Tips to better learn Spanish by Urania Pérez

Ten top tips to improve your Spanish

I am the owner and instructor of Spanish In Seattle. During the last 3 years providing, mostly, private tutoring and instruction to students with different learning styles I have learned several good tips that I give to my students I want to pass them along to other students. Here are the ten top tips:

1.  Use flashcards, specially if you are a teenager or university student. In one size write the word in English and in the other size in Spanish. Add your own drawings to it. It is a fun exercise. This also works well for adults.

2.  Practice is the key to learn the language. Practice 30 minutes every day for a minimum of 5-6 days each week. Select the easy items first then go to the more challenging ones.

3. Choose a word or an idiomatic expression a week to practice more in a systematic way. Use this word when you are writing, thinking, talking to a friend/vendor, or just taking a shower!

4. Use post-it notes, write the new word on it and post them all over your house when you are learning beginning vocabulary such as the names of house furniture. Your friend may laugh at this but that is ok they will be posted for a few days and you will have already memorized the names.

5. Listen to a podcast produced by a native speaker. I recommend for Spanish the podcast produced by a couple in Madrid, their podcast is called “notesinspanish”. It is the best podcast available, it is free, and it has all the levels.

6. Watch local TV, specially the news. In Seattle you can watch Univision, channel 29.

The local news at 6 PM are a good source to practice your listening skills.

7. Try to learn verbs and vocabulary in pairs, For example: if you learn the verb “abrir” find out what is the opposite verb in this case “cerrar”.

8. At the beginning start by learning cognate words, words that are writing the same, or almost the same, and the meaning is the same in English and Spanish. For example, computer and “computadora”, the pronunciation is different.

9.  Write a short paragraph, once a week, using the vocabulary learned that week. Try to keep it simple.

10. Have fun, use games, and do not give up. It is ok to make mistakes...

I congratulate you in your efforts to learn Spanish. In the long run you will be happy that you learned the language as it is becoming more and more useful in the global economy. You can use it, for example, to find a new job, or get that extra points for that promotion you have been waiting for. If you need a private tutor or instructor check out my web page www.spanishinseattle.com  Do not forget keep on practicing!! Urania Pérez, Spanish Teacher