I’m currently learning Spanish in school and outside of school, and I absolutely love it. I completed the AP Spanish Language exam with a score of 5, which requires relative fluency in the language. Here are my tips for learning a language!
- Set goals and know your motivation
I genuinely love learning Spanish and am excited to continue learning. This made the endless practice and struggles all worth it. Make sure you know why you want to learn the language. If you are taking it in school, set goals for the classes you want to take in given years and the level of comprehension you want to have by the end of each year. - Start with common phrases
Don’t trick yourself into believing that you’re going to be an expert at the first go. First, try figuring out the most basic phrases to create a framework for the rest of your knowledge. Then, fill in the gaps with more advanced vocabulary. There are a ton of great websites that have the most common words for different languages. - Connect with a native speaker
Speaking to a native helps you get a better grasp of conventions and helps you sound more natural. Talk to your teacher or get a pen friend. I connected with girls my age in Mexico and Spain through a website called globalpenfriends! - Listen to songs, watch television, and read books in that language
Engage with the culture! I absolutely love listening to Spanish songs, and watched La Casa de Papel and Amar y Vivir on Netflix. I read El Principito y Alguien Está Mintiendo. Alguien Está Mintiendo is a higher level book that was originally in English (One of Us is Lying), and it was helpful for me to read the English version and then see the Spanish translation. - Travel to locations that speak that language
This is a great way to do steps 3 and 4 in one! Traveling gives you a global perspective and provides plenty of opportunities to engage with a culture and practice a language.
