There are many advantages of learning to speak Spanish as an adult, but let's start with what is possibly the most important.
Spanish is the world's second most spoken language!
Yep, that's right, Spanish is the second most widely spoken language across four continents. In addition, you’ll be able to communicate with over 572 million people around the world! And to be honest who doesn't want to "fiesta con los mejores", because the Spanish and those who speak it really do know how to party.
"It's all about the vibes. That's why it's called 'Vibras' in Spanish."
- J Balvin
Is it too Late to Learn Spanish as an Adult?
It may take some extra work mixed in with a lot of determination and dedication, but once you've set your mind to it, the answer is absolutely not!
It’s never too late to learn another language. Especially one like Spanish or English which can be beneficial to you in so many countries and so many aspects of life from career to vacation.
And that's not all... There are actually some huge advantages to learning to speak a second language later in life!
Speaking another language improves your long-term memory and attention span. When speaking, bilingual or multilingual people are constantly switching between two or more languages in their minds, and this switching improves the brain’s ability to concentrate on one thing while ignoring other irrelevant information.
So to emphasise it's NEVER too late to learn Spanish!
In fact, according to some websites and training platforms, it's possible for an adult with beginner-level Spanish to become conversationally fluent in just one year. Of course, this would involve an average of 1 hour per day working on your Spanish for the entire year.
Tips for Adults Learning Spanish on Their Own for Free
Some people want to learn the basics on their own before signing up for lessons or a course in Spanish. A great way to do this is to expose yourself to the language as much as possible!
Below is a list of some tips I've gathered through my own experience of learning the basics in different languages along the way:
- Create a Personalised Spanish Phrasebook.
- This does not need to be anything fancy just a copy or notepad, with two different coloured pens, one for the Spanish words and one for the English translation. Every time you learn a new phrase you know you will use again write it down phonetically, correctly and then in English.
- Download Podcasts.
- Where ever you get your podcasts whether it's with Apple, Spotify or the Google Playstore it doesn't matter, make sure you download Podcasts in Spanish repeat them aloud and write them into your phrasebook when learning a language, practice and repetition are key.
- Free Apps.
- For me, Duolingo was the app that worked best, learning a language on Duolingo is fun because lessons are split into bite-sized skills that feel like games. As mentioned this app is available to use for free, with ads and limitations however there is a plus version that comes at a price.
Start Learning Spanish Today!
Many people tend to hold off on things when they get older especially when it comes to re-entering education. Some of the reasons may include:
- Fear of not doing well
- Too much time between learning
- Lack of proper motivation
- Fear of being the oldest person there
Well, that's where I'm here to tell you:
- You can't know until you try
- You actually are constantly learning something new, life has not stood still since you left school, you can do this.
- We are about to find your motivation (stay with me another list will follow this)
- If you really dread going back to class, fear not! You don't have to be the oldest person anywhere, it's called private tuition! We actually have many Spanish tutors at Superprof, starting from just €10 per lesson just click on Superprof.ie to have a look and the even better news most tutors allow you the first lesson free!
Keep putting off learning Spanish? Think you don't have the time?
Maybe it's a lack of motivation... or just a fear you won't do well at it. Or maybe you're thinking about how you learnt languages back in school and it scares you a little?
Remember, you don't have to start off with Learning your ABCs and being able to count to 100.
You're far more likely to stick with it if you get that phrasebook out and you listen to your podcasts. You're going to need conversational Spanish, yes grammar and the basics are important, but if you start off by learning things like how to say 'hello' 'where is' 'my name' 'I need', phrases that you actually will use every day, you are more likely to want to keep learning.
Give Yourself the Motivation to Learn Spanish
A great way to motivate yourself, especially when learning a language like Spanish is to go online and book a trip for six or eight months down the road.
This sets a goal, a time when you have to be ready.
When you book the trip you should grab a notebook and in English create a list of words, phrases and questions you want to know in Spanish by the time you go to Spain or whichever Spanish-speaking country it is you have chosen.
Sometimes, all we need to do is set ourselves a goal. In that notebook make sure to check off all your items as you learn them and don't forget to practice every day!
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