Learn Spanish For Free

Okay, so “learn Spanish for free” may be a little ambitious.  You’ll probably need at least a basic grammar workbook and vocabulary list, but you could get all you need for $20 or less (see my post:  Learn Spanish For Under $50 for the essentials) assuming you’re willing to get creative and perhaps make your own vocabulary cards.  Not everybody can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a good Spanish audio program and supplementary Spanish grammar workbooks.  These tools are great and will certainly help you learn more quickly, but they aren’t 100% necessary.   Here are a few tips to help you learn as cheaply as possible, if not free.

Borrow Spanish Books And Movies From The Library

Most larger libraries will have a Spanish language section, and many of them will include movies.  Just this afternoon, I saw two of my three favorite Spanish movies available to check out in my own local library.  Watching Spanish movies is one of the best ways to practice your listening ability outside an actual conversation with native speakers.  It goes without saying that reading Spanish literature with the help of a good Spanish dictionary is a great way to build your Spanish vocabulary.  You can start in the children’s section and work your way up.

Best of all, borrowing from the library is free!  You’d be crazy not to take advantage of this great learning resource.

NB:  I found out earlier today that my library actually has a copy of Rosetta Stone Spanish you can use for free for as long as you want right in the library.  That’s a $500 piece of software!  If you’re lucky, your library might have something similar.

Practice Spanish For Free Online

In addition to the free Spanish tutorials I’ve posted on this site, there are a wealth of free online resources available.  Perhaps one of the best places to start is at the BBC Spanish website.  They have a variety of free lessons online ranging from beginner to upper-intermediate in difficulty.  Once you get the hang of it, you might want to graduate to a Spanish-level chat room (chat.yahoo.com) to practice your Spanish in the real world.

Practice Speaking

The best way to practice your Spanish, of course, is to get out in the real world and have a conversation.  Mexican restaurants, Latin American clubs, language exchanges, and even the local Hispanic district of your city are all great places to learn.  Don’t be afraid:  most Spanish speakers will be delighted to help you with your Spanish if you are friendly and outgoing.