Are you finally ready to take the plunge and learn Spanish? Do you feel there’s way too much information out there to guide you and have no idea where to begin? Stress no more – as we’ve put together the ultimate “expert’s guide” on how to learn Spanish fast.
The first step in learning Spanish is to focus on vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. The second step is to use whatever you have learned in step 1 as confidently as you can. And the only way to gain confidence in Spanish is to have as many conversations with as many native speakers as you can. Your ultimate goal should be aimed at natural conversations with real people. Irrespective of how solid your foundation may be, it’s pointless if you have not had enough practice speaking. Conversational fluency will only come if you solidify what you’ve learned by putting it to practical use.
Note that what you learn is more important than how you learn. It is all the more true when learning a foreign language. As a beginner, you need to know the most common 1000 words in Spanish, followed by the essential grammar. You can skip aspects like future tense and subjunctive. Another vital point is that these 1000 most common words account for about 87% of spoken Spanish.
Flashcards are a great tool used to learn a ton of vocabulary all at once. The primary purpose of a flashcard is to get you to remember a word and its meaning and eventually be able to use these words in a conversation. Recall may take a bit longer initially, but you will notice the time shorten significantly over time. Once you can remember the word and use it in a conversation, the job of the flashcard is done. The key is to constantly try and use the words you learn with the help of the flashcard in a conversation. If you don’t do this, you will forget the word and eventually stop using flashcards. Bottom line – flashcards are extremely powerful tools for learning Spanish if used correctly!
Mastering the sounds of Spanish is one of the first things you need to focus on. By keeping this in mind during your learning process, you will begin to tune your ear to the different sounds and distinguish between the Spanish ‘a’ and the English ‘a’, for example. Your ears will automatically expect the correct sound it needs to hear, which is essential if you want to understand native speakers and converse like one eventually.
Native speakers are fast talkers! And the only way you can even remotely try and understand them is by practicing your listening skills as often as you can. It would be best if you had a solid handle on the sounds of Spanish. It is pointless if you can only understand what is being said to you in Spanish, more so if you rely on translation. You will never keep up. So, the best way to overcome this roadblock is to solidify what you learn (i.e., the sounds of Spanish) through practice (i.e., listening and speaking) – thereby improving and perfecting your conversational fluency as well as your comprehension skills.
One of the most common mistakes students make when learning Spanish is the need to be perfect – right from the very start! We all learn from our mistakes, and the same goes for learning a language too. Rest assured, you will make many mistakes while speaking Spanish before perfecting the language. It’s normal, and it’s required. Therefore, learn from the mistakes and avoid repeating them. Those that learn the fastest and make the most progress are the ones who aren’t afraid to make mistakes. They focus on being understood first, followed by perfecting later.
If learning the Spanish language has been on your bucket list for some time now and you haven’t got around to making a start – well, you sure have come to the right place for answers! So, what are you waiting for? Start 2022 right by commencing your journey to learning Spanish fast with the help of this expert guide!
