How I Became Fluent in Spanish Fast in 6 weeks - Anna Everywhere (2023)

When people find out that I’ve managed to become fluent in Spanish fast in 6 weeks, they usually don’t believe me. Some people take years to learn a language, some live in a place where the language is widely spoken and never learn to even properly construct a sentence. But I did it, and I believe so can you.

I’m definitely not a genius. My way of learning any language I speak isn’t particularly innovative either. I believe anyone can learn a language (with the same alphabet as their native language) quite fast, by using my method.

Is it frustrating at times? Absolutely, but overall it’s totally worth it.

How to Learn Spanish Fast (or any other language)

I had never studied Spanish before. My parents made me learn German in my primary school and I chose French later on, so pretty much the only Spanish phrases I knew were: “Hola! ¿Cómo estás?” and “Gracias”. After graduating from university, Igot an internship in Mendoza, Argentina. The internship I got was supposed to be at an English-speaking wine magazine, but once I arrived it turned out that I was supposed to speak Spanish. Oops.

Mendoza is quite a touristy place, where travelers come to see wineries, do whitewater rafting and hike in the mountains. Hostel owners and tour guides obviously speak English. But, as I got there for work I was living with a host family in local parts of town where no one spoke ANY English.

My host family didn’t even know simple English words. I was terrified. Every time I wanted to ask them for anything I had to go to my room, compose the sentence with a dictionary, and come back to recite what I had learned.

I had to come up with a backup plan. The company agreed to send me to a Spanish course at the local language school for 3 weeks, and come back to work for them afterward. It seemed impossible at first.

(Video) how I would learn Spanish (if I could start over)

How I Became Fluent in Spanish Fast in 6 weeks - Anna Everywhere (1)

My Method of Learning Spanish

Because the Spanish course was only 3 weeks, I had to make the most of it. Luckily for me, there were no other beginners, so my classes had to be individualones. However, even with a private tutor, nothing is guaranteed. If I waited for my teacher to tell me what to do, I’d have finished the course knowing basic grammar and not much vocabulary.

Before I even started the course, I equipped myself with some Spanish coursebooks. I’ve learned the basics myself, not to waste time in class. If I can learn some things myself, why would I pay for someone else to tell me the same thing?

For Spanish, French, Arabic, and Italian, I used ‘Language in 3 Months’ books by PONS, however, I realized that they aren’t available in English (just German and Polish). Therefore, I’d recommend the Living Language book series and various other best books to learn Spanish I mention in this post.

Every day after my class I was researching and studying all the necessary vocabulary and grammar, so I could discuss it with the teacher the next day. I created sections of: Useful words (‘because’, ‘but’, ‘then’, ‘why’, .etc), food, animals, household, and words that I’d need, wrote down all words I could find, and studied each chapter every day.

I learned the grammar myself from the coursebook at home and in class I was able to ask my teacher what was unclear from the grammar section and practice words I’ve learned at home, instead of waiting for her to show me everything that was written in the book.

(Video) I wanna be red! #shorts

I’m a firm believer (thanks to my German teacher from secondary school) that grammar must come first, because it’s harder to understand and you can keep learning more and more words once you know your basics.

For vocabulary, I got a thematic dictionary, but you can make your own thematic dictionary out of a regular one. This was I got the most out of my teacher.

Every afternoon I read some bilingual books from the local library and watched tons of Argentinian TV. There are a lot of brilliant books that are written in a way you can understand, with an English translation on another page. Here are some more examples: Spanish Short Stories 1, Spanish Short Stories 2.

After only 3 weeks, I had to actually start working and using my Spanish skills. It wasn’t easy and I struggled a lot, especially because I had to interview a lot of native Spanish speakers, but it was manageable. I simply practiced what I’ve learned.

Whether I liked it or not, I was also forced to use my Spanish everywhere I went in Mendoza. I’ll never forget when I went to the pharmacy to get some bandages but I didn’t know the word, so I had to pantomime it. I must have looked no better than Bridget Jones at the Austrian ski resort, but what could I do? I had to go shopping, I had to organize things for myself, and I had to interact with the local community.

