5 Ways to Give your Spanish an Energy Boost

Learning a language can fun and exciting. It can also be a challenge, especially when faced with boring grammar rules or hearing someone speak so fast that all you can glean from the entire conversation is that you think they ate at McDonald’s yesterday.

So, how to keep your Spanish learning alive and well? Here are 5 energy boosts that will help you get through the low points!

#1: I give you permission to watch TV. Watch shows and movies in Spanish. Make it a mix of your favorite films with subtitles or dubbed over as well as some new-to-you movies that will expose you to fresh content.

#2: Listen to Spanish-language podcasts. I highly recommend Notes In Spanish Advanced and Radio Ambulante.

#3: Be choosy with grammar. No, you do not need to master the imperfect tense, the preterite tense, and the subjunctive all in one sitting. Pick one and think about the rest later.

#4: Read poetry. Much less intimidating than Cien años de soledad, don’t you think? Check out Pablo Neruda’s Odas elementales and selected poems from Antonio Machado.

#5: Find a friend to chat with. Offer to take a Spanish-speaking friend out to coffee or a drink. Ask them to speak only in Spanish with you and give them complete permission to correct you. Chances are you’ll have fun catching up and they’ll enjoy sharing their knowledge.

Want more tips? Visit here and here.

Image courtesy of Gerry Walden Imaging.