There are Many Ways to Learn Spanish

Know the language - acquiring even basic Spanish language skills can greatly increase your enjoyment of Mexico.


[photo: La Mesa - courtesy of Houghton Mifflin ]

• Television:
  Watch Spanish language television. Telenovelas (Mexican Soap Operas) are a good choice because the characters have a tendency to speak a bit slower for dramatic effect, making it more easily understood. ¿Comprehendas? News programs are also good because you can often infer meaning from the context of the program.
• Community Education Spanish Programs:
  Your local junior college or local high school probably offer community education programs, many in the evening. Conversational Spanish and Spanish for Travelers are often offered along with longer term full learning programs that can be taken over a couple of semester or even a couple of years. Don’t be afraid to mix it up or repeat a class. It’s good to get exposure to a variety of teaching styles once you start learning Spanish.
• Start a Conversational Spanish Group:
  Place an ad on a community billboard (¡Use the online community, tambien! Try utilizing craigslist.org if you’re in a metro area).
• The Library:
  Most libraries have foreign language tapes or CDs. CDs can be ripped into mp3 files and you can listen to them on an iPod or othe mP3 player.
• Go online to Amazon:
  they have a huge inventory of Spanish books, a few of which I have used personally and are listed on the Spanish Resources page.
• Latin Music:
  On of the more influential modern sources of musical inspiration, Hispanic music can be a great way to remember phrasing and popular idioms. Whether it be Son Jarocho, Tango or Tex-Mex, there is a tremendous amount of fantastic Latino music out there. For some suggestions take a look at the Spanish Resources page. For translations of the lyrics, just Google the song name and the keyword 'lyrics' and you’ll probably find both the Spanish and English versions to follow along with.
• Volunteer for an ESL program:
  As more and more Hispanic migrants arrive in this country, the need for assimilation grows. Volunteering as an ESL teacher or assistant will give you vital interaction with native speakers of Spanish – people eager to learn your language and culture as well as share their culture with you.
• The Internet:
  Yes, you’re reading this because you already ARE on the Internet. There are so many resources available online we've devoted a whole page to it: Internet Spanish.

"No puede ser bueno aquél que nunca ha amado.(There can be nothing good for someone who hasn't loved)."
Cervantes