Easy Ways to Remember Spanish

Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

With more than 400 million speakers worldwide, Spanish is one of the world's most widely spoken languages. It's also the second most widely spoken language in America after English, so learning Spanish certainly has many benefits. Learn the language better by studying similarities between Spanish and English words, using Spanish vocabulary picture cards and getting to know Spanish-speaking cultures.

Make Connections Between English and Spanish

English words that end in -tion can often be translated into Spanish by switching the ending to -cion. For example, the English word "construction" becomes its Spanish counterpart, "construccion." You can translate most English words ending in -tion into Spanish using this method. Finding these kinds of connections makes it easy to memorize whole families of related words. Find similarities between other Spanish and English words, such as "encantado," which is used to mean "pleased to meet you" and can be translated into the similar English word, "enchanted."

Converse with Native Speakers

Ask a native Spanish speaker to teach you new words. Not only will this help you properly pronounce the words, but hearing their English translations will help you learn and memorize them faster. Listen to new Spanish words using audio materials such as CDs, DVDs and podcasts, or use Rosetta Stone, a highly successful language software program. Repeat the dialogue and vocabulary lessons as often as possible. Speak along with the recordings. This is a better alternative to simply rereading Spanish words in a glossary, since reading doesn't allow you to hear how the words are said.

Make Picture Cards

Use Spanish vocabulary picture cards to learn new words. Write the Spanish word for the picture on the back of the card for reference. Ask someone to show you the cards and try to connect the pictures to their Spanish words. This method helps you learn Spanish words by correlating them with their meanings. You learn to associate the pictures with the words they represent, making it much easier to memorize them.

Use Immersion

Immerse yourself in the Spanish language. Head to a section of your city or town with a predominantly Hispanic population. Listen to people converse with one another, and converse with them if your skills are at the appropriate level. You don't have to have extended conversations; something as simple as a hello and asking how somebody is doing can be enough. These interactions allow you to familiarize yourself with what you know or are learning. The environment is conducive to learning new words as well.

References

• Remember Spanish; Remember Spanish Words
• Spanish-Bites; How To Remember Spanish Words
• Imac; Spanish Language Programs

Resources

• Rosetta Stone - Learn Spanish