How to Learn Spanish Language?

How to Learn Spanish Language? Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. Each year Spanish universities attract numerous international students. Applicants who are aiming to study abroad in countries like Spain or other Spanish-speaking countries will have to learn at least the Spanish language for day-to-day interactions. 

Spanish language is not a difficult language to learn for English-speaking students. Thus, those opting for courses to study in Spain which are instructed in Spanish, have to prove their language proficiency for admissions. Check out the best possible ways to learn Spanish language for international students in this article. 

Spanish Language Highlights

• There are 21 Spanish-speaking countries in the world which use Spanish as their official language of instruction.
• Maximum Spanish speakers are in Mexico, that is, around 113 million speakers.
• Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. Plus, it is widely opted as a second language in USA and European countries.
• The Spanish language has over 93,000 words in its vocabulary, thus making it quite robust as a lingua franca. 
• Also, Spanish language words are quite phonetic. The language is very colourful and expressive. Additionally, Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers. 

Why Learn Spanish Language?

There are a couple of reasons why an Indian student should learn Spanish and these are as follows:

• Universities in Spain that offer courses with Spanish as the medium of instruction will require students to demonstrate Spanish language proficiency.
• Those who want to study in Spain will still have to learn basic Spanish so that it's easier to communicate for directions or money or other things.
• Applicants applying for jobs in a Spanish speaking country after graduating will also require some Spanish language proficiency. Check out: Popular Jobs in Spain for Indians
• International students who require scholarships can also show their Spanish language proficiency to avail one.
• Spanish language proficiency can be an added advantage in a job or student CV for international job seekers in Spanish speaking countries. 

Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages globally, and every day, on average, 4,000 Indians sign up to learn the language. Thus, it is advantageous to learn the Spanish language for studying in Spanish-speaking countries, attending universities that teach courses in Spanish, and for job seekers looking to work in Spanish-speaking countries.

Check: Top 10 Best Foreign Languages to Learn for Students

How to Learn Spanish Language?

There are various ways of learning Spanish language for an English-speaking Indian student. One, there are various platforms for learning the language like online or offline. Two, there are typical institutions which offer certificate courses or Spanish classes for students. The most preferred way of learning Spanish language among Indian students planning to study in Spain or any other Spanish language country is the online medium. Students who are struggling to learn Spanish language can follow these sure-shot 10 tips to mastering the Spanish language:

1. Listen to Spanish music and sing along. Try to catch the lyrics and pronunciation while singing Spanish songs.
2. Begin watching Spanish movies with English subtitles. Try to understand the phonetics and language usage. Mark wherever you get stuck.
3. Keep a dictionary which translates Spanish to English or vice versa. This will enhance the students' vocabulary and help them understand the meanings.
4. Travel in a Spanish-speaking country and immerse yourself in the language and culture. Under direct instruction, students can easily master the Spanish language.
5. Engage with Spanish speakers on online platforms for interactions. The way they speak and write can help students grasp the Spanish language well.
6. Make your notes, in your mother tongue, and make notes of sounds, words and phrases used in Spanish language. The revision will get easier in future, you'll save your time too.
7. Read out Spanish words aloud like a primary school kid. This way Spanish language enforcement will get better. 
8. Take out 5-10 minutes daily from your schedule to learn Spanish language words and practice them regularly.
9. Buy Spanish books and learn Spanish grammar, sentence structure and Spanish verb conjugations. Read more and more examples to understand the language.
10. Use essential apps like Duolingo to learn new words every day in the Spanish language. This will boost new language learning more efficiently among students. 

Using the above-mentioned tips, students will easily be able to learn Spanish language. Since Spanish language is a different language for learning, it can prove fun for students to learn a new language.

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Spanish Language Course Online

Applicants can learn Spanish online through paid apps or through YouTube channels where Spanish is taught for free. Following is a list of mediums to learn Spanish language online for beginners:

These are the resources which can be opted for by Spanish learners at the beginner level. For those who reach the intermediate level or advanced level can travel and explore Spanish-speaking countries. Or build their network with Spanish people and learn more about their culture. 

Learn Spanish Language in India

Before travelling to a Spanish speaking country, international students can learn Spanish language in India itself. The following institutions offer Spanish courses for Indian students from beginner to advanced level:

Students can locate universities or colleges for Spanish courses in India based on their location. Or they can just type Spanish courses near me on Google and get a list of institutions near them.

Is Spanish Hard to Learn?

If a student is an English speaker then he/she may be able to grasp the basics of Spanish language faster than other native language speakers. However, learning Spanish can be difficult for those who are slow learners. Thus, whoever wants to learn the Spanish language should choose their medium very carefully and then sign up to learn the language. 

Additionally, those who choose a challenging medium for studying the Spanish language will likely need to allocate more time to their schedule to learn the language. And this can also add on to the learning difficulty of the Spanish language.

Check out: Hardest Languages in the World

Difference Between Spanish & English Languages

While learning Spanish can be challenging, but those who are learning Spanish through English may find some differences. The following table differentiates between Spanish language and English language usage:

While both have their own set of rules of grammar, it cannot be said that one is easier than the other. Rather Spanish is difficult for English speakers and English can be difficult for Spanish speakers. It is up to the student how he/she takes it forth. 

Top Books to Learn Spanish

Here is a list of top Spanish books that can help applicants in expediting their Spanish learning journey:

1. Spanish Grammar Cheat Sheet - Laura Carbonell
2. Teach Yourself Complete Spanish Book - Juan Kattan Ibarra
3. Spanish Conversation - Harper Collins
4. Easy Learning Spanish Grammar - Collins
5. Learn Spanish - Simple Language Learning
6. Mastering Spanish Words - Language Equipped Travelers
7. Easy Spanish Step-by-Step - Barbara Bregstein
8. Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish - Margarita Madrigal

These books can be used to learn Spanish. Those who don't know anything about how to speak Spanish language, can atleast start from here. 

50 Basic Words in Spanish Language

Now that students have understood how to learn Spanish language, they can get to the Spanish vocabulary. For this, here’s a list of 50 Spanish words with English translations in the following table:

Spanish is very different from the English language and so are the pronunciations. Thus, students can use English as their base language to learn Spanish language. Though there are a few similarities but in the majority of the cases English is very different from Spanish language. Check out: List of 100+ Spanish Words for Students 

Overall, Spanish is widely spoken and has gained a lot of popularity over centuries and is the most preferred language of instruction in Europe. Those going to study in Spanish-speaking countries can at least kickstart their language learning with some basics only.

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