I finished my internship after 7 weeks and flew to Mexico. Upon arrival, I could freely speak to my Mexican friends in Spanish. We were all surprised how quickly I learned Spanish, but it just goes to show that a lot of work and having a good system pays off.

How I Became Fluent in Spanish Fast in 6 weeks - Anna Everywhere (3)
(Video) Katy Nichole - "In Jesus Name (God of Possible)" (Official Music Video)

Here is my advice for people who want to learn Spanish quickly:

1. Throw Yourself into a Place Where No One Speaks Your Language.

Going somewhere where you won’t be able to communicate with anyone isn’t easy. In the beginning, you’ll end up being frustrated most of the time. You must consciously lock yourself outside your comfort zone and not allow yourself to step back inside it for a while. But after all, you’ll thank yourself for this decision.

You don’t have to be in a place wherecountry where it’s a native language. Not learning a language because of the reason that you can’t visit a place where it’s spoken is an excuse. Breathing the air of Argentina wouldn’t make me learn Spanish and many foreigners living abroad never learn alocal language.

Technology makes everything possible these days. Stream some movies, download podcasts, books, do anything to have contact with the language. There’s even aplugin for Chromethat can translate some parts of a text that you’d normally read in English.

How I Became Fluent in Spanish Fast in 6 weeks - Anna Everywhere (4)

2. Take Latin in School or College

Yes, seriously. Many languages have words that share a common Greek or Latin root. They can be spelled slightly differently, but that you’d have to try hard not to recognize.

I’ve studied Latin in college with a very strict teacher, and as useless as it seemed, it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done. Thanks to Latin, understanding its grammar structure and origin of many words, learning any foreign language is now easier. I’ll totally introduce my kids to Latin early on.

How I Became Fluent in Spanish Fast in 6 weeks - Anna Everywhere (5)
(Video) Nobody Greater Remix ft. Bebe Winans, Tasha Cobbs

3. Don’t Be Afraid of Making Mistakes – Just Keep Talking

Fluency and accuracy are two different things. When I lived in Italy, I became fluent in Italian, but far from being accurate. Speaking from experience, it’s better to be fluent at first and apply accuracy later. I might not have been always accurate in Italian, but at least I can speak.

Most people are usually afraid of looking stupid and don’t even try to speak the foreign language until they’re sure of their skills. That’s the biggest mistake you can make. Talk, make mistakes, and ask people to correct you. But learn words first, before you master your grammar.

Embrace your mistakes. For a very long time, I kept saying ‘mis cumpleaños’ instead of ‘mi cumpleaños’ what made my friends laugh at me that I have more than one birthday. Remember that many native English speakers can’t even speak or spell in English properly, so you learning another language is an achievement already.

How I Became Fluent in Spanish Fast in 6 weeks - Anna Everywhere (6)

4. Take Individual Language Classes

Group classes might be fun, but they won’t teach you as much as individual classes. Also, take advantage of the fact that the teacher is there for you. Ask questions about things you’re unsure of.

It doesn’t necessarily mean always paying for an expensive course. These days, there are plenty of language exchanges online. You can learn through Skype.My favorite site for finding natives isitalki.com, with prices starting from $5 per hour.

As you can see in my Mexican dictionary, there are many differences between Spanish spoken in, for example, Mexico and Argentina. Most of the recordings in popular courses you’re listening to online aren’t real-life situations. In reality, people speak much faster in their own vernacular and that’s where your native speaker can help.

(Video) Spain's Celia Muñoz Ventriloquist Without a Puppet SHOCKS the Judges on America's Got Talent

For language courses abroad I recommend either IH (International House Organization) or EF. I have first-hand experience with both places and can vouch for them being legit.

Remember, every new language is easier to learn. If your first language is English, learning a new language might be harder than if you were let’s say, French or German speaker. English basic grammar is less complex, so acquiring new rules might be challenging at first. Don’t give up!

