Learning Spanish requires a multipronged approach to help your brain start accepting this new and exciting path. When it comes to learning a language, it’s good to have a strategy. However, no single strategy works for everyone. ¡No te preocupes! (Don’t worry!) We’ve got you covered. Starting with the basics is key, then, you can tailor your language learning journey to your needs, goals, and learning style.
How to learn Spanish through Rosetta Stone starts with our Dynamic Immersion method, which teaches through context and logic rather than memorization. You’ll be immersed in the basics of written and spoken Spanish through varied lessons and activities.
Table of Contents
1. Establish your language learning goals and build a plan
First, think about why you want to learn Spanish. Is it for fun? For school? For work? For travel? For cultural connections? Your answer will determine whether you’re aiming for full fluency or basic Spanish for now.
Once you’ve answered this question, think about the amount of time you can dedicate to learning. Generally, the more time you spend learning each day, the faster you’ll reach your goal. Rosetta Stone’s Live Lessons can help you engage regularly in learning, and they’re free with all subscriptions. Join lessons at a regular cadence like once a day or once a week. Listen as a native-speaking tutor shares a specific topic—from real-world scenarios to cultural customs.
We can’t tell you how long your language-learning journey will take, but we can tell you that the more you use these methods, the faster you’ll reach your goal.
2. Start with your ABCs: learn the Spanish alphabet
Learning any language usually starts with learning the alphabet because letters are the building blocks of words. The Spanish alphabet isn’t all that different from the English alphabet, so it will look familiar to English speakers even though it doesn’t sound the same. There are 27 letters in the Spanish alphabet—the extra letter is “ñ.”
3. Say it the Spanish way: master basic Spanish pronunciation
Knowing how to read Spanish and how to speak Spanish are two separate things. When you’re reading to yourself, pronunciation might not seem as important as it is when you’re speaking to someone else. Pero no es cierto (But it’s not true).
Practicing correct pronunciation even when you’re by yourself will help you get it right when it counts most. Don’t be shy about speaking out loud when you’re alone. Research suggests that reading aloud can improve your pronunciation in a new language.
Get used to the separate sounds of Spanish letters, so you can start combining them to make words. A great thing about Spanish is that each vowel has only one sound, so it’s not as hard to learn as English!
Understand the purpose of Spanish accent marks
Learn the simple rules for Spanish accent marks and what they stress (which sounds are emphasized in a word). Depending on how you pronounce a word, it may have a different meaning. For example, mendigo (accent on the second to the last syllable) means “beggar,” but méndigo (accent on the second syllable) means “despicable.”
>>Get instant feedback on your accent anytime with Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition engine.
4. Familiarize yourself with each Spanish part of speech
If letters are the building blocks of words, parts of speech are the building blocks of sentences. Every complete sentence needs a subject and a verb, but there are many more parts of speech in Spanish that help you convey meaning and tone.
- Spanish pronouns are basically noun substitutes: They can take the place of a person, object, or idea to express thoughts more clearly.
- To describe nouns in more detail, you’ll need some Spanish adjectives.
- Like adjectives, Spanish adverbs add detail or description to adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs.
- Spanish interjections and exclamations give you a lot of bang for your buck by communicating many emotions in three words or fewer.
- Spanish conjunctions help you combine two or more related ideas in one sentence.
- Spanish prepositions help explain the relationship between two or more things relative to each other.
- Indefinite and definite Spanish articles make it clear which person, place, or thing you’re talking about. Is it un gato (a cat) or el gato (the cat)?
- What is an infinitive? It’s essentially the base form of a verb or action word. This is the verb form before you conjugate it.
5. Learn to conjugate Spanish verbs
Almost all sentences in Spanish include an action (verb). Both uncommon and common Spanish verbs are split into two categories, regular and irregular, based on how they are conjugated or adjusted to show things like tense or mood.
Start by learning all the Spanish verb tenses, such as presente (present) or imperfecto (imperfect). Then, tackle the regular verbs, which include:
Irregular Spanish verbs don’t follow any patterns for conjugation, so you have to learn each one.
6. Develop your basic Spanish vocabulary
Learning Spanish cognates can feel like an easy place to start: These are words that look the same or similar in Spanish and English. From there, explore basic Spanish words and phrases that will help you get your point across or your needs met.
Set a weekly learning goal to keep building your vocabulary over time—maybe you want to learn 10 new vocabulary words per week. Then practice them every day. It’s good to start with practical words while also thinking about your actual needs by picturing situations. Do you have an important meeting with a client in Bogotá? Will you be traveling to Oaxaca to see the Guelaguetza? Or do you want to attend your great grandparents’ 40th anniversary in Madrid? All of these situations require different types of vocabulary.
To add more fun to your vocabulary lessons, learn a few Spanish idioms. Since the literal translations of idioms are often wildly different from their meanings, you’ll get twice the vocabulary in one go.
Expand your vocabulary with Spanish media
Seeing and hearing Spanish words regularly and in entertainment forms is a great way to increase your vocabulary.
- Tying words to music is a helpful trick for learning something new, so start listening to the best Spanish songs.
- When watching Spanish movies, you can see what’s happening on a screen while listening to dialogue and maybe reading subtitles (English or Spanish).
- Try reading these must-read Spanish books. Children’s books and short story collections are a good starting point. Classic novellas like The Little Prince are familiar even when translated.
- Get a dose of Spanish every day by listening to the best Spanish podcasts or Spanish news. You’ll start to become more familiar with pronunciation.
7. Get to know Spanish grammar gender rules
Immersive learning is the most natural way to learn, but learning some basic grammar gives structure to that knowledge. Think of grammar as the foundation on which you place vocabulary. It includes parts of speech, verb conjugation, and punctuation.
One of the most important Spanish grammar concepts to master is Spanish grammatical gender rules. Spanish uses feminine and masculine nouns and adjectives. Using them correctly is an essential part of clear communication.
8. End your sentences with proper Spanish punctuation
You probably knew that Spanish words and pronunciations would be different from your native language, but did you also know that Spanish punctuation could be different? In Spanish, you use commas instead of decimals, and you’ll see two versions of question marks and exclamation points.
9. Immerse yourself in Spanish culture
Language learning is best approached from multiple angles. By starting with a well-respected program and building on it, you’ll be better able to learn the four elements of language: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Make Spanish learning part of your everyday routines. Start simple with a daily journal where you write at least one thought in Spanish per day. In a few months, you can look back and see all the progress you’ve made. Learn about the different Spanish dialects, and try writing the same thoughts in the dialect that best matches your purpose in learning Spanish.
Discover the many festivals in Spain, and throw a themed celebration to match. Learn Spanish travel phrases and take a trip to try them out.
Level up your Spanish language learning with Rosetta Stone Tutoring
Get real-time personalized feedback on your knowledge and speaking skills from an expert Spanish tutor in individual or small group tutoring sessions. We recommend joining Rosetta Stone tutoring sessions at least twice a month for the best results.
- Most tutoring sessions last 25 minutes, and they’re available in multiple time zones.
- Tutoring sessions align with core Rosetta Stone lessons to reinforce comprehension.
- Group tutoring sessions have a maximum of five learners to help you practice pronunciation and gain conversational confidence.
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