Sombra del viento by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (requires a slightly higher level, but is well worth the effort!)
Watch films, series and telenovelas
Grab a bucket of popcorn and settle in comfortably. Watching foreign series and films is another way to learn a new language. The Spanish-language film industry counts many internationally renowned directors, such as Pedro Almodóvar, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, Alejandro Amenábar and Alfonso Cuaron.
Telenovelas, those Latin American TV series, are a great way to learn to follow conversations in a straightforward (and, let’s be honest, rather dramatic!) way. If telenovelas are not your cup of tea, opt instead for films or TV series.
Our tip: don’t hesitate to turn on the Spanish subtitles (rather than English ones), as this will help you “snapshot” the vocabulary used and the tenses employed in the dialogue. Another way to progress quickly is to watch a film or an episode of a series several times over.
The best series for learning Spanish
- La Casa de Papel : the story of a man who, with the help of his eight recruits, plans the most daring bank heist in history.
- Narcos : you will learn everything about the life of Pablo Escobar, the notorious Colombian drug trafficker
- Las Chicas del Cable : follow the daily lives of 4 switchboard operators at the first national telephone company in Madrid (1929).
Travel
Heading off to a Spanish-speaking destination is the best way to learn the language of the country. Surrounded by locals, you can perfect your grasp of the language in the very best way. And above all, don't be embarrassed! To err is human. During your trip (and your learning in general), you will make mistakes on many occasions, and that is inevitable. But rest assured, this happens sometimes even in your mother tongue, so don't panic.
Everyday learning
It is hard to travel to Spain every day (what a shame!). Fortunately, there are plenty of mobile apps to help you perfect your Spanish. We’ll wrap up this article with our top 3 best apps!
Babbel
Created in 2007 and now the market leader, Babbel lets you learn Spanish along with around fifteen other languages online. Babbel takes into account the way you learn, the topics that interest you and your particular motivations.
Do you learn better by reading, writing, speaking or listening ? Do you love cooking, love stories, sport ? With Babbel, you find the themes and learning method that suit you. Thanks to the courses, you learn by doing.
The courses are made up of short lessons that fit into everyone’s daily routine. Grammar and vocabulary are taught within units that focus on themed, real-life exercises such as « meeting someone », « ordering at a restaurant », « going shopping », or even « going travelling ».
The only downside: comprehensive as it is, the Babbel app is nonetheless paid-for. Expect to pay 5 euros a month if you take the annual subscription, or 7.5 euros a month if you take the 6-month subscription.
Duolingo
“Learn a language for free while having fun” is the promise of Duolingo, an essential app for language learning.
Whether it is Spanish or another language, Duolingo is the Swiss Army knife of language learning. The app uses fun little games to teach you the language of Don Quixote. In the process, you get the chance to improve your vocabulary, conjugation and grammar, punctuation and listening comprehension.
Well structured, the learning progresses gradually through the missions assigned to you within the app, with the level of difficulty increasing accordingly. This method will make it easier for you to grasp the trickiest terms of the Spanish language in no time.
Completely free, Duolingo also has a save tool that makes learning across different devices a breeze. You can start an exercise on your tablet and finish it on your smartphone. Handy, isn't it?
MosaLingua
This third app offers to help you gradually pick up all the essential vocabulary you need. MosaLingua focuses on what you want to do: travel, talk to friends, sit an exam, and so on, you choose!
What is more, Mosa Lingua offers 6 course packages, to be chosen according to your level and your goals:
- MosaLingua Web: learn vocabulary quickly
- MosaSeries: improve your listening comprehension
- MosaSpeak English: improve your spoken English
- MosaSpeak (other languages): improve your speaking skills (languages other than English)
- MosaTraining: learn a language quickly on your own thanks to polyglots’ tips
- MosaLingua apps: memorise vocabulary quickly
And what about the price?
MosaLingua is a paid-for app. All the packages are available via an annual subscription, and even a monthly one for some of them. As for the price, it ranges between €58.80 and €330 incl. VAT.
Conclusion
There you have it, you are now all set to learn that wonderful language that is Spanish ! You will impress more than a few people on your next trip to the Iberian Peninsula !
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