Spanish is one of the easier Latin based languages to learn. In this article we have highlighted the first few steps to take if you want to learn it on your own.
If you are interested in finding a learning buddy, try signing up for Swyvl – the skill sharing app.
The 4 Steps to Learn Spanish:
1. Read in Spanish
One fantastic thing about the Spanish alphabet is that each letter only makes one sound. It’s not like English, where we can make several sounds! These Spanish sounds make it easier to learn how to sound out words when you’re reading; you just need to know the sounds of the Spanish alphabet.
Here’s a great short video to introduce you to the sounds of the Spanish alphabet.
2. Learn Spanish Slang
When learning Spanish, it’s helpful to step outside of the traditional formal learning and look for courses that teach slang. As with English, Spanish has idioms and phrases you won’t understand from a standard Spanish class.
Spoken Spanish can all merge into one word, which is called “sinalefa”. It can be constructive to write down the words you think you hear and then sound them out phonetically afterwards to break them up into individual words.
We can hardly think of a better person than Antonio Banderas to teach us some slang:
3. Practice Speaking Spanish
Using Spanish media can help you pronounce words correctly. Spanish shows, podcasts, and music will teach you new words, and you’ll be simultaneously learning how to pronounce the words, too! Another fantastic tool is finding someone who speaks Spanish to help you learn through spoken conversation and messages.
It can also be helpful to build up a phrasebook for things people will ask you often. Whether that’s your name, your job, or where you live, putting these phrases together in one place will help you learn them faster and be ready to say them to anyone who asks! This book will build your confidence in your Spanish-speaking ability
4. Learn Spanish Grammar
Spanish is one of those languages where every noun is gendered. Thankfully, English doesn’t have this feature! Learning nouns together with their gender and writing them down together will help you become fluent faster.
Focusing on learning present tense first and leaving future and past tense until later on can be helpful. This way, you’ll have the confidence to take on these tenses, and you won’t feel overwhelmed by all the different rules
Want to learn and practice Spanish with others? Swyvl is the skill sharing platform that helps you learn and trade your skills with others.
Misconceptions About Learning Spanish
Many people think you can only learn languages when you’re young. While learning young means a perfectly fluent accent, there’s no reason why you can’t learn as an adult! It just takes longer to finesse the accent.
Some people believe that because they can speak English, they don’t need to learn another language. We’re fortunate English is universal, but 580 million people speak Spanish! A second language looks excellent on a CV, and it can increase your employability.