Want to move forward with your Spanish but feeling overwhelmed with what to do next? In this blog post I share with you ten actions you can take RIGHT NOW to improve it. Read on…
1. Revisit the Spanish alphabet.
I know, you’re probably thinking this is pretty basic stuff, but becoming a confident speaker in Spanish is about knowing what each letter in the Spanish alphabet should sound like, as well as the rules for each one. A little trick I picked up to help distinguish between the “b” and the “v” in Spanish is to call them tall and short letters;
b – be alta
v – ve corta
2.Learn a key phrase and practice writing and speaking it.
Phrases like “puedes hablar más despacio por favor” and “estoy aprendiendo español” are great introductory phrases to learn and practice.
(If you want some help pronouncing these phrases head over to my YouTube channel via this LINK)
3.Record yourself speaking Spanish
By recording yourself speaking these new phrases you’re getting to know your “Spanish self”. This might sound silly, but it is well known that as you start to learn a new language you “become” a new person as you learn new ways to express yourself. It’s like a whole new personality is being formed, in Spanish.
4.Spend 20 minutes a day reading something in Spanish
This really is a clincher as far as I’m concerned. Make a cup of tea (or coffee), grab some literature in Spanish, put the timer on your phone and read for 20 minutes. You’ll be surprised at how much it improves your vocabulary.
(For more information on how this can help and some inspirations on things you can read check this blog post I wrote on Spanish literature for adults. )
5.Focus on a specific topic or country a week / month
Learning a language can feel so overwhelming when there is so much to learn. My advice is to start with one specific topic. The home, holidays family or maybe a hobby (rafting!?) you have are all great places to start. If you’re heading on holiday learn vocab specific to your destination.
6.Create a verb timeline
This is something I do with ALL my students whatever their age and ability.
Wherever you are on your language learning journey you can start one of these. Starting with the present tense, you take one verb and “conjugate” it throughout all the past tenses and then through all the future tenses. Three timelines in total, one for -AR ending verbs, one for -ER and another for -IR ending verbs. It’s a great reference tool for your everyday learning.
7.Chose a Spanish radio station and listen to it for 20 minutes a day
Listening to Spanish radio can be so frustrating – they talk so quickly, don’t they? Just remember you don’t need to understand everything they say, just start to turn your ear in to the sounds and different accents. Plus, you’ll be exposed to new music and musicians too.
8.Book a course or lesson
Learning a language independently is great, and there are lots of great free and paid for resources out there but sometimes you just need a bit of guidance from a tutor.
Taking the plunge and booking a series of private lessons or a course can feel scary but believe me it will make a HUGE difference to your learning. You don’t have to sign up for ever, it can be a temporary thing for six-weeks to start with.
But it will help you appreciate how far you’ve come as well as support you towards taking your learning further.
9.Create a language learning routine
Knowing how you learn and what works for you is just as important as knowing what doesn’t. Ask yourself these key questions:
- How much time do I have available to dedicate to learning?
- When is the best time for me to learn?
- Where will I source my learning materials?
- How much time do I have to prepare my learning materials?
This last point is a frequently overlooked point. Hours can be lost trawling the internet for resources that are appropriate to your level. So much time in fact, that by the time you’ve found what you need you aren’t left with enough time to actually learn anything.
Once you have the answers to these questions, you’re well on your way to creating a language-learning routine that suits you, that is sustainable over time and that will help you move forward with your Spanish.
10.Write a list of all the things you already KNOW how to do in Spanish
Oh yes! Focus on everything you KNOW and not everything yet to LEARN. Build your confidence this way and you’ll feel ready to take on the Spanish-Speaking World and all the native speakers you come across (well, maybe not completely true but you get my point!) Positive thinking is key!!!
So there you have it 10 things you can do RIGHT NOW to improve your Spanish. And if you need any more inspiration or support, check out some of the incredible resources and support we offer here at Adventures in Spanish below.
Freebies
Download my FREE Spanish Beginners Guide https://bit.ly/3oPYcJu
Spanish Scavenger Hunt Game to keep children entertained at the airport. It’s FREE to Download here https://bit.ly/3R3nu6i
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I upload two new Spanish lessons are week to my YouTube Channel, visit it here YouTube Channel
Paid for courses
Purchase my Holiday Spanish Course here: https://adventures-in-spanish.thinkific.com/
Signed copies of my Bilingual Children’s books available here: Bilingual children’s books — Adventures in Spanish
And finally, we have a range of paid for courses and classes available to suit all learning styles and abilities on our website www.adventuresinspanish.co.uk
