The Only Way to Learn Spanish
In this entry, Dan explains how to learn Spanish in one year. He has explained this simple structure for leaning Spanish fluently and efficiently. There are no magic techniques, only time-test methods and concepts based on experience and research in linguistics and second language acquisition.
Ignore new, trendy methods; there is only one way to learn Spanish.
Dan Hickman, Ph.D.
Time Needed for Fluency in Spanish 365 days
After having taught Spanish as a tenured professor for more than twenty years and having earned a Ph.D. in Spanish and Applied Linguistics, I have been asked this following questions hundreds of times: What is the best way to actually learn to speak Spanish? How do I learn Spanish the right way? What is the best app or program to lean Spanish? I have also heard the following even more often: I am not good at foreign languages or I didn’t learn anything in high school Spanish. My goal with this post is to put an end to all of the nonsense out there. First, everyone is good at languages; you are using one right now. The issue is that once you have fully developed your first language for communication, every other language you attempt to learn filters through what you already know. Think of it this way, when you look at a tree, your brain knows that it’s a tree and you’ll always think of it as a tree. From that point on, you will always attach other words in other languages to the concept of tree in English, which is translation. You may even say arbol means tree, but your brain doesn’t work that way when it comes to languages; it is not a translation device. Here is another example: when I ask students to say hello in Spanish, almost all say ‘hola‘ that is /ola/ without the /h/ sound as they have naturally acquired the correct pronunciation; it wasn’t read in a book or learned online. From life experience, we know that ‘hola‘ is pronounced /ola/. Conversely, when I then ask students to say ‘hacienda‘, ‘hotel‘ or ‘hace calor‘, most students pronounce all words with /h/ sounds as they are applying the rules they know, from English, to the words they do not know, from Spanish. Keep this in mind. This is called language learning vs. language acquisition; both are required for language fluency, and it is not hard. The problem is language learning is typically what happens in high school or even college Spanish, and that is only half of the process. Learning only half sets learners up for failure. The following is a simple, guaranteed formula that will teach you how to learn Spanish in one year or achieve language fluency in any language.
- Learn the basics using the free materials
Don’t buy anything, period. If you search the internet you will find thousands of new and innovate methods for sale, none of which are new and/or innovative. The most famous example is a company that used to advertise their naturally speaking method that was used by NASA, yet what they failed to mention is that it was used in the 1950s and has since been discredited. The truth is that all programs and methods have value since there are many types of learners and many types of instruction. For this reason alone, there is no need to buy any of them. Getting started: the first step is to master the fundamentals, the basics, the nuts and bolts of Spanish, which are simple verb conjugations, basic and common vocabulary, sentence structure, and so on. This can be done by listening to introductory Spanish lessons on YouTube where there are literally thousands of free lessons, downloading Podcasts, reading websites, and exploring online activities among dozens of other tools available online. The key at this point is explore a variety of options and see what works for you. If traditional learning is not working, try streaming podcasts while in the car or during a run. If that is not working, try interactive websites or YouTube videos. The goal at this point is to keep engaged and keep learning the basics. A good idea is to study only few minutes at a time, never more than twenty minutes. Think about what you learned throughout the day. In sum, in order to master the basic elements of Spanish (or any language) the format of the language program does not matter, the method does not matter, the innovative nature of the program does not matter; what matter is that you are spending time with the material, practicing the basics, and enjoying the process. Summary of step one regarding how to learn Spanish: buy/download/gather anything focusing on Spanish.
- Master a few conversation points
If you were going to take trip to a Spanish-speaking country, what are the most essential things you would need to say? How much does this cost? Where is the bathroom? How do I get downtown? There are probably about ten or twenty questions that you could learn quickly. Once you establish a set of essential conversations items, make sure they are truly mastered, that is, unforgettable. This is not simply about learning the translation of these questions or learning how to use them, it is about having a set of solid concepts mastered inside and out. From these questions and/or phrases, many other questions can be formulated by simply adjusting several words or rewording the sentence structure. Summary of step two regarding how to learn Spanish: review/practice simple basic conversations points.
- Use your conversations points with a native speaker
Once you have your conversations points mastered, try them out on a native speaker of Spanish. There are many ways to get in contact with Spanish speakers, and most speakers will be glad to share their language with you. If you live in a remote area, there are many language exchange platforms online where you are able to practice speaking via video in a variety of platforms. In most cases, you will need to share time with your language partner as he or she will want to practice English as well; this is known as a language exchange or conversation exchange. Additionally, most colleges and universities have weekly language tables or tertulias that are open to the public. These language groups are an amazing way to practice and get plugged into to community. The easy part is learning conversation points, the hard part is anticipating or understanding what is said back to you and then responding appropriately. There is no substitute for actual conversation. Summary of step three regarding how to learn Spanish: talk.
- Surround yourself with Spanish
Language is everywhere, and you should make sure you are surrounding yourself with Spanish. There are several simple ways to do so: Turn on Spanish subtitles on all movies, shows, news channels, and so on. This is an excellent way to increase your vocabulary. I always suggest to learn one or two words ever show. You will find that many words are used over and over during the course of one episode, and if you halfway pay attention to the subtitles, the repetition will work its way into your long-term memory. Another option is the change the audio track to Spanish for movies or shows you have seen over and over. This way you know the plot, you know the characters, and you probably even know a lot of the dialog. Hearing it in Spanish will not be as difficult since you already know what is happening. Spanish language radio stations are another great way to passively surround yourself with Spanish. At first, you may or may not like some of the musical genres; however, like all music, after hearing the same songs over and over, not only will you like them, you won’t be able to forget some of the words! Once you have heard a song over and over and have come to enjoy it, you should look up the words on the internet so you can sign along. TV and radio are both excellent ways to fill the air with Spanish. Summary of step four regarding how to learn Spanish: watch, listen, read.
- Go somewhere
Ideally, a semester abroad will do the trick, but that is not an option for everyone. If you are a student on any career path, adding a second language to your resume can be unstoppable in the job market; consider a semester abroad in a Spanish speaking country. If that is not an option, which I assume is the case for most readers, then a week vacation is a good place to start. It doesn’t matter how long you study the language, until you are in a place where Spanish equals survival, that is, ordering food, transportation, and so on, it is difficult to achieve full language acquisition. I always recommend non-tourist locations as English much less common. For example, when students go to Puerto Rico, I typically suggest they spend time in Ponce as opposed to San Juan (or Isla Verde) as there are much fewer tourists, and there is a much better chance your interactions will occur in Spanish. Obviously, it is possible to master a language without travel, but full immersion in a Spanish speaking region is always very helpful. Summary of step five regarding how to learn Spanish: travel.
- Have confidence and do not be afraid to make mistakes
We are always our own worst enemies when it comes to foreign languages. Think of all the mistakes we make in English, but our message is still communicated. Think of all the non-native speakers of English who speak with accents and make grammar mistakes in regular conversation, yet we still understand them well. Seeking perfection, a prefect accent, and precise grammar are all nice goals to set, but don’t let them rule your ability to speak in Spanish or reduce your language confidence. You should always focus on communicating a message, not grammatical precision. Just like children when they acquire their first language, as you speak you will learn what works and doesn’t work and adjust accordingly. Summary of step six regarding how to learn Spanish: confidence.
