Do you want to learn Spanish and speak like a native? What’s the best way to study a new language at your own pace? How can you learn grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation with just one easy solution? We have the answer to all of these questions: a good online course! In this article we’ll help you choose a valuable program that will help you reach fluency in Spanish. Here’s what you’ll discover :
- What the added value of a program is;
- The best 10 programs to learn Spanish online;
- Why it is important to choose a good program;
- Other ways to learn Spanish;
- How to learn Spanish with General Español!
Are you ready to learn how to choose a good online course to learn Spanish? Keep reading to find out!
What is the added value of a program?
There are so many ways you can use to learn Spanish. Choosing an online course to do it has many advantages. A good online program can in fact help you more than other more classical language-learning methods, because it offers the full package. Let’s see how an online course can help you learn Spanish!
Vocabulary
A good online program can help you enrich your vocabulary in a dynamic and effective way. Being easy to update, a website can offer new lists of words very frequently, that you can use to enrich your vocabulary. You will also be able to learn new words through exercises and games!
Grammar
Online courses offer not only grammar explanations, but also interactive exercises with corrections (in some cases even personalized feedback, like on GlobalExam). In this way you’ll be able to understand which rules you need to review and even have the chance to do it immediately, on the same website
Practice
When you study using a book, it’s difficult to put into practice what you just learnt. Instead, on a website you can study and test yourself right away, through exercises and simulations. You can find written exercises, dialogues, real life simulations, etc.
Flexibility
One of the greatest advantages of learning a language with an online course is that you can study whenever and wherever you want, at your own pace! Even if you have a busy life, an online course allows you to study in your spare time (you can even practice on the bus or train!).
The best 10 programs to learn Spanish online
You can find loads of courses online, but how to choose a good one? Picking a good course is vital for you to properly learn the language and keep your motivation high. Here are the top 10 best programs to learn Spanish online!
GlobalExam
GlobalExam is an online e-learning platform 100% dedicated to language learning and it is also one of the best websites and blogs to learn Spanish. It offers a personalised approach, comprehensive content (grammar, vocabulary, idioms, etc) and many exercises with corrections and explanations. It also has a focus on certifications and is very simple to use. It includes all levels from beginner to advanced and has many extra features such as exam simulations, level tests, audio tracks, the possibility of recording your voice, scores, and much more. It offers five languages, including Spanish!
Rosetta Stone
This is another great website to learn a new language. It lets you choose which topics you want to learn and has vocabulary lists with useful expressions. This course is a full immersion in the Spanish language, since it doesn’t have any explanations in English.
Duolingo
This app offers lessons for both young and adult learners. It’s a free app with a lot of exercises and corrections and it sends you regular reminders to keep you motivated. It includes all the grammar basics — verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, etc. — and has many exercises to help you practice all of your skills. It is undoubtedly one of the most used applications to learn Spanish.
Babbel
Babbel is a website that adapts to the user’s needs: you can set your goals and log in whenever you feel like it. Apart from exercises, it has some extra features such as games, podcasts and stories.You can also have a native tutor for an extra fee.
Fluenz
This course focuses on grammar and pronunciation, using real-world travel situations. This program can be permanently installed on your computer, so you don’t need access to the internet to study.
Busuu
Here’s another great online course. Busuu is a language-learning app that offers the opportunity to obtain a certificate at the end of the course (if you’re a premium subscriber). Some other features, available for an extra fee, include live sessions with tutors. It offers a path for users to go from the beginner to the advanced level.
Languatalk
This website offers 1-to-1 classes with native speakers. More than just a course, it is a platform where you can find native teachers. This could be a good alternative if you prefer having personalised classes with a tutor.
Pimsleur
Conversation is the main focus of Pimsleur: an instructor guides you through each word and phrase used in the dialogues provided. You will learn to anticipate the correct responses. This course is for people who learn best by listening, so it is not ideal for visual learners.
