13 Strategies to Learn Spanish As an Adult, Even Without Traveling
I have written extensively about my journey learning Spanish as an adult. Now I’ve also learned Catalan as an adult, and feel I have a unique twist on tips for adults specifically.
When you ask people how to learn a language, you will get two common and unproductive answers.
First, you’ll hear that only children can learn effectively. This is both useless since you’re no longer a child, and incorrect.
If you’ve ever interacted with a 4-year-old, you’ll learn that they’re quite bad at languages. They make countless mistakes. They can’t spell anything. They have little grasp of grammar. This is not to discount a child’s intelligence, but they are four years old. An adult with four years of intense language study will be far beyond a toddler. Adults actually have lots of tools to learn languages that kids don’t have.
You know how grammar works, you understand social cues (an underrated language learning tool), and you know how to read, spell, and consciously spot patterns. I will cover these myths and your inherent advantages over a toddler later on.
The second story our culture tells us is that you need to travel. This one has truth to it, but again, it’s not useful. Immersion in and of itself is not magical. The soil in Spain or Mexico or Argentina won’t teach you Spanish, and I know lots of people who’ve lived in Spanish-speaking countries for years who still suck at Spanish. In this article, I want to give you practical strategies and concepts that were life-changing for me, to learn Spanish both with and without immersion.
I have been in your very shoes, thinking it was just about hopeless.
Why Both Immersion and Non-Immersion Strategies Matter
Ultimately, there’s no path to language mastery without using your new language. However, you don’t have to travel to keep improving. In my experience, non-immersion tools made my immersion experiences exponentially more fruitful, and my level of Spanish more lasting and durable.
I find both impactful and valuable.
Language Learning Is a Lifelong Journey
Learning is not a linear path. It’s an ebb and flow, a progression and regression. Such is the nature of the learning process. This applies to your English, your Spanish, and every other learning craft.
Barring moving to a Spanish-speaking country, this means non-immersion strategies must be part of your toolkit.
When you immerse yourself, even if you get to a level where feel fluent (it won’t be this black and white) there will still be much to improve on and maintain, always. The practice continues. To keep improving, you’ll need non-immersion strategies.
Or, in the other direction, applying non-immersion strategies will make your in-person immersive experiences that much easier. Like a flywheel effect, you’ll improve even faster.
7 Tips to Learn Spanish While Immersed
Some are going to be broad, others will be specific. I encourage you to use this list as a jumping-off point for your own self-made language learning curriculum.
1) Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
Tim Ferriss said, “A person’s success in life is usually measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations they are willing to have.”
This sums up what I believe is the secret to succeeding in your immersion journey. Yet, it’s also the part where often the smartest, most driven people struggle. Intellectual talents won’t help you if you don’t enter the arena. Speaking when you’re not confident, not sure what you’re saying is uncomfortable. You will get butterflies, you will make mistakes, you will have to get over this.
However, as I outline in this essay on my first immersion experience, this is hard at first, but it’s a muscle you build. In my experience, it’s the most important muscle. This means it gets easier and easier as you develop your courage muscles.
The only way to truly learn a language is to speak. There are other valiant and helpful strategies, but you must use it. You must say what you can, get corrected, and say more next time. What holds people back is the discomfort in this. If you can muster up the courage, you’ll be way on your way towards mastery.
If It’s Extra Scary, Examine Why (Bonus Points for Therapy)
If there’s an emotional roadblock, it’s worth examining why. If you’re in therapy (which I view as important as going to the gym) then this could be something to talk to your therapist about.
In my experience, I found the stoic exercise Fear-Setting to be what I needed to get over the hump. I thought about, even wrote down, what exactly my fear in speaking would be, and went through what the worst-case scenario was. In doing this exercise, I discovered that the fears lived in my head, not in real life.
2) Live With Spanish Speakers
This may sound obvious, but people who fail to learn Spanish while immersed, often fall into a few categories. There’s the college student studying abroad, the young person who goes from hostel to hostel, and the well-off, middle-aged person, who goes and stays by themselves.
