Choosing to learn a language like Spanish is a great idea. Foreign languages are great for your employability and even if a particular job doesn't require the Spanish language specifically, employers value applicants with more than one language as it shows that they're great communicators and driven enough to put in all the work that learning a language requires.
Learning to speak Spanish will also help you to learn about the many fascinating Spanish-speaking cultures around the world and allow you greater access to these places.
Learning any language takes time, though, and it can be difficult to work out exactly where you should start, especially if you're an absolute beginner. There's no reason you can't start learning Spanish now, but you do need to have a plan.
If you've never studied Spanish before, you can start right at the very beginning, but if you have ever taken a Spanish class at school or studied Spanish elsewhere, it's worthwhile taking a Spanish-level test so you can find out what kind of resources you should be starting with.
Different levels require different approaches and resources to learn effectively and as you progress, you'll see that the way you study the language will adapt to meet your level.
Let's have a look at what you'll need to learn Spanish.
Start Learning Spanish as a Beginner
There's no shame in being a beginner in any language. Everybody has to start somewhere and when it comes to learning any language, everybody has to start at the very beginner.
After all, you wouldn't be reading this article if you already spoke Spanish fluently.
Learning any foreign language is incredibly rewarding and you'll see that there are so many accessible resources available both online and offline if you ever need help with your new language, you can always quickly search for help online.
Start with the Basics of Spanish
If you're an absolute beginner, it can be difficult to choose what aspects of the language you should learn first. Here are just a few things you might want to learn or research before you start your journey into Spanish.
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The Spanish alphabet
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Spanish pronunciation
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Genders in Spanish
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Articles and adjectives
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Basic vocabulary (words, phrases, introducing yourself, colours, numbers, weather, clothes, etc.)
Negatives, conditional tenses, the subjunctive, etc. can all wait for now so don't worry too much about them.
Focus on the simplest parts of the language and build up a foundation before trying to tackle the trickier parts of speaking Spanish. There'll be more than enough time to struggle with these later on your language-learning journey.
At this stage, you can have a lot of fun while learning Spanish. After all, you're at the early stage where everything's new and exciting.
Once you start to understand a bit of Spanish, though, you'll need to think more clearly about your overall objectives and why you're learning Spanish as this will dictate the approaches and resources you choose next.
It's always a good idea to get help with learning the language from Spanish classes or private Spanish tutorials. Generally, classes are cheaper than private tutors but there are lots of private tutors out there and this leaves you with the chance to learn Spanish exactly how you want to.
While there's certainly an advantage to learning a language in infancy, you're never too old to learn Spanish and there are lots of ways for adults to learn.
There are plenty of videos, podcasts, websites, and apps for all ages that you can use to help you learn Spanish.
Once you start reaching an intermediate level in Spanish, you can start watching Spanish movies and while you might need English subtitles on at first, as you progress, you can switch these over to Spanish and ultimately turn them off if you don't need them.
Learning Spanish at an Intermediate Level
Once you've grasped the basics of Spanish and can start having basic conversations, welcome to an intermediate level of Spanish.
Intermediate Spanish Classes
You won't see much of this when you first start learning Spanish, but these are the parts of the language that you'll focus on in your typical intermediate Spanish class:
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Pronunciation
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Complex sentence structures
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Specialist words and vocabulary
- Conjugations and advanced tenses (present, preterit, present perfect, simple future, imperfect, preterit perfect)
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Irregular verbs
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The subjunctive (present and imperfect subjunctive) as well as further studying the conditional and the imperative
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Use tenses correctly
As you reach an intermediate level, you should be able to speak with Spanish natives and have basic conversations.
Children who learn Spanish will likely reach these levels more quickly than adults even if the content of their conversation mightn't be as advanced since they won't likely have the subject knowledge or life experience to elaborate on a lot of topics.
Improving Your Spanish Beyond an Intermediate Level
Once you get to an intermediate level and are quite comfortable speaking Spanish, you may run the risk of plateauing. After all, if you have the same conversations all the time and need to regularly practise and try to leave your comfort zone to learn new vocabulary and structures.
Books and media will help, but you also need to regularly practise to ensure that your Spanish doesn't get rusty.
Try to use your Spanish as often as possible, look to move from English subtitles to Spanish subtitles when watching things in Spanish, and read books in Spanish to see more interesting uses of the language.
As soon as you can, try looking for Spanish language exchanges so you have an opportunity to practise your Spanish regularly with a native speaker and talk about topics that you wouldn't normally talk about so that you can learn new vocabulary and structures.
It's never been easier to find Spanish speakers. Online, you can look for websites for language exchanges or join language learning groups on social media.
These exchanges don't need to start with conversations necessarily. You can start by writing emails, chatting, or messaging before having spoken conversations.
Learning Spanish takes time so don't expect to reach this level quickly, but don't give up. You'll get there eventually as long as you remember that there aren't any magic solutions other than a lot of practice and hard work.
Moving On To Advanced Spanish
Once you're comfortable speaking Spanish in most conversational situations, you'll need to really start working hard to improve your level.
If you're still looking for ways to improve your Spanish, it may be time to take the plunge and move to a Spanish-speaking country and look to immerse yourself in the Spanish language.
There's no reason you can't start your Spanish journey in a Spanish-speaking country, but it's far less overwhelming if you already at least have some of the basics.
Making Your Spanish More Authentic Through Travel
Once you've started living your life in Spanish, you may even find yourself dreaming in Spanish.
Even before you move to a Spanish-speaking country, Spanish-speaking friends can help. In larger cities, there may be Spanish-speaking communities, events, and plenty of other opportunities to improve your Spanish.
The more opportunities you have to use your Spanish, the better it'll get.
If you can't get these opportunities where you live, then Spanish-speaking countries like Spain, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Costa Rica, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile are all potential options.
Just remember that when you move to a Spanish-speaking country, you're there to learn the language. Avoid English speakers if you can. It's obviously much easier to make friends and meet people in your mother tongue, but just remember why you're there and make sure that you're getting the most out of the opportunity you have.
In a Spanish-speaking country, you'll have lots of opportunities to hear Spanish being spoken whether it's on TV, in movies, through media, or just by heading out into public places.
There's no minimum age for learning Spanish and if you're a parent thinking about teaching your child to speak Spanish, you can start them as soon as you like.
If you or your child need more help learning Spanish, don't forget that there are plenty of great Spanish tutors on the Superprof site. Just search for them and you'll find plenty of tutors across New Zealand and around the world who are ready to help you learn a new language.
Even if you can't find any local tutors, online tutoring often offers a cost-effective and convenient way to learn languages from native speakers in their own countries.
With many of the tutors on the site offering the first lesson for free, you can always try potential tutors out before choosing the perfect tutor for you or your child.
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