Expanding your vocabulary and improving your conversation skills are some of the most important things about learning Spanish. Most of us learn a foreign language to communicate with others, in writing or orally, for business or for pleasure. And vocabulary and conversation skills are the building blocks of communication.
Even if you have a great teacher that will provide ample vocabulary and speaking practice, there are still a few things you can do to make learning Spanish even more effective.
Learning Spanish Vocabulary
Let us start with learning Spanish vocabulary, which is a little more simple and straightforward. Here are some of the best ways of expanding vocabulary.
Use Flash Cards
A classical flash card is a piece of paper or cardboard with the vocabulary unit in Spanish on one side and translation on the other. The card can also include sentence examples, dictionary definitions, even pictures if they help you remember the word or phrase.
Nowadays hardly anyone uses physical cards, though. Using apps, such as Anki or Quizlet, saves both time and paper. Such apps can offer you ready-made vocabulary lists such as “top 500 Spanish words” or “Spanish verbs” and you can create your own lists, too.
Read
Reading is one of the best ways to both revise and expand your vocabulary. Many words are repeated throughout the book at least a few times, and even though you may need a dictionary to translate them at the beginning, by the end of the book you will use the dictionary less and less.
However, make sure that you choose books or texts that are appropriate for your level. If there are too many new words that you have to look up there is a higher chance that you will eventually give up. Adapted books – books written for students of a certain level – can be a great help to those learning Spanish, and a lot of fun, too.
Another way to practice vocabulary is actually using it in speech or in writing, which brings us to conversation skills.
Improving Spanish Conversation Skills
Practicing your Spanish conversation is a bit trickier because you cannot really do it by yourself – you need a partner, preferably a native speaker or teacher. You can practice with other people who are learning Spanish, too, but be careful not to copy their mistakes.
Go to a Language School
One of the best ways to make sure you practice conversation properly is going to an accredited Spanish language school. This means that you will have some of the best teachers and study among other learners who are as dedicated as you.
Teachers at a language school will guide your conversations, focus on particular skills and look out for mistakes.
If you follow the advice above, your progress in learning Spanish will be much faster. And here is one more piece of advice to finish things up: whatever you do it is essential to practice regularly. If you practice every day, even just a little, you lay small bricks into a strong foundation of your future great Spanish skills.
Source: “Learning Conversation and Vocabulary.” Indonesian Alphabet, Pronunciation and Language, www.omniglot.com/language/articles/slearningtips.htm.