What do they have in common? They don’t live with native Spanish speakers. If you’ve ever had a roommate, you know that, whether you like it or not, you’re now sharing an intimate space. You talk to them every day. While this can be annoying for long-term cohabitation, for language learning, the more opportunities for conversations you give yourself, the better.
Living with a native speaker is one the most obvious ways to build this in. It means you’ll be saying “buenos dias” every morning, priming your mind to think in Spanish. It means you’re more likely to chat over meals, drinks, or just randomly in the afternoon.
There are many ways to do this, but here’s one of the most practical.
Stay at an Airbnb with a local
Airbnb has in many respects gone to shit, as big real estate companies buy up property to list on Airbnb, taking away from the stock of housing available to locals. However, the original intent of Airbnb, to visit someone’s home, still exists, and it’s fucking awesome.
I’ve had great experiences staying in the guest room with a local where we ended up chatting for hours each night, having a beer or a coffee together. This is an easy way to greatly increase the chance of getting lots of conversation reps.
A local will be a great guide as you explore a new area.
It’s also much cheaper than getting your own place.
Of course, there are lots of other ways to do this. I’m lucky that in Barcelona, I always stay with my former foreign exchange student, who’s like a brother to me. He and his family have been instrumental in my Spanish learning journey.
If you’re a student, look into exchange programs where you live with a family. I’ve never used Couchsurfing before, but you can look into cool options like that.
3) Imitate Before You Innovate: Steal Phrases You Hear
Now that you’ve taken the two biggest steps to be in a position to have conversations, let’s talk about how to get the most out of them.
Once you’re in conversation, the amount that you don’t understand will likely be daunting. You may only catch a few words here and there.
Use the social context of these phrases to your advantage, and start stealing any small phrases you hear. In many areas of life, the saying, “Imitate before you innovate,” applies. If you hear a friend say something, try saying that.
Over time, you’ll build up a wealth of stock phrases that you can go to. These phrases will also help you sound fluent, even if you’re not there yet.
Be on the lookout for what you can steal and say word-for-word.
4) Observe Patterns
Stealing phrases is nice, but to reach fluency, you will have to say original sentences. The fastest way to achieve this is to spot the myriad patterns present in a language. This is exactly how you learned English. It’s only when the toddler says “eated” that we correct them and say that the past tense is “ate” in this case. But how did the toddler guess it would be “eated?” They thought it would be based on the pattern that they subconsciously noticed about verbs in the past tense ending in “-ed.”
Unlike a toddler, you have the consciousness to recognize these patterns.
Use Cognates to Learn Vocab
As an English speaker, you already know lots of Spanish vocabulary, you just don’t know you know it. That’s because of something called a “cognate.” A cognate is when a word is related and has the same root as another in a different language.
For example, nearly all of the words in English that end in “-tion,” are almost the same word in Spanish, but with the ending, “-ción.” They both are derived from Latin. So “introduction is “introducción,” “mention” is “mención,” and “option” is “opción.” You even know lots of fancy words without knowing it.
I remember I impressed my Spanish friends in my first immersion stint when I used the word “hospitalidad.” That’s because I knew that words that ended in “-ty” often end in “-dad” in Spanish. Easy.
Now, these are not rules, and there are exceptions. For example, “conection” is “conexión.” But when you mess up, you’ll just get corrected and move on (see tip #1.)
Pattern Recognition is How You Learn Grammar
Observe how native speakers address the past tense, and you will learn it without learning it. You will fuck up irregulars, get corrected by your friends, and then know how to use it.
They learn to internalize what’s irregular, without ever thinking about it.
- Take chances on these things.
- You will learn grammar without even learning grammar.
- This is better than flashcards.
This brings me to the next point.
5) Take Notes
As you begin to spot these patterns, write them down. On my first three immersion trips, I carried around small notebooks that could fit in my pocket.
I had one with me everywhere, tucked into my wallet. When I learned new words, or cognates, or grammar concepts, or anything noteworthy, I wrote it down.
Nowadays, I just keep a Notion document.
At times I’ll admit I’ve been too obsessive about this, which brings me to the next point.
“The Good Shit Sticks”
One of the greatest interviewers of the last century Cal Fussman once said, “The good shit sticks.” This is true as an interviewer, but it can also be true in your Spanish learning journey. The words you need to know will likely come up over and over. Don’t stress about writing everything down.
