5 Tips to FINALLY LEARN SPANISH IN 2021

In this article, I want to help you achieve your goal of speaking Spanish by the end of 2021 by sharing 5 tips. ¡Gracias a Dios! (Thank God!) 2020 is over, this has given us the opportunity to start fresh… and by that I mean, vamos a hablar español este año (we are going to speak Spanish this year!)

#1 Don’t start out too strong 

Most people that want to learn a foreign language as their New Year’s Resolution are doing way too much when starting out. Hay tanta motivación (There is so much motivation) and they start learning every day for hours on end. 

The problem with that is most people will run out of steam muy rápido (really quickly). It’s very hard to stick to such a schedule throughout the year. It’s better to start con tan sólo 15 minutos diarios (with just 15 minutes a day) and slower, but then keep this pace throughout the year. 

You can start by subscribing to our channel and receive our weekly lessons. The videos are daily and no more than 15 minutes on average. (¡De nada! / You’re welcome!)

#2 Break up your goal in milestones

Rather than setting the goal to be fluent by the end of 2021, break up this goal in milestones. 

For instance:

• Tener una conversación básica para finales de marzo (Having a basic conversation by the end of March)
• Ser capaz de ordenar comida en un restaurante Mexicano en enero (Being able to order in a Mexican restaurant by January)

Think about why you want to learn Spanish and what you are trying to achieve. Break up this big goal into smaller goals that you can scatter throughout the year. Así, también puedes revisar si vas por el buen camino (This way, you can also check if you are on the right track).

If you miss your milestones, you know that either you are not doing enough to achieve them or your milestones are too big and you need to settle for less. 

#3 Make a plan

Tener un plan concreto para aprender un idioma (Having a concrete plan for learning a language) makes things a lot easier since you can check daily if you are doing what it takes.

For instance, the plan could include daily activities, such as: 

• Ver un video de Spring Spanish (Watching a Spring Spanish video)
• Escuchar un podcast en español por 15 minutos (Listening to a Spanish podcast for 15 minutes) 
• Leer una página de un libro en español (Reading one page of a book in Spanish)

It doesn’t really matter what’s in the plan. What’s important is that you stay consistent and check at the end of the week if you have stuck to your plan. The milestones will help you see if you are making the progress you wanted to make. 

Just like the song, pasito a pasito (step by step).

#4 Get a learning buddy that keeps you accountable

Learning a language in a group is always más divertido que hacerlo solo (more fun than it is doing it alone). Learning with someone is more motivating since pueden ver su progreso y darse consejos entre ustedes mismos (you can see how you are progressing and give each other advice).

It’s also important to have someone who keeps you accountable and checks whether you do what you vowed to do at the beginning of the year. Y ese alguien  te ayudará a recuperar la motivación (And that someone will help you regain motivation) when you are at your lowest moments. 

By the way, in the Spring Spanish Academy you don’t only learn Spanish with the best method, pero también tienes acceso a una comunidad de aprendices del español (but you also have access to a community of Spanish learners) that will help you with motivation and accountability. 

Learn more about how our Academy works and get a free sample lesson by registering for our free Spanish training on our website! Who knows? After watching the training, you might want to join us in the Academy…

So, ¿estás listo para aprender español conmigo? (Are you ready to learn Spanish with me?)

#5 Make sure Spanish is a priority

Aprender un idioma toma tiempo y esfuerzo (Learning a language takes time and effort). You have to be sure that this investment is worth it for you. Most people stop learning a language because they realize they aren’t willing to spend so much free time learning a language they don’t even feel that passionate about. 

Así que, si realmente quieres aprender español (So, if you really want to learn Spanish), hazlo una prioridad (make this a priority). You don’t need to spend hours on end to learn Spanish, but make sure that you reserve at least 15 minutes of your day to learn some Spanish. Yes, every single day (okay… puedes descansar el sábado y el domingo si quieres / you can rest Saturday or Sunday if you want to). 

Ask yourself: ¿Por qué quiero aprender español? (Why do I want to learn Spanish?) and frame this goal, so you can constantly remember your why; that will help you in mantenerte motivado (staying motivated).

Mis amigos, ¿están listos para aprender español este 2021? (Are you ready to learn Spanish in 2021?) Which of the tips did you find useful and can see yourself doing? Please share it with me in the comments below.

Now we are ready to say, ¡Bienvenido, 2021! Estoy listo para hablar español (Welcome 2021! I am ready to speak Spanish!).

Don’t forget to watch the free Spanish training so you can learn more about our method and that way, you can understand the way we teach at Spring Spanish and start working on your 2021 Bucket List.