The Best Resources For Spanish Learners

 

With 405 million native speakers, there are many good reasons to learn Spanish, also called the Castilian language. But what are the best resources for Spanish learners, the second most commonly spoken language in the world after Mandarin?

Spanish skills are useful in the global economy and open doors for you not only in Spain but also in Latin American countries as well as the United States, with an estimated 37.6 million native Spanish speakers in the US. There is no doubt that speaking Spanish is a great advantage.

Additionally, learning Spanish can bring great opportunities for travelers. Latin America and Spain offer an amazing variety of landscapes, cultures, foods, and experiences for travelers.

The best resources for Spanish learners

With so many people and travel and business opportunities waiting for you, imagine the things you could do when you speak Spanish. What are you waiting for?!

best resources for spanish learners

Personally, I have learned Spanish for many years and know that some online tools can be effective and a lot of fun. In addition, I spent some time in Argentina and Spain to become fluent. I had amazing travels and made some great friends all over the world while speaking Spanish.

Here are the tools and resources that I trust for Spanish learners. I hope you enjoy this selection of resources and tools as much as I do!

Read also: My favorite language learning tools

Spanish Courses

Online language games and courses provide motivation and structure when you are learning Spanish by yourself. They are great resources and can be the basis of your Spanish learning habit. For the best results, you should supplement these Spanish courses with additional learning tools and reading/listening material for Spanish learners (see below).

Beginners Courses

  • Fluenz Spanish This complete Spanish video course is very well-made and, despite its higher price, worth the investment if you compare it to other language learning solutions. It’s specifically made for English speakers wanting to learn Spanish from Latin America.
  • Pimsleur Conversational Spanish With this audio course you learn important basic Spanish expressions. It focuses on teaching you phrases and not the grammar. I think it’s a great introduction to the language and can help you be more confident when speaking, especially in the beginning!
  • Mi Vida Loca This is a video course by BBC Languages in the very entertaining format of a soap opera. I find this ‘learning drama’ to be a fun introduction for Spanish learners. You can also watch it on Youtube.

Intermediate – Advanced Courses

  • Baselang This is an innovative website offering unlimited Spanish tutoring to intermediate Spanish learners. It’s an all-in-one solution that will help you reach an advanced Spanish level.
  • Fluent Spanish Academy specifically for intermediate Spanish learners wanting to become fluent. It’s not out yet, but the combination of tutoring, community, and learning materials created by famous polyglot Olly Richards looks very promising. You can sign up for the waiting list to be notified once this course is released!

Learning Tools for Spanish Learners

These are some of my favorite online tools for learning Spanish.

  • Spanish Checker A super useful online tool to correct your written Spanish.
  • Cooljugator Verbs are one of the most difficult aspects of Spanish. I still struggle with verb tenses in Spanish! This verb conjugator comes in handy to practice the regular and irregular verb madness in the Spanish language.
  • Quizlet is one of my absolute favorite vocabulary tools for language learning. You can create or find flashcards to study phrases and words. The page has great free options, but there’s a premium version, as well. The methods you can use to memorize the flashcards are just amazing and fun!
  • Forvo Practicing pronunciation is necessary, and it can be fun! This is the greatest resource for native pronunciation of words in Spanish.

Spanish Grammar Resources

An Introductory Spanish Grammar book provides structure and is an invaluable reference that you can go back to anytime during your Spanish learning journey.

 

  • Study Spanish The website StudySpanish is where I started my Spanish learning journey 10 years ago, and I can say that it’s still very useful! It’s an excellent grammar resource including grammar explanations, exercises, and verb drills.
  • ProfeDeELE is another great resource for anyone learning Spanish. They offer many fun, colorful video and audio lessons and exercises which are especially useful to practice Spanish grammar.

Reading & Listening Material in Spanish

Practicing your reading and listening skills is an important part of learning Spanish. Here are some audio and reading materials for you to become more comfortable in Spanish and learn something new at the same time!

Audio & Video

  • ProfeDeELE Podcast Apart from Spanish grammar lessons, this website is a great place to find some basic audio lessons for Spanish learners.  
  • Español Automático This award-winning Youtube channel and podcast offers all sorts of interesting Spanish lessons you can watch or listen to.
  • Latin American Stories Latin America’s beauty and cultural diversity are reasons enough to learn Spanish! In this podcast, you can listen to some fascinating stories from Latin America and improve your Spanish skills at the same time!
  • News in Slow Spanish If you like learning about the news, why not do so in Spanish?! This podcast provides slow Spanish audio lessons that are short, so they can easily fit into your day.

Reading

  • Veinte Mundos This magazine for Spanish learners publishes fascinating articles about Spanish-speaking countries plus supplementary vocabulary, audio and video materials – all for free. If you can’t travel to a Spanish-speaking country, the articles are a great alternative!
  • Readlang is a useful tool that lets you read interesting Spanish content, translate and expand your vocabulary. You can track how many words you know and import any articles and books to read in Spanish. It’s a brilliant free tool to practice your reading skills and learn new Spanish words!

Spanish Vocabulary

Build your Spanish vocabulary with these vocabulary resources for Spanish learners.

spanish-language-vocabulary

  • Bab.la Phrases I highly recommend this page for a free overview of useful phrases in Spanish for many different topics, from travel to business, from job applications to chatting.
  • Quizlet Here, you can find, study, and create your own vocabulary sets on Quizlet for free. Especially, the many “learning modes” make learning new Spanish words fun!
  • FlashSticks Spanish Learn some basic Spanish vocabulary with these sets of flashcards. It’s a fun and effective method to memorize new words in Spanish both online and offline.
  • Wikiyoyage Spanish Phrasebook If you need Spanish to travel, this free list of useful phrases in Spanish is a great place to start. Learning Spanish phrases will quickly make you more fluent and confident when speaking the language.