However, if you hear a word three or four times and it’s not sticking, write it down.
I’ve come to value note-taking not necessarily to have the answers written down, but because the process of writing it down will help you remember. It’s the act of doing the note-taking that holds the magic.
Don’t Necessarily Translate
When you write stuff down, instead of translating, write down a sentence in Spanish you would use it in. This will help you use it in a real context, without needing to translate. Again, this is how you learned English, so mimic the process for Spanish.
6) Ask Questions
Embarking on the journey of language learning is not just about memorizing vocabulary or mastering grammar rules; it’s about becoming a keen observer and an inquisitive student of the language. One of the most effective ways to deepen your understanding and fluency in Spanish is to actively engage in conversations by asking questions. This approach transforms every interaction into a learning opportunity.
When conversing with native speakers, adopt the mindset of a linguist. Pay close attention not only to what is being said but also to how it’s being said. This observation is crucial in understanding the nuances of the language. Here are some strategies to enhance your learning through questions:
- Inquire About Word Choice: If you notice a native speaker using a particular word or phrase, ask them about it. For example, “Why did you use ‘trabajado’ instead of ‘trabajando’ in this context?” Such questions will unveil the subtleties of verb tenses and usage in Spanish.
- Explore Alternative Expressions: Don’t hesitate to ask if a different word or structure could convey the same meaning. For instance, “Could you also say ‘Estoy cansado’ instead of ‘Tengo sueño’ to express tiredness?” This not only expands your vocabulary but also helps you understand the diversity of expression in the language.
- Confirm Your Understanding: When you attempt to construct sentences, seek validation. Ask, “Would it be correct to say ‘He visitado España el año pasado’ for ‘I visited Spain last year’?” (No, it’s not, you should say “visité” in this context.) This practice helps reinforce correct structures.
Developing a habit of asking questions does more than just improve your language skills; it demonstrates your enthusiasm and respect for the language and culture. It also often leads to deeper, more meaningful conversations and connections with native speakers. Every question and every interaction will bring you a step closer to linguistic mastery and cultural understanding.
7) Stay Out Late
Language learning lies beyond textbooks and classrooms; it thrives in the spontaneous and lively interactions of daily life.
It was the warm summer evenings in Barcelona where I stayed out until the sun came up that I often got hours and hours of continuous practice. From the “pre-game” at a random apartment, to the walk to the club, to the rooftop area in Razzmatazz (my favorite Barcelona club) where you can talk without the music blaring, I found these nights to be the most impactful.
Whether you’re at a bar, sipping on sangria, or gathered around a table playing board games with friends, each moment is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the language. It’s also where you’ll immerse in the culture.
When I say “stay out late,” I really only mean that as a metaphor. Entrepreneur Adam Robinson said, “Lean into each moment expecting magic and miracles.” When learning Spanish, every single interaction, no matter the time of day, holds magic.
These are often the times I remember most. I remember those pre-games, the 3am nights with friends playing board games, the weekends, and times when nobody has to work and we can all just live.
Should You Drink?
We’ve all heard that it’s easier to speak a foreign language if you’re intoxicated. A little bit of alcohol can take away a bit of the fear, and allow the words to flow. In my personal experience, I found a small amount of alcohol helpful for this. However, if you go overboard, it will do nothing but damage. Your Spanish will deteriorate, your life decisions will suffer, and you’ll feel terrible the next day.
There’s also ample research on the importance of sleep for learning. Yes, we can sacrifice sleep to do the learning, but damaging it more with excessive alcohol in my view isn’t the best option.
6 Tips to Learn Spanish Without Immersion
While immersion is spoken of with unflinching superiority, I do believe, and have experienced firsthand, how important the months or even years without immersion are.
To have to choose one over the other is a false dichotomy. Plus, non-immersion strategies have the immense advantage of not needing to get an airplane. Or, even if you live in New York and head to East Harlem to practice, you won’t even need to get on the subway for these.
Thanks to technology learning languages without traveling has gotten easier and easier. In my language learning playbook, I view these strategies as an extension of immersion. They’re to help you continue to slowly improve as the weeks and months go by.
