Did you know that Spanish is spoken in 44 countries? Learning Spanish is becoming more and more popular around the world. Millions of students dive into the adventure of learning this wonderful language. It is the second language with the most speakers in the world, it is in continuous expansion and there are many reasons why to learn this language: professional or personal reasons, for pleasure or to travel to Hispanic countries, among others.
In this article we will give you tips to learn Spanish for all the levels and we will see:
- The main reasons for learning Spanish;
- If it’s difficult to learn Spanish as an adult;
- The advantages of learning Spanish from childhood;
- Travel to a Spanish speaking country to learn the language;
- How to learn Spanish online with the General Español course.
Let’s start!
What are the main reasons for learning Spanish?
You are about to start learning Spanish? Check out the main reasons why you wont regret studying this language.
It is one of the most widely spoken languages on the planet
Spanish is currently the third most widely spoken language in the world, after Chinese and English with almost 500 million people around the world. It is important to learn Spanish because it is the official language in a total of 21 countries (Spain in Europe, Equatorial Guinea in Africa and almost all the countries of South and Central America).
A language in continuous growth
Studying Spanish is studying a language on the rise. It is estimated that in the year 2030 7.5% of the world population will understand Spanish due to the growth of the Spanish-speaking population in the United States and in Latin American countries. Spanish is a language with a very promising future, which will prevail over languages as important today as French, Arabic or Mandarin Chinese.
You will enjoy your trips much more
Knowing Spanish will make you a person not only more educated but also with a very good cultural knowledge of one of the richest languages on the planet. Thanks to your command of the language, you will be able to delve into cultures and places as different from each other and spectacular as Spain and its festivals, Cuba or the Dominican Republic and its beaches, Mexico and its pyramids or Central America and pre-Columbian cultures.
Get to know more people
You can communicate with Spanish speakers all over the world or in your own city. For example, if you are from the United States, you can contact many people who speak Spanish regularly in cities in the United States. If you know Spanish, when you travel to Spain and Latin America it will be easier and more fun for you, since knowing the language will allow you to better understand the culture of the places you visit, improving your travel experiences.
Study and work abroad
Both in Spain and Latin America, in many universities and other training centres, it is necessary to have knowledge of Spanish to be able to study in one of its courses, Master’s degrees, etc. As for professional opportunities, knowing Spanish will make you improve professionally, and this will give you the opportunity to access positions of greater relevance, importance, and value. The latter is definitely one of the fastest ways to learn Spanish.
Is it difficult to learn Spanish as an adult?
When they say that it is less difficult for children to learn two languages at the same time, it is true. For the same reason, after a certain age, learning a new language costs more and more. A new study by Boston researchers has identified at what age things start to get more difficult. The findings, published in the magazine Cognition, come from a grammar test carried out by almost 670,000 people of different ages and nationalities. The objective was to evaluate whether the participants were able to determine if a sentence written in English was grammatically correct.Most of the people who completed the questionnaire were in their 20s and 30s. The youngest was around 10 years old and the oldest was in the late 70s. The best explanation for the findings was that grammar learning is strongest in childhood, persists into adolescence, and then falls into adulthood. Researchers aren’t sure what causes the drastic decline after age 18, but they think it has something to do with the brain becoming less adaptable in adulthood. According to them, “in many societies you are a minor until 17 or 18. After that, a person leaves home, perhaps works full time or becomes a specialized college student. All of this can impact learning for any language”.
However, although it is more difficult for an adult to learn than a child, he has more willpower and with the best methods to learn Spanish he will surely succeed. Among the classic books and online resources you will surely be able to improve your pronunciation, learn to write correctly and many other things.
How to learn Spanish if you are a beginner?
Where to start learn Spanish if you are a begnner? Well, if you are a beginner (A1-A2) you will learn what is necessary to be able to defend yourself in everyday situations using basic vocabulary: talking about you and other people giving information such as professions or hobbies, shopping or ordering in a restaurant or moving to a city.
When this first part is learned, you will see the different past tenses of Spanish. You can start talking about your past or the things you have done in your life. The vocabulary is expanded to begin to deal with more advanced topics.
How to learn Spanish if you have an intermediate level?
When you achieve an intermediate level in Spanish, you will review and consolidate the past tenses and discover the subjunctive mood. You will be able to understand the main points of clear texts and in standard language if you deal with issues that are familiar to you, whether it is work, school or leisure situations. You will be able to describe experiences, events, wishes and aspirations, as well as briefly justify your opinions or explain your plans.
When you reach a B2 level (between intermediate and advanced) you will be able to interact with native speakers with a sufficient degree of fluency and naturalness. You will be able to write clear and detailed text on a variety of topics.
How to learn Spanish if you have an advanced level?
Reaching a C1 command of a language means speaking practically as well as a native speaker. You will understand a wide variety of long texts with a certain level of demand, as well as recognize implicit meanings in them. You’ll be able to express yourself fluently and spontaneously without a lot of effort. When you get to level C2, it implies a command of the language at the level of a native speaker.
Learn Spanish from Childhood: all the advantages
The fact that children absorb everything they see and hear is something that has been known since the beginning of time. Learning a language from childhood has plenty of advantages. We tell you below five benefits of learning Spanish from an early age, valid also for all the other languages.
Greater fluency when speaking
Learn a language from an early age, even while learning the mother makes children’s brains develop as if they had it divided into two monolingual parts. This will make them have better pronunciation and lose the shame of speaking in their second language.
Easier time acquiring knowledge
Their brain develops in a way that makes it easier for them to solve problems, improves their critical thinking, helps them to be more creative, improves their concentration, their memory, and their multitasking skills.
Greater cultural interest
Knowing other languages and being able to interact with people from other environments and cultures will make your children more tolerant and open-minded and get to know other cultures.
More likely to find employment
It is proven that knowing another language increases the probability of finding a job by almost 50%. It is very common to find job offers in which it is necessary to know, at least, English.
Travel to a Spanish speaking country to learn Spanish
As the first language of 20 countries and nearly 500 million people worldwide, Spanish has the world’s second-highest number of native speakers and is becoming increasingly important in many job markets. For the travel-minded, speaking Spanish opens a whole new world of friends and deeper connections. Check out the best places to learn Spanish:
Colombia
With the locals speaking Spanish with barely a waft of an accent, it’s a great place for beginners to get their ears in. It is next to the Caribbean, so it is a wonderful place to travel through!
Guatemala
Despite its small size, the country has plenty to offer in terms of culture, outdoor adventures, and surprisingly affordable Spanish language classes. The low cost of living makes it an attractive destination.
Argentina
Buenos Aires’ popularity among expats, study abroad students and volunteers has made it a top destination for travelers, many of whom arrive in need of a little help with their Spanish.
Spain
If you’re serious about learning Spanish, where better to do it than the birthplace of the language? Learning Spanish in Spain can put you in good stead for understanding Spanish in most other Spanish-speaking countries. The country also has good weather, food and beautiful and cultural destinations like Madrid, Granada or Barcelona.
Global General: the best way to learn the language
Are you terrified of going to an academy or frustrated by the idea of having to attend class to learn Spanish? Good news: it is not necessary! Now you can learn Spanish from scratch online and at GlobalExam we help you do it in the best way.
In our Global General section, we offer you academic courses with a fun learning system so that you can progress with confidence, as well as track how you progress. Of course, do not forget to keep a routine and dedicate some time to it every day. We help you get it!
