Many of our students are interested in learning Spanish quickly.
No wonder: according to the Cervantes Institute, almost 580 million people around the world speak Spanish, 483 million of them natively as their main or second language.
This means that Spanish has a lot of potential, whether for traveling, for work or simply for the pleasure of communicating with other people.
However, Spanish has many synonyms, variations and exceptions, which can make it difficult to learn.
In addition, verb tenses in Spanish are more complicated than in other languages, such as English.
This means that students who speak Romance languages such as French, Italian or Portuguese are more agile in learning it and make fewer mistakes than those who speak English, German or Dutch.
At Españolé we are here to give you the keys to learn Spanish fast and easily with different methods customized to your needs.
Tips to learn Spanish fast and easy
Each person’s learning pace is different according to their abilities, commitment, incentives and interests.
Even so, we believe that these tips can help you learn Spanish in a stress-free manner, while having fun and better controlling the time invested in meeting your goals:
Patience
There is a Spanish proverb that says “patience is the mother of all sciences”.
This means that any truly worthwhile goal requires patience, effort and dedication.
To get good at speaking Spanish or any other language, you have to invest time – you can’t speak like a native from one day to the next!
That’s why our first tip for learning Spanish fast is to acquire a good grammatical base and overcome the fear of ridicule when it comes to speaking.
If you achieve both, everything will go “smoothly”.
Organize your time well
In addition to signing up for one of the intensive Spanish courses at Españolé, you can reinforce the knowledge acquired in class with notes, books or apps, or by doing activities such as language exchanges.
A trick to organize your time when studying Spanish is to focus on the things that are most difficult for you or that you want to improve in order to prioritize them.
For example, if you struggle to understand the difference between the verbs ser and estar, look for exercises or activities to practice until you master it.
Learn Spanish adapting to your goals
The reasons why you want to learn Spanish quickly may be different: learning Spanish for business purposes is not the same as learning Spanish to prepare for an entrance exam to a Spanish university.
The best thing to do is to find a method that will help you achieve your goals.
In general, you can set small weekly tasks that you can complete and that adapt to your real needs.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
One of our tips for learning Spanish fast is to not get too overwhelmed with grammar and to make an effort to increase your vocabulary.
Of course, all students need to learn grammar to be able to speak Spanish properly, but enriching your vocabulary will help you become familiar with the sounds of the language and give you a confidence that can be important for communicating fluently.
And if you make a mistake, answer with a smile!
Discover some curiosities about Spanish alphabet and its pronunciation.
Try to enjoy the experience
Our last tip for learning Spanish fast could only be to keep a positive attitude.
Making mistakes is very normal when learning a language, and the most valuable thing is to face that situation to make the most of it.
In fact, some theories claim that if you enjoy learning a language, your brain is more prepared to “store information”, something very interesting if you want to learn Spanish fast.
How long does it take to learn Spanish from scratch?
Learning Spanish and mastering all the language skills will take you some time, although it all depends on the approach you choose (learning Spanish at a Spanish language school such as Españolé is much faster than doing it on your own), the study framework (language immersion and speaking Spanish every day are important) or your memorization and assimilation skills.
Your native language or the languages you master may also determine the time and effort you will need to reach the level of Spanish you desire.
Some sources say that an average of 250 – 350 hours is enough to get by in a new language.
According to other sources, if you start as a beginner and spend an average of 1 hour a day working on your Spanish, you can be conversationally fluent within 8 to 12 months.
Our advice is that instead of calculating how long it will take you to learn Spanish from scratch, enjoy the experience and follow some tips that can be of great help to you.
How to learn Spanish from scratch?
Study Spanish in Spain
Anyone can learn Spanish faster if they are immersed 24 hours a day in a native speaking country.
We recommend that you study Spanish in Spain. Specifically, in Valencia.
First, reading this article about the requirements to study in Spain as a foreigner may come in handy.
Read in Spanish
Reading is an excellent way to learn common words and expressions faster.
What can you read? Anything you can get your hands on! You can read books in Spanish, newspapers, restaurant menus, comics, web pages, blogs, etc.
An extra trick? It is very important that you don’t stop every time you don’t understand a word: try to read fluently and continuously to understand the text by context.
This way, you will absorb the meaning of the words naturally and with much less effort.
Music and TV shows in Spanish
Listening to Spanish music and podcasts and watching Spanish series in their original version will help you to improve your listening and pronunciation.
We believe this is one of the best ways to improve your language skills faster and more effectively.
Tag every object in your home
This trick is also interesting if you are going to learn Spanish from scratch.
You can put labels on the furniture, in the kitchen, on the door of the house, etc.
And don’t just focus on words: you can also write down phrases, expressions, tasks, etc.
Practice with natives
The best way to avoid getting discouraged is to find friends with whom you can practice your Spanish.
This is important to reinforce the knowledge you learn in your Spanish course.
The benefits of learning Spanish
Learning a language improves your memory, sharpens your listening skills, enhances your creativity, improves your concentration and broadens your cognitive abilities.
If you choose Spanish, these benefits will be added to others, such as the possibility of improving your job prospects, enjoying your travels more or learning one of the most spoken languages on the Internet.
Thinking of studying Spanish in Spain? Find out more about our Spanish courses and accommodation in Valencia to enjoy a unique and unforgettable experience.