FAQs

Is it possible to learn Spanish in 6 weeks? ›

When people find out that I've managed to become fluent in Spanish fast in 6 weeks, they usually don't believe me. Some people take years to learn a language, some live in a place where the language is widely spoken and never learn to even properly construct a sentence. But I did it, and I believe so can you.

What's the quickest you can fluently learn Spanish? ›

If you start out as a beginner and spend an average of 1 hour per day working on your Spanish, you should able to reach conversational fluency within 8 – 12 months. That translates to roughly 250 – 350 hours of time spent.

How much Spanish can you learn in 100 hours? ›

Breakthrough > 90-100 hours:

It takes between 90 and 100 hours to reach a basic level of Spanish that allows you to use and understand common everyday expressions and basic phrases. At this point, you can introduce yourself and talk about some personal details about where you live, your friends and family, etc.

What level Spanish is Peppa Pig? ›

Peppa Pig: La jornada escolar de Peppa / Peppa's School Day (Bilingual) (Scholastic Reader, Level 1) (Spanish and English Edition)

Can I learn Spanish in 60 days? ›

In just 60 days, you'll be able to understand important grammar rules, learn entertaining conversation starters, and understand local slang words and phrases everyone uses. You won't have to put up with random language apps that teach you unusable, formal Spanish any longer.

How many hours of Spanish does it take to become fluent? ›

According to an FSI study, i.e. the Foreign Service Institute, it should take a new learner approximately 600 classroom hours to achieve conversational fluency in Spanish. They also suggest an approximate 1:1 ratio between the time spent independently studying Spanish and the time spent in a classroom.

Is there a trick to learning Spanish? ›

A good starting place for beginners is to drill the 100 most commonly used words until you can write, speak and comprehend them without effort. One way to encounter these on a regular basis is also to change your phone language to Spanish (or whichever language you're trying to learn).

How fast can I learn Spanish on my own? ›

If you start out as a beginner and manage to spend an average of 1 hour per day working on your Spanish, you should be able to reach conversational fluency within 8 – 12 months. That translates to about 250 – 350 hours spent. But remember that consistency is key here.

How can I improve my Spanish fast? ›

Learning Spanish – The Big Picture
  1. Build a sizeable vocabulary.
  2. Take a Self-Study Spanish Course.
  3. Find a Spanish Tutor Online.
  4. Don't Obsess Over Spanish Grammar.
  5. Read Spanish as Much as Possible.
  6. Make Spanish Part of Your Lifestyle.
  7. Don't Travel Abroad to Learn Spanish.

Is 30 minutes a day enough to learn Spanish? ›

Spanish is one of the most popular languages in the world and can be studied quickly with just 30 minutes of focused practice each day.

What if I study Spanish 3 hours a day? ›

Summary: According to FSI, if you spend 3 hours per day learning Spanish, you'll achieve fluency in around six months. Reduce your Spanish time to one hour a day and, according to FSI, it will take about 1.5 years to learn. As you can see, Spanish is one of the most accessible languages for English speakers.

How many words do you need to know to be fluent in Spanish? ›

If you think about native-level fluency, you'll need to master between 20,000 and 40,000 words, and as you can see the margin is quite large. If you want to have a basic conversation, experts say that you'll just need around 3,000 words.

Is it normal for a 13 year old to watch Peppa Pig? ›

Peppa Pig is suitable for family viewing and can be enjoyed by older children and parents alike.

Is Peppa Pig 18 years old? ›

Peppa Pig is a lovable, but slightly bossy little pig. She is four years old and lives with Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and her little brother George. Peppa likes looking after her little brother George and going on adventures with him where she likes to bring her special teddy.

What cartoon teach kids Spanish? ›

“Minimalitos” is an animated series for little kids who are learning Spanish. Created in Argentina, it presents stories and adventures with the help of different animals who get along just great, in an attempt to make children understand the importance of accepting our differences and loving each other no matter what.

Is 50 too old to learn Spanish? ›

Though learning a language at any age has been found to stimulate the brain, it's not easy to master a second language when you're older. But it's not impossible, says Joshua Hartshorne, a researcher and director of the Language Learning Laboratory at Boston College.

