So you just started out learning Spanish. You are impatient to be able to talk fluently with native speakers. Your question now is: how long does it take to learn Spanish? In this article we’ll try to shed some light. Here’s what you’ll discover:
- How long it takes to learn Spanish;
- How to learn Spanish fast;
- How to use the General Español program to learn Spanish.
Eager to find out more? Read on, we won’t let you down!
How long does it take to learn Spanish?
Wondering if it is difficult to study Spanish and how long it takes to do so is legitimate, but answering is complex. Language-learning in fact is not an exact science. It is very subjective and may depend on many factors. Learning Spanish if you are a child, for example, will be much easier and faster.
Let’s take a look at some of these factors!
What’s your current level and what level you want to achieve
If you are at a beginner Spanish level and you just want to learn some basics to go to Spain on holiday and be able to get by, learning Spanish will be quite easy and fast. On the other hand, if you are at an intermediate Spanish level and your dream is to work and live in a Spanish-speaking country, your journey may be a bit longer. Having a clear goal in mind is already the first step in your learning process. The time needed to learn Spanish will vary according to where you are starting and where you want to go.
How motivated you are
Motivation makes a huge difference in the learning process and in large part determines whether it will take you one month or one year to speak Spanish properly. If you are not motivated, you will not take it seriously and you will not commit to studying. However, if your motivation is high, you will dedicate a lot of time and energy to Spanish and you will improve much more quickly.
What’s your native language and its similarity to Spanish
The previous factors depend on you, but there are some things you can’t control or change: for example, your native language. If you are a native Italian speaker, learning Spanish will be easier and faster, because both languages have Latin origins, meaning they have many similarities, common roots, verb tenses, etc. On the contrary, if you are a native English speaker, learning Spanish may be a bit harder for you, since these two languages have different origins, sounds and pronunciations.
What learning approach you are using
Studying through only books can help you improve to an extent, but if you want to improve quickly it will certainly not be enough. The learning method is very important in determining how long it will take you to become fluent. If you have the possibility to use other approaches too, you will learn faster. For example, to improve your pronunciation and learn more vocabulary, it would be great if you could watch TV and listen to some podcasts in Spanish; to improve your speaking skills you could find native-speaking friends and talk to them; to improve your reading comprehension you could try novels or comics in Spanish, and so on. The more you vary, the faster you learn.
Which skills you want to focus on
If you just need to be able to speak Spanish, learning will be quite fast. On the other hand if you also want to learn to read and especially learn to write in Spanish, it will take you more time, since you’ll also have to study grammar, spelling and punctuation.
How much time you dedicate to studying
Last but not least, the most important factor: the amount of time you dedicate to studying the language. If you study just one hour per week… well, be sure it will be a long way to fluency. To learn Spanish fast, you should commit to your studies and dedicate as much time as you can to them. The best option would be to study every day and to immerse yourself in the language through daily activities.
Here’s how to learn Spanish fast
Now that you know the factors that influence your learning time, you’re ready to find out how to speed things up. Here are 5 tips you should follow to learn Spanish fast:
#1 Choose resources suited to your level
Learning a language can be quick or very long. It also depends on the resources you use during the process. If you are a beginner and you use advanced books, it will be very hard for you to progress, and you will feel unmotivated as you won’t see the results. Choosing the right resources is vital. Some online resources, such as a good website that evolves with you, could be the perfect choice to motivate you and support you during your journey to fluency. If organised into interactive lessons which include both grammar and practical exercises, it will help you progress fast while having fun and training all of your skills.
#2 Use both active and passive learning approaches
As we mentioned in the previous section, your learning speed also depends on the approaches you use. If you only study through books, you will probably have great grammar skills, but you’ll struggle with the speaking and listening competencies. That’s why, to learn Spanish fast, you should use both passive and active methods. Books are considered a passive method: you study the grammar and do the exercises. Active methods include watching movies and TV series in Spanish, listening to podcasts, the radio and songs in Spanish, playing video games in Spanish, and speaking with a native speaker. This way you’ll practise all of your linguistic skills and improve faster!
#3 Keep your motivation high and follow your schedule
Being consistent and motivated is very important to learn fast. Even when you feel like you are not improving, don’t give up: it’s part of the learning curve! Just keep following your schedule: study, do your exercises, watch movies in Spanish, read that novel you started and create new vocabulary lists. Being consistent and sticking to a learning schedule will help you improve fast.
#4 Use Spanish daily through practical activities
Write your shopping list, read the newspaper, watch TV, read a novel… all in Spanish! Immerse yourself in the language through daily activities and speed things up! Practising every day, in real life situations, in addition to constant grammar studying and exercises, will make you improve really fast and keep your motivation high! Whatever you do, try to do it in Spanish: you’ll see results in a jiffy.
#5 Travel to a Spanish-speaking country
A great way to speed up your learning process is to go to a Spanish-speaking country to improve quickly. Once you’re there, you’ll have no excuses: you’ll have to use Spanish all the time. You’ll meet many people to talk to, you’ll have to do the grocery shopping in Spanish, you will be able to attend events where everybody speaks Spanish, and so on. You’ll face real life situations and you’ll also have the opportunity to learn slang and colloquialisms you can’t find in your grammar books! Moreover, you’ll hear the proper accent and pronunciation everywhere around you, which will give you the chance to improve your speaking skills. Native Spanish speakers are very friendly and they will for sure help you by correcting your mistakes and teaching you new words, expressions and fun facts about their country and culture. Travelling will force you to put into practice what you’ve learnt. That’s a great way to improve quickly and to put yourself to the test!
How to learn Spanish fast with Global General
So, you are looking for the best way to learn Spanish fast. Let us tell you what you definitely need to try: Global General. This learning method developed by GlobalExam is tailored for beginners and intermediate-level students to learn Spanish completely online, whenever and wherever they feel like studying, in a fast and personalised way. Developed by experts of language learning, Global General offers 5 languages: Spanish, English, Italian, French and German. Every language goes from A1 to B2 level, according to the CEFR standards. Let’s see how Global General will help you learn Spanish in a fast and effective way:
- Flashcards to help you train your memory and learn new vocabulary in a fast and fun way!
- Simulations to practice your language skills in real context, for all the competencies, through speaking, reading and listening exercises.
- Exercises for grammar, vocabulary and listening comprehension
- A “did you know” section to deepen your knowledge of the language
- 5000 detailed corrections in your language
- Personalised feedback from our native-speaking coaches
- Online conferences with our native coaches, with a practical component where you’ll be required to complete some exercises and you’ll be given personalized corrections
- Validation of the acquired competencies every 5 simulations with certificates
- Scores for every exercise to help you understand your level and progress
- 150 hours of unique content and 500 audio tracks
Why us?
Our dynamic, fun, detailed and complete method will help you learn Spanish fast. You can access active and passive approaches, grammar and exercises, audio tracks and online conferences,… all on just one website.
With Global General you will be able to learn Spanish remotely: from your home, office, or wherever you are, whenever you want. You only need to have your computer or tablet with you. Choose a method that guarantees quick results — choose Global General!
Sign up now and start learning Spanish with Global General by GlobalExam!
