So, you've decided to learn Spanish, and you're probably wondering what the best way to learn Spanish as an adult is.
You know your situation is different than when you were a child or a teenager. And, online performance culture has told you there’s always an optimal way, or a shortcut for everything you want to do. So, what is it?
The truth is, learning a new language takes time and effort, and there’s hardly any shortcuts or magical formulas for it.
But there are a few things that can make your journey more effective and enjoyable. That's why I want to share with you 3 simple principles I've seen help the many Spanish learners I've tutored.
Be strategic
Like I said, learning a new language takes time and effort. But as an adult, you always need to juggle different things like work, family life, other projects, etc. Your time and energy are limited.
You may have bursts of motivation that make you feel like you can take on the world, but you know they don't last. So instead of trusting in your motivation, aim for consistency.
And the best way to be consistent is to be strategic. Don't try to copy the perfect study routine you saw on TikTok. Because everybody's situation is different.
Besides, that routine is probably even fake in the first place. Remember they're aiming for views and likes, not necessarily helping you.
Instead, try to understand your own daily routine to find places where you can fit your Spanish. 20 or 10 minutes here and there may be all you need, especially at first.
Make sure your practice routine is simple and easy to follow by removing as much friction as you can. The easiest way to do this is by pairing it with a habit you already have, like a 15-minute Spanish session after a meal.
It doesn’t have to be a challenging session. Remember, your time and energy are limited. Especially after work, so aim for something simple like reading a short article, or watching videos in Spanish. Which takes us to the next principle
Nurture your Spanish
Have you ever listened to someone speak and go, “Wow, she sounds so smart! How could anyone sound like that?”
It's simpler than you think. The key for fluent communication is nurturing your language. After all, just like you need ingredients to cook a meal, you need a wide vocabulary to communicate effectively.
But it’s not just about learning words. Nurturing your Spanish will also help you pick up on new sentence structures and expressions in context. Which is 100x more effective than learning words from flashcards or endless lists.
In language learning, this is called Comprehensible Input, meaning input in your target language that’s somewhere around 90% comprehensible for you.
In practice, this could be anything from short stories, videos, songs, podcasts, movies, adapted books, articles, etc.
The key is to find something you can understand at roughly 80-90% and that’s interesting for you.
Use your Spanish.
Your brain only keeps what’s important for you, and the main thing that tells your brain if something is important is whether or not you use it.
That’s why you can hardly remember the name of someone you met once and never saw again. The same happens with your Spanish.
Nurturing your Spanish with the right input will help you gather the ingredients, but you have to cook with them. You need to take out your Spanish and play with it.
Three simple ways you can do this are thinking, writing, and speaking.
Try switching your internal monologue to Spanish. You know, that voice in your head that’s always talking about what you’re doing or planning to do. Turn your: “I need to wash the dishes” into “Necesito lavar los platos.”
Don’t know how to say that? Use your translator and find out. Don’t worry too much about the grammar behind it for now.
As for speaking, join conversational groups and language parties on Tandem. And if you want to make the most out of your speaking practice, book private lessons with a Spanish tutor. This way, you'll get personalized feedback and tailored-made practice activities to help you improve at every stage of your journey.
That's it, simple right?
There you go, three simple principles to help you learn Spanish as an adult. No magic formulas or shortcuts. And no perfect routine. Don't waste any more of your time looking for those. The best way to learn Spanish as an adult is following these three simple principles: Be Strategic, Nurture your Spanish and Use your Spanish.
Remember, you need to be strategic when learning a new language as an adult. Your time and energy are limited. You need to spend them in what really matters.
Get the right input (articles, books, videos) and use your Spanish as much as you can (thinking, writing, and speaking).
Don’t get caught up in the research stage of your journey. Keep these 3 principles in mind and get started. The path will continue to reveal itself as you walk it.