By now you know basic Spanish structures and you have gained confidence in what you know. You have a created a routine that helps you practice outside your regular hours of Spanish class. Maybe you already have Hispanic friends so you can practice with them… Now the challenge is to improve.
- Don’t assume that Spanish words that look like English words have the same meaning. Instead associate the words you have learned with other Spanish words and you will see how often you do not use the dictionary. You will rely more on your knowledge and intuition.
- Learn how to use prepositions properly, prepositions can be challenging, mostly because we are still thinking in English and we try to use them literally. It’s better to think about the purpose of the prepositions as you learn them, rather than their translations. This will help you avoid mistakes in the long term.
- Listen to music. At this level you are ready to listen and understand the lyrics of any song. The more you listen to music, the better you can learn new words and reinforce your knowledge. You can have a song on repeat. You can download the lyrics and practice your pronunciation. For example, if you are looking for Hispanic music lyrics you can click here, for music videos click here.
- Watch movies with Spanish subtitles. It’s important that you see the dialogue of a movie so you won’t only hear it but will see the actual words. It’s also important that you block any extra sound or distraction around you. Using a headset on your laptop or your electronic device will help you block any sound and concentrate more on the movie, the story, the characters, etc. For Spanish movies you can rent them on Netflix or buy them at Amazon.
- Read Spanish magazines. It is important to vary your sources to practice Spanish. In any bookstore or even online you can find Spanish magazines or articles that cover your topics of interest. If you like to know about pop stars, if you want to know about traditions or cooking, if you are into cars or travel there are plenty of magazines that you can pick so you can practice your Spanish and learn new words.