How long to study Spanish a day? ›

Aim to spend at least an hour a day practicing basic conversation skills. Once you've reached a intermediate level, you can start studying grammar and vocabulary for two or three hours a day. If you're already proficient in Spanish and just want to keep your skills sharp, an hour of practice each day should suffice.

How can I become fluent in Spanish in 1 month? ›

Here are eight steps to help you get the most out of learning Spanish in a month.
  1. Contents. Turn Your Life into a Spanish Crash Course. ...
  2. Turn Your Life into a Spanish Crash Course. ...
  3. Immerse Your World in Spanish. ...
  4. Use FluentU. ...
  5. Get a Personal Tutor. ...
  6. Study, Study, Study. ...
  7. Label Everything You Touch. ...
  8. Don't Use Any English.
Nov 30, 2022

How can I learn Spanish fast for free? ›

The best app to learn Spanish for free is Duolingo. Other apps offer free content, but Duolingo offers its entire Spanish course for free. You learn all the main communication skills as well as vocabulary and basic grammar. While it's the best free app, Duolingo does have its limitations.

Can you learn Spanish by watching TV? ›

Learning a language without the aid of your native language significantly boosts how quickly you learn, how much you learn, and how much you're able to remember over time. While TV-watching is an effective language learning tool, it's not as effective for language learning as a primary medium.

Which language hardest to learn? ›

Across multiple sources, Mandarin Chinese is the number one language listed as the most challenging to learn. The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center puts Mandarin in Category IV, which is the list of the most difficult languages to learn for English speakers.

How can I study for a Spanish test fast? ›

10 Tips for Studying Spanish
  1. Ask your teacher questions when you don't understand. ...
  2. Teach a concept to a classmate. ...
  3. Study a section of vocabulary every day. ...
  4. Treat every class exercise like a Spanish quiz. ...
  5. Write down grammar concepts and examples on index cards. ...
  6. Mimic your teacher's Spanish accent and other natives speakers'
Nov 30, 2021

What makes Spanish easy to learn? ›

Although Spanish is a Romance language rather than a Germanic language, it's fairly easy for English speakers to learn because many English words stem from Latin. Spanish also uses the same alphabet as English, and many of the words are pronounced just as they are spelled.

Will I learn Spanish just by listening? ›

When learning a new language, the fastest and most effective way to absorb new material is by actively listening. You'll be able to engage with what you're hearing on a deeper level, even if you don't understand what's being said.

How much Spanish can you learn in a month? ›

Fifteen hours per week is an intensive study schedule, but one that a highly motivated student could realistically commit to. That gives you around 60 hours of Spanish in one month.

How many hours a day to learn a language? ›

According to the research, the ideal amount of daily study time for rapid language learning is around 1 to 2 hours per day. This may seem like a small amount of time, but it's important to remember that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to language learning.

How can I improve my Spanish memory? ›

10 Ways To Learn a Language If You Struggle With Memory
  1. Listen to Music in Spanish. ...
  2. Engage in Regular Physical Activity. ...
  3. Learn Spanish in Your Sleep. ...
  4. Try a Spaced Repetition Schedule. ...
  5. Set Up Anki Flashcards. ...
  6. Enjoy Spanish Podcasts. ...
  7. Employ the Feynman Technique. ...
  8. Regularly Read Spanish Books.
Feb 5, 2022

How many hours a day should I study? ›

Most people recommend studying for 3 to 4 hours every day on a set schedule that allows your brain to work at its full capacity. You should avoid studying for more than five or six hours as this can lead to burnout and cause you to lose the information that you have learned.

How many times a week should I study? ›

Decades of research have demonstrated that spacing out study sessions over a longer period of time improves long-term memory. In other words, if you have 12 hours to spend on a subject, it's better to study it for three hours each week for four weeks than to cram all 12 hours into week four.

Can you learn Spanish in 2 days? ›

While you can't master Spanish or reach fluency in a few days, you absolutely can start to speak Spanish in this time. I famously aim to speak a new language on day one (or even hour one), but experience in doing it so often has given me a big edge.