It’s important to begin this process immediately after your immersion ends, as I’ll touch on consistency is a key to maintaining and continuing to improve.
1) Practice Language Mindfulness
For tips on how to learn without immersion, one fo the best places to look are the great linguists who studied dead languages. They had nobody to practice with on the entire planet, yet still learned.
You’re probably familiar with The Rosetta Stone. Today it’s in the British Museum in London, if you get the chance to go. It’s a big slab of stone that contains ancient text in three ancient languages: Greek, Demotic Egyptian, and Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Uncovered by the French in 1799, the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics contained on the slab were not deciphered until 1822. While it was a combined scholarly effort, Jean Francois Champollion was the last to carry the torch.
It order to do so, he did something those before him hadn’t done: he learned extinct Egyptian languages to bridge the gap to the hieroglyphics, namely Coptic.
By the time Champollion learned the Egyptian language Coptic, it was already a dead language. He became a master in a language where he could only tap into non-immersion strategies to learn.
While his entire journey is worth studying, there’s one concept from Champollion that stands out to me, and it’s a lesson that had a huge impact on my Spanish learning journey.
In a letter to his brother in 1809, Champollion displayed what I believe is one of the most important concepts for language mastery, what I call “language mindfulness.”
“As for Coptic, I do nothing else. I dream in Coptic. I do nothing but that, I dream only in Coptic, in Egyptian. … I am so Coptic, that for fun, I translate into Coptic everything that comes into my head. I speak Coptic all alone to myself (since no one else can understand me).”
We often think of language learning as an external journey. You have to go out and speak to people and get in reps. Of course, this is a useful part of the process. But one of the most impactful ways to speed up the learning is to look internally, to be mindful of your language and how you speak.
You can choose what to think, and in what language.
This has an array of practical applications. We do what Champillion did, and translate everything into Spanish in our heads for fun. We can talk all alone to ourselves. We can go to bed and try to think in Spanish, increasing the chances we’ll dream in Spanish.
I remember when I was just getting a hang of the subjunctive mood, I would practice saying sentences to myself.
Spend 10 minutes in the morning journaling about your previous day (a great way to practice the past tense) or what you’re going to do today (to practice the future tense.)
Regardless of how long I’ve been away from a Spanish-speaking country, I can always turn my private journal into a bilingual endeavor.
If you like to meditate, choose to use words in Spanish to use as your mantras. Or, make the meditation about keeping your mind on Spanish. If you notice your brain wandering it English, bring it right back.
In my third immersion experience, I took Champollion’s quote to heart and tried to do absolutely everything in Spanish. When I played chess at a chess club in Barcelona, I made a point to say, “si voy caballo f6, juega dama d2, depues juego yo poen come e4…” The possibilities to practice with yourself and your own brain are endless.
2) Do Something Every Day
I’m a huge fan of Duolingo. However, not because I think it’s actually the best language learning program. Duolingo wins because they get you to do it every single damn day.
From their push notifications to the famous Duolingo owl, to the quests, streaks, and dopamine-inducing sound when you get a question right, it’s all about keeping the streak alive.
It’s fun. It’s addicting. The Duolingo owl has damn near taken over the world.
I don’t make this point to say that you need to do Duolingo every day (although, it’s a great way to check this box), I use it as an example of the power of doing something every day. Even just five minutes a day will keep your Spanish brain sharp, and allow you to continually new learn words, sentences, and grammar structures all without much effort.
Then, when you are immersed or using other strategies that are more directly conversational, you’ll have more tools in your toolbox.
The “everyday” rule can take many forms. You could have a favorite YouTube channel you watch daily, read a Spanish poem each morning (let me know if you want recs on this), or make a point to text a Spanish-speaking friend every day.
As one out-of-the-box strategy, I got a Tinder Gold subscription so I could set my location to Barcelona.
The fact that I was setting myself up for in-person dates (a great way to practice once I got there) aside, it also helped me text daily. I did this for Catalan, not Spanish, but it holds true for any language.
Regardless of the method you choose, the principle is to stay consistent with something.
