5 ways to learn Spanish faster
Whether you are just starting with Spanish or struggling to get into the next level, you may find some helpful information in this post. When it comes to languages, there is no perfect way to learn those, as some people may find it easier to study grammar first and others to listen to conversations. This is an approach based on small things I found practical when learning a foreign language. Hope it can help you!
1. Listen to music and TV.
This one is the first thing I would start as it is something that can be done while you do your daily tasks. It is not about understanding everything they say, but getting used to the pronunciation of words and its intonation. Although this is something not treated much in language school, intonation is a very important part of communicating in a foreign language so you can give the right meaning to the words you are using in a sentence.
2. Find a podcast that interests you.
Depending on your level, this option would be more or less limited. However it is more likely you’ll keep listening to the podcast if you find the topic interesting. For a low level, I would consider a podcast about curiosities: ‘Esta no te la sabes’.
3. Ask simple questions on the street (directions).
One of the most heard recommendations for language learners is to start practicing by having conversations with native speakers, however we have all been in the dreadful situation when we first ask a question and after the reply, the other person asks us something else and then we get blocked and get lost in trying to figure out what to say next. So before going into a more complicated conversation, I would try to just start growing my confidence in Spanish by asking small questions on the street that don’t require further questions in most scenarios. This might give us the boost of positivity to keep practicing the language and also not lose motivation too soon when you are just starting.
4. Wait to make phone calls until you reach a certain level.
Although this is a great way to improve your listening skills and will make you reach the next level in the language, it may also discourage you if you try to soon. Phone calls can be really taugh if you are just starting due to dificulty to understand when not seeing the other person’s expression. There are multiple ways to listen to normal conversations these days through youtube or sites online and that will give you some extra knowledge so you are prepared when it finally gets the time to make a phone call in Spanish.
5. Choose the right genre to watch movies.
Is it known that Spaniards do talk very fast, so if I were to start listening spanish through movies and series, I would choose something from drama or thriller genre as they usually tend to pronounce a bit slower or with pauses in between, where as a comedy or action movies will often have a more fast pace. On the other hand, if you choose to watch some children’s film like any movie from Disney then you should have less trouble understanding the vocabulary but it may not be as useful as an adult movie in order to learn the everyday words used in a conversation. Some movies I would recommend are ‘Los lunes al Sol’, ‘Tarde para la ira’, ‘El orfanato’
Click here for some basics to start your journey in Spanish.
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