Learn Spanish

How to Learn Spanish

Many students assume that in order to learn Spanish fast they must be prepared to put in countless hard hours in the classroom before going home and continuing to study long into the night. This is really only partly true.

Everyone is Going to Learn Spanish Differently

Obviously, there's no one-size-fits-all solution - everyone is going to learn Spanish differently. And we'd never say that getting your head down and studying hard isn't important! But one of the best methods to learn a foreign language is in the country where it is spoken. Many students go for language courses to take part in Spanish class. Indeed, we've done our best to come up with as many useful supplements to all the excellent Spanish courses that you can enroll in across Castile and Leon. On our webpages you can have a look on all the opportunities and their Spanish centres that are offered by different cities in this region.

Teachers propose or mostly even support the idea to learn a language in the country where it is spoken. There are different reasons. One reason is that learners practice in every-day life with mother-tongue speakers. Another reason is that learners experience the country and its culture while they stay there. As culture and language always go together, this is an important aspect. On our pages you can learn more about the culture and history of this region, but also get to know what is worth being visited or explored. To learn more, click on Spanish culture or go to About Castille and Leon.

Elsewhere on this site you can find some quick introductions to Spanish words and phrases, Spanish grammar and the Spanish alphabet; we've also put together some handy information on colors and numbers in Spanish, as well as a handful of Spanish language games and Spanish songs lyrics to help you learn Spanish in the most enjoyable way possible. Therefore, click on Spanish Multimedia.

There are also plenty of multimedia resources and online resources (both free and paid) out there that will give you the tools to build on what you've learnt in the classroom. Which is precisely why we've sourced a selection of Spanish tapes, CD-Roms and MP3s, to allow you to integrate the learning experience into your day-to-day life.

Get the Balance Right

But you have to get the balance right between time spent studying in the classroom, revising at home and continually testing yourself. To assume that the secret to how to learn Spanish properly is to bury your head in a text book is to miss out on everything else that makes up a language and a culture. Aside from school and books, the best way to really learn Spanish is to go out and use it on real people in real situations, whether they're an 'intercambio' (language exchange) or a bunch of friends you've met when finding out about the local nightlife with many Spanish and international young people and be able to do a great Spanish conversation.

Because 'Spanish' isn't merely some cold subject matter of grammar and vocabulary to be learnt. It's a living, breathing thing, and there's a whole world of culture, art, history and monuments to explore before you can truly say you understand it. From the golden streets of Salamanca (the city of world heritage) to the wilds of the Sierra de Urbión, Castile and Leon is a remarkable region within a remarkable country. And there's only one way to learn Spanish here - and that's to live it.