“Do you even speak Spanish?” This is the question I was most asked before moving to Spain. I had a go-to response locked and loaded: “Un poco. Estoy aprendiendo Espanol, per no muy bueno.” (Translation: A little. I am learning Spanish, but not very good.)
Although I was enrolling in a Spanish course in Barcelona, I didn’t want to show up completely unprepared. So, in the months prior to moving, I made a point to do some self-learning. Sure, learning a new language requires some time, but it’s not as daunting as it may seem! There are tons of options out there that cater to different lifestyles and learning styles.
Thinking about learning a new language but not sure where to start? Here are six unique ways to learn Spanish (or any language):
1. Listen to a podcast
No, I’m not talking about your favorite true crime podcast dubbed in Spanish. Did you know there are tons of learning podcasts out there designed to learn a new language? My favorite is CoffeeBreak Spanish. Episodes are short, entertaining, start from the beginning, and can be listened to on the go. It’s available on Spotify. This is my top pick.
2. Download a language app
Two of the most popular apps out there right now are Babbel and DuoLingo. I’ve dabbled with Babble, and it has many helpful courses and tests that you can complete on your own time. The content is great, but I struggled with staring at my phone for long periods of time. Babble also had this fantastic interactive podcast about a mystery catnapping. Hopefully they continue to make more of these.
3. Read a book
Now I’m not a big reader, but I’ve really enjoyed this challenge! No, I’m not reading War and Peace (I can barely understand that book in English). Instead, I went to Barnes and Noble and picked out a Spanish book from the children’s section (I chose middle school level, but you can choose what you wish). As I read, I use my phone’s Translate app to look things up, and I also mark up the pages. The great part about doing this is that I’m invested in the story and am forced to see the words in writing.
4. Watch a TV Show or Movie
I didn’t have great results with this one initially, mostly because the characters on Elite (popular Netflix series) talk waaay to fast for me to understand. Instead, I’ve had better success watching some movies like Pixar’s Coco. You can mix up how you watch it: Spanish with English subtitles, English with Spanish subtitles, or Spanish with Spanish subtitles.
5. Listen to music
My buddy Carlos created a playlist for me on Spotify titled “Canciones en Espanol para Chase”. He added songs that are popular but contain slower lyrics. Yep, ended up with a lot of love songs. My two favorites: Sigo Extranandote by J Balvin and Bailando por Ahi by Juan Magan.
6. Find a friend to talk to
This one is the most obvious. If you know someone that speaks the language, ask them to help you. Hold a weekly “Spanish-only Lunch” or have text conversations in Spanish. If you choose to do the latter, I recommend adding the Spanish keyboard to your phone. Super easy. Go to Settings>Keyboard>Keyboards>Add Keyboard. This will stop auto-correcting your Spanish to English.
Now that you are inspired….Pick a couple of the options above, work them into your regular schedule, and get ready to impress your friends!
Hey Chase that was great. Grandpa will read them tomorrow. Just came back from dinner at your parents. Aly and Callahan were there. Darrell was with Cade in Sacramento. Aly told me how to look up your blog. Lots of love grandma.