Learning a Foreign language costs an exorbitant amount of money is a common misconception. Yes, there is no doubt you would benefit from a strong foundation with study material structured in an organized way, along with access to endless resources if you were to enroll in a formal Spanish program, but imagine how long the process would take and how much it would cost? Thanks to the internet and the resources available, learning no longer needs to be done in a traditional way. Taking advantage of this fact is where we hope to help you find an affordable solution. The aim of this guide is to fast-track your learning in a cost-free manner by providing a list of tips and tricks that can very easily fit into your lifestyle.
1. Learn Spanish by making use of online courses and apps
There are plenty of websites and apps that help you learn Spanish for free at your own time and pace. Most can be accessed while you are on-the-go thanks to the availability of mobile versions. Some such apps are Duolingo, Busuu, and Memrise. Apps like these are great as warm-up exercises where they focus on providing short exercises with quick interactions, instead of a long-drawn-out lesson.
2. Find a native Spanish speaker to befriend
Considering the final goal of learning any language is to be able to have a real-life conversation, it only makes sense to practice speaking Spanish with a native speaker as often as possible. It will help fine-tune your pronunciation. It will also help you with grammar as you will learn to use it in the correct context.
3. Learn Spanish using media resources
From Spanish YouTube channels to Spanish podcasts and audiobooks, TV shows and movies to Spanish music and news channels, the amount of free Spanish content that is available is staggering. Media is a great way to learn a language in a fun and engaging way. It is practical and helps you learn at a much faster pace.
4. Visit your local library and borrow Spanish books
All it takes is membership at the local library for you to access a wide range of books and resources. From Spanish textbooks to Spanish literature, all these free resources will aid your learning in a positive way at no cost.
5. Immerse yourself in all things Spanish
Immersion is a highly popular technique that involves surrounding yourself with as much Spanish as you can. Be it through travel, history, entertainment, or culture, you will find that your learning is automatic and intuitive. Such regular exposure to all things Spanish will take you as close to becoming a native speaker as possible.
6. Learn Spanish by playing Spanish games online
Yet another way to interact in Spanish is by making use of Spanish games online. It’s fun while helping you practice your grammar and vocabulary. These game-related websites in Spanish can be accessed for free – like Spanish-Games.net and Digital Dialects.
7. Switch the language setting to Spanish
Changing the language setting to Spanish can make it easier to absorb the language and its translation regularly as most of us spend a lot of time on our devices.
8. Practice your conversational skills on Spanish forums
Many Spanish forums are operated by native speakers online and give people the opportunity to engage in topics of interest. Such forums are free and extremely useful when you need to learn common idioms and phrases. Jotting them down can help build your vocabulary with idiomatic phrases. A few such forums are – Burbuja, Foro Chicas, ForoBeta and Foro de Vandal among many others.
To conclude, it’s safe to say that thanks to the existence of the internet, anyone can learn Spanish without dipping into their savings account. Moreover, material online is user-friendly and can be integrated into your daily routine without hassle. So, go ahead and explore all your options on your journey to learning Spanish at your own pace – completely free of cost!