How many Spanish words per day? ›

250 words constitute the essential core of a language, those without which you cannot construct any sentence. 750 words constitute those that are used every single day by every person who speaks the language.

Is 24 too late to learn Spanish? ›

Many people believe that you lose the ability to learn new languages as you get older. Language experts, however, will tell you that you're never too old to learn a new language. As you get older, it can be more difficult to learn a new language, though. Children and adults learn new languages in different ways.

How many years of Spanish should I take? ›

How Much Language Do You Need? Most selective colleges and universities want to see at least two years of high school foreign language study. Highly selective schools such as the Ivies often want to see three or four years of a language.

What is the 80 20 rule language learning Spanish? ›

It states that in most areas in life, roughly 20% of the input is responsible for 80% of the output. The same rule can be applied to language learning and teaching.

How much of a language do you need to know to be fluent? ›

People who know 250 to 500 words are beginners. Those who know 1,000 to 3,000 words can carry on everyday conversations. Knowing 4,000 to 10,000 words makes people advanced language users while knowing more than 10,000 words puts them at the fluent or native-speaker levels.

Is Peppa A Boy or a girl? ›

The show's British-based producer Phil Davies and co-creator Neville Astley tell me Peppa was created as a female simply because their previous animated show about knights starred males.

What age is CoComelon for? ›

Is there an age recommendation for the show? Everyone of all ages is welcome to CoComelon LIVE!

Why is my child obsessed with Peppa Pig? ›

Simple childhood acts like playing dress-up or reciting nursery rhymes that are shown on screen are often similar to what the toddlers watching are doing in their everyday lives. So when Peppa jumps in a mud puddle just like they did last Saturday after it rained all morning, children see a bit of themselves on screen.

Who is 40 years old in Peppa Pig? ›

In the 1980 series, she first appeared in the episode "Candy Cat". She is the daughter of Rebecca Rabbit and Daddy Pig however Mummy Pig does not know, as confirmed in "The Candy Stalker". She is secretly a 40 year old man who is stuck in the body of a 7 Year old girl.

Who is George Pig's girlfriend? ›

Elly Pig is a friendly piglet, George Pig's beloved girlfriend and is Phil Pig's little sister. She tries to keep a friendly attitude as much as possible.

Who is Daddy Pig's daughter? ›

Ridings, who is a father himself, says it's a "joy" to keep coming back to the role as Daddy Pig, who shares daughter Peppa and son George with Mummy Pig.

What do kids watch in Mexico? ›

Children's favorite pay TV channels in Mexico 2022

As of March 2022, around 58 percent of pay TV viewers aged between 7 and 17 years who participated in a survey in Mexico said they watched Discovery Channel. The most popular free TV channels among children in Mexico in 2022 were Canal 5 and Azteca 7.

Can a child learn Spanish by watching TV? ›

Watching television in Spanish allows you to not only hear the words and the proper pronunciation but also to see the actions that correspond with the words. Having actions to show the meaning of Spanish words is especially important for those words that have no literal translation into English.

Can I be fluent in Spanish in a month? ›

And, let me be clear here, studying Spanish for 60 hours in one month is not something that you would enjoy. According to the US Foreign Service Institute (FSI), if you spend an average of one hour per day studying Spanish, you could achieve fluency after 480 hours of work. That's just over a year.

Can I learn Spanish in 2 month? ›

You can learn every conjugation of most of the common verbs within a few weeks — this normally takes months if not years to do in school. You can language hack all you want, but there will come a time when you have to memorize verbs and commonly used words. Fortunately, there's an efficient way to do that too.

