Over break, it can be easy to lose practice with Spanish (or any other language you’re learning). What’s even worse is that when you return from break, your Spanish teacher ends up giving you instructions for an important quarter project completely in Spanish. So, what are some ways to keep up your language skills over the next week? Well, after consulting the Spanish teachers around campus, I have gathered this list of eight ideas:
Watch a show or movie in Spanish
Listen to music in Spanish
Find people on social media
Duolingo Lessons
Talk to people in Spanish
Explore other Spanish learning platforms
Visit a nearby library
Learn a traditional dance
See below for more information about each of these methods. The explanations include some really great ideas from our Spanish teachers.
1) Watch a show in Spanish!
You can even put English subtitles on or choose a show that you know really well. The point isn’t necessarily to learn more Spanish or completely understand what’s going on simply by listening to Spanish. Watching a show in Spanish will keep your brain familiar with the language and help you make connections between words in the different languages. Dramas and comedies are great because the plots are easy to keep up with and are fun to watch anyway. If you can find a show that’s originally in Spanish, that’s even better. That being said, Disney is a good streaming service when it comes to translating movies and shows. If the show is a cartoon, they can even change the animation to match the language better. Otherwise, most services only do dubbing. Not all movies and shows have Spanish dubs, though, and sometimes the subtitles don’t always match what the actors are saying quite right. I wanted to watch “My Little Pony” in Spanish to see if I could understand the simpler Spanish without English subtitles. Unfortunately, Netflix does not have a Spanish dubbing of the show. Sigh.
2) Listen to music in Spanish!
Same deal. Listening to music in Spanish will keep you familiar with the language. Also, I’ve found that songs will use abbreviations of words, which doesn’t necessarily come up in classes. Someone who natively speaks English is more likely to say “can’t” over “cannot,” and it’s similar in Spanish. Also, you can listen to music whenever you want; you don’t have to pay constant attention to the worry of missing a part of a story; listening to music is a lot more convenient than watching a movie and is equally fun. If you don’t know where to start, some suggestions are Bad Bunny’s newest album, Debí tirar más fotos, or looking into some of the Buena Vista Social Club’s songs.
3) Find people on social media.
On whichever social media platform you use, there will probably be someone interesting who is from a Spanish-speaking country. Not only can this introduce you to how things are in different parts of the world, but you can also learn how fluent speakers actually talk. We don’t usually talk about or use slang in our Spanish classes, but it can be useful to know it, especially if you ever plan on visiting a Spanish-speaking country. Also, if you have a toddler-aged sibling at home, Señorita Yasmín is a YouTuber who creates lots of content for young children.
4) Duolingo lessons.
Recently, Duo faked his death, causing unnecessary despair and grief for the mascot. However, we will forgive the deceit of the owl and forget the scandal, as we do need to maintain our Spanish skills during the break. The Duolingo platform does not follow the same curriculum as Spanish teachers; it is designed more for tourists wishing to visit foreign countries than it is for students working towards the possibility of fluency. However, doing a daily Spanish lesson, I’ve found, can expand your vocabulary as well as keep you familiar with words and tenses that may not come up very often in your Spanish class. You can also challenge yourself to complete the three daily missions every day this upcoming week or get first place in your leaderboard.
5) Randomly talk in Spanish.
Seriously. Especially if there is someone in your family who has a chance of understanding you, just speaking basic sentences in Spanish will keep your brain in tune. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy, and it can be fun to see whether your family members understand you or not. (Also, this way, you can make fun of a sibling without them realizing.) If you’re up for a challenge, go to a Mexican restaurant and order in Spanish. Be willing to make mistakes, though, and laugh if (and likely when) you accidentally say something stupid.
6) Other learning platforms.
Besides Duolingo, there are dozens of great language-learning apps out there. Some such include LyricsTraining, PBS Spanish games, and Memrise. You can even connect with people who speak Spanish natively through HelloTalk and practice conversation skills. If you’re feeling up to it, go onto Quizlet and study some flashcards on whichever conjugations you struggle the most with. There’s not much you can’t do if you want to continue learning Spanish (or any language) over break!
7) Go to the library!
Now, you may be thinking, “There’s no way I’m going to read a book in Spanish over break.” And that’s fine! The library is an excellent
source for cookbooks. Find a Spanish recipe book and try out some
traditional dishes. It’s a great way to learn about the culture, and it’s
fun too!
8) Learn a traditional dance from Southern America and Spain.
This one doesn’t necessarily help you with your speaking skills unless you watch a tutorial that is in Spanish, but learning a traditional dance is another great way to learn about the different Spanish-speaking cultures and can be lots of fun. In Spanish 4, we’ve been learning a variety of dances, and it’s been a blast. Some dances are harder than others, but it’s fun to learn and mess up with others. Get your family involved, and have a great time!
These suggestions don’t have to only apply to breaks! During regular school weeks, it can be useful to have that extra dose of Spanish between the days you have Spanish class, and it is especially useful over weekends. Plus, there are some really good songs in Spanish that you don’t have to completely understand to enjoy.
Also, thank you to the teachers I talked to about this article for the great advice. Thanks also to all the Spanish teachers, you guys are awesome!
Que bueno! I love these ideas - muchas gracias, Fiona!