3) Watch Shows and YouTube
Another great technique is to watch TV shows, movies, and other videos. They each have their own advantages.
If you’re a beginner, go with short-form videos.
This can take several forms.
Flood your IG and TikTok feeds with Spanish-language education creators, or just Spanish creators in general.
Yes, it’s great to follow channels that teach you Spanish explicitly. However, broaden from this.
Follow Spanish-speaking stand-up comedians, Spanish-speaking history and urbanism educators, Spanish-speaking life coaches, or whatever topics you’re interested in. There are a lot of great Spanish meme accounts. Follow the same kinds of accounts you follow, but make sure their main langauge is Spanish.
Yes, it might be hard to understand at first, but over time, passively consuming content in Spanish, you’ll improve.
Next, go with longer-form videos, like YouTube.
I think YouTube is going to be easier than television or movies for the main reason that you can choose subjects you’re intimately familiar with. I’ll give a personal example. When learning Spanish, I changed my habits from watching English-speaking chess YouTube, to Spanish-speaking chess YouTube.
Because I know chess, it was easy for me to follow along, even if I didn’t know every word. This is in contrast to TV and movies, where you’re often not sure what’s going on, what the context is, or anything. In my experience this can be frustrating.
Then, watch movies and shows you’ve seen in English
I will soon say the same for books, but it applies to movies too. Watch things you’ve already watched in English, but with the voice dubbed over into Spanish.
There’s a lot of debate about the use of subtitles. I think all variations of subtitles have their place. When watching shows in Spanish, having the subtitles on in Spanish can help you follow along.
When you watch shows in English, having the subtitles in Spanish can help you learn ways to translate things you say in English, into Spanish. It’s another form of passive, everyday immersion.
Once this is second nature, test yourself with shows you’ve never seen.
Advanced levels: subtitles in English
This seems counterintuitive, however this is something I love to do at my level of Spanish. I like to watch shows in Spanish, but have the subtitles in English. Why? I want to study the subtle and imperfect art of translation. I’m curious as to how the translators will say it in English. Often I don’t agree, or have a different idea. Other times, I’m blown away by the precision of their choice of translation.
4) Read Books
Stephen King said, “Books are uniquely portable magic.” They’re also magic for immersing yourself in Spanish. When you read, you are effectively thinking in Spanish. I’ve found reading even more potent than TV, YouTube, or Instagram.
There’s good science that reading is even closer to speaking than we think. In a recent episode of the Huberman Lab Podcast on the neuroscience of speech, language, and music, Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman shares how “As we read, we are generating very low levels of motor activity in our throat. That is, we are speaking the words that we are reading.”
Start with books you know
After my first immersion stint in Barcelona, I decided to read all of the Harry Potter in Spanish, alternating between the Spanish and English versions. I was living in Vermont, one of the worst places to learn Spanish, yet engrossed in the wizarding world and learning Spanish every day, it was in retrospect of the most important decisions I made to accelerate my Spanish learning.
Circle words you don’t know and review them later.
As I read in Spanish, anytime I don’t know a word, I just circle it. At the end of the chapter or book, I then go through them all. This is why I like reading books translated from English FIRST, because I can find the original in the English version.
Only after several years of this, did I move on to original Spanish language books
Even then, I started with children’s books. Not picture books, but books for middle schoolers. Some of my favorites have been the series by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.
5) Hire a Native Speaker to Talk To
I’ve never done this, but I have friends who use it with great success. One option is to use the site Talki. I have no affiliates whatsoever for this. However, there are lots of sites.
Alternatively, if you’ve been immersed, then make a point to catch up with your friends. I always love catching up with my friends from Spain, the fact that I get to keep my languages sharp is a bonus.
6) Look Into AI Speaking Platforms
AI technology is only making it easier and easier to get opportunities to practice. One such example is the new Duolingo MAX upgrade, where they use GPT-4 technology and allow you to have an actual conversation in Spanish with the AI bot.
However, Duolingo is far from the only place to get this.
I believe in the next few years, this will only get more and more built out. I think it’ll be as simple as practicing when we want, because we’ll be able to speak with LLM artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT, and tell it that we want to practice Spanish.
