Which program is best for learning Spanish?
As a Romance language, Spanish is a descendant of Latin and has one of the smaller degrees of difference from it (about 20%) alongside Sardinian and Italian. Around 75% of modern Spanish vocabulary is derived from Latin, including Latin borrowings from Ancient Greek. It has absorbed vocabulary from other languages, particularly other Romance languages such as French, Italian, Mozarabic, Portuguese, Galician, Catalan, Occitan, and Sardinian, as well as from Quechua, Nahuatl, and other indigenous languages of America. Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, and it is also used as an official language by the European Union, the Organization of American States, the Union of South American Nations, the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States, the African Union and many other international organizations.
Try out some of these home learning Spanish tips to see how self-study can lead to fluency!
Practice Grammar and Vocabulary with Written Spanish
When learning Spanish on your own, one of the most difficult tasks is developing writing skills. You won’t be able to perfect your writing on your own, but you will be able to improve certain skills.
Utilize YouTube
There are a number of YouTube channels dedicated to teaching Spanish to beginners and intermediate students. Among the best YouTube channels to look for are those that provide grammatical tutorials, vocabulary explanations, and simple Spanish dialogues.
Mix Spanish Dictations with Songs
For young Spanish children, dictation is a common elementary school exercise. It ensures that they learn how to write in Spanish correctly—and it can be just as effective for learning Spanish as a second language! It only takes a text and someone reading it to you.
Watch Spanish television and films on a regular basis
Choose a Spanish TV show or film that you think you’ll enjoy. Watch it with English subtitles for the first time. If it’s a movie, you’ll have to watch it again. If it’s a TV show, just skip to the next episode. Instead of English subtitles, watch it with Spanish subtitles this time.
Create and Apply Spanish Flashcards
Flashcards are obviously not ideal for all aspects of Spanish learning, but for the simpler elements of the language, such as vocabulary definitions or translations, word genders, and different verb forms, homemade flashcards can be an effective practice.
Written Spanish Exercises (with an Answer Guide)
Written exercises are often regarded as the bane of many students’ Spanish learning experiences, but this valuable practice tool should not be overlooked. By improving your writing skills, you’ll be reinforcing all of the grammar rules you’ve been learning.
Have a good time while learning Spanish.
Use online gamified apps that aim to teach Spanish in a game-like format. One of the most well-known of these is Duolingo, which incorporates mini-games, levels, and learning streaks to make learning Spanish enjoyable. You can also learn Spanish by playing a variety of online games. These games are ideal for beginners who want to practise common vocabulary topics or grammar constructs like verb conjugations.
Immersion
Travel to a Spanish-speaking country to take advantage of the opportunity to learn new words and phrases and put what you’ve learned into practice by conversing with natives while staying with them. Of course, not everyone has the luxury of travelling. Fortunately, you don’t have to leave your city or town to benefit from interacting with Spanish speakers! Another option is to use a website like mylanguageexchange.com or italki.com to find a Spanish language exchange partner.
Sign up for a self-paced Spanish course.
A self-guided Spanish course, regardless of level, can be an excellent way to learn Spanish grammar and vocabulary in a systematic fashion. It can also give you more opportunities to speak, listen to, read, and write Spanish at a level that will benefit your current abilities. You could look into sites like ielanguages.com or informal courses like University of Texas and SynergySpanish, which provide more interactive learning based on your level.
Finally,
Spanish is a part of the Ibero-Romance group of languages of the Indo-European language family, which evolved from several dialects of Vulgar Latin in Iberia after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. The oldest Latin texts with traces of Spanish come from mid-northern Iberia in the 9th century, and the first systematic written use of the language happened in Toledo, a prominent city of the Kingdom of Castile, in the 13th century. Modern Spanish was then taken to the viceroyalties of the Spanish Empire beginning in 1492, most notably to America, as well as territories in Africa and the Philippines. It is also a Romance language, with nearly 500 million native speakers, mainly in Spain and America.
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