Learning Spanish can be a bit tricky especially for beginners. But you don’t need to worry about that however you have to put your efforts in the right directions. If you ask me what are the 5 best ways to learn Spanish by yourself. My answer will be the following:
1- Learn the fundamentals of the Spanish Language
After learning the basics of grammar and vocabulary words. You should memorize the most-used Spanish words, that will help you in the process of conversing with others. Learning these two things will give you a good start as a beginner learner and they are essential in your Spanish language learning journey.
2- Read Spanish books and news materials.
Reading is an essential part of learning a new language. So how could I neglect it in my first place of learning Spanish? Reading is the easiest way to get a grip on the basics of a language, and also helps you learn words and sentences. The easiest way to do that is by reading Spanish newspapers and magazines. It will help you in understanding the grammar of the language and also you can learn new words.
Make a habit of purchasing Spanish newspapers daily and read at least the front page of it. Furthermore, there are many books with Spanish lessons and instructions for learners of the languages.
Pay attention to the time of morning when reading Spanish materials, because it will have a positive effect on your learning. Bit by bit you will start learning and will be able to understand, speak and write Spanish. All you need is to be persistent and have dedication. Make your learning a habit and you will do it easily and quickly.
3- Watch and learn from Spanish movies you might be interested in.
Similar to book reading, watching movies in Spanish is very useful in learning the Spanish language by yourself. The impact of movies on your memory is stronger than that of reading. According to linguists, it is because of the audio-visual impact, which helps in better memorizing. If you are watching a good film, then certainly, you can’t help but get attracted and learn from it.
The best way to watch Spanish movies is to do it all alone with subtitles, or with your Spanish-speaking friends and family members. You will find it very easy to learn the language that way because you can write down any new word in your journal immediately. The cherry on top of it is that you will have a lot of fun watching these movies.
There are many Spanish movies and best of all you can download them and watch them for free on YouTube. Just type ‘Spanish movies’ in the search engine and you will get many Spanish movies.
Watch the movie “Amores Perros” by director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. It is a dramatic movie which will help you improve your vocabulary and learn about Spanish culture. Or you may watch any movies according to your taste. The more you watch, the more you will learn.
4- Listen to Spanish music you like.
Music is a great way to keep you involved and entertained on your journey of Spanish language learning. It contains easy words and the rhythm of its sound will help you learn Spanish fast and easily. Furthermore, listening to music while learning English has been proven to enhance your English fluency. In the same way, it is also helped me to learn the Spanish language.
There are many Spanish bands that you can listen to online.
5- Talk in Spanish as much as you can.
The number of words you learn and use in dealing with people is far more than any other method. That’s why talking to people in Spanish is the best way to learn the language of Spain. In fact, it has been proved that speaking a new language also helps in better memory.
Most people find it difficult while speaking a new language.
You should not get disappointed the first few times. Just try to speak Spanish with people, with anyone you see, at parties, and also at work. If you are too shy to speak in public or with your friends then you can try to speak with yourself in front of a mirror. It sounds like a silly thing but it works. You will learn a lot just by hearing yourself speak.
Give it a try, and you will find that despite the awkwardness of speaking you will get confidence very soon.
Once you have begun to talk, then it is very easy to continue with that and improve your Spanish. A simple tip is to pay attention to what you say and how you say it. If you start speaking Spanish on a daily basis, then soon that will become your habit.
6- Go to Spanish-speaking countries
Living in Spanish-speaking countries will allow you to practice your new words and sentences with the locals. In fact, it is the fastest way to learn Spanish by yourself. The only issue here is that it is difficult to find such a place, and also can be expensive to live there. But you can go there for short vacations and some of the times it will be enough for your learning.
Furthermore, it will help you learn the culture and climate of the country you are in. Many of the Spanish-speaking countries are very popular tourist destinations and there is no better way to experience a new country than by going there with your friends and family members.
Don’t fret about the idea of not speaking Spanish, because nothing can change that, except learning to speak Spanish.
Get ready to hear a lot of strange words. It is a great chance to learn the language in the best possible way by yourself. And it will be a lot of fun too. It is probably the best way to learn Spanish for beginners by yourself.
7- Talk with your Spanish-speaking friends
This is a very effective way to learn Spanish by yourself. You can talk with your friends who know Spanish. It is easy to learn the language if you are talking with people. All you need to do is just to log on to Facebook and Skype with your friends who already know Spanish. You will gain a lot of confidence by talking with them.
You can talk about different topics related to your routine life, and express your feelings as you speak and listen. There is no better way to learn the language than having conversations in Spanish.
8- Learn grammar rules
Learning grammar rules is one of the most useful methods to learn Spanish by yourself. In fact, it can help you to find mistakes in your language use. It is the best way to write your own short article in Spanish and also to check the mistakes which you might have while speaking Spanish. It is very advisable to learn grammar rules when you are alone because it can be a tedious task.
9- Read books
Reading is the best method to learn a new language by yourself. It is because you can mark any word that you find difficult and read it once again after that. You can write that word in your notebook or learn it from an online dictionary.
The first thing to do is to find a book. You can go on amazon.com or even a library. Remember, reading is not just about the story but also about language use. You will find a lot of vocabulary in the book. It is one of the most useful ways to learn Spanish by yourself.
You will be surprised to see how fast you learn Spanish when you read books. It is a very effective way to learn Spanish by yourself.
10- Learn Spanish pronunciation
It is very important to learn the Spanish pronunciation properly. It is because you will get a good understanding of the language and also it will make the task of learning much easier.
As you know, every language has its own unique set of sounds. And it is especially true for Spanish. While learning the language you will find that some words are pronounced differently than their English counterparts.
You can watch some videos on YouTube and also on other websites which help you to learn Spanish pronunciation. It is a great way to learn Spanish by yourself.
Conclusion
if you want to learn Spanish fast then set a timeline and make a schedule that how many hours you will be spending on each method. You must stick to the schedule. Because if you don’t, then you will not learn faster. Having such a schedule you will learn Spanish fast and easily. In fact, you will feel an improvement in your language skills within just a few weeks.
Don’t get scared while speaking Spanish with people if you are just a beginner. It is the best way to learn Spanish and would surely help you. But you need to take a few things in mind.
Don’t get frustrated when you can’t understand things in the beginning. Just keep trying and you will surely learn Spanish by yourself within just a few days. If you want to learn Spanish fast then don’t be afraid of making mistakes. You shouldn’t get frustrated if you find a word difficult to pronounce. Instead, you can just write that word in your notebook or on a piece of paper and repeat that word every day to remember it. In fact, you have to keep in mind that learning Spanish is not a one-day task. You have to learn it day by day, and with practice and confidence, you will be able to speak Spanish in just a few months.