I’m sure I’ll be updating this section of the article frequently with updates.
The future is here. The good news for you is that it’ll make learning Spanish much much easier than it was for Jean Francois Champollion to learn Coptic.
What Should You NOT Do To Learn Spanish As an Adult
With all of these tips on how to learn Spanish, I want to emphasize a few that probably aren’t worth your time. As a rule of thumb, if you wouldn’t do it in English, it probably wouldn’t make sense to do it in Spanish.
Do NOT Spend Too Much Time Making Flashcards
Did you learn English with flashcards? No, you didn’t. You won’t learn Spanish that way either.
Languages are not about memorization. When we speak English, we use words that we’ve heard or used before in similar contexts, maybe that we’ve used before. All of this mostly happens subconsciously, so the goal with Spanish is to learn through a similar process. By choosing any of the strategies above, you’ll learn how to use vocab in a real-world situation.
Do NOT Spend Too Much Time Memorizing Verb Charts
Do you know what the past participle is in English? No, you don’t. Do you speak English? Yes you do.
I think if you’re at an intermediate to advanced level, getting into the nitty gritty has grammar has its place. Just like every native English speaker makes common grammar mistakes, so do native Spanish speakers. While it’s nice to know that the past tense of conducir in the first personal plural form is conduje, even native speakers mess this up, so it’s not a great use of time or energy until you’re advanced.
Instead, learn enough grammar that you need to just speak. I call this getting to “language learning activation.”
Once you know enough to speak sentences, the goal should be to just speak, even if it’s not grammatically correct. You’ll learn, whether through conversation or non-immersion strategies mentioned, how to get it right. After all, how did you learn that you’re supposed to say “I ate” instead of “I eated.” Did someone show you a verb chart? No, no they did not.
(Yes, we need to totally redo our Spanish course curriculum in the United States, but that’s a topic for another article.)
Myths About Adults Learning Languages
1) That you can’t
We’ve covered this. It’s quite dumb.
2) That you can’t improve your accent
This is another common myth. In the case of Spanish, it’s absolutely possible to improve your accent. Learning how to roll your r is a skill, and it takes practice because the muscles in your tongue and face aren’t used to doing it.
When I was working on improving my accent, my best friend in Spain compared it to learning the scales on a musical instrument. That is, at first you’ll want to go slow, and eventually you will improve.
Exactly how to do this I’ll shelve for another article.
Why You Should Learn Spanish as an Adult
In an era where translation technology is rapidly advancing, one might question the necessity of learning a new language, particularly as an adult. However, the endeavor of learning Spanish at this stage of life offers profound benefits that transcend the convenience of technology.
Expanding Cognitive Horizons
Learning Spanish as an adult is akin to unlocking a new realm of cognitive experience. It’s not just about adding a set of vocabulary or grammar rules to your knowledge base; it’s about embracing an entirely new way of thinking. Each language carries its unique worldview, idioms, and cultural nuances. By learning Spanish, you’re not just learning to communicate in another tongue, you’re gaining access to a different perspective on life, a new lens through which to understand the world.
Learning How to Learn
The process of acquiring a new language later in life is a journey of discovery, one that teaches you the art of learning itself. As you’ve experienced, grappling with Spanish has honed your learning skills. It’s a mental exercise that challenges you to think differently, to memorize, to understand context, and to apply what you’ve learned in real-life situations. This skill is transferable and invaluable, enhancing your ability to learn other subjects and skills throughout life.
Sharpening Mental Processes
The act of learning a new language as an adult does more than just add a linguistic skill; it refines your entire thought process. It’s a rigorous mental workout that enhances cognitive abilities like memory, attention, and problem-solving. The mental agility required to switch between languages, to understand and use Spanish, inevitably sharpens your overall cognitive faculties. This heightened mental acuity influences how you process information, solve problems, and perceive the world around you.
In essence, learning Spanish as an adult is a deeply enriching experience that offers benefits far beyond the ability to converse in another language. It’s an intellectual, cultural, and personal growth journey that shapes your mind, enhances your learning abilities, and offers a richer, more nuanced understanding of the world.
Personally, it was the most fulfilling and impactful experience of my life.
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