How can I learn Spanish in 1 month? ›

Here are eight steps to help you get the most out of learning Spanish in a month.
  1. Contents. Turn Your Life into a Spanish Crash Course. ...
  2. Turn Your Life into a Spanish Crash Course. ...
  3. Immerse Your World in Spanish. ...
  4. Use FluentU. ...
  5. Get a Personal Tutor. ...
  6. Study, Study, Study. ...
  7. Label Everything You Touch. ...
  8. Don't Use Any English.
6 days ago

How long does it take to learn Spanish full time? ›

How Much Time And Energy Are You Willing To Spend Learning Spanish? The Foreign Service Institute—the people who train U.S. diplomats and foreign affairs officials—estimate that it will take 600-750 class hours for most native English speakers to learn Spanish.

How can I teach myself Spanish? ›

7 Ways to Practice Spanish at Home for Beginners
  1. Watch TV Shows and Movies in Spanish. It's time to indulge yourself and watch all of your favorite Spanish TV shows and movies! ...
  2. Learn Spanish Tongue Twisters. ...
  3. Label Everything In Your House. ...
  4. Use Language Apps. ...
  5. Listen to Music in Spanish. ...
  6. Get a Tutor. ...
  7. Play Games.
Feb 17, 2022

How to learn Spanish easily? ›

Contents
  1. Watch Movies and TV in Spanish.
  2. Learn from Authentic Videos with FluentU.
  3. Learn Grammar with Textbooks.
  4. Learn Vocabulary from Spanish Novels.
  5. Immerse Yourself Wherever You Are.
  6. Listen to Spanish Radio and Podcasts.
  7. Download Spanish Apps.
  8. Travel to Spanish-speaking Countries.
May 12, 2023

What is the shortest time to learn Spanish? ›

If you start out as a beginner and manage to spend an average of 1 hour per day working on your Spanish, you should be able to reach conversational fluency within 8 – 12 months. That translates to about 250 – 350 hours spent.

Can you learn Spanish after 30? ›

No matter how old you are, you're never too old to learn a new language. However, because your brain's ability to adapt and change decreases over time, you'll probably have to practice more.

How much daily practice to learn Spanish? ›

Aim to spend at least an hour a day practicing basic conversation skills. Once you've reached a intermediate level, you can start studying grammar and vocabulary for two or three hours a day. If you're already proficient in Spanish and just want to keep your skills sharp, an hour of practice each day should suffice.

Can you learn Spanish in 4 days? ›

While you can't master Spanish or reach fluency in a few days, you absolutely can start to speak Spanish in this time. I famously aim to speak a new language on day one (or even hour one), but experience in doing it so often has given me a big edge.

How can I learn Spanish in 10 days? ›

Here are a few tips to help you learn the basics in a short span of time.
  1. Make technology your friend. ...
  2. Set a goal of learning say 50 words a day. ...
  3. Taking online tutorials in Spanish, having video chats with a native speaker helps in gaining more proficiency. ...
  4. One is bound to encounter difficulties in the beginning.
Apr 15, 2015

Can you learn Spanish in 200 hours? ›

Time estimates for getting there range about 200 to 400 hours (bottom of A2 to top of B1) or upper beginner/lower intermediate “working knowledge”. A higher level of fluency – top B2 (upper intermediate) into C1 (advanced/operational proficiency) (ILR 2+ to 3+) is said to take 550 to 900 hours.

How to speak Spanish fluently? ›

7 tips on speaking Spanish fluently and confidently
  1. Read aloud. Spanish pronunciation is easy as each letter of the alphabet can only be pronounced one way. ...
  2. Practise, practise, practise. ...
  3. Buddy up. ...
  4. Build your own phrasebook. ...
  5. Stick to one Spanish variety. ...
  6. Sing along. ...
  7. Exercise your brain.

Videos

1. George Michael - I Can't Make You Love Me (Live)
(georgemichael)
2. Keith Urban - The Fighter ft. Carrie Underwood (Official Music Video)
(Keith Urban)
3. 5 America's Got Talent Contestants Who Tragically Passed Away...What Happened?
(Talent Recap)
4. I Live My Life As A Vampire
(MSA previously My Story Animated)
5. Five Finger Death Punch - Wash It All Away (Explicit)
(Five Finger Death Punch)
6. Alicia Keys - If I Ain't Got You (Live from iTunes Festival, London, 2012)
(Alicia Keys)

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