Rocket Languages
Rocket Languages is divided into three parts: the first and second parts focus on learning the language, mostly through audio exercises. The third part teaches useful phrases and gives cultural information about some real life situations.
Mondly
This app is perfect for those who need some basic phrases for a trip to a Spanish speaking country. It offers both visual and audio lessons, but is made only for beginners.
Why is it important to choose a good program?
Learning Spanish might be easy and fun. But to make it possible, it’s important to choose a good online course. If you pick the wrong one, the damage will be huge: first of all you will feel like you wasted your time (and money). This will cause frustration and you will probably give up on the idea of learning Spanish (and maybe even any other language). You also risk learning it wrong. If the content of the website is not reliable, you might learn the wrong verbs, words and pronunciation. Learning from zero is easier than fixing old mistakes, so it’s better not to risk it!
A good program will make you feel satisfied and motivate you to keep learning: if you really progress and see good results, you will want to study more! So, choosing a good course is vital not only to really learn the language and reach the desired level, but also to feel like it was worth your time and money. Online courses are a valid alternative to the traditional face-to-face lessons, but you need to pick the right one in order to obtain the same quality that a great teacher could give you: good content, grammar, exercises, personalised feedback, pronunciation, vocabulary, etc.
Other ways to learn Spanish
Some people want to learn Spanish while driving a car, others want to learn Spanish while sleeping. Still others want to find ways to study Spanish on their own or tips to make studying the language easy. Everyone is looking for the most effective method for himself and for his purpose, and in addition to those that we have seen up to now, there are other effective ways you can adopt to leran Spanish.
Books
Reading books in Spanish is a great way to improve quickly and learn new useful vocabulary and expressions. You could make a list of the new words you find and look up their definitions. Moreover, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the culture of the foreign countries you are most interested in.
Movies, TV series and videos
Just like reading, watching movies in Spanish, or TV series, telenovelas and YouTube videos, is a great way to learn new words and to find out more about the culture (choose movies that were actually filmed in Spain or in Latin America!). This is also a great method to improve your listening skills and to get used to hearing the proper pronunciation. Spanish has many different accents depending on the country, so it’s a good idea to vary the origin of the movies.
Podcasts and songs
Why not listen to some podcasts in Spanish? You can find podcasts about nearly any topic: music, games, politics, movies, art, sport, etc. You will be able to learn a wide variety of vocabulary and expressions and listen to many different Spanish accents. Spanish songs are also a good idea. It’s a great way to learn while having fun! Try listening to some Spanish songs and see if you understand their meaning.
Games
If you like games, a fun idea would be to play some game in Spanish! To start, choose a video game you already know and try to play it again in Spanish. You will learn new words, verbs and expressions while having fun! You could also choose a multiplayer game in order to play with native speakers
The best online solution: Global General
In this article we’ve listed some great online courses to learn Spanish. Now we have to choose the absolute winner and the answer can be only one: Global General by GlobalExam!
Global General is the best way to learn Spanish online: this method was developed by the e-learning platform GlobalExam for beginners and intermediate students to learn Spanish 100% online, giving them complete flexibility. Aside from spanish, we offer four other languages: English, French, Italian and German and every level of each language is developed according to the CEFR standards, going from A1 to B2. Here’s what you will find on Global General:
- Flashcards to help you train your memory and learn new vocabulary
- Simulations to practice your language skills in real context, for all the competencies: spoken, written and oral.
- Questions about grammar, vocabulary and listening comprehension
- A “did you know” section to deepen your knowledge of the language
- 5000 detailed corrections (in your language so that you can perfectly understand them!)
- Personalised feedback from our language coaches
- Online conferences with our native coaches, with exercises and corrections
- Validation of the acquired competencies every 5 simulations with certificates
- Scores for every exercise to help you progress
- 150 hours of unique content
- 500 audio tracks
What are you waiting for? Sign up here and start learning Spanish today with Global General!