Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and whether you are able to freely converse in a fluent manner of you are simply good enough to ask for directions there will be many instances where having some Spanish will serve you well. Many people already have a bit of the language about them, perhaps from school or their friends and family and for those people improving is a great idea. To those of you who perhaps don’t speak the language at all, learning is a good way to fill your time productively and gain a new skill. To learn or improve your Spanish, here are some tips which have served me well.
Speaking With A Friend or Stranger
Unlike science or geography you can’t just learn a language from reading it on a page, you have to be able to engage with people and learn how to both speak and hear the language. With this in mind it is always a good idea to find someone with whom you are able to practice. When I was learning I was very fortunate to have my buddy Javier Burillo helping me out and if you have a Spanish speaking friend then I’d recommend you tap them up for help. If you don’t know someone who speaks then you can find many apps which will connect you Spanish speakers from around the world where you can practice.
Hearing it
I have to be honest I am always dubious of people who say that they have watched English movies and listened to English music and therefore learned the language, I just don’t see this as possible. With this being said there is a great deal of value to be found in watching and listening to Spanish speaking music and movies in line with learning online or in classes. Having that level of exposure to it will not only help you to understand more about the language but it will also train your ears to listen out for certain things.
Nail Your Grammar
Grammar in any language is the rules which have to be lived by and once you have cracked the grammar then you are going to do very well indeed. Much like in our own language, there is always more vocabulary to learn and in reality that is the easy bit, based on simple repetition. It is the grammar and the rules of the language which are always tougher to grasp and that is why if you focus on that first, the rest will follow shortly afterwards.
Confidence
Many people fail to learn because they do not have the confidence to try out the language that they are learning, which means that they don’t make mistakes and therefore cannot correct them. You have to just throw yourself out there and allow yourself to make many mistakes if you want to eventually get better.
Mucha suerte a todos!
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