The Two Best Methods of Learning Spanish Without Getting Bored

By Devyn Fussman
After getting accepted into the Valencia program, I realized I needed to learn Spanish quick, and three hours a week in class wasn’t going to be enough. After hunting around the Internet for ways to practice that wouldn’t feel like extra homework, I discovered two methods that have proven to be invaluable in helping to fill the practice void between Spanish classes.

The first was to watch the Spanish version of Disney movies. It’s easy if you have a Netflix account; just play a movie and switch the language to Spanish with English subtitles. There’s an impressive selection, ranging from animated classics to live action to Muppets and Mickey Mouse. The vocabulary is simple enough that it’s not too overwhelming for a beginner, and since most of us have seen Disney classics often enough to quote them verbatim, following the Spanish dialogue is fairly easy. In my experience, this was the best way to get used to hearing Spanish spoken by native speakers, rather than by an automated voice on a computer.   

The other, even better method I discovered for learning Spanish is Duolingo. Duolingo is an amazing language-learning app that you can download on any device for free. It provides lessons that include exercises in speaking, listening*, and translating both ways. You get four lives per lesson, and if you make it through without losing all of them, you can unlock more lessons. If you don’t lose any lives, you earn a “lingot,” which is Duolingo’s currency. Lingots can be used to purchase lessons that are more fun, like idioms or Spanish pick-up lines. Of course, the app doesn’t replace conversing with native speakers, but for me it did something no other method had done before: it made learning Spanish fun. It brought out my competitive side, and for the first time in years of learning Spanish, I didn’t want to stop.

The advantage to practicing on Duolingo instead of Centro is that, put simply, Duolingo is smarter. It doesn’t count off for typos or misplaced accents, though it will correct you and make a note of where the accent is supposed to go. It will also recognize what you’re trying to say even if you might be slightly off. For example, it asked me what the Spanish word for “road” was, and I put the Spanish word for “street.” Centro would mark that wrong because it only recognizes the answer that it’s been programmed to think is right. Duolingo allows for more wiggle room; as long as you’re in the general ballpark, it will allow you to continue without losing a life.

*Note that the speaking and listening exercises can be turned off if you don’